Why a charoset recipe roundup? Three reasons: There are many variations on the charoset (also spelled haroset) mixture, ranging from simple ones using a single fruit, one type of nuts, and a bit of liquid, to much more elaborate and exotic blends. Ashkenazic Jews, who have roots in Europe, tend to use apples, walnuts or almonds, and sweet wine or juice, with only a few spices. Sephardic Jews, whose ancestors came from Spain and North Africa, tend to use the dried fruits and many ... read more
Surprising Ingredients that are Kosher for Passover
I have lots of Passover-friendly recipes for the seder. But it gets difficult to plan meals for the rest of the week that aren't boring or so chock full of matzo or matzo meal that we can barely move. That's where these surprising ingredients that are kosher for Passover come in. I do love food we serve at the Seder. Of course, there is matzo in various forms. My favorite matzo dishes are make-ahead matzo balls. Close behind are matzo (Passover) rolls and matzo kugel (pudding). And the ... read more
Make-Ahead Matzo Balls
The old commercial said, "You don't have to be Jewish to love Levy's real Jewish rye." That's definitely true of matzo balls too. Whether you eat them in chicken soup or vegetable broth, there is no ... read more
Nutella-Filled Hamantaschen
Nutella-filled hamantaschen is an update one of my all-time favorite cookies, hamantaschen. These three-cornered filled pastries are a delightful way to celebrate the Jewish holiday, Purim. But ... read more
Apple Pie Hamantaschen
These apple pie hamantaschen were not supposed to happen. I planned to bring nutella hamantaschen to my friends (Carole and Mark) for Purim. But then I saw a couple of apples in my fruit bin. Before I ... read more
Lightened Up Chili with Meat
Call this post counter-programming if you must. But with temperatures plummeting, I needed warm comfort food, not more cookies. While I love traditional beef and bean chili, I hoped for something ... read more