It’s those three little words that every parent loves to hear.

No, not “I love you,” although, of course, every parent, every person needs to hear that from someone, periodically.

I mean “back to school.”

Because after an entire summer everyone is eager for a more structured routine. Even the kids – they might not admit it – want to get back to work and be in the classroom with their books and peers.

Peanut Butter (or soy butter) and Banana Panini

But unlike “I love you,” which offers feelings of comfort and security, those other three little words, “back to school” often create feelings of anxiety and disquietude. I remember many a night before that first day of school, when my older daughter Meredith had a hard time falling asleep, conjuring fears about work and friends and what her teacher would be like. Fortunately, all was okay by the end of that day.

On the other hand, beyond the initial back to school issues, there are other stresses that linger longer, often through the entire year.

Like, what to send for lunch. This problem can cause early morning (or even late night-before) arguments. But it doesn’t have to.

Lila's Lunch Sushi

I am a firm believer in the Simple-but-Mostly-Healthy-Lunch. I always knew that my kids didn’t want to seem weird, so despite having a food-writer Mom, they did not want to be the group gourmet. Pate on Russian Black Bread was never going to be a lunchbox choice.

But my children hated the more usual bologna and salami (“they smell”) and they didn’t want cream cheese and/or peanut butter and jelly more than once a week.

Asparagus and Cheese Frittata

Figuring out what to pack for lunch was always a hassle.

Then there was the snack, that little extra for after lunch. I wanted to strike a balance here too. I would never be the one who sent a Snickers Bar or Nestle’s Crunch. But my kids also didn’t want to be the one whose mother sent them with shredded carrots and raisins (besides, they told me even then, that the carrot-raisin kids were always the ones who asked their friends for samples of the candy).

Fortunately, two helpful things have happened since I was the lunch-packing mom.

First, there are more choices in the way of breads (for sandwiches) such as pitas and multigrains, as well as other spreads (hummus, guacamole, almond butter) and widely available packaged and produce items today (nori, Asian pear, kale), all of which give you more interesting and delicious options.

Second, there’s a new iOS app called Lala Lunchbox that was designed to help parents and kids with this very problem.

I should confess here that this new app, which creates a way for parents and children to plan and pack healthy lunches for a week at a time (and then creates a shopping list for the items needed), was designed by my daughter Gillian. So if I tell you how brilliant this idea is you could say I was bragging and you might be right.

On the other hand, The New York Times, tastemakers like Tina Roth Eisenberg (Swiss-Miss.com), nutritionists and pediatricians have also given it rave reviews.

LaLa Lunchbox is fun to use and does the job.

You can go to Gillian’s website www.lalalunchbox.com and take a look, then download the app and discover for yourself that the daily “what’s-for-lunch” morning stress is a thing of the past. The library of foods available to your kids to choose from is completely customizable – so you can always take dietary preferences or allergies into account.

Some of the lunches that Gillian’s daughter, my granddaughter Lila has picked include frittatas and one of her favorites, sushi. She made the sushi herself one day (you can see the process by going here: http://lalalunchbox.com/blog/homemade-sushi-easy-and-delicious). One of Lila’s favorite snacks is Gillian’s Snack Balls, mostly dried fruit, and naturally sweet without added sugar.

Gillian's Snack Balls

Lila’s pre-school was a peanut butter-free zone. But if your child’s school permits it, you can send the Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Panini. Or you could make the sandwich with soy nut butter or sunflower butter. And use any ripe fruit in place of the banana.

Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana Panini

Gillian’s Snack Balls

Asparagus and Cheese Frittata

Lila’s Lunch Sushi

I can think of few things that inspire fear in the hearts of many cooks more than a soufflé.

Maybe it is the meringue that makes people nervous, or the thought of a flat pancake dessert, or maybe it is the timing issue? I think it is all of the above. The fact is that a soufflé is actually easy once you understand it.

Potato and Cheese Souffle

A soufflé (French: [su.fle]) is a lightly baked cake made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé comes from the French souffler which means “to blow up”.

A soufflé is made up of two components.

1. A crème pâtissière which is a cooked custard base made from: egg yolks, a starch which adds stability and what I call “hang time”, more on that later, which can be: flour, corn starch, arrow root or other starches, and flavor.

2. Egg whites beaten to a soft peak meringue.  The base provides flavor and stability and the egg whites provide the lift. Souffles can be savory
or sweet and should be fluffy and puffed when served. A soufflé will fall after 5-10 minutes.

Souffles can come in all sizes but are most often served in ramekins either individually or for sharing. If a soufflé is too large, it is more likely to collapse.  The components for soufflés can be made ahead of time and can be assembled last minute or, the entire soufflé can be assembled ahead of time and can sit for up to 3 hours before baking.

Part of the secret to the soufflés rise, (ba –dum-ching!) is that the ramekin or baking dish needs to have a crusty coating for the soufflé to crawl up and cling to. For dessert soufflés, the ramekin is buttered all the way to the top and then generously sugared so that the soufflé can climb
up the sides. For savory soufflés, the ramekin is oiled or buttered and then bread crumbs or parmesan cheese are added.

I love soufflés! A soufflé in the oven is a celebration. The light, airy and creamy-egg concoction practically screams PARTY! When my kids were younger, I made a weekly soufflé dinner night. I made our family favorite Potato-Cheese Soufflé for dinner and with a salad and bread, we had a
very elegant and complete dinner.

Non Dairy Chocolate Souffle

For dessert, we had a different soufflé each week. Sometimes, they were chocolate, banana, lemon, vanilla bean, strawberry, pumpkin and more. My kids and I loved soufflé night. The magnificent puff, hovering over the ramekin never failed to delight. As they got older, they used to time the “fall” and I scored points each week with exclamations of GOOD ONE! Or LAST WEEKS WAS BETTER etc…

My kids did not realize that their elegant dinner was really little more than fancy scrambled eggs. They used to invite friends over for soufflé night and brag about their dinners to classmates. I will never forget other mothers in car-pool lines, telling me that I ruined dinners for them with their own kids now asking for soufflés.

My youngest son’s preschool teacher announced, to the class one day, that there was a Special treat that day. My son Jonah, asked, in his booming voice, if it was a Soufflé. The teacher explained that another child had brought some packaged cookies for a treat. Jonah announced
that cookies were not special. Souffles were special!

What type of souffle are you going to make?

Favorite Potato and Cheese Souffle

Best Chocolate Souffle (non dairy)

Love biting into a ripe, juicy peach at the height of summer?

These delightfully soft cookie bars give you another way to enjoy one of this season’s favorite fruits.  Toasted pecans and fresh peaches, the star of the show, lend this treat their Southern flavor. These sweet squares caramelize lightly through the baking process and end with a subtle, toffee-like flavor, Southern Peach Streusel Bars.   Packed with fruit and nuts, ths is a better-for-you bar!  For something more decadent…

Try these Caramel Peach Pie Bites.  There are quite a few steps, but the effort is worth it and it is completely vegan.

Here are some more ways to use fresh peaches while at their peak (non dairy, but not vegan).

Blueberry Peach Crumble Cake

Grilled Angel Food Cake and Peaches

Chunky Peach Popsicles

Evelyn Rubin’s Sweet Peach Bundt Cake

Summer

Sweet juicy fruits.
Crisp seasonal vegetables.
Ice cold lemonade.
A sizzling grill.
And of course, French fries.

Here are two ways to make them; salty and perfectly fried, or remade into delicious healthful vegetable fries. Don’t forget to dip them into some sodium free gourmet mustard dipping sauce!

Crispy French Fries

Frying French fries. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? But creating fries that are both crispy and tender is an art, and requires technique. Try these and you’ll understand.

Vegetables Fries

These fries are a huge hit at our table, with adults and children alike. Kids love “colorful French fries.” Serve as a side dish, or as a tasty snack. They will disappear in no time!

Serve these in “frites cones” held in a wire stand like in the main image.  A feats for the eyes.

Sweet and Spicy Gourmet Mustard Dipping Sauce

This recipe is sodium free, fat free, and delicious. To make this faintly sweet and spicy mustard sauce calorie-free and sugar-free, replace the brown sugar with 1 tablespoon Splenda brown sugar. If you’re short on time and cannot make this gourmet mustard sauce in advance, sprinkle the fries with just a touch of vinegar, and then toss to combine. The vinegar will heighten the flavors of the fries. It’s my favorite way to serve them!

Originally published in the Summer 2011 issue of Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

Chef Jeff is the well known proprietor of the Kosher restaurant Abigael’s in New York City.  He really knows his food. After touring through the Farmer’s Market with Cheff Jeff Nathan of Abigael’s we get to cook and eat his fabulous foods.

Jeff Nathan's Asian Chicken Stir Fry

Pan Roasted Salmon with Summer Vegetables

Jeff Nathan's String Bean and Tofu salad with Soy-Wasabi Vinaigrette

Pepper Crusted Tuna

Berries with Honey Ginger Zabaglione

Growing up as a vegetarian, there were two things I could expect to eat at school and community barbecues: Hamburger buns and potato chips.

Yeah, there didn’t tend to be too many veggie alternatives for people like me. Now don’t get me wrong, I really like potato chips. It’s just that something was always missing. Something like…my entire meal.

It would have pretty amazing to have these veggie sliders instead. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to like them, either. You just have to like fresh ingredients brought together in a deliciously flavorful way.

Think roasted sweet potatoes, chopped scallions, and fresh mushrooms sauteed with garlic. I’m in. You?

Here’s how to get them going:

Start with a sweet potato. A big one. Dice ‘im up. You want small pieces so they don’t overtake the little burgers.

While they’re roasting, saute the garlic and mushrooms, then add scallions and sweet potatoes to the skillet and sprinkle soy sauce over everything.

The rest is quick. Mash up some chickpeas and mix that with the vegetables from the skillet, along with some tomato paste, eggs, and breadcrumbs.

Then you pack the stuff into patties and fry them up in just enough oil to get them sizzling and browned. Not more than 2-ish tablespoons, probably.

Let them drain on paper towels and then stick them into those cute little slider buns that everyone loves (I used Hindy’s recipe). Add some tomato or cucumber or lettuce or onion or avocado…

And by all means, don’t forget the chips.

For the full recipe click here – The Ultimate Veggie Sliders.

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To enter, sign up for our weekly newsletter and leave a comment on this article telling us how you would top this veggie burger?

Contest ends July 9th  at 9:00AM EST. Make sure to check our contest page daily for new and exciting giveaways.

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I am so honored to be contributing for Joy of Kosher. My name is Samantha and I write and cook for the vastly cultural blog The Little Ferraro Kitchen. I grew up as your typical Brooklyn Jewish girl next door, watching my mother roll grape leaves and living off of all the wonders that New York delis and Chinese take-out has to offer. When I was a teenager, my mother thought it would be fun (to say the least) to move to Hawaii and start a new adventure there. Now as an only child growing up with a single-parent, who wouldn’t take on such an amazing opportunity? So we packed our Hula-gear and coconut shells and whisked away to the tropical islands of Aloha…or as many Jewish people also call it, Shaloha!

I am now living in Southern California (can’t complain too much about that as well) and mom still lives on the islands. She has passion fruit trees and pineapples at her doorstep and we often hunt for guavas and papayas when I am visiting. As you can tell, Hawaii has been such a huge and powerful influence in my life. Aloha taught me peace, love, culture and appreciation.

I want to introduce you to the beautiful world of Hawaii, how the locals do it. We thought it would be a fun idea to create a “Shabbat Luau”, so here we have 2 recipes that are dear to my Hawaii soul-they are all about comfort and ease.

Shoyu

The first is “Shoyu Chicken”. Just like Hawaii, Shoyu chicken has influences from Asia, hence calling it “shoyu” which is Asia’s term for soy sauce. You will always find shoyu chicken simmering away on “Aunties” stove or at any given luau-it’s just a given. Boneless chicken thighs are simmered with flavors of soy, ginger and brown sugar, just long enough to fall apart at forks touch. You need to enjoy this with rice, as this is a typical staple of the islands.

Malasadas

For dessert, there is nothing better than classic malasadas. Oh my mouth is watering at the thought of these typed words. Malasadas are Portuguese fried doughnuts and are a favorite for both the locals and tourists. This recipe is given by my favorite Malasadas spot on the Big Island, called Tex Drive-In. Light and dense doughnut pillows with a filling if wanted. You won’t be able to stop at just one.

I hope these recipes bring you to the Islands as much as they bring me back home.

Shabbat Shalom and Aloha!

***Giveaway*** We are kicking off Summer with 10 Days of Giveaways. 

WIN a Case of Chobani Greek Yogurts, a favorite of JOK.

Just leave a comment on the bottom of this article about Hawaii or Hawaiian food to automatically be entered to win.

Ends July 3rd at 9:00AM EST. Make sure to check our contest page daily for new and exciting giveaways.

One winner will be chosen by online randomizer on July 3rd .  Winners will be announced in the comments on this page.

All contests are open to US Residents 18 years old and up.

This Contest is now closed and the winner is newsome815 Thank you are for entering and please check out contest page for the rest of our 10 days of giveaways.

Here is how to easily whip up a batch of all-natural fruit sorbet.  You can use frozen fruit from the supermarket or make your own.

Peel and cut up fruit such as pears, nectarines, peaches, cantaloupe, mangos, bananas, and strawberries. Place them in a single layer on a cookie tray lined with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a Ziploc bag and keep frozen until ready to use.

To make the sorbet, chop a few cups of frozen fruit into small pieces. If you can, add half a frozen banana to the mixture, it will add a creamy texture to the finished product.  Place the chopped frozen fruit in a blender, or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add a tablespoon or two of water or juice (less is best), a little bit of sweetener such as sugar, honey, agave nectar, or simple syrup. Pulse for a minute or two, until the fruit breaks down, adding a little more liquid if necessary to keep the machine running. Keep pulsing or mixing the fruit on a low setting until it has transformed into a silky smooth frozen consistency you can serve with an ice cream scooper.

To make instant frozen yogurt, use the same method, substituting a few tablespoons of yogurt for the liquid.

Tips for Success
Don’t add too much liquid. You want just enough to get the mixture moving, adding a teaspoon or two at intervals in the beginning of the process.

Overworking the frozen ingredients will create heat, resulting in a smoothie instead of ice cream. To ensure a thick consistency, err on the side of lumps. If the majority of the sorbet or ice cream is finished, it’s better to pick out a few lumps, than to overprocess the rest.

What is your favorite flavor sorbet? Let us know if you try this method for an instant treat.

Originally printed in the Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller Magazine May/June 2011 issue.

Every summer the best of American capitalism is reborn when our children set up shop to sell lemonade. These youthful entrepreneurs seem to catch on to the spirit of things by the ripe old age somewhere not quite ready for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah. It bodes well for their future, and ours too.

My own daughter Gillian was 11 years old when she and her friend Dana established their lemonade stand for the July 4th holiday one year. They wanted the best possible stuff, so they made real, from scratch lemonade rather than an instant drink made from packaged crystals.

They used my recipe. My old standby lemonade recipe, once written on paper tattered and lemon juice spotted, but now happily safe in a file on my computer.

At first, sales weren’t so good. They placed their stand in our driveway. Unfortunately, our driveway was down a hill, way off the road. The only cars that passed by belonged to our three neighbors. And after all, how much lemonade can three neighbors (plus two parents and a sister) drink?

So I said it would be okay for them to go to the end of the road. I had to keep an eye out for them there, but it was worth it of course. Not only did they sell lemonade to actual customers, not just the people you know who want to be supportive, but they felt encouraged and successful. It was a happy day all around.

They tried it a few more times and must have learned a thing or two. Today, both are successful businesswomen. Dana Rywelski owns Doodle Doo’s, a haircutting salon for children (in New York and Florida). Gillian has launched Lalalunchbox, an App designed for parents and children to pick lunch items to pack for school.

But business considerations aside, who — child or grownup — doesn’t love a glass of good lemonade? For kids it’s a sweet treat, a break from milk or juice. For us, cold, sweet-sour lemonade is at once quenching and refreshing and also stirs memories of days gone by, in lazy summers, when we were kids.

It has to be good lemonade to be all that though.

Old Fashioned Lemonade

That’s really easy to do, fortunately. You can make a quick version by pouring some fresh-squeezed lemon juice into a glass, stirring in sugar to taste, then adding water and ice cubes.

The better way is to cook lemon-sugar syrup, keep it in reserve in the fridge and mix some syrup with water to make “instant” lemonade when you need it.

In our family, we love lemonade simple: lemon syrup with water. But you can tinker with such a straightforward recipe, and I have done that many times over the years. I’ve made this recipe using honey, agave and maple syrup instead of sugar. I’ve substituted seltzer, black and green tea and fruit juice for at least some of the water I use to dilute the drink. And a couple of times I mixed the syrup with buttermilk – which makes a vibrant, tangy, refreshing beverage that is perfect for a scorching day. I’ve jazzed up the syrup by infusing the cooking liquid with a chunk of fresh ginger. And spiced the drink with a shake or two of cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg. When the kids come I might add a touch of pink using a teaspoon or two of maraschino cherry juice. For after hours, for the adults, well, spiked lemonade is a big winner – just add tequila, white sparkling wine or a nice red Burgundy.

Lemonade Cupcakes with Lemonade Frosting

Get in the spirit this summer! Make your own lemonade stand in the fridge. These recipes are here to help. And by the way, lemonade syrup can go a long, long way beyond beverage. I also use it as a base for moist, tangy cupcakes and creamy lemon-flavored frosting.

For those who like a slushy, frozen beverage-as-dessert, there’s frozen lemonade, sort of like sorbet. After you cool and strain the lemon  syrup mixture, place the liquid in an ice cream maker and freeze it choice for a hot summer day.

Old Fashioned Lemonade

Lemonade Cupcakes with Lemonade Frosting

When I think ”pasta’ somehow I picture a lovely macaroni cheese, or Fetuccine Alfredo, always a creamy, cheesey, dairy dish.  Well, this flavoursome, non-dairy creamy pasta has all the taste with the added bonus of being able to serve it as a main meal or a side dish to meat.

Non Dairy Creamy Pasta

Being in America visiting family over thanksgiving one year was a new experience.   This was like no other holiday!  As we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in South African, I like to serve this dish at Shavuot.  Traditionally, as we so often see on the American sitcoms, the turkey takes center stage with its supporting stars, the pumpkin and pecan pies.  However, this performance of Thanksgiving had all the stars, but in different roles!  It was Turkey and Pumpkin Pasta with Pecans as the chorus!

Santorini Salad

My friend Pam went to Greece with three of her childhood friends.  They had made a pact that no matter where they were living, the year that they all turned 40, they would meet in Greece, so it was in Santorini that they swam in the sea, drank in the Jacuzzi and ate salad for sustenance!  It was the salad I was interested in, so we got to work, substituted here and there, couldn’t quite get the mood back for Pam, but we finally got the taste with this Santorini Salad with tofu in place of feta cheese and some toasted couscous, it is the perfect salad that can be eaten as a meal.

There are so many creative ways to doctor up the regular old burgers and hot dogs.  We love toppings, anything from flavorful sauces to crispy onions are favorites around here.  Keep the burgers or hot dogs simple and then make it extra special with one of these fun toppings.

Sharon Lurie’s Famouse Burger Sauce will make your guests think they are dining at a steakhouse.

Jamie kicks it up with Spicy Fried Onions, a favorite topping for just about everything.

Quick Pickles top a burger like nothing else, sure you can use store bought, but when they are these quick why would you.

Take your guest to the Caribbean for a beach vacation or just serve these Caribbean Burgers with Mango Salsa to top your burger.

If you are vegetarian you don’t have miss out on all the fun make these Portabella Burgers with Pear Walnut Mayonnaise.

Or if you are staying away from beef try this Apple Turkey Burgers with Cranberry Apple Salsa

More of a hot dog person? Hot Dogs can be elevated to the main event with either this Poppyseed Slaw or Peppers and Onion Saute.

What toppings do you like to put on your burgers and dogs?

Pasta is delicious and comforting food any time of year.  In the winter we go hearty with pumpkin and heavy cream sauces, but in the Summer we like to lighten it up with fresh tomatoes and basil, extra veggies and pesto.   Chavi Sperber shares her recipes for Linguine Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad and an all vegetable Zucchini Spaghetti Pasta Salad in our Summer issue of JoyofKosher.  We have so many more ideas here online.

Zucchini Pasta with Mushrooms and Oven Dried Tomatoes

Salmon and Pea Rotini

Cool Soba with Citrus Chicken and Spinach

Orecchiette Pesto Pasta

Sun Dried Tomatoes and Walnuts Tossed with Penne

Angel Wings Pasta Salad

Beef Sukiyaki with Noodles

Beef Sukiyaki with Noodles

Avocado Cream Pasta

Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta

Summer Squash Bow Tie Pasta

When Spring has finally sprung, and the farmers’ markets are bursting with the season’s new bounty, there is no better time to refresh our salad making skills.  It’s time to get creative and gear up for the fresh flavors that we would love to grace our tables!   Salad-making may involve little to no actual cooking, but there is quite a bit involved to making a good salad great. Read on for hints and tips toward creating memorable salads your family and guests will love!

• Keep your greens crisp and dry!  After thoroughly soaking, washing and checking your greens, use a salad spinner or toweling to dry them.

• Once properly dried, greens can be wrapped in paper toweling and stored in a plastic storage bag for up to a week in the refrigerator.

• Get to know your greens!  Explore new varieties and get creative – feel free to mix and match contrasting textures, flavors and colors.  (green leaf, red leaf, spinach, arugula, endive, radicchio…the list goes on!)

• For an extra dash of flavor, throw some fresh chopped herbs into the greens mix.

• Greens go limp and the edges darken if cut with a knife; instead of cutting, tear them into bite-size pieces with your fingers.  Alternatively, use a serrated plastic salad knife.

• Pour dressing over greens just before serving, using only enough to lightly coast the leaves; then toss.  If dressed too early, the greens will become limp and soggy.

• Salad components can often be prepared in advance, but do wait to assemble and dress until immediately prior to serving time (unless marinating time is required).  Always store prepared components separately to prevent spoilage and mushy textures from developing.

• FRESH is BEST! The freshest ingredients make the BEST salads.  Use freshly squeezed juices in your dressings, seasonal and ripe vegetables/fruits in your salads (i.e. strawberries are luscious in a spring/summer salads; apples, pears, and winter squash are perfect for a warming fall/winter salads).

• Contrast is beautiful!  What distinguishes a good salad from a great salad is the beauty of contrasting colors, flavors (ex. bitter greens vs. sweet fruits, sweet fruits vs. salty cheeses, etc.), and textures (ex. crunchy nuts vs. soft roasted beets).   Mix it up and get creative!

Check out these fun recipes to kick off your spring entertaining season – healthful and delicious!

Roasted Beet and Orange Salad

Baby Spinach Salad with Balsamic Strawberries and Avocado

When you think Shavous, what comes to mind?  Spring, flowers…. And of course cheese!  As a cheese-lover this has always been one of my favorite meals to prepare and eat.  The plethora of kosher cheeses available today has made this Yom Tov a truly enjoyable gastronomic experience.

Herbed Flower Salad

And while I’m at it, I like my table to be aesthetically gorgeous as well. This Herbed Flower Salad sets the tone for your meal. I always prepare the salad in mini clear bowls (glass or Lucite) so when the guests arrive it looks my table is a garden. The effect is green and beautiful.

The Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Rounds are a snap to prepare and offer a delicious bite in contrast to the salad.  You can arrange a few on each person’s plate beside the salad or on serving platters in the center of the table.

For my next course I chose the Honeydew Ginger Soup; the crisp, sweet taste provides a refreshing palate cleanser in between courses.  Just the thing to tide your guests over until you bring out the next sumptuous course….

Watermelon Salad

The remaining dishes can be served on a buffet with each guest helping themselves.  Spread out the Creamed Spinach and Red Wine Timbalo (looks just like Mount Sinai), Salmon on Wine Soaked Plank, and my personal favorite is the Watermelon Salad.  I’m sure at first many of you will glance at this recipe and think NO WAY! But give it a chance.  The flavors meld together incredibly.

The Zucchini Crowned Quiche is a stunning centerpiece that will crown your Yom Tov table. If the cheeses intimidate you stick to one kind but know that the cheese flavors stand out in the filling for a savory delight in every bite.

For dessert we have a Chocolate Nut Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce and Summer Fruit Medley with Cinnamon Ginger Sauce.

I can go on and on about each every recipe featured here until there is no time left to cook.  So take my word for it and try them out! And enjoy all that cheese.

Spring produce season doesn’t really kick off for me until I see the sprightly-green shelling peas at the farmer’s market. Piled high and begging to be plucked from their pods and nibbled, I love that table, groaning with possibilities. Ah, sweet, sweet English peas.

While peapods are botanically a fruit since they carry seeds (peas) from the ovary of the flower, they are regarded as a vegetable in culinary uses. Peas are a cool weather crop with planting taking place in winter or early spring and harvest soon after. In ancient times, peas were grown for their dried seeds. In modern times; peas are served fresh and can also be found frozen and canned. In the 17 and 18^th centuries, eating peas was very fashionable and when the English developed new cultivars of peas and the pea trend came to North America, they became known as English peas.  Thomas Jefferson had more than 30 varieties of peas growing on his estate. When canning and freezing became popular, peas were eaten year round and not just in the spring.

Pea Crostini

Similar to shelling peas or English peas are a variety of sweet peas or flat peas that are not shelled and the entire pod is eaten. Those are sugar snap and snow peas.

Peas play an important role in cuisines around the world as they are high in fiber, protein, minerals, vitamins and lutein.

English Peas are easily found at Farmer’s markets in late spring and early summer. They are also found in many specialty produce markets. Store your English peas in the refrigerator for a day or two. If you need to freeze them, shell the peas, blanch and shock them and freeze for up to 6 months.

Pasta with Morel Mushrooms and English Peas

Peas with Escarole and Mint

Peas with Ricotta and Mint Crostini

 Chilled Pea Soup