Gourmet & Kosher

Eggplant, Aubergine or Guinea Squash is a FRUIT, not a vegetable, and is a member of the Nightshade Family. Once thought to be extremely dangerous to eat, and native to India, eggplant are commonly cultivated all over the world. The eggplant comes in a variety of sizes and colors. The name eggplant is used in the United States, rather than the more common aubergine, is probably due to some varieties of eggplants that are small, goose-egged shape and pale yellow or white.

Raw eggplant can have a bitter taste, but when cooked becomes complex with a mildly smoky flavor. The process of degorging is essential to produce a crispy and not greasy final result.

Degorging is done by salting sliced eggplant and allowing the water to be purged out of the fruit. The degorging collapses the cells that hold the water and prevents the eggplant from absorbing oil during the cooking process. Degorging is not done to remove bitter juices.

Eggplants are effective in treating high blood pressure and are thought to be a good source of potassium and folic acid.
From Ratatouille to Babaghanoush, eggplants are versatile and are a staple in many cuisines around the world. Summer is the best time of the year for eggplant, so scoop them up while you can and experiment with one of the most versatile fruits in global cuisine.

Start with this Eggplant Parmesan-Roman Style.  This is not your mother’s eggplant parmesan. This Roman style, modernized version of the classic dish will reinvigorate your table. My dispute with the eggplant parmesan I have seen from many home cooks is that you spend all this time breading eggplant, crisping it up and then drowning it in sauce and covering it with cheese. What happened to the crispy part? What happened to the eggplant for that matter? It was buried under layers of stuff.

My version is more eggplant salad than gooey, mushy eggplant dish. I crisp my slices of eggplant with crunchy panko breadcrumbs, then sandwich confit tomatoes, cheese (optional for pareve) and fresh basil leaves between the eggplant slices and top the eggplant with more tomatoes and basil.

Tomato Confit

Tomatoes are my favorite summertime market vegetables find and pair perfectly with eggplant. I wait all year long for tomatoes and cannot seem to get enough of this sweet, juicy fruit. When I cannot think of ways to serve the tomatoes and we are “saladed” out-I poach these beauties in olive oil. By poaching the tomatoes, I extend their shelf life for weeks. Store the tomatoes in the olive oil in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Use the fragrant and tasty olive oil for sautéing or making vinaigrettes.

And here is one more eggplant recipe for you I just have to share.  For this Curried Eggplant I prefer to use Japanese eggplant. The intense color, slim profile and deep smoky essence make it an excellent choice when looking for big flavor.

Fresh from my garden pickings, and the easy spirit of summertime, my cooking at this time of year is inspired! As much as I can, I bring tastes of the outdoors into my recipes. When the weather is on my side, I like to spend my time outdoors as much as possible–whether I’m barbecuing, relaxing on the patio with friends and family, or dining al fresco in the garden of a favorite restaurant. If it’s me that’s doing the cooking, I choose my summer menus thinking of the great outdoors. I like my foods to reflect the laid-back attitude, and generous supply of fresh grown ingredients of the season.

I’ve used fresh herbs and spices for years in my professional cooking, but it wasn’t until Father’s Day a few years back, that I was introduced to growing my own. On our back porch was potting soil, planters, and starter plants of basil, dill, rosemary, bay leaf, and sage. Since then, I’ve added to the variety and work on them every morning; watering and weeding. I clip them for use in my home and at my restaurant, Abigael’s.

It’s amazing to me how many herbs are available…Mint for instance, has 5,600 species. Oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, savory, and basil are all members of the mint family. I grow a fragrant chocolate mint, which I add to a macadamia nut and strawberry relish. I serve the relish with a chocolate praline terrine at Abigael’s. The apple mint, which I use as a garnish in a cold honeydew and cantaloupe soup, is as subtle in flavor as it is intriguing! My garden sometimes seems more like a candy store, but I can’t think of a finer taste on my tongue than that of freshly grown herbs.

For those who have sworn against growing your own, there’s always the local grocery store, farmer’s market and fruit stands. Professional growers do the work for us and all we have to do is pick out the fresh herbs and produce of the season. When you’re choosing produce, pick pieces that look fresh to the eye, are free of blemishes, and feel crisp to the touch. Organically grown produce will cost more, but give us the peace of mind that they’re pesticide free.

The Jewish calendar of events dictates to us only one holiday during the summer. Tisha B’Av, solemnly celebrated on the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, this year on August 9th, is a day of fasting. The mournful event of the fast is preceded by nine days of not eating meat and we avoid elaborate productions of our foods. Since these are a sign of prosperity, which we avoid as we commemorate the destruction of the two temples on the same day hundreds of years apart. The guidelines of this holiday keep to the theme and spirit of easy summer cooking. The simplistic tastes of the summer garden are a good basis to work from for your meals at this time of year.

Light and flavorful, I’m sure you’ll enjoy my recipe for Herbed Sea Bass with Saffron Tomato Jus.

Having a pool means you need food all the time. Because you can’t just invite people over for a swim.

We have a pool at our “new” house, which we bought 11 years ago. The house came with it, it wasn’t something we necessarily wanted, and I never go in because, as I like to say, I am an indoor girl, like Jack called Rose in the movie Titanic.

But it sure is a magnet for my adult children and their kids. And lots of other people too.

Frequently.

I’m not complaining. I love to entertain, so I don’t mind all the company. But during the summer, when the weather is so good, even indoor girls like to step out onto the patio for some fresh air and conversation and to watch the kids do doggy paddles while holding on to Styrofoam floats.

That means the kind of food I choose has to be easy to make and serve so I can get out of the kitchen quickly.

When we first moved in I barbecued for the pool crowd. But that involved an entire meal, meat and sides, and it became too big a deal. In recent years I’ve pared it down to hors d’oeuvre.

Hummus with Pine Nuts and Zaatar

There’s always a dip, like guacamole or hummus. I realize there are over 3 dozens kinds of packaged hummus at the supermarket (I counted once) but I always make my own. I like to vary the flavor with different herbs and spices (or lemon juice, chili oil and so on). Besides, hummus is better when the texture is drier and grainier than the overly soft and smooth store-brands.

I also serve a salsa of some kind, one that could double as a side dish with the grilled meat, poultry or fish I might make for dinner. Fresh summer fruit – peaches, nectarines, apricots, berries and so on, are perfect for salsas. Dice several kinds of fruit, combine them in a bowl, add one of the onions (scallion, chive, shallot, etc.) and a chili pepper to give it some bite, plus a few squirts of lime juice (white wine vinegar or Meyer lemon juice) for a refreshing, tangy taste. That’s it. Fruit salsas keep for a day or two in the fridge. Serve them with chips or on slices of cheese.

Papaya and Peach Salsa

Marinated vegetables are also a hit and you can make them 2-3 days ahead. One of my favorites is Portobello mushrooms with a Balsamic vinegar glaze. Portobellos are meaty and flavorful. Serve the chunks with pretty toothpicks and you’re all set.

White Bean Tomato Goat Cheese and Olive Bruschetta

Another winner? Bruschetta! Prepare the toasts and toppings separately and well in advance and combine them just before serving. There are so many variations! Get beyond the familiar tomato versions and think beans, deli meat, cooked veggies, grilled bell peppers and cheese. Chop the ingredients, season with fresh herbs and olive oil and spoon it on top of toasted bread. To make it even easier, serve the toasts and Bruschetta mixture in separate serving bowls and let guests fend for themselves.

Smoked Salmon Dill Round with Lemon Mayo

Most of the time I don’t serve canapés or other fancy bite-sized nibbles. That’s just too much trouble. But occasionally I succumb because I want to try a recipe or serve something pretty. Smoked Salmon Tartare is one of my favorites and is easier than it looks: chop the salmon (or substitute fresh, raw salmon) and seasonings together and spread small portions on crackers or sliced zucchini or cucumber. These are fine without the garnish, although the tiny dollop of lemon-flavored mayonnaise (which you can make in advance and use as a spread for salmon or turkey burgers) gives it a lovely look. And although this hors d’oeuvre looks so tempting when it’s put together, this is another dish you can serve separately, salmon mixture in a bowl, crackers or sliced veggies on the side.

With the 4th of July right around the corner it is time to fire up the barbeque. The perfect excuse to throw some burgers on the grill and sit back with a nice cold drink and the company of good friends. While there are many types of desserts that compliment a barbequed meal perfectly, I think it is fun to take advantage of the hot grill and make a grilled dessert that highlights all that is wonderful about the ritual of the summer barbeque.

Grilled S'mores Sandwich

When I think about grilled desserts my mind naturally jumps to the campfire classic, s’mores. These tasty grilled sandwiches, made on sweet toasty challah, have the same gooey marshmallow-y appeal but the addition of peanut butter takes them to a whole other level. They are quick and easy to make and are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Since most grilling takes place in the summer it makes sense to take advantage of the amazing summer fruit that is available this time of year. Grilling intensifies the flavors of fruit, bringing out their natural sweetness. Hearty fruits, like pineapple and melon, take well to grilling, but I also like grilling softer fruit like peaches. These Cinnamon Grilled Peaches are the perfect summer dessert when paired with a cooling scoop of parve ice cream. I like to serve them with a homemade cinnamon ice cream but vanilla works well too.

Cinnamon Grilled Peaches

Another dessert that takes well to grilling is pound cake. The heat of the grill gives it a nice warm toasted exterior that is delicious when paired with fresh fruit and tangy lemon curd. I used a coconut pound cake in this recipe, but any parve pound cake would work. Making the pound cake does require turning on the oven in the summer heat, but it can be made up to two days in advance so it doesn’t require any last minute baking.

While an outdoor barbeque just screams summer, sometimes it isn’t possible to grill outside. All of the following recipes work equally well on a well oiled hot grill pan in the comfort of the kitchen for days when rain drives the best planned barbeque inside. Inside or out, these desserts are sure to end your 4th of July meals with a proper bang.

People are often amazed to learn facts and trivia about some of the foods we use every day. Would you be surprised to learn that an olive is actually a fruit; a caper is no more than a flower bud; and soybeans could be used to make crayons?

Beyond those tidbits of data, I’m most amazed about mushrooms! For instance, the mushroom plant isn’t grown from seeds. New mushroom plants start from spores. And they don’t grow leaves, roots or flowers like other vegetation we’re more familiar with. What’s just as fascinating is how the mushrooms nourish themselves. Unlike green plants that make their own food (remember back to photosynthesis), mushrooms take their food from living and decaying plant material in the soil.

There are thousands of mushroom types, but not all can be consumed. There is no golden rule to differentiate between the varieties that can be eaten and which, by fear of poisoning and death, should be avoided. So it is best to leave the forest foraging to professional fungus finders.

Because they are porous, the mushroom will retain moisture. Soaking mushrooms in water (for cleaning purposes), allows them to fill up with the water. If instead, just before use, the mushroom is quickly rinsed, or lightly scrubbed with a mushroom brush, it will instead fill up with the flavors of your dish, such as the nutty flavor of barley in a mushroom barley pilaf. The mushroom is a sponge and will capture the flavor of the other ingredients it is cooked with. Additionally, certain ingredients enhance the flavor of a mushroom. Even if you’re not going for an Asian taste, using a splash of soy sauce instead of salt will draw out each unique flavor. A spoonful of chopped garlic will marry nicely with mushrooms in almost any Mediterranean dish.

When a mushroom isn’t appropriate for eating raw, as in a salad or a crudite, it is more likely a good candidate for a quick sauté or stir-fry. The Shiitake, the rich earthy flavored Morel, the bright golden yellow Chanterelle and the Lobster mushrooms aren’t taste sensations in the raw, but better suited for cooking.

Mushrooms come in many different forms. Fresh, dried, in a paste, ground to a fine powder, or preserved in oil — each is used in different methods of preparation. Dried mushrooms are a wonderful staple to store in your kitchen pantry. Due to the short season for Porcini mushrooms, they are one of the more common varieties to find in the dry form. Reconstitute the Porcini in a bowl of water to spruce up a soup or stew. Another option for the dried version is to grind and use as a dusting on pan-seared salmon or sea bass. Dried Black Mushrooms, often found in Asian sections of the market, add a great texture to Oriental dishes once reconstituted. However, with today’s availability of fresh mushroom varieties, there is no need to limit ingredients solely to the dried form. Fresh Shiitake mushrooms are a superb addition to salads, soups, stir-fries and quick sautés. Keep in mind that the fibrous stems of the Shiitake are one of the few that should be discarded.

Another commonly found mushroom is the Portobello. This large, dark brown mushroom is the product of an ingenious marketing ploy of the ‘80s. The Portobello is an unglamorous mushroom that was usually thrown away because growers couldn’t sell it. A marketing firm slapped on the fancy name and it sold. And sold and sold! Now the Portobello is considered a delicacy. The dense meaty texture of this mushroom is perfect for grilling or placing over a salad. Cutting long, thin strips and breading with panko is a great alternative to french fries. Portobello and its junior version, the Crimini are now fairly common in the markets. Each provides an interesting and earthy flavor to any dish that calls for white button mushrooms.

There are a couple of times when lobsters and oysters are permitted in a kosher kitchen…The Oyster (aka Pleurotte) and Lobster mushrooms were awarded their names by their appearance. The Oyster mushroom is pale, thin and gray. The Lobster mushroom is thick and meaty, and it boasts an orange-reddish hue. These are terrific choices to layer within a recipe; combining several types of mushrooms will greatly enhance the dish you are preparing with nuances of taste, color and texture.

If even one new mushroom that you’ve just read about sounds intriguing, do yourself a flavor and get some into your kitchen! The following recipe offers a variety of fabulous fungi for your next feast.

Please try out this delicious recipe – Pasta with Wild Mushrooms and Broccoli Rabe.

One of my favorite fruits is just coming into season in the United States and Israel. Figs are one of the earliest cultivated plants with fossils found dating back to Neolithic times. Cultivation of figs predates barley, wheat and legumes. High in calcium, flavenoids and fiber, figs are not only super good for you but are also versatile and can be eaten fresh or dried.

Figs are grown throughout the Mediterranean, Mexico, South America and South Africa with Turkey leading the world’s fig production.

Mentioned in the story of Adam and Eve and used by Theodore Herzl in his depiction of the Jewish homeland, figs have a long and important cultural status. They remain a culinary puzzle to many people. Most fig lovers eat figs fresh out of hand but do not know how to cook with them. Figs are not only delicious in dessert recipes but also in savory applications.

I am a latent fig lover though. I never appreciated them as a child and did not know how to work with or even eat them until about 20 years ago. Now, I cannot get enough of them. I even have a small hardy fig tree in my garden that is bravely producing the most gorgeous purple and green little figs during one of the weirdest weather summers in Chicago. I use dried figs, often, in my tagines, long braised dishes and in my holiday challot. Dried figs are a staple in my kitchen. But fresh figs are truly special and fun to work with.

They add a delicate sweetness and a complex textural element with their smooth skin, chewy flesh and crunchy seeds recipes. With their round shape, fresh figs range in color from deep rich purple to bright green and will be available in markets from Mid-June through October.

With fresh figs just appearing in the markets, here are some new recipes to add to your summer menus:

Grilled Chicken and Fig Kabobs with Fig-Balsamic
Broccoli Rabe and Fig Pasta
Fig and Raspberry Rustic Tart
Fig Confit

You know that summer is almost here when the produce section starts stocking better looking berries, and it’s always a thrill for me to welcome the long strawberry season.  Flavorful, versatile and nutritious, strawberries are one of the most well-liked fruits in the United States and perhaps the most popular of all the berries.  In addition to their sweet juicy flavor and gorgeous crimson color, strawberries are packed with fiber and potassium and have the most Vitamin C of any berry, all at only 25 calories per half cup.

Strawberries have been known since the time of the Greeks and Romans, and cultivation of strawberries began around 1624.  Commercial growing in North America began about 1800 on the east coast of the United States.  Strawberries moved west with the pioneers and now there are more than seventy varieties of strawberries, many of which are grown in California and Florida.  Nowadays the fruit is usually available year round, but peak season is from April to July, when strawberries are welcomingly inexpensive.

Many people love to transform their strawberry crop into chunky preserves or perhaps make simple but flavorful fruit soups.  I love to bring out strawberry’s international side, specifically with a slant towards the Italian.  Take bruschetta, for instance:  this traditional Italian appetizer consists of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with chopped tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil.  With a little imagination, I have spun the traditional bruschetta into a new dessert, Fresh Strawberry Bruschetta.   I have also made a variation of the panna cotta, the traditional creamy eggless Italian custard, and of course strawberries are the star here as well.

Pair one or both of these sweet strawberry desserts with a light Italian fish or pasta meal and create new refreshing summer traditions in your home.   Buon appetito!

After a recent slew of busy days, I knew that Passover was surely over. On my busiest of days, three out of four meals were sandwiches on the go, and I realized what an integral and wondrous component bread can be… and I don’t even mean the wonder of the challah!

Bread is served at every meal. With a glass of orange juice and newspaper in hand, we crunch into toast at breakfast. Lunch on the go is a quick sandwich, and there are endless possibilities for bread at dinnertime. Even if you’re just serving soup and salad – bread is there. As a complement to any meal, choosing the right bread is where the fun begins.

Smelling the aroma of bread, fresh from the bakery oven has got to be one of the most enticing culinary experiences for me! Does anything compare? Well actually, baking at home and creating both the bread and that phenomenal smell in your own home does! Baking bread is a lot easier than most would think, but it takes some practice until you can be secure with your own skills. So be prepared to toss a couple of failed loaves into the trash, or at best, turn a botched loaf into a batch of croutons!

There are many different types of breads, but really you just have to master the art of basic bread dough; then become inventive, creative and daring to produce exotic and uniquely flavored loaves. Adding rosemary, raisins or olives to the dough is a great way to jump start your bread baking experimentation. Sweet or savory, breads can add dimension to your meals, or be totally delicious and satisfying when eaten alone.

Most breads come from a mixture of flour, sugar, water, and yeast. Yeast has caused many a home-cook to run the other way… straight to the bakery. So here’s a better understanding of yeast, so that we may all try our hand at baking.

Yeast is a living, microscopic, single-cell organism. As this amoeba grows, it converts its food into alcohol and carbon dioxide. When we purchase it in the little square packets, the yeast is in its dormant stage. The lack of moisture keeps the yeast inactive. The perfect combination of warmth, moisture and nourishment will allow baker’s yeast to grow to be utilized as a leavening agent.

If you really want to understand yeast, imagine comparing it to a baby. Seems weird, but work with me here. When first purchased, yeast in its dormant stage, is like a sleeping baby. Warm water (between 105° and 115° F) will wake it up; and once the baby is awake, sugar will feed it. Like all humans after eating, they get gassy! This combination of ingredients produces carbon dioxide (in the form of bubbles). The carbon dioxide’s bubble activity causes the dough of most breads to rise.

Back to bread…next we add flour to the yeast, water and sugar. As the dough is kneaded, elastic-like gluten from the flour helps hold in the gas bubbles, and in turn causes the dough to rise. This part does take time, so be patient.

Once the dough has doubled in size, we punch the dough down. By this, we are extracting the previously caught air bubbles. After punching, we re-cover with a kitchen towel and leave it to double in size again. This is the time when the yeast and other ingredients are developing their flavor. When the dough has doubled again, and after punching once more, you can form it into the desired loaf or shape into a challah.

Challah is usually braided using three or four strands, although on special occasions, a six strand challah is the center of attention on any dining room table; and a round challah adds a sense of wholeness to the spirit of the New Year. Other bread doughs can be shaped into loaves, bread sticks, mini rolls or knots. After shaping, brush the bread with an egg yolk glaze, egg whites or olive oil for a shiny finish and sprinkle with something interesting. Poppy and sesame usually top the list, but get creative and try a dusting of Parmesan cheese or fresh herbs.

The more you practice the art of baking bread — the better you’ll get. It really doesn’t take long and it’s a beautiful kitchen talent you’ll be glad you worked at! Here’s a recipe for Bialy Loaf that you’ve likely never tried before at home!

Strawberries are my favorite fruit. They are available all year round, but are really only in season in the North and Midwest May and June.

There are roughly 30 different varieties of strawberries, the most common being a hybrid. Most people who love the bright red berry have never tasted a wild berry. Wild strawberries are drought, frost and disease resistant and if you love berries like I do, then seek out wild strawberries at you local farmer’s markets. They are available June through November.

I only use organic strawberries. The berry is delicate and does not have a skin that can be scrubbed, so any spray that is used in farming cannot easily be washed off.

My favorite spring dessert is simple and classic – Strawberry Shortcake. I do not want any bells and whistles in my old fashioned shortcakes, just butter and juicy berries. This recipe is only really delicious with butter and real whipped cream. It is simply not the same with margarine and non-dairy whipped topping. The best berries deserve the best ingredients and this recipe delivers. Short on time? No prob-Make the shortcakes ahead of time and freeze them. Allow them to thaw at room temperature before serving.

I love homey fruit desserts. Nothing says comfort like the smell of a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp baking in the oven. This dessert can be made for Shabbat and can be served cold or warmed for Shabbat lunch.

Strawberries and rhubarb team up again to create one of my favorite combos – Crispy Pan Roasted Duck with Strawberry-Rhubarb Chutney. This is a spring time favorite. The assertive duck is complimented by the sweet and sour chutney. The dish is mouthwatering delicious and pretty.

Here’s something simple – Homemade Strawberry Jam. Easy to do and nothing tastes better than homemade!

If you’re the type of person who likes gift giving, especially treats from your kitchen, then Purim is the holiday for you! You probably look forward to the holiday as much as my family. When my kids were young, we would make a whole day out of it. I especially enjoy the making of hamantaschen. Holiday cookbooks are full of poppy seed, prune, chocolate, and even jelly-filled recipes…they’re all good, but I like my own special creations the best!

It’s been years since my daughter dressed up during the Purim Carnivals as Queen Esther and my son as a human gragger. Although we’ve outgrown some holiday traditions, the mainstay for my family at Purim is the giving of shalakh mannes. What a wonderful opportunity to share with your Jewish neighbors and friends a basket full of ready to eat treats from your heart and home. The Megillah instructs us to celebrate the holiday by sharing these foodie gifts. The gift-giving serves as an expression of brotherly love, unity and generosity. For me, it’s an opportunity to share from my own personal kitchen, and not just my Abigael’s kitchen!

When we first started setting up Purim baskets, we filled them with the clichéd ensemble of grape juice, assorted candies, fruit, and hamantashen. The baskets were spruced up with chocolates and homemade preserves.

Over the years, we’ve developed a more interesting and personality-filled basket of shalakh mannes. We’ve expanded the bounty with the additions of specialty ingredients such as spiced nuts, fruit chutneys, chocolate truffles, exotic fruits and wine. These treats are for the big kid in all of us.

The baskets themselves have evolved from the repurposed ones we received in previous years, to flowerpots, pails, buckets and artfully blown glass bowls. We try to use the opportunity of gift giving as an expression of who we are and what we like; what we enjoy in our home and what we’d like to share with our friends. The idea behind shalakh mannes is giving, so be proud of what’s in your basket!

I hope you enjoy the White Chocolate and Cherry Hamantaschen recipe… it’s my personal favorite!

I love cooking in winter. My family, friends and customers are actually hungry. There are no dainty appetites when it is cold outside-everyone is eager to eat. While it is often cloudy and the daylight hours are short it is possible to feel sunny-especially on the inside. Winter is citrus season. All the bright flavors and colors of summer are available in season during the winter months. It is no accident that when most of us are cooped up inside and colds and flu abound that some of our best protection in food happens to be in season. High in vitamin C, loaded with flavenoids and part of the Mediterranean Diet, citrus fruits are incredibly good for you. So, scoop up all the tangerines, grapefruits, blood oranges and Meyer lemons you can-they will help you feel sunny on the inside.

Here I offer my Citrus Extravaganza with recipes and tips for using citrus:

For the Goat Cheese and Citrus Salad with Beets, Candied Kumquats and Tangerine-Honey Vinaigrette you will need to cut out the citrus segments.  These beautiful citrus sections or supremes-in French, look picture perfect on a plate and are easy to cut if you know what you are doing.

1. Start with a sharp paring knife and cutting board. Cut off a small section from the top and bottom of the fruit. This will give the fruit stability and keep it from rolling around.
2. Cut down the rind from top to bottom following the curve of the fruit. The goal is to remove the rind and the pith (white bitter part) but not the fruit. Continue until all of the rind has been cut off.
3. Hold the fruit in one hand and cut 1/2 into the fruit at one of the dividing membranes. Cut on the other side of the segment along the membrane. This should release the segment or supreme. Continue until all of segments are cut out. Squeeze the juice into a bowl and discard the membranes. Reserve the juice for another use.

Kumquats are beautiful and irresistible when you see them in the store. They are not for eating out of hand though and need a bit of WORK before they can be added to your menu. You need to plan ahead at least 3 weeks to make Candied Kumquats. This should not discourage you though. Once candied – the kumquats are delicious and will hold up for several months in the refrigerator in their syrup.

Here are a few more of my favorite citrus recipes, enjoy!

• Roasted Snapper with Sweet and Sour Citrus Reduction
• Lemon Thyme Gnocchi
• Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta

The children are cheering and calling their friends to share the great news. It’s a snow day! No school!

It’s wonderful fun at first, but we all know that the parent who is staying home with them will have to deal with snow-day cabin fever. After the kids have built their snowman, made snow angels, and thrown a few snowballs, they’ll be stomping into your kitchen whining that there’s “nothing to do.” (No, this is not the time to remind them about that book report. When you have a day off, do you want to be reminded about the presentation you have yet to prepare, or the pile of laundry waiting for you?)

You foresee that they’re likely to spend the rest of the day glued to some screen (wide, medium, or hand-held) turning slowly into dazed zombies. And they’re not interested in the activity closet full of board games, cards and puzzles.

I have the answer. Before you even wipe up the snow puddles on your floor, send them to wash their hands, because – we’re going to cook up something special together!

Not only will you keep them occupied, you’ll have lunch and dinner ready when you need it. You’ll feel accomplished and so will they.

So let’s start with a classic kiddie lunch: peanut butter ‘n’ jelly, and we’ll add a little Jamie Geller twist. In truth, a lot of grown-ups (including me) LOVE pb&j. I’ve eaten it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My mom has invented her own adult version of this comfort food: a sandwich made with toasted whole grain bread, natural organic peanut butter and all natural, no sugar added, raspberry jam. Coupled with a glass of hot milk, it makes a great midnight snack.

Anyway, after the kids have warmed their hands and gathered round the table, try this kid-friendly pb&j sandwich, along with with apples and blueberry lemonade. I call this one Peanut Butter and Jelly Crunch with Blueberry Lemonade.

You can create a “pretend beach day”. Serve the lunch and lemonade while “sunning” yourselves in the den. There might be icy winter gusts outside, but indoors you can make it warm and toasty and pretend it’s still summer. Spread beach towels on the floor, put on your sunglasses and serve the lemonade garnished with lemon wedges on the glass and add a fun drink umbrella. You’re all enjoying a funny sunny day at the beach! If the kiddies won’t go fort that serve it with a nice hot mug of hot cocoa topped with marshmallows. They can wrap their cold fingers around the mug and the hot drink will warm their bellies.

After lunch, you can get down to cooking a family-friendly dinner with the kids. Try these great new recipes: Three-Cheese Mac & Cheese and Garlic Roasted Tomatoes. This 3-cheese recipe includes pre-shredded cheddar, kashkaval and goat cheese – for a super creamy result. If this recipe is up your alley then stock up on certain items like these specialty cheeses when snow is in the forecast, so you have them on hand. You can always use your favorite blend of 3 cheeses – mozzarella and even cottage cheese would both compliment the cheddar nicely or just triple the cheddar if that’s all you’ve got – you know me – rules are so out the window when it comes to the kitchen. Don’t let a lack of kashkaval keep you from making this recipe and don’t venture out if the streets are icy.

Your kids can help assemble the mac & cheese by mixing the noodles with the cheeses and putting the breadcrumb topping on top.

For a lighter version of this classic, try Vegetable Mac & Cheese with Greens and Pesto Vinaigrette. It’s still rich and creamy, but uses brown rice pasta and a hidden serving of carrots to pump of the health factor. Try substituting other vegetables your kids like in the puree — such as pre-cubed pumpkin or butternut squash — and use any type of wheat or whole grain pasta you prefer.

Now you are looking forward to that snow day, right? Well, at least you’re not dreading it!

Enjoy some more snow day classics to warm the kids: Spicy Hot Cocoa, Honey Lemon Tea, Hot Chocolate, No Bake Mac n Cheese, Broccoli Cheese Soup, Grilled Dark Chocolate Sandwiches.

It’s that time of year again, the weather is getting colder, the kids are in school hanging out with other pint-sized germ magnets and everyone is sniffling, sneezing and wheezing.   Some people pop pills or do cough syrup shots to get through the day.  Others use vitamin C to boost their immune system “naturally”.  Although we all sometimes need an over the counter cure for the common cold, check your kitchen cabinet before your medicine cabinet.  Chicken soup, sometimes referred to as “Jewish Penicillin”, may be all you need. (more…)

Quick & Kosher Squash Facts & Fantasies:

Winter squash comes in many varieties, with names that run the gamut from the sublime to the ridiculous. Today, you can find butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash, hubbard squash, kabocha squash (pronounced kuh-BOW-tcha), heirloom and roasting pumpkins (I’m not making this up), sugar pie and sweet pumpkins, spaghetti squash, turban squash, and tichel squash (just kidding on that last one).

Thick, tough shells protect the sweet, rich flesh inside winter squash, which makes them excellent storage vegetables, if you’re inclined to store.

The queen of them all is butternut squash (in my humble opinion) because its sweet flesh is thick, moist, has very few seeds, and it’s easy to peel. It roasts and sautés quickly, and mashes and purees smoothly (perfect for soup) — which is more than I can say for most veggies.

As if that’s not enough, it’s also good for you. Butternut squash delivers an ample dose of dietary fiber, and it has significant amounts of potassium (for bone heath). It’s high in vitamin B6, (for the nervous and immune systems) and beta-carotene (which your body converts to vitamin A).  With only a 1-cup serving you get nearly half the recommended daily dose of antioxidant-rich vitamin C.

It will protect you too. Because of its high antioxidant content, it has tremendous anti-inflammatory effects, which could help reduce risk of inflammation-related disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma, and its carotenoids protect against heart disease.

There is no truth to the rumor that butternut squash will turn your hair a gorgeous shade of blond, nor can it program your new phone.

Try these sensational squash recipes: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Chard and White Beans, Butternut Squash Pilaf, Winter Squash Chicken Tzimmes, Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples, Baked Pumpkin with Corn Apple Pudding.