Do it Yourself

Toss It!
Tired of cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, and raw peppers?

Your bowl of Romaine is a blank canvas.

Keep a few different homemade dressings and some of these fun ingredients chopped up in the fridge for easy mixing-and-matching and a new salad every day.

• Sun dried tomatoes
• Supremed orange segments (learn how to cut citrus supremes here)
• Green olives
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Celery ribs
• Kohlrabi
• Avocado
• Sauteed mushrooms (add a little white wine while cooking)
• Cooked brown rice
• Corn kernels
• Carrots (pulsed once in food processor so they are still crunchy but easy to eat)
• Roasted peppers
• Roasted beets!
• Mango
• Grapes
• Craisins
• Jicama
• Peaches
• Asian Pears
• The Fun Stuff
• Croutons
• Candied Pecans (I love Diamond Pecan Pie Pecans)
• Slivered Almonds
• Sesame Seeds
• Crushed Taco Chips
• Pita Chips
• Feta Cheese
• Goat Cheese
• Chunks of Fresh Mozzarella

You’re never fully dressed without…a good emulsion. Shake these dressings up and keep them in your fridge and the lonely veggies in your produce drawer will always have something to wear.

Toasted Sesame Salad – I like the Orange Soy Vinaigrette served over Romaine, avocados, clementines or supremed citrus, and toasted sesame seeds.

Go South Salad – what pairs well with the hot flavors of the Creamy Sriracha Dressing? Romaine with raw or roasted peppers, sweet corn kernels, carrots, avocados, tortilla chips, baby corn, cucumbers, tomatoes—your pick! Or—add a protein and throw it all in a wrap, using the dressing both in the wrap and as a dip.

Caesar with a Punch – Use the Classic Caesar Dressing with Romaine, croutons, thinly sliced fennel, capers or cannellini beans, and sun-dried tomatoes. Add Parmesan cheese if you’re making yours dairy.

Roasted Beet and Mango Salad – Mix sweet roasted beets with Romaine, grapes, mangos, candied pecans, hearts of palm, and cucumbers, and toss with the Fruity Balsamic Dressing for a salad with a sweeter side. I like using golden beets so there’s less mess and no color bleeding.

Tomato and Arugula Salad – Toss sliced sweet summer grape or cherry tomatoes with arugula with the Green Goddess Dressing.

Mediterranean Fusion Salad – Toss the Lemon Basil Dressing with roasted red peppers, tomatoes, black olives, feta cheese, slivered almonds, and fried eggplant for a salad that spans the sunniest sea.

All the dressing recipes can be found here:

Caesar Dressing

Green Goddess Dressing

Lemon Basil Dressing

Creamy Sriracha Dressing

Orange Soy Vinaigrette

Fruity Balsamic Dressing

As seen in Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller Magazine – Summer 2013 – Subscribe Now

Have you ever dissected a tea bag? I did and found myself in a magical world of aromas, flavors and colors.

I remember a time when Starbucks sold crushed tea in paper pouches and my cup of tea was nice, but a total stranger to me. Those days fill me
with much nostalgia for many things passed…but as far as tea is concerned, I’d never go back. See, unlike kids growing up in, say, Southeast Asia, the only teas we had in the house were Celestial Seasoning’s Red Zinger and a couple bags of Lipton. Life was beautiful, but my beverages were a drag.  Through G-d’s kindness however, years later, a simple encounter would transform me from a naive paper tea bag consumer
to an enthralled and impassioned tea enthusiast.

It began as simply as walking into The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf shop in Los Angeles and finding myself face-to-face with jars of brightly colored whole tea blends in stylish mesh sachets. I know you were expecting a more dramatic tale, but that’s the whole story.  I was hooked.

At first, it wasn’t so much about the taste as it was about the beauty of the spices and flowers. I brought the tea bags home, cut them open and sorted out the different ingredients. Cardamom pods, pink peppercorns, chamomile flowers, rose buds, lemongrass…ahhh, I felt like I’d walked from my simple kitchen into an exotic fragrant world. A new calling overwhelmed me: I must go out and make my own tea.

Almost as suddenly as I discovered tea, I discovered the myriads of Indian spice markets near my home. Who would have thought? Loose tea, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom pods, cloves, dried ginger…all in abundance, inexpensive and around the corner from me. Other
ingredients like chamomile blossoms, lavender buds and lemon verbena, had to be tracked down at my local health market.
And thus, with the help of t-sacs and some boiling water, a hobby was born.

Apparently I’m a bit of tea late bloomer.  Boutique tea stores and companies that sell loose tea have been around for ages, but the trend of whole leaf blends in silky bags has just started gaining traction in our market. Today you don’t necessarily need to seek out boutique vendors for the experience–most tea companies already sell them. But there is still no more gratifying tea experience than buying the teas and spices and assembling them yourself!

All you need are 3 things:
1. Freshly boiled water
2. Teas/spices/blossoms/herbs/flowers of your choice
3. A t-sac, tea-ball, or just a strainer.

Tea assembly can be an intuitive process, but be careful not to overload your cup with spices. Start simple, see if it’s your taste and then continue with your adventure. (If all else fails, cut open your favorite tea bag and take notes on what they are doing right!)

Instructions: Use around 1 shot glass full of ingredients per 2 cups of water. Transfer ingredients to t-sac or t-ball. Place in cup. Add boiling water. Steeping time depends on desired intensity of flavor.

Here are some on my favorite blends:

Soothing Mint Tea

Mint is refreshing, but you knew that already. Try mixing it into a soothing floral blend.

• Lavender buds – Chamomile blossoms – Spearmint leaves
• Optional additions: White or Green tea – Coriander seeds

A Floral Blend

Sweet, tart, and fun, floral teas are not only fragrant but also beautiful to assemble.

• Rose petals -Chamomile blossoms -Lavender buds -Lemon verbena
• Optional additions:White or Green tea

Green Tea with Dried Ginger

Spicy Chai Tea Blend

Adding black pepper will give your tea an extra kick of flavor! This is a great recipe to experiment with. Make a latte by adding steamed milk
and some honey.

• Black tea (Assam or Darjeeling)*
• Cinnamon – Star anise – Cloves -Dried ginger -Cardamom pods – Pink peppercorns – Black pepper -Fennel seeds (optional)

*Use rooibos tea for a caffeine-free option.

Labeling your tea can turn into arts and crafts.  A little twine and wooden labels will go a lot way.

Tea Tips – There are many ways to store your tea blends. Using a tin box will keep the tea the freshest.  Use within a few weeks of purchasing. If
your spices lose their flavor, try grinding them a bit with a morter and pestle.

As seen in Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller Magazine (Bitayavon Summer 2012) – Subscribe Now.

Long, summer days are the perfect time to introduce colorful, fresh produce to young palates. Adding kid-friendly fruits like berries to nutritious greens like spinach and asking them to help prepare the vinaigrette makes it much more likely that they’ll gobble it down. Let them create a clever recipe title that includes their own name, like “Joshy’s Rainbow Salad,” so they’ll be more open to eating it.

This salad can be modified to your family’s tastes by switching the nuts for seeds or the cheese for chicken. The fantastic thing about salads is that kids can make the entire dish from start to finish since it doesn’t involve working with heat.

Strawberry Pecan Salad

Little ones can do everything from combining the ingredients in a bowl to whisking the dressing to sprinkling on the cheese and nuts.  Get the kids in the kitchen with you and make this delicious Strawberry Pecan Salad.

Have some more fun by making your own flavored Vinegars.  You can replace the balsamic vinegar in this Strawberry Salad recipe with your own flavors of vinegar. Use your favorite berries, or make savory varieties using garlic, basil, or other fresh herbs.

I’m not really one for playing favorites.  Not with my kids or my friends and definitely not with food.  I just can’t pick one thing that is really the best.  So this wasn’t an easy task, but I do remember the best cup of coffee I ever had.  It’s amazing how roasted beans and hot water can be life changing, but the combination made Howard Schultz a billionaire and changed the way most of us start (or get through) our day.  But this post isn’t about Starbucks.  It’s about a cup of coffee I enjoyed a while back at an upscale restaurant in NYC.

It was the first time I really fell in love with a cup of coffee.  It’s been a challenge ever since to recreate that moment and I have become an insufferable coffee snob.  Usually great coffee doesn’t need any additional flavor, or even milk or sugar.  I called the restaurant for their recipe as a surprise for my husband and they graciously shared their secret blend, including the source for their coffee beans and it was one of the best presents I ever gave my husband for his birthday.  It really is the perfect give for any coffee lover, just mix it all in, place in a jar and tie a note around it.

All you need is really, really good quality coffee, like an Ethiopian Yrgacheffe, that is light to medium roasted so you can enjoy the floral and citrus notes in the varietal rather than the overpowering qualities of darker, espresso roasts.  You will also need some high quality cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods.  Here is my recipe adapted from the restaurant’s version:

Spiced Ethiopian Coffee Blend

It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Salami Anymore

For most diners, there’s nothing new about charcuterie, but for kosher eaters in the United States, there is suddenly a whole new world. A revolution in artisanal meats was a logical extension of the explosion of interest in expanded kosher possibilities that brought us Camembert,
Gruyere, and sushi.

What is charcuterie?

It is a French word for preserved meats and meat products, or a butcher shop that makes it. Pronounce it shar-koo-tur-ee. Think of salami, hot dogs, beef jerky, and chopped liver, but super delicious. Kosher butchers in France, Germany, and South Africa have been making kosher charcuterie, sausages, and dried meats, well, forever. In fact, the practice of drying, curing, and smoking meats was a necessity in times before refrigeration.  It could be argued that the Israelites were among the first to document the pairing of meat, smoke, and salt.

Exodus: Chapter 29 describes the feast and burnt offerings following Moses’ descent from Har Sinai, and Leviticus 2:13 details the commandments of offering salt with the sacrifices. In fact, salt was so important that there was a Chamber of Salt in the courtyard of the Temple (Ezra 7:20).

Unlike the more familiar deli options of salami, pastrami, and corned beef which are cooked, charcuterie is air-dried and cured in a cool, enclosed environment with circulating air which causes the meat to dry out while enzymatic magic occurs, concentrating the flavors.
The Prime Grill restaurant in New York features a charcuterie platter on its menu, and its recently opened gourmet market, Prime Butcher Baker on the Upper East Side features an eye-popping (and, to be fair, wallet-busting) assortment of kosher delicacies including sauscison, beef bacon, pepperoni, lamb prosciutto, and pâtés of duck, veal, and beef. With prices up to $100 a pound, this adventurous home cook wondered if any of this could be reproduced at home.

We secured a session with the charming and young Executive Chef of The Prime Grill, David Kolotkin, a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, for a lesson in making bresaola which is air-dried beef, the perfect first project for a home chef to attempt. Made from a single piece of beef, there is little chance that spoilage can occur, apart from the normal white coating that develops on the outside of the bresaola during the drying process. This is called “bloom” and will be cut off before eating.

Unlike in sausage making, no nitrites are required for this recipe. What you will need is a place to hang the meat for the five weeks necessary for the process. A small refrigerator, such as the kind that students use in a dorm room, is the perfect solution. Add in a small battery operated fan for air circulation, and you are all set. A thermometer will come in handy also, as the temperature needs to be around 37 degrees Fahrenheit.

Get the complete recipe to make your own Bresaola from Chef David of Prime Grill here.

Serving ideas

A wooden board arrayed with cured sausages, meats, and pâtés is perfect for a picnic or any warm weather entertaining. A great assortment is
key, so try to procure a selection that includes a variety of different choices. Slices of a crusty French baguette, a few different mustards, the
tiny French pickles called cornichons, and olives are classic, but you can be creative and add hot pepper jelly, marinated artichoke hearts, hummus, and a small bunch of champagne grapes.

Prepare the charcuterie board in advance if you like, and keep it refrigerated until about half an hour before serving, and allow it to come
to room temperature for optimum taste and texture.

Don’t forget a great bottle of wine.

French ones like the Bordeaux from Chateau Le Petit Chaban and Chateau d’Arveyres, or the Côtes du Rhône from Domaine des 3 Cellier Chateauneuf du Pape will hit it out of the ballpark.

Not sure you want to make try making your own, but you want to give some of these delicacies ad try, here is our shopping guide for Kosher Charcuterie for local and nationwide stores. 

As seen in Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller Magazine (Bitayavon – Summer 2012) – Get more articles like this delivered to your door when you Subscribe Now.

Creamy cashew cream, vanilla, and fresh tomatoes. Ever think you would hear that combination? Well if you are used to my website, I Want That For Dinner, you know I am very creative in the kitchen. If eating healthy and gluten free without creativity, life can taste very bland. I hope you are up to try something new tonight for dinner and follow this delicious recipe!

Bakto flavors were kind enough to send me delicious vanilla products for me to create dishes for my blog. Thankfully, the extremely fragrant ground Madagascar vanilla bean made its way into the package. I chose to make a recipe that was not a typical dessert with vanilla. I thought about savory dishes and realized tomato is considered a fruit, but eaten in a savory dishes. I then Googled adding vanilla bean to sauce, and hundreds of websites popped up… I wasn’t crazy after all! After reading many of the comments, the consensus was that vanilla added a warmth and flavor without the usual sweetness.  To finish my sauce, I chose to add a little spicy chili flakes and cream to balance all of the flavors together.

Have you ever made a cream out of cashews? It is SO simple and tastes like actual dairy, but is Pareve and vegan.  All you have to do is mix raw cashews with water and process for a few minutes in a good blender and there you have it, non dairy cream.

Follow the directions in my recipe for Cashew Cream and Tomato Sauce to make your cream sauce and mix it with my spicy tomato sauce to top your first Pasta after Passover.  Enjoy the return to chametz.

Pesach is that wonderful time of year to flex your Do-It-Yourself muscles making classic homemade condiments: mayonnaise, tartar sauce, ketchup, and their many variations.

Mayonnaise

Outstanding mayonnaise can be easily made at home. The flavor is unlike any store-bought version. Your creation will be garlicky, fragrant, and tangy with a delicate hint of full-bodied flavor from the olive oil. Keep in mind that the more olive oil you use, the stronger the flavor the mayonnaise will have. That’s why the classic recipe combines olive oil and vegetable or another neutral-tasting oil to make a mayonnaise that isn’t too intense.

While it’s extremely satisfying to make mayonnaise by hand, you can also combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, and any other flavorings in a mini food processor. While the machine is running, add the oil, a few drops at a time, and blend until the mixture is thickened and pale in color. The result will be just as delicious as if you made it with a whisk and bowl.

DIY Ketchup

When it comes to ketchup, I prefer making my own because not only can I control the sweetness, salt, and acidity, but I can also use different combinations of fruits and vegetables to make a delicious condiment that is worlds beyond the typical tomato stand-in.

Tartar Sauce

Click through the recipes for more variations.  I start with Traditional Mayonnaise and then move on to Lemony, Garlic-Basil, Roasted Red Pepper etc.  Beyond the classic ketchup I have created Ginger Carrot and Pineapple Mango.  Once you get used to these recipes you can explore your own variations, make sure to let me know what you create.

As seen in the Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller Magazine Passover 2012 edition – Subscribe Now

I was talking to a friend about a some fun new Passover seder ideas and we started to talk about an idea for edible makot or plagues.  What better way to liven things up and have some fun with the kids then to make the ten plagues into edible sweets.  I haven’t quite figured them all out, so I am going to share my list and hope you will chime in, in the comments with your ideas.

Blood – Red Jello

Make red jello from a package and cut into cubes or put into clear classes to symbolize the water that turned to blood.

Frogs 

Get a frog cookie cutter and make everything from Sugar Coated Marshmallows to frog kiwi or honeydew cut outs.

Lice -

Buy some dark chocolate Nonpareils to symbolize lice.

Wild animals -  you could buy some wild animal cookie cutters and make Passover cookies or you could get these super cool Plague of Animal Sour Jellies from Oh!Nuts, even gummy bears would do.

Disease on livestock – I am lost on this one, my kids said to make the animal cookies and splatter with red icing, anyone got anything better?

Incurable boils – Try some boiling tea in a glass pitcher or drops of dark vinegar in light oil like the picture above.

Hail – Ice Cubes with a red Strawberry inside them to symbolize the fire in ice that was the 8 plague.

Locusts – this one is easy, thanks to Zelda’s, just get their chocolate marshmallow locusts.

Chocolate Mousse with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Darkness – Make a chocolate pudding or mousse or anything dark.
Death of the first born -  I am totally stumped on this one, please let me know your suggestions.

If eating your plagues is not your thing don’t miss our Makot Matching Game

When I think of hamantaschen, the first thing that comes to mind is their delicious fruit centers. That’s why I chuck store-bought jelly and canned pie fillings in favor of my own homemade versions—giving my Purim cookies other worldly dimensions.
When most people take a bite of a hamantaschen that is completely homemade, filling and all, they don’t know what to do with themselves—the taste is that good. Once you try one of these renditions, you’ll never go back to the canned.

Poppy Seed Filling

Apricot Filling

Date Nut Filling

Wild Blueberry Filling

In case you want something a little less fruity you should try one of these from Chef Laura.

Rosewater Almond Filling

Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

And don’t miss all our Hamantashen Recipes.

Place a copy of the Purim issue in your Shalach Manos, to give your friends and family an unforgettable and meaningful Purim basket – Email Support@joyofkosher.com for Bulk Orders and special rates.

As seen in the Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller Magazine Purim 2012 – Subscribe Now.

The Recipes + The Packaging + The Downloadable Purim Cards – We have taken care of everything with your busy lives in mind, all you have to do is choose a theme.

Every year, when it’s time for me to plan what I am going to create for my mishloach manot, I go to the huge Dollar Power store that’s a few minute drive from my home. I walk around and around the aisles, looking for the item that will inspire me. I’m not looking for a container or basket—but something out-of-the-“box.” Last year, it was the picture frames you see below. There was a whole aisle of frames, in different sizes
and styles. Even though I usually prefer modern styles, this time I loaded up my wagon with the most ornate detailed frames (including the one in the photo)—those definitely didn’t look like they cost one dollar! The frames were repurposed as trays and wrapped up in cellophane with
grosgrain and pearls.
The Joy of Kosher team collaborated to come up with these recipes and concepts. We made sure all of the recipes can be prepared in advance and of the packaging is accessible. All the pricing and source information is available, and all the Purim cards you see (and more!) are downloadable.  Read on for more inspiration and ideas for your own mishloach manos. Happy Purim!

Mediterranean Inspired

The savory tastes of Israel are packaged inside this bright, happy and very functional mishloach manos

What’s Inside:
Spiced Pita Chips & Tri-Color Chummus
Packaging:
Colander, available in different colors, $5.99, Home Goods. Italian Round Ball Jars, $5.99 for a pack of 4, Home Goods. Download and print this custom Purim card.  We used a 2-inch jumbo holes punch from Michaels to easily cut out the circles.

Breakfast is Served

“The trick to making this look really beautiful,” Felisa said about the hot cocoa mix, “is to layer the ingredients so that it resembles sand art.  Print the instructions and tie them with a ribbon onto the mix so your recipients will know what to do.”  We rounded out the breakfast concept with a not-so-sweet option: English muffins. During one breakfast phase, I ate English muffins every day—toasted with cream cheese, or with
a touch of butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Since store bought English muffins are dairy, I made my English muffins at home so I could have a non-dairy or Chalav Yisrael version…and homemade is so much better.

What’s Inside:
Cinnamon Buns, Hot Cocoa Mix & English Muffins
Packaging:
Picture frames repurposed as a tray, $1.00, Dollar Power. Glass canisters, $1.00, Dollar Power.
Visit your local discount or dollar store for similar products.
Download and print the Purim cards, available in both the 5 x 7 and 8 x 10 sizes, in Hebrew and English:

Happy Purim 5 x 7

Chag Sameach 5 x 7

Happy Purim 8 x 10

Chag Sameach 8 x 10

Tie up the whole tray in cellophane and seal with a grosgrain ribbon bow.

Giant Cookies in Cookie Purses

These cookie purses are adorable for children’s mishloach manos. They’re actually made from CD sleeves—perfect for a cookie that’s 3.5 to
4-inches wide, depending on the thickness. We needed giant cookies to match! This is the only mishloach manos that needs a tiny bit of crafting. I glue-gunned the grosgrain ribbon to the cases, and covered the edges with cute buttons. I’ve made Nechama’s fudgy kokosh cookies (inspired by the traditional Jewish kokosh cakes), again and again…the ingredients are simple, but very special!

What’s Inside:
Orange Creamsicle Cookies & Kokosh
Packaging:
Multi-Color CD Sleeves, $6.24 for 100, Amazon.com.  Grosgrain ribbon, $2.99 a roll, Michaels. Large bag of assorted buttons, $4.99, Michaels.

Download and print these fun “For Cookie Lovers Only” label:

 “For Cookie Lovers Only—Happy Purim (Blue)” and “For Cookie Lovers Only (Yellow)”

Black & White

Keep your mishloach manos chic and simple with black and white treats punched up with animal prints.  Gift the popcorn in a glass vase. I chose a zig-zag vase to carry through the zebra theme—and, of course, it coordinates with the very trendy zebra cake.

What’s Inside?
Gourmet Chocolate Popcorn, Vanilla Bean Popcorn (scroll to the bottom), Zebra Cake
Packaging: Animal print salad plate, $3.99, Home Goods. Zig-zag vase, $9.99, Home Goods.

Download and print these zebra print Purim cards  Zebra-Stripe Happy Purim

On a Stick

Pick one or mix-and match your favorite treats for a mishloach manos that’s very fun to create and eat.  To make cake pops easily, you can buy our Cake Pop Kit.  For hamentaschen on a stick, use your favorite hamantashen recipe with your choice of filling and insert the stick after your hamantaschen are already assembled, but before baking.

What’s Inside?
Chocolate Mint Chip Pop, Maple Pecan Pie Pops, Cookie Dough Pops, Hamantaschen on a Stick
Packaging: Turquoise bowl, $9.99. Home Goods. Insert a covered foam block into any bowl, dish, or container.

Download and print the cake pop tags:
We used a 2-inch jumbo hole punch from Michaels to easily cut out the circles.

‘Everything Tastes Better on a Stick’—Round Tag

Purim Mask—Round Tag

A Freilichen Purim—Round Tag

Double Dipping

Your friends will thank you for this filling, snack as they shuffle around with their bags of treats all day, it will be nice to have something satisfying to eat and with one dip being rich dark chocolate and one a tarragon mustard, you can satisfy any craving.

What’s Inside:

Whole Wheat Soft Pretzels with Two Dipping Sauces 

Packaging: Decorative box or basket lined with reusable towel or napkin.  Fill two small jars with sauce and  attach this card to bamboo spoon/spreader: Double Dipping Is Allowed!

Will you use any of these ideas? Let us know in the comments below and share your pictures on Facebook.

Cards Designed by Esther Silverstein of ESDesignGroup.com

Pralines are perfectly formed chocolates with a variety of fillings hiding inside—either soft and chewy or crispy and crunchy. If you prepare them according to the directions and use polycarbonate chocolate molds, your pralines will look just as professional as the store-bought ones.

Chocolate Cups with Chocolate-Orange Cream Filling
Chocolate cups are wonderful petits fours that can be filled with anything you can put in a pastry bag. Preparing them is a little more complicated than praline making because you fill them after removing them from the molds. I make them slowly and patiently, in the wee hours of the night, when everything around me is calm and quiet and I have the best chances of producing perfect, unbroken cups

Truffles – Make them your way, with the flavors you desire.

Chewy Caramel Pralines

Almond Nougat Pralines

What can be better than a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter’s day?
A mug of hot chocolate—and make that the haute kind.

Not to be confused with cocoa powder mixed with milk, real hot chocolate is made by melting solid bars of chocolate, preferably a dark variety containing a high percentage of cacao, with cream and milk.

To make your own haute chocolate creations, melt white, milk, or dark squares (look for high percentages of cacao in the dark). Add hot water, warm milk or cream, followed by a good sprinkling of your favorite flavorings such as liqueurs, citrus zest, marshmallows, chopped candy,
spices, or extracts.

Take your cue from cuisines around the globe. Many cultures have distinct versions of this haute drink. Europeans favor a thick beverage of melted chocolate, unadorned except for whipped cream or mascarpone cheese. South American hot chocolate, made by combining melted
chocolate and water, is thinner and combined with spicy flavors such as cinnamon and chilies.

Chocolate pairs with practically anything, so make sure to take stock of your pantry as you jazz up your drink.

Hosting a party on a cold night?
Feature a make-your-own-“haute”-chocolate bar. Serve hot chocolate alongside bowls of different toppings. This is an especially perfect treat for a melava malkah (Saturday night meal).  Try these three amazing hot chocolate recipes.

Citrus Hot Chocolate

Spicy Hot Chocolate

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

When I was growing up, Thursday afternoon was applesauce day. I can still picture the fragrant pot of simmering apples holding court on the stovetop. Once the softened apples burst out of their skins, my siblings and I used to fight over who got to churn the cooked fruit through the food mill.

With kids of my own, I’ve come to value the simplicity of homemade applesauce and its complex, aromatic taste that is so superior to store-bought brands.

While some cooks are faithful to either Gala or Macintosh, I prefer using many types of apples—Fiji, Jonagold, Braeburn, Granny Smith, Cortland—to create a nuanced flavor that is simply divine.

For the basic recipe I rarely add anything to the apples, just a few tablespoons of juice, cider, or water to prevent the fruit from scorching.

Make Your Own Applesauce

3-4 pounds apples, mixed variety
¼ cup of apple juice or cider or water
2 cinnamon sticks or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, optional
3-4 tablespoons sugar, optional

1. Quarter apples and place them in a large pot. Don’t bother removing the cores or peels; they contribute flavor, nutrition, and color. Add apple juice and cinnamon sticks, if using. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a lively simmer. Cook until apples are soft and falling apart, about 20 minutes.
2. Process according to one of the three following methods, depending on your gadget of choice.

Gadgets

Food Mill – Place a food mill on top of a large bowl.  Transfer cooked apples and liquid to the food mill and churn until apples are processed into a smooth puree. Discard leftover peels and seeds that are too difficult to churn in the food mill. Flavor the applesauce with ground cinnamon or sweeten with sugar.

Strainer and Spatula – Transfer cooked apples to a large, hand-held sieve and use a rubber spatula to press fruit through the sieve and into a bowl. Once the cooked fruit has been pressed through the sieve, discard leftover peels and seeds.  Flavor with ground cinnamon or sweeten
with sugar.

Food Processor – Since a food processor can’t separate the skins from the pulp in the same manner as a food mill, it’s preferable to peel and seed apples before cooking. After the apples are cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer apples to the bowl of the food processor.  Pulse to create a smooth puree, adding a tablespoon or two of the cooking liquid, as needed. Flavor with cinnamon or sugar, if desired.

Cranberry Applesauce
Cook 4 pounds apples with 1 ½ cups of frozen cranberries, ½ cup sugar, and ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Chunky Apricot Applesauce
Soak 1 cup dried apricots in hot water for about 10 minutes, or until softened. Remove from water and dice. Add diced apricots and about ¼ cup
sugar to 4 pounds apples in the last few minutes of the cooking time, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Pear Applesauce
Cook 2 pounds apples and 2 pounds pears, both quartered.  Since pears have more natural juice than apples, this sauce will be a little thinner than classic applesauce. To compensate, add just a tablespoon or two of liquid to the fruit before cooking instead of the ¼ cup listed in the recipe

Plum Applesauce
Cook 2 pounds apples with 2 pounds halved and pitted plums, and ¼ cup sugar.

Whether you’re making your own puff pastry dough to avoid trans-fats, or because of soy allergies or the high cost of store-bought pastry, here is a phenomenal recipe to try.

Homemade Puff Pastry

Now that you have the dough you can make these Salmon Pillow Puffs. The mature Atlantic salmon, with its slightly fishy taste, does not compare in taste to the delicate flavor of baby salmon. If you must though, you can purchase 2 (8-ounce) slices of standard Atlantic salmon, and cut each one into 4 cubes. Either way, have your fishmonger remove the skin.  Serve with the Dilled Dijon Sauce.

Get more Puff Pastry Dough Recipes here.

What You will need:

1. Fresh fruit, you can also use plastic because it will no longer be edible when you are done
2. Kosher salt
3. Fine grain glitter
4. Spray adhesive
5. Disposable gloves
6. Paper plate and plastic spoon

This is very easy to do and with great results.

First mix equal amounts of kosher salt and glitter on a paper plate. This stuff will get everywhere so if possible this is best done outside. Put on plastic gloves (this is a must because the spray adhesive will get all over your hands and will take FOREVER to come off).

Spray the fruit all around and while its still wet roll it in your glitter mixture. I also spooned glitter onto the fruit as I was rolling for better coverage. For the acorn I did it in sections because it was too big and the adhesive was drying before I got to the back. Set aside to dry. Once it is completely dry spray it again with adhesive. This will prevent the glitter from falling off everywhere. Allow it to dry for a few hours. This is a beautiful centerpiece. I plan to do all kinds of fruit and gords and line them down my entire Sukkah table.

It is also a nice place setting option. Last but not least if you feel terrible about wasting good fruit this can also be done with sugar and egg whites. It is not as bold, but no fruit will be harmed in the process. Have a wonderful Yom Tov!