I am so sorry I have not been able to respond to all the beautiful blog comments, Facebook messages, tweets and emails.  Please let this post serve as a thank you from the deepest recces of my heart.

Thank you all for sharing this experience with us and more importantly for the incredible love and support you have shown us.  It’s been amazing  to meet so many of you (you know who you are) around the country — at Malcha Mall, at Holy Bagel, at the Gas Station outside of Beit Shemesh, on the street corner in Ramat Shiloh and a shout out to the people that came up to Hubby in the supermarket yesterday (HI YAEL!).  Hubby called me and said today only 1 person recognized him, lol — he really is so shy and does the videos for me, for shalom bayis (read: happy wife, happy life .  I thank you all for letting us know you are watching and that you love it.  We love you!

We are feverishly editing together the next full length episode for your viewing pleasure, which will pick up right where we left off, at the NBN airport arrival ceremony waiting for Prime Minster Bibi Netanyahu to greet us.  In the meantime OUR LIFT CAME!!!  So we are unpacking boxes like crazy trying to set up our kitchen and ding room as well as the kids rooms in time for our first Shabbos in our new house.  Until now we have been spending the last two Shabbosim with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and family since we had nothing and really wanted to be together.

In the mean time be sure to pass on all the videos to your friends and family and anyone you think will enjoy them.  When you “tune in” next week, Wednesday September 5, 7pm EST you’ll watch as we drive up to our new home for the first time, hit the Nefesh B’Nefesh New Olim Fair in Jerusalem, (where we receive our Israeli Identification Cards!!), and hit a few pizza places (yup we are STILL eating pizza), in between navigating multiple government agencies.  With tremendous gratitude and love and best wishes for a great Shabbos.

Jamie and Hubby and Kiddies

PS.  And here’s a recipe just cause I love you…  My Southern Stye (Baked) Chicken.  It’s what I am making for our first Shabbos.  Hubby thinks he bought breadcrumbs at the store today.  OY VEY, help!

Note: In place of McCormick Fried Chicken Seasoning you can use any chicken or steak seasoning or simply rub on some paprika and garlic and onion powders.

“Zeh Keli, V’anvehu,” (This is my G-d and I will exalt Him), the Jewish nation sang as they crossed the Yam Suf, the Red Sea, and the miraculous walls of water stood up to offer them passage.

Our Sages tell us that this is the source for the concept of hiddur mitzvah, beautifying the commandments. Throughout the holiday season, the opportunities are plentiful. The Gemara specified (Shabbos 133b) “Make before Him a nice Sukkah, a nice Lulav, a nice Shofar…”
Since the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, our Shabbat and yom tov tables are the altars we decorate to honor Hashem. On Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the Jewish new year, may the table we set and the honor we give the holiday, open the floodgates of blessing.

“How do you maximize the effect of your holiday flowers? This table has a mirror underneath the centerpieces; the reflection makes it look as if there are flowers all around.  Plus, each guest has one single stem in a bud vase to complement the larger bouquets.”

The mirrors can be used as chargers, or line them up down the middle of the table like a table runner. It’s easy to make them on your own. You can find inexpensive picture frames at the dollar store, and mirror inserts at the hardware store. Spray paint the frames the color of your choice, replace the glass with the mirror, secure using a glue gun, and you have the foundation for a beautiful place setting.

Offer your guests individual water bottles. These Tao bottles come in both black and white to match your ensemble.

Elegant L’objet honey dishes may be the top-of-the-line, but you can also present each guest with their own honey sticks.

Apples…pomegranates…fresh, exotic new fruit. “I chose a burgundy red theme because so many symbols of the holiday are red. But whatever color theme you choose, make it your focus. There is beauty in abundance,” says Shavy.

Tags on each dish only require a little effort, but make a big impression

Can’t decide how to serve the simanim? Consider using single-serving mini dishes, often used for taste-testing. Pier One offers a line of very affordable “Tasting Party” porcelain and glassware.

To easily remove the pomegranate seeds, slice the pomegranate in half width-wise. Turn both halves over a plate, cut side down. Knock with the back of a spoon, and all the arils will pop out.

Apple cider can be served in your holiday-worthy pitchers, or load apple cider shooters with cinnamon stick stirrers on a three-tier server. Use glass cubes or wrapped boxes or styrofoam to give different heights to the various items on your table.

Party by Shavy Weiss | Photographs by Esti Photography

Vendor Information
Party by Shavy Weiss of Shevy Design 732.966.9607
Black Stemware by Noir Gifts 732.363.3263

This article was originally published in the Rosh Hashanaha 2011 issue of Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

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 am so excited to tell you about these new Non-Dairy Chocolate Tuffles called Dear Coco.  Our friend and frequent guest blogger, Rachelle Ferneau, recently debuted a line of gourmet and flavorful chocolates that can be shipped all across the country.  She started with the Signature Around the World Collection of 12 truffles with global flavors including Tahiti Lime and Kyoto Green Pearl.  I had the pleasure of tasting all 12 and was pleasantly surprised at the amazing flavor and obvious high quality.  Then every month she introduces two new seasonal truffles to keep us all on our toes.  This Month in honor of the High Holidays she will be ofering the Jewish New Year collection with Mediteranean Pomegranate and Argentine Honey.  We talked with Rachelle to find out more and then you get a chance to win this month’s collection!

When did you decide that you wanted to be in the chocolate business?

I created Dear Coco Chocolate as a natural extension of Eden Cake, the boutique pareve bakery I founded in 2007. Through Eden Cake, I gained valuable experience running a kosher business under hashgacha (kosher certification) and provided pastry full-time to a restaurant, caterers, embassies and other political agencies, as well as a multitude of individual private clients. Working intensively with chocolate was a logical next step for me.

How do you get so much flavor into one tiny chocolate?

At Dear Coco Chocolate, all of our truffles are made fresh with the finest premium ingredients, the most important being premium Belgian dark chocolate.  We use in-season fruits and herbs, fine teas and coffee, dried flowers, freshly roasted nuts and spices from around the world to impart the global flavors in our truffles. In addition, the quality of our chocolates is also evidenced by what they do not contain: no white flour, no white sugar, no trans fats, no corn syrup, no preservatives.

As far as the actual flavors, we offer twelve signature flavors in our Around the World Collection, or you can choose a whole box of your favorite of these flavors. In addition, we offer a pair of monthly specialty truffle flavors so there is always something different and new to look forward to.

How do you decide on the flavors of the season?

Many seasons naturally defined for me what their truffle flavors should be, such as July’s Summer Collection featuring Maine Wild Blueberry and Washington Red Raspberry truffles. Berries are in prime season in July, and these flavors reflect the best of the summer bounty as well as showing off the patriotic colors of the American flag in July — perfect. For other months that didn’t have a defined holiday or season to draw from, I exercised my creative license to showcase the flavors of a particular country of interest. One example of this is March’s Moroccan Collection which features Marrakesh Apricot Anise and Tafraout Almond truffles: Moroccan cuisine is a multi-cultural mélange incorporating a variety of spices, fresh herbs and citrus, dried fruits and almond paste, and these are the flavors I drew from when creating these truffle flavors.

How long does it take to create and test a new flavor?

All of our truffles are inspired by and named for locales around the world, hence the name Dear Coco – reminiscent of a letter written from abroad.  When contemplating different combinations of the country’s flavors with chocolate, I am able to taste them in my mind first – I know instinctively what and how pairings will work. Then, after the flavor idea is approved by a select “committee” of grounded individuals who tell me honestly if it sounds good to them or is too unapproachable, I get to work on sourcing the right ingredients and recipe development/refinement in which I physically produce the flavors I had already created in my mind. Depending on the complexity of the flavor, sometimes I am able to get it spot on the first time, and sometimes it takes several revisions and tastings to get just right.

What other flavors can we expect you to come up with?

I have a notebook I use exclusively to jot down new truffle flavor ideas and in time I hope to create new collections. At some point I would even love to recruit new ideas submitted by Dear Coco fans – there’s a lot of creativity out there! In the meantime, as we only began our Truffles of the Month this past July, we are proud to continue introducing two new truffles each month as time progresses, so there are plenty of new flavors still to come.

Enter to win a 12 piece box of the Jewish New Year Collection, which contains six pieces each of Mediterranean Pomegranate and Argentine Honey truffles, value $25.50.  See Rafflecopter below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Simanim Inspired – Taste your way into a blessed new year.

Simanin (literally signs or indicators) are foods that we eat on Rosh Hashanah to symbolize our hopes for the coming year. I like to work simanim into my Rosh Hashanah recipes for the added blessing, sweetness, and mazal they represent.  This menu is exquisite in its simplicity and great-tasting dishes.

Individual Apple-Stuffed Challah

“May it be Your will, Hashem, our G-d and G-d of our fathers, that You renew for us a good and sweet year.”

When our patriarch Yaakov masqueraded as Eisav to obtain his rightful “firstborn” blessing from his father, Yitzchak, he donned Eisav’s cloak.
Yitzchak exclaimed, “the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field that G-d had blessed” and blessed Yaakov. The Talmud identifies the
fragrance as an apple orchard, and the Vilna Gaon says this happened on Rosh Hashanah. We eat apples (tons of them) because we too want
those holy blessings given to Yaakov.  Use your favorite challah dough recipe, hopefully it’s my heaven-on-earth challah-recipe or you can use store bought frozen challah dough.

Creamy Carrot Soup

“May it be your will, Hashem our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers that our merits increase.”

Carrots are a siman for an increase in our spiritual merits. It’s a play on words; carrots in Yiddish are merren which also means “many.” Wishing that we had more mitzvos on our record this time of year isn’t a shoulda-coulda-woulda guilt trip. It’s a commitment for the future.

Date and Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs

“May it be your will, Hashem our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers that our enemies be consumed.”

Dates in Hebrew are tamarim, a play on the word yitamu, “[may our enemies be] destroyed.” Finished. Yesterday. And you don’t have to be a child to love Winnie-the-Pooh’s “hunny.” The ultimate symbol of sweetness, we consume honey as we pray for a “good sweet year.”

Whole Wheat Stuffing with Leeks

“May it be your will, Hashem our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers that our enemies be decimated.”

Leeks are a siman for the decimation of our enemies. The Hebrew word for leek—karsi is similar to the word yikorsu, “[may our enemies be] decimated.” Spinach, swiss chard, and beets are also meaningful as their Arabic or Hebrew translations are reminiscent of the Hebrew word yistalku, “[may our adversaries be] removed.” And if you think you see a lot of emphasis on escaping from hostile threats, just think about Jewish history for a minute.

Roasted Apple Brisket with Pomegranate Glazed Carrots

“May it be your will, Hashem our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers that our merits increase like (the seeds of) a pomegranate.”

Pomegranate Glazed Carrots

Pomegranates are a siman for increasing our spiritual merits, weighing in to be more worthy of G-d’s blessings. In this case, it’s not the name of the fruit but its character that creates the siman. All those seeds! If only we had as many good deeds to our credit!

Since the custom of eating apples revives our memory of Biblical blessings, let’s combine it with a more recent, beloved tradition. Nu, what’s a Yuntif without brisket?

Chocolate Cake with Pomegranate Swirl

There are lots of other simanim we could use—fish heads, sheep heads, gourd, or black-eyed peas—but they’re not all that appetizing for a dessert.  (Serve those early in the game, while everyone is still hungry.)  For dessert, I tapped the trusty pomegranate once more—finish your
Rosh Hashanah meal with a super siman swirl!

Individual Apple-Stuffed Challah
Creamy Carrot Soup
Date & Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs
Whole Wheat Stuffing with Leeks
Roasted Apple Brisket
Pomegranate Glazed Carrots
Chocolate Cake with Pomegranate Swirl

We have everything from Honey Cake to Honey Chicken to sweeten your new year.  (more…)

Last year we filmed and wrote about the first Kosher Chef Holiday Wars.  In case you missed it or to see it again because really who remembers last year, we wanted to showcase the videos and share a little bit of what was in our Rosh Hashanah Magazine last year.

Two of the world’s top kosher chefs, Chef David Kolotkin of The Prime Grill and SOLO, and Chef Makoto Kameyama of Prime KO faced off in a cooking duel to each create a four-course holiday meal—in only 80 minutes. After all, we wanted a meal we could make in our homes.  The only catch for them, was that we threw in a last minute secret ingredient they had to incorporate into one of their dishes.  Anyone know the cactus pear? Well it is full of seeds, but they figured out a way to use them.

To watch the full three part series click on Kosher Holiday Wars.

Now, for some behind the scenes chatter you may have missed.

“Chef David is at a little bit of a disadvantage because it isn’t his kitchen,” Jamie says. “He has to look for everything.” The Prime KO kitchen—as the larger of the two kitchens—has been chosen as the venue for the event.

Chef David tells us a little bit about what he’s preparing today, “Right now, I’m making a corn flan and hot smoked salmon fritters. They’ll each have a few components, and hopefully they will all come together.” Chef David admits that all of the dishes he is preparing today are ones he’s never made before.
“Are you trying to challenge yourself?” Jamie asks.
“Well, I want to give you sweet and healthy dishes for the new year, and a meal that can be prepared in less than two hours,” Chef David says as he reaches for an onion. “These are dishes I’d make for my own family.”

The Prime KO kitchen is warm—Chef Makoto knows this and was smart to choose the other side of the kitchen to work, away from the stovetop and ovens. Since a lot of his dishes are raw, he doesn’t need to be in close proximity to the appliances—and one of those dishes is already plated.
“Look, he’s searing the fish with a torch,” Tamar calls out. We run over to Chef Makoto’s side and see a beautiful plate of—what kind of fish is that?
“Flounder,” Chef Makoto tells us.
Chef Makoto is now mixing spicy mayonnaise with masago caviar-
“What do you use in your spicy mayo?” Victoria asks.
“Mayonnaise, Tabasco, and cayenne pepper,” Chef Makoto tells us.
Now—Chef Makoto is rolling thin slices of another white fish super thin under a layer of plastic wrap. “You always think about tenderizing meat, but I see it works with fish as well,” Jamie says.

Jamie points to Chef Makoto’s fish dish, which is finally complete with five components: the masago, the poached tuna, the cold soba noodle salad, the fried fish chips, and finally—Chilean sea bass which marinated in mirin and soy sauce.

Chef David’s steak is coming off the grill now. He lets it rest.
The fritters are also ready and are being fished from the deep fryer. Chef David’ a mango aioli is going beneath and above it…and now the flan is coming out. Chef David pops a hole in the bottom of the aluminum. “That’s so the air gets released,” he says. That’s why he’s using aluminum instead of another type of ramekin. He runs a knife around the edges, turns it upside down again, and voilà—a perfect flan. He tops it with a thin slice of black truffle.

“I absolutely see people picking a couple of the components from Chef Makoto’s fish dish, and serving it as their appetizer—like the sea bass with the soba noodle salad, or the tuna with the fish chips,” Victoria says.
There’s salad going on top of Chef Makoto’s pizza, then meat across the top of the salad. The diced cactus pear goes across the pizza as well. It looks really beautiful.

Who’s the winner? Everyone is! The chefs made amazing food and we all got to enjoy them and try them out in our homes.

On Rosh Hashanah we start fresh, daring to look at the future with renewed hope. New initiatives, even unspoken dreams take shape as realistic possibilities.   And this year, a new level of achdus – Unity with a capital U – has just entered the Jewish publishing world.

Two former “competitors” – Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller and Bitayavon magazines – have joined forces to create a brand new Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller magazine. Such an exciting partnership! The talented Shifra Klein of Bitayavon will continue as editor-in-chief, and we will work together to bring you, the fans, favorites from both magazines. As the magazine morphs into its new form over the next few issues we welcome your input, so please let us know what you’d love to see.

I’m really excited by this wonderfully creative first joint issue. We’ll help you prepare for the Yomim Tovim with everything from infused honey, to fall soups and salads,  to menus by celebrity chefs Levana Kirschenbaum and Joan Nathan. We’ll learn about the traditional dish of stuffed cabbage, pick up some tips on Yom Kippur fasting, and taste a few new wines. And we’re going all out on chocolate desserts!

There’s another big new venture too. My family and I very recently made aliyah and this will be our first Yom Tov living in Israel. It’s an amazing feeling to be actualizing our family’s dream. Thank you to everyone who wished us well and prayed for our success. I look forward to bringing recipes and cooking techniques inspired by Israeli culture and cuisine. Food has the power to bond people and my move will make our collective table more diverse and more unified at the same time In the year ahead, may all of your holiday meals hearten and uplift everyone at your table, and may you and your loved ones enjoy the sweetness and joy of G-d’s bountiful blessings.

Click here for the full press release for more information.

Get your subscription for a limited time price of $19.99 – Subscribe Now.

Get it for you ipad or tablet  – Joy of Kosher ebook

All about the energy  – In Neshe Antelis’s kitchen, healthful food leads to a richer life.

Neshe Antelis’s philosophy on feeding her family is pretty straightforward.  “Keep it simple! Use your time, money and energy wisely— so you’ll have extra time to spend energizing yourself. Then you’ll be able to put more into your family and your food.”

Besides for taking care of her big brood at home in Hillside, N.J., Neshe keeps busy teaching fitness between one and four hours each day. She’s a certified yoga and Zumba instructor, a certified doula, and an avid foodie. Her style in the kitchen reflects her philosophy: living life healthfully and simply. “I love being in the kitchen but don’t believe in time-invasive cooking. Life is too busy.”

Neshe's Simple Salmon

Neshe runs classes during the day in the local gym, in friends’ homes, or, when the weather is accommodating, outdoors in a friend’s yard. “I’m a complete junky for Zumba! It’s so joyful; and through yoga you achieve balance. Exercise brings not only physical benefits but mental benefits as well. It makes you calm and gives you the everyday strength that we all need to do the regular things we do; running after the kids, lifting, carrying. The more energy you use, by walking, swimming, moving…the more energy you’re going to have. A good night’s sleep is the key. If you’re well rested you won’t be reaching for the sugars and the carbs.”

Apple Pear Crunch

Neshe tries to go as natural as possible in the kitchen. “I’d love to say we eat only organic but it’s not practical. The prices are a little science fiction for our large family! So we buy the good stuff. I like to be consistent but not fanatical.  Consistency is good. Being fanatical is great in
theory but unhealthy in the long run!”

A Friday morning in Neshe’s kitchen will find her baking spelt challah, salmon, and baked gefilte fish. Her family loves meatloaf and mashed potatoes, turkey breast and either steamed or grilled vegetables with her special pesto. “My kids love pesto…all year round. We put it on brown rice, quinoa, noodles, salmon, steamed veggies.” Another favorite is her pureed vegetable soup using whatever vegetables are in season and
as many greens as she can. “Broccoli and squash pureed into a thick soup. It’s divine!”  Lots of salads with mixed greens, craisins, nuts and fruit and a big pot of brown rice round out the menu.

For those hot summer days the Antelis family relies on fruit smoothies for a cold pick-me up. “My family loves smoothies…doesn’t everyone?! I use the over ripe bananas that no one will eat.  I rinse them, peel them and freeze them. My basic recipe is 3 frozen bananas, frozen strawberries,
and washed frozen grapes. Add soy, almond, or rice milk. Blend till smooth and I like adding chia seeds or some essential fatty acid oil—about 1 tablespoon. Keeps you cool, healthy and it’s guilt-free!”

Neshe’s passion for life comes through, but with all that keeps her busy, her greatest love is being a mother. “I tell all my students to try to find some time for themselves, even a half hour, a few times week. Walk, dance…anything! Just move! It will make you a happier person and a better
mother.”

Tip from Neshe’s Kitchen: When cooking or baking with aluminum pans, line them first with parchment paper and lay another layer of parchment paper on top before you seal with silver foil. This will limit the absorption of aluminum into the food. It’s especially important when
cooking with acidic foods, like tomato products.

Neshe’s Simple Salmon

Apple Pear Crunch

When I first read Hadassah’s story about bread baking with Alan, I was so sorry I missed it.   I was really intrigued by no knead bread.  I kept it in the back burner and it took a few months to finally try it out for myself.  I wanted to make an olive bread, my favorite kind, so I found a recipe similar to Alan’s but that left out the salt.  My plan was to make it for Shabbat, but as I am prone to skim through recipes without reading the whole thing (I know, rule number 1, read through the recipe) the 18 hour rise time passed me by and on Friday morning after I already put the ingredients in a bowl, I discovered this bread would not be ready for Shabbat.

No Knead Olive Bread

Instead of chucking all the ingredients into the garbage I covered the bowl and stuck it in the fridge in the hope of something halfway decent for Sunday night.  To my surprise, it was the best bread I had ever made!

This bread looked and tasted like it came from a bakery, I could not get enough of it and I couldn’t believe how easy it was.  The following week I tried Alan’s recipe, starting it on Thursday so I could have it for Shabbat.  FYI – I used half whole wheat flour and added roasted garlic and rosemary.  No one could believe I made the bread.

 

No Knead Pizza

Around that same time I came across an article for No Knead Pizza.  The same person that helped popularize no knead bread, and inspired my olive bread recipe just came out with a new book.  Jim Lahey owner of Manhatan’s Sullivan Street Bakery is the author of My Bread and now My Pizza.  I tried the pizza dough recipe and it was the best pizza I ever made.

No Knead Whole Wheat Pita

If it could work for pizza it might work for pita.  I now make a batch of this pita every other week and it just sits in the fridge for me to make as much fresh pita as I need each day for up to two weeks. This recipe is half whole wheat.

No Knead Challah

I did try a few No Knead Challah recipes, like this one, and they were okay, but not quite challah.

100% Whole Grain No Knead Bread

I also tried a 100% whole grain bread from Mark Bittman. While everyone at the table loved it, it is still a work in progress am and I will keep you posted as my journey with no knead bread continues.

I was going to start by saying I have no words to describe this experience. But that’s no true… I have tons of words. Inspiring, emotional, awesome, heart-wrenching, exciting, overwhelming, tiring, stressful, scary, incredible. I could go on and on listing the words and emotions we are now going through as a family – but to write an eloquent post on exactly what we are experiencing, in coherent sentences, is beyond me right now.

The last week and a half has felt like one long day with lots of little naps. It’s so wonderful that with the help of Nefesh B’Nefesh we now have this webisode to share with you. I don’t have to worry about writing, I can just show you. Watch our last 24 hours, the Aliyah flight and our arrival along with 351 new olim in Israel, now.

I’m curious, what words would you use to describe this?

filmed and directed by brian k. spector | vision palette creative
also filmed by Brad Rego
edited by dovi schamroth and aryella epstein

Did you miss any episodes? Want to see what is still to come? Keep up with our Episode Guid

The Announcement Teaser

Premiere Date: Tuesday June 26 7:00pm EST

The Announcement Episode

Premiere Date: Wednesday July 11 7:00pm EST

The US Lift Teaser

Premiere Date: Wednesday July 18 7:00pm EST

The US Lift Episode

Premiere Date: Wednesday July 25 7:00pm EST

Goodbye BBQ Teaser

Premiere Date: Wednesday August 8 7:00pm EST

Airport Teaser

Premiere Date: Wednesday August 15 7:00pm EST

Last 24/The Flight Episode

Premiere Date: Wednesday August 22 7:00pm EST

First 48/Welcome to Israel Episode

Premiere Date: Wednesday September 5 7:00pm EST

The Israel Lift Teaser

Premiere Date:Wednesday September 12 7:00pm EST

Happy New Year from Israel Episode

Premiere Date: Wednesday September 19 7:00pm EST

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Why does a dining room need to follow a template? The owner of this dining room wanted something fresh—a modern and cozy space where her family and friends would love spending lots of time together around the table come Shabbat and holidays. Designer Pamela Jemal did all that and made it practical too—with an entire wall of storage space.

Top Off the Room

The moldings on the top of this dining room are made of ribbon mahagony—the same wood used in the dining table and wall unit.

The Modern “Touch”

Blue polished glass inserts make this wall unit fun and interesting.

Tired of Crystal?

White Murano glass, straight from Italy, is glamorous and modern.

Bring on the Guests

The two 18-inch extensions on this table are stored inside, adding three feet to this ten foot table in a snap. There’s no need to lift those heavy leaves and pull the table apart to seat your company.

Stain-Resistant Fabric

This velvet-like fabric may look decadent and impractical—but it’s not! This cobalt blue moidore fabric is mildew, soil, and stain-resistant. It’s also super soft and comfy.

The white lacquer doors

(not shown) on the wall-to-wall unit are “touch latch.” Simply press to open.

No Tarnish on My Silver

The drawers inside this buffet are lined with Pacific cloth, which keeps silverware from tarnishing.
Photos by Morris Antebi
Design by Pamela Jemal Designs
732 245 5151

Accessories by The Gift Box and Surrey Lane, both of Brooklyn, NY

Originally printed in the Rosh Hashanah 2011 issue of Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you all the very talented husband and wife team that put together the Gluten Free Canteen’s Book of Nosh.  Lisa and Tim Horel have been baking gluten free for 10 years and working hard to make all our favorite Jewish treats gluten free so that everyone can enjoy our traditions.  Just in time for the High Holidays, this book will be your lifesaver if you are gluten free or have gluten free guests coming for a visit.  From mandelbrot to rugelach to babka you won’t miss a thing.  Today we talk to Lisa, the master baker behind the book and give you a chance to win your very own copy.

What inspired you to start your blog and write this book?

The truth? I ran out of Post-It Notes. I started the blog as a convenient way to record and organize my recipes and save a tree or two. I archived recipes until one day I hit the publish button and there was no looking back.

I’ve spent years working from childhood memories to recreate our family recipes.  Then over a decade ago we became a gluten-free home because of celiac.  My motto was no recipe left behind. Even the family recipes were going to get recreated gluten-free.  And that became the blog and now the book.

Quick Challah

Are there any classic Jewish baked goods you have not been able to adapt to gluten free?

I am sure there are many Jewish baked goods I’ve yet to adapt to gluten-free. Undoubtedly, some are easier than others. The challah, for example, is a work in progress. There are five versions in the book and we are working on more. If anyone has a request, we are more than willing to take on the challenge.

How has gluten free baking changed in the 10 years you have been cooking that way?

A decade or so ago there was but one gluten-free flour on the store shelf in our community and it tasted like sand. That more people are also trying their hand at gluten-free cooking and baking has only increased the selection and quality of products. Today, not only have we seen a huge growth in the marketplace for baking supplies that are gluten-free but we now have shelves dedicated to gluten-free foods and baked goods in our local groceries. There are gluten-free bakeries all over the world that are thriving. That there are superfine gluten free flours from places like Authentic Foods in Los Angeles which are almost indistinguishable from regular AP flours is nothing short of a miracle – no more taste or texture challenged baking is the biggest hurdle for gluten-free over that time.

How and when did you learn to cook?

Here’s a surprise. I don’t really cook, though I know how to cook. Sort of.  Growing up, my family ate the same thing every week and none of it was particularly good.  My mother could bake like no one else, but she had little to offer when it came to cooking.  But my mother-in-law taught me all about the world of food and luckily she taught her son too.  He’s good at it and cleans up, it’s a great trade.

What is your most memorable cooking experience?

When we were starving students with two very small children we had few resources to splurge on buying fancy baking ingredients. But I scrimped and saved all week in order to bake something special every weekend. During that time I made my first choux pastry and it was surprisingly successful. We ate an entire plate of custard filled, chocolate topped cream puffs in one evening (recipe in the Canteen blog). Since then I’ve made plenty of choux pastries but none has ever tasted as good or meant as much as that first batch.

Honey Cake

Why should someone who is not on a gluten free diet buy your book?

Chances are when someone hosts a holiday dinner or get-together there will be someone in the group who will be eating gluten-free. Celiac and gluten intolerance awareness is growing world-wide and is only going to become more prevalent.
Because we developed these recipes using superfine flours from Authentic Foods, they are virtually indistinguishable from their gluten counterparts. That means no more double duty baking which pretty much eliminates the risks of cross-contamination. Not to mention the flour mix we use throughout the book leads with whole grain superfine brown rice flour – it’s good for you. And surprisingly it imparts a neutral taste in baked goods. It’s good to know that even though you may be eating one too many rugelach you are consuming whole grains and fiber without feeling like you’re eating tree bark.

Enter to win a copy of The Book of Nosh, tell us what recipe you would like to see made gluten free?
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I love to BBQ. I grew up in Florida where we took year-round grilling for granted. Right now I don’t have my own grill. I live in an apartment and they are not allowed. My family and I suffer through BBQ withdrawal symptoms during the winter months and have to beg for invites come summertime. When we decided to make this month’s Kosher Recipe Link Up about grilling, I realized that many of you out there, like me, don’t have a grill either, so I will just have to give you something that has the taste of BBQ without the actual grill, the best part is, it is an all year round recipe no matter where you live.

There are two ways to get a BBQ look and taste. The first is a grill pan, one of those heavy cast iron type pans that take up two burners (like the one pictured here from amazon), one side is a griddle and one is a grill. Those are the best, but mine I made dairy to make grilled veggies with dairy meals when I had the use of an outdoor BBQ. Now I have to get a meat one. Until then, I use option 2, the broiler with a broiler pan. The pan allows the drippings to fall down and the broiler gives a char just like the grill. That is how I made this flavorful Cilantro Grilled Chicken with Lime, healthy and delicious offering only 225 calories a serving using boneless chicken thighs. They are so juicy and don’t dry out as easily as the breasts (which would only save about 20 calories anyways) and are still skinless and boneless. I know you will love them!

Here’s a bonus recipe.

You should also try my Adana Kebab, ground lamb shish kebab made in the broiler with excellent results.

Do you have any indoor Grilling tips to share?  Make sure to check out the other recipes below form the Kosher Recipe Linkup.

Jewish lawyers of the world unite in celebrating this week’s parsha, where Moses instructs the people of Israel to appoint judges and law enforcement administrators in every city. “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” Moses explains, without corruption or favoritism to the rich or powerful.  In my mind, I think of the scales of justice in perfect balance.  On my plate, I think of the scales of a delicious baked trout – dressed up for Shabbat with a light fennel salad.

Potato Napoleon

Mediteranean Baked Trout with Fennel Salad

Couscous Salad with Baked Tomatoes and Asparagus

Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

For last year’s Shabbat Menu for Parsha Shoftim click.