There’s nothing like biting into a juicy burger, soft bun, crisp lettuce, fresh sliced tomatoes, oozing with grilled onions and ketchup.  Burgers aren’t limited to beef though—try these delish variations using fish, turkey, and veggies. And when the ol’ ketchup & mustard just won’t do, top these creations with special sauce, pico de gallo, and black olive tapenade. No boring burgers at this “Q!” (Go ahead—lick your fingers, nobody’s looking.)

This Classic Beef Burger is extra “Special” with homemade Special Sauce

BBQ Beef Burger with Quick Pickles is livened up with with No Cook BBQ Sauce

Southwestern Beef Burger topped with Pico de Gallo

Spinach Turkey Burger is topped with Roasted Tomato Sauce

Homemade Veggie Burger is made with rice and veggies and topped with Herbed Honey Mustard and crumbled feta.

Balsamic Portobello “Burger” is the easiest of them all.

Mediterranean Tuna Burger goes perfectly with the Black Olive Tapenade.

Fresh Salmon Burger is topped with Wasabi Mayo for an Asian twist.

New England “Burger” goes best with Easy Tartar Sauce.

Tip: When making burgers, remove the ground meat from the fridge about 20 minutes before forming into patties. Resist the urge to over handle
while trying to form perfect-looking burgers. Over handling will cause the meat to toughen.

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

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

Pin it to Win it!!

WIN a case of Manischewitz All Natural Broths.  (Retail value approximately $50).

To enter:

1. Follow JoyofKosher on Pinterest

2. Pin at least one JoyofKosher recipe or article

3. Include in your description of your pin: “I’ve pinned it to win it from @joyofkosher”

4. Let us know you did it in the comments below.

Each pin will count as one entry into the contest.

If you don’t have pinterest you can also enter by submitting a recipe on this site and letting us know you did in the comments below.

Contest ends July 10th  at 9:00AM EST. Make sure to check our contest page daily for new and exciting giveaways.

One winner will be chosen by online randomizer on July 10th .  Winners will be announced in the comments on this page.

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

This contest is now over and Aviva is the winner.  Thank you all for participating and please make sure to check out our other contests, we still have 3 more prizes you can win just this week.

We will be producing a real time (or as close to real time as possible) aliyah documentary, called Joy of Aliyah!

Starting this Tuesday, and then almost every Wednesday between now and Rosh Hashanah, we will be releasing a clip or episode of our journey, an online aliyah diary.

Don’t miss a thing, mark your calendars with our…

Episode Guide

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

Tonight at the Nefesh B’Nefesh Tweetup (#nbntweetup) at the JNF house in Manhattan, I announced the incredible news that we are making aliyah this summer.  Here is essentially what I said.

“I, Jamie Geller, my husband and our children will be realizing a lifelong dream of ours, our parents, our grandparents and the Jewish people for the past 2,000 years.  We will be making aliyah this summer with Nefesh B’Nefesh on the August 13^th 2012 Charter Flight.

[Exhale. Looooong exhale.]

I said it.  It feels so good to finally have said it.

Here’s a little back story about how I came to be here and share this news with you, first this evening.

As the theme of the evening is how social media can bridge the gap between US and Israel, I met Laura Ben David, Social Media Coordinator for Nefesh B’Nefesh exactly where you would expect to meet a social media coordinator, on Twitter.  As I was reading her profile I saw that in addition to her day job at NBN she was also the author of MOVING UP An Aliyah Journal.  Well I just had to get my hands on that book!  With our upcoming move I was making it my mission to get my hands on anything and everything that would inspire me and prepare me for this momentous occasion.  So Laura and I decided to swap books: she got the cookbooks I got the journal.

Hubby and I proceeded to pour over every word of that book for the next 48 hours.  It’s an inspiring, hilarious, emotional journey, and as I am reading about what it takes to make aliyah – how it happens, what it’s really like – I was struck by Laura’s remarkably positive attitude through it all.  At the same time, I thought (as a TV producer thinks) this story, this great story of a family upping and moving to Israel, must be made into a movie.

Then I figure, it’s so good, it must have been done already.  So with as much intensity as a Google search will allow, I searched and came up with – nothing!  I DMed Laura, sure that NBN must have done something like this, and again… nothing.

I was alternately thinking a movie like this has to happen, maybe it’s not gonna happen, how can I make this happen…Pulling out my hair trying to figure out how/what/when, coming up with a budget, then slashing that budget like a jungle explorer with a machete, thinking some more, improvising… Long story short, 200 phone calls, tweets and emails later, with bursting excitement, I am announcing a partnership between our company – The Kosher Media Network – and Nefesh B’Nefesh.

We will be producing a real time (or as close to real time as possible) aliyah documentary, called Joy of Israel!

Starting this Tuesday, and then almost every Wednesday at 7pm between now and Rosh Hashanah, we will be releasing a clip or episode of our journey, an online aliyah diary.

We will cover everything from our lift on both sides of the pond, our goodbye BBQ, our last 24 hours in America, the airport flight and landing in Israel, the first 48 hours in Israel – everything from the exciting to the mundane to the necessary – registering for school, health insurance, drivers’ license, Ulpan, meeting family, friends, neighbors, shopping at the makolet, first day of school, and our first trip to Yerushalayim.

This will be an honest and vivid portrayal of what it takes to make aliyah, what it feels like to join our brothers and sisters in the Jewish homeland.

I hope that people will see that on so many levels, dreams do come true.  The soul cannot be denied its return home.  I am overcome with emotion, anticipation, and awe that, G-d willing, we will be in Israel soon.

Much of the production arm of Kosher Media Network will be moved to Israel.  In my new kitchen I will continue shooting my regular cooking show, as well as a new show for PBS about Chanukah, set entirely in Israel.

You and I will still share everything as before The website, the books, the cooking shows, the events – everything will continue. I will travel back to see you in person and continue to share new and inspiring recipes, photos and videos on JoyofKosher.com, on Facebook, on Twitter, on YouTube, and on Instagram. Lol, does it really matter where I happen to be located?

Well, yes. It makes a world of difference to me.”

With love

J

Watch my “live” announcement here.

Episode Guide

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

Image – Me and my production crew.

In Summer, the go-to dish for me is salad. Sometimes I toss everything together (avocado, egg whites, nuts, craisins, whatever), add lettuce
and dive in. And sometimes I just want a bowl of mixed baby greens with olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt and a squeeze of lemon. Salads
are perfect for lunch and dinner. Come to think of it, breakfast too.  Also snacks. Load in some lean protein and you’ve got a full meal.

Smoked Salmon Salad

Pull these classic ingredients off a heavy bagel, ditch the cream cheese, and make this a light salad with the flavor combos you love.

Chopped Mexican Salad

Add a sprinkle of taco chips to top off this fiesta with a crunch.

Loaded Turkey Salad

You won’t miss waiting in line at the deli when your bowl’s filled with this salad.

Thai Chicken Salad

Leftover BBQ or roast chicken in the fridge? Don’t throw it out—try this!

Main Image – Coleslaw with Crispy Tofu

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

WIN a cheese basket from The Cheese Guy.  Just leave a comment on the bottom of this article telling us your favorite way to eat salad?

For details about the prize click here. Contest ends July 2nd  at 9:00AM EST. Make sure to check our contest page daily for new and exciting giveaways.

One winner will be chosen by online randomizer on July 2nd .  Winners will be announced in the comments on this page.

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

This Contest is now closed and Mushi is the Winner!!! Congratulations.

I don’t try to hide the fact that baking ain’t my bag. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a sweet tooth! I’ve got the sweetest tooth this side of Candyland, and I’ve found lots of no-bake ways to satisfy it. Folks, these cool summer sweets are the best because there’s no oven required. No oven! Now that’s the way to beat the heat and stay out of the kitchen this summer.

Lemon Yogurt Pie

This cool classic takes less than 10 minutes to assemble.  How can something be so creamy and yet so light at the same time?

Banana Caramel Pudding "Sundae"

It’s the peanuts, bananas and homemade caramel sauce that make this sweetie a winner.  Purists can turn this faux sundae into the real thing
by using vanilla ice cream in place of the pudding. Or, make it pareve by using soy milk and soy pudding.

Mango Melon Pops

Nothing says summer better than an icy treat on a stick.  Make your own homemade pops with fresh or frozen mango and fresh watermelon, or any of your fave fruits.

Mini Chocolate Coconut Sandwiches

Turn these into megas with jumbo-sized cookies of your choice and fill with any flavor ice cream.

Minis are great because you can enjoy just one without the guilt. (Or you can do what I do: eat seconds, thirds, and fourths of these bite-sized babies when no one is looking!)
For pareve sandwiches, substitute non-dairy sorbet and pareve cookies and you are good to go.

Double up the fudge!  You can dip these cuties into melted chocolate. Just let ‘em harden on a wire rack before freezing.

How do you beat the heat?

So Tamar and I were talking about side dishes.

Oft overlooked till the last minute when you frantically search for what goes with this thing here that you are making for dinner…

Assuming you all got the memo then you know I am desperately trying to lose weight.  Well correction, I desperately want to and am struggling with the execution a little, ok, a lot,  So you aint gonna find any starchy sides in this post.  Instead I decided to share my favorite green bean recipes cause that’s the one thing in this family that we all agree on.  No checking necessary (point for mommy), kids luhve eating them (point for mommy) by hand (point for kiddies), even when they are dripping with some sorta sticky sauce (point for kiddies) — or maybe more so when they are dripping with some sorta sticky sauce.  G-d forbid I should cut them… for them…  And if hubby doesn’t love what I am doing with them (them of course being these green beans of which I speak) because our palates are farther apart than the north and south poles, I just steam a few handfuls for him (another point for mommy who is also a good wifey).  And you know what — he actually loves and prefers steamed veggies.  Uch some people are just built to diet, a lot unfair.

My kids always want to know what’s my “best color” or what’s my “best food”.  The answer would be black and avocado-pumpkin-evoo- high quality bittersweet chocolate.  And my “best” green beans are haricots verts, the official French name for these delicious, beans. They are slender, more flavorful, string-less string beans. And luckily Costco buyers agree with me so I can buy them in bulk.

Green Beans are in season in the summer.  You want to look out for firm, crisp, brightly colored beans that snap easily.  Haricot Verts are more tender and sweeter than the thick Romano beans (the ones you are used to seeing in the market) and cook quicker so if you are swapping them out in recipes keep a careful eye.  If I plan to rewarm and serve my green beans on Shabbos day then I under cook them to accommodate for the blech.  But another one of the beautiful things about many a green bean recipe is that they also taste great cold and/or at room temp so that pesky hot plate doesn’t mess with my stuff.

Some of my favorite Green Bean Recipes:

Green Beans with Walnut and Green Olive Tapenade

This tapenade, can be enjoyed by the spoonful and tossed with your green beans of course.

Baby French String Beans with Slivered Almonds

One of those “kosher” classics.  No my grandma did not make this or pass down any like recipe of the sort but most modern day Shabbos cooks seem to have their own version.  This here is mine and I have been known to finish it off with some extra toasted sesame oil just before serving.

Black Eyed Peas and Green Beans

This fun one’s got black eyed peas and a slight kick from chili powder and Tabasco sauce.

Green Bean Three Onion Saute

And if I had to chose my “best” recipe of the recipes I have listed here would be this one.  What with sauteed shallots, Spanish and red onions and a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes – the only thing that could be better is if these beans were slathered in ice cream.  Now you think I can’t really believe that but at this moment I actually do.  Oy vey can you tell this “diet” thing is getting to me.

What is your favorite way to make green beans? Have you tried any of these recipes?

Leftover chicken can be a pain, but it doesn’t have to be.  Instead it can be another easy weeknight dinner.

(more…)

Thirty-minute dinners that let you feed your pasta craving and still step lightly on that scale.

These five one-bowl pasta dinners are quick, easy, and satisfy every pasta-lover’s craving. I love just about every version of pasta, and I’ve discovered ways to indulge even when I’m “watching” what I eat. So don’t let the “P” word scare you. If you’re careful with portion size, enhance the meal with vegetables and healthy lean proteins, and use whole wheat, brown rice, or soba noodle varieties to enjoy these fab five dinners without a care!

Salmon and Pea Rotini

As delicious as it is beautiful, the creamy tangy sauce, pink salmon, and green peas are the perfect marriage of flavors.

Light Pasta Alfredo

My favorite pasta sauces are alfredo and vodka. I find it hard to choose between them. I have been known to order both at restaurants. Hey, sometimes a girl just has to help herself! This lighter version of the classic alfredo goes down just as smoothly as the original.

Spaghetti “Bolognese”

This Italian classic has been remade vegetarian style with ground soy meat crumbles stealing the star role.

Cool Soba with Citrus Chicken and Spinach

Refreshingly light and slightly sweet with a splash of sesame over soba—this is not your grandmother’s pasta dinner.

Summer Squash Bowtie Pasta

Delish both warm and chilled, this colorful summer style pasta dinner is perfect as the weather warms up.

More on Healthy Pasta:

Wheat a Minute! Why Choose Whole Wheat Pasta

Whole Wheat Pasta Taste Test

This article was originally published in the Joy of Kosher Magazine May/June 2011

These spunky dairy dishes can challenge any fleishig fare for holiday feasting.  I love Shavuos. It’s such a happy yuntif—full of Torah and flowers, learning and family. And it’s our chance to indulge in yummy milchig meals that are as lavish and tantalizing as meat fests. This wonderful seasonal menu will make your dairy meals a gourmet’s delight, and will even placate the meat & potatoes fans in your family.

Mini Spanakopita

Spinach and feta wrapped in buttered phyllo dough—need I say more?

Spring Vegetable Risotto

Every version of risotto is fabulous, but for the most authentic you have to go dairy with this dish—the combination of sharp parm and tangy goat cheeses make this spring vegetable version superb.

Roasted Beets with Honeyed Pistachios

Sweet roasted and topped with goat cheese crumbles, this beautiful side is both soft and crunchy.

Greek Style Mahi Mahi

I’m not sure why this flavorful fish is not one of our everyday picks. It’s not too salty, or “too fishy” and has a moist, flaky texture with a tender, slightly sweet, mild flavor.

Creamy Smashed Potatoes with Chives

Chunkier and more rustic than your standard mash, these spuds are enhanced by the color and flavor of fresh chives.

Candied Orange Cheesecake

I love candied orange peels. (I know it seems like I love everything. Guess I just love good food; but I share only the best of the best with you!)

Jamie shares her recipe for a Low Fat Lemon Cheesecake along with other lightened up recipes for this issue of the magazine.  Here are some more classics remade into lighter versions by Jamie Geller.

Light Pasta Alfredo

Whole Wheat Tuna Noodle Casserole with Spinach

Deli Roll Pinwheels with Choped Salad

Lite Grilled Cheese with Tomato Chutney and Coleslaw

Vegetable Mac and Cheese and Greens with Pesto Vinaigrette

Vegetable Mac and Cheese with Pesto

So as I sit here and twiddle my fingers trying to guess what I should write about, what you want to know, what may be of interest, Tali was kind enough to post a question (you go Tali!  both for the Q and your gorgeous Kachol v’ Lavan Cheesecakes!).

Question From Tali:
I’d love to hear more about the photo shoots…
Do they take place in your home?
Over how many days?
Do you have everything pre-cooked?
Are hot dishes photographed hot?
Is it your job to have extra ingredients around for styling?
Also, why is this the most expensive part — doesn’t the publisher pay for that?

Answer from Me:
Ok I am going to take this one by one and try as best I can to explain the cookbook picture process.

Do [the photo shoots] take place in your home?

Mine do not.  But EVERY cookbook is different.  There are authors who take their own pictures in which case the shoots most likely take place in their kitchens.  There are authors who are inherently great food stylists and only need a photographer.  In which case the shoots could take place in their homes to save the cost of renting a studio.  Or they bring everything to the photographer’s studio which usually although not always includes a test kitchen.  Thirdly there is an option to hire both a photographer and stylist if that’s not where your strengths lie.  In which case it usually takes place in a studio.  The last 3 photographers I worked with all had home studios which is a new trend I am seeing that helps them pass along cost savings to smaller clients.  There is a lot of flexibility here and it all depends on your strengths as a photographer and stylist, the photographer and/or team you choose to work with and your budget.

Over how many days?

With my first book Quick & Kosher Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing (published in 2007 but went into production 2005) we shot 5 recipes a day.  But those really were the days, when time was a luxury, when budgets were higher and the economy was in a totally different place.  With my 2nd book Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes (published and produced in 2010) we shot 10 recipes a day.  Which is what we do with the magazine. It’s just come to be expected that the daily production output has had to double and you know what – it’s not even overly stressful.  It’s a schedule you have to be mindful of all day and you have to keep things moving but our shoots rarely exceeded 8-9 hours and really makes you wonder what we were all doing with our “free time” on the first book shoot.  The daily production is really important because photographers and food stylists and the like have a day rate — so the goal is to squish as much as humanly possible into a 10 hour day – which is an expected norm for a production day.  So 10 shots/recipes a day times 200 images in a book equals 20 shoot days or about 3 weeks.  Most books have far fewer images so production can take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks (or even more or less) based on how many photos you have.  And when I say 10 shots a day that implies 10 completely different recipes/set-ups.  If you are doing step-by-step photography you can easily squeeze in loads more picts per day.  I recently heard of a fundraiser cookbook that turned out 5 times as may recipes per day.  What they did was hire an incredibly skilled photographer and while his/her day rate was high — committees of women were on hand to cook all day and about every 5 to 10 minutes there was another dish for the photog to snap.  So if you are lucky to have a skilled free support team like that then you can really max out a great photographer’s day rate.

Do you have everything pre-cooked?

Absolutely do not pre-cook entire recipes, with the exception of those that can be prepared in advance without compromising their appeal.  You can have building blocks prepared but most dishes should be fresh to photograph best.  It’s just like when you’re cooking, somethings look good even a day or two later and others are picture perfect really at the moment of doneness and remain so for only a short period of time.  Same rules apply for photography.  My books use very very very few if any tricks.  All the food is edible, and freshly made for the photo shoot.  Sometimes we will use oil or glycerine to give something some extra shine but that’s about it.  We use tweezers to move a single grain of rice at a time, Q tips to wipe up smudges, brushes to create smudges and drips, torches to perfectly brown and then our hands just about all over everything.  We will work on tugging, pulling and positioning a piece of skin perfectly over a piece of chicken for a minute or two so it’s just right.  Although many times Hashem is with us and it comes out perfect as is and we just throw down a nice textile and snap.  So really more often than not I would say we enjoy 80% of the food you see pictured.  I try really hard to create easy appealing dishes, things that can be recreated at home both in looks and taste so I don’t mess with any gravity defying unnatural positions for my ingredients.

Are hot dishes photographed hot?

Sometimes they are although it’s not really necessary.  It’s really just a function of wanting to work as quickly as possible both because of schedule and because the dish often looks great so we want to grab it before it flops, congeals, deflates, dries out etc…

Is it your job to have extra ingredients around for styling?

It is the job of the food stylist to have extra ingredients on hand – so if that food stylist is you, then YES!  As a rule always have extra!  You will need it.  And because time is precious whether it’s a budget thing or a deadline thing you want to get it right the first time.

Also, why is this the most expensive part — doesn’t the publisher pay for that?

The most expensive part of any cookbook is the photo shoot.  As to whether the publisher pays for it — every scenario you can think of under the sun exists.  While generally the publisher does pay you have to agree on the number and caliber of images.  That is the biggest sticking point.  That is why the production value in photography ranges so drastically from book to book as do the number of pictures.  All determined by how much the publisher decides to invest in that aspect of the book.

So did I answer well?

Once we start photography in the next few months I will try to take some behind the scenes picts for you.  Until then I edit.

Any other Qs out there for me?

Quick & Kosher 20 minute prep. There’s something for everyone at this perfect Shavuos brunch. Use “à la minute” techniques to individualize delectable breakfast cuisine.

After a night of Torah learning, a fresh breakfast hits the spot. This is the time for à la minute fare. In the culinary arts (which always sounded to me like painting with ketchup), à la minute refers to a style of cooking where an item, or particularly its accompanying sauce, is prepared to order, rather than prepped in advance.  You can make elements of this breakfast à la minute, and prep some ahead of time, so you are not at the stove while everyone else is enjoying the yuntif feast. It has some savory dishes, sweet sides, southwestern influences, and a little smoked salmon for good measure.

Potato Pancakes with Guacamole and Poached Eggs

For an even quicker take on the guac—mash avocado and season to taste with salt and a squeeze of lemon. Instead of poaching the eggs, try over easy, sunny side up, or scrambled.

Smoked Salmon Omelet

This recipe only makes one omelet because you really can’t make more than one at a time.  If you are serving several for brunch, make them all beforehand and keep them whole. Warm the prepared omelets on a greased sheet pan in the oven, warming drawer or on a hot plate.  Then, cut in half just before serving.  Lay it right over a bagel and cream cheese for the ultimate breakfast experience.

Southwestern Frittata

Slice and serve wedges out of this hearty pretty frittata—just divine with a dollop of sour cream and a touch of salsa.

Individual Baked Challah French Toast with Caramelized Bananas

Prep the night before and place in a warm and toasty oven in the AM
(If you don’t keep your oven on over yuntif you can bake this in advance and just reheat on a hot plate or in a warming
drawer.)

Ricotta Pancakes with Peach Syrup

OMG, this is a richly decadent creamy twist on your everyday pancake. It’s dressed up enough for your holiday table, but will become a Sunday brunch staple.

Here is how to get perfectly round pancakes – use a griddle pan with circular indentations—or drop the batter into big metal cookie cutters

Mimosas

Prosecco is the traditional choice, but the Cava is lovely also.

For a non-alcoholic, kid-friendly version, use seltzer or Sprite instead of Champagne.  Now everyone can join in the festivities!

Potato Pancake with Guacamole and Poached Egg

Smoked Salmon Omelet

Southwestern Fritata

Individual Baked Challah French Toast

Ricotta Pancakes with Peach Syrup

Mimosa

It was about 5 years ago that I was talking to Ruthie, my friend in the neighborhood, and she was going on an on an on about Rhubarb.  How she loved it and makes kugels and pies and G-d only knows what else.  Well  I was flabbergasted to say the least.  I mean who eats rhubarb?  I always saw it in the freezer section but just passed it over like soup on a hot day.  So nowadays I am a lot more adventurous. That coupled with the fact that Ruthie doesn’t much seem the adventurous cooking type – gave me the courage to try this peculiar plant in my cooking.

What I once thought was a strawberry wannabe (based on nothing other than the fact that it was red and next to the strawberries and other frozen fruits in the freezer section) is actually not a berry but a stalk.  Turns out Rhubarb in it’s raw state has long crisp reddish stalks that look a lot  like celery and have a really strong and  tart taste.  When cooked with sugar or sweetener of your choice rhubarb is commonly used in pies and crumbles and kugels if you’re Jewish.  We really make anything into a kugel, don’t we?  I remember I had a recipe tester for my first book who never tasted a kugel so when she was testing everyone’s favorite brocoli kugel from my first book – she was like – “uhm I think this is good, not sure what I am supposed to be tasting here…”.

So back to rhubarb.  Here is a Rhubarb Crisp using frozen rhubarb – which is great because frozen fruits and vegetables are packed at the peak of their ripeness and then are conveniently available for us to enjoy year round.  Although rhubarb season is now: April/May until September in the Northern Hemisphere, which is where I reside I use frozen chopped because it’s so easy to work with.  So in keeping with modern Jewish tradition you can serve this Rhubarb crisp as part of the meal instead of your usual apple crisp or blueberry crisp, or peach crisp or whatever other “crisp dessert” you all serve alongside the chulent (I personally love any excuse for a meal with double dessert!).  Or you can serve it with a scoop of (pareve) ice cream for dessert.

One more favorite rhubarb recipe perfect for Shavuos Coeur La Creme with Rhubarb Compote.

What is your favorite crisp?  And when do you serve it, with the main or for dessert?

This year Yom HaAtzmaut is on Thursday, April 26, 2012.

So, probably you wanna know what I’m gonna make.  It’s not like Shavuos where I wait for an excuse to make cheesecake, I don’t really wait for Yom HaAtzmaut to make Israeli food.  Hummus and Tahina are staples in our house – we eat them with everything from chicken nuggets, to pizza and on salads.  Other middle eastern dips like Turkish salad and babaganoush are slathered in between butterflied potato borekas or smothered on spicy beef cigars weekly at our shabbos table and we eat falafel like it’s going out of style.

In the last few years boneless, skinless dark meat chicken cutlets have hit the scene and I am so thankful we here stateside have caught up with what they call pargiot in Israel.  Pargiot, aka dark meat chicken cutlets are moist, tender, juicy and perfect for an easy homemade shawarma.  My local supermarket offers them as cutlets, nuggets and fingers but you can easily cut strips from the cutlets yourself by using a sharp knife – make ‘em about 1-inch wide and the length of the cutlet.  Yes, yes, yes if you are in the know then you know traditional shawarma is shaved lamb, chicken, turkey, beef or a mixture thereof but this quick & kosher version gives you the same taste, in a fast family friendly version that will take you but minutes to make for dinner.  There are a few available shawarma spice blends available on the market — making my life all that much easier.  But if you can’t find it  make you own shawarma spice by combing: 1 tablespoon each coriander, cumin, cardamom, chili powder, steak seasoning plus 1 teaspoon smoked paprika .  Stuff your shawarma in pita pockets with “chips” an absolute must, and of course by “chips” I mean fries when I am talking Israeli food and then add in whatever you like.  We of course go for hummus and  tahina and I like lots of shredded fresh crunchy lettuce.

If you love Israeli food in addition to a ready to go shawarma spice mix you should also have two more spices in your cabinet, always.  Za’atar and Sumac.  Za’atar is roughly a mix of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, hyssop, sesame seeds, sumac and salt and I love combining it with olive oil plus a touch more kosher or sea salt and dipping my challah into it.  Simply beyond anything else you have ever experienced when it comes to challah condiments.  Sumac a purplish red spice while often interchanged with paprika because of the look actually has an unmistakable and quite remarkable tangy lemony flavor — great on fish and meat, in salads and on hummus.

We love, love, love! Israel in our house and have a dream to move there G-d Willing sometime soon.  Until then let’s dream up our favorite Israeli foods in honor of Yom HaAtzmaut.

What are your favorites?

Leaving a comment here means you love Israel and it’s delicious food.

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For more Israel Independence Day posts see:

Israel Independence Day – Get Your Grills Out

Israeli Recipes from Israelis

Editing, Editing and More Editing.

The most unglamorous and laborious part to writing a cookbook is the editing, specifically the recipe editing. There are so many styles to recipe writing, think about it like decorating, and no way is better than the other but each publishing house, or publication, or website (I am sure you are getting the point) has a style sheet. Now, much like morning sickness, which is not confined to the the AM hours, a style sheet is not really a single piece of paper but something closer in size to a small book. It details all the “house rules” for writing. And goes through the painful process of listing the mundane to obscure.

Things like:
“healthy” = person, plant, good-size amount; “healthful” = diet, lifestyle, food, drink
“garlic clove,” celery stalk,” “asparagus spears,” not the reverse (“clove garlic,” etc.)
ingredients without measurements = initial cap: Kosher salt
no “of” except with “pinch” or “dash”
fractions not decimals (5 1/2 ounces not 5.5)
halved/quartered — not cut in half/quarters
and then another 20 plus pages with more 1 line monotonous info like this.

Now there are editor types (like Sheilah and Paula, my beloved recipe editors), who love this stuff, eat it up, retain the info and mark up my files so that it looks like I’ve done almost nothing right. But for me – my eyes just glaze over and I fight to stay awake at 3am when editing.

For instance right now my entree chapter is 118 (double spaced – because those are house rules) pages long. So first I have to write up the recipes and keep referencing the style sheet in an effort to get things right the first time. And even when I think I’ve caught things, I undoubtedly revert back to my old style (VERY! different from my new publishers — I always said “cloves garlic!). Then I send off the files to Sheilah and Paula who I affectionately call “S+P”. They tag team and review because it’s almost impossible for one person to catch everything. They spend a number of days with the file and return it all marked up in red– looks like I failed a test, badly failed a test. Then I go through the days-long process of reviewing all their comments, accepting the ones that are straightforward, re-writing and revising my header notes and or directions if S+P didn’t find them clear enough or easy enough to follow. And then we go back and forth for weeks on minutia that actually matters to you — the end user.

With each book I think I spend the most time on editing — it’s more time than testing and more time than the photo shoot (which is surprisingly the shortest albeit most expensive part of making a book) and more time than writing the narrative. The months long recipe editing process that I am writing about now all takes place with my personal recipe editors BEFORE I submit the manuscript to the publisher. The publisher then has their own in-house editing team who I am sure are all excited to get their hands on the manuscript and make their own comments.

For the first time with this book my stories — my autobiographical narrative, the memoir part will also be edited. I am both nervous and excited to see what that process will be like. Unlike my recipe writing I am married to my stories. And I take great pains to tell the stories the way they actually happened. With recipe writing do you think I really care if it’s “cloves garlic” or “garlic cloves”? NO WAY Jose! But when it comes to my story I wonder what it will be like to see comments all over. Hopefully (I am dreaming here!) my editor won’t have too much to say. So far we are getting along fabulously, note we haven’t started the editing yet. But I do have really HIGH hopes.

If you all have any specific Qs that I have not addressed in the Making of a Cookbook Part 1, Part 2 or this one then just ask in the comments below. I am happy to answer or post in more detail about any behind-the-scenes cookbook aspects you are wondering about.