Gefen Slideshow

Egg roll fanatics, unite!
I crave egg rolls like crazy – especially late at night, smothered in spicy mustard, duck sauce and soy sauce (YES, ALL THREE). There’s a problem, of course. No one wants to run out to the Chinese take-out at 1:00 AM to satisfy Jamie’s cravings; at least no husband, who shall remain nameless, who claims he actually prefers to sleep.
Beef and Mushroom Egg Roll

That’s why I’m excited about the new Gefen Egg Roll Wrappers. Our marriage is secure because Hubby can snooze while I make egg rolls myself right in my own kitchen. I can go classic or creative. Depends on my mood.

Apple Strudel Egg Roll

This is something I definitely want to share with all egg roll fanatics like me. So grab some Gefen Egg Roll Wrappers and try these super recipes. My Vegetarian Avocado Egg Rolls with Spicy Dipping Sauce was inspired by the El Bomba Egg Roll at the kosher Japanese restaurant Sushi Metsuyan. (Thanks, guys, for the sun dried tomato, avocado fried egg roll combo concept!) It’s so crazy good, you will lose your mind. If you’re looking for a forgiving-for-your-figure treat, try my Sweet Baked Apple Strudel Egg Roll. Oh, and make extra portions of the savory Five-Spice Turkey Egg Rolls and Beef and Mushroom Egg Rolls because the aroma will surely entice a certain someone who is suddenly awake enough to ask for samples.

Five Spice Turkey Egg Roll

**Contest Alert**

Enter for your chance to win our Rosh Hashanah Magazine Tablescape package.  This includes Neiman the Marcus Morroccan Inspired Tea Glasses, the Orrefors Sea Candy Vase, the Colin Cowie Glasses and the Individual Soup Tureen.  Total package valued at $150.

Enter by telling us which egg roll recipe above is your favorite and why in the comments below.  Contest runs through November 9th 2011 at 9am EST.  Open to US residents 18 years and older.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

It was my second Rosh Hashanah as a married woman, and I decided that I actually wanted to cook something. If you know my history as Queen of Take-Out, you understand the magnitude of such a decision. At that stage, I was beginning to fill the cooking void in my soul, and I wanted to try something fancy. I made wontons filled with ground meat and dropped them into my chicken soup. So beyond the traditional matzo ball, I thought happily. And I had a good measure of beginner’s luck too, because it actually worked. everyone oohed and ahhed as though I had produced something truly exotic.

Vegetarian Wonton Soup

Well, as life moved on, my head got filled with so many other things and I forgot all about that little success. This memory just slipped my mind until now. Now that I am more experienced, I realize how many things could have gone wrong.

Chocolate Raspberry Wonton

Anyone who has tried to fill a wonton knows that the trick is keeping it from bursting open. The last thing you want is that filling spilling out. I’ve progressed so much since my newlywed days, and thanks to the new Gefen wontons, that come in both square and round shapes I’ve had about as much fun as a person should experimenting with every technique for keeping that filling in place. Oh the wonder of it all!

Three Cheese Wonton Ravioli

So here’s my most important wonton tip: an egg wash really works best to seal the wontons. When you use the egg wash, don’t completely soak the wonton; just a light brushing will do the trick. Also, press the air out around the filling so there’s no extra space between the filling and wonton. Press very firmly (using a fork also works well). My recipe testers and I used all of these tricks just recently on a new Potato Cheddar Pierogi recipe and not a single one leaked! What simchah!

Potato Cheddar Pierogi

Here are 5 rad wonton recipes I know you will enjoy. Vegetable Wonton Soup is so light and pretty and my 3-Cheese Wonton Ravioli recipe is just the smartest shortcut to “homemade” ravioli. Another cheesy dish – Potato Cheddar Pierogis – is oh so formal and impressive. A cool idea for parties (or anytime!) are Wonton Chips paired with an Edamame Dip. And for a sweet little dessert, try my recipe for Chocolate Raspberry Wontons – absolute heaven!

I confess that up to this point in life I have been making lo mein with thin linguine noodles. Well, no more! I now have Gefen Lo-Mein Noodles and another cool new Gefen product, Japanese style noodles. Getting just the right taste and authentic texture in lo mein just became a whole lot easier. Why use Italian pasta for an Asian dish?

It doesn’t get simpler than this, folks. The Gefen noodles come frozen and there’s no need to defrost. Just throw them into a pot of boiling water for 2 – 3 minutes. They cook up quicker than most traditional pasta, so watch the pot carefully. This is no time to go pay your bills, wash your hair, or get into that long overdue conversation with your significant other. More than a couple minutes in boiling water and these will become mushy; you want perfect al dente noodles. (Whoops, pardon my Italian!)

There are so many great ideas I developed for the Gefen lo mein and Japanese style noodles – aside from the authentic and expected quick & kosher Veg Lo Mein. If chicken is your pleasure, choose from Chilled Chicken Noodle Salad or Pesto Pasta with Chicken. If there’s a beef lover in your family, try the Teriyaki Beef Noodles. If you love salmon, you must try my Spicy Salmon over Sesame Noodles.

And if you’ve got a good case of spring fever and want to go veggie, my Spring Pasta Primavera or Sesame Scallion Lo-Mein Pancakes bring all the goodness of spring vegetables right into your kitchen! This is the season to go Asian!

Whenever I hear the words “red snapper,” I think of a sassy fish with attitude. Actually, that’s not so far off. Red Snapper has a faintly nutty flavor and a firm texture, which is great for picking up subtle spices, as well as those in-your-face hot chili sauces! It’s a little pricier than trout or tilapia, but well worth it, if you ask me.

Red Snapper with Asian Noodles is a fabulous, refreshing change from the ho hum fish dinner. And it’s quick too. After you let the fish marinate in a slightly sweet, spicy and citrusy mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, salt and cayenne, you bake it for 15 minutes – and there you have it. Serve with lo-mein noodles spiked with sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice and lightly pickled cukes.

Now there’s a snappy supper!

Some other recipes to snap up:
• Grilled Lemon and Basil Snapper Filets
• Sicilian Baked Red Snapper With Raisins and Pine Nuts
• Roasted Snapper with Sweet and Sour Citrus Reduction
• Baked Red Snapper With Zesty Tomato Sauce
• Olive Snapper Escabeche
• Roasted Yellowtail Snapper with Olives and Tomatoes

Is there any cuisine more traditionally American-Jewish than Chinese food? American Jews have embraced far eastern foods to such an extent that it seems just as natural to run to the Chinese takeout as the kosher deli. Once considered an exotic and rare alternative, today most cities with a significant Jewish population can boast at least one Chinese restaurant.

And why not? I, for one, was born with a penchant for Chinese food. There’s a reason, of course. Legend has it that when my mother was expecting me she had a crazy craving for Chinese food and my father would take her out to the Chinese place every night! It was my favorite food until I was 5; even after I was introduced to other cuisines it remained one of my childhood comfort foods.

Maybe my enduring love of this stuff has something to do with those cute little Asian rice cartons with the wire handles. There’s something about them. The minute you open your package, the experience begins – all those little boxes and bags, the wonton noodles on the side, the fortune cookies, duck sauce and soy sauce and spicy mustard sauce. Not to mention those chopsticks, which I learned to handle at a fairly young age, except when it comes to rice. I don’t have the patience for that.

Of course, eating out has its drawbacks: it’s expensive and can be time-consuming. So I have a suggestion. I say, tonight eat out at home (and no, that doesn’t mean calling up the takeout for delivery). You can make your own homemade Chinese food. It’s actually simple — and quick too! A stir fry can take you 20 minutes or less to throw together and you have a yummy, satisfying meal. My new book Quick and Kosher Meals in Minutes has a great recipe for Beef and Green Bean Stir Fry. The whole recipe takes 20 minutes from beginning to end, and that includes cooking time!

Here’s another favorite: Sweet and Sour Chicken. Now you can make it in the comfort of your own kitchen and get rave reviews. This recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken with Sesame Rice is sure to satisfy anyone’s Chinese food craving.

If you are looking for a vegetarian and lighter alternative, my Vegetable Lo Mein is sure to be a winner. This, too, can be ready in 20 minutes or less and is a filling dish. If you use the new GEFEN Lo-Mein Noodles that boil up in 2-3 minutes, you can get this dinner on the table in no time. Just take them out of the freezer, throw them into boiling water, and voila! I used to use thin linguine noodles for my homemade lo mein, but now that we have a real deal lo mein product, we can serve up something really authentic.

The truth is that with Chinese food you can improvise a stir fry with whatever vegetables you have on hand, and you can even throw in some tofu instead of meat or chicken. Don’t be afraid of the soy sauce: it’s your Chinese-food friend! There are low sodium soy sauces on the market and you can always thin it with some water to make it go a long way for you.

Of course, if you go Chinese at home, you’ll have to forgo those little food cartons with the wire handles, but to me it’s worth it. If you insist on making the packaging part of your family’s Chinese Night experience, you can stock up on those containers from an online supplier — and keep them on hand for whenever the urge for homemade Chinese strikes!

Here are some other delectable Chinese food recipes that are quick and easy to prepare: Vegetable Fried Rice, Chinese Chicken, Baby Bok Choy, Pocket Eggs with Soy Sesame Sauce and Asian Inspired Chicken Soup.

Trout. The word itself is plaid and sporty, evoking images of anglers standing in pristine waters at break of day. They want to bring home the Big One, a fish worthy of the effort and patience invested in catching it. Have you ever gone trout fishing and experienced that ecstatic rush when you feel a tug at the end of your line? Ok, neither have I.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a nice trout dinner once in a while. Prepared correctly, trout makes an exquisite meal. My grandfather, a”h, was an outstanding gourmet chef, a restaurateur who knew that you don’t need elaborate preparation to create a true gourmet experience. He would buy a rainbow trout fillet (with the skin on) and sprinkle it with some kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and paprika, drizzle it with olive oil and broil it until it was crispy around the edges. That was all! The minute I took my first bite of his wonderful trout, my love affair began with that fish. I’ve loved it ever since and even included that simple recipe in my first cookbook, Quick & Kosher: Recipes From the Bride Who Knew Nothing.

If you need convincing from a health point of view, consider this: Trout is an excellent source of those good nutrients our bodies need, including Omega 3s, iron, vitamins and protein. But I eat it because it’s delicious.

If you’ve worked with fillets, now it’s time to graduate to the whole fish. This is the big leagues my friends, but it’s really not difficult at all. I’ll show you how to prepare a light, healthy din din that is a fitting tribute to those who sat for hours waiting for a nibble on the fishing line – or to those who stood on line at the fish store waiting to be served. Same thing.

(If you’re anything like this city girl, and you want to be able to say you caught this trout yourself — ask the guy at the fish counter to toss it over to you.)

So here is my recipe for Mediterranean Baked Trout with Fennel Salad. Make it once, and you’ll do it again.

Some more tasty trout recipes:
• Chef Jeff’s Tasty Trout Salad
• Grilled Whole Trout with Lemon-Tarragon Bean Salad
• Crispy Rainbow Trout (Grandpa’s specialty!)
• Trout with Herbs and Feta Cheese
• Trout Almandine

Do you have memories of grilling fish after a long day at the lake? Share with me — so I can live through you!

When I was growing up my parents used to only buy salmon steaks.  I didn’t even know salmon fillet existed.  Now salmon is practically everywhere!  From fish displays at the grocery store to restaurant menus and the now ubiquitous sushi counter, you have to swim pretty fast upstream to run away from salmon.  Not only does it taste great, but it is relatively affordable, easy to prepare and a healthy alternative to red meat.

Salmon is a high quality protein source that is low in saturated fat and has the added bonus of Omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3 is one of only 2 essential fatty acids in our diet (along with Omega-6), which means our body cannot produce these fatty acids organically. Omega-3 plays an important role in brain function and structure, as well as bone and nervous system growth and development.  They have also been found to help lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol, which can decrease risk for heart disease.  Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help control inflammation, decreasing the risk for diabetes, arthritis, and even some cancers.   The USDA recommends at least 8 ounces of fish per week, equivalent to two standard size servings.   And if you prefer staring at the mirror instead of your dinner plate, you can take additional comfort to know that salmon is good for your skin.

Is salmon safe? Many people are legitimately concerned about mercury and the high toxicity of farm-raised fish.  Farmed salmon has been shown to contain high levels of PCBs (toxins).  If you are staying away from salmon because of concerns over toxicity you may be making a mistake.  According to a 2006 study in the Journal of American Medical Association, the benefits of eating farmed salmon still outweigh any risks imposed by contaminants.  If you follow the FDA guidelines, up to 12 ounces of fish each week is safe for most everyone.

The best choice is to find wild salmon, which is low in toxins and higher in Omega-3 fatty acids.  Prepare it simply Pan Seared and you have a quick, restaurant quality, delicious dinner any night of the week.   For a more kid friendly approach try these baked Salmon Fish Sticks.   However, it is also higher in price.    An alternative to fresh wild salmon is canned or packets of salmon.  These are usually made from wild salmon and can be mixed into a salad or sandwich and make excellent Salmon Cakes.  I try and balance my salmon intake between farmed and wild.  Most of the time if I eat salmon at a restaurant or sushi place I assume it is farmed, but at home I go “wild”!

Most Americans do not eat enough fish to meet their Omega-3 needs.  Luckily, we have a longstanding Jewish tradition to eat fish on Shabbat.  Whether you serve a fancy gefilte fish terrine or pickled herring out of a jar this is one Jewish food custom that was ahead of its time.  Don’t forget bagels and lox on Sunday morning.  That is another great way to help your family catch their fish!

**GIVEAWAY** In keeping with our fish week theme, we are giving away a gift package from Vita Food Products . One lucky winner will win a sample of Vita’s new premium natural line of smoked salmon and herring.  The product line comes recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil:  Vita Smoked salmon – Sockeye, Coho, Norwegian Atlantic. Vita Herring – wine and mustard. This is a prize package worth $50! In order for you to qualify to win let us know your favorite fish dish – one entry. If you Submit a Recipe for fish it counts for a bonus 3 entries! Please make sure it’s a kosher recipe! [Contest open to US Residents only. Winner will be picked at random. Contest ends 9 am EST Wednesday May 18 2011].

Today is Tilapia Tuesday – well, at least this week. And yes, I confess to being an unabashedly biased fish lover, which is why this is Fish Week at JoK. Not sure why I chose this week; maybe because the weather is (finally!) beautiful and springy, and I start leaning toward lighter and heart-healthier proteins. I mean, there’s something about frosty winter nights that make a hearty beef dish just perfect. But then warm spring weather blows in, we start heading for lakes and beaches, and suddenly, I’m thinking of fish!

If you’ve never eaten tilapia, you’ve been missing out on a flaky, white delicacy that’s low in fat, low in calories (half the cals of salmon), low in carbs, high in protein and very versatile in recipes. Its mild flavor and light-bodied texture allow it to absorb seasonings and spices very well.

Roll that drum — because I hereby present you with my recipe for a fresh-as-springtime Spicy Citrus Tilapia! It’s tangy and spicy and the perfect dish for a warm evening. Serve it with fluffy rice, angel hair pasta, or your favorite steamed veggies, with a nice glass of chilled white wine. To a fish lover, that is Heaven
On
Earth.

Do you have a favorite fish? Share your best fish recipe with us!

Want to test more tilapia recipes? Try these on for size:
• Parmesan and Sun-Dried Tomato Crusted Tilapia
• Tilapia Summer Vegetable Packets
• Chili Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus and Lemon
• Tilapia With Cheesy Roasted Pepper and Chipotle Rice
• Tilapia Ceviche with Mango
• Puerto Rican Fish Stew – Bacalao

As everyone knows, this is official Fish Week. Well, ok, not everybody knows, at least not yet. But here at JoK, we are proud to announce Fish Week. Why? Because I love fish, because it’s healthy, and for the best reason: why not?

Fish is brain food – at least that’s what my Momma says. I think she’s referring to all those omega 3s and essential fatty acids that are supposed to feed your brain all the right things so your children will be brilliant. I could never understand how something called “fatty acids” could be good for you, but I don’t argue with my Momma. Of course, you could go for fish oil, but I say get it directly from the source!

After gefilte, salmon seems to be the kosher fish of choice in most kitchens, probably because it’s the most “pareve” of all fish in flavor; not strong or fishy – kinda neutral, like Switzerland. Even though I’m an adventurous fish eater, a perfect piece of pink salmon is still a pleasure for me.

The key to great fish is freshness, so definitely go to a reputable place to purchase. Seek out a fish store that is busy and has frequent turnover. How do you buy a piece of salmon? You have two choices: a salmon fillet is cut from the side of the fish. It should be devoid of bones, not smell fishy, and should be a nice red, in color – which will result in perfect pink flesh when cooked up. A salmon steak, on the other hand, is cut across the spine of the fish and tends to be trickier to filet, so if you buy a steak, you may have to wrangle with a few stray bones.

Way back when I was at NYU, I used to love going to a particular restaurant that served only the freshest and most fabulous fish. (The line for this place stretched out the door and around the corner on most days.) My favorite entrée there was teriyaki glazed avocado stuffed salmon, and I cannot believe it has taken me over 10 years to recreate this simple culinary wonder!

I’ve paired my Avocado Stuffed Salmon with wild rice, so you have a complete meal in minutes — less than 30 minutes to be exact!

Most people either love fish or hate it, so fess up – is fish your friend or foe? Now that we’ve declared Fish Week, I really need to know!

Here are some other Salmon recipes sure to stimulate your taste buds:
• Grilled Salmon with Mustard and Herbs
• Spicy Salmon over Sesame Noodles
• Salmon Cakes with Tropical Fruit Salsa
• Plank Grilled Sweet Soy Salmon
• New World Gravlax
• Moroccan Grilled Salmon
• Seared Salmon with White Beans and Fennel
• Broiled Salmon with Miso Glaze

In Parsha Behar, Hashem commands the Jewish people to cease all agricultural activity during the seventh year and allow the produce to be freely available to man and animal. Imagine the level of preparation that must have preceded this year of schmittah? Preserving enough to ensure your family would not starve in the months ahead and living in hopeful expectation of a bountiful harvest the following year. I am in awe of that faith and commitment. I am also grateful to canning, the modern solution for preservation. When short on time or ripe produce, I turn to canned products to help enliven sauces, stews and soups and this week I share a favorite recipe from Chef Laura Frankel for chili, using canned tomatoes and beans.

Mint Orange Agave Cooler

Spicy Roasted Corn, Avocado and Chicken Salad

Chili Con Carne

Salsa Fresca

Pareve Cornbread Muffins

Avocado Ice Cream

Broiled Mango

Israel’s Independence Day is synonyms with BBQ, known in Hebrew as the “mangal”.  Herds of Israelis (we like to travel in packs), fill up backyards and public parks, set up mobile grill stations, folding tables and chairs, and feast on kebabs (grilled meat patties), shishliks (chicken skewers), hummus, tehini and many other varieties of salads. The holiday itself is the unofficial inauguration of the Israeli grilling season- which lasts throughout the entire summer, which tends to span at least until October.

Unfortunately, twenty-one years of American barbeque left its mark on me, and I still, after nearly eight years of living in Israel, prefer the Yankee kind. I pride myself that I have really been able to assimilate well into the Israeli culture, yet this is one of the last things, along with politeness, that I am unwilling to give up. Last year I took matters into my own hands and had the holiday at my house. My friends were delightfully treated to a do-it-yourself hamburger and hotdog buffet. They loved it-but one year was enough of a divergence from the norm. This year we are back to the mangal.

Here are a few recipes that are great for the outdoors, easy to make and tasty eaten alone or in a pita.  Betei Avon!

Kebabs with Pistachios

Eggplant, Maple and Soy Sauce Salad

Zucchini and Dill Salad

Yom Haatzmaut falls this year on Tuesday May 10 2011. Traditionally Yom Haatzmaut is a day off from work for Israelis, a day to spend with family and celebrate Israel’s Independence Day – this year is Israel’s 63rd birthday!

In honor of this special day we bring you a round up of our Israeli recipes – everything you need for an authentic Israeli feast.

B’tayavon veChag Sameach!

Israeli Salad
Charif
Falafel
Shwarma Chicken and Chummus Pita with French Fries
Israeli Cabbage Salad
Schnitzel
Tahini
Whole Wheat Israeli Couscous
Biblically Inspired Salad du Jour

What foods make you think of Israel? How are you celebrating Yom Haatzmaut this year?

So I love fast food — and I don’t mean artery-plugging burgers you buy on the run. I literally mean food that is ready fast, in a flash. Jaws drop when I say that the kiddies and Hubby are having one of their favorite dinners: chicken nuggets, and no, I did not make them from scratch! Dunno why that’s so hard for people to believe. I mean, I confess my life to you all on a regular basis.

The fact is that we all need shortcuts sometimes. We all have days when we feel like our hair is on fire and we won’t last another minute, and then some frozen treat or dinner gallops in like a knight in shining armor to save the day. I do feel a whole lot better about myself when I serve my family a frozen finger food from a box that reads no trans fats, or all natural ingredients, low sodium, no preservatives, no artificial flavors, no poison for your loved ones. And that’s where the doc comes in. I relied on Dr. Praeger as an extra set of hands in the kitchen pre- and post-Pesach when I was turning my kitchen upside down and inside out.

Dr. Praeger’s “Littles” line of products turns spinach and broccoli into stars and moons and suns and all kinds of funky kid-friendly shapes. I have to say there wasn’t much even he could do to spinach to entice the kids, but I LOVED the Spinach Littles and ate almost the whole box myself. (Yeah, I know that’s not a first, but you know me…) The broccoli and potatoes bites were a hit and we had nothing but love for the pizza bagels. I shouldn’t have been surprised because Dr. Praeger’s lightly breaded fish sticks are a staple in our house.

**GIVEAWAY** So to celebrate the doc who has rescued me countless times, and to spread the word to other harried parents who want the best for their families, we are giving away one box of Cali Veggie Burgers, Sweet Potato Pancakes, Spinach Littles, Pizza Bagels and Fish Sticks to ONE lucky winner picked at random. In order to qualify to enter please sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the page, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and let us know that you have done so in the comments. If you are already signed up for the newsletter and follow us on social media, please confirm in the comments. For an extra entry, leave us a comment telling us what your favorite Dr Praeger’s product is and why. [Contest is open to US Residents only. Contest closes Wednesday May 11, 2011 at 9 am.]

Wouldn’t it be great if our kids loved every doctor this much?

Ohr Naava Women’s Torah Center is holding their second Annual Auction on May 11, 2011. It will be a day of special events, including a cooking demonstration with Jamie!

On the Menu:

Mango Peach Soup (made the same way as Mango Strawberry Soup, just use peaches instead of strawberries)
Walnut Goat Cheese Salad
Mozzarella and Tomato Stacks
Creamy Spinach Fettuccini
Creamy Mock Crab Salad
Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

For more information please call 718 853 6190 or visit OhrNaava.com

Nothing makes a child happier than to do grown-up things. “Let’s surprise Mommy!” is a call no kid can resist. It makes them feel special and gives them a sense of accomplishment to surprise their mom with something they did especially for her on her special day.

Let’s get real. Most of the time, this will not happen with youngsters unless a parent is involved. So nu, it wouldn’t hurt if you gave your hubby a hint or two about what surprises you’d like (and which ones to avoid, if you get my drift.) The kids don’t have to know.

You can help them out in advance by letting dad know where to find the breakfast tray (or where he can buy a cute, cheap one – let’s say Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond) to serve you breakfast in bed – should they want to, of course.

Ok, so now you’ve engineered Breakfast in Bed. First tip to Daddy, of course, is a “not before” time frame. A really nice gift is to let Mommy sleep. Beyond that, leave it to them; but here are few suggestions:

Don’t make it too complicated.

Fresh Squeezed OJ – the perfect start to your morning, even a young child can squeeze the juice out of a couple of oranges.

Toast Points – or even more fun, toast fingers, imagine your favorite bread lightly toasted, smothered in preserves and cut into strips lengthwise.

Layered Treats: A breakfast parfait is as simple as layering a few favorites in an attractive glass. Buy disposable parfait cups, or point out to your husband where to find the dessert cups on a stem. Don’t have those — even wine or champagne glassed are great for a layered treat. Yogurt sprinkled with granola and fruit in elegant stemware is even simpler than layering for the littlest ones.

French Toast with the Works: Perhaps Dad can help the kids make some Cinnamon Raisin Challah French Toast – as long as someone remembers to buy and keep the leftover raisin challah from Shabbat.

Here are 3 fun French toast or pancake topping ideas I got from the Martha Stewart Living magazine “Top Secret for Kids’ Eyes Only” Mother’s Day supplement.

• Bananas For Nuts and Chocolate = sliced banana + chopped hazelnuts + warmed chocolate spread (such as Nutella warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds)

• Blueberry Maple Bliss = blueberries + chopped toasted walnuts + maple syrup

• Strawberry Sunshine = sliced strawberries + light brown sugar crumbles + whipped cream

True, by eating these, you risk becoming one big Mama, so you might opt instead for some healthier lower cal snacks (also from Martha – love her!). Be sure to direct dad and kids toward what you’d prefer.

• Fruit skewers – honeydew, cantaloupe and pineapple balls threaded on wooden skewers

• Mango slices rolled in ground toasted coconut or strawberry slices dusted with confectioner’s sugar

• Yogurt honey dip – plain or vanilla regular or low fat yogurt with a squeeze of honey in the center and swirled in with your spoon for a pretty presentation

When breakfast is delivered by your own excited little waiters and waitresses, does it really matter what’s on the tray? Even if it’s not exactly what you had in mind, it’s so special that they tried! Lavish your child (and dad) with praise and thanks — and they will glow from head to toe!