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Just feel like writing now. I know it’s been a while. Have actually been kinda stressed. There is a reason superwoman and her superman are imaginary characters – it’s all just not possible. I am stressed to the point that I am now (as I am typing) eating an entire box of mini cream-filled sponge cakes. It’s a Weight Watchers box but I am pretty sure their intention was not to eat the entire box at once, probably why they individually wrapped each one. SO frustrating now that I am trying to eat them all (while typing). I can stop at any time, you know (just as soon as I finish this box).

I should get the mother of the year award for the yummy din din I made last night (considering all the stress)- the Cranberry Walnut Salmon over Wilted Spinach from my second book Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes*. Um.. the kiddies including my two year old who can’t even speak “asked” for seconds! Yay! Getting your kiddies to love salmon really should get me some kinda trophy don’t you think? I have two small pieces of salmon left in the fridge which I really should eat instead of struggling with this Fort Knox faux twinkie plastic wrap. But when I am stressed all I can think of is cream and cake. You do know that STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards?!

What do you eat when you are stressed? Let me know in the comments below. At least let me know you also like cake. No one, not even me, likes to eat cake alone!

*please note: the salt measurement is off in the book, it should be 1/2 teaspoon salt NOT 2 tablespoons!

I have a little love affair with brisket. It’s been so good to me over the years. Save for one terrible, terrible (I mean tears kinda terrible) incident which to this day I can’t quite figure out exactly what went wrong (I’ll write about all the sordid details in my new book). That one bad episode aside (hey, even Seinfeld can have a bad episode or two and still be one of the greatest sitcoms to have ever graced the airwaves), brisket is most probably my best friend, my meat soul-mate, if you will. It’s so forgiving, it’s so tender (when sliced against the grain ), it’s so easy to work with (try searing it on the stove top first. No time? Then just throw it in the oven or even the slow cooker. Also try it shredded on a sandwich.) and lends itself to any and every possible preparation under the great big bright sun (sweet or savory, Asian or Argentinian inspired, with coffee or beer or wine and more).

So how did it become classic Jewish food? If I had to venture a guess (since I am too busy (read lazy) to look this up right now it’s most probably because it can be prepped ahead and lends itself perfectly to reheating (in fact is better when prepped ahead and reheated) which all coincide nicely with the prohibitions associated with cooking and rewarming foods on Shabbos and prepping in advance for a ton of company for 2 and 3-day holidays. If you are a bulk cooker and freezer, brisket is your friend too! Here go a few of my live-by-these-for-perfect-brisket rules.

1. Choose a 1st or 2nd cut kosher brisket (2nd cut has more marbling, is less expensive and preferred by most chefs in the know) with nice marbling distributed throughout as opposed to just in one area.
2. Ideally you should slow cook your kosher brisket for optimum flavor and tenderness. Slow cooking brisket will also ensure the least amount of shrinkage.
3. After following your recipe of choice allow your brisket to cool at least 15 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain. If it’s not sliced against the grain it will be tough instead of tender.
4. Brisket is best prepared in advance. Ideally make it at least one day before serving for the best taste. After cooling and slicing against the grain submerge in gravy/sauce and refrigerate overnight or freeze for up to one month. Remove from the fridge (or thaw completely if frozen) and bring to room temperature before rewarming and serving.

Here are some of my favorite brisket recipes and other highlights from our kosher community recipe inventory:

Beer Braised Brisket
Garlic Honey Brisket
Mexican Brisket
Brisket in Wine Sauce
Pomegranate Braised Brisket

Click for more Brisket Recipes!

Do you have any tried and true kosher brisket tips, tricks or favorite prep ideas? Please leave them in the comments below.

Have a great brisket recipe? Submit it here.

My grandparents, both sets, made the best chicken soup. Same like yours, I imagine. My father’s side of the family made a deep dark richly flavored broth with spaghetti noodles. My mother’s parents a light bright broth with square luckshen (noodles) and alphabets for us kids in the later years.

Yes, it’s Jewish penicilin.

Yes, it’s been known to heal a broken heart or two.

Yes, it’s pretty much one of the best foods on this planet.

There is something intuitive and all too personal about making a chicken soup. Like cholent, no two are alike. Quite like a fingerprint each chef whether following a recipe with exacting accuracy or adding a little of this and a little of that still imparts their chicken soup with something special. That something is called “love”. I am not some over the top touchy-feely mood effects your food type – but chicken soup is one of those add a little love recipes and it becomes your own. Something your kids will beg you for, something your husband will request every Friday night, something you end up making 30 quarts of at a time because it’s that popular. OK that last part is probably just me — I get crazy with bulk cooking sometimes, I can’t help it.

I am using my chicken soup recipe and a few variations on the comfort classic to kick off our month of traditional Jewish foods. We all try to be such inventive creative kosher cooks that sometimes we forget about the building blocks of our culinary heritage. Let’s go old school, heimishe, back to the basics or whatever you call it, and pull out those family recipes that can only be salvaged if we salvage them. I missed getting my grandparents’ recipes but please join us this month in our effort to claim the classics and save them here on JoK.com. I’ll love you for it. You can submit your own recipes here.

Enjoy these chicken soup recipes:

Classic Chicken Soup
Chicken Gumbo Soup
Spiced Chicken and Lentil Soup
Curried Chicken and Rice Soup
Chicken and White Bean Soup
Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Kimpeturin. When I first heard that Yiddish word, I was totally confused. First of all, it sounds like a plural, but it actually refers to a woman (in the singular) recovering from childbirth. And it’s a term just loaded with compassionate implications: you take pains not to stress out this woman; she’s not expected to shlepp the laundry; and you cut her some slack when it comes to emotional triggers. Point being that new mommies can use a little (ok, a lot) of help from their friends, neighbors, in-laws, anybody! Doesn’t matter if the new baby is your first or if you have a house full of kids, getting it all together ain’t easy.

In our wonderful Jewish communities, aid comes in all forms – gifts of baby essentials, babysitting so the new mommy can nap, or help with din-din. I’ve also heard of a lady who comes over just to sort the laundry. What a G-dsend!

Whether or not you normally love to cook, it’s nice to be off for a while. So, quite often, the community steps up to the plate (literally). A kind-hearted soul organizes the volunteer services of other kind-hearted souls to bring you and your family supper. Every night, the doorbell rings and it’s a fun surprise to see what’s cookin’. This happens wherever Jewish women live: from Boro Park to Beit Shemesh, to Teaneck, LA, Toronto, London, Brussels, Sao Paolo, Johannesburg, Hong Kong. It’s what we do.

If, for some reason, such a “program” is not in place where you live, now’s the time for you to start one. If people feel a little overwhelmed – “What should I cook? What foods do they like?” – I say, stress-nisht.

It’s simple if you follow a few rules. Here are mine:

1. It’s All About the Kids
Unless it’s the couple’s first baby, the biggest help you can give is something the kids will actually eat. This is not the time to impress the couple with your culinary prowess. It’s not a help if after opening up 3 tins of miso-glazed sea bass, Mommy has to make noodles with ketchup for the kids. And make sure you find out if there are any foods you should avoid due to allergies or any other, “I won’t eat this!” biases. When I had my daughter, my neighbor, Beth, sent over pizza: she used the store-bought dough (I hope!) and just topped it with sauce and shredded cheese. And you know what – there wasn’t a crumb left! I often send over a creamy baked ziti with corn on the cob or other kid-friendly sides. My go-to chicken is Duck Sauce Chicken or my Honey Mustard Chicken (from my new book Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes). Fresh baked chicken that’s finger-lickin’ sweet wins the kiddies any day. Happy kiddies means happy new mommy.

2. Don’t Experiment
If you know the family appreciates experimentation, fine. (People who know me feel free to send things like Moroccan chickpea and spinach soup, baked herb and peppercorn gefilte fish, and glazed carrot soup, and I loved every bit of it.) But when I send to others, I stick to the basics like classic gefilte fish, chicken soup and herb roasted potatoes.

3. Don’t Dress the Salad
You have no clue when the family will sit down to eat. If it’s hours after you send the food, the dressed vegetables will be a soggy mess. Always send the dressing in a separate container. I even go so far as to pack all the veggies separately, so they can toss and dress to order and keep any leftovers for later use.

4. Cut Fruit for Dessert is Deeply Appreciated
The new mom is likely to be super-sensitive about losing her baby weight and loves to see her brood eating healthy desserts, so nix the brownies, cookies and cakes. I love sending over fresh cut or sliced fruit. It keeps nicely and Mom can always pack it for school snacks the next day.

5. Announce Yourself in Writing
Nothing too elaborate, just a note to let the family know who provided the meal. Often a housekeeper or visiting relative will accept the food at the door and the new mother will be clueless about who to call if she has any questions (Is this pareve? Did you know about Yossi’s peanut allergy? etc.) I usually write a little “Mazal tov from the Gellers” on the tins or bag I deliver.

Remember, when you do this mitzvah, it’s not just good for the new mom – it’s good for you. And it’s great for your kids to see you to giving back to the community, too. I usually involve my children in helping to cook or deliver the meals. It’s never too early to start training children in this easy, yet important, chessed.

It’s cold out. Well kinda cold out. Not exactly bone chilling yet here in NY but I’ve got my coat on and that little chill that comes with a whisper of winter. This all means it’s time to warm the tummy, yours and your kiddies’ with special hot drinks. There are few things that say “I love you”, “I made this special for you” and give people that warm and fuzzy feeling –  a cup of homemade hot cocoa does just that. In this case it’s triple chocolate hot cocoa so that must mean you really, really, really love the beneficiary of this treat (ehm, yourself). A hot spiced apple cider is a slightly more sophisticated way to say “you mean something to me” unless of course your special somebody (ehm, Hubby) would prefer that hot cocoa. I love you all so here from my heart to yours some special warm winter recipes to fill your mugs.

• Pumpkin Steamer
• Spiced Orange Green Tea
• Orange Hot Chocolate
• Spicy Hot Cocoa with Kahlua
• Thick and Rich Drinking Chocolate
• Coffee Chococcino

I wanted to share what we in the “industry” call a sizzle reel. Translation - a 2 minute clip of the pilot we shot for PBS. We actually shot this before Rosh Hashanah. My neighbors got a kick out of all the menorahs in the window in the middle of September and my kiddies loved opening their presents early. I was obviously uber-pregnant (could barely reach the counter) and collapsed at the end of the 14 hour shoot (feet throbbing, head aching, back burning kinda collapse). We are editing together the full half hour episode now, I am so excited.

The food star of this episode, my Caprese latke tower – cover of this month’s JoK mag and my new favorite way to dress up a latke. Tell me what you think? Of the latke and the sizzle. Don’t you just LOVE this song from the Moshav Band? I cried like a baby the first time I heard it and not just because I was an emotional pregnant mess. Every time Hubby plays it my oldest goes “oh is Mommy going to cry again?”

Happy Chanukah!

Creamy, tangy feta, salty olives, crisp lettuce, and crunchy croutons, all wrapped up in a light and spicy lemon oregano dressing… ah, the Greek Salad! Could be a meal, could also be a side – perfect for a Chanukah feast (we do have to remember the Greeks this time of year).

Greek salad is one of my faves on Chanukah and post-baby. I have a friend who gorges on Godiva after she has a baby – it’s her “Thank you, G-d, and I deserve a treat” snack. Mine is Greek Salad. When my friend Anita comes to visit and asks what she can bring, I always say – “Can you pick up a Greek Salad on the way?” So random, but hey, it’s true. This super-easy salad is perfect for your Chanukah party because you want something you can toss together quickly when you have a ton of latkes to fry.

There’s food and then there’s food. This is one of those simple, light dishes – yet it’s supremely robust and flavorful. Dover sole is one of life’s culinary delicacies and can cost you more than a steak at most restaurants. It’s white, firm, mild-flavored and best paired with a lemon wine sauce. It’s so easy to eat – just one of those things that goes down easy. It’s a super thin piece of fish, too: you don’t even need teeth to enjoy it (but don’t waste it on the baby!)

At the fish counter, you’re most likely to find lemon sole or gray sole much more affordable, and it’s still delicious especially when you are cooking for a crowd this Chanukah. This recipe for Lemon and White Wine Broiled Sole is a nice complement to all the oily fried treats at your Chanukah party.

I have six cans of pumpkin puree sitting in my kitchen cabinet. And I must admit that seeing them lined up there gives me piece of mind, relieving the paranoia that sets in every fall. That’s when the store shelves are filled with pureed pumpkin for a brief period and everybody who loves pumpkin comes out in droves, clearing every last can till they’re impossible to find afterward. Bloggers hit the net, talk show hosts fill the air waves and twitter goes nuts with everyone trying to find out where to get their hands on a can of pumpkin puree.

So I confess to having an obsession. I nearly buy out the entire store when pumpkin is plentiful on the shelf, as though preparing for some dire emergency. I mean, what if the world comes to an end, and I’m stuck with no pumpkin puree in my kitchen? How will we survive?

Hubby and I try to be gracious and not buy out the entire store (of anything); we leave at least one on the shelf should another desperate person follow us. I’m not saying you should stock up on pureed pumpkin as we do, but I do suggest that you make sure to keep a few cans handy. That way, you can create this absolutely indulgent baked pumpkin penne whenever the mood strikes you. This is one of those “reward yourself” recipes with heavy cream, cheese, penne and pumpkin. The perfect indulgent dairy dish to adorn your Chanukah table. Hey, you can always use whole wheat pasta to offset the cream. That’s what I do, and I feel better, really, much better.

What’s your dairy dish of choice this Chanukah?

Ain’t nothing like an all-American Apple Pie.

But you’ll have to go to your Yankee Auntie to get that recipe. Not that I’m un-American or against apple pie. It’s just that I grew up surrounded by Eastern European intonations and Old Country cooking. (When my father speaks, Hubby just smiles and nods, pretending to understand.)

I do a great Caramel Pear Lattice Pie, though. Don’t worry, I won’t make you start from scratch. Amazing what you can do with store-bought crust once you let it defrost and style it to your liking. If you don’t want to mess around weaving a lattice, don’t! I say if you don’t feel like weaving, you should not have to weave. I know it’s a revolutionary thought. But there, I said it!

You should feel empowered to do what you like with your crust. You could just lay it over the filling with a few slits, or do a fake weave: place half the strips vertically and half the strips horizontally on top to look like a weave. Or just use cookie cutters to make nice shapes (kids love to do this) and place them on top of your filling.

SO, as I was saying, this filling ain’t apples. I use pears ‘cuz I like to be different. But not too different – I’m keeping it traditional with cinnamon; but instead of nutmeg, let’s go cardamom (just because I like how exotic that spice sounds, smells and tastes). Slather caramel sauce on the base crust, top with the pear mixture, and then top with your creative crust of choice. For a nice little down-home, diner-style finish – after brushing your crust with egg wash, sprinkle it with turbinado sugar. You’re gonna love me for that sweet little touch!

Slightly spicy, with a hint of sweetness from cinnamon and sweet potatoes, this Spiced Chicken and Lentil Soup is a hearty meal in one – especially when you add garlic toast. I learned the trick of rubbing cloves of garlic on hot toast from, Giada. Must be how they do it in Italy.

Back home in Philly, I used to watch my grandfather from Transylvania eat whole garlic cloves, with a glass of milk to wash it down. Grandpa lived to 96, in addition to the grace of G-d we credit garlic. The next generation in our family tempered the garlic tradition by substituting fresh sliced garlic on toast, drizzling it with olive oil and salt (or butter instead of olive oil). I remember my dad buttering his bread with a layer so thick it held the garlic like glue.

For you, I tempered it even more, and took a cue from Giada. Just rubbing the garlic cloves onto hot toast infuses the bread with a hot garlic flavor that is not too overpowering. Within a day or two, you can go to work and your colleagues won’t even smell the garlic on you. But if you can handle it (and have a vacation day tomorrow), go garlic (as described above)! It’s such a nice complement to the soup’s earthy rich flavors – there’s a hint of exotic North African flare with cumin – not to mention coriander and ginger. And it’s packed with protein from the chicken and lentils. There are so many different layers of flavor and texture in this soup! It eats like a meal (and you won’t wear it on your breath).

Imagine it’s a cold winter night. At least I have to imagine, ‘cuz here in NY it’s a ridiculous 60+ degrees, people are sauntering outside in T-shirts, and I’m shvitzing in my black turtleneck sweater. (It’s the only thing that fits since I had the baby. I was really counting on cold weather.) Ok, so let’s imagine that there’s frost on the windowpane and that Hubby just built a cozy fire in the fireplace. (As long as I’m imagining, let’s really go for it.)

Since we’re pretending, we might as well cook up a hearty winter meal. Italian Vegetable Soup (spiked with orzo and pesto) and served with cheese bread is the perfect tomato-ey comfort food for a cold winter’s eve, and even for an annoyingly warm November day. Soup is one of my favorite foods, and the Italian Veggie soup is what I fix when I’m “watching” what I eat: that’s when I hold the orzo and the cheese bread. To tell the truth, since I had a baby so recently, I’m not really watching – just closing my eyes and savoring. I think “watching” should wait a while, till I’m back to normal. Let’s say, four or five years.

Well, as my grandmother (a”h) used to say, everything in moderation is ok. That’s my mantra these days, so orzo and cheese bread it is.

What’s your favorite soup? And what wise sayings did your grandma offer? I’ll take either – just let me know in the comments.

Tamar asked me for more roasts that she can use when planning our JoK Shabbat menus. I had the brilliant idea to give her a brisket for every day of the week, but apparently we already have that, so I was forced to go out of my comfort zone. Fanfare, please: I now present you with Balsamic London Broil.

So what part of the cow is “London broil?” Technically, it’s not a cut of meat, but a method of preparing it by marinating it and then pan-frying (or broiling) it to medium rare. Wanna hear a good one? “London broil” is unknown in England. It was devised by Americans to tenderize flank steak, a meat that is normally quite tough; it morphed into “London broil” as a “cut” in butcher shops later on. True flank steak is from the wrong part of the cow for kosher consumers, but our kosher butchers cheerfully label just about any cut of meat that is lean (and not naturally tender) as “London broil.” So don’t ask what part of the cow it comes from. The answers will only confuse you. Suffice it to say that you can take this relatively inexpensive meat and give it the royal treatment.

Before baking this baby, you sear it without adding oil to the pan. No oil because there’s enough liquid from the marinade, and it caramelizes nicely to make a delectable crust. Serve it rare to medium rare along with the roasted onions: elegant to the max! It’s a nice change for your Shabbos dinner menu, without much work.

Wild & crazy.

As I write this in my Rockland County home, there are bears on the loose in my neighborhood. Not 1, not 2, but 3 bears, and they are not cuddly and they are not going for a harmless stroll while their porridge cools. They’re big, black, and one was just spotted digging into my neighbor’s garbage just 3 blocks away. AHHHH! Check out this video.

I’m a city girl. When I moved here, I didn’t know that the police simply issue a “warning” when something like this happens. I guess they figure that when you live “in the country,” it’s ok have an occasional wild turkey, deer or bear peering into your windows. It goes with the territory – oy vey iz mir.

Meanwhile, my friend Anita (you can meet her here), Rabbi Lawrence’s wife, takes it all with true pioneering spirit. Gitta neshamah (good soul) that she is, on Shabbos she calmly walked someone over a mile home because that someone was scared of walking alone for fear of encountering the bears. She packed the bottom of her baby’s stroller with a broom, a 10-inch kitchen knife, a pot and a rock. Who does she think she is, Davy Crockett? Was she planning on using those weapons against three bears? Or perhaps cook them a meal? Should I look for a saner friend?

Anyway, I’m not that chivalrous. I kept my family securely locked inside– had a zoo of my own for a while there, with 4 neighborhood kids joining my 5. (At one point, I thought I might be able to handle the bears better than this balagan.)

Till the bears are gone for good, I am housebound, cooking with the kids, and enjoying hot cocoa as well as these other goodies.

Spicy Hot Cocoa
Roasted Pumpkin Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Ricotta
One-skillet dinners
And Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Whipped Cream.

If you were housebound for a few days, what delicious dishes would you be whipping up?

OK, let’s have a show of hands. How many of you have ever cooked a fantastic, expensive cut of meat to perfection, then watched helplessly as it overcooked when you reheated it? You splurged on a beauty – probably for Shabbos or Yom Tov – and now you have a leathery, unappetizing chunk.

I’ll be the first to admit it has happened to me, and more than once. And that’s why brisket is my favorite cut! You can’t mess up when you braise a brisket. A top of the rib roast is equally foolproof, just treat it like a brisket and the meat will become softer the longer you cook it.

If you’ve never braised, here’s the scoop. The principles of braising are moist heat, lengthy cooking in a closed, tightly sealed vessel, and low, low temperatures. Essentially, the meat is constantly basting itself, browning slowly, and taking on deep, rich flavors; it becomes so tender it could fall off your fork.

Of course, for this process to work, you have to give it loads of time to cook. But that’s a plus, because the aroma will fill your home, enticing everyone – your kids, your guests, your mailman, your neighbors. (Better be sure to get a big roast.) By the time they sit down to the meal they’ve been sniffing for hours, they’re ready to savor it to the max.

Beer is a wonderful braising liquid and I love the spice mix for my Beer Braised Brisket. It includes instant coffee, paprika and brown sugar; and that forms a nice spicy crust when you sear the meat before cooking.

This cool crockpot dish comes out equally delicious from the oven. Cover and cook for 2 hours at 350° and then uncovered for another 30 minutes to 1 hour until soft. Most important – allow it to cool at least 15 minutes (if not completely) before slicing against the grain. You could even put it in the fridge overnight (after it cools, of course), before slicing. Oh BTW, to ensure soft meat, how you slice your brisket is as essential as how you cook it. Check out my “how to slice against the grain” post.

When making this in the oven, you aren’t left with much liquid to turn into gravy, so consider these basic gravy recipes. You’ll certainly want to use them if you plan to reheat the brisket before serving. One more tip: practice saying “Beer Braised Brisket” before you announce it at your table, so you won’t twist your tongue too badly. Betcha can’t say it three times fast.