Shavuot is distinct from most other holidays because we traditionally eat dairy (why?). This means that we can eat gooey cheesey dinners, and more importantly, we don’t have to make desserts using fake butter like we usually do!! So we always pick out some special recipes to share with our family during this holiday.
When David Lebovitz posted a recipe for caramelized shallot chicken, I knew I had to try it. Chicken is a cheap, healthy, and easy dinner, and I was blown away by how great his looked and then later by how great mine tasted. This has become a favorite Monday night dinner of mine.
I love shallots, and recently started using them in place of regular onions in many of my recipes. I always have shallots in my onion bowl, so after reading this recipe, I didn’t have to do much shopping, and that totally added to the awesomeness of this dish.
My favorite thing to make in the dutch oven is short ribs. They’re so good! They get soft and flavorful from the braising and are easy enough to cook while busy with other things in the kitchen. The more you cook them, the more flavorful they become, so make them on Sunday and eat them on Monday. Plus, people love to eat short ribs on Monday nights. Better yet, make them tonight and eat them for Shabbat dinner!
I usually don’t fry things, but the other day I happened to be really hungry and had hardly anything in the house to eat (which happens pretty often, believe it or not). I found some mini potatoes on the counter and remembered watching Giada make potatoes by smashing them and frying them. They looked great on her show, so why not try it!
This dish is in no way filling, but it works as a snack, a side dish, or something to fend off hungry husbands until dinner time. I like it best as a side with eggs – they’re easier to make than hash browns, but still crispy like that breakfast potato we all love. Continue reading
I really like pasta, and lately I’ve been eating the homemade kind. With homemade pasta, of course I need homemade sauce! The traditional garlic and oil was getting boring, and I don’t really love tomatoes, so unless they’re cooked for a really long time, I don’t like making sauce with them (sometimes I do, anyway). I do, however, like red sauces. And I really like pink sauces, and I used to only have them in restaurants. But now I’ve found a way to replicate the restaurant flavor at home…and it didn’t even take THAT long. True, the sauce had to simmer in the oven for an hour and a half, but if you have laundry to fold, a paper to write, or some TV to watch, then do it when the sauce is in the oven. Oh yeah, and you’ll definitely have to do some dishes, too.
I know it isn’t really hot chocolate season, but this is the reason that you need this post. Ever get home and just really want a mug of hot chocolate only to realize that you have no more little packets Well, after making this you won’t need any.
Pound cake is pretty much what it sounds like…You measure out a pound of all the ingredients, mix them together, and lo and behold you have a delicious, rich cake. It lasts a pretty long time on the counter, too. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, I’m not sure this is the right cake for you. I did take note of the volume, but I’m not sure how accurate those are. My advice? Get a kitchen scale! You can get a good one for 20 dollars. The smell alone is worth it. Continue reading
Out of hundreds of wineries in the Napa Valley, there are only two kosher ones. We had the pleasure of visiting one, HaGafen Cellars, on our recent trip to California. There were two groups there besides us (people who didn’t even know what kosher wine meant) all getting tastings of their delicious wine.
I had too many pears this week, and I just couldn’t figure out what to do with them. Then I remembered that I had some pie crust in the freezer and decided to make Ina Garten’s apple tart. I made a few changes, the most noticeable one the fruit I used, but I also realized that the recipe for tart dough was not hers, but the one from The Art and Soul of Baking. It was kind of crumbly (maybe because it was pareve), but still tasted great. Next time I’ll try Ina’s. Continue reading
Garlic knots, the delicious pizza store treats, are really easy to make at home. You can either make your own pizza dough or use store-bought. Either way, if you know how to make a knot, you can whip these up in no time. If you’re having dinner guests, this is a good way to impress them. Everyone likes dinner rolls, especially if they’re brushed with garlic and oil. Continue reading
