Do you ever cook recipes or with ingredients you don’t like? Our mom does, she makes a lot of Shabbat staples over and over again, but never eats them. Our aunt Michelle is the same way. I always thought it was weird.
I do not like anise; not sure why this triple-licorice chicken recipe appealed to me, but I made it, and it was tasty, according to the people who ate it. I guess I’m weird!
Brrr, it’s cold in New York these days! I know, I know, it’s winter… but I’ve spent all of my winters in NYC, and it is not a normal one. Plus, I’ve been stuck inside with a now 11-month old (today! happy 11 months, Steve-o!) a lot lately, since sometimes we just can’t bundle enough for a pleasant stroll. So we’ve been hanging out at home, playing on the floor, and cooking and eating a lot of soup. Steven loves it, and it’s just what I need after a long day stuck in our apartment together when David finally comes home and I get some grown-up time. This is Syrian comfort food at its finest.
Are you a coffee drinker? My dear friend Samir, of Cafe Fanatic wants to fuel your morning caffeine intake for three months.
I’ll get to the coffee giveaway later, but first: gnocchi! Maybe you thought that you had to have a ricer to make gnocchi, but you don’t! I know, this was a revelation for me, too; you can just grate the potatoes! No fancy equipment necessary. Homemade gnocchi, here I come…
I’ve been a fan of smitten kitchen since I’ve been reading food blogs however many years ago, but I’ve been slacking on my blog-reading since Google shut down Google Reader (wah!). Still, I kept seeing people recommend Deb’s adaptation of Gwyneth’s miso bowl online and I had to try it! 
Now that my son is 2 1/2, he is starting to like “Kid Food.” You know, the food they serve on children’s menus that you think to yourself, “my kid will be eating regular food, thank you!” to. Luckily for him (and me), I have nothing against kid food, as long as it’s healthy, too. Chicken nuggets are a great source of protein, I just don’t know what they put in the ones that are shaped as stars, moons, and hearts. Continue reading
Growing up, we always ate spaghetti and meatballs on Monday nights. It’s not like we had a weekly dinner rotation or anything, that was just Monday night dinner. And we loved it. That was before “Meatless Monday” was a thing, anyway. Being kosher, we had a lot of meatless dinners throughout the week, so I don’t even feel the least bit guilty that most of my life was spent eating meat on Monday nights. Continue reading
Here’s another pizza recipe for you, because you can never have too much pizza. I love a simple tomato mozzarella, but it’s also fun to mix things up. This way, I can put pizza on the menu every week and it won’t get boring, since there are so many varieties; there are so many things you can put on pizza…
Like radishes! Continue reading
Before I gave birth, I stocked my deep freezer with tins and tins full of dinner. I made enchiladas, lasagnas, casseroles, mechshes, muffins, stocks, and more. One thing I did not have, though, was fresh veggies and salads. And after a few weeks of eating comfort food, well, I really just wanted a salad. Good thing we have friends and family who, despite seeing the contents of my freezer, rang my doorbell with freshly cooked dinners and tins of ready-to-bake ones, as well as side salads and some fruit for dessert. They must know how much food a nursing mother can actually consume, because I ate it all up. Continue reading
We all know that fried chicken is a classic comfort food. And while all the non-kosher folks make delicious looking chicken that they soak in buttermilk, we can’t really do that. I’ve tried using rice milk or almond milk with a little vinegar in place of the buttermilk, but it’s not the same. This is the real way to do it: coconut milk! Now we kosher folk can have (almost) the same comforting and crispy friend chicken in our own homes. Continue reading
I am not a big eater of veal. I never cook it, and hardly ever eat it. But one Friday night, my mom decided she wanted a rubut, so I took on the challenge. Some of you may be thinking “WHAT?” and I”ll explain to you what this crazy dish is. Basically you take a piece of veal and cut a slit in the center so that you can stuff it (we Syrians love stuffing our food!). The veal is stuffed with hashu, a mixture of meat and rice, and cooked with either more hashu around it or some vegetables. Fava beans are classic, and many people make it with mushrooms, but I like to make it with peas. And add some hashu balls in the peas just for some extra meatiness (meat stuffed with meat with some meat around it…a well-rounded meal). Continue reading
