Celebrating Modern Jewish Living Through Food, Tradition, and Family


Is there any child (big or small) who doesn’t get excited for The Festival of Lights? From the foods to the gifts to the lighting of the menorah, this eight-day festival is one of the best-known Jewish holidays, probably because i[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: My girlfriend Gloria is an excellent cook. About 30 years ago my husband and I were invited to her home for dinner. This casserole was one of the delectable foods she prepared that night. Whatever she served wa[…]-READ-MORE>

Linzer Torte is a showstopper of a dessert for good reason. It’s buttery, full of raspberries, melts in your mouth, and is tart and sweet at the same time.
The Backstory: This beautiful Austrian dessert, Linzer Torte, has been[…]-READ-MORE>

Latkes with salmon roe and sour cream are an elegant twist on traditional latkes and give a salty, tangy note to this classic holiday dish.
The Backstory: The very first time I saw salmon roe, it was dotted ever-so-perfectly a[…]-READ-MORE>

Eggplant Dip is a savory, tomato-y, slighty sweet spread that’s perfect with crusty bread, crackers, or as a dip for veggies. A perfect make-ahead dish.
The Backstory: Eggplant dip is one of my favorite, go-to appetizers when […]-READ-MORE>

Nutty, buttery, and truly addicting, our cinnamon almond brittle is crunchy, sweet, and packed with nuts and cinnamon. You won’t be able to stop nibbling!
The Backstory: Recently my friend Lorraine gave me a recipe for Torrone[…]-READ-MORE>

Nana’s perfect chopped liver is the only chopped liver recipe you’ll ever need. It’s creamy, classic, and works as a dip, spread, or filling for sandwiches.
The Backstory: My Aunt Sandy makes the most wonderful, melt-in-your-m[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: For over 50 years I have been making this casserole and I know that many, many people make it for Thanksgiving, but my father loved it all year round. I have prepared this for almost every holiday dinner that he at[…]-READ-MORE>

Easy rice and orzo makes a perfect side dish for fish, chicken or beef. This simple dish absorbs the flavors of herbs, broth, and veggies.
The Backstory: Rice and orzo is a combination of pasta and rice. This delicious side di[…]-READ-MORE>

Individual Cornish hens with savory stuffing are delicious little bundles that taste as gorgeous as they look and they make the most elegant presentation.
The Backstory: My friend Dini has recipes going back more than 50 plus[…]-READ-MORE>

There are many ways to make this classic side, but our crispy potato kugel is savory from green onions with a surprise topping that takes it over the edge!
The Backstory: This crispy potato kugel recipe was given to me when I[…]-READ-MORE>

Once you make this easy classic hummus from scratch, you’ll think twice before buying store-bought hummus again–it’s that delicious.
The Backstory: Easy classic hummus is surprisingly simple to make and there are very few ing[…]-READ-MORE>