Celebrating Modern Jewish Living Through Food, Tradition, and Family


The Backstory: I vividly remember my mother preparing Borscht. But instead of serving this as a soup, she served it to my dad in a glass. My mom did not make this from scratch. She usually had a cold bottle of store-brought b[…]-READ-MORE>

Banana crepes with dark chocolate are the dessert to make when you want to impress–and our version is low in calories and fat!
The Backstory: Every now and then I love to go all out and whip up a wow dish that’s a real showst[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: Recently I visited my cousin Clare. Among the many recipes she gave me one was for Chicken Divan. I love this woman. She is funny, smart and at times, well, don’t get her ire going. She stands maybe 5 feet tall[…]-READ-MORE>

Fresh carrot cake is a healthier version of the classic dessert that’s every bit as scrumptious but gentler on your waistline.
The Backstory: Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? My Fresh Carrot Cake is a healthy ta[…]-READ-MORE>

This is our go-to, no-fail recipe for marinated skirt steak and it’s absolutely to-die-for delicious when cooked to perfection on the grill.
The Backstory: Whenever I think of marinated skirt steak I am reminded of beautiful s[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: What can one say about this Liver and Onion dish? When liver is mentioned some people make faces. They don’t like the name, so they won’t try it. They have no idea what they’re missing. I’ve had liver in many d[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: Whenever I make this side dish, I am reminded of the Jewish holidays. In the early years of my life, my mom always had sweet potatoes as a side dish for every special occasion. Truth be told, the sweet potatoes mo[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: Just about every restaurant, delicatessen, wedding reception, dinner party or holiday gathering seems to have a fish offering these days, and most times, it’s a plain salmon dish. Well, who can get excited about th[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: Since I hadn’t made this dish in decades, I reached out to one of my Mah Jongg players for a good recipe for Salmon Croquettes. They unanimously led me to Debbie. Debbie likes to cook and I understand, prepares s[…]-READ-MORE>

Surprisingly delicious, chicken with ketchup glaze strikes the perfect balance of sweet and tanginess and makes a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
The Backstory: Okay, so not exactly the most appetizing name for a dish, but It[…]-READ-MORE>

Smoked salmon and cream cheese spirals are a savory and creamy make-ahead appetizer that everyone loves–make extra because these go fast!
The Backstory: What’s a party without the smoked salmon? These delicious two-bite noshe[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: When I was cooking for my family of four, I would often turn to this meat as a safe dish to make. It’s easy and was always a wiinner. My family enjoyed it and so did whomever was at my table when I barbecued it. […]-READ-MORE>