Celebrating Modern Jewish Living Through Food, Tradition, and Family


The Backstory: I haven’t had roast duck in years. Whenever I see this on a menu I immediately think of my mother-in-law, Marcia. Marcia wasn’t the best cook in the world. She didn’t have to be. For the first 40 years of her[…]-READ-MORE>

Dense, rich, nutty, and chewy are just a few words to describe our finger-licking date nut squares. They’re easy-to-make and bake in less than 30 minutes.
The Backstory: My friend Dini told me these date nut square are one of […]-READ-MORE>

Banana walnut bread is delicious for breakfast, snacking or wrapped up with a festive ribbon as holiday gift for friends.
The Backstory: Who doesn’t love a little something sweet now and then? I sure do! And why not? All of us[…]-READ-MORE>

Nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar infuse these classic baked apples and the results are just delicious.
The Backstory: There’s just something about baked apples that evokes memories of childhood, grandparents, and the warm, swe[…]-READ-MORE>

This gorgeous, tender green is roasted to sweet perfection and dressed up with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkling of fresh herbs. This is the perfect side to any main course.
The Backstory: Roasted Spinach is one of the easiest[…]-READ-MORE>

Mom’s Tzimmes is a sweet, tender, and succulent fruit stew that cooks up in under an hour. It’s perfect for Passover or the High Holy Days.
The Backstory: This traditional, stewed dish is always served on Rosh Hashanah. I ha[…]-READ-MORE>

Our tossed salad with red wine vinaigrette is the only salad and dressing recipe you need in your repertoire to pull off a a delicious first course, fast.
The Backstory: This is one of my go-to salads and salad dressings. It’s[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: My cousin Elaine, who is a Holocaust survivor, gave me this recipe. She and I always chat on the phone every Friday night. She has filled me with stories of her youth and the years she spent as a young teenager in […]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: Growing up, my mother told me that when she was a little girl, my grandmother always cooked roasts and chicken for dinner, never hamburgers or anything made from what she called ‘chop meat’ like so many women event[…]-READ-MORE>

Kosher lamb stew is a flavorful one-pot wonder with fork-tender meat and veggies bathing in savory sauce. Just add fresh challah for dipping!
The Backstory: This is another comfort, one-pot meal. I remember my mom making thi[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: There are so many varieties of kugel recipes, that it can be confusing to know which to make (and for which occasion). Between the sweet, the savory, the crunchy, the creamy, those with fruit, and those wtihout…i[…]-READ-MORE>

Fresh strawberry pie is a gorgeous, lush, wholesome and creamy dessert that’s as luscious as it looks. Better yet–it won’t blow your diet.
The Backstory: This show-stopper dessert (seriously, how gorgeous is it?!) is actually[…]-READ-MORE>