Celebrating Modern Jewish Living Through Food, Tradition, and Family


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>

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>

Creamy potatoes layered over zesty beef in a savory tomato sauce make Mom’s Shepherd’s Pie comfort food the whole family will enjoy.
The Backstory: Shepherd Pie, is one of my mom’s Summer Specials. That is the only time she […]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: My cousin Rhonda, who resides in Canada, gave me this recipe. It is from her sister, Ricky. The story of my Canadian relatives go back for decades. My grandfather and Ricky’s grandmother were brother and sister[…]-READ-MORE>

These are the best cream cheese brownies I’ve ever made. They’re rich, decadent, and the ultimate chocolaty treat for the brownie lovers in your life.
The Backstory: I honestly don’t have the words for my father’s expression w[…]-READ-MORE>

Sweet carrots, almonds, nutmeg and vanilla create autumn-inspired carrot latkes that are just too good be true!
The Backstory: I don’t know where I got this Carrot Latke recipe. All I know is that any kind of latkes has to be […]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: First, I promise that this is a true story. When I asked my mother for her chicken soup recipe, she said: “I’ll have to measure and get back to you.” I said, “How is that possible? You’ve been making this soup for[…]-READ-MORE>

Our Lemon Poppy Seed Loan is both sweet and tart and pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea, or as a kids’ snack in a lunchbox.
The Backstory: So here’s the thing: I don’t like poppy seed bagels (sorry, Dad), or poppy s[…]-READ-MORE>

Invite your friends over for this delicious aromatic cake and a steaming cup of coffee.
The Backstory: Gloria and I met in 1986. We were each on a vacation with our husbands in the Dominican Republic. I must write about the […]-READ-MORE>

Our light cinnamon coffee cake is moist, crumbly, and every bit as delicious as the full-fat version of the beloved classic.
The Backstory: Is there anything more inviting than the smell of a freshly-baked cinnamon coffee cake[…]-READ-MORE>

This layered gefilte fish torte is an elegant take on the old classic. It’s easy to make and tastes as good as it looks.
The Backstory: There are hundreds of variations of this classic, Jewish first course but this layered gef[…]-READ-MORE>

Chicken with apricots and carrots is a comforting one-pot dish that’s perfect for company, holidays, or Shabbat dinner.
The Backstory: I recently celebrated Rosh Hashanah 2016 with family and friends at my daughter and my son-[…]-READ-MORE>