Celebrating Modern Jewish Living Through Food, Tradition, and Family


The Backstory: The name says it all: The Reuben. If you’re a foodie, a New Yorker, or a Jew, you don’t need to hear another word. You hear “Reuben” and the world goes a little fuzzy as your brain has some kind of Pavolian respons[…]-READ-MORE>

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>

The Backstory: This recipe is something I concocted. I have been doing the stove top version for as long as I could remember. I also am using the same deep, heavy aluminum skillet that my grandmother gave me. It is safe to say 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>

Aaron’s shortbread cookies are melt-in-your-mouth buttery classics, that take minutes to make and look beautiful as holiday gifts tied with a festive bow.
The Backstory: I cannot count the number of times I’ve made these butte[…]-READ-MORE>

Grandma’s corn muffins are sweet, golden, and crumbly and just about everything you want a corn muffin to be. Perfect for breakfast or a quick snack.
The Backstory: I love, love, love freshly-baked corn muffins. That is, I lov[…]-READ-MORE>

Perfect on fish, chicken, or as dip or marinade.
The Backstory: Lemon sauce is one of the most versatile sauces there is. It can completely change a dish from something very basic, like broiled salmon, for example, to somethin[…]-READ-MORE>

Our Kosher baby back beef ribs are beyond delicious! They are sweet, tangy, and savory. Best of all, you can bake them in the oven in about 2 hours.
The Backstory: My husband, Rob, is a true ribs lover. He can eat them all yea[…]-READ-MORE>

The Backstory: I was looking for a new chicken recipe for my family so I went to my girlfriend Elaine, whom I considered the ‘mayor’ of our neighborhood. I told her I needed something a little different to get out of our chicken […]-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>

Our sweet and sour pot roast comes out fork-tender every time. This one-pot dish is perfect for company, holidays, and Shabbat dinner.
The Backstory: Sweet and sour pot roast is good old-fashioned comfort food that always rem[…]-READ-MORE>

Comfort food at its finest–don’t forget the mashed potatoes!
The Backstory: This recipe is comfort food as its best. The meatloaf itself is juicy and flavorful, but the gravy is just out of this world. Two surprise ingredient[…]-READ-MORE>