Recipes Blog

Grandma Bertha’s Sunday Tuna Casserole

by Andrea Watman

With great sorrow and deepest affection, Zabar's announces the passing of our creative director, Andrea Watman. Read Andrea's obituary. We're republishing her wonderful and popular recipe and story for "Grandma Bertha's Sunda Tuna Casserole". We miss you Andrea.

My sister Joy and I spent summers with our grandparents in Long Beach, NY. We had a four bedroom bungalow on Georgia Avenue (four bedrooms, an indoor toilet, outside shower, no closets and just a few termites).

It was in that kitchen I learned to cook by watching my Grandma make dinner. Sunday’s were always exciting. Our relatives would journey out to “the beach” from the Bronx – actually they never went to the beach, but they did breath in the ocean air.

Now – most families would barbecue – but not at my house. My grandmother hated the barbecue – it was never clean enough, she hated the flavor or the charcoal and lighter fluid and yes, she knew sooner or later we would set the house on fire.

She would crack out the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, in the trusted blue box, and make the best Tuna Casserole ever. She baked it in the afternoon so that the kitchen would cool before we ate. She would slice cucumbers and fresh tomatoes – and dinner was served.

I no longer use the blue box – but this is her recipe, just slightly updated.

Enjoy!

A collection of our Passover Recipes

Enjoy these time-tested Passover favorites.

Passover Brittles Recipe

Passover Matzoh Brie (Fried Matzoh)

Passover Matzoh Balls

Passover Moroccan Charoset "Truffles"

Almond & Olive Oil Tuile Cookies

Olga's Baked Brie

from Olga Dominguez

There is nothing more delicious as a rich creamy Baked Brie.

This recipe comes from Olga, our Cheese Buyer. It is fairly easy to make and it is perfect for serving to company with French bread and a glass of wine.

Enjoy!

P.S. Here's a post detailing the process in pictures!

Avocado in Vegetable Consomme

By Chef Boris 

Hot weather ... cold soups!

Because the summer has been so hot I have been making new, hopefully delicious, cold soups. Avocado in Vegetable Consomme is one of my favorites.

It is rich, creamy and nutritious.
I hope you'll give it a try.

Just remember - if you're going to be shopping in Zabar's please stop by and say hello, or email me at info@zabars.com.

 

Simple Chicken Soup (a.k.a. Jewish Penicillin)

A recipe from Andrea Watman

My sister Joy is the chicken soup Queen. As a matter of fact she credits her marriage to a pot of chicken soup. Ok it’s along story, but the short version is that shortly after they meet, her future husband got the flu. She made him a pot of chicken soup and as they say the rest is history. So be careful – this is a magical recipe, it cures many ills and just may lead to love!

Her soup is made without flanken – but adding the flanken makes a richer soup and the added bonus is you get to eat the flanken (serve with white horseradish, yum!).

 

Passover Matzoh Brei (Fried Matzoh)

Passover Matzoh Brei (Fried Matzoh)
by Andrea Watman

Matzoh brei is delicious as a midnight snack or when served for brunch or breakfast.

At my house we serve it with applesauce on the side – but you can serve it sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar, or accompanied by orange marmalade.

Don’t worry about leftovers, if there are any – just wrap them in plastic wrap and microwave when hunger hits.

 

A recipe for Hamantaschen from Andrea Watman

Purim this year starts on Sunday 2/28/10.

There is nothing like homemade Hamantaschen. This is a fairly simple recipe. It is basically a sugar cookie that you fill. You can buy prepared filling – but trust me making a mess really makes better tasting cookies.

I love the whole Megillah. My nephews grew up on the story of Queen Esther and the evil Haman and his three cornered hat. Making these three cornered cookies is a great way of re-telling the story every year.

We love the poppy seed filling – “mun”. But the prune is a solid second runner up. You can buy prune or apricot lakvar – but give the poppy seed filling a try.

Let me know.
Andrea

Grandma Bertha’s Sunday Tuna Casserole

(Also known as what to make for Super Bowl Sunday if you hate Chili)
A Recipe from Zabar's
by Andrea Watman

My sister Joy and I spent summers with our grandparents in Long Beach, NY.
We had a four bedroom bungalow on Georgia Avenue (four bedrooms, an indoor toilet, outside shower, no closets and just a few termites).

It was in that kitchen I learned to cook by watching my Grandma make dinner. Sunday’s were always exciting. Our relatives would journey out to “the beach” from the Bronx – actually they never went to the beach, but they did breath in the ocean air.

Now – most families would barbecue – but not at my house. My grandmother hated the barbecue – it was never clean enough, she hated the flavor or the charcoal and lighter fluid and yes, she knew sooner or later we would set the house on fire.

She would crack out the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner, in the trusted blue box, and make the best Tuna Casserole ever. She baked it in the afternoon so that the kitchen would cool before we ate. She would slice cucumbers and fresh tomatoes – and dinner was served.

I no longer use the blue box – but this is her recipe, just slightly updated. It is perfect for the Super Bowl –  after all it maybe the Super Bowl but it’s still Sunday!

Deviled Eggs a la Zabar’s a recipe from Andrea Watman

Ok, I know that Deviled Eggs are straight out of the 50’s – but since I am in my 50’s I must admit to loving deviled eggs. These are perfect for a Holiday Party.

They are simple, easy to make and wonderful. I top some with red caviar, some with black caviar, and I leave some just plain. I like the combination of colors on the platter.

I promise you your guest won’t laugh at you – they’ll be too busy eating!

 

Holiday Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

By Andrea Watman

These cookies are delicious – and they will fill your house with the smell of the holidays as they bake. The dough is firm and you can control the texture of the cookies by the thickness of the dough – roll it out thin for crisp cookies, and thick for softer chewy cookies.

I mix the batter in my KitchenAid – but you can do it with a hand mixer.