Recipes Blog

Strawberry Tart

by Tiffany Ludwig

I love pie. I love it in the summer, the fall, the winter and especially in the spring time! A Strawberry Tart has the perfect contrast of sweet berries, smooth velvety cream and flaky crust that gets me every time. This year our local strawberry season is starting a bit later than last year but it's right around the corner and some of our readers are in areas where strawberries are already abundant.

As much as I love pie & strawberries, I don't love making crust. So this recipe uses pre-made crust. Seriously, it's the only way I'll do it. You can use whole wheat crust if you prefer and I always look for crust made with butter. It's considerably more delicious.

Enjoy!

Spring Asparagus Cheese Tart

By Tiffany Ludwig

It’s asparagus season! There are some delicious, delicate, almost sweet asparagus in my markets. It’s worth the wait to really enjoy asparagus this time of year. The larger, more woody stand-ins we get year-round just aren’t the same.

I like to use pre-made, frozen puff pastry for this recipe. Yes, you can make your own, but I never will. Not when there’s something this easy and delicious waiting for me in the freezer section!

This dish is great for brunch or as a lunch starter and looks so impressive. It’s actually very easy to prepare and usually gone before you know it!

Irish Soda Bread

by Tiffany Ludwig

March is here! That means spring is just around the corner (really) and, of course, St. Patrick’s Day. It’s hard to imagine celebrating without some Irish Soda Bread. It’s really more a giant scone than an actual bread but it makes a delicious accompaniment for week night dinners and for your St. Patty’s Day celebration.

This version moves away from tradition with the addition of a touch of vanilla, butter, egg and raisins. Enjoy and tell us what you think!

Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

by Tiffany Ludwig

This recipe for Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake will bring a smile to the face of anyone who is lucky enough to try it. Its bright flavor is a nice change from traditional poppy seed cakes and any day a bundt cake is served makes the occasion seem a little more festive.

You can top it with a touch of powdered sugar or indulge in the Orange Glaze for a beautiful presentation as well.

Purim begins on Saturday, February 23^rd this year and this recipe for Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake is a great addition to your Purim menu. 

Chanukah Jelly Doughnuts (Soufganiot)

by Marcy Goldman

Easy to prepare in advance (the dough can be refrigerated the day before frying), these plain or jelly-filled doughnuts are a favorite treat in Israel and a sweet alternative to the traditional Chanukah latkes, or potato pancakes. I discovered soufganiot a while back when an Israeli friend, Micha Avni, commented that latkes were not the only festive Chanukah food. As a mom, a baker, and a food writer, I was thrilled to find something new to engage readers and my own three sons during the 8-day holiday. No one ever says no to doughnuts, and this two-biteful variety fits any appetite perfectly. I generally make a double batch of dough, refrigerate it, and pinch off portions as needed for fresh treats or for taking along to a Chanukah party. I usually make this dough in the bread machine (on the Dough cycle). You can sprinkle fine sugar over the doughnuts or fill them with jelly, as is more traditional. I make both filled and unfilled doughnuts.

Perfect Lasagna

By Tiffany Ludwig

There’s nothing quite like the aroma of a big, hearty lasagna cooking in the oven. When you walk into a home where there’s one cooking it immediately feels like a big warm hug. It’s a wonderful meal for this time of year, when we’re looking for satisfying comfort foods, and when leftovers are a welcome bonus.

This recipe is unique for a couple of reasons. First it’s not exclusively a meat lasagna, nor is it vegetarian. It’s the combination of meat and veggies that make this delicious and healthy – I’ve served it to many a meat lover who honestly didn’t know it was laced with vegetables. If you don’t want to include meat replace it with soy or sautéed mushrooms. It will be delicious.

And here’s the big difference, it’s made with uncooked lasagna noodles. This is a  big plus in my book. I remember growing up watching my mom make lasagna, with cooked noodles littering the kitchen while she assembled the lasagna. I have neither the patience nor space for that. This recipe comes out perfectly every time because the temperature is lower and the cooking time longer than traditional lasagna. It also is easier with much less mess.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Baked Butternut Squash Samosas

From Irina Katsnelson

This is an adaptation from my grandmother’s recipe which calls for pumpkin as the filling. I replaced the pumpkin with butternut squash since I found butternut squash a little bit easier to deal with – it’s not as hard as pumpkin when it comes to dicing. 

I use frozen puff pastry squares, so the night before I move them into the refrigerator to defrost. These are very easy to make, not very time consuming, and a real treat for my daughter, Stephanie, who would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner if allowed!

Enjoy!

Summertime Slow Cooked Shredded BBQ

By Ryan Hughes

It’s what every barbecue lover wants; a recipe you can easily make at home that will make you think you’re at a barbecue joint. Well, here it is!

It’s that time of year when we want to bask in the sun (and shade). Dip our feet in the pool, relax with a cold drink and do not too much work for dinner. Whether you’re planning a party, making dinner with leftovers or want to impress your foodie friends, this is a great recipe. What I like so much about this recipe is that it’s done in a slow cooker (equipment many of us have), can be made in one’s apartment, doesn’t heat up the house while cooking but has a wonderful aroma that just makes you ready to eat!

This is a dry rub recipe and it’s adaptable. If you’d like it with more or less heat just adjust it. But it’s delicious as it is. We use pork when we make it but it would work equally well with beef.  

Enjoy and send us pics of your BBQ!

Mother's Day Recipes

Mother's Day falls at a truly wonderful time of year. Spring is here, the flowers are blooming, everyone seems to be out and about and enjoying themselves. It's really a lovely time to celebrate and thank the Moms in our lives. We've compiled a grouping of simple, delicious brunch ideas any mom would enjoy. Maybe try breakfast in bed this year!

 

Mother’s Day Stuffed French Toast
"I hate going out on Mother’s Day – it’s crowded, expensive and you never really get a chance to sit and visit with your family and friends. Since Zabar’s has always been a part of my life Sunday brunch usually involves Bagels, Cream Cheese and Nova.  But on Mother’s Day I love to make French Toast and serve it with hot real maple syrup and fresh strawberries.  

This is one of my favorite Sunday Brunch treats. 

It is easy to make and really yummy. Prepare it the night before – and refrigerate. In the morning bake and enjoy!"

 

Our (new) Favorite Banana Bread
"Banana Bread is my go to treat when company pays a surprise visit, as a simple hostess gift or when we just need something delicious to snack on. Recently we held a bake-off in my house. My husband swears by his mom’s recipe so we compared her recipe to a new one I’ve been working on to an old standard from a tried-and-true cook book. 

And here is the one that won across the board. We all favored it, even my mother-in-law! ..."

 

Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche
"Here is a recipe for the easiest, most adaptable quiche ever. I have made this for dinner parties, afternoon luncheons, breakfasts and brunches and it always meets rave reviews. What’s so great about preparing a quiche is you can fill it with whatever ingredients and cheeses you have on hand, making it the perfect dish for last minute meals. And this time of year, it’s just wonderful to make because it’s absolutely appropriate to serve quiche at room temperature. So cook one up while the morning is still cool and have a terrific brunch later that day."

 

Hazelnut and Orange Blossom Shortbread with Dried Cherries
"Last year on Mother’s Day, I made these light, pillow-y hazelnut shortbread cookies (well, sans Orange Blossom Water or dried cherries) and brought them to my Moroccan sister-in-law as a small token for her always put-me-to-shame, ridiculously generous hospitality.  Upon tasting them, she was absolutely certain that I had somehow gotten the family recipe from one of her sisters, and then proceeded to describe to me the almond cookies her mother used to make.  They were apparently quite similar in style to mine, but were enhanced with the essence of Orange Blossom Water, an ingredient, along with Rose Water, that she herself often uses in her amazing Moroccan repertoire of everything from salads to tagines and couscous to desserts..."

Happy Mother's Day!

Zucchini & Sunflower Seed Bread

By Tiffany Ludwig

Every spring I get ready for my late summer harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and summer squash, including zucchini, by planting my small raised garden bed and watching, watering and encouraging my seedlings to become productive plants. As always is the case, the tomatoes and zucchini are the ones that win, leaving me with more that I know what to do with. And every summer I look forward to Zucchini Bread, one of my most favorite sweet breads.

It always comes out very moist, not too sweet and holds together well. I look forward to it in the mornings with a touch of cream cheese, but really it’s a perfect snack anytime. This recipe is easy, adaptable and sure to please.