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It is really Springtime now and it just makes you want to lighten up the menu a bit, and my mind immediately goes to asparagus!  This recipe is a variation on my Summertime Tomato Pasta. I wanted to use some of those beautiful asparagus out there. Even though I knew Joel would pick them out , I still made this dish. The asparagus are large enough for him to easily pick out and put on my plate. This dish is light and delicious and pretty quick to prepare. It is like springtime in a bowl!  There are so very many things to do with asparagus but this just appealed to me tonite and if you leave the shrimp out you have a lovely vegetarian pasta dish. I used the shrimp.  I also used linguine in this , it just seems to hold on to the flavors nicely. Happy Spring and Enjoy. This recipe was inspired by Giada de Laurentis…

I always hesitate to use the word ‘healthy’. It seems that while some people are attracted to it, the rest of us tend to move past it to the next thing on the menu. So, I will not use the word ‘healthy’; I will instead just say that this is a most yummy grain, and while using the quinoa, you can also use that corn on the cob from the other night, the leftover roasted peppers and those cherry tomatoes on the verge of going bad. Now, don’t you feel so much better about making this salad already?

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz. quinoa (I often buy the organic red quinoa in a bag), follow directions on package for prep.

1 red pepper, preferably roasted already (I use the pepper that I grilled previously from the fridge but you can use roasted red peppers from the jar and just eyeball…

Again, I need to thank my friend Drew for finding this recipe. It is so good, it’s restaurant worthy. The oregano, lemon and tomatoes give it a mediterranean flavor. It is healthful, simple and very delicious. Joel decided to try to eat more healthfully in 2012 (incorporate more fish, etc.) Usually he doesn’t like to eat fish and if I make it he is disappointed.  But for this, he gave me the green light and the next night I made it. Drew had also tried it, after he came across the recipe from Giada de Laurentis. Really easy and really yummy, this one’s a keeper.  Thanks Drew and thanks Giada!

Ingredients: 

4 (approx. 5 oz. each) salmon fillets (I used 3 6 oz. for the two of us and we finished it all.)

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus another 2 tablespoons

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tomatoes, chopped (I used about 2/3 of the…

It’s all about the Matzo. Matzo and Eggs or so it seems. I always loved Matzo Brei since I’m a little girl, and I always wondered why it is that we only eat this delicious concoction during Passover.  It’s such a delicious treat why don’t we eat it more often? In our house we usually eat it till the matzo runs out. Usually for the week of Passover, then we stop. It’s so good. Everyone has their own little special spin on it.  Before I met Joel I always ate my matzo brei sweet with maple syrup sort of a matzo french toast. Joel loves it crispy and salty with a lot of pepper and since I know him he always asks for it this way. I sort of grew to love it this way as well. What’s not to love?  You definitely don’t have to be Jewish to love…

I must preface this with the fact that anyone who’s ever had this farfel dish loves it. It is steeped in tradition, it was made absolutely the best by my Grandma Regina, and only seconded by my mother (G’ma Millie). It is a very tricky dish to make, and after many failed attempts, I figured out that doubling it doesn’t work, and you must let it dry out!!! It should probably sit out to dry for at least 2 hours. I know this sounds crazy, but it’s true. Of course, G’ma Regina never wrote a single thing down, so you’ll be winging the spices and the oil, because I always do. It’s not the healthiest thing in the world, but it’s so delish and we only  make it but once a year. When I was little I couldn’t wait to have it at my grandparents’ house. We looked forward to it every year…

this recipe was actually given to me by my daughter, jennifer. she has made it numerous times. always to raves from the family. i am going to make it this year for rosh hashana and it is so perfect for Passover.  it is a delicious chicken dish made with honey so it so appropriate for the jewish new year! sweet and savory as our new year should be! enjoy it.  if anyone out there has some holiday ideas i’d love to hear about them. pay attention to cooking directions as you will not be preheating oven!!!!!!

Ingredients:

1 stick butter or margarine

1/2 cup minced yellow onion

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

1/2 cup mild honey

1 teaspoon kosher salt

a rounded teaspoon curry powder

2 tablespoons peach or mango chutney ( available in most supermarkets)

small handful of dried currants or chopped dark raisins

2 roasting…

Remember that fabulous cranberry apple crisp we made for Thanksgiving? Well, here it is for Passover made with matzoh farfel! Perfect side dish for Passover as well, or use for dessert. My family likes to eat this as part of the meal, but do whatever you like. You can even make this in little ramekins and do individual crisps if you like. Once again, this is from Karyn, who deserves full credit in my book!

*just got a call from Karyn who said this time she made it she just soaked the matzo farfel quickly before putting it on top ( which is such a good idea) just to soften and she also made it with just 1 cup of sugar! and it came out perfectly so I am changing this recipe to 1 cup not 2 cups of sugar.

*you can substitute margarine for butter if you want to with…

Here we are again with all the matzoh meal and no flour for Passover, not to mention the 6 eggs that seem to be in every recipe.  I figured I’d be helpful for all of those looking for ways to reinvent the wheel. This recipe contains cinchy, easy ingredients, and its usually a crowd pleaser. So many variations of the same thing. This one can be made ahead and frozen, which is great. You will just cook it 1/2 way through before freezing, then defrost and cook at 350 degrees for about another 1/2 hour to 45 minutes later. This is a dairy side dish, so obviously won’t work for everyone but hold on to it because it is a keeper when looking for a vegetarian dairy side dish.

Ingredients: (can be doubled)

2 pkgs. frozen spinach (2 boxes) ( it’s app. 20 oz. of spinach, a bag and a half or…

This is my easiest Charoset. It’s traditional in the sense that it’s an Ashkenazi (Eastern European) recipe. I add a little brown sugar instead of white sugar and it gives it just a bit more character. This makes about 4 cups, but you can easily double it. My family loves it, so I always make a double batch. Remember, while a reminder of the mortar used in making bricks for Pharaoh, charoset is really just a sweet condiment of apples and wine!

Ingredients:

3 medium Fuji apples (or any other kind you like), peeled, cored and finely diced (use processor to make your life simpler) I usually use whatever is in the house, but on Passover I go through so many apples, so buy what you like (I always like Granny Smith because they are nice and tart)

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped (buy them pre-chopped)

1/2 cup sweet red wine such as…

I have no idea where or who this recipe comes from but I’ve made it many times and it’s very tasty. This is sweet–once again with apples, eggs, oil , raisins, and of course, matzoh. Probably best in a rectangular Pyrex dish (9×12 should do it).  After I wrote this recipe, I received the same one from Marcy and she says she puts in a can of pineapple pieces or crushed, sounds good to me. You can serve this with meal or dessert. It’s a very good recipe. Worth keeping.

Ingredients:

12 sheets of matzoh (plain)

9 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 tsp. salt

6 large apples (you can use any kind you like) peeled, cored and cut into slices

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cup pecans

1 1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Break matzoh in a bowl into small pieces…