Have a hankering for bagels but your local shop isn’t open right now? No problem! These homemade bagels are easy to make and super customizable. Make up a batch and believe me, even the kids can roll them out. Get everyone in the kitchen, have some fun and the end result is delicious. Just don’t forget the lox and schmear!
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When the holidays come around, we all start thinking about cookies! Cookie swaps, trays, and even parties all centered around holiday themed cookies. I love making the cookies of my youth, cookies I have been eating and making since I was little with my mother. One of our favorite customs was to recreate our favorite Italian American bakery classics at home.
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As an Italian, I have been eating meatballs my entire life and the recipe has been passed down to me from my mother who learned it from her mother. I believe they are the best meatballs you will ever taste.
To make these meatballs taste just like Mamma's, you will need to make her sauce too! Click here, for the recipe for Brodo Di Mamma.
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Candy for Passover! Matzo covered in caramel, chocolate, and nuts makes for a delicious treat. Make it your own with all your favorite toppings.
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On Saturday, Purim will begin at sundown. In order to honor this holiday, I decided to try making Hamentaschen, the filled cookie made by Jewish people for Purim. After received a few recipes I decided to reach out to my husband’s Aunt Carol who graciously shared a recipe passed down to her by her grandfather after her grandmother’s passing. It comes from the book, Love and Knishes. Grandma Jeannie received this book as a gift in the early 1960s and has been in the family since.
Since apricot and poppy seed are the most traditional, I started with those two fillings. Then, since the book had a recipe for cheese, I made a few as well. And, for fun, I put nutella in the last batch. Because, although not at all traditional, nutella just makes everything better.
So, this weekend, whether you are Jewish or not, channel your inner Bubbe and make a few.
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While attending a holiday party I was lucky enough to sit next to Bea, a wonderful woman and begin a pleasant conversation about international food. After we chatted I told her about my project and how I hoped she would like to participate. Without even knowing me 10 minutes she agreed to teach me a few Hungarian and Serbian dishes.
Cooking with Bea was great because aside from the fact that I love spending time with her, she is versed in both Hungarian dishes learned from her mother and also Serbian dishes they began to eat after moving to Belgrade at the age of two. Her first language was Hungarian. Later on she learned Serbian, German, French, Italian and of course English. I was excited to learn Hungarian Paprikash as it is so well known but also really loved learning how to make pita, similar to burek, a very well known Serbian dish made with filo dough and a few different fillings. Bea makes one with cheese and another with meat. Equally delicious, now, when I make it, it’s hard to choose!
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This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday. So, having a romantic night out might not be in the cards. However, there is nothing stopping you from giving your love(s) a mid week treat that shows them how much you care.
If you have ever been out to eat on February 14th, there is a very good chance chocolate lava cake was on the menu. Many times, the server will even point it out when you order your meal because if you want it, the kitchen needs to be told in advance. So, of course, you commit before you have even sipped your cocktail to that delicious little cake that oozes molten chocolate out all over the dish.
While it might seem like magic, it’s really just an undercooked brownie and it only has five ingredients! So, if you are staying in this year, and might even be serving a ho hum dinner as it’s a weekday and the kids have activities and homework, you can still dazzle everyone with this spectacular little dessert.
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The super bowl is approaching and if your house is anything like mine, it’s the one day a year your husband and his friends take over the living room, get loud and have a good time watching America’s favorite sport.
I’m not a fan of football. Sad to say, I’m still not very clear on the rules and haven’t invested much time trying to figure it out. What I do enjoy though, is any excuse to throw together a fun party with really good food.
Now yes, you can throw some chips in a bowl and call it a day but seriously, where is the fun in that? Instead, this year, get creative so that even if you’re aren’t interested in the game, you will still be having a good time…eating.
I can’t tell you who is playing in the game but what I can guarantee is that if you make a few of these delicious recipes, all of your guest will be well fed and happy regardless of who scores the winning touchdown.
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Tina Yao is a Chinese immigrant I had the great honor of cooking with recently. We met through her daughter-in-law, Katrina, who like me, feels it’s important to preserve family traditions and culture. One morning, I headed over to learn how to make dumplings, a northern Chinese staple. Tina graciously showed me how to make thin dough with two ingredients, flour and water, and a savory pork filling that she mixes up with chopsticks and quickly stuffs into the rolled out dough. In a blink of an eye, she seals each one in perfect, identical pleats. Needless to say, I still need some practice!
I loved making dumplings with her and listening to her tell stories about her village and how the woman would sit for hours in preparation for the New Year, making these dumplings all day long, eating and gossiping as they worked. People coming in and out to chat and eat.
With Chinese New Year approaching, try Tina’s dumplings. They can be steamed, boiled or pan-fried. I know I’ll be practicing my pleats and eating some delicious dumplings as I go!
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For some reason, whenever I make a new Nonna recipe and place it on the dinner table, it’s the first thing to go. When it’s a true Nonna recipe, one helping is never enough. Therefore, on Christmas day, I decided to try a recipe that was contributed to my Heirloom Kitchen by one of my favorite cousins-in-law, Jackie Novello. The recipe comes from Jackie’s beloved grandmother Dorothy, an English immigrant.
Dorothy was an exceptional cook. Jackie lovingly remembers her cooking British classics like Yorkshire pudding and shepherd’s pie. One recipe that is still a favorite for Jackie’s family is a true British dish - potato pie. Perfect for holidays, special occasions or simply as an indulgent breakfast topped with a fried egg, it's not a pie at all, just some really cheesy delicious mashed potatoes. But, I must say, some of the best mashed potatoes this side of the pond.
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One of the most magical aspects of an heirloom recipe is that it can transport you. It can take you to a simpler time and place. A time when you were young, and childhood was filled with love from doting grandparents and dishes that represent who we are. A bite of a dish like this will fill you up with warmth, happiness and a sense of family. Our grandmother’s kitchens were a sacred place where love was in abundance and the stove was always working hard, making something good to eat.
I especially felt this when a recipe for Appelkoken was shared with my heirloom kitchen by Susanne Kidd, a German immigrant. Her beloved grandmother, Oma Hildegard, taught this recipe to her. Susanne remembers her important task of helping her grandmother on New Year’s Eve when these delicious little donuts are made.
Susanne’s job was to fetch the apples, left over from the fall harvest, from the cellar. The apples may have been a bit wrinkled but with a good peeling, a fine chop, they were ready to drop in the batter with the rum raisins and fine vanilla sugar. As baker’s helper, she had the important task to taste the first batch to make sure they were acceptable. Still warm, they were showered with powdered sugar and served to the lucky New Year’s guests.
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