Bread stuffing

The only use for Wonder Bread? My mother made this sweet bread stuffing with a loaf of Wonder Bread, because it becomes so soft when it gets wet. Sometimes I still use regular store-bought white bread to make this stuffing, but you can also do it perfectly well with whole-wheat bread, or with bread you baked yourself. …

Tofu fried rice

Tofu Fried Rice for all Seasons: In the summer, I make this stir-fry with bell peppers, as in the recipe below. But in the fall and winter, I use shredded cabbage instead, and it’s even more popular. How to make Tofu Fried Rice: Start by putting on the rice: in a small saucepan, put 1 …

Tacos and refried beans

Cooking from scratch People used to always encourage me to make tacos – the kids love tacos – but I never did because people meant for me to buy canned refried beans and pre-made tortillas and that’s not cooking, it’s just assembling. But then I thought, I’ll try making my own refried beans and tortillas. …

Nachos from scratch

Why from scratch? I grew up on the East Coast, where I never had nachos or any other Mexican-type food, so I’m not like a native nachos-eater. I like nachos, but I find it disturbing that people say they “made nachos” when all the ingredients are foods that are already heavily processed like corn chips …

Chicken soup with matzoh balls

First the soup: Put a chicken carcass (the bones of a roasted chicken with most of the meat off) in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover it. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer. Meanwhile, chop an onion, two or three peeled carrots (my grandma did …

Chicken with clementines

Another one from Ottolenghi This recipe was originally from Yottam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook, where he does it with fennel root instead of potatoes and arak instead of wine, and serves it over rice or bulgar. That might be interesting to try sometime, but this is a one-pot meal, and I was able to make it with …

Chicken soup and matzo balls

Chicken soup for a cold: Official scientific studies have finally shown it: chicken soup is about the best thing you can do for the common cold. So enjoy! Raw chicken or leftover chicken? The great question in making chicken soup. My grandmother always used a fresh chicken for chicken soup, never leftovers. I hate to …