Vegetarian Recipes

	"Jerusalem" Root Vegetable Slaw "Jerusalem", along with its predecessor, "Plenty" are beautiful cookbooks. They are not kosher cookbooks although only a few pages, from my perspective, require a blind eye. T... Read More
	Snow Peas and Edamame with Tarragon This salad is inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi's "Plenty", a beautiful vegetarian cookbook. The photos are vibrant and inspiring. My oldest daughter, Rebekah, born before my conversion, is a... Read More
	French Potato Salad with Asparagus I notice this recipe, or rather one similar, in a magazine about grilling. It is a chopped mixture that reminds me of salad Nicoise. I think that is cool; dressing down the elegance of the t... Read More
	Szechuan Gluten-free Quinoa Noodles (or regular pasta) My sister Leilani, one of four sisters who are fabulous cooks, agrees to spend the day with me playing in the kitchen. The post-Passover lull has been a respite from catering deadlines and the accompa... Read More
	(Gluten-free) Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Broccoli Rabe Whew. This is salad number 5 of the recipes my sister and I were playing with last week. Whittling away at the piles of ingredients we purchased, I'm down to a few simple ingredients. We've ma... Read More
	Hood Canal Broccoli Slaw This past summer, enjoying a rare two week respite from a hectic life, this salad landed on my plate frequently. Isolated without cell coverage, mountain views, water views and beautiful blue skies in... Read More
	Roasted Moroccan Yams with Roasted Kale When I started this website, I wasn't a photographer. I'm still not a photographer. I got spoiled and intimidated by both my 'video guy' Gordon and my sister Dawn. I started with some ... Read More
	Baba Ganoush We frequently come to this website for recipes. Working from my home office, I bring what I need to the kitchen on prep days. Sometimes I forget things and it has been very handy to have so many recip... Read More
	Chocolate Nut Cake - Passover - non-gebrokts Video Now Available! Scroll down to watch.Thinking I have plenty of time before Passover, I agree to do a baking demo for Rebbetzin Devorah Kornfeld's women's group. Two funerals with the... Read More
	Tri-colored Quinoa with Garbanzo Beans I need a quinoa side dish for a client that isn't too heavily sauced. They also want something with garbanzo beans, chickpeas, as they are sometimes called. The menu for 10 is already extensive. I... Read More
	Way Awesome Potato Knishes, Kasha Knishes Posting the video for knishes last summer, I am struck that so many months have passed and I've yet to get this recipe posted. A cursory review of this past half year leaves me shrugging. It's... Read More
	Spicy Yellow Dahl Dip Doing a semi-authentic Indian inspired dinner the other night, semi- authentic only because my experience with Indian food is minimal, I remember that I have a recipe for this dip in my recipe bi... Read More
	Chocolate Mousse Tart (non-gebrokts, gluten-free) I found this recipe in Susie Fishbein's "Passover by Design". The series of cookbooks is quite lovely; I envy the cast of contributors who make the books so attractive. The photo of the ... Read More
	How to Form Knishes This is the companion to making the knishes - the first recipe is how to make the dough and filling. This is how to put it all together.Good luck and have fun!... Read More
	Roasted Red Pepper Dip I confess. This website has become invaluable to me as a resource in the kitchen. When I forget a recipe, I just go to the archive. Of course, I'm on a 3G Blackberry; great for email but bad for i... Read More
	Quinoa Treats (gluten-free and non-gebrokts) For my Passover baking demonstration a couple weeks back, I have this idea that I want to make some sort of quinoa cookie. Thinking of my toasted oatmeal cookie recipe, I figure I can wing it and star... Read More
	Baba Ganoush 2 (with onion and mayo) I can't eat eggplant. This leaves me at the mercy of my chefs when it comes to making baba ganoush. This is the recipe I've made for years, that is until Frank came onboard. He's not into ... Read More
	Guasacaca (Chunky Avocado Salsa) Okay, you look at the photo and you think 'guacamole'. Look closer. There are actually pieces of diced avocado blended with smooth avocado. You can keep thinking guacamole but this takes it up... Read More
	Vegetarian Fried Spring Rolls I've been wanting to make spring rolls for a long time. Actually, I've been wanting to make Filipino lumpia for a long time. Similar, the wrapper is different; lighter. I tried making my own b... Read More
	Leah's Famous Coconut Macaroons, Chocolate Dipped (optional) *This recipe is one of my classics for Passover. Video now available!This is my famous, even if only in my own mind, coconut macaroon recipe. Years ago, I knew what I wanted in a macaroon. Somewhere i... Read More
	Sweet and Sour Sauce This is a great sweet and sour sauce. Easy to make, it hits the right notes of sweet, sour and wonderful. I usually think of restaurant quality sweet and sour sauce with its neon red translucence when... Read More
	Classic Potato Latkes - Oven baked (REVISED) Check out the new video on how to make oven baked latkes! Less time, fuss and oil - more time to party! Scroll below to watch video now.I made these last night for an event. We have a saying in the k... Read More
	Soy Dipping Sauce The name says it all; use whenever you'd like a soy based dipping sauce. Great with potstickers, egg rolls or gyoza. You can also add a little cornstarch and pour it into stir fried vegetables. It... Read More
	Marzipan (uncooked method) Marzipan is especially popular in our Sephardic community. Making some for a recent wedding, I hunt for my pan of tiny majestic shapes. For years, the pan has been moved from right to left in sto... Read More
	Curried Vegetable Empanadas A couple of weeks ago, we started serving a 4 day marathon of meals at a local hotel. The first evening's buffet reception boasted an array of foods representing our diverse Northwest cuisine... Read More
	Can't Eat Enough Guacamole Guacamole and chips, I love guacamole and chips. It is so incredibly simple to make and even more simple to buy ready made when you're in a pinch. Either way, can't do Cinco, Seis, or Siete de... Read More
	Artichoke Bottom and Parmesan Dip Served warm, this is a classic on the catering buffet. Rich and cheesy, the artichoke adds an earthy flavor. For kosher reasons, we don't serve any part of the artichoke except the bottom. It... Read More
	Easy to Work Empanada Dough I first made empanadas last spring, using a black bean and green plantain filling to great reviews. My most recent curried vegetable empanadas are fabulous. Both are encased with this wonderful d... Read More
	Dried Fig and Olive Tapenade Making this recently for an appetizer party, I feel like I finally mastered the balance of texture and flavors. I love buying dried figs from Turkey or Greece. They remind me of my high school days wo... Read More
	Mango Macadamia Nut Bread This recipe is adapted from Sam Choy's "Island Flavors" cookbook. I promise this is the last recipe I'll post inspired from its pages. There are tons of fabulous recipes sandwiched b... Read More
	Ukrainian Poppy Seed Loaf I really like to give credit when credit is due. Many of the recipes we've used for years have been copied without source notations. Who knew I'd be typing a blog about food on motzei Shabbat ... Read More
	Jerusalem Artichoke and Asparagus Frittata If at first I don't succeed, I quit or keep trying. Believing that this recipe, derived from "La Tartine Gourmande - Recipes for an Inspired Life" by Beatrice Peltre, has poten... Read More
	Lemon Walnut Tea Bread I need 'cake' for a tish last week and decide this is the perfect opportunity to make tea breads for the website. Not only will I have an assortment of beautiful loaves, I'll have some new... Read More
	Marble Loaf Tea Bread Tea breads are old school; especially when made with old school ingredients. A good marble loaf is my favorite. I feel less guilty eating a cake without frosting. A thin slice with a cup of tea is Sha... Read More
	Fortune Cookies It's that time of year; time for Chinese food. We have a vegan place in town that is kosher. That said, I'm a meat eater and I love a quick stir-fry - chicken or beef. I still have some of tho... Read More
	Pumpkin Borekas I love Sukkot. It is like Thanksgiving a month early....and, for 8 days. For me, that means all things apple and all things pumpkin. Catering a couple of sukkah parties is a opportunity to make pumpki... Read More
	Futomaki - American Style It's been a tough couple of weeks catering; 14 days non-stop. We've served up all manner of foods to great reviews. Only one tough customer remains, my daughter Aviva. She complains that I mak... Read More
	Vegetables Escabeche Okay, this isn't a Rosh Hashana recipe. It is a great way to use the summer harvest. Using Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook, I flip to a page with a list of vegetables recommended ... Read More
	Gazpacho I serve gazpacho in small cups as appetizers, both passed or on buffets. I also serve it as a starter course in Cosmo glasses. Looks beautiful in a glass bowl, too. Late August and September, with a l... Read More
	Spanokopita (dairy or parve) It's motzei Shabbat and I'm watching Hurricane Irene work her way up the Eastern seaboard. Times Square is abandoned, the subways are closed and crazy CNN reporters cruise the empty streets of... Read More
	Vegetables in Beer Batter Tempura Tempura, when light and crisp and hot out of the oil, is one of my favorite things. This recipe covers all bases. It takes very little of any given vegetable to make an assorted tempura platter. A lar... Read More
	Cucumber Cups with Smoked Trout Mousse (Dairy or Parve) Appetizers can be tricky for a kosher caterer. If I serve a meat meal, appetizers are meat or parve. A dairy meal requires dairy or parve teasers. We don't serve fish and meat together. I have veg... Read More
	Falafel Patties with Tehini (Gluten-free) Serving falafel last weekend to rave reviews, most guests are surprised that it tastes homemade. It should taste homemade as it is a real little red hen process to make. We do everything short of grow... Read More
	Eggplant Filling for Borekas (Boreca de Berenjena) Sigh, another great Sephardic item and I don't have the final photo. Focusing on getting 2 Shabbat events cooked and baked by sundown on Friday, I totally space all my final shots. No photos on Sh... Read More
	Sephardic Borekas No self-respecting website posting a slew of Sephardic recipes in one day could omit borekas. These are, according to my mentor Katherine Scharon, the real deal. No funky random puff pastry wrapped bl... Read More
	Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves I refer to these vegetarian stuffed grape leaves as my 'yuppie' version. The local Sephardim make a very soft rice and parsley filled grape leaf that is very lemony. They are general... Read More
	Pastry Cream - Dairy or Pareve Creating a dessert buffet a couple of weeks ago, my client requests a pastry cream filled tart topped with fruit. It's a little tricky to make pareve pastry cream but following brisket and chicken... Read More
	Dreamin' of Mexico Ceviche This is a beautiful fish starter to any summer or tropical Shabbat. Coming across a ceviche recipe made with scallops, I take the interesting parts of the recipe and transform it into this kosher vers... Read More
	Dutch Apple Pie Yom Kippur ended a few hours ago. Just as there are those who immediately do some token gesture toward building the sukkah, my thoughts turn to apple pie. I love apple pie in the sukkah and alway... Read More
	Parve Pumpkin Pie I can live without a turkey on Thanksgiving but I can't live without a pumpkin pie. It's another one of those "personal pan" items. I need my own pie for dessert and breakfast the ne... Read More
	Assorted Cheese Platter This photo of a cheese platter reminds me that we are able to create some nice kosher cheese platters. Featured here is Swiss cheese, Bleu cheese, Brie, Smoked Provolone, a soft goat cheese and Baby G... Read More
	Parve Chocolate Pecan Pie For pecan pie lovers, the good news is that this is so easy to make. I'm not a fan of pecan pie but repeated orders tell me this must taste good. I tried a different technique last night; pre-baki... Read More
	Perfect Pie Dough I'm guilty of having a very small repertoire of pie doughs I use in my baking, whether sweet or savory....as in one; this one. This is a recipe from "Baking with Julia" that came ou... Read More
	Yukon Gold Potato and Leek Latkes These are my favorite potato latkes. I love the sweetness of the Yukon Gold potato with the mildly pungent leeks. Both the potatoes and the sauteed leeks are naturally moist. We found draining them in... Read More
	Garnet Yam Kugel with Maple Sugar Streusel Making Shabbat dinner last week, a full homemade challah to dessert production for a family getting up from shiva, I want to make yams. While making a recipe last month, I knew exactly how I... Read More
	Red Garnet Yam Latke ~ Gluten Free! Grated red garnet yams flavored with genuine maple syrup and then fried in the oven. These are so good ~ earthy but light, a hint of maple...yum! We served them today with sour cream (n... Read More
	Vegetarian Homemade Mozzarella Cheese, Caprese Salad I enjoy this homemade cheese with Heirloom cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and a fruity olive oil drizzled on top. I've become more comfortable making this recipe so experience does help. I also... Read More
	Apple Raspberry Crisp I love apple crisp and the addition of raspberries is stellar. Tangy raspberries and tart apples with a crispy cinnamon and nutmeg scented topping. It is the perfect dessert for those not up for attem... Read More
	Herb-Roasted Olives I love the way these olives absorb the flavors of the herbs in the oven. I like to use different colors of olives for interest. I've also slivered garlic and added it to the olives in the last 10 ... Read More
	Chickpea Salad Going through my photo file from the last few weeks, this salad caught my eye. I'm a fan of chick peas and this salad is perfect with the easy to use canned variety. The texture of the chick peas ... Read More
	Pomegranate Infused Fig and Kalamata Olive Tapenade Tu B'shevat is a great opportunity to meld flavors and work with interesting combinations of foods. This tapenade, which I'm serving with rye crackers, is easy to make and beautiful to serve. ... Read More
	Swedish Apple Pie Yontif is just out. All of you are breathing a sigh of relief. Looking like a deer caught in headlights, I have 2,000 meals ahead of me in the coming week. A stack of event plans needs... Read More
	Chocolate Honey Cake (Note: This is a previous post coming to the forefront for the holidays.)So, let's get one thing straight - I don't have a Jewish mother or grandmother. As a convert, I lack the fond memory of... Read More
	Apple Crown Cake (yes, the one!) (For those who missed this, I'm bringing it back to the home page for Rosh Hashana ~ also, this photo was just sent by Marc Jacobson who has to make more for Rosh Hashana as they ate this one!)Thi... Read More
	Deluxe Honey Cake I haven't a clue where this recipe originates. I've been making it for nearly 20 years and in huge quantities since I started catering and baking. I love making this honey cake because when I ... Read More
	Linguine Alfredo I offer this simple and rich linguine Alfredo as a one dish dinner. Kids love it and it is easy enough for young cooks to play chef. One might exclaim, "Whoa!" at the amount of dairy. L... Read More
	Spinach Leek Frittata *Note ~ this has been on the homepage before. That said, great recipe for this time of year. Spinach frittatas often appear at Shabbat Kiddush lunches, especially in the Sephardic synagogues. It teams... Read More
	Macaroni & Cheese (see notes for Gluten-free option) Checking my email after Shabbat, I read that my friend Charna has a message to relay to me. She has shown her 14 year old daughter Mira, my G-d daughter, my website. Mira likes it&... Read More
	Pesto with Campanelle and Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes Pesto, made of fragrant basil, toasted pine nuts and hint of garlic is a versatile dressing and marinade that is simple to make. Simply toss into a food processor and presto! I mean&nbs... Read More
	Quinoa Tabouli During Passover, doing a quick check through this website's recipe archives to find this recipe, I'm shocked to see it isn't listed. That said, there is nothing shocking about me post... Read More
	Honey Quinoa Bread Searching for South American recipes for Hillelfest this past winter, I happen upon a recipe for honey quinoa bread. Tweaking here and there, the bread is very tasty. Slightly nutty, a little chewy, i... Read More
	Cinnamon Walnut Babka I haven't a clue as to how the filling for this Cinnamon Walnut Babka evolved but it is good. Thanks to Indiegogo contributors and the talents, skills and patience of videographer Gordon Modin, we... Read More
	Date-Nut Pinwheels This cookie always reminds me of my daughter Rebekah. They are a favorite of hers and I find that weird. I don't usually think of a date-nut filling as being kid friendly. She's hardly a kid a... Read More
	Herbed Sour Cream or Mayonnaise This is a wonderful sauce for fish; either dairy or pareve. It is especially simple if you are lucky enough to have an herb garden. Simply put the amount of sauce you'd like in a bowl, add sa... Read More
	Red Horseradish I can't really explain why I haven't made red horseradish until this year.....yet another of those "14 years later....." mysteries. Multitasking as I do, I throw some beets into a po... Read More
	Tri-colored Quinoa with White Corn and Black Beans In my 14 year career as a caterer, I have maybe done a dozen tastings. They are time consuming and expensive to produce. I could do the entire event in just a little more time than a tasting. And... Read More
	Grated Horseradish Grated horseradish is a classic condiment for gefilte fish. I used to buy a quality jarred variety but that was when I'd buy frozen gefilte fish. Now, with the homemade salmon and white fish loave... Read More
	Couscous with Seven Vegetables Coming off of an incredible 4 week marathon, I'm staring at my website. Yikes; I'm falling behind in posting recipes! Last night, at my final event before turning the kitchen for Passover next... Read More
	Leah's Famous Chocolate Babka Chocolate babka rules, rocks and was the most popular item after challah in the bakery. It is also the most requested 'next video' and you can now see it here! Putting up an Ind... Read More
	Crumb Topping I always sprinkle this crumb topping liberally on my babkas. It is a simple mix of flour, sugar and margarine. It lends texture and crunch to the babka crust. I also use it on my rugelach for the same... Read More
	Cinnamon Rolls Not too long after my father passed away, I drove to Seward Park for a meeting with one of the Rabbis. I had only been catering for a year or so and was going to help with his son's bar mitzvah pa... Read More
	Yeasted Sweet Dough This is an extra rich yeast dough perfect for many baked goods; babka, cinnamon rolls, coffee cakes, etc. I've been making it forever always with great results. We've made a how-to v... Read More
	Malasadas ~ Portuguese Doughnuts Chanukah is a time of dreidels and sufganyot, latkes. As a convert, hitching a ride on the turnip cart of culinary traditions feels often times like riding shotgun with the real McKleins. Whatever I c... Read More
	Crusted Acorn Squash Chanukah begins tonight. Taking a break from taste testing deep fried doughnuts of various cultures, I want to make something savory that is simple with less oil. Picking up my newest cookbook, Yotam ... Read More
	Oven Baked Yam Fries Yam fries are very easy to make in the oven. Would have made my life easier knowing that before I did an event last summer; I fried them on the stove top. Took forever and the demand was constant. To ... Read More
	Chinese Sesame Balls ~ Gluten-free I've only made sesame balls twice in my life. Yesterday and today. I watched a video online, found a recipe in my Maui Extension Cookbook and pulled a recipe from About.com. Yeah, wish me luck jus... Read More
	Potato Leek Green Latkes Fiddling around in the kitchen, I come up with a recipe for my 'dream latke'.....leeks, spinach, zucchini and mashed potatoes fried to golden perfection. More Sephardic than Eastern European, ... Read More
	Classic Tuscan Vegetable Soup I'm not going to lie to you; I'm beat! It's only the 9th of January and the year feels 1/2 over given the number of events already lined up into June. Passover menus are set and ... Read More
	Bumwelos ~ South African Style Thinking I'd keep my mother company as she recoups from a chest cold, I load my car with a pantry of ingredients and equipment. I figure I can make Chanukah treats for the website and visit at the... Read More
	Italian Lentil Soup with Escarole Making Shabbat dinner at Hillel gives me an opportunity to try new recipes. The JConnect group, young adults 22 to 32, are a little more sophisticated than the undergraduates. They'll eat ... Read More
	Kalinga Heirloom Unoy Picking up a bag of intriguing rice months ago, today is the day I decide to cook it. Locally purchased at a very funky, worn warehouse store off the industrial section of the city, it reminds me of m... Read More
	Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Streusel Topping I spend the last of the holidays on the amazing apple crisp diet. Making a couple of pans for my friend Susan for Sukkot, I peel another 5 pounds of apples for myself. The handy apple peeler and corer... Read More
	Pumpkin Cranberry Bread I'm a big fan of all things pumpkin especially pumpkin pie and pumpkin borekas. This tea bread is right up there at the top. I love it for breakfast with a cup of tea. I'm not sure where ... Read More
	Northwest Pear Cake In a cookbook around here somewhere is a recipe for an Italian Pear Cake. I adapted it to create the Northwest Pear Cake by substituting dried cranberries for currants and almonds for pine n... Read More
	Harvest Zucchini Bread I have a half dozen tea bread recipes to upload. I like tea breads as they aren't heavily frosted and they are perfect with a cup of tea. I also make them pareve so they go with everything. My fri... Read More
	Mixed Fruit Challah (Note: This was originally posted last year; and nothing has changed ~ it's still my all time favorite challah!) This is my favorite Rosh Hashana challah; the mixed fruit challah. Back in the... Read More
	Funfetti Cake Part of me is procrastinating. I should be working on Thanksgiving recipes. Only one glitch; fresh turkeys haven't arrive at the market and mashgiach can't come until this afternoon. I love wh... Read More
	Chattanooga Beets with Pomegranate Pips Shabbat dinner this week at Hillel is inspired by "Breast Cancer Awareness" month. Dinner is all things pink: cream of tomato soup, spinach salad with strawberries, pink salmon, roasted pink... Read More
	Fruit Cocktail Salad a la 1960's Occupy Wall Street is at the forefront of the news these past 2 months. Everyone is making the connection between the sit-ins of the 1960's and the firmly rooted crowds in cities across the nation... Read More
	Quinoa Stuffed Cabbage Shabbat dinners at Hillel require a vegetarian option when meat is being served. This week is stuffed cabbage so I'm making some with quinoa and baby portabello mushrooms. Using the same sauce as ... Read More
	Kasha Varnishkes with Piccolini (mini Farfalle) Aviva and I love kasha varnishkes. I'd never seen it before until I converted and always found it an unusual blend; kasha and pasta. This past summer I saw Barilla's Picocolini for the first t... Read More
	Raisin Crown Challah (Note: This was originally posted last year. I'm a big believer in baking ahead of the holidays and freezing. No time like the present!)Luckily, luckily we eat crown challah through Simchat Torah.... Read More
	Fig and Raspberry Tart with Sesame Almond Crust This is another favorite of mine from "Baking with Julia" by Dorie Greenspan. Called a "raspberry-fig crostata' in the book, a crostata is a tart in Italian. With Amanda Knox's ... Read More
	French Apple Tart Rosh Hashana and weeks of holidays are fast approaching. I'm crazy busy with catering and want to get more recipes uploaded. Solution at this point: put foods for the holiday onto my catering even... Read More
	Oven Roasted Heirloom Carrots On Thursday nights at Hillel, a CSA display is setup for subscribers to pickup their share of the week's crop. Community Supported Agriculture is a great way to support the farmers in the area pro... Read More
	Fresh Green Beans with Lemon Zest Catering a meeting tonight, I want a simple vegetable dish. Northwest green beans are in abundance right now. I like them tossed in olive oil in a hot wok and left ever so slightly crisp. The hot oil ... Read More
	Mango Vinaigrette (I'm recycling this recipe. Purchasing the most amazing mangoes this summer, I've been making vinaigrette every chance I get. This is a reminder to try this recipe!)I just read that mangoes ar... Read More
	Roasted Vegetables with Hummus Sandwich Catering a vegetarian retreat last week, I decide to make a roasted vegetable sandwich. I purchase a loaf of ciabatta and slice it through horizontally. Using my Hummus recipe (see the archive), I swi... Read More
	Carol Barer's Beloved Blintz Filling Over the years, many family favorite recipes are sent my way. People love eating their own comfort food, specialties propping up favored members of the clan on stainless steel pedestals. Enthusiastic ... Read More
	Basic Crepe Recipe Aviva is home this summer and the "What do we have to eat?" question is frequently asked. My automatic response of "Nothing, what do you want?" is usually met with grumbles of &quo... Read More
	Broccoli, Mushroom and Swiss Cheese Quiche As we enter into the nine days preceding Tisha B'Av, it is customary that dairy meals are served. The beginning of the Hebrew month of Av until the actual anniversary of the de... Read More
	Jam Thumbprint Cookies Thumbprint cookies are a standby classic that I really don't see all that often. Good parve, they are fabulous made with real butter....and, what isn't? With a simple indentation fil... Read More
	Vanilla Cake or Cupcakes with Real Buttercream Frosting Wow. Hurrying to make food for 3 events last erev Shabbat, I realize that I don't have my vanilla cake recipe. Sha-zam! - my Smart Phone (or, not-so-smart as Aviva says because it is my phone... Read More
	Real Dairy Buttercream Frosting This is my favorite vanilla frosting. It is a classic buttercream for wedding cakes, light and fluffy and not too sweet. Many brides call me a year later to tell me that their top wedding cakes, ... Read More
	Gluten-free Toasted Oatmeal with Dried Cherries Cookies I've been wanting to make these cookies for a couple of weeks. I have 4 events this weekend but I want to make a gluten-free oatmeal cookie. Guess what is on the dessert table this Shabbos at one ... Read More
	Hungarian Shortbread with Rhubarb Jam Filling I told Lucy in May that I'd upload this recipe....hmm, it's only a couple of months later. Sorry! This is one of my favorite bar cookies in the world; the entire world. Ruchie, who eats only c... Read More
	Perfect Lemon Bars (Pareve or Dairy) Serving these lemon bars the other day, a guest said, "Oh, the world's most perfect lemon bars!" They weren't always the most perfect. Often the center wouldn't set up as much as... Read More
	Rugelach ~ Chocolate, Cinnamon Walnut or Jam (Parve or Dairy) We don't have a sign reading "over a billion sold" but we have certainly made many, many rugelach. Thumbing through "The 2nd Avenue Deli Cookbook" while looking for the falafel... Read More
	Spelt, Rice or Wheat Pasta Salad with Stir-fried Vegetables I want to make an assortment of gluten-free salads for my sister's party. I have a box of spelt pasta and decide to use it. Rude awakening! Spelt is not gluten-free. It's not even in my dictio... Read More
	Mom's Old-Fashioned Potato Salad So, while making this potato salad for my sister's birthday party, I'm making four other salads; the ones posted along with this recipe. I opt to use Russet potatoes since that is what mom alw... Read More
	Saffron Rice Salad with Fresh Mint My sister Jeanette's birthday is a great reason to make a number of summer salads. Back in the beginning of the bakery, she would work with me the weeks her husband worked in Alaska. I start ... Read More
	New Potato Salad with Cucumber and Fresh Dill I love this potato salad. It is another of James McNair's, from his "Fish" cookbook. Tender new potatoes and handfuls of fresh dill scream summer time. True, it has a mayonnaise bas... Read More
	Fresh Blueberry and Peach Tart It's the 4th of July weekend. Here in Seattle, we know the bluest and most clear skies are on July 5th. The city empties as citizens with time and resources make their annual pilgrimage to hush-hu... Read More
	Strawberry Rhubarb Tart In the spring, just as Passover is approaching, I start looking for rhubarb. One of our more popular desserts that time of year is Apple Rhubarb Crisp. I make it ritually for the Hillel Passover lunch... Read More
	Huevos Haminados, Sephardic Brown Eggs Over the months and years, I intend to document many Sephardic specialties of our region. Recently, I was asked to make 'brown eggs' for a traditional brunch. I'd only made them once befor... Read More
	Parve Roasted Vegetable Tarts I make lots of tarts, savory and sweet, pareve or dairy. My Basic Pie Crust recipe is so simple and versatile that throwing together a crust is no big deal. Last fall, posting a roasted vegetable tart... Read More
	Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (Dairy or Pareve) There is a large group of customers from the old bakery who love this basic, easy to make frosting. Back then, needing a pareve frosting for Shabbat cakes and wedding cakes, we make this by ... Read More
	Pareve Yerushalmi Kugel Here in the Northwest, this kugel isn't as familiar as a potato or sweet noodle kugel. I think it is popular in some Haredi communities in Israel, hence the name. It is an interesting blend of bla... Read More
	Parve Spinach Noodle Kugel Over the years, spinach noodle kugel becomes our best selling kugel. I take it for granted. Knowing that my readers want this recipe, I decide to use it as my entry into the Kugel Throwdown. I need ph... Read More
	Pareve Sweet Noodle Kugel Over the 10 years that the bakery was open, our kugel selection was intentionally pareve. It wasn't only because of the dairy with meat meals issue. We kept in mind the large Chabad community who ... Read More
	Parve Golden Potato Kugel (that is really purple) Years ago, back when the bakery was the little space next to the Tree of Life Judaica shop, a woman pulls up curbside and jumps out of the car. Running into the bakery, she stops short staring into th... Read More
	Chic's Noodle Kugel This is the winning entry of the Kugel Throwdown sponsored by The Washington State Jewish Historical Society and Hillel UW JConnect. The winners are David and Marc Jacobson and their intro to the reci... Read More
	Cream Cheese and Cottage Cheese Blintzes So, I've been meaning to put the blintz recipe up since February. So much food, so little time! Please, please don't be alarmed at the photos....making hundreds requires dozens of eggs, pounds... Read More
	Chocolate Coconut Cheesecake with Nanaimo Crust Typing the name of this cheesecake makes me want to run from the room screaming, "It can't be!" It's an Almond Joy, Mounds Bar, triple chocolate hit topped with coconut infused Decor... Read More
	Galaktoboureko I first hear of galaktoboureko from my friend Carl who professes it to be his favorite dessert. Looking online, I find a recipe and make it but I think it comes out heavy. Galaktoboureko is a Greek se... Read More
	Classic Tiramisu Ah, Tiramisu ~ a classic, a fad, back to being a classic. I first made it for Hillelfest a few years ago for their Italian inspired dinner. I use bottomless 1/2 sheet frames and have two gor... Read More
	Classic Plain Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping This is a classic plain cheesecake dolled up with a fresh blueberry topping and trimmed in whipped cream. What part of that needs defining??!! We make plenty of these in the bakery back in the day but... Read More
	Marble Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Topping I enjoy any opportunity to eat chocolate. Add fresh strawberries and whipped cream...yeah, all my free Weight Watchers points' out the window for the coming year. I make this cheesecake the same w... Read More
	Decorator's Whipped Cream For years, running the pareve bakery, we use non-dairy whipped toppings on our pies and tarts. Resisting the urge to investigate exactly what ingredients make up a non-dairy whipped topping, I simply ... Read More
	Blueberry Muffins (Dairy or Pareve) Back in the days of the bakery, we regularly make these muffins on Friday. The early morning crowd could hardly wait for them to come out of the oven. By mid-morning, they were usually gone.The b... Read More
	Dried Cranberry Scones (Dairy or Pareve) I'm sad every time I think about it. Last year, after Passover, a friend tells me that he was at a seder and my name/business came up during dinner (let's hope I wasn't a plague!). Apparen... Read More
	Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns On occasion, and Lag BaOmer is one of those, I feel like eating a hot dog or really good hamburger. I don't, however, enjoy eating airy, empty calorie buns. I hear a chorus of voices asking who wa... Read More
	Smoked Salmon, Spinach and Leek Frittata I'm staring at a small scrap of yellow legal pad. Last Tuesday, at 5:00 am, I need to whip up a frittata for a brunch. Without a recipe, I decide to just toss ingredients into a bowl and hope... Read More
	Rice Krispie Treats with Marshmallows and Sprinkles Lag B'Omer is a picnic day, an upshurin day, a day to be casual and get the kids outside to play. BBQ's, hot dogs, hamburgers ~ nothing too fancy. Desserts are simple, too. Rice Krispie treats... Read More
	Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats A customer gives me this recipe for a party. I want to go the natural peanut butter route and use one free of the added oils. I have a tough time getting these bars to get firm enough to slice until I... Read More
	Baklava Layers of fillo separate ground nuts tossed with spices, repeated to a stack of yum and drizzled with a lemony syrup. I should make baklava more often. Always disappearing from buffet tables, I love t... Read More
	Sephardic Biscochos Biscochos are in my top favorite cookies to make. They are a Sephardic classic, especially in this town. Catherine Scharon is my adopted Sephardic grandmother and she taught me her way of making these... Read More
	Israeli Salad Israeli Salad, it doesn't get any more universally Jewish than this. Served with pita and hummus, falafel....it is simply the easiest salad to serve to add fresh crispness. I believe that there is... Read More
	Orange Mango Stevia Smoothie (or Margarita Mix) My idea of a vacation is a week in Mexico at the start of the off season. This usually coincides with the post Passover recuperation. Ah, not this year; 2 weeks in Bali last February and Acapulco last... Read More
	Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free Flan or Flop? Designing the Mexican dinner as a 'MEAT' meal, I need a parve dessert. I want to do a flan and happen across this recipe online by Mark Bittman. Look at it ~ such promise for being free of glu... Read More
	Fish and Chips Coming out of Passover, I'm surprised about all the hoopla of the big wedding in London this week. I'm also surprised to hear that the Obama's weren't invited. Hmmm. A few wa... Read More
	Yorkshire Pudding I admit to having no idea what a Yorkshire Pudding is or how it is eaten prior to making this menu. My only cookbooks remotely English are about tea parties. I decide to get on the net and see what is... Read More
	Trifle What's a trifle? Scrumptious dollops of custard and whipped cream layered with sponge cake and fresh strawberries. This is fabulous when real DAIRY is used and works surprisingly well as... Read More
	Citrus Thyme Vinaigrette Dressing Just prior to Passover production we make a dinner for one of the local not for profit organizations. Fingering through my recipes, I come across this salad dressing. I'd forgotten about it; ... Read More
	Egg Noodles (Gluten - Free, Kosher for Passover) Well, I'm getting this recipe up just under the wire for the last days of Passover. These egg noodles are Aviva's favorite and I've been meaning to whip up a batch all week. Simple, s... Read More
	Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes (or chef's choice of vegetable) We served 350 lunches at Hillel on Thursday. Friday's crowd was slightly less at about 300 guests. Having 6 hours before serving 125 for Shabbat dinner, I send my exhausted crew home. Dinner is pr... Read More
	Roasted Vegetable Frittata (Kosher for Passover) Frittatas are standbys for Passover. Easy to make, they can be dairy or pareve. We use whatever vegetables we have on hand; especially onions, leeks and roasted red peppers. This one has yellow squash... Read More
	Cocoa Brownies (Kosher for Passover) I prefer my brownies on the slightly underbaked side. These are simple to make, rich in flavor, and have a great texture. Whip up a few foil pans of brownies (aren't we all baking in foil pans?) a... Read More
	Carrot Cake - (Kosher for Passover) This is the most moist and amazing carrot cake. I've turned this place upside down looking for the cookbook which I took this from way back in the beginning of baking for the community. I'... Read More
	Apple Rhubarb Crisp (Kosher for Passover) This is my favorite Passover dessert. I ate an entire 8" round pan of this for breakfast and lunch yesterday and today. Forget the plate. I just stuck a fork into it and told my crew 'don'... Read More
	Flourless Chocolate Cake This is a must make for Passover. Similar to the Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake in appearance, this cake is much lighter. Many flourless chocolate cake recipes are similar so what makes one better t... Read More
	Matzoh Balls I prefer matzoh balls to be 'floaters', light and fluffy. My recipe makes 200 matzoh balls, a little excessive for home use. Just a little. We are making 2,500 pieces this Passover season. Hil... Read More
	Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-free or Not) What does 'or not' mean? I have many requests to share gluten-free recipes. This means I have to develop some recipes. Fine with me as I love to learn new stuff. My basic philosophy is&nb... Read More
	Leah's Soon-to-be-Famous Cocoa Coconut Macaroons I never made cocoa coconut macaroons until today. Using the basic coconut macaroon recipe, I simply added some Dutch process cocoa. Depending on how dark and rich you like the macaroons, 1 - 2 tablesp... Read More
	Chocolate Chip Coconut Macaroons This is easy; use the recipe for Leah's Famous Coconut Macaroons. Let the mixture cool. Toss in a handful of chocolate chips (I use the mini) and bake as usual. Simple. Done. Yum.Please refe... Read More
	Oven Roasted Asparagus Okay, so I'm uploading this picture after saying this would be a week of chocolate. Scroll to the next recipes...and, more chocolate tomorrow! The sun came out today with a whopping 60 degree... Read More
	Nanaimo Bars - Kosher for Passover This is the kosher for Passover version of this popular Northwest cookie. While making the original version, I realize that the custard powder for the filling is kosher for Passover. I wonder with wha... Read More
	Nanaimo Bars (Dairy or Pareve) Supposedly, this bar cookie originates from Nanaimo Island located somewhere off Vancouver Island here in the Northwest. If so, it must be because a creative cook had cabin fever as none of the ingred... Read More
	Dobos Torte (original 7-layer cake) (Dairy or Pareve) This is the original version of the 7- layer cake. Thin layers of sponge cake, thin layer of chocolate buttercream, repeated 6 times and topped with a caramel layer. This photo shows a dripping layer ... Read More
	Pareve Chocolate Mousse (Kosher for Passover) Years ago, before I started catering, some friends and I decide to do a series of fundraiser dinners for Chabad. Utilizing the cooking skills of women in the community, we develop menus based on ... Read More
	Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake (Kosher for Passover) The Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake is to Passover what the Apple Crown Cake is to Rosh Hashana. We make it yearly for individual seder packages and by the 1/2 sheet pan for the Hillel lunches. It is... Read More
	Chocolate Ganache (Pareve, Dairy or Kosher for Passover) I make this rich chocolate ganache in bulk and refrigerate it for future use. Depending on the temperature of the ganache, it can be used in many forms. For a bright shiny glaze, I nuke it for a ... Read More
	Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (Dairy or Pareve) I reserve this frosting for very special occasions, for cakes like the Dacquoise or Dobos Torte, as it is a bit time consuming to make. Maybe it is easier making a small batch rather th... Read More
	Asian Noodle Salad with Oven Roasted Tofu Since opening, this continues to be our most popular pasta salad. I can't imagine how many tons of this salad have been eaten! We use the Chinese style egg noodles and add green onions a... Read More
	Best Ever and Easy Hamentachen We rolled out (no pun intended) the first of the hamentachen this week at a Kiddush lunch at Herzl. Three hundred and fifty pieces disappeared quickly ~ poppy seed, apricot, raspberry, strawberry, and... Read More
	Gluten-free Hamentachen I did not need to find out how wonderful these are....absolutely did not need to know. If I take one more bite I'm going to have to say it again. I made these hamentachen pareve but they taste lik... Read More
	Wendy Wark's Gluten Free Flour Mix Tweaked This recipe is from Wendy Wark's book, "Living Healthy with Celiac Disease" (AnAffect 1998). I lifted it from "Cooking Gluten-Free!" by Karen Robertson. Since I couldn't fi... Read More
	Old-Fashioned Apple Pie Apple pie is very simple to make; especially when using the pie crust recipe from Baking with Julia. Growing up, pie was always challenging...will the crust turn out? Will it be too dry and crack, or&... Read More
	Hamentachen Filling - Apricot In the past, we've purchased our apricot filling in large 40 pound buckets. It isn't always easy to find pareve. Last year, there was a huge snow storm in the East and the trucks weren't g... Read More
	Hamentachen Filling - Prune Prune Lekvar is available in bulk quantities by special order at the bakery supply, in 50 pound buckets. Hmm, sort of a lot since it isn't the best selling hamentachen filling. But, it is really e... Read More
	Cleo's Awesome Bean Salad It's been brought to my attention that the availability of certain produce is sparse or cost prohibitive in Israel especially this time of year. With that knowledge, I'm intent on uploading a ... Read More
	Hamentachen Filling - Poppy Seed I received an email today asking if I have a recipe for poppy seed filling. I'm thinking two things; 1) someone noticed I didn't put up a recipe for poppy seed filling and 2) I have a can open... Read More
	Wild and Basmati Rice Salad This is a wonderful salad with fish, beef, lamb and chicken. Wild Rice and Basmati rice are married together and tossed with Herbes de Provence containing aromatic bits of lavender. We include a smatt... Read More
	Greek Salad Dressing Greek salad dressing is another dressing easy to make from scratch. We use it on our classic Greek Salad but it is suitable for any green salad. ... Read More
	Moroccan Roasted Carrot Salad Moroccan Carrot Salad is a year-round favorite. Years ago, we blanched the carrots until just tender and quick chilled them in an ice bath. More recently, we oven roast them until the crunch is g... Read More
	Balsamic Vinaigrette Robust and flavorful, this balsamic vinaigrette is a basic that should always be on hand. Make it by the pint and store it in the refrigerator. Use it on green salads, roasted vegetables and pasta sal... Read More
	Caesar Salad Dressing This is our famous Caesar dressing, without fish or eggs. Some may argue its authenticity but I don't argue with a throng of teenagers at a Kiddush buffet. Pictured here is a mix of romaine leaves... Read More
	Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Fresh Basil Mediterranean Pasta Salad is quick and easy as the only thing to cook is the pasta. Use gluten-free rice pasta for those who are wheat intolerant. Everything else in the salad just requires a quick ch... Read More
	White Bean Cholent with Roasted Fennel Okay, I don't have the 'after' photo for this pareve cholent for the obvious reason; no photos on Shabbat. Harried as everyone else on an early Shabbat, I don't think to siphon some fo... Read More
	Lemon Curd Tart with Fruit This is an updated post. It's come to light that people love and remember my lemon curd tarts. I make them both full sized and in individual smaller shapes. My original post a few years ago was ma... Read More
	Deep Dark Chocolate Cake This is the deepest, darkest Devil's Food Chocolate Cake you'll ever eat. From The McCall's Cookbook circa 1963, it is so impressive I've never had reason to search for&... Read More
	Perfect Egg Salad So, egg salad isn't rocket science but it is often not that great. I make mine with eggs and Best Foods Mayonnaise. That is it and I've been hired for many events simply because of my egg... Read More
	Mediterranean Wheat Berry and Wild Rice Salad This great wheat berry and wild rice salad is a combination of two recipes given to me by two different clients. One uses only wheat berries and the other uses a bottled salad dressing. I pr... Read More
	Wheat Berry Tabouli with Fresh Mint A customer recently asked for a tabouli made with something other than bulgar wheat. Wheat berries came to mind as I like their chewy texture. After assembling this salad, I find the scale of the whea... Read More
	Sesame Pear Vinaigrette I love this salad dressing and, unfortunately, didn't get a photo of it after it went onto the salad! Rushing around to serve 50 guests, I totally space getting the final shot. Oh well, use y... Read More
	Lentil and Roasted Pepper Salad At first glance, this salad seems like a lot of work. Maybe because the first time I made it was for a couple of hundred people. Salads always take long for that many people. At any rate, start the le... Read More
	Green and Red Coleslaw Slaw with Mandarin Oranges Given this recipe by a client for a Shabbat weekend of festivities, it looks like one I've made from the Kosher By Design series, Susie Fishbein's major contribution to kosher cooking. As usua... Read More
	Sweet Corn Salad with Black Beans Sweet corn and black beans, a classic summer time salad I enjoy no matter the season. Of course, I insist on juicing the limes so I get the full blast of tangy citrus. The bell pepper adds a bit of cr... Read More
	Gluten-Free Rice Penne with Provencal Eggplant and Sweet Peppers Rice penne pasta is a great substitute for regular pasta and instantly turns this into a gluten-free salad. We've made this salad since the beginning of the catering business. The classic combinat... Read More
	Syrian Beet Salad Earthy beets, boiled to the perfect tenderness are tossed with the freshest of herbs and lemon juice creating a richly colored salad. I insist on fresh squeezed lemon juice in my kitchen, especia... Read More
	Tu B'shevat Whole Wheat Challah In honor of Tu B'shevat, I decided to make Honey Whole Wheat Challah. This recipe is sweetened with honey and barley malt syrup (available in the organic section) without any refined whi... Read More
	Tu B'shevat Marzipan Pear Cake This is a unique cake, buttery melt in your mouth sweetness with fruits that celebrate Tu B'shevat. Marzipan is mixed into the batter adding almond flavor without a nut crunch. I've folde... Read More
	Tu B'shevat Dried Fruit Treats This is a little assortment of sweets that require no cooking. I had a bit of marzipan leftover after making the Marzipan Pear Cake so I thought I'd use it up. I softened the dried figs by soaking... Read More
	Carob Almond 'Roca' In the Northwest, we've grown up with Almond Roca; pink cans with gold foil wrapped candy stocked in every supermarket and corner drug store. They make me think of my mother who liked to keep a pr... Read More
	Tu B'shevat Fruit Salad When I consider the combination of fruits eaten on Tu B'shevat, the classic Waldorf salad comes to mind. Diced fruit and walnuts with a creamy dressing, the Waldorf screams 1960's to me; possi... Read More
	Raspberry Vinaigrette I don't have a long-winded story to accompany this recipe for my famous Raspberry Vinaigrette. We have served this from the beginning and it is our standard salad dressing at Passover. I'm cal... Read More
	Classic Egg Challah Recipe When I first converted, the Spice and Spirit Cookbook, A Lubavitch Women's Cookbook Publication, became my go to resource in the kitchen. More than a cookbook, it includes all the necessary halahi... Read More

About Leah

Hi! Thank you for stopping by to watch me, Leah, cook kosher. I've been the owner operator of my boutique catering firm in Seattle, Leah's Catering, for the past 14 years.
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Leah's Blog