The yontif roast can provoke anxiety in even the most experienced cook but my roast guide will help you put a fabulous feast on the table without too much drama. Here is my Ultimate Rosh Hashanah Roast Guide from Kosher.com!

Kitchen Tools For Roast Preparation: A good roast requires proper tools. Two items are essential: a fairly sturdy, shallow sided roasting pan and a digital meat thermometer. Useful but not essential is a good pair of tongs. All items are affordable and your investment will pay handsome returns.

Continue reading “Kitchen Tools For Roast Preparation” on Kosher.com.

Methods for Cooking the Perfect Holiday Roast: The formula for cooking meat is nearly foolproof: meat + heat + time = delicious. Tender cuts (steaks, chops, roasts) can tolerate higher heat for shorter periods; tougher cuts (briskets, chuck roasts, top of the rib) require lower heat, longer cooking times, and the addition of liquids.

Continue reading “Methods for Cooking the Perfect Holiday Roast” on Kosher.com.

Recommended Kosher.com Cuts for Your Holiday Roast: The head of the Kosher.com meat department, Danny and his master butchers have the answers to your meat questions. Here are their holiday roast recommendations.

Rosh Hashanah Recipes: Stuck for an idea? Here are some delicious roast options for your holiday table from our Kosher.com experts, writers, and chefs.

Hi Jamie,

I seem to have a cooking problem. Before I got married, I used to cook lot of different types of foods and they came out pretty good. Now that I’m married, I’m afraid to cook. What should, or what can, I do? I stick with basic foods and frozen foods and rarely get fancy. I need to have confidence again knowing that what I make will taste very good. I want to learn how to prepare foods as you do….. PLEASE HELP ME JAMIE!

-G
Far Rockaway, NY

G,

Don’t despair. I understand your predicament all too well. It’s so easy to lose your confidence when you feel that you’re under pressure. I often feel a lot of pressure too. When we invite people for Shabbos, they sometimes make a big to do in anticipation of the meal. That’s how I know they didn’t read my book (about how I was the bride who knew nothing) — or they didn’t believe it.

Here’s what I suggest: take baby steps. Like anything else in life, take it slow. It’s very hard to go from frozen chicken nuggets and fries to five-star chef overnight. The best approach here is to take on some manageable foolproof recipes.

I’ll share with you my secret confidence-boosting weapon: it’s a meal from my first book, Quick & Kosher: Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing, and I promise you can’t get this wrong. Drum roll… Duck Sauce Chicken (p.123), Herb-Roasted Red Bliss Potatoes (p.197), and Colorful Garden Salad (p.95).

Duck Sauce Chicken was the first hot chicken dinner I ever made, the easiest, and still my favorite. It’s only chicken and duck sauce. You don’t even have to measure; just pour the sauce until it generously coats all the chicken pieces. Bake it at 375˚ for about 1 hour or until the skin is golden brown. The secret to this recipe is the brand of duck sauce. Gold’s Cantonese Style Duck Sauce is the best and you can always use Gold’s Szechuan Style if you like a little spice.

Finish your meal with Colorful Garden Salad . The recipe calls for creamy pesto dressing, but I say – don’t overwhelm yourself. Skip the dressing and just serve your favorite store-bought dressing in a pretty cruet. (If you keep the bottles off the table, you’re already one step closer to the gourmet experience.) The beauty here is just layering different colored vegetables in a trifle bowl. EVERYONE oohs and ahhs over multicolored layers in a trifle bowl; don’t know why it’s so impressive and don’t really care. This is one dish that’s always a hit, without even turning on the oven.

Are you smiling yet?

There’s a great Amazing Savings near you on Central Avenue. Pop in there and grab a trifle bowl if you don’t already own one. It will come in SUPER handy over the course of your new cooking adventures.

G, listen to me. Don’t worry, you can do it. My story is all about overcoming what you think you can’t do. It’s all about fighting what you believe to be your nature. Your culinary path is not set – you are not doomed to walk the frozen food aisles forever. You just need some kitchen confidence. So start small. Easy recipes. One at a time. The whole meal doesn’t have to be from scratch. It’s ok if things are semi-homemade.

Leave a comment here and let us all know how you’re doing. Hatzlachah! If anyone had any other easy recipes or ideas for G leave a comment. Let’s help her out together.

I am so super psyched about my new book Quick & Kosher: Meals in Minutes due out this Chanukah.  So much so that I just can’t hold it in any longer.  As a special gift I’d like to offer you (and all your friends – pass this blog post on!) a sneak peek at my Rosh Hashanah Meals in Minutes menu.

I tried my hardest to incorporate as many of the Rosh Hashanah simanin as possible into the menu.  Simanim are foods whose names suggest a variety of blessings for the New Year.  These include pomegranates, leeks, beets, dates, spinach, honey, apples and carrots – foods you may have been serving year round, but suddenly, they’re in the spotlight, laden with symbolic promises of good things to come.

So here is my super sweet Rosh Hashanah Quick & Kosher: Meals in Minutes menu with links to the full and complete recipes for 3 of my favorite holiday dishes.  We’ll start with a warm and comforting Leek Soup, the star of the show is a sweet and savory dish I like to call Chicken with Apples (serves 4).  Round out your meal with Roasted Beets and Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Dressing (serves 4) and finish it off with Carrot Cupcakes .

What are your favorite Rosh Hashanah recipes? Be sure to drop a line and let me know how you like these new freebies. Happy Sweet New Year!

Jamie, you ask, what’s a Cherimoya?

With an Armadillo-like exterior and velvety interior, the Cherimoya has been described as “deliciousness itself” by Mark Twain  - now that’s seriously sweet! A Cherimoya looks like an artichoke and tastes like a blend of pineapple, mango and papaya.

Why a Chermoya?

One tradition on Rosh Hashanah is to eat something “new,” something you haven’t eaten all year. For many of us, that means searching through the exotic fruit department to bring home a horned melon, dragon fruit, or some other rarity. But it’s not just the thrill of a new taste or texture. The object is to say the blessing Shehechiyanu, taking the time to thank G-d for keeping us alive and well enough to have this experience. Moreover, the very fact that we’ve sought out something new represents our deep-down desire to reinvent ourselves, to make ourselves better people in the coming year. Look at how Judaism elevates a squishy bite to a token of commitment!

How to eat a Cherimoya.

Cherimoya is one of the many new fruits we offer at Kosher.com. After receiving my monthly Quick & Kosher Bites email, my friend Ilya (who you will hear me talk about all the time!) sent me a note – to paraphrase – “love your picks, the cherimoya looks great, but how on earth do I eat it?” And thus was born this very blog post. So Ilya, this one’s for you.

You can test the ripeness of a Cherimoya like you would an Avocado, they are ready to eat when the skin is black-green in color and slightly soft to the touch (defined as giving in to soft pressure).

Slice the fruit in half or in wedges and scoop out the flesh with a spoon avoiding the seeds. To be very clear here – the skin and seeds of this funky fruit are definitely NOT EDIBLE, as in trust me, don’t try this at home. Store Cherimoyas at room temp to ripen and away from any strong sources of heat. Once ripened they stay good in the fridge for about two to four days.

Cherimoyas can be served chilled or at room temp – try them in their natural state as part of your Rosh Hahshanah Seder (funny enough adding a few drops of lime to the flesh of a cherimoya will enhance it’s sweetness) or add to smoothies or salads this New Year.

Now known as the Rosh Hashanah seder, the seder is a “program” run through at the start of a Rosh Hashanah meal, where we partake of a series of symbolic foods (the simanim) each followed by a specific blessing.

Simanim – literally means signs or indicators – that are meant to point the way to improved circumstances.

Observant Jews take this quite seriously, preceding their consumption of these foods on Rosh Hashanah with a specific, heartfelt prayer connected to the character of the food. For example, because a pomegranate is full of seeds, many people eat a pomegranate after saying, “May it be Your will, Hashem, our G-d and G-d of our forefathers, that our merits increase as [the seeds of] a pomegranate.” In other words, we’d like to maximize the “merits” (engendered by doing mitzvot) on our personal tally sheets. And what that really means is that we want to be worthy of G-d’s abundant blessings – and this necessitates focusing our minds on how to make ourselves worthy. Likewise, if you want to build a nice Jewish family, express that desire by eating fish after saying, “May it be your will Hashem, our G-d and G-d of our forefathers, that we be fruitful and multiply like fish.”

Some of the most fascinating simanim are based on word play. A generation ago, Jews in the Ukraine fed their children chicken livers on Rosh Hashanah because the Yiddish word for livers, leberlach is homophonous with leb ehrlich, “live honestly.” Typically Jewish, isn’t it? Even a kiddie snack is a lesson in ethics!

Honey Chicken Sweet Carrot Salad Baby Spinach and Portobello Mushroom Salad Puff Pastry Apple Purses

Another tradition is to eat something “new,” something you haven’t eaten all year. For many of us, that means searching through the exotic fruit department to bring home kumquats, star fruit, or some other rarity. But it’s not just the thrill of a new taste or texture. The object is to say the blessing Shehechiyanu, taking the time to thank G-d for keeping us alive and well enough to have this experience. Moreover, the very fact that we’ve sought out something new represents our deep-down desire to reinvent ourselves, to make ourselves better people in the coming year. Look at how Judaism elevates a squishy bite to a token of commitment!

Colorful food customs like these come from every corner of the Diaspora, and I will give you a number of recipes that hearken back to those traditions. You’ll find that that as you set each of these special dishes on the table, the social dinner chatter will cease and a stimulating conversation will likely emerge. All of your prep work will have paid off, and you can present these foods to your family secure that you are providing them with physical and spiritual nourishment. What a delectable way to energize new beginnings!

What better way to enjoy the dog days of summer than with sweet and refreshing watermelon! There are so many interesting ways to serve up this juicy and refreshing fruit so the next time you’re pool side with your friends be sure to try one of these super-easy recipes.   Watermelon Mint Salad Either cube watermelon or use a melon baller and toss with some fresh chopped mint and a squeeze of lemon and/or lime juice for a bit of a zing.  Fancy it up with slivered lemon rind.

    Watermelon Summer Salad Toss watermelon chunks with cubed feta cheese, Kalamata olives and your favorite salad greens.  Dress the salad with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and Kosher salt or with balsamic vinaigrette.  You can also try my favorite Quick & Kosher homemade balsamic dressing – but feel free to use light mayo, I do all the time.

    Sweet and Sour Watermelon Juice Remove the rind and watermelon seeds and place the flesh in a juicer or food processor until liquid.  Combine with as much fresh lime juice and ginger as you can handle for a cool cleansing elixir.

  What’s your favorite thing to do with watermelon in the summer? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to share some of your ideas with my family.  

On Wednesday August 18th I had the absolute honor of doing my 2nd Hebrew Academy for Special Children (HASC) event. When Grant Silverstein, the Director of Special Projects and Alumni Relations at HASC called me to book an appearance to benefit Camp HASC, I immediately said yes!

I have chills and tears just writing this post knowing I can never accurately convey what Shani a 5 year Camp HASC counselor and division head shared with us.  She spoke about how the camp services campers from 3 to 73.  I had no clue as to how large a consumer group Camp HASC reaches.  I always imagined it was only children.  She spoke about a Shabbos evening where campers and counselors were singing and dancing with such excitement energy and love and how counselors put immobile campers on their shoulders.  She painted such an amazing picture of the last Shabbos at Camp HASC and told how the coming Shabbos for some campers will leave them in group homes that may not have the same ruach (spiritual excitement and energy) and joy that they experience at Camp.  My heart swells just to know how many special people dedicate their lives to working with special needs children and adults.  Shani explained there are 400 staff members to 300 campers.

The evening was an effort to raise money to continue the amazing programming that HASC offers. Grant is a master event planner.  The beauty, elegance, warmth and tone of the evening were perfection.  If I had to make a Bar Mitzvah I would call to see if he moonlights as a personal party planner!

Each sponsor received a signed copy of Quick & Kosher: Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing, a CD of Simply Kosher the cooking shows I did with the OU (Orthodox Union), a 20% off Kosher.com coupon and will receive a signed copy of Quick & Kosher: Meals in Minutes in November when it becomes available.

The event was held in a beautiful home in the 5 Towns.  Helena generously donated her home, her fabulous kitchen and much else to make this event a success. I spoke about my life and how I went from non-kosher, non-religious TV Producer to Kosher cookbook author.  And then we got to the fun stuff, the food.

Amy, my new best friend.

We made Chilled Salmon with a Duet of Dipping Sauces, Asian Cabbage Salad with Garlic Sesame Dressing, Brisket in Wine Sauce (6lbs of brisket almost entirely polished by a group of women, now that’s what I am talking about!), and 2 desserts,  Puff Pastry Apple Purses and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mousse Pie.  But I actually didn’t make it as a pie.  I poured the mousse into mini martini glasses and garnished each with a few chocolate chips – although someone gave me the great idea to use mini chocolate chips next time.  Of course if you are not of the Quick & Kosher ilk you can always go for chocolate ribbons or shavings.

When I say “I” I am actually using the term loosely.  At every event there is one person without whom we would all be hungry.  And my volunteer assistant was Amy. She made mousse, and apple purses, plated salmon and served.  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, Amy.  Grant said I would love you and I do!

Please visit the HASC website and donate  to this worthy cause, make sure you select the alumni department for your donation so they are able to track the proceeds of this event. If you would like to learn more feel free to contact Grant, he’s waiting to talk to you!

Grant Silverstein
Director, Special Projects & Alumni Relations
718.686.5920

For six whole weeks Kosher.com and I have brought you our favorite summertime kosher  recipes. From drinks and salads to fish and chicken to some new kosher vegetarian recipes and these meaty faves to throw on the grill, we hope you found the time to relax this summer and enjoy a great meal.

But don’t worry! The recipes don’t stop now! In the next few weeks I’ll be bringing you my favorite recipe collections to help you survive the holidays! So don’t forget to join us here on the Kosher.com blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook to get all kinds of super easy and delicious recipes from my soon-to-be-released book, Quick & Kosher – Meals in Minutes!

So for now, here are last week’s kosher beef recipes!

Chili-Rubbed Steaks & Pan Salsa Poblano & Skirt Steak Fajitas Szechuan Braised Meatballs Blueberry-Beef Burgers Shish Kebab Blue Ribbon Meatloaf

Check these out too!

- Vietnamese-Style Beef & Noodle Broth
- Asian Steak
- Oriental Hamburgers
- Quick & Kosher Teriyaki Skirt Steak
- Con Carne Chili
- Grilled Marinated Short Ribs

I featured Sharon’s Sorbet in my June Quick & Kosher Bites, but it may shock you to hear that their coconut sorbet once gave me one of the great scares of my life. It happened while I was recipe testing for my first book, Quick & Kosher  - Recipes From The Bride Who Knew Nothing. I was cooking up a storm, trying new ideas, and developing recipes. By the end of a day, I would have six or seven chicken dishes prepared, far more than Hubby and I could eat by ourselves. So I started handing out chicken and salads and desserts to my entire neighborhood – and it was great because I got tons of feedback. Now the scary part.

One Erev Shabbos, I gave my Tea Biscuit and Sorbet Tower, made with Sharon’s Coconut Sorbet, to a neighbor.

Of course, I kept some it for us too. At dessert time, I tasted it and went nuts. It was so good and so creamy that I was sure that the sorbet must have been dairy. I started freaking out, thinking that I had fed my neighbors a dairy dessert after a meat meal! I ran to the garbage to check the containers, but they were no longer there. So I ran over to my neighbors’ house to warn them, stop them, hoping they weren’t eating dessert yet. But I was too late – and with tears in my eyes, I explained that I had assumed that the sorbet must be pareve, but clearly, it must be dairy because… because… I mean, just taste it…. My neighbor calmed me down instantly. “Don’t worry,” she said, laughing, “Sharon’s Sorbet is always pareve.”

So go ahead – try them all and let me know your favorite flavor. And if you have any great sorbet recipes, please share them with me. It’s the perfect no-cook dessert – and it’s definitely pareve!

What’s Your Most Embarrassing Food Moment?

Here’s mine, and I blush to tell it.

Last week, our product manager gave me a bunch of Smart Fries so I could try out the flavors in advance of my August Quick & Kosher Bites roundup. So I grab the bags, hop in the car, and begin my two-hour commute home. Now I never do this, but it was hot day and I decided that I’d feel cooler in a beret or a snood instead of the sheitel I was wearing. So I popped into a local store and bought something that was airy and comfortable, except that the way it hung down around my ears made me look like a medieval serf. The kind of thing I’d never wear in public, but hey, I’m just driving home.

Did I mention I hadn’t eaten lunch or dinner? So I rip open a bag of Smart Fries like a hungry animal, thinking I’ll try one, two, maybe three fries just to tide me over. Whoa! What a surprise. I thought they would taste like kid food, but I loved them. First, I tried Vinegar Splash. They were light, crisp, and salty. After salty, I needed sweet, so I tried Honey Mustard & Onion and it totally hit the mark. At the next red light, I rummaged around in the bag and found that I had Honey BBQ. Well, I just had to try those.

So I have three bags open and I’m pounding the Smart Fries with wild abandon. About 45 minutes into my trip, I hear an insistent series of beeps. I turn my head and see the CEO of Kosher.com coming up on my left. I’ve got a mouthful of fries, crumbs on my face, and an ugly shmatta on my head! I try to duck and hide my red face as he sails past, waving jovially.

I drove 20 miles an hour the rest of the trip home, careful not to catch up with him — so I could finish off those Smart Fries in peace.

What’s your most embarrassing food moment? You don’t have to use your real name here! Leave a comment and let’s get the discussion going. Please, don’t leave me all alone in this!

Surprise guests? No problem! Make this cool & kosher Yogurt Parfait Buffet in minutes!

So I’m kicking myself – not an easy feat – for not blogging about the making of my second book, Quick & Kosher: Meals in Minutes (due out this November, G-d willing.) I could have posted pictures of me writing, eating a bag of chips, crying, eating another bag of chips, going bonkers, eating another bag … OK so maybe you don’t need photos of this cook in crisis. But it would have been fun to show you some behind-the-scenes stuff from a photo shoot. Did you know it takes one amazingly talented photographer plus a team of six assistants to make a Pita Panini look good?

Since I missed that opportunity I can at least share what it takes to get my cookbook to market – and of course, what we eat in the process! Whether you’re doing a cookbook, or hosting any kind of meeting, this could happen to you! One morning my three PR agents and my publisher are on their way over to my house when I realize they may be expecting to eat something here. My kitchen is a total mess, I have no grown-up breakfast food in the house, and there’s no time to shop! How tragic would it look for a cookbook author to serve Rice Krispies?

My favorite solution to a cooking quandary is… not cooking! So I opt for a yogurt parfait buffet instead. In pretty little blue and white bowls I got from Target (love their tableware!), I set out strawberry and vanilla yogurts, champagne mangos, plump blueberries, and faux granola. (Actually, I grabbed a bunch of my kids’ Nature’s Valley Granola Bars, put them in a bag, and pounded them until they crumbled like granola.) I set the table with the buffet running down the middle and stacked bowls, spoons and glasses within easy reach. I filled a beautiful glass pitcher with fresh water and orange slices and… voila! I was ready to entertain! Quickly changing out of my pj’s, I race to the living room, breathlessly position myself casually on the couch, and wait for my company.

The funniest part of this madness is they loved the spread! They said things like “so chic… so fresh… so inviting!” The kicker – they asked if I made the granola. I had to laugh. Don’t worry I didn’t lie.

What is your favorite easy entertaining idea? Leave me a comment and let’s get this conversation going because we can all use some inspiration.

Another week and another 15 kosher recipes we hope you enjoyed. This week we weaned ourselves off the fab kosher vegetarian recipes and onto our delicious friends from the sea! Fish is perfect for summer because it’s light, full of Omega 3’s and protein, and really versatile when it comes to prep. From entertaining the in-laws to feeding the kids to lunch with the girls – great fish can make you friends! In case you missed any of last week’s recipes or want to try another, here’s our weekly round-up.

Broiled Salmon with Miso Glaze for Two Crispy Fish Sandwich with Pineapple Slaw Salmon with Roasted Chile-Mango Sauce Healthy Fish Sticks Pistachio-Crusted Tuna Steaks Tuna Melt Parmesan and Sun-Dried Tomato-Crusted Tilapia Sesame Crusted Yellowfin Tuna with Wasabi Sauce Smoked Salmon Rolls Pacific Sole with Oranges & Pecans Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon Tuna Pomodoro Thyme-and-Sesame-Crusted Halibut Mustard-Crusted Salmon Mediterranean Tuna Panini

Sadly, this coming week is the last week of Kosher.com’s Summer Recipe Series. I know, bummer. But we’ve saved the best for last because this week we bring it home big time with the beef. By the time we’re done dishing out recipes, you’ll be everyone’s new best friend. Seriously.

‘Jamie, where can I find these recipes that will make me the culinary rock star of my home’ you ask? Follow Kosher.com on Twitter or ‘Like’ us on Facebook to get new recipes each day. It’s that easy. And when you’re done don’t forget to leave me a comment here and tell me how things turned out. I’m dying to know!

We are now half way through Kosher.com’s Summer Recipe Series and I hope you’ve had fun finding some new favorite recipes. Last week we took a break from all that meat business with 9 super easy, incredibly healthy, protein-packed kosher vegetarian recipes. In case you missed any of them, here’s a recap. For even more kosher vegetarian recipes, check out the recipe section on Kosher.com.

All summer long we’re posting new recipes for you to try. To get them, follow us on Twitter or ‘Like’ us on Facebook. And in case you missed any of them we’re posting round-ups here on the Kosher.com blog. And don’t forget to leave your comments! Did you try any of the recipes? Have a shortcut, suggestion, or question? Did we convert you from carnivores to plant eaters? Don’t be shy, let me know.

Chinese Braised Mushrooms & Tofu Indonesian Tofu Satay Creamy Spinach Dip Fettuccine with Shiitake Mushrooms & Basil Baked Mac & Cheese Savory Orange-Roasted Tofu & Asparagus Couscous & Fruit Salad Fusilli with Garden-Fresh Tomato “Sauce” Sauteed Spinach with Pine Nuts & Golden Raisins

Please tell me you loved last week’s kosher chicken recipes – part of our Kosher.com Summer Recipe Series! Chicken, – one of the most versatile proteins out there – never gets old. Bake, broil, grill, roast, poach, steam, saute or stir-fry it, chicken is the perfect blank canvas for you to step up and show your culinary skills! If you missed any recipes or want to find a new fave, here’s a round-up of last week’s chicken dishes.

Grilled Chicken with Chipotle-Orange Glaze Lime-Honey
Glazed Chicken Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers Cranberry & Herb Turkey Burgers Roasted Garlic Chicken & Baby Vegetables Stir-Fried Spicy Chicken Tenders Marmalade Chicken Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry Honey Chicken Cold Poached Spinach & Walnut Pesto Chicken Chicken Cutlets with Grape-Shallot Sauce Roasted Chicken Tenders with Peppers & Onions Chicken with Green Olives & Prunes Chicken &
Sweet Potato Stew BBQ Chicken Sandwich

This week we’re totally changing gears and offering a full week of kosher vegetarian recipes. The only protein as versatile as chicken is it’s nemesis, tofu. JK, but I should know, B4H (read: Before Hubby), in my single days, I was a super dedicated lifelong Veggie (ah the things we do for love). I’ll be the first to tell you vegetarian dishes are in no way boring, tasteless, or void of protein – and I have the recipes to prove it! Follow us on Twitter or ‘Like’ Kosher.com on Facebook to get new vegetarian recipes each day.

And don’t be shy! Love ‘em? Hate ‘em (I hope not!)? Have a shortcut or suggestion? Let me know in the comments. It’s a dialogue here on the Kosher blog, not a monologue!

With week two of our Summer Recipe Series in the rearview mirror, I hope you are all feeling thoroughly refreshed! With healthy smoothies to start your day, refreshing afternoon pick-me-ups, and fab evening cocktails to help you forget about it all, I hope you found a new summer favorite to enjoy. Here’s a round-up of last week’s kosher drink recipes in case you missed any of our fruity fun.

Raspberry Spritzer Mojito POM Cosmo Cherry Smash Fresh Grape Soda Wake-Up Smoothie White Sangria Citrus Berry Smoothie Kiwi-Mint Julep Avocado Pineapple Milkshake

Now that we’re hydrated and maybe a little buzzed, it’s time to think main course! Starting Wednesday night – when chicken is “officially” back on the menu – my mantra will be ‘flavorful simplicity.’ Chicken is an excellent source or protein, low on carbs, (who doesn’t need that!) and with a few spices or a tangy marinade, you can reinvent the chicken with each meal.

Follow Kosher.com on Twitter or find us on Facebook to get new recipes each day. At the end of each week I’ll be posting recipe round-ups here on the Kosher.com blog in case you missed anything. And don’t forget to leave me a comment  - let me know which recipes you’ve enjoyed the most, any adjustments you’ve made and be sure to share some of your favorite chicken recipes we me!

We kicked off the first week of our Summer Recipe Series with salads. Light, refreshing, and hydrating, salads are the perfect summer food. Here’s a round-up of last week’s recipes in case you missed any of them.

Avocado, Edamame and Radish Asian Salad Raspberry, Avocado & Mango Salad Fresh Herb & Snap Pea Salad       Tropical Cucumber Salad Arugula Salad with Honey-Drizzled Peaches Artichoke & Ripe Olive Tuna Salad       Roasted Asparagus Salad with Citrus Dressing Garden Pasta Salad Crunchy Pear & Celery Salad       Greek Diner Salad Roasted Apple & Cheddar Salad Claire’s Mixed Green Salad with Feta Vinaigrette

This week it’s all about refreshment with over a dozen fresh drink recipes! Follow us on Twitter or find us on Facebook to get new recipes each day. At the end of each week we’ll be posting recipe round-ups here on the Kosher.com blog in case you missed anything. And don’t forget to leave us a comment and let us know which recipes you’ve enjoyed the most!

If you are looking for some light, healthy, and easy-to-make recipes to enjoy this summer, have we got a recipe series for you! For the next few weeks we’ll be hand selecting our favorite kosher recipes that are super easy and simply delicious.

Summer is the perfect time to relax with your family and friends by the pool, at the beach, or on a picnic and enjoy great food. From crisp salads and refreshing drinks to zesty appetizers and mouth watering recipes for the grill, we’ll  have new ideas for you to wow your crowd all summer long.

Follow us on Twitter or find us on Facebook to get new recipes each day. At the end of each week we’ll be posting recipe round-ups here on the Kosher.com blog in case you missed anything. And don’t forget to leave us a comment and let us know which recipes you’ve enjoyed the most!

With July 4th coming up and hot weather entertaining on your calendar, a jar of cold simple syrup in your refrigerator could provide you with irresistible last minute kosher  refreshments.

Sugar can be gritty sprinkled on food or mixed into drinks or kosher frozen desserts, but an easy way to combat this problem is to have a simple syrup on hand that can sweeten and flavor your dish while using much less than the equivalent dry sweetners.

What to do with Simple Syrup

• Try pouring a little into your iced tea or alcoholic drink for a personalized flavor.
• Toss some fresh fruit with a few tablespoons of syrup about 15 minutes before serving so that the fruit macerates and some of its juices mix with the syrup.
• Puree the fruit of 1 peeled cantaloupe with 1/3 to 1/2 cup syrup (or to taste) and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  Add it to your favorite ice cream maker and enjoy a terrific, non-fat, sorbet

How to Make Simple Syrup

1. Place equal amounts of water and sugar in a saucepan (I use 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a 2 quart saucepan).

2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat.  You may stir once or twice to combine the sugar with water but then leave it alone.

3. When mixture is clear, remove from heat and you are done!

4. Store in a clean jar in the refrigerator for months

Note: You might prefer to flavor your simple syrup.  Try adding 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water or 1/2 teaspoon rose water or a few drops of jasmine oil to the slightly cooled liquid.

Yield: about 1 cup

Recipe

Green Tea-Jasmine Sorbet with Assorted Fruit

Ever make simple syrup? How do you flavor it and how do use your simple syrup? Please let me know by leaving a comment below.

With the largest Jewish population in Africa, South Africa, host of the 2010 World Cup, has a great variety of kosher food available.

Kosher consumers heading to  the 2010 World Cup will  have no difficulties finding kosher restaurants and groceries stores. Reporting on the global soccer showdown,  Our friend Dani Klein of the YeahThatsKosher travel blog compiled a full list of South Africa’s kosher establishments. This is great news for the U.S. Men’s National team, which boasts three Jewish players—the largest Jewish contingent on a single team in World Cup history.

World Cup fans, what did you think of the draw between the U.S. and Britain; fluke or is U.S. soccer gaining credibility? Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Kosher Travel Meals & Snacks at Kosher.com Kosher Travel Meals Kosher Beef Jerky Kosher Snacks Kosher Candy

Shift into hot summer days with cool kosher cuisine.

This year, June 29th corresponds to the Hebrew fast day of the Seventeenth of Tammuz – the opening of a time period reserved for somber reflection culminating in the fast of Tisha B’Av. Like iron bookends, these two dates frame what is commonly called the “Three Weeks.” Many people are unaware of this warp on the Jewish calendar, much the less observe its prohibitions. It doesn’t get much press.

But for thousands of Jews, the 17th of Tammuz marks the day when the walls of ancient Jerusalem were breached by the enemy, which of course, was the beginning of the end. We’ve been “wandering Jews” ever since.  Seems to me, I’ve done my fair share of wandering too.

And it’s summer. As if the heat weren’t enough, we feel slowed down by these heavy reminiscences. But, listen – there’s no law against finding refreshment and rejuvenation in our meals during this time! A thoughtful cook will devise cool, colorful dishes that will lighten the spirit.  What we want is fly-away light, butterfly light — meals that go down smooth and sweet, and won’t weigh you down afterward.

I have recipes for those perfect summer meals – the kind that make you want to kick off your shoes and go play in the sand.  Ingredients for these delectable dishes are probably in your pantry and, whatever you don’t have already, you can easily get right here on Kosher.com.

10 Refreshing Kosher Summer Recipes

• Black Bean and Salsa Salmon
• Chopped Salad al Tonno
• Cold Poached Spinach and
  Walnut Pesto Chicken
• Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap
• Grilled Tomato Gazpacho
• Lemony Lentil Salad with Salmon
• Mache & Chicken Salad with
  Honey-Tahini Dressing
• Pasta Nicoise
• Mozzarella and Tomato Stacks
• Strawberry & Cream
  Cheese Sandwich

Do you have a favorite cool kosher recipe? Please share it by leaving a comment.