A Sweet Happy Easter

 Happiest of Easters to readers around the world!!! Enjoy this holy day full of joy and hope with the best of meals and the sweetest of candy!

Here are scenes from my Easter displays.I'm waiting for those chocolate eggs and bunny!!!!!

Ready For Spring Dinners

 Everything happens this season.Passover is next week with Easter and then Greek Easter closely behind.Then there are those April showers for those June and JUly weddings. Are you ready for all the planning cooking and baking?It's timet o check.

With Passover starting next week on, April !st,home chefs should;LD be planning dinners with both family and friends. What to make without getting too repetitive?Brisket is always a good choice , especially for a large group. There is also roasted chicken which can be perfect for a small family of five or four. Salmon is an elegant choice for friends visiting.As with any gathering there are always vegetarians. One way or avoid conflict is having allo the vegans over for a meatless Seder.  There are a slew of choices here.Think sliced portobellos with salsa Verde or chimichurri sauce. You could also make grilled cauliflower steaks.If you're catering to a big group try the New York Times classic matzoh lasagna. It's soaking the matzoh much like you would do pasta noodles so that they crisp up when baked.Easter and Greek Easter are the same. It's inviting family and friends over with the question of "What to serve"> Ham is very popular in many households. It makes for good leftovers and good care packages too. Some may want to try duck or Cornish hen for a more elegant Easter meal. The Greeks always have lamb which is delicious and very traditional.

Spring also brings all those showers.baby, and bridal. Here again there are so many lies from meat lovers to vegetarians. The obvious and popular choice is a charcuterie board. This is perfect for me at lovers because there will be copious amounts of coppacola, prosciutto and various salame. There should be bowls of both green and black olive switch a few Kalamara thrown in for some variety. Brie is very popular so a circle of it will go fast. Yet there should be other choices like Edam and Gruyere. Have a variety of wheat and rice crackers along with three or four baguettes. Little ramekins of butter should be placed on the tables as well. Vegans can be welcome at a charcuterie board as well. VioLife produces a large array of vegan cold cuts . You could even air fry crispy slices of vegan bacon too,.Miyokos' Creamery has all sorts of vegan cheese and cheese spreads, perfect for a board. These can be found at any grocery like Acme or Stop and Shop. Also have plenty of fresh sveggies and dips too . They are perfect for anyone and act like a palate cleansers.End with a sweet charcuterie board. There could be everything from  chocolate pretzel rods to macarons done in the bridal party's them color.

It's Spring.It's time for all sorts of gatherings. Be ready ,Be prepared for the busy season ahead.

A Glazing Guide

 What makes a holiday table sing? A perfectly glazed ham . Yet glazing is a headache to many home chefs, including the most experienced. Can the perfect glaze be made? Yes. It just takes  some good ingredients and knowing how togive ham that glossy look.

Ham is nothing new at Christmas. Long before Germanic tribes embraced Christianity ,Teutonic pagans celebrated the winter solstice  or  Yule with roasted wold boar. Throughout the centuries ha was the star of any German Christmas table. It went over to England and then to the American colonies where many Founding  Fathers enjoyed cured ham as part of their holiday meal. yet glazing ham come about in the 1880's and it was usually with a savory stock that was either reduce or thickened with butter and flour .This was flavored with various herbs and spices. Any sweetness came from added wine . Ale could be added to this glaze too.The modern glaze that we know came about in the 1930's created by Harry Hoensellar in Detroit, Michigan He offered honey glazed hams to curious housewives.It clicked .The sweetness was a great foil for the meat's cured saltiness. He also in vented the spiral cut ham which made it easier for home chefs to carve at the holiday table

Throughout the recent decades home chefs have used all sorts of sweet ingredients to glaze holiday  hams, both Christmas and Easter. They include  everything from ginger ale to pineapple juice / A simple one includes dark brown sugar (which as more flavor than light brown sugar) along with honey or real maple syrup. Kickiness comes from the addition of Dijon mustard and ground cloves. Ground cinnamon and nut meg can also be added. You could go 1950's and create a different and fruity pineapple glaze. this  is more than just pouring juice onto an uncooked ham. The glaze also has brown sugar and honey to give that skin that burnished, glossy caramel look.Dijon or stone ground mustard along with apple cider vinegar cuts all that sweetness (no one want a ham that tastes like a candy). Cinnamon and clove can also be added. How do you glaze a ham? Usually with a brush and its done during the last hour or so of baking. This is usually done four times - figure every fifteen minutes.. This is also the time to score the game -r creating those squares on the outside. Add water so the bottom doesn't;t burn either.

The perfect Christmas ham is a glazed one. You can go from a simple glaze or a more elaborate one. Pick the one that you feel the most comfortable with using. The result with be a perfect marriage for salty and sweet with a kick for mustard and spices.

Your favorite Holiday Flavors

 We all have them, Our favorite Passover and Easter flavors. it could be a decades old brisket recipe, flavorful and meaty .It could be chocolate coconut or creme eggs . These are the tastes that shape us and our memories.

The question is what is your favorite Spring holiday flavor? Mine is asparagus Piedmontese style with melted plant butter and vegan Parmesan cheese. I'm also fond of chocolate chip macaroons too.

Let us know here.

Are you Peeps or JellyBeans

 Here's a question right in time for 🐣 🗿  Easter. What is your favorite Easter time candy? Do you love a mouthful of marshmallows goodness? Are black jelly beans your passion? Or do you love a chocolate egg with more chocolate candy inside?

Let us know here...

March Plans

 Even though it's only the first of the month ,March is a holiday rich one. There's St.Patrick;s day  followed by Purim. Pam Sunday and Easter Sunday end the month. Throw in bridal showers for those May and June brides and you have a lot fo planning and cooking to do.

St Paddy's Day may be the easiest to prep for. Its just corned beef and cabbage , right? Actually there's a lot more . You may want to make homemade colcannon, that yummy mix of kale and cabbage cooked with mashed potatoes and garlic or onions. The dish becomes labor intensive if you use homemade mashed. The colcannon only takes about ten to fifteen minutes to crisp up like a giant potato pancake. The're also Irish soda bread.If you used up your flour for some Valentuines' day cookies and cakes then it;s time to go out and ge tmore along with raiins for this treat. If you;re celebrating Purim, then it's also baking . This time is hamentasen ,  filled cookies to symbolize eating Hamen's ears or pockets. The dough must be chilled before being rolled out, and cut into triangles. They then have to be filled with either poppyseed or Mohn, prune, Levkar or apricot filling. These can be a lot of work especially if you;'re making tow or three dozen for a party. You may also want to bakes a loaf or two of kulich a challah type bread too.

Pam Sunday and Easter also mean a lot of planning, cooking and baking. This is the time to start planning if you want a smaller dinner or a large one with family and friends. Usually Palm Sunday is spent with the immediate family while Easter is a bigger gathering. You could have just a small ham with some trimmings for Palm Sunday and save the big family brunch for Easter a week later. Most families serve ham or incorporate it into quiches and frittatas . You could also  serve a whole ham accompanied by a cheesy strata full of eggs and cheddar. Bake mini muffins in different flavors as well . These are perfect for the little ones. As for dessert, a traditional Easter lamb shaped cake is always nice. Just remember that this is labor intensive and you'll need a lot of flour , sugar and butter for the cake and frosting./ Since this is also the month for bridal showers now is the time to start planning for bridesmaids and mothers. If the weather grows warm and Springlike, then think of a back yard tea party with sandwiches and small cakes. Again the couple's mothers can also get together and prepare hot dishes such as roasts and sides for an indoor sit down dinner if that's more preferable.

March is here and with it a host of holidays. Start deciding and planning what you want to make and bake. Be prepared for this busy month ahead.

Ready For Easter Brunch

One of the most fun and delicious traditions is Easter brunch.It's a great way for family and friends to gather.Yet it does require a lot. The key is to be ready and well stocked for it.

One of the most important things to dois make a list of who is coming along with their likes and dislikes.If you have vegans coming remember to buy products like Morningstar Farms soy bacon and Just Egg egg substitute. Keep in mind that this last can also be used in baking. Also take into consideration kid's allergies. Keep the brunch free of nuts along with products that were processed where there were nuts.Gluten free is easy to get and create. There aremany gluten free flours so you can make everything from waffles to cupcakes .Once you have your list , ask yourself if the weather is nice enough for outdoor dining. You could set up tables and folding chairs set in various spits in the backyard or just have one set table. THis is also time to air out the good Spring linen tablecloth and napkins for indoor dining. Should there be a kid's table? Yes, They'll be a noisy , excited crowd after an Easter egg hunt fueled by chocolate eggs  Have fun favors you can get at your local dollar store or FIve Below or small cupcake liners filled with a Peep and jelly beans.

As for the food, you can easily ge tthe ham now along with any of the canned sides.Canned pineapple is a must have in many an Easter dinner so get it now before the stores sell out. Do you want to have an omelet bar? Try to buy eggs in the next few days, despite everyone using them for dying. Wal-mart has a good deal with eighteen eggs for only $3,13. You could get two containers with saving some for decoration.If you're planning on making egg cups make sure you have the right muffin pans for them. You  may have to buy a second one to accomodate a large crowd.If it's a true brunch , then it 's time to check your griddle to make sure it's working. the same thing for your waffle maker.That brings up the question do you have enough flour or Bisquick for waffles and pancakes? As for dessert , do you let guests bring their own creations or do you bake for the enire crowd? Now is the  time to buy the cake mixes , Dream Whip if you're making a lamb cake and confectioner's sugar for frosting. Also now is the time for buying the extras for baking like coconut and marashmallow for grass and bunny tails. Make sure your food coloring is usable and you have enough.

Easter brunch is a great way to celebrate the holiday. Make sure you're ready for it.Preparedness will go a long way in making a memeorable meal.

Relying On Tradition

 The holidays teach us one thing - to rely on tradition.It's what guides us through celebrations and holy days. This also includes time homored recipes used in many an Easter or Passover meal.

This was on my mind as I bought spaetzle and risotto at Aldi's today. It's a Swabian German custom to have noodles and eggs on Good Friday, one of the holiest and most somber days of the Christian calendar. I'm taking a family tradition and updating it by subbing in the spaeztle for egg noodles. (although I suspect the original dish used them.) It's served with a side of sliced peaches as all German dishes have some kind of fruit incorporated in the dish.As for Easter it's a new tradition of risotto and fresh asparagus This replaces the old one of again the Swabian influenced ham served with beans and potato salad. I've made this every year for the past few years. Yes, I'll bake the Easter lamb cake  , following in my Mom's step. I'll mix in the Dream Whip  as she did for a denser, richer cake, but add my own spins. There willbe Just Egg instead of real eggs, almond milk instead of cow's. The icing will have vegetable shortening like hers in it to give it the perfect texture for the crumb coat and rosettes.I may give it a dash of either lemon or grapefruit juice just to zing it up.

Others are also relying on family recipes. Many will be observing Passover starting April 5th. There will be variations on moms' and grandmothers' brisket recipes.  Home chefs may add cayenne pepper for some spike and heat.Others will try a brown sugar rub that gives the surface a crackly crust.. Tzimmes, the carrot and stewed prune side dish is always served  but the family recipe will get some new ingredients.It could be lemon or lime juice to cut all that sweetness or maybe star anise .Kugel that Passover staple may be savory on a few tables this year.It's suually a sweet dish but there are several savory ones that feature spinach and mushrooms. Easter is usually ham or lamb. A few home chefs are eager to try Eric Kim's pineapple ham featured in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. This is like a retro dish from the Fifties, complete with golden pineapple rings. The glaze is made with Dijon mustard ,brown sugar and fresh juice from both pineapples and lemons. Some may use their granny's recipe and add a ginger ale based glaze on it. as for th elamb, it's usually baked with rosemary sprigs.and fresh lemon juice. There will be updating with an olive oil rub or the addition of red wine vinegar.

Tradition guides us.it guides our cooking.It gives the template for traditionak dishes that can be given new spins and updates.

Your Spring Baking Musts

 Spring gives us a busy baking season, almost as busy as winter. There are the holidays, Easter , Orthodox Easter Passover and Ramadan along with all sorts of showers and college  graduations. Are you ready for the baking that comes with them.

Of course ingredients should be at the ready. There should be flour for the Easter and Orthodox Easter cakes and breads. You should be stocking up on confectioners sugar for icings.As the holidays progress think about bargain shopping for eggs (still expensive) along with deals on butter and cake mixes.It's also time to get those pastel gel icings if you don't already have them. Once the ingredients are taken care of then its time to look at your molds. Thsi also includes candy and cake pop molds too. Most cake molds last decades if they're made from good aluminum or even steel. If you're a neophyte when it comes to baking lamb and egg cakes now is the time to buy the molds. You can get a cute bunny cake mold at your local Wal-Mart for under seven dollars. Michael's has the silicone molds for cookies as well as Easter themed  cupcake papers. Buy these now instead of waiting for next week. if you're planning on making a lamb cake for the frst time then head to Amazon.  They have the Wilton one for $24.00 and you can have it sent overnight. Also get ready for candy and cake pop making. Make sure you have plenty of sugar along with lollipop sticks and decoarations.

It's shower and graduation season once the holidays are over and done. D o you have large baking pans for sheet cakes along with the tiered ones for showers and smaller weddings? If not you may want to invest in RAQK one hundred pieces cake pan set plus decorating supplies. This is a must have have for any home baker planning on supplying the cake for any shower. It comes with a large, medium and small sized springform cake pans along with icing nozzles , a cake leveler to create more layers and three scrapers to create fancy sides on the cake. It's a great buy on Amazon for $23.99. Of course showers and some grad parties also have smaller cakes for easy nibbling. Do you have enough cupcake pans for a crowd of fifty or sixty ? It pays to buy another tin  which can also be used for muffins if you're planning on a brunch shower.  Check your supply of pie tins for baking that shower staple quiche ,Most showers usually have three different versions so it pays to have a few sturdy tins. These can be used later on to create ice box  pies or ice cream filled ones. Do you also plan on baking petit fours for shower teas.If not you can buy one or two now and try practice baking with them.

Be ready for Spring baking. Make sure you have the right ingredients and the correct molds. doign this will make holiday and baking for all t hose patrties a snap.

Changing Up Spring Sweets

 This is the season for baking holiday treats and sweets. Yet it's usually the same thing, from kugel for Passover to Easter themed cakes , cupcakes and cookies . What about changing ot up a bit? Put in a new recipe that the family will love.

Passover begins on April 5th this year and ends on April 13th. The usual desserts are ones made with out flour namely kugel. Yet it's time to break out of that classic mold. Why not serve a refreshing fruit salad or fruit cups instead. Make it colorful with pineapple chunks, kiwi slices and strawberries,Add blueberruies ,s liced grapes and tangerine slices for more sweetness. Now zing it up with a honey lime dressing. Another dessert not necessarily associated with Passover are chocolate covered strawberries. Dip these ruby gems in dark chocolate for a different kind of ending . Give them a dusting of kosher sprinkles to make them even fancier.The days are getting warmer so think about fruit sorbets.Create an easy three ingredient one by using fruit, honey or agave syrup and a squueze of lemon juice.It's pureeing the fruit and mixing with the sweetener and juice. Pour this into ice cube trays and then freeze. Take the frozen cubes and placed into a food frocessor. They're transformed into a cool creamy dessert. Think a a strawberry or blueberry sorbet for a refreshing end. You can also make a chocolate one too using both Dutch processed chocolate and cocoa powder.

As for Easter, yes those bunny cakes and cupcakes are cute but they can be a little boring. Why not end the Sunday meal with homemade ice cream spiked with chocolate eggs or the fun multicolored robin's egg malted milk eggs. You can make a vanilla or choclate ice cream loaf to be sliced and served with whipped cream.. It can even be served in multicolored cones for the little ones. Brownies may be known as an after school snack but they can be topped with a thin layer of icing and a Peep for a colorful end to your Easter dinner. You can use a box mix or try a scratch recipe.Another unusual idea are cake bites baked to look like small Easter eggs. You can use molds (which can be bought on Amazon) to create the shapes and then decorate them in pretty colors.Both kids and adults will love meringues. These are airy puffs of sweetness which can be made with vegan or non vegan ingredients. The non vegan is made with aquafaba or chickpea brine and tastes the same as the regular ones made with egg whites. Dye them pink with all natural beet root which gives them a candy pink color. Of course coffee flavored ones are great for the adults.

Change up your Spring treats with new and exciting recipes .Break away from the classics.Serve fun sweets for Passover and Easter

All Those Easter Leftovers

 The day after Easter means ones thing -- leftovers. what do you do with all that ham, lambs and sides? What about that extra candy and sweets? Get creative ? THere's a ton of new recipes you can try with all that food.

Ham can be turned into tasty hot Croque Monsiurs or a cold, refreshing salad. For the French classic, you can cut the ham extra thick for a heartier sandwich.It would also go well in a grilled cheese too.As for a ham salad, prepare it like you would  a tuna salad. Add mayo along with chopped celery and onions. For added flavor serve on Hawaiian rolls. Their sweetness will offset the ham's saltiness. You can also turn it into a main meal by combining it with rotelli or elbow macaroni. Add peas, chopped carrots and broccoli florets to round it out. As for the dressing you can stick with just mayonnaise or create an Italian dressing to pour over it. What to do with that leftover lamb? Shepherd's pie is a nice way of repurposing it. You can even use those leftover mashed potatoes as the crust. Fill it with chopped carrots and onions along with celery and thyme. A lamb curry is also a great recipe for what's left of that roast leg. It's a great time to experiment that garam masala and curry powder. Serve with warmed naan and yogurt for a different spin on dinner.

You probably also have all that leftover candy too. it may sound strange but you can add chopped jelly beans to a cookie recipe. You could also incorporate them into a fudge if you like a super sweet bite. What about those other super sweet Easter treats - Peeps. A really neat idea is Peeps popcorn balls. This is melting down those chicks and adding plain salted popcorn. To make them even more fun, put  a lollipop stick in them and have a new kind of treat. What about Peeps s'mores? Use that leftover chocolate along with the Peeps on a skewer(think rotisserie Peeps, heated to gooiness over a stove top. Serve on either plain or chocolate Graham crackers. You could also heat just the bottoms and place on cupcakes for a different kind of topping. if those bunnies and eggs  haven't been completely devoured, break them into little bits and serve over anything and everything. They're fun mixed in with hot oatmeal or cold cereal. A layer of them is an extra kick in an ice cream parfait or sundae.

Those holiday leftovers can be repurposed into new and exciting meals and desserts. it's a fun way to reuse them and enjoy them a second time.  Try them  to still celebrate the holiday in a new way.

Good Friday Prayers

 it is Good Friday , the holiest day of the Christian calendar. All of our prayers should go to those suffering around the world and especially in the Ukraine and those displaced elsewhere. 

Hope and pray that they can enjoy their Palm Sunday and Easter without fear and with a good meal. The same goes for those observing Passover. 

Some of us have already begun our Easter baking yet our prayers are not only for a well turned out cake but for everyone to enjoy a holiday full of sweets and Spring hopefulness.

Easter Light Eating

 As with other holidays Easter brings about rich meals and even richer desserts. Yet it doesn't have to be this way. You can easily create lighter fare that's just as tasty and packed with flavor.

Many families have either ham and lamb. While these are traditional, they can be a bit too much in flavor. They 're geared more to Christmas or New Year's Think a lighter taste for Spring. Cornish hen fits the bill especially if it's just roasted with lemon and herbs. As with other poultry like turkey and chicken  you can put butter or a plant sub in like Melt under the skin.It not only imparts a lovely flavor but also gives the meat some moisture too. One is perfect for a small aster dinner for two. What would go with this? Think a side of herbed wild  rice and that Spring favorite asparagus. Herbed rice is made with the chewier, wild version along with a chopped yellow onion and such herbs as  dried, rosemary, thyme and basil. If you want something lighter then think of roasted carrots simply rubbed with olive oil, salt and pepper. The asparagus can be made with butter and Parmesan  to emphasize the green's earthy flavor. If chicken isn't your thing, then think salmon. You can go the sheet pan way with a garlic butter sauce  along with roasting it with fingerling potatoes and asparagus.

Easter cakes are always pretty and cute but they are also overloaded with tons of buttercream icing. Family and friends may prefer a simple Bundt cake.  Think one made with Meyer lemons or Cara Cara oranges and a simple glaze. A slice of pound cake would also be a nice ending to the Easter meal. You could bake a chocolate one which is dense but think of a  chocolate chip or a marble one. One of the airiest desserts to make is meringue. These can be made vegan by using aquafaba or chickpea brine. Whipped up it creates the same foamy lightness as an egg white meringue. Coffee meringues are a nice touch or you can try fruity ones, perfect with tea. You will need dried berry powder or freeze dried fruit. These also impart a lovely pink color, perfect to match those Easter eggs. There are two great desserts made with this. One is the Pavlova, named in honor of the great ballerina Anna Pavlova, This is a layer of meringue, whipped cream and fresh fruit such as strawberries , blue berries and raspberries. The other dessert is an Eton Mess, a favorite of the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex. This is like a combination of a Pavlova and a parfait where the meringue is broken into pieces and layered with whipped. cream and berries.

Think Spring when you're cooking and baking for Easter. The lighter flavors are like the season itself - delicate and fresh. It's a nice way to celebrate the day.

Lambing Season

 It's easter and you know what that means - thousands of home bakers will be baking a variety of lamb, egg and bunny shaped cakes again. Is it time to go through another round of intense holiday baking? You bet it is!

Three years I was following my Mom's tradition of baking lamb cakes for everyone. The pandemic hit and for two years Easter was a small affair with a lovely small cake from my local Acme. Now that life is back to normal, I'll be back at the Acme in search of cake mixes, Dream Whip for body, confectioner's sugar and flour.This mold will see active duty again this week and next for Orthodox Easter,It also means a thorough oven cleaning as well.

Of course there are questions and planning. For one friend, maybe a vanilla cake with a strawberry icing. For my house - the ever popular chocolate cake with a coffee frosting for a little brown lamb. Greek Orthodox friends always want the traditional  vanilla cake and vanilla frosting - there can be no other.I've been checking out my go to and best website for frosting recipes Two Sisters to see if there's a different type of coating to try. Then there's the question of full vegan for friends. Do I add almond milk and Just Egg to their cakes as well or can I use real eggs and milk for a fuller bodied cake? The decorations also count.Luckily food coloring has an indefinite shelf life so I can use the ones from the last lamb cake frenzy. As for the chocolate lamb, chocolate decorations work best, so it's buying a new tin of cocoa (and plan making and baking everything from mole to chocolate meringues this Spring). I know I'm not doing a tester cake like I did the last time. There was so much cake by Easter time. I will also need cupcake papers because there will be extra batter  and icing. The overage will yield two or three little cakes which are fun to decorate.

Yes, lambing season is here. That means my oven will be busy once more creating the cake everyone loves.It is a lot of work, but to seeing smiles of gratitude are worth all the baking and frosting.

Being Vegan For The Holidays

 Easter and Passover are about celebrating with family and friends. Yet what if they are vegetarian or vegan? Do you exclude them from the holiday meal? No! You include them with including vegan and vegetarian recipes. You can create new traditions by using more plant protein!

For the Easter holiday lamb and ham usually are the stars of the table. However there are some great dishes that vegetarians would approve of. Think a spinach or veggie lasagna with using plant based cheeses. You can also serve up a mushroom one too.Savory tarts are a nice change up . You can make a quiche without eggs. Just sub in chickpea flour mixed with soy or any nut milk to get that creamy texture. Try a leek and mushroom one baked in a shortcrust pastry shell. Some vegetarians do allow eggs into their diet so an Easter brunch with a traditional quiche is not out of the question. Instead of ham you can easily crumble soy bacon on top or sub in a variety of different veggies like broccoli or onions. If you want a bigger main course then think about using Beyond Beef for both Easter and Passover. The product is kosher certified so it can be incorporated into the seder. Bake it in a loaf pan and serve it with gravy. For Passover along with Easter, you can also roast portabella mushroom caps or bake cauliflower  steaks for a new classic main course.

Desserts shouldn't be tricky. You can easily sub in Just egg or Vegg Vegan Baking Mix for eggs and any kind of non dairy milk for the real thing. Soy milk is recommended because it has the same texture as cow;s milk. Creating buttercream frosting is just as easy. Use Melt plant butter instead of butter for a creamy textured frosting. Again you can use soy or almond milk to thin it out if it becomes too thick. Aquafaba, or chickpea brine can produce lovely meringues . Divide it up and add a drops of food coloring for meringues the color of Easter eggs. A truly elegant dessert is a pavlova. This is layers of meringue interspersed with whipped cream. Various fruits top this. As for the whipped cream make your own dairy free one by whipping together full fat coconut milk, vanilla extract and a few drops of maple syrup. You just have t skim the "fat' off the top and use that for the whole cream.The Passover seder can end with no bake chocolate macaroons, made with the traditional coconut flakes but with the twist of bananas and coconut oil to bind them.

A vegan holiday meal is easy to whip up. You can create a delicious main course and desserts from plant based ingredients. It's easy to do for Easter and Passover.

Gearing Up For Holiday Cooking

 Three major holidays happen this month and that means prepping the kitchen for holiday cooking. Ramadan, Easter and Passover happen within weeks of each other. it means planning and shopping along with scanning over recipes to see what works.

Ramadan starts tonight and ends on May 1st.There is fasting from dawn to sunset but that doesn't mean there can't be tasty dishes. The fast has to b broken each night with iftar the traditional meal. Of course the fast is usually broken by eating Medjool dates but there are other dishes that can be enjoyed by the family or by a crowd.Samosas are perfect, They're fun , finger foods and can be filled with either meat or potatoes. Think chicken or potatoes highly spiced with a variety of different spices like cumin and turmeric.Another tasty and quick to make dish are kabobs. A good choice is lamb or again chicken interspersed with onions, tomatoes and bell peppers.You could have stuffed veggies too or stews like one with lentils and beef. Sweets could be lokaymat, sweet dough balls fried and soaked in honey. Passover also begins this month and with it comes traditional recipes along with new spins on the classics.Of course there will be matzoh ball soup, highlighted by fluffy matzoh balls lightened a splash of seltzer. Brisket is always served. This savory cut can be seasoned with brown sugar, rosemary and a dash of paprika. What to serve with it? A vegetable kugel would work .it's a host of different veggies baked into a savory cake held together with potato starch and egg. A different dessert would be flourless chocolate cookies instead of the traditional cake.

Easter , itself, brings tradition and new spins.Most families serve ham with some kind of glaze. Southerners love one made with a good splash of Coke or Dr. Pepper. This cuts the meat's saltiness. Martha Stewart offers one with a cognac and brown sugar glaze. For a light  Spring-y meal Cornish hens will work. They have a more delicate taste than chicken and are perfect with an orange based glaze. Asparagus are a must , whether at a Seder or Easter meal. As for desserts, a cake would be nice. Think a bunny one, with  coconut frosting and jelly bean eyes. For all the holidays, make sure you have all the ingredients and the gadgets to prep them. Do you have enough pans for roasts along with plastic bowls and containers for left overs? What about linens? Is it time to get a new Spring tablecloth along with linen napkins. If it's warmer weather then what about having an outdoor holiday feast. Do you have enough outdoor chairs and plastic tablecloths? Now is the time to start buying for it all, along with planning. 

This is a month for holidays. Make sure you're ready with your recipes and ingredients.Planning and prepping will ensure a smoothly run holiday meal.

Easter Givings

 Today is Holy Thursday and it starts the beginning of the four day Easter holy days. It's a time of celebration but also reflection too. Think about those who don't have what you have and those who don't have your bounty. 

We are getting vaccinated at astonishing rates yet there is still so much to do for a safe recovery. Try to help those in need. Share your Easter dinner with  them or treat them to groceries so they can have a sumptuous meal too. Bake extra cupcakes or cookies and bring them over along with candy for the kids. If everyone has been vaccinated , then think about a socially distanced barbecue. Throw in an Easter egg and candy hunt too.

We may not be able to go to church to celebrate but we can celebrate each other. Start with generosity. It will go a long way and brighten up Easter for everyone.

Kilwin's -An Old Fashioned Candy Store

 Easter is coming up and that means all things candy. Yet where to get good old fashioned chocolate bunnies and treats. Look no further than Kilwin's a national chain with a small town candy shop vibe.

I recently discovered the store on a trip to Westfield ,New Jersey, a picturesque town in Middlesex County (it's also known for its' most celebrated resident Charles Addams, creator of the Addams Family cartoons for The New Yorker Magazine). Kilwin's sells everything from ice cream to all sorts of old fashioned bonbons. It's a franchise originating from the Midwest. Couple  Don and Katy Kilwins started the company in 1947 with the freshest ingredients. from cacao to fruits and nuts. Ice cream was added in 1985 and the company is also known for its' ice cream cakes too.They also sell a variety of caramel apples and homemade fudge.,Right now they're big on Easter candy.

I couldn't resist these small white chocolate bunny ears. They were only $5.50 for three ounces . They have larger sizes in dark and milk chocolate for $32.00 for twenty-four ounces. Kilwins also is selling chocolate crosses and bunnies as well as  cream and peanut butter eggs.kids will love their chocolate Easter bunny pops, along with the traditional foil eggs. Of course there are jelly beans along with sour chicks and bunnies. For a different spin of Easter candy there's bunny tails along with an Easter decorated  chocolate dipped Rice Krispie treat on a stick.

Check out the Kilwins nearest you for freshly made Easter candy. They have excellent choices for making the holiday special. All make for a sweet holiday.

A Thoughtful Good Friday

This Good Friday is one where we are all thoughtful and prayerful. Our minds and hearts along with our souls  are with those who are sick with the Covid-19 virus along with those with other illnesses. Our thoughts and prayers are also those on the front lines too. If you want to do a good deed this Easter season along then donate food, whether pizzas, doughnuts or sandwiches to our brave doctors and nurses.  Do the same too  for Passover and Ramadam too. Be grateful for these healthcare professionals  who are giving up their holidays for us.  Thank those cashiers and food stockers at your grocery stores. They too are on the front lines as our the truckers, farmers, produce pickers and food plant workers.

This is the day to be thoughtful. Think of what you can do for your community. Sew masks, Donate food. Treat workers to a much needed slice of pizza or cup of coffee. Pray for an end to this, where everyone emerges happy and healthy.

Holidays In The Time Of Hardship

With April comes holidays along with the foods and traditions that shape them. Yet how can we celebrate together when we're so far apart? That's a good question with several answers.

Priya Krishna wrote extensively about this in today's New York Times Food section, Luckily we have Zoom and Skype so there can be virtual Seders, and Easter dinners along with Persian New Year and Ramadam. Rabbi Doug Kahn,a Reform rabbi in San Francisco is doing a virtual Seder this Passover with his wife Ellen. The group has been asked to email each other their favorite holiday recipes so they're all on the same page . The hardest part, however, is the afikoman , the piece of matzo that's usually hidden in the house for children to find.Rabbi Kahn will carry his computer through his house, going through each room. People have to guess where the piece is hidden. The same can be done for Easter, Families can have virtual brunches or dinners together. They can even make candy together as Marley Griggey of Cincinnati , Ohio is doing with her family members. This is a family tradition this graduate student will pass down to her own young children. Her husband, Phill, who works overnight at Target, also helps in getting the traditional ham and eggs both hard to get right now both for cooking and dying.

The Persian New Year  or Nowruz is also very big. It is a time when there ceremonial dishes to be cooked and shared. It's in full swing right now , starting on March 19th. It's a thirteen day celebration where people throw parties and set up haft-sins. This is a collection of seven items like garlic and vinegar that symbolize hope for the new year along with dishes such as sabzi polo ba mahi, fish with herbed rice. Katayoun Kishi, an Iranian living in Atlanta had to pare down her festivities. Her haft sin had to be cut down because of shortages and there were no sweets because the bakeries were shut down. As for Ramadam, many of the dinners have been cancelled. Hassan Chami, a Detroit pharmacist  and owner of the restaurant Terry Melt,usually runs the Ramadam Food Festival, an event where there are forty vendors including himself. It's where the city's sizable Muslim population communally breaks their fast. The vent has to be cancelled but the money he donated is going to local hospitals to buy much needed supplies. along with giving free food away to hospital workers.

This year follow these examples to make the best of your holidays and holy days. It will be different but still celebratory. Make it a tasty one , still full of good memories.