Baked French Toast Casserole

make-ahead french toast casserole

If there’s any leftover challah on Sunday, we love to make French toast for breakfast. But when a crowd is coming over for brunch, you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen with a frying pan. That’s where casseroles come in. Make this on Saturday night and sleep in on Sunday before your friends arrive. And don’t forget the mimosas!

I first made this recipe with crumbled chocolate wafers mixed with the challah and in the topping, but it’s just as delicious without. It’s already French toast, it doesn’t need the extra decadence!  Continue reading

Peanut Butter Banana Blender Muffins

peanut butter banana blender muffins by the kosher foodies

If you follow us on Instagram, you probably know that I’m pretty much obsessed with my new Vitamix. No, they are not paying me to promote their product. I am just in love with it. I have a lot of kitchen gadgets, but none that I use as often as this one (because, let’s face it, while I’m in love with my Bosch Universal Plus, I can’t bake 5 pound batches of bread every day). I use my Vitamix at least once a day, and sometimes more. I make smoothies, juices, shakes, soups, and more in it. Recently, I found this muffin recipe that’s so easy, I just have to share it with you. Of course, you don’t need a super high speed awesome Vitamix blender for it, and any immersion blender will do, but hey, if you have one, why not use it? Continue reading

Claudette’s Granola

Claudette's Granola This isn’t the first granola recipe we’ve posted. And it definitely won’t be the last. But hey, there are tons of ways in this word to enjoy granola. In a bowl with milk, on top of yogurt, in a parfait, as an ice cream topping, plain as a snack, mixed with apples and thrown all over your kitchen floor…wait, that one isn’t so enjoyable. But you get the idea. Granola is a staple in our kitchens and it should be in yours, too. If not because the blend of oats, nuts, and fruit is good for you and an easy, homemade, and unprocessed snack, then because it makes the entire kitchen (and house) smell amazing as it bakes!

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Strawberry and Apricot Crisp

Strawberry and Apricot Crisp

I love fruit crisps. I love fruit in general, but something about cooking fruit and bringing out the natural sugars just makes it extra delicious. Usually we make crisps and pies all summer, but with peaches, apples, cherries, and blueberries. So when I saw this recipe for strawberries and apricots, two of my favorite fruits, I knew I had to try it. The only problem? Pine nuts! They are just way too expensive and I didn’t have any in my kitchen, so I changed up the recipe a little bit and came up with my own variation. The result? A shabbat dessert that we finished that night! Next time, I’m doubling the recipe. Continue reading

Asparagus Custard Tart

asparagus tart, by the kosher foodies

Spring is here! And spring means asparagus is in season. No more boring roasted or grilled asparagus, we’re going gourmet here. Now, gourmet doesn’t mean hard. Actually, while there are a few steps in this recipe (you should read it over once before actually attempting it – you’ll need to do a bit of juggling), it’s quite easy! and impressive looking. Feel free to use store-bought pie crust or even puff pastry, as in the original recipe.  Continue reading

Kosher Foodies Brunch Menu

On Tuesday, February 19th, we hosted a cooking class at the Sephardic Community Center. We had such a great time teaching everyone to make a bunch of different brunch foods. We used lots of flour, butter, and sweeteners, but it was definitely worth it! Super delicious foods, that you don’t usually eat much of (or make all at the same time).brunch at the center

We’ve been getting some requests for these recipes – most of them are already on the blog. Some of them are new. Check out these links to our brunch blog posts. What is your favorite brunch food? Continue reading

Oven Risotto

People think that risotto is hard to make. And it is, but only if you use one of those recipes that has you standing over the stove mixing the wine and chicken stock and adding ladlefuls each time the liquid is absorbed. One of my favorite people ever, Ina Garten, just makes her risotto in the oven. So easy! Especially if you have homemade vegetable broth in the freezer, like I always do.

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Dinner Rolls

This is one of the most beautiful dishes I’ve ever made. And they were really easy! I know a lot of people are scared of yeasted breads, but this one is so impressive when served to guests, especially if you’re making a dinner party, that you should really just try.

Plus, I adapted this hand-kneading recipe to use with a mixer so there’s hardly anything you need to do. I also made it pareve, since I ate it with a meaty stew. I’m sure it would be even more amazing with some melted butter on top, though I love the flavor of a good olive oil. Or, you can dress it up with some herbed oil.

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Cinnamon Raisin Bread

This is no ordinary bread. Forget the fact that it’s filled with raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar. It’s also made with a rich, buttery “breakfast” dough. That’s right, I used the same dough for this that I used to make cinnamon buns. So you know it must be good.

Thinking of something different to make for the break-fast? Well, you can’t go wrong with this! People don’t want to eat TOO much (well, I don’t, at least) an this will be a perfect post-fast meal along with a big cup of tea.  Continue reading

Salad Nicoise

Sometimes, the best lunch is just a big giant salad. But not just a boring lettuce and veggies salad, a delicious one with tons of protein, carbs, veggies, and lots of flavor. So when my mom was having company at the pool, I decided to do just that. A giant salad for lunch. It was easy to make, though it took a while to do all the steps, and was definitely worth it. For dinner I would sear tuna steaks, but for lunch, 2 cans of tuna is perfect.

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