Cheesecake + Cook in Israel Cookbook Announcement

Posted on May 10, 2013 | 15 comments As a freelance writer and photographer, I’m always juggling various projects and assignments of differing scopes. I’m very excited to announce one with which I have a great personal connection at this point, one that took up a lot of my time and creative energy in the past year, and one that I am very, very proud of. Cook in Israel: Home Cooking Inspiration with Orly Ziv is a...
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Homemade Paneer and Ricotta, and an Indian Food Blog Hop

Posted on Jan 18, 2013 | 23 comments If I had realized how easy it is to make paneer at home, I would have started doing it long ago. I’d made ricotta (or, technically, farmer’s cheese) many times and loved the simple process and fresh taste. Turns out homemade paneer is just an extra step away. Two ingredients and minimal equipment – does it get any easier than that? It all comes down to curdled milk. You need a...
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Leek, Potato, and Feta Pancakes and a Fried Food Blog Hop

Posted on Dec 7, 2012 | 25 comments I still can’t get over the fact that it’s December. But here it is, and Hanukkah (Chanukah) starts tomorrow evening, in all it’s fried glory. Being in Israel for the holiday means sufginyot (jelly donuts) everywhere, latkes on the cover of every food magazine, and huge menorahs around town. My favorite, though, is sticking my head out the window on the first night of Hanukkah...
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Guest Post: Orecchiette with Leeks and a Leek Blog Hop

Posted on Nov 30, 2012 | 11 comments Today I’m doing a guest post over at Shut Up and Cook: The Attainable Gourmet, and I hope you’ll stop by and check it out. Besides the recipe for orecchiette with leeks and ricotta (yes, it’s as good as it sounds and easy as can be!), Erina’s blog is just a joy to explore. I’ve known Erina since college, when she was one of the stars of the all female a cappella...
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Easy Homemade Pizza and a Pizza Blog Hop

Posted on Oct 12, 2012 | 32 comments As soon as I saw this no rise, practically no knead pizza dough recipe on the web I knew I had to try it out (you’ve probably seen it too – it’s got over 84,000 pins on Pinterest!). This easy pizza seemed too good to be true and had an intriguing secret ingredient: Yogurt. I love adding yogurt to everything from baked goods to pasta dishes, and from salad dressings to sauces to...
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Pasta with Ricotta and Brussels Sprouts

Posted on Oct 8, 2012 | 22 comments Although I didn’t grow up eating Brussels sprouts, as an adult I’ve fallen in love with them. And, while I make them often, I’ve only posted one Brussels sprouts recipe on the blog. I knew I had to change that. Fortunately I came across this easy and delicious pasta with ricotta and Brussels sprouts recipe from Culinary Adventures with Camilla, my assigned blog for this...
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Manchego and Fig Panini and a Fig Blog Hop

Posted on Sep 7, 2012 | 31 comments It’s fig season in Israel and it is glorious. I’ve never before lived somewhere with such a wealth of gorgeous fresh figs. Seeing them piled high at the shuk just makes me smile. There are few fruits as pretty as figs, and their subtly sweet flavor makes them a perfect foil to savory dishes – and in particular cheese. I love to stuff figs with goat cheese or ricotta and drizzle...
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Marinated Kale Salad and a Leafy Green Blog Hop

Posted on Aug 31, 2012 | 33 comments I know I’m a grown-up because one of my favorite parts about being home in New York for the summer was kale. I’ve yet to find this vitamin-rich leafy green in Israel, and I get envious every time I read a blog post or article about kale chips or sautéed kale. But in New York, it’s everywhere now and of course nowhere is it better than at the farmer’s market. My kale...
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Baked Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Posted on Aug 27, 2012 | 19 comments The theme for this month’s World on a Plate is stuffed vegetables and I couldn’t be more excited. I considered classic stuffed peppers (I found a recipe in an American cookbook from the early 1900s) but then I decided on one of my favorite summer favorites: Stuffed squash blossoms. Squash blossoms are the pretty yellow-hued edible flowers that grow along with zucchini and other summer...
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Ricotta Gnocchi and a Cheese Blog Hop

Posted on Jul 27, 2012 | 43 comments If you’ve ever been too intimidated to make your own pasta, gnocchi is a great place to start. And if regular potato gnocchi seems like too much work, well ricotta gnocchi is the way to go. This Italian pasta dumpling has three – yes just THREE! – ingredients and doesn’t require the use of a pasta maker. You just mix together ricotta, flour, and an egg and gently knead it...
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