Sweet and Tangy Rugelach

Whenever I eat rugelach, I think of the time my friends moved all of the furniture out of their apartment, rented a large dining table and chairs, and hosted one delicious Hanukkah dinner. The host and I made latkes for the occasion, and another friend showed up with a plate of the most beautiful, homemade rugelach. After laboring over my own rugelach, I am even more impressed with his seemingly effortless contribution. The flaky, tangy dough in this version balances out … Continue reading

Sweet Apple Noodle Kugel with Pickled Raisins

Sweet noodle kugel is a traditional comfort food that I always look forward to, because the crispy, crunchy noodles on top are so delicious and fun to pick off. But noodle kugel deserves to be eaten in its entirety, and that’s where I decided to break with tradition (and my grandma’s recipe). Sweet kugel is typically made with canned or dried fruit- not the most popular ingredients. This version uses fresh, sautéed apples and (surprise!) raisins that are plumped and pickled in … Continue reading

Natural Cherry Pie Filling–For Hamantaschen!

I love hamantaschen season, but every year when it’s time to make them, I feel terrible opening up the can of artificial cherry pie filling. I keep trying and failing to avoid it. Last year’s use of cherry jam was a sticky, overly-sweet disaster. But last week, in what can only be characterized as fateful timing, I noticed that Trader Joe’s had stocked bags of beautiful frozen cherries. I felt inspired to re-attempt making my own cherry pie filling, and … Continue reading