Sheet Pan Lasagna

Well hello there old friend!! I’ve been busier than ever in Brooklyn – well, everywhere really! It’s been a whirlwind tour ever since the book came out in March and time just got away from me – but here I am, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. (Well I’m not actually home, but home is where the heart is, and it all started right. here.)

I always come back for the holidays because they have a special place in my heart, especially ones where we celebrate over dairy delights like Shavuot. Gimme all the cheese!!!! This sheet pan lasagna is going to change the game for you – from a layered patchke dish, to a simple on-pan main! I used cottage cheese because the creamy curds are having a trendy moment all over our social feeds (it stops at cottage cheese ice cream for me!!), but feel free to use ricotta as well.

Happy Holidays!

Sheet Pan Lasagna

16oz lasagna sheets, broken into pieces
16oz whipped cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)
1 clove of garlic, minced
Zest of half a lemon
2 frozen basil cubes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp Freshly ground pepper or pinch red pepper flakes
1 egg yolk
1 26oz jar marinara sauce
12oz shredded cheese, divided
3 cups kale or spinach
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t stick together.

While the pasta is cooking, combine the cottage cheese, garlic, lemon zest, basil, oregano, pepper and egg yolk in a bowl. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Drain the pasta and spread it out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add the marinara sauce, kale, and 12oz. of cheese and stir to combine. Spread the noodles out on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Top with dollops of cottage cheese, the remaining shredded cheese and parmesan.

Bake the pasta until the edges of the kale and pasta are crisp and the cheese is bubbly, about 18-20 minutes.

Related Recipes:

lasagna roll up blintzes
parmesan lasagna chips with pizza hummus
spinach lasagna roll ups
linguini lasagna

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Totally Kosher Passover Guide + Bonus Recipe!

While my new cookbook, Totally Kosher, is not a Passover cookbook, there are lots of great Passover options included in the book, as well as lots of recipes that can be adapted for the holiday (of course depending on your customs and stringencies), so lets dig in!

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH

crispy kale and egg skillet for one
tahdig toast with harissa whipped feta and harissa eggs (toast only if you eat rice on Passover!)
super seed mixed nut butter – omit seeds if you don’t eat them

Kale Egg Skillet

APPETIZERS AND FINGER FOODS

fried cornichons – use potato starch instead of flour and matzo meal instead of bread crumbs
jeweled hummus – only if you eat beans on Passover, if not, consider doing this over sweet potato or butternut puree
bloody Mary pickled salmon
simanim potstickers – the filling makes a great Passover burger
nachos bassar – call it matzos bassar and serve over matza instead of pita chips!
buffalo hasselback salami

SAMMIES & TACOS
tartare tostada – serve over matza or make tuna tower as per variation, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce
bougie tuna bagel – serve over matza
matzarayes
steak tacos – make with plantain tortillas

SALADS
roasted beet and citrus salad
broccoli salad 2.0 – replace tahini with mayo or make almond butter tahini instead (see below)
new age waldorf salad – omit poppy seeds if you don’t eat seeds
arugula and delicata squash salad with feta
loaded eggplant carpaccio – omit tahini if you don’t use it and make almond butter tahini instead (see below)
Passover panzenella with matzo brei croutons

Passover Panzanella with Matzo Brei Croutons

SOUPS
golden milk pumpkin soup
no-chicken tortilla soup
Moroccan carrot soup – use crushed matzo instead of sourdough or omit and use schug instead of gremolata
chestnut latte soup
corned beef and cabbage ramen – omit mirin and sesame oil, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and zoodles instead of ramen
mushroom cauli soup – use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce

IT’S TRADITION
The Rebbetzin’s gefilte fish
golden chicken soup
Ma’s perfect potato kugel
Bubby’s stuffed cabbage – use mashed potatoes instead of rice

FINS & SCALES
stuffed branzino
tuna zoottanesca
fish in chips!
simply crudo – use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce or omit

Simply Crudo

JUST WING IT
instant paprikas – omit peas
Yemenite soup sheet pan chicken – if you cant find KFP hawaij, use shawarma spice with added turmeric
grilled chicken two ways
Italian chicken and orzo bake – use cauliflower rice instead of orzo and reduce chicken stock to 1-2 cups

SPLIT HOOVES
use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce
cowboy steak for two
pucker up rubs
slow cooker berbere brisket

MEATLESS MEALS
cauliflower kasha varnishkes – use quinoa instead of kasha (omit egg and cook quinoa according to package)
leek and corn crustless ricotta quiche – omit corn
pumpkin gnocchi alfredo – use kfp gnocchi
shakshuka a la lasagne

VEG & SIDES
curried cauliflower – use almond butter instead of tahini
party in your mouth peppers
roasted tzimmes puree with date gremolata
japanese sweet potatoes – omit miso tahini

THE BAKERY
charoset bars
gluten free chocolate chip scones

Charoset Bars

NOSHES & NIBBLES
mango paletas
marzipan butter cups
quinoa cracklings
peanut butter pretzel bombs – use almond butter and chopped almonds instead of pretzels
poppy seed and onion kichel – omit poppy seeds if you dont’ eat seeds

YOU’RE SO EXTRA
candied jalapenosa
pomegranate pickled onions
almond butter dressing
tomato olive salsa
sundried tomato tapenade
chimichurri
resek
schug
jalapeno date confit
tomato lemon confit

Gluten Free Scones

ALMOND BUTTER TAHINI

½ cup almond butter
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of ½ lemon
¼ tsp cumin
½ cup ice water
kosher salt, to taste

1. Stir almond butter thoroughly, as oil and solids tend to separate.
2. In a food processor, with the S blade attached, blend the almond butter, garlic, lemon juice, and cumin. Add ½ cup water; blend until
creamy. Season with salt, to taste.

About Totally Kosher
Passover Recipes

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Cabbage Hamantasch Knish

I’ve been on quite the cruciferous kick these days, and I thought I’d have given up by now, but no! I’m having fun challenging myself to new cabbage creations, and thankfully my body loves cabbage as much as I do, so it works for me!

Growing up, my mom always made cabbage knishes for Shabbat and the holidays. She would sauté a bag of pre-shredded cabbage in some oil, season it with plenty of sugar, salt and pepper and stuff it into pockets of puff pastry. I love the addition of beef bacon here – plus a hint of mustard and maple and just a splash of vinegar to cut through it all makes the perfect filling.

Are you team sweet or savory hamantasch? Let me know in the comments below!

Cabbage Hamantasch Knish
YIELD: 2 knishes, each knish serves 6 as an appetizer

6oz. beef bacon, diced small
1 large shallot, minced
16oz. shredded green cabbage
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten, for eggwash
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

Add the bacon to a cold skillet and turn the heat on a medium flame. Cook the bacon until the fat renders out and the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the shallot to the skillet and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, salt and pepper and stir until the cabbage is wilted and tender, about 8 minutes. Add the vinegar, maple syrup and mustard and stir to incorporate. Return the bacon to the skillet and combine. Continue to cook until the cabbage starts to brown.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly roll out the puff pastry dough to approximately 11″ x 11″ and trim the corners to form a circular shape. Transfer half of the cabbage to the center of the pastry and fold over the corners to create a giant hamantasch. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and cabbage. Brush the pastry with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until puffed and golden, 18-20 minutes.

Related Recipes:

salami tarte tatin
corndog hamantaschen
savory hamantaschen trio

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A Week of Cruciferous Crunch!

It’s been a cruciferous week here, and not on purpose! I had been eating all the wrong things, and my skin (and clothes!) were showing it, so I decided to clean up my diet a bit. I started with an apple cider vinegar detox – 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (raw, with the mother!) mixed into 8 oz. of water + the juice of half a lemon each morning. The enzymes, probiotics and protein in the vinegar help to give the gut lots of healthy bacteria that aids digestion, lowers blood sugar, helps to reduce acne and belly fat, to name just a few benefits! Just make sure to rinse your mouth out or brush your teeth after because the acid can ruin teeth enamel.  And as always, consult your dr. first before starting any new regimen!


But I digress…onto the cabbage…. I made this amazing roasted cabbage pizza because I wanted something cheesy that was low carb and it came out BEYOND AMAZING! I was inspired to make the dish when I bought Trader Joes new pizza spice, so I cut the cabbage into thick slabs, brushed it with olive oil, sprinkled on the pizza spice (you can sub with Italian seasoning) and roasted at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Then I topped it with marinara sauce, shredded cheese and different toppings (jalapeno, olive, sliced onions) and returned to the oven until the cheese was melted. Holy Moly was it good!! Give it a try!

Watch me make it on Instagram!

I love cruciferious vegetables, and thankfully, so does my stomach! I whipped up this Salsa salad another day this week, and it was everything you want in a salad – lots of great textures and delicious flavor.

Salsa Salad!

1/3 cup salsa
3 tbsp light olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste
1 medium head cabbage, chopped (I like to cut it into squares for this salad)
1 avocado, diced
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
Bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Whisk the salad dressing at the bottom of the salad bowl and add the salad ingredients. Toss to combine and serve!

Watch me make it on Instagram!

And lastly, with all the rain and cold weather, I wanted some comfort food – so Bubby’s Cabbage Soup for the win. I seared the meat and bones, sauteed the onions and added some tomato paste to really take it over the top. So. So. Good!

Watch me make it on Instagram!

Related Recipes:

stuffed cabbage bolognese
cabbage bourekas
kale crunch salad

What’s your favorite way to eat cabbage? Share it with me in the comments below!

How to Save Money on Groceries

I love cereal. I can hoard cereal day and night but the cost of cereal these days…are you kidding me?! $7.89 for Corn Flakes at my local kosher supermarket!

I took to Instagram with my shopping woes recently, talking about rising food costs and what we can do to save money on groceries. The feedback came pouring in strong! I have to admit, my attitude towards grocery shopping has always been: TIME IS MONEY. I love the one stop shop where I can get everything in one store – my produce, meat, groceries and cleaning supplies. I don’t do the Costco haul and finding parking at Trader Joes is such as pain in Brooklyn (although the Williamsburg location now has a parking lot!!) that I only go when I need therapy (no joke, it’s my therapy!).  As a recipe developer, I like to pick my own produce (so Instacart doesn’t work for me), and I’m usually at the grocery store several times a week for different projects so pre-planning my list isn’t realistic.

Recently, I went shopping at a grocery store outside of my neighborhood and I decided to price match my groceries with where I normally shop – and OMG I was shocked at the results! The supermarket where I usually shop was so much more expensive! I realized that if I shop with a little more intention, I can really start to save.

So with that, here are some great shopping pointers that my followers shared with me:

• Only shop in kosher stores for kosher products. All the national brand pantry basics are cheaper in mainstream grocery such as Shoprite, Walmart and Aldi.
• Buy the store brand whenever possible – Shoprite’s Bowl & Basket, Target’s Good & Gather and Walmart’s Great Value are great brands.
• Asian markets such as HMart have much cheaper prices on produce than grocery stores.
• Shop in stores that offer additional discounts like Target – you get an extra 5% off using their card or 5% back with Amazon Fresh.
• Costco has great prices on produce as well as eggs, kosher cheese, salami, and even kosher meat and poultry.
• Use delivery apps such as Walmart, Stop & Shop and Aldi that have great prices and their own apps (or use Insacart)
• Aldi (and LIDL on the East Coast) & Trader Joes have great prices on produce (Aldi might be even cheaper), and sometimes Wholefoods too!
• Bingo is great for purchasing snacks, Cholov Yisroel cheese and meat/chicken.
• KRM is a great budget-friendly store for kosher groceries.
• Local Mom & Pop stores often have better prices than chain stores.
• Shop the sales and stock up on sale items.
• Buy in bulk at warehouse clubs and split with friends if you don’t have the room or you don’t need as much.
• Download digital coupons, sometimes available on grocery store apps. You can view kosher circulars on WhatsOnSale or major groceries on Flipp.
• Join a co-op! The KC Kosher Coop currently services 22 communities.

To demonstrate some of the price differences between kosher supermarkets and mainstream groceries, I price-matched Kellogg’s Corn Flakes cereal and here were my findings:

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, 18oz:
The Marketplace (my local kosher supermarket): $7.89
Season’s Kosher Supermarket $9.99
Walmart: $4.48
Target: $4.79
Amazon Fresh $8.49
Shoprite $6.98
Stop & Shop $8.39 for Kellogg’s or $3.69 for Stop & Shop brand
Wegman’s $6.89 for Kellogg’s or $2.89 for Wegman’s brand
Aldi – Millville brand $1.95
Sam’s Club $9.61 for 2 bags (43oz)
Costco $9.94 for 2 bags (43oz)

The disparity between the prices at the kosher supermarkets versus the mainstream groceries is shocking to me! I don’t know that I would give up my Kellogg’s classic for store brand corn flakes (at just $1.95 at Aldi!), BUT I would definitely consider shopping online for pantry staples (to save time AND money). I do see the benefit in warehouse club pricing, however, I don’t have the space for buying in bulk so that doesn’t speak to me as much.

OK now that I can afford cereal again, there were also lots of great tips about how you can scale things down at home to help save money on groceries:

• Make a shopping list and plan meals ahead of time to avoid impulse buys.
• Consider eating less chicken and meat and eating a more vegetarian diet with eggs, beans and tofu.
• Scale down on gourmet meals – treat Shabbat dinner like a traditional dinner – with one course – plus challah and dessert to make it special.
• You can’t change the price of food but you can change how much we waste – be frugal with leftovers!
• Make dishes that can be stretched further like chicken stir fry from chicken breasts or pepper steak from a London broil.
• Go back to basics and make your own food from scratch – easy no-knead bread and homemade nut milk can save lots of $!
• Buy bones and scraps for soup instead of using chicken or meat.
• Frozen fruits and/or vegetables are sometimes cheaper than fresh, especially when out of season.
• Make use of canned foods like beans as the base for a meal or to stretch a meal further.

Got more money-saving tips? Share them in the comments below!