I discovered this recipe about 13 years ago, labeled as a variation in the classic purple Spice and Spirit cookbook. I make it in bulk, without the pinch of sugar and keep it in the fridge. Spoiler: I use this on every kind of salad!!! Vegetables with green salad, cabbage salad, quinoa salad, you name it!
My husband teases me that I casually mentioned to him once while we were dating, “Oh, by the way. I
don’t know how to cook.” Being that my mother-in-law is a fantastic cook, he simply responded, “Oh.”
and politely tried to disguise his concern.
When I was first married and went with my husband to his brother and sister in law for Shabbos, she made this delicious tomato dip to put on the challah, potato kugel and basically everything. My husband asked me to please get the recipe and since then we have been eating tomato dip almost every Shabbos!
I would like to share with you a traditional Romanian recipe from my mom Roza Bin that passed away 14 years ago, Of Blessed Memory. It is especially traditional dairy dish for Shavuoth holiday. It is between a cake and a sweet dairy dinner meal. In my childhood, when I and my brothers were young, my mom used to do “Malai” for fun dinner whenever we asked. Usually, it’s for Shavuot holyday!
Many years ago when I was in college majoring in Chemistry, I got a wonderful lab partner to work with. He had a great understanding of the actual chemistry behind the labs, and I was very strong in math. So he helped me to understand the chemistry and I helped him with the math. We worked together in the lab, and afterwards did the homework and documentation together. One evening we took a little break and he served me a piece of cheesecake that was amazing.
When my husband and I started becoming more observant and began keeping Shabbat, I barely knew how to cook. Fast forward almost 25 years and I’ve learned a thing or two along the way! Through the years we’ve hosted many Shabbat and Yom Tov meals, and have fortunately been invited to many as well. This is how I learned to cook. Lots of trial and error and many requests for recipes.
My great-grandmother lived in Missouri, she was a true southern woman. Church on Sundays, a strong southern drawl and the ONLY ONE allowed in the kitchen. However, whenever we would go to visit, she would sneak me and my brother into the kitchen with her, not letting anyone else in. She would tie an apron around us and hand us supplies to put on the table to get baking.
This is my mother in laws- Cindy Wolfe’s- Recipe
I double this for each 9×13 pan and literally make at least 8 pans of this every year. It’s the first cooking I do before Pesach every year is make a ton and fill the freezer. This is a staple and my husband laughs at the idea of me making something different. They are the best.
Every thanksgiving, we used to have our family come over and we all cooked together. My uncle was in charge of the deviled eggs. One day, out of all 3 kids, he chose me to help. I was close to 7 years old at the time and he had me add in the ingredients, help mix, and pipe the eggs, which was a mess then but I have gotten much better at it…
My great grandmother, Nany Frieda, always had freshly baked cookies when we came to visit her in Miami. Chocolatey mandelbread and delicate rolls of chocolate rugaleach topped with colorful sprinkles greeted us every time. Sometimes my brother and sisters and I were lucky and Nany Frieda would let us help her bake.