Flatbread These tasty flatbreads are quick and easy and make an excellent side for curries and any meal that needs a “pusher.” They’re great with dips or folded and filled with sandwich fixin’s. They are relatively flat, but allowed to rise (chametz again). A more...

Applesauce In a Jewish Passover seder meal, haroset (an applesauce-like mixture with wine, nuts, apples, etc.) represents the mortar used by the Jews in Egypt. Recipes for haroset are available, of course, but my family prefers to go the straight-up homemade...

Bitter Herb Salad At a Jewish Passover Seder meal like the one Jesus was celebrating on Holy Thursday with the apostles, bitter herbs are served as a reminder of the bitterness of the slavery endured by the Jewish people in Egypt. This salad is bitter and sour (and...

Rice Crispy Treat Lamb You could make a lamb cake . . . but those turn out creepy, like, 90% of the time. That’s kind of their charm. But you can make a slightly-less-weird-looking Rice Krispie Lamb in a fraction of the time. Everyone wins! Let a kid do the sculpting...

Potato Knishes These hearty and delicious doughy-potatoey bundles are a traditional Jewish delicacy. However, full-disclosure, they wouldn’t be served at an observant Passover meal, because chametz (anything containing grain that has come into contact with water and...

Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic Lamb rib chops make for an impressive presentation with their long handle, and kids like to pick them up and eat them like an ice cream on a stick. But this recipe also works with the little triangular lamb loin chops. Dish for...

St. Joseph the Worker Spiced Play Dough This smooth, natural, homemade playdough is fun to make, long lasting, and smells amazing. For the feast day, I let my kids go at it with real tools (on a protected surface, with supervision). 2 cups Flour1 cup Salt4 tsp Cream...

St. Joseph Sfinge Cream Puffs These tasty cream puffs made with Choux pastry dough are traditionally served in Italy on the solemnity of St. Joseph. This Sicilian version is filled with whipped cream. A Neapolitan version is filled with custard cream instead. They are...

Pasta on the Table (Pasta Alla Tavola) One of the best parts of my high school career was eating at the home of a friend who came from an Italian-American family. Every meal his mom cooked was amazing, but the most fun were the days when they would invite big groups...

Melon & Prosciutto Skewers Melon ballerPicks 1 Cantaloupe Melon (cut into cubes or melon balls)12 slices Prosciutto di Parma Cut each Prosciutto di Parma slice in half, crosswise.On a small skewer or toothpick, stack the melon and prosciutto, alternating between...

Caprese Skewers ColanderPicksBottle 2 cups Balsamic Vinegar10 oz Cherry Tomatoes8 oz Ciliegine Mozzarella Cheese (also called "cherry" size, I like Belgioso)8 oz Clamshell Fresh Basil LeavesSalt and Pepper (to taste) Balsamic DrizzleAdd balsamic vinegar to a small...

Trash Can Soup Stock This is really just stock or bone broth, but my kids like to call it “trash can soup” because the stock is made entirely from things we would have otherwise thrown away. It’s free. It’s an authentically “whole” way to eat. It’s a natural way to...

Universal Homemade Soup What to do with all that lovely stock you just made? Turn it into a simple and infinitely customizable soup. For a quick dinner option, I use two 10-12 ounce packages of frozen seasoned vegetables, and a 1 pound bag of frozen meatballs. It’s...

Lenten Soft Pretzels Perfect for Lent, homemade pretzels are a great way to jump into bread baking. Pretzels are historically associated with Lent, as their traditional shape is meant to look like arms folded in prayer (with a twist!). This easy recipe makes chewy...

Beer Cheese Dipping Sauce Ingredient bowlsMeasuring glassesSaucepanWhisk 1/4 cup Butter1/4 cup Flour2 cups Cheddar Cheese (grated)1 cup Milk1/2 cup Beer1 tsp Grainy Mustard1/2 tsp Oregano1/2 tsp Salt1/2 tsp PepperCayenne Pepper (or Tabasco Sauce) (to taste and garnish...