my life my menu

Now that we are all back to school I can get back to my element of being on a schedule. None of this flopping around between camp and school. (3 week break? Who's idea is that anyway??) I'm one of these people who thrives on organization and structure. And with this organization comes planning out my meal schedule. I love feeling like I can make some dishes that will keep for a while in the fridge or in the freezer. Soup is one of them. Every Friday I make a vegetable soup of

So much about my food is based around what I can get my kids to eat. I am a firm believer in a one dinner policy. I'm not a short order cook. No omelet station here. However, I'm no fool. I need to set myself up for success. If I want to introduce new foods, "grown-up" dishes or "strange" vegetables I will create options that will work. I have at least two sides, two vegetables, a soup, a main. Lots of options to pick. I also don't do an entirely new meal every night. There n

Here in my house, 3/4's of the year we make 2 soups weekly- my mother's classic chicken soup and something else. That something else can range from a pureed vegetable soup to a rich meatball or flanken soup. This mushroom barley falls somewhere in the middle because it is hearty enough to be a meal. This winter it keeps popping up in the rotation. The soup is layered with bella mushrooms and herbs while using dried porcini and other savory aromatics to provide a depth of fla

Tomato Pasta Soup This recipe is nice and creamy. The sweet potato is the source of the creaminess because it adds a thickness to the soup. The pasta also is kid friendly and fun for the whole family. I like to use a protein packed pasta or gluten free pasta for my family but you use whatever works for you. My favorite gluten free pasta is Tinkayada. This brand tastes best. Best consistency and taste. It is made of 100% brown rice which makes for a great texture. However, now

My rep as a balaboosta depends heavily on my freezer. Without the ability to freeze, I would surely need to start looking into takeout food. When I get home at five, dinner needs to be just about ready to eat. A real life saver is being able to pull things out of the freezer that are ready to go. Soup is a great example of this. It's also a fabulous way to sneak healthy things into food for picky eaters. The best way to store the soup is by pouring into containers an inch sh

This winter has been strange. Slightly mild. Not too much snow. But definitely not too much sun either. And here we are in a very cold April still struggling to get it right. No matter what the weather I love when my cooking highlights beautiful ingredients with bright colors and aromatic flavors. This soup recipe does just that and is a great recipe to help us transition into spring. It's a light soup in a clear broth with large pieces of colorful veggies. I have been makin

I have been getting many requests lately for my chicken soup recipe. I couldn't believe how many people never made chicken soup or didn't like the recipe they were using. After hearing that, I couldn't not share this staple recipe. My mother has made chicken soup for every Friday night Shabbat meal for as long as I can remember. Her soup is amazing, so rich in flavor and never with any added consomme or bouillon cubes - just chicken and vegetables. Over the years I have