The Nosh Pit

Last week I shared some classic Nosh Pit recipes that are easily updatable for Passover. Chicken, salads, roasted vegetables – there are still so many things that are easy to prepare.

All year long, I've been offering up soups, salads, entrees and desserts that are easy and delicious. With Passover coming up soon, Jewish cooks everywhere are in a panic, looking for recipes and ideas that work for the week-long holiday. Well, look no further. Here are seven Nosh Pit recipes that are perfect for Passover, with little or no changes made at all. Plus, stick around until the end and I'll share a recipe for something that will become a Passover (and year round) staple. 

Is it Pesach yet? For all the build up I've been hearing, you'd think it started tomorrow. Thankfully, we still have two more weeks to indulge in all the flour-laden goodness we can.

So this week I'll share a fun and kid-friendly recipe that you can still enjoy for the next fortnight. For the next few weeks I'll show you some great Pesach recipes for your holiday, plus ways to adapt existing recipes without losing any flavor.

“What are wheat berries?” you may be thinking. The truth is, they’re exactly what they sound like: the hard, round kernels of the wheat plant. When cooked, they’re a nice, chewy and healthy alternative to rice or barley.

There are many different varieties of wheat berries – hard and soft, red and white, and they all have slightly different cooking times, so consult the package you buy. They will likely be labeled as “wheat berries” or “whole grain wheat” in the store.

I can just feel a few hints of spring slowly approaching, but with a few cold, cold nights still on the horizon, it’s time for one last delicious and filling stew.

This beef stew is really a catch-all for leftover produce in your house – I definitely threw in some things that were hanging around the fridge, and you can do the same. It would certainly be nice with sweet potatoes instead of the regular kind, or additions of celery and corn.

It’s that time of year again, when costumes, alcohol and fun-size candy bars are plentiful. And what would a Jewish holiday be without a signature dessert? Of course the hamataschen will be in high demand next weekend, so I set out to create some exciting variations. Don’t get me wrong – I like a raspberry or apricot hamataschen as much as the next guy, but sometimes even a classic can be improved.

I mostly like this recipe because it makes a really great impression. Your guests will slice in to their chicken breast and be treated to a jewel-colored filling of sweet potatoes and spinach, which also happens to be pretty delicious.

The past few weeks in the Nosh Pit have been filled with meaty stews and soups, like Chicken and Dumplings, and Mini Meatball Soup. I suppose that’s because in my mind winter=hearty foods=meat. But I’m here this week to disprove myself! Because hearty dishes can in fact be made for vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians – you name it.

One of my favorite things to do is flip through cookbooks. Especially ones with photos. And the first things I always flag are desserts I can make without having to leave the house. A recipe where every ingredient is already in my cupboard/fridge/secret snack hiding spot.

This is the second week in a row I’m sharing a recipe for a soup or stew, and I won’t apologize. As I write this, weather.com informs me it is a sunny 25° F outside the office – with a wind chill factor of 14°. What – did you expect me to go outside and check?