The kids may be gone, but the kitchen still gets a workout Chiles Rellenos My son Paul and his wife, Amber, were the original baby boomers, graduating from college in the ’80s, getting married and raising four children. They both love to cook, and when their kids were growing up, they always ate family dinners together, every night.  The only rule was for the kids to try everything on their…

The theme for our family Purim dinner this year will be blintzes, but the preparation will be a little different and will include ingredients that are symbolic for the holiday. The inspiration for the menu began when my daughter, Susan, her husband, Leo, and our granddaughters were visiting from out of town, and we went to lunch at Zeidler’s Cafe at the Skirball Cultural Center. We ordered blintzes, and, although…

A selection of Judy Zeidler’s Mandelbrot. Photo by Lynn Pelkey Tu B’Shevat, known as the Jewish celebration of trees, falls on Jan. 25 this year, in the middle of winter, and marks the time when barren fruit trees begin to spring back to life. It is customary to eat several kinds of fruits and nuts during the holiday, and over the years it has become a custom to serve an…

My fascination with Israeli food started the first time I tasted a falafel laced with tahini at a little sidewalk cafe in Westwood, near UCLA. Inspired by this simple Israeli dish, I began developing a list of Middle Eastern recipes that grew with each trip to Israel. When visiting the marketplace in Jerusalem, I love watching the pita bakers working at cavernous wood-fired ovens. Rounds of dough are flattened by…

Girls love guys who know their way around the kitchen There is an old saying that men don’t cook at home. Yet it is also said that women always appreciate men who cook. Only one of these is true. Can you guess which? I can’t exactly remember when our son Marc’s passion for cooking began, but he certainly loves to cook. He was always in the kitchen watching or helping me,…

Cooking up kids’ favorites can be delicious and nutritious Macaroni and Cheese. Photos by Dan Kacvinski. Food coordinated by Judy Zeidler Kids can be picky eaters, but there are several dishes that they always seem to enjoy. Among the dishes that seem to be popular from generation to generation: pizza, pasta, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly and grilled cheese. Too often, though, these meals are not filled with…