Cooking Method: Baking

Venetian Carrot Cake

This Venetian Carrot Cake is thought to originate with Venetian Jews in the original ghetto. Established in 1516, the Venetian Ghetto was the first enforced Jewish ghetto in Europe. The word "ghetto" itself comes from the Venetian word for the area, which previously housed metal foundries. Jews were forced to reside within the designated area, separated from the rest of Venice by canals and only accessible through two bridges with restricted opening hours.

This cake is quite different from the American version. It's denser, uses olive oil instead of butter (making it potentially kosher for meals with meat), and lacks the cream cheese frosting. Oh, it also has the added bonus of being gluten-free.

My favorite Nigella-ism in the instructions — “I use my freestanding mixer, but it wouldn't be much of a faff by hand”. Faffing is one of my favorite British terms, which basically means - To spend time doing unimportant things instead of focusing on the main task.

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Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)

Potatoes Anna, or Pommes Anna, is a French dish featuring thinly sliced potatoes, bathed in butter and baked to crispy perfection. Its history goes back to mid-19th century Paris. The dish is credited to chef Adolphe Dugléré, who worked at the famed Café Anglais, a leading Parisian restaurant during the reign of Napoleon III. There's some debate about who the "Anna" in the name refers to. Popular theories suggest it could be: Anna Deslions, a well-known Parisian courtesan and a regular at Café Anglais, or Anna Judic, a famous actress of the time. Who knows! Praised for its simplicity and deliciousness, Pommes Anna remains a classic French side dish.

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Noodle Kugel with Caramelized Onions & Brown Butter

Our dear friend Liz passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was an amazing woman and a big part of our family's life. After the service, we went to her home to sit Shiva, which literally means “seven” – a period of seven days when a Jewish family has a formal mourning time to honor their loved one. It was a beautiful service and day, in which we shared many stories about our friend Liz. I brought this Noodle Kugel with Caramelized Onions & Brown Butter. I have made kugels before, but I think this will forever be my go-to recipe. Yehi Zichrah Baruch - May her memory be a blessing.

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Wild Rice & Chicken Casserole

I used to make this Wild Rice & Chicken Casserole when we were first married for dinner parties.  It was "cheap and cheerful" as we would say.  It features cooked chicken, wild rice (personally, I prefer to use a wild rice blend when making this dish, which does make it cheaper!), mushrooms, pimentos, and a creamy sauce. It's then topped with slivered almonds and baked in the oven until bubbly and golden brown on top.

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Judy Hesser’s Oven-Fried Chicken

This Oven-Fried Chicken is a recipe for delicious fried chicken made in the oven, skipping the mess and hassle of deep frying. The chicken is dredged in a seasoned flour mixture and baked in the oven. There's minimal flipping involved, making it a relatively hands-off approach. Despite using minimal butter, the chicken achieves a crispy, flavorful crust.

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Parmesan Mushroom Casserole

This Parmesan Mushroom Casserole is absolutely delicious and the best thing is that it can be made ahead and finished off in the oven. The sliced mushrooms are bathed in a creamy sauce, topped with a crispy parmesan breadcrumb mixture. It's a vegetarian side dish that goes well with many main courses. All I can say is YUM, so good!

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Firehouse Chili and Cornbread Casserole

I have made this Firehouse Chili and Cornbread Casserole twice in one week due to the rave reviews. I like this dish because the cornbread is baked right on top of the chili, which gives it a nice crust on top.
Cocoa powder (my secret ingredient in all my chilis) adds a rich depth of flavor to chili. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder so it doesn't make the finished dish sweet.

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Hot Pickle and Cheese Cracker Dip

As a kid, growing up in Indiana in the 60s, one of my favorite snacks was/is Cheez-Its Crackers and Kraft Pimento Cheese Spread. We are taking "haute cuisine". My tastes have evolved into a somewhat more sophisticated palate, though if you showed up at my house with this combo, I would be delighted! Anyway, getting back to my main point here is this Hot Pickle and Cheese Cracker Dip. It's a deliciously spicy, tangy, cheesy, briny dip that is covered in, wait for it... Cheez-Its and baked. What's not to like?!

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Limoncello Cake

Limoncello Cake is flavored with limoncello, which is an Italian lemon liqueur. I'm not much of a baker, so I prefer to make bundt cakes rather than layer cakes. This recipe starts with a box of yellow cake mix. I basically copied the Harvey Wallbanger Cake, but used lemon as the flavor profile. I have to say, it's spectacularly lemony and delicious. The cake is garnished with powdered sugar and fresh lemon slices.

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Baked Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Artichokes

This Baked Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Artichokes is a delicious and easy vegetarian dish that is made all in one pan. I try to always have gnocchi in the pantry for those nights when I am too tired to cook, but I want something comforting. The combination of pillowy gnocchi, earthy mushrooms, and briny artichokes is a fabulous combination. I actually made this in advance and put it in the fridge, then put it in the oven for dinner.

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