Why is This Night Different from All Other Nights?

10 ways Thanksgiving dinner might be a little different in a kosher home:

1. No planning 3 months or even 1 month ahead of time.  Compared to 8 days of Passover, Turkey Day’s a snap!
2. People “wash” for the meal.
3. Have to figure out creamy mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and pie and ice cream without any dairy.
4. Guests are confused when dinner starts before sundown.
5. “What, no challah!?!”
6. Your company may stay through Shabbat.
7. Grace is sung in Hebrew after the meal.
8. Host and hostess go to bed dreaming  of ways to turn leftovers into Shabbat dinner.
9. Don’t need an excuse to skip Black Friday shopping—gotta’ get ready for Shabbat.
10. “Those are pilgrims, honey, not rabbis.”

We want to know how your Thanksgiving is different. Leave us your comments below.

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10 Tips for Your First Thanksgiving & 3 Foolproof Recipes

1. Lists, lists and more lists: menu, shopping list, invites, RSVPs and emergency cooking guru numbers
2. Invest in good equipment—a sturdy roasting pan for even cooking, rack with handles for easy turkey removal, meat thermometer, carving knife , etc. Even an oven thermometer can help make sure your turkey is ready on time.
3. If you’re using a frozen turkey you must allow adequate time to defrost it—you cannot cook a frozen turkey through on Thanksgiving Day!
4. Make sure your turkey fits in its pan and the pan fits in the your oven. People sometimes by a big bird and a big pan for a big crowd only to realize that their city apartment oven or older model oven is too small to hold their turkey.
5. Everything doesn’t have to be homemade-buy some pre-made products to round out your meal—and take guests up on offers to bring something, whether it’s a pie or sodas.
6. Stuffing doesn’t have to be stuffed into the cavity of your turkey. A lot of cooks make “dressing” baked in the oven.  That way your turkey cooks faster and you don’t have to worry about undercooked stuffing. If you have vegetarians coming, make a vegetarian dressing you can serve to all your Thanksgiving guests.
7. Timing is everything—­so that all food is hot and ready at the same time, plan recipes accordingly and have lots of covered ovenproof serving dishes available to keep foods warm.
8. Have plenty of creative hors d’oeuvres on hand to keep guests happy until turkey time. They don’t have to be Thanksgiving themed or even autumnal—try guac/salsa and chips, hummus and pita crisps, sausage bites, etc.
9. Keep drinks cold—if your fridge is full of food, consider a cooler with ice or keeping drinks in a cold garage or, depending where you live, even outside.
10. Keep the day for essentials like cooking and celebrating with your guests—clean the house, etc. on the day before.

Bonus: 3 Foolproof Beginner Recipes for Thanksgiving

	Roasted Turkey
	Cranberry Relish
	Roasted Sweet Vegetables in Spicy Cinnamon Cider

15 Funny Kosher Moments in Pics

Do a search on Flickr for images associated with the keyword “Kosher” and you’ll find some interesting examples. I was surprised by such a simple word, even one steeped in culture and tradition, having such a committed following. From kosher animals to kosher superheroes,  it seems like everyone has gone Kosher and that its strict dietary rules have found favoritism with health-junkies worldwide. With industry growth at such a high level, I can imagine there being many more kosher-themed images to pull from in the future. For now, enjoy these.

Image: adamrice

Image: kansasliberal

Image: adonis hunter’s ’stuff‘

Image: Scorchez

Image: Andrea (psiko)

Image: jeneyepher

Image: starleigh

Image: terr-bo

Image: Gee Hue

Image: pinelife

Image: A.Currell

Image: Verbal Jam

Image: Photopia

Image: dogfaceboy

Image: marm

7 Reasons Obama has Gone Kosher

In an effort to better prepare himself for the grueling emotional and physical strain of the Presidency, Barack Obama has pledged to go kosher, citing the food’s proven health advantages over that of the typical American diet. Though most White House staff (and even Michelle Obama) have balked at such a drastic culinary shift, they should have seen it coming. Here’s why:

1. It was meant to be. How many people do you know whose name contains the letters to make the word kosher? Barack Hussein Obama’s name does.
2. Though McCain visited the Kotel (or Western Wall), Jerusalem’s holiest site, while touring the Middle East, only Obama was seen roaming the shuks of the city afterwards, Blackberry in one hand and bowl of cholent in the other.

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3. Yes, that’s computer generated. It was leaked that this addition to the White House may be in the works. The other option was a bagel.

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4. No one will raise a brow when they see him pimping his favorite yarmulke.

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5. He’s making all the Israeli papers.

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6. Obama genuinely loves the food! Overheard during this photo asking, “What was that your wife put on those fishballs?” “Wouldn’t you like to know,” the elderly man replied.

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7. He looks great with an Israeli flag.

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What if Obama Went Kosher?

Barely having settled into the White House, there have been some surprising developments which may carry serious implications for Presidential staff and the overall running of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Rabbis were rushed in to kosher the White House kitchen, raising suspicions of Obama having an affection for kosher meals or possibly being of Jewish ancestry himself. His campaign hopes, had this still developing story been leaked, would have been ruined. It served his political aspirations better posing as a Christian until in office.

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The video below is of Obama visiting the Western Wall (Jerusalem’s most sacred site), where he placed a prayer he had written in the kotel. This is a traditional practice, the notes later being taken and buried on the Mount of Olives. Though his gesture seemed sincere, a few locals questioned his motives - was this the Obama that everyone expected?

Obama’s natural affection for American food seems to have implications for us as well. Cheeseburgers will soon be served with soy-cheese, expect KFC (renamed Kosher Fried Chicken) to become a government subsidy, all chili contests to be devoid of pork based entries, a significant bacon tax (it’s killing you anyway), and for Obama to renounce his affinity for shrimp and grits.  Go kosher if you like Barack, but low cholesterol isn’t for everyone and you can’t expect unhealthy Americans to embrace your diet after decades of clogging their colons.

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While we doubt Obama has any affiliation with Judaism, he definitely loves kosher foods. Obama getting on the kosher bandwagon will only improve the health of  his other staff members. As for the rest of us Americans, while capable of embracing certain kosher standards, if he ever expects to get re-elected, he better at least ax the bacon tax. That one may even lead to anarachy.

What Do You Want on Your Tombstone?

We all have our favorite recipes, and sometimes we get them handed to us from generation to generation. Others we get from our favorite cooking shows. Still others we get off of grave sites.

Wait…what?

Yeah, grave sites.

Believe it or not, this guy’s favorite yeast cake bread recipe comes off the grave site of a Jacob and Mina Toper in Kibbutz Na’an in Israel.

If it was mouth-watering and delicious during their lifetime, I’m willing to try it now, too.

Oh, nom, nom, nom

Kind of makes you think of the old Tombstone Pizza commercials back in the 90’s, doesn’t it?

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