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Passover recipe: Chanie Apfelbaum’s Charoset Bars

Entertainment / Entertaining /

You’ve never seen charoset like this before. The relish of fruit, nuts and red wine — it represents the mortar used by Jewish slaves in the building of the Egyptian pyramids — is one of the symbolic foods on the Passover seder plate. And its resemblance to actual mortar is probably why most of us don’t think to make and eat it more than ...Read more

Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS

Gretchen's table: Easter ham mac and cheese

Entertainment / Entertaining /

We all like familiar foods on holidays. Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a roasted turkey, Christmas means cut-out cookies and July 4 always finds hot dogs and grilled hamburgers on the menu.

And Easter? In my house at least, tradition calls for a smoky, savory ham with a brown sugar-maple glaze. I'm pretty sure it's graced my ...Read more

Michelle Arnold/DREAMSTIME/TNS

3 flour-free recipes for the sweet side of Passover

Entertainment / Entertaining /

By avoiding all-purpose flour, home bakers can accommodate a number of dietary guidelines: gluten-free, grain-free, low-carb, keto — and kosher for Passover.

The Jewish holiday restricts a number of foods, one of them being leavening agents that give rise to baked goods. In place of bread, observant Jews eat the crackerlike matzo, which is ...Read more

DREAMTIME/TNS

Recipe: Passover Panzanella with Matzo Brei Croutons

Entertainment / Entertaining /

Passover is a holiday of heavy foods. There’s brisket, potato kugel and way too much matzo. But if you have leftover steak and a jar of horseradish left over from the seder plate, you can make this delightful salad.

The recipe, from Chanie Apfelbaum’s new cookbook, “Totally Kosher: Tradition with a Twist! 150+ Recipes for the Holidays and...Read more

Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS

Gretchen's table: Corned beef and cabbage pierogies

Entertainment / Entertaining /

With St. Patrick's Day upon us, I decided to do a pierogi take on the classic Irish American dish, corned beef and cabbage.

My go-to recipe for pierogi dough comes from Casey Barber's 2015 cookbook "Pierogi Love." Soft and super stretchy, it's easy for even novice cooks to work with. For the filling, I combined homemade cheesy mashed potatoes ...Read more

Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS

Gretchen's table: Two classic Valentine's Day desserts

Entertainment / Entertaining /

Valentine's Day can be something of a challenge when it comes whipping up a homemade dessert, because some people love vanilla while others live and die by chocolate.

Throw a Valentine with a gluten sensitivity into the mix and you might want to simply offer up a heart-shaped box of assorted chocolates to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth in one ...Read more

Korn Vitthayanukarun/Dreamstime/TNS

Forget corned beef and cabbage — Irish lamb stew is the traditional St. Patrick's Day meal

Entertainment / Entertaining /

Although St. Patrick's Day is most often associated with corned beef and cabbage, if we were in Ireland, dinner would be a good lamb stew. Corned beef is an American dish of 19th-century Irish immigrants, an inexpensive alternative to fresh meat.

The traditional stew calls for lamb (sometimes beef), onions, potatoes, carrots, parsley and thyme....Read more

Nomadsoul1/Dreamstime/TNS

5 Valentine’s date ideas that are better than a dinner and a movie

Entertainment / Entertaining /

When it comes to planning the perfect Valentine’s day, why not do something out of the ordinary?

While there’s nothing wrong with the classic dinner and a movie, there are other options that leave room for conversation and a great experience. Here are five fun and out of the box ideas that are perfect for Valentine’s day:

Tik Tok 'pick ...Read more

Mashiki | Dreamstime.com/Dreamstime/TNS

Keep guests comfy this winter with hygge inspiration

Entertainment / Entertaining /

Second to the term “Brexit,” the Collins English Dictionary coined “hygge” the runner-up for the word of the year in the UK in 2016. Soon after, the Danish and Norwegian word describing a cozy and contended mood became something of a phenomenon across the pond as well. Americans quickly embraced the idea and practice of hygge — and why...Read more

Gretchen McKay/Gretchen McKay/Post-Gazette/TNS

Super spread: Tackle these favorite tailgate recipes for Super Bowl

Entertainment / Entertaining /

The NFL's biggest game of the year is fast approaching, and my guess is that football fans aren't just trying to figure out where to watch. We're also contemplating a winning tailgate menu for family and friends to nosh on during the game.

In years past, we've offered up some healthier takes on traditional tailgate food (seven-layer salad, ...Read more

Steven Cukrov/Dreamstime/TNS

Host a Super Bowl party your friends will talk about with these 10 tried and true tips

Entertainment / Entertaining /

The big game is around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to throw an amazing party. Between the food, decorations and making sure everyone has fun - including those that only watch the commercials - it’s a huge job to undertake.

For those saving some money and partying at home or with friends, there are ...Read more

Martin Rettenberger/Dreamstime/TNS

Game on! Put healthier Super Bowl snacks in the lineup

Entertainment / Entertaining /

For a month, we’ve been good. We’ve lived up to our New Year’s resolutions to eat healthy, cutting fat and calories.

Maybe we’ve opted for less dairy, or we’ve gone gluten-free or vegan. We’re starting to feel like we have a handle on our diet game plan.

Then comes Super Bowl and all those good intentions get sacked.

“Super Bowl...Read more