I’m a busy mom with three little girls and I love to cook. When I found out that two of my daughters had severe food allergies, I had to rethink all of my recipes, but that didn’t stop me from making beautiful, yet delicious and simple dishes. In fact, it gave me the creative push I needed to come up with a whole new repertoire of dishes that use healthy ingredients and simple techniques to produce spectacular results.
Eventually, I realized that I wanted to share my culinary journey with moms and cooks around the world. But how? Where could I begin? I knew I wanted to produce a book — something tangible that could be passed down from mother to daughter, through the generations, just like the cookbooks that my mother passed down to me, but I had no idea where to start or how to go about it. So I turned to the cook who had inspired me since childhood: kosher culinary guru Norene Gilletz. My mom has been preparing Norene’s recipes since I was a just a kid, and the idea of working with her was an absolute dream! I was nervous and scared to call someone of her stature, but my determination to share my story and recipes won out, and I gave Norene a call.
We instantly clicked. Norene later told me that I reminded her of herself at my age: a young mother, full of energy and ideas, and involved in the community. It’s been two years since we started to work together, and Norene has become my mentor, co-author, and friend. We just launched our joint cookbook, The Silver Platter: Simple to Spectacular. Our book showcases the best that each generation has to offer. There are fresh, modern ideas and recipes from me, as well as a complete wealth of cooking knowledge and advice from Norene, in the form of tips that she provided for each recipe.
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In honor of Mother’s Day, thank your mom with a batch of one of my favorite cookies: chocolate chunk cranberry cookies, a sweet recipe from my new book that are non-dairy, can be made gluten-free and most importantly, are absolutely delicious.
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Ingredients
¾ cup vegetable oil 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed ½ cup sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 ¾ cups flour (or gluten-free flour with xanthan gum) 1 tsp baking soda pinch kosher salt 1 ½ cups chocolate chunks (or chocolate chips) 1 cup dried cranberriesDirections
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed until light.
Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed, just until blended, 30-60 seconds.
Add chocolate chunks and cranberries; mix just until combined.
Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes, until chilled. (The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a large cookie scoop, drop mounds of dough the size of golf balls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden. Let cool on baking sheet. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
kosher
Pronounced: KOH-sher, Origin: Hebrew, adhering to kashrut, the traditional Jewish dietary laws.
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