Naomi Ross Cooks

28/12/2023

This may come as a shock to you, but I have come to a point of annoyance with rolling cookie dough. There, I said it. As my kids are getting bigger and not around as much to help, I sort of made it a mission to obviate the need for tedious rolling 🙄 (and unwanted stress!).
Here was an uber-popular attempt to adapt a recipe for a zebra cookies into zebra stix… my family asked me to make them again this week!. ‘Nuff said.
Here’s the adapted recipe:

Zebra Stix
-1/2 cup oil
-1 cup Cocoa
-2 cups sugar
-4 eggs
-2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
-2 teaspoons Baking Powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-2 cups flour
-1 teaspoon cream of tartar
¼-1/3 cup powdered sugar

1. Mix the oil, cocoa, and sugar.
2. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Add the baking powder, salt, flour
and cream of tartar. Mix until well blended.
3. Refrigerate the dough for half hour (optional but makes easier to
shape).
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Divide dough in half and form into 2 logs on a
parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the powdered sugar evenly all
over the logs.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool on rack; slice crosswise when still warm.

07/12/2023

Freshly fried foods, rich melty cheesy dishes and items that are best served right away are a treat to cook, but even more fun to eat!

17/11/2023

It’s hard to believe that we are already in the month of Kislev, and boy, am I ready to bring some light into this dark world. As we discussed during my “cooking concepts of the month,” the essence of this month is to enlighten and illuminate with Truth. We could all certainly use that now. I pray every day to G-d -please give us Light! But I also pray that we can be that light for others.

I shared one of my favorite recipes in honor of the coming holiday of oil (yes, is coming, people!) from my book The Giving Table (Pg. number 102). This also made a kick-butt sammie to travel with to the rally in DC -with all the fixings!

MURGI CHICKEN is the most flavorful crispy chicken cutlets. A potent marinade makes all the difference to impart flavor underneath a sturdy triple breading. Also makes the best chicken fingers ever with tenders! As promised, here is the recipe:

• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger (about 1-inch piece)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 4-6 boneless chicken breasts (cutlets)
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Cornflake crumbs
• ½ cup corn/peanut oil or more as needed
Directions:
1. Process the onion, ginger, garlic, and spices in a food processor until pureed.
2. Pound chicken breasts thin (or split) until they have an even thickness (cutlets should be not more than ½” thick).
3. Place chicken breasts in a large bowl with the onion mixture; turn to coat well. Cover
and marinate for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.
4. Remove chicken from marinade; dredge the chicken in flour, then egg, then Cornflake
crumbs.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot (a crumb should sizzle upon
contact). Fry cutlets about 3-4 minutes per side (depending on size and thickness) or until
breading is golden brown, flipping once during cooking. Drain on a rack or paper towels.

-chicken

06/11/2023

Join me to bake for a cause! Bake for the mitzvah, bake for the merit of the soldiers and hostages’ safe return, and bake to support to help ensure those fighting have the resources they need!
Free virtual or call to register
(516-569-COOK) to attend in person! Come bake with me! 👩‍🍳
Thursday, November 8 at 7:30pm EST

💙🇮🇱

14/09/2023

We pray for many blessings in the coming year, and yet we don’t know how, if, or when they will come. Rosh Hashanah is the time when we reestablish and rebuild our faith that no matter what happens, it will be for the good in the coming year. You can call it faith or “manifesting positivity”… or perhaps a bit of both. The main thing is that we show up to do what we have been put here on earth to do. And that may look different for each one of us.

I thank you for your support and following me through what has been a momentous year, and I look forward to sharing more delicious inspiration with you!
Sending my blessings to you for good health, prosperity, peace, and contentment. Most of all, the blessing that you can be a blessing to others and a conduit for good.
Wishing you a sweet and happy New Year!

12/09/2023

For many years now, it has become a fun household “tradition” to incorporate the symbolic foods of Rosh Hashanah into my holiday menus. I like a good

12/09/2023

Happy to share some great siman-inspired recipes in this issue of Jewish Action Magazine! Perfect for Rosh Hashanah!

For many years now, it has become a fun household “tradition” to incorporate the symbolic foods of Rosh Hashanah into my holiday menus. I like a good

18/07/2023

So excited to be doing my “Cooking Concepts of the Month” at the !! Join us tomorrow at 5pm Israel time/10am EST!
Lots of great 9 days menu ideas coming your way!

14/05/2023

So funny story - once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted to learn how things are done in professional kitchens. She wanted to take that experience and give it over to her students. She wanted to grow her knowledge and she wanted to learn.
Not all chefs are cool with that. Not all want to mentor either. This girl has benefited tremendously from those who did. It’s been a long time since having these formative experiences. Cases of mushrooms sliced, trays of spring rolls wrapped later…I appreciate each and every
one.
What a sweet moment it was to come together with to do a “mentor and apprentice” class at a few weeks ago. A chef and a home cook approach things differently but we can also learn from each other…and boy, did we have fun cooking up a storm for this great crowd!
Life is a journey about learning, and giving. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know…and that spurs me on to learn more. If you have some knowledge or experience to share, give it with a full heart.

23/04/2023

Was a blast baking with at our last night. Someone in your life needs these right now so get baking (and freeze some for Shavuot because they are dairy delish with buttery goodness 🤩)!

Recipe from my book The Giving Table (link in bio):

Chocolate Chip Scones

Feel free to swap chocolate chips with dried fruits, butterscotch chips, or nuts of your choice.
Yield: 8 large (or 10 small) scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt #
• ½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 1 cup chocolate chips (about 6 ounces)
• 2/3 cup (or more) chilled heavy cream or buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• Raw/coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment
paper. Whisk together all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into
medium bowl.
2. Add butter to flour mixture; using pastry blender (or 2 knives), cut
butter into flour until coarse meal forms. Mix in chocolate chips.
3. Whisk 2/3 cup cream, egg and vanilla in small bowl to blend.
4. Gradually add cream mixture to dry ingredients, tossing with fork
until dough comes together in moist clumps. If dough is dry or crumbly, add
more cream by the teaspoonful until the dough begins to come together as a
ball. Give a few kneads by hand to bring into a cohesive ball. Transfer to
floured surface and press down to form a thick round (about ½-¾” thick).
5. cut the round into 8-10 equal wedges.
Transfer dough wedges to prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1-inch
apart. Brush tops with cream, if desired, for browned finish; sprinkle with raw
sugar. Bake scones until golden brown, about 16-18 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

21/04/2023

Happy Rosh Chodesh Iyar to you all! Only thing better than Cooking Concepts of the Month is when comes to cook with you!
Join us for a special this Saturday night at 9:30pm EST.

05/04/2023

Why is this night different from all other nights, we ask?
No matter what your particular family customs are, your level of religious observance, political leanings or social status, Pesach is a night where we come together as a Jewish nation celebrating and reliving our most defining formative National experience. We have so much more that binds us than divides us.

No distractions. Meaningful Conversations in between matza munchings. A return to Gratitude. A time to ask real questions (even to just to ourselves). Freedom awaits. We have been here before and it’s time to remember and go free…

Wishing you a redemptive and joyful Pesach! Next year in Jerusalem! Chag sameach!

08/03/2023

Pick your weapon…I think my meat thermometer is mightier than the sword! 😂We did it medieval style this year and slayed it! Happy Purim!

06/02/2023

Happy Tu b’Shvat to everyone! Last night’s demo was both fun and meaningful as we explored the meaning of trees and the seventh species connected with the land of Israel.
Pretty happy with how this gorgeous fruit board out as well!
Wishing you a fruit-tritious day! 😂

01/02/2023

Just got back from our annual family skiing trip. Top 5 reasons why skiing has become a favorite winter getaway:
1) clean, healthy fun
2) fresh air to reset my mid-winter brain!
3)no cell phones (unless you want to hit a tree)!🌲
4)hot cocoa and toasting marshmallows by the fire
5)required Chinese food ( )on the way home (these fortune cookies get better and better every year lol!).

Where have you been off to this winter?

26/01/2023

Next week! NY friends, come join me for a demo and book signing at the 5T Gural JCC !
Pre-registration at https://www.guraljcc.org/events/the-giving-table-cooking-demo-and-tasting/

23/01/2023

So excited to publish this “behind the scenes”piece on Aish.com.

How I created a guide to how to give through our cooking.

26/12/2022

Chanukah 2022 that’s a wrap….or at least that’s how we feel when we light that last candle. I will admit it. It is hard for me to be in the moment, to appreciate the now and not be thinking (or stressing) about the next thing to come. But the essence of Chanukah is appreciation- being grateful for each moment - the genuine beauty of each flame and each miracle. A flash of inspiration is gone in a moment. I try so hard to hold on to the warmth of the light to illuminate the dark winter ahead.

20/12/2022

The Giving Table is finally on sale! Use this promo code “Chanukah” at:
https://menuchapublishers.com/collections/new-jewish-books/products/the-giving-table

07/12/2022

Thank you Ronnie Fein's Kitchen for the beautiful review of The Giving Table!

These are Korean Fusion BBQ Wings from new cookbook! They are SO delicious. Lots of other good stuff in this book too. Read the review on my website (link is in the profile too).

05/12/2022

Free demo & book signing tomorrow at 12pm!

This Tuesday! Join us for a free book signing and demonstration with . Naomi's will be demonstrating delicious treats from her new book THE GIVING TABLE. Have your book personally signed. Come and enjoy!

25/11/2022

Great Black Friday discount from - order your copy of my new cookbook -The Giving Table - with 30% off today only!

22/11/2022

How does one choose which recipes make it into a cookbook and which don’t? This was not an easy process for me. There were so many beloved recipes that I had been making for years that somehow didn’t make the cut- Too old-fashioned, too passé, too common, too many of that sort already in the book, and the list went on…
Still, that doesn’t mean I don’t still clutch on to my old favorites like my mom’s easy sweet & sour meatballs- beloved by all children and adults alike. It is forgiving, and doubles (and triples!) beautifully.

Mom’s Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Serves 6-8

3 pounds ground beef
3 eggs, beaten
¾ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup matzo meal or bread crumbs
1 (15-oz.) can whole cranberry sauce
1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce
½ cup (4 oz.) chili sauce
Combine beef, eggs, spices and matzo meal together in a large bowl, mixing
until well blended.
Using wet hands, break off small amounts (about 1 tablespoon) and roll into meatballs. Repeat with remaining beef mixture. Set aside.
Combine cranberry, tomato and chili sauces in a large heavy pot. Place
over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring to blend. When sauce begins
to boil, carefully drop in meatballs.
Return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 1-1½
hours.
Skim fat from surface, if necessary (if making in advance, this is easily done
after refrigerated or frozen as the fat will congeal). Serve hot over rice.

25/10/2022

Happy Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan to all! Last night's was all about adopting healthier habits especially after a month of heavy festive meals. In a "mar" (meaning, bitter) month, with no external holidays coming our way, it is up to us to create our own sweetness. Embracing the "bitter"(greens) in our lives often highlights and magnifies the natural sweetness that is also there as well... as demonstrated in the super healthy and delish salad we made together. As always, here is the recipe to enjoy. If you choose to make with a less bitter, more tender green like baby spinach, just dress (no massaging needed!).

Kale & Citrus Salad

3 tbsp. Sesame seeds or 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
1 bunch kale, cut into bite-size pieces (center stems removed)
Citrus Shallot Dressing (recipe below)
Segments from 1-2 grapefruits
Segments from 2 navel oranges
1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, toss together spinach, salt, and about 3 tbsp. dressing. Massage leaves by hand until leaves soften and are slightly tender. Add grapefruit and orange segments, and sliced avocado. Drizzle a little more dressing as needed; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Season with freshly ground pepper. (salad can also be plated individually if desired).

CITRUS SHALLOT DRESSING

1 garlic clove, minced/crushed
1/2 tsp. kosher salt or more to taste
Juice of 1 juice orange (about 1/4 cup)
Juice of ½ lemon
Juice of 1½ limes
1 large shallot, minced
½ cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine garlic, salt, juices and shallot. Whisk until well blended. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender for a perfectly smooth dressing).

25/09/2022

These plates are the handiwork of my kids from years ago. The symbolic foods of Rosh Hashanah which represent those blessings we wish for in the coming year. Each year I bring them out and it is a reminder that we have the capacity to paint the blessings we receive in many different ways. We can see the good or we can choose to see the imperfections.
On Rosh Hashanah, we crown God as King of the world, and King in our own lives, Establishing that everything comes from Him - that which is revealed and unrevealed.
I am sending wishes to all of you for a sweet and happy new year, a year full of Revealed blessings and the ability to see the good in everything - even that which is challenging. Wishing you all good health, fulfillment, prosperity, and peace in the coming year.