Sweet Potato Side

Toss cubed sweet potatoes with sliced red onion, garlic pepper, and a bit of oil. Roast at 375°F (190°C), stirring occasionally until crisp and cooked through. Yummy!

—Faigy Grossman

Okay, quick!

My kitchen would not be the same without ________ .

Sunlight!

—Esther Ottensoser

FT, help me!!

I’m hosting a big crowd, and I want to make an appetizer that’s easy and that I know everyone will love. What should I make?

In my home, tuna tartare would be a great crowd-pleaser.

—Rivky Kleiman

Product review:

We’ve been exploring the different flavors of So Delicious pareve ice creams. The new oat-milk based collection has some delicious flavors, but the ones made with a cashewmilk base are especially creamy and taste dairy! Our all-time favorite is the cashewmilk Salted Caramel Cluster.

—Chanie Apfelbaum

Staff room question:

Number-one piece of advice for kallahs:

For new cooks, I would share this advice: The tip to great cooking is often great technique. You don’t necessarily need a lot of ingredients to make things taste great. Choose different recipes to try, but pay attention to the instructions and you’ll pick up valuable techniques that will turn you into a gourmet chef in no time.

—Estee Kafra

Reader feedback (Issue 711):

I just wanted to thank Family Table for the informative and inspirational article on Stock-A-Freezer, which ran right before Yom Kippur. As I read it, I thought about what a zechus it would be to get involved in this chesed in the upcoming year. The article described how women cook, organize, and deliver delicious homemade foods for families struggling with an ill family member. These women live right near my community in the Five Towns. Before reading about it in Mishpacha, I had never heard of this beautiful organization. Without hesitation, I tracked down one of the organizers, and I have now joined this incredible group. It’s such a simple chesed that really goes a long way.

When I joined the WhatsApp group coordinating the food, drop-off times, and volunteers for deliveries, I was humbled to see that another 212 nashim tzidkaniyos are already involved in this tremendous chesed. Shout-out to Rochella Treitel, Adina Chafetz, and Shana Beren, who have a meticulously organized Google spreadsheet listing which foods are needed; everyone can fill in and choose something that they’re able to cook.

Just to bring home how selfless these women are — recently the spreadsheet was sent out, and a few days later a message went out that a lot of specific foods were still needed. Just 10 minutes later, the entire sheet was filled in by women who all have busy lives, but jumped at the chance to fill the void. Yasher koach to Mishpacha and to all these wonderful women who agreed to be interviewed to spread their light to those in need.

—An inspired newly joined Stock-A-Freezer member

Halacha:

Can I add a leaf to my table on Shabbos?

There are two potential issues with adding a leaf to a table on Shabbos — assembling a utensil made of detachable parts, which could be a violation of makeh bepatish, and creating an ohel, which could be a violation of the melachah of boneh. The consensus of contemporary poskim is that we are not concerned with either one of those issues, and it is permitted to add, or remove, a leaf to a table on Shabbos. The same holds true of opening and closing a folded table or bed on Shabbos

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 726)