In my kitchen, there are two approaches to recipe developing. There’s the breezy, “Whaaaat, recipe-testing-is-no-big-deal every- time-I-make-chicken-I-do-something different- anyway.” This type of recipe is often what I share on this page. Then there’s the other approach, the assignments and deadlines I give out to our contributors, and also to myself. I’ll speak only for myself now — that kind of recipe developing and testing creates a bigger mess than making Yom Tov does.

To break it down a bit, the former is all about a spontaneous idea, a last-minute spice that changes everything, or a twist that may or may not be due to circumstance. The latter is about being on a mission.

Let’s say I need to create a soup with meat in it for the Yom Tov supplement. So I practically empty my pantry and fridge and freezer, think on the fly, and try a bunch of different options (maybe an onion at this stage, and some thyme later), till I feel like I’m onto something. Hence the mess. I’ll tell you when it’s fun, though — when I revisit the recipe and follow it like it’s the first time, and I actually like the results.

When Brynie sends me recipes she’s developed, she updates me during every stage of the process, so I barely need to use my imagination to feel like I’m in her kitchen tasting her creation. Brynie is our OG Family Table contributor, and she’s the proof that you can twist recipes into endless permutations and there will still be more ways to change them up and make them fresh and exciting.  

I’m very excited to share Brynie’s Shabbos with you all. It’s homey, it’s a huge hug, and it’s authentic Brynie.

CHANIE NAYMAN
Food Editor, Family Table
Editor in Chief, Kosher.com

Chocolate Chip Cookies

(This recipe originally appeared in the magazine in the summer of 2015.)

• 1½ cups canola oil 
• ¾ cup sugar 
• ¾ cup brown sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 2¼ cups flour 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• ¼ tsp salt 
• 2 cups chocolate chips

OPTIONAL FUN ADDITIONS 

• 4 mini Milk Munch bars, coarsely chopped 
• 6 peanut chews, coarsely chopped
• colorful sprinkles

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Using an electric mixer, beat together oil, sugars, and vanilla until creamy. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and gradually add to the mixer. Stir in chocolate chips. For extralarge cookies, use a ¼-cup measure to mold the cookies. Flatten slightly onto an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake 9–11 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. As soon as they come out of the oven, gently press the chopped chocolate bars into the cookies and transfer to a cooling rack.

Frozen Pizza 2.0

I keep a pizza spice blend ready for my kids to sprinkle onto frozen pizza before it goes in the oven. It’s salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and crushed red pepper, but you can add anything your family likes!

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 748)