Quesadillas + Cookbook Giveaway!!

I had been looking for some new summer dinners lately (somehow my regular weeknight menu plans just don't feel right for the long lazy summer evenings), and while leafing through the new Bais Yaakov Cookbook last weekend it dawned on me that I should really be switching things up in the kitchen - even just for Freida. She is so used to my meals and the way I cook and the flavors I use, I thought It would be really good to try some new things. And since I have all this time with her during these summer weeks, it's a perfect way to incorporate cooking into our slew of "mommy camp" activities. Anyways, we poured over the cookbook together this morning and I let her pick something new she wanted to try for dinner. She went with Quesadillas! The recipe was simple enough - unlike many of the other high-grade kosher cookbooks, this one is beautiful to look at yet actually works with regular ingredients that you'll likely have in your pantry! - and she was able to do most of it and assemble them on her own (while entertaining Hudi, to boot! :).

I used whole wheat tortillas, and the recipe called for onions, mushrooms, red pepper, yellow pepper, and shredded cheese. She ate it all! I couldn't believe she didn't even put in a request for a "plain" version!! Who knew quesadillas are total kid fare?? She dipped them in sour cream for a while, and then went on to munch away on them happily like they were little slices of personal pizza. Perfect summer dinner + leftover lunch-on-the-go - perfect with some chilled salsa and sour cream!

The Bais Yaakov Cookbook is choc-full of elevated recipes you can make from regular ingredients you have on hand. It's beautifully done and really well-written (I loved reading the History of Bais Yaakov in the forward. I had no idea the whole movement was started by one girl when she transformed her small seamstress workspace into a classroom in Krakow - for only 5 girls!!), and the halachic guidelines in the back will very likely come in handy,  but mostly what I loved about this cookbook is that majority of the recipes I can make for dinners, or dinner parties without hassling too much in the kitchen. (I can't wait to try the Crumb Coated Sea Bass, Roasted Garlic and Zucchini Soup, and these Apple Buns look off-the-hook-amazing!!)

To win a free copy of The Bais Yaakov Cookbook leave a comment where you see this post on Facebook!! A winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday. Good luck!!

But don't worry - even if you don't win you can still snag a copy for yourself or for a friend at 20% off + free shipping here!!