Sparkle Stories Blog

Chana sundal, a simple roasted chickpea dish, is often sold as street food, but don’t dismiss it. With a thick curry smell and just a little heat from red pepper, it also makes a delicious dinner side.

Like Martin and Sylvia’s family, our family has experimented with making holiday meals from ingredients closer to home. Increased interest in local eating means that it’s easier than ever to make local meals.

This rock candy recipe will make about three small pieces of rock candy—depending on the size of the jars you use—and is a fun science experiment for a frosty day.

Hanukkah commemorates the miracle of holy oil that should have only lasted for a day, lasting for eight days—enough time for more oil to be properly made. As such, many of the foods traditionally served at Hanukkah are fried in oil. The most famous of these is potato latkes.

Fruit cake can be quite delicious. Its dark maple-y texture is sweet, but not too sweet. Studded with red cranberries and green pistachios, it can even wear the colors of the season.

The salad is quite simple, but by using crisp butter lettuce and bright, seasonal citrus, it doesn’t feel drab. Enjoy it some winter evening when you need a little break from “too much."

There’s nothing for a sick day like a pot of soup made with good, homemade broth. By preparing the broth ahead of time, even a sick person who doesn’t have helpers as good as Martin and Sylvia can enjoy a bowl of soothing soup.

The next time you’re faced with a sleep-over’s worth of hungry, tired kiddos, why not try a breakfast burrito bar?

A bierock (also called a “runza” in some parts of the world) is a meat-and-cabbage filed pocket pastry with Eastern European origins. They’re delicious, they’re filling, and they can totally be eaten one-handed. Follow the directions from the Sparkle Kitchen to make your own!

Spiced applesauce! Cinnamon, cardamom, allspice. Can’t you already smell and taste it? Yum. We’ve got Momma’s recipe for you — all you need are ripe apples, some honey, some lemon juice, and a few lovely spices.