Rosh Hashana Turkey Roast

This is another of my mom’s favorite poultry recipes. In fact, she makes it so often, it has become a signature dish. The recipe originally came from a cookbook from the Touro synagogue.

A sweet and sour recipe that is a snap to put together, it always gets raves. It is particularly useful for Shabbos and Yom Tov entertaining because it can be served at room temperature–no worrying about heating it up (and it drying out).

If I serve it warm, I like to cook down the gravy to concentrate it, and I serve the gravy on the side.

Rosh Hashana Orange Chicken

My mother has been making this for a really, really long time. It is easy, freezes well, and never fails to please. Simple enough for a family dinner, but special enough for any occasion. When my mom wants to make this more special, she uses cornish hens and adds orange slices or mandarin oranges as a garnish.

The idea is that you roast the chicken a little, to give the chicken skin a chance to crisp and brown just a little bit, and then you add the orange glaze. The chicken juices mix with the orange glaze to make a thick gravy that is excellent over rice.

(And I have also used this as a sauce for fried tofu, in case you want the vegetarian version.)

Rosh Hashana Leek Fritters

I’m re-posting this (originally posted in 2009) because they are really delicious and easy.

Kosher Samurai’s Leek and Potato Soup

My children had just learned about leeks and were very excited to see two large bunches in the kitchen. They had been told that it was used for making leek and potato soup, and they really wanted me to make that.

I just needed one bunch for my Rosh Hashana leek fritters, so I agreed to use the remaining bunch for soup. After a quick Google search, I settled on a recipe from the fairly new blog, Kosher Samurai.

It was easy, it was delicious, it was polished off in no time. The taste is rather like potato kugel. And I mean that in the best possible way.

Kosher Samurai says that this tried and true recipe also freezes perfectly–just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently over a low flame.

And the recipe is easy to remember: 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 3 leeks, 4 potatoes, and 5 cups broth. Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!

Other Blogs, Other Posts: Rosh Hashana Challah

round braided challah using Tamar Ansh's method From the Jewish Press

Braiding seems to be a big theme this year . . .

Kosher Camembert does a round braid
So does G6
And Creative Jewish Mom

Cook Kosher has a video showing how to make a 6-strand braided round challah, a 4-strand braided round challah, and a no braid round challah (crown challah)

The first time that I saw this braiding technique was in Tamar Ansh’s book A Taste of Challah (a challah recipe from that book and photos of the braiding technique are here on the OU website). Take a look at Tamar’s website for more information.

Last year, Tamar showed another round braiding technique in the Jewish Press, which I tried with great success.

This year, Tamar has a post on Joy of Kosher showing an even easier technique for a round braid. (Jamie has a video demonstrating this technique)

Here is an interesting round braid technique made by linking together challah loops.

Here is one more round braiding technique.

Why round challah?

See here and here.

If you are interested in other traditional Rosh Hashana shapes, like a bird, ladder, fish, or hamsa, take a look here.

Naomi Ross’s Mom’s Sweet and Sour Meatballs (plus a vegetarian variation)

My husband is quite particular about meatballs–the texture has to be just so. I found this recipe on the blog from Park East butchers and it is a winner. The sauce is not overpoweringly sweet and sour and the meatballs have a texture that is neither too firm nor too mushy. I didn’t measure the chili sauce. I might have used slightly less than the recipe specifies, I will have to figure that out. (update: I used 3 1/2 ounces, which is only very slightly less what the recipe calls for)

I used some meshaper afiya in the meatballs–I think that it helps the meatballs stay moist, but I’m not sure if it really makes a difference.

Naomi Ross (it is her mom’s recipe) says that this recipe is 4-F (family favorite, freezer friendly).

I have a vegetarian meatball recipe–I might try making this sauce for those meatballs also for a pareve option.

Rosh Hashana Pumpkin Pie with Coconut Oil Crust

This is my holiday pumpkin pie, but with a new crust made with coconut oil and orange juice. The filling, too, has orange juice. You can swap out rice milk or soy milk or even coconut milk.

For the above crust I used 1 cup of flour, 4 Tbl. coconut oil, and 3 Tbl. orange juice. The crust was a bit skimpy–I had to roll it very thinly and even then didn’t really have enough dough to make a nice fluted edge. So, the below recipe adjusts upward to use 1 1/2 cups flour, 6 Tbl. oil and 4 Tbl. liquid.

Other Blogs, Other Rosh Hashana Posts: Honey and Apple Cakes

Chocolate Applesauce Cake

Here are just some apple and honey cake posts that I like:

Creative Jewish Mom: Whole Wheat Apple Cake
Chanie: a honey cake that has the moist texture of Hershey’s chocolate cake, with caramelized apples on top
Leah Cooks Kosher: amazing looking honey and apple cakes from a professional caterer, here, here and here
More Quiche, Please Apple Spice Cake (mmmm . . . apple and spices and whole wheat and a yummy drizzle topping)
Nechama’s honey cake
IlanaDavita has honey-apple cake that sounds good, too.

They all sound so good . . . but, I still made my honey cake, plus my Grandma’s Chocolate Applesauce Cake, and I am making my Apple Breton. I find it so hard to veer away from what I make every year when it comes to Rosh Hashana. But the above recipes are really tempting.

Some other ideas from my blog:

Dorie Greenspan Apple Cake, made gluten-free

Fall Apple cake

And some fun with puff pastry: Cook Kosher’s Apple Pockets and Shoshana offers apple and honey turnovers

Other Blogs, Other Rosh Hashana Posts: Simanin

Pumpkin Pie

Here are some nice blog posts about simanim:

From the Jewish Hostess:how to clean the simanim to make sure that they are insect free (first things first!)
Leora on simanin (follow all the links to the other posts!)
Israeli Kitchen: simanin  here and here (plus this funny post about lubia and fish eyes–don’t ask!)
Gorgeous photography and recipes for simanim from Cook Kosher
Kosher Foodies on Leek Patties and Simanim in general
From the OU, recipes for simanin
Food Bridge–gorgeous photos!

Honey Cake, Two Ways (sort of three ways)

For years, my go to honey cake was Rochelle Bernhardt’s recipe. Rich, moist, faintly spicy, with hints of orange and deep coffee undertones. Then, I strayed a bit, with the lighter tasting, spongier textured, mildly spiced Ukrainian Honey Cake. I’m giving you both recipes . . . . Your call.