The Easiest, Tastiest Challah Recipe

I made a round loaf of challah last night for the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana and when I posted it on Instagram, I got some questions about the recipe so I’m adding it here, below!

I still stand by my original challah recipe (last recipe in my first book ) however I’ve shifted the way I make it over the last several years. I make a slightly bigger loaf now that we have three kids and I have moved away from refined sugar. I also like to use rapid yeast now, so that it doesn’t take as long to rise. Below is my more recent recipe:

CHALLAH

Combine in a standing mixer—>

1 c water

1 packet rapid rise yeast

1/4 c honey or agave

1/3 c olive oil (or veg oil)

2 beaten eggs (but save about 1T of this for later)

1 t coarse salt

(plus bread flour, see note below)

Mix everything together and while the dough hook is spinning, slowly add bread flour. You can also use all purpose flour, but lately I like the texture that bread flour gives. I have found that Bob’s Red Mill flour is totally superior to all others I’ve tried (this is not sponsored!)! I don’t measure the flour but you need around 4 cups. Keep adding flour little by little until your dough turns into a ball and only sticks to the bottom of the bowl a tiny bit. Let the mixer run for another 10 minutes or so on low to “knead” the dough.

Next put your dough ball in an oiled mixing bowl (I use a spray oil and flip the dough ball to coat both sides.) I cover the bowl and put it in the oven (off) with the light on to keep it a little bit warm. Let it rise for about two hours or until it puffs up and seems about doubled in size.

Next, cut the dough into pieces, roll the pieces into ropes and braid it. On an average Friday night Shabbat I do a three-piece long braid. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll watch a YouTube video on a six strand braid, because I can never remember how to do it. For Rosh Hashana, I do a round loaf which symbolizes the cycle of the new year beginning.

Coat the top of your braided challah with that little bit of that leftover beaten egg. You can use a brush, but I just use my hands! Sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or coarse salt and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. (for a round loaf, 35 min) Eat it warm! And if you are like my kids, you’ll smother each bite in salted butter, also.

#shanatovah #challah #roshhashana

Butternut "Brisket" for Rosh Hashana

The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, is coming up this weekend and we always host a festive fall dinner. I’m constantly in search of a good vegetarian main course and in the past I’ve often done a Squash Lasagna. Brisket is a main dish commonly served at Rosh Hashana so I thought I’d do a vegetarian dish inspired by it. I ended up making a whole butternut squash sliced hasselback-style (which is easier than it looks!) and baked with some spices and herbs that are often used when making a meat brisket.

The trickiest part of this recipe is peeling the butternut. Use a potato peeler and shave down the sides while it’s whole. Hopefully your peeler is sharper than mine and this won’t be too much of a chore! After the squash is halved and the seeds removed, slice each one hasselback-style, like above. Some recipes suggest using chopsticks on either side, but I didn’t have any, so instead I used a couple of butter knives that I didn’t care much about. They create a bit of space between your knife and the cutting board so that you don’t cut all the way through and the whole thing stays intact.

Everything is baked and served in the same dish

Everything is combined in one casserole baking dish which makes it easy to serve as well. A spiced liquid is poured over the whole dish before baking. Pomegranate and chives are added once it comes out of the oven. I prefer to eat a myriad of sides and while this could be a veggie side, it’s so substantial and pretty in the dish that it feels like a main and accompanies several sides so nicely. Also, this goes without saying, but it could of course be served alongside actual brisket if that’s what you’re serving!

Sprinkle it with pomegranate and chives when it comes out of the oven

A festive, colorful vegetarian main course for a fall meal.

Butternut “Brisket” for Rosh Hashana

1 medium butternut squash (approx 3 pounds), peeled and cut hasselback style

Veg to scatter around the main squash:

• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into big cubes

• 2 carrots, cut into big cubes (I don’t bother peeling)

• 1 large red onion (or 2 small) cut into big cubes

• 5 dates (sliced in chunks)

• 1 handful (yellow) cherry tomatoes

• 3 bay leaves

For the sauce:

• 1/2 c veg broth

• 1/2 t paprika

• 1/4 t cinnamon

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 T honey (or maple syrup to make it vegan)

• 1/4 olive oil

• 1 t coarse salt

Garnish:

• 2 t chives, finely chopped

• 1/3 c fresh pomegranate seeds

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: (preheat oven to 425F)

1. Start by using a hand potato peeler to peel the skin off the butternut squash while it’s whole. This is the hardest part of this recipe, so hang in there! It just takes a few minutes. Go little by little around those curves.

2. Use a large knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise. I like to trim the bottom of the squash just a tiny bit to remove any remaining peel, but keep the stem (it’s pretty!). Use a spoon to remove the seeds.

3. Lay the 2 squash halves face-down on a cutting board. Starting with one of them, lay 2 butter knives (or chopsticks or wooden spoon handles) alongside the squash (see pic above). This keeps you from cutting all the way through and keeps the squash intact. This is hasselback! Looks pretty, but it’s not too hard–who knew?! Slice both squash halves from end to end. If some slices fall out as you go (mine did) just pop them back in. If you slice the whole thing in half, don’t worry, just push it together in the pan later. No one will notice!

4. Place both “hasselbacked” squash halves in a casserole dish, face down. I used an oval dish that’s 9x13”. Scatter all the other cubed vegetables, etc around the squash.

5. Combine all the sauce items and stir. Pour this mixture over the whole casserole.

6. A note on the dates: try to have them be submerged in the liquid otherwise they can get burnt and chewy and hard in the baking process (which I kinda like but it’s probably not for everyone!). If your squash was big, or your dish was big, or you had a LOT of veg piled up around it….you may want to add a bit more veg broth.

7. Let’s bake this thing! It should take about an hour at 425F in the middle rack. Half way through, open the oven and use a spoon to (carefully!!) spoon the liquid from the sides over the butternut and into those crevices. Stir the veg on the sides a bit and make sure those dates are underneath the liquid. At the 50-60 minute mark, use a fork and poke the squash and surrounding vegetables. If they are soft, it’s done! If your squash was on the bigger side, it might need a bit more time.

8. When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle the top with chives and fresh pomegranate seeds

9. Serve it hot and enjoy!

Suggestions for other items to serve it with (apples and honey are key at Rosh Hashana!):

• Round Challah

• Apple & Honey Mules (cocktails)

• Skillet Tofu and Onions

• Apple Matchstick Salad

• Roasted Zaatar Carrots

• Honey-Balsamic Green Beans

• Honey Cake

Shana Tovah!

Jewish New Year Cards

Growing up on an apple orchard, we did everything imaginable with apples, including using them as stamps. Around the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashana, it’s typical for Jews to send out New Years cards to friends and family. I had fun making these recently with our kids to wish our loved ones Shana Tovah and a sweet new year.

Apple Stamp Cards

Directions: Slice an apple in half from the stem down. Put a small amount of tempura paint on a plate and dip each half in like a stamp. Press onto thick cardstock-type paper. Use watercolor paints to add a stem and leaf and any personalized message. Mail as a postcard or pop them in an envelope to share.

Watch this little video for a short tutorial!

Round Challah for Rosh Hashana

Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, starts a week from today and we are gearing up!

Two things I make annually without fail are Honey Cake and round challah. Traditionally the bread is baked round at this time of year to symbolize the cycle of a new year beginning. There are a lot of apples and honey involved in these holidays – apples for fall and honey to sweeten the new year ahead. I love using pomegranates too because they are so festively autumn.

For the challah, I use my recipe that’s in my first book (it’s the last recipe if you have the book) and I make it in a standup mixer. I braid it into a long braid, pinch the ends and then coil it into a circle, tucking the ends underneath. I dot the top with fresh pomegranate seeds and brush with egg before baking. Then I drizzle it with honey once it’s out and slightly cooled, and add a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.

Shana Tovah! (Happy New Year!)

Latke Round-up!

I love a good latke this time of year! It is easy and fun to experiment with different variations of this potato pancake. Latkes are traditional Hanukkah treats because they are cooked in oil and symbolize the miracle of the holiday.

Unless otherwise noted, I like to use Russett potatoes when making latkes since they have less moisture. A non-stick pan can be helpful too!

Here’s a quick round-up of favorite Forest Feast latke recipes:

• Cauliflower Potato Latkes

• Sweet potato Latkes from The Forest Feast cookbook

• Zuchini Latkes

Happy Hanukkah!