Category: Holiday

Apple Cider Donuts Filled With Apple Filling and Apple Glaze

As fall approaches apple cider donuts (or is it doughnut) seem to be all the rage (and I personally believe apple always beats pumpkin spice) and they make a great Rosh Hashana dessert. One of the major complaints I have about your average apple cider donut is they don’t really taste like apples. I wanted to find a way to infuse as much apple flavor into the recipe.  I decided to go with an apple glazed apple filled yeast donut made with apple cider instead of the more traditional cake donut usually used for apple cider donuts.

Don’t forget to check out some of our  other Rosh Hashanah recipes:

Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel

Slow Braised Brisket With Apples For Rosh Hashanah

Braised Short Ribs with Apples and Pomegranate Honey Glaze

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Apple Cider Doughnuts
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Apple Glazed and Apple Filled Apple Cider Donuts
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Rise Times
4 hrs
 

A fall classic that is perfect for Rosh Hashanah

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Fall, Holiday, Jewish, Kosher, Rosh Hashanah
Keyword: Apple, Apple Cider, Apple Cider Donut, Apple Cider Doughnut, Donut, Doughnut, Fall, Holiday, kosher, rosh hashanah
Servings: 12 Donuts
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Apple Filling
  • 2.5 Cups Apple Cider Divided
  • 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 6 Large Apples Peeled, cored, and diced small
  • 2 Cups Apple Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Apple Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
Apple Glaze
  • 8 Cups Apple Cider
  • 4 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Butter
Apple Cider Donuts
  • 1-1/2 Cups Apple Cider Divided
  • 1 Envelope Instant Yeast
  • 1/4 Cup Shortening Melted and cooled
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
  • 24 Ounces All Purpose Flour About 5 cups
  • Vegetable or Canola Oil for Frying
  • Apple Glaze See recipe above
  • Apple Filling See recipe above
Instructions
Apple Cider Donuts

  1. Pour 1/2 a cup of apple cider into a microwave bowl and heat in the microwave to about 100°F. Alternatively you could do this in a small pot on the stove. Add in the packet of yeast, stir to combine, and set aside.

  2. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

  3. In the bowl of your mixer, add the 2 eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, the remaining 1 cup of apple cider and melted shortening and beat with the whisk attachment until lighter in color and volume doubles. Then slowly add the yeast and apple cider mixture.

  4. Switch to the paddle attachment on your mixer and add a ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated, then slowly add in the remaining dry ingredients until a dough forms. If the there are still dry pockets of flour add a little bit more apple cider.

  5. Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size.

  6. Roll the dough into pieces slightly larger than a golf ball. You should get about 12 pieces. Place on parchment lined baking sheet dusted with flour and allow to rise until doubled in size.

  7. Place 3 inches of oil in your Dutch oven or pot, place over medium heat, and bring up to 350°F

  8. Fry your donuts until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Allow to cool.

  9. Using a large piping bag with a wide filling nozzle fill with the apple filling (see recipe below). Sometime it help to use the handle of a large wooden mixing spoon to create a pocket first.

  10. Dip the top of each donut in to the apple glaze (see recipe below) and top with a little more of the apple filling.

Apple Filling/Topping

  1. Pour two cups of the apple cider in a large sauce pot, reserving a 1/2 cup for later use.

  2. Add the apples, apple sauce, apple butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the pot and place on the stove over medium heat. Stir to combine.

  3. Continue stirring the apple mixture and once it begins to thicken, in a bowl combine the remaining 1/2 cup of apple cider and corn starch and stir to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the apple mixture to and continue to cook until until the filling starts to gel.

  4. Allow the filling to cool and and use to fill and top your donuts.

Apple Glaze

  1. Combine 8 cups apple cider, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of nutmeg and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in a medium sauce pan. Place over medium heat and reduce by ¾.

  2. Set the glaze aside to cool to room temperature and stir in the the apple butter. Alternatively make this in advance and store in the fridge and bring back to room temperature before using.

Stuffing Waffles With Caramelized Onions and (Beef) Bacon

Stuffing WafflesAs I was trying to come up with a recipe for the Thanksgiving season, I was listening one of the Thanksgiving episodes of one of my new favorite podcasts BBQ Radio Network, when one of the hosts, Andy Groneman mentioned two magical words: “stuffing waffles”. Andy Groneman is a second generation pitmaster who won hundreds of awards including 25 grand champions and was named the reserve grand champion at 2008 American Royal, which is considered by many to be the World Series of BBQ.

As many of you know, I am the pitmaster of the kosher BBQ team 5 Dudes and A Vegetarian. I had the privilege of cooking next to Andy at the KC Kosher BBQ Festival. Not only is he a great cook, but he is an all around good guy. Once I heard Andy mention stuffing waffles, I knew I needed to make them so I reached out to Andy to make sure he was OK with me borrowing his idea. I highly recommend his podcast if you are interested in anything BBQ related.  Please check it out, subscribe via your favorite podcast player, and leave them a nice review.

This may reach you a little too late for Thanksgiving. That being said, there is no rule that says you can’t have stuffing the rest of the year.  Also, making your stuffing into waffles is a great way to use up leftover stuffing that maybe didn’t sell so well at your dinner table.  Stuffing waffles can also be used as bread for leftover turkey sandwiches. Finally, if you don’t have a waffle iron, you can form these into patties and fry them. Sort of like a Thanksgiving latke.

Don’t forget to check out some of out other Thanksgiving recipes:

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread

Peking Duck For Thanksgiving

Ginger Lime Cranberry Sauce

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Stuffing Waffles
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 Stuffing Waffles With Caramelized Onions and (Beef) Bacon
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Hydration time
2 hrs
 

A crispy take on a holiday classic

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Holiday, Thanksgiving
Keyword: Bacon, mushroom, Stuffing, Thanksgiving
Servings: 12 Mini Waffles
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Slices (Beef) Bacon
  • 6 Large Onions Diced
  • 3 Ribs Celery Sliced
  • 8 oz Sliced Mushrooms Washed and Stems Removed
  • 3 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 3 Cups 1" Bread Cubes Left out to stale for a day and lightly toasted in the oven
  • 3 Large Eggs Beaten
  • 2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 2 tbsp Dried Sage
  • Vegetable Oil For sauteing
  • Cooking Spray To stop your waffles from sticking to the waffle iron
Instructions

  1. Place your (beef) bacon on a parchment lined sheet pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 400°F. The bacon should be crispy roughly when the oven reaches temperature. Allow the bacon to cool and chop in to small pieces and put to the side.

  2. In a large sauté pan add about a ½ inch of vegetable oil and add your onions. Sauté the onions over low heat until they are dark brown.

  3. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and celery to the pan with the onions and continue to cook until the celery and mushrooms begin to brown.

  4. In a large mixing bowl add the bread, vegetables, bacon, eggs, stock and sage. Stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit covered in the refrigerator to hydrate for two hours to overnight.

  5. Place enough stuffing to fill your waffle iron to fill it up and cook until crispy. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200°F oven. Top with your favorite gravy and enjoy.

 

Taco Soup

Taco Soup – a perfect Sukkot meal

As the weather has gotten colder, like all of us, I’m making soups more often. And lately I’ve been obsessing over this Taco Soup! I got the recipe inspiration from Mayra Wendolyne of @low.carb.love on Instagram.

Once you make this soup, you’ll be craving it for a while, trust me. 😉 Not only is it delicious and super easy but it’s a super-filling meal with the boost of protein from the Beyond Meat.

If you don’t feel like lugging out your big soup pot, make it in your instant pot! Or, add all the ingredients to your slow cooker in the morning, set it on low for 7-8 hours (or high for 4-6 hours).

Not only is this a great addition to your soup rotation, but it’s perfect for the last days of Sukkot. Of course, if you’re making a meat meal, use parve cream cheese! If you do, just be aware that the soup will look like it’s separating, but just be patient, once it’s done cooking, stir it well and it’ll stay nice and creamy.

This soup also reheats nicely, and the endless toppings make it so fun for a taco soup bar!

Chag Sameach!

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Taco Soup
Course: Soup
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Taco Soup
  • 3 Garlic cloves, minced
  • Olive oil
  • 1 16 oz. Package of Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger
  • 2-3 Celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 Small white onion, chopped
  • 2 Bell peppers (any color), chopped
  • 2-3 Carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 Can Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies Use any variety - either mild or spicy
  • 16 oz Vegetable Broth I like the Imagine Soup brand, the low sodium - just eyeball about half the container (which is a total of 32 oz.)
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese Or use parve cream cheese if making a fleishig meal
  • Taco Seasoning
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Soup toppings
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese or Parve
  • Sour Cream Or parve
  • Sliced Avocado
  • Pickled Jalapeno slices Optional
  • Handful of cilantro, chopped Optional
  • Tortilla chips You can use tortilla strips, or crush regular tortilla chips, or just add them whole.
  • 1 Lime, cut into wedges
Instructions

  1. In a medium soup pot, heat up a drizzle of olive oil and add the garlic on medium heat for about 1 minute (be careful not to burn the garlic - it happens fast, so keep an eye on it)

  2. Add the onion, carrot, bell peppers and celery, season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 6-7 minutes until the veggies are soft

  3. Add in the Beyond Meat and break use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into smaller pieces. Season again with salt and pepper and cumin.

  4. Pour in the can of Rotel canned tomatoes, veggie stock and 2 cups of water (here's a trick - after adding the Rotel, fill the can up with water and add that to the pot - it's exactly 16 oz. which equals 2 cups. I love using this method because it's one less thing to wash, plus you get the extra flavor bits in the can of the Rotel!)

  5. Taste the soup at this point and add in any additional salt, pepper or cumin. I added about a 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of cumin

  6. Add the block of cream cheese, either regular or parve and let the soup simmer on high with the lid on, for about 15-20 minutes

  7. Ladle into bowls and add your toppings! Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel

Happy New Year 5783! Rosh Hashanah is HERE, ya’ll!

This recipe, Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel is such a great side dish to serve for your yom tov table. It combines apples of course to symbolize the Jewish New Year, dipping apples into honey as part of the Rosh Hashanah seder meal. “T’marim”, is the Hebrew word for dates, which uses the root word “tam” meaning “to end” – hoping that our enemies will “end” or be eliminated.  And dates are also one of the Seven Species of Israel.

I love using spaghetti squash as the base of this kugel/pudding because not only does it mimic noodles, but it’s a great low-carb and gluten-free option and so much easier than scrubbing, peeling and shredded a whole bunch of potatoes (or use your food processor for that). It’s easy to roast in the oven OR you can pop it in the microwave for 6-7 minutes for a quicker option. Even though I added the apples and dates, it’s a relatively small amount so it’s still lower in carbs, but feel free to omit the dates if you’re on keto or sub the apples for jicama (though apples do have a good amount of fiber, so a little apple here and there is good for you). 🙂

So there you have it! Another kugel recipe to add to your table – whether for Rosh Hashanah or on a fall Shabbat afternoon lunch.

Wishing you all a Kesiva V’Chasima Tova – Shana Tovah! See ya’ll next year!

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Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Holiday
Keyword: rosh hashanah
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 Spaghetti Squash (halved and seeds removed)
  • 1/3 cup Sugar, or sugar substitute
  • 1 Large Apple, diced Or 2 small apples
  • 3 Eggs (large)
  • 2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Dates, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp Allspice, or apple pie spice
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400F

  2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds

  3. Roast for 40 minutes, let cool and scoop out the squash into a large bowl

  4. Lower oven to 375F

  5. Mix in the eggs, sugar, diced apples, dates and spices

  6. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray

  7. Pour into baking dish and bake for 40-45 min until set and golden brown

  8. Serve at any temp - YUM!

Mini Passover Bagels

Mini Passover Bagels

Hope ya’ll are having a wonderful Passover holiday, or had a wonderful Easter! Whatever you celebrate, we’ve got you covered with some great new spring recipes!

We’re coming up on the last days of Passover, so I had to share the recipe for these Mini Passover Bagels – made without matzah meal or potato starch! This is one of my go-to low-carb recipes that I make throughout the year! And the best part is that it’s 100% Passover-friendly and dairy-free!

Psyllium Husk Powder

The key here is the ground psyllium husk powder that gives the bagels the classic chewy, wheat-like texture. You can find a container on Amazon or slightly cheaper at Whole Foods in the supplement section.

Psyllium husk powder is made from the outer covering hence the “husk” of the seeds of the Plantago Ovata plant. It’s mainly grown throughout Northern and Western India. The powder is commonly used as a digestive aid due to its high fiber content, or a perfect matzah meal or potato starch substitute in these Passover Mini Bagels.

So that’s it – short and sweet. Chag Sameach friends!

Side note – see here for details from the cRc regarding Kosher-for-Passover hechsher)

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Mini Passover Bagels
Servings: 8 mini bagels
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cup Almond Flour
  • 1/3 cup Ground Psyllium Husk Note - most psyllium husk powders have a slight purple-ish tint to it. It's not harmful at all, just don't be alarmed when the color is a little off.
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Minced Onion optional
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder optional
  • 2 tsp Vinegar You can use either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 cup Hot water
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

  2. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl

  3. Add in the vinegar and eggs and mix well so no lumps remain and all of the psyllium husk has disolved

  4. Add the cup of hot water and mix again until the dough feels like the consistency of Play-Doh

  5. If the mixture is a little dry, add some olive oil to your hands and roll the mixture into golf-ball sized balls and place on baking sheet. Poke a hole in the middle of each dough ball to make a "bagel" shape and re-shape as needed. Sprinkle the tops of the bagels with more minced onion, if desired. Or, if you eat kitniyot, add some sesame seeds!

  6. Bake for 45 minutes.

  7. Once the bagels are cool, slice and toast and top with your favorite sandwich toppings!

New Years Cocktail: Strawberry Orange Mimosa

Strawberry Orange MimosaJust a quick recipe for a New Years cocktail. I wanted to do something based on sparkling wine to keep with the festive nature of the holiday.  A riff on a classic brunch cocktail, the mimosa, seemed appropriate.  In order to make it my own, I decided to add strawberry puree, which conveniently made use of the plethora of frozen strawberries in my freezer.

5 from 1 vote
New Years Cocktail
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Strawberry Orange Mimosa
Prep Time
2 mins
 

A twist on a classic brunch cocktail perfect for your New Year's Party

Course: Beverage, Cocktail
Cuisine: Bar
Keyword: Cocktail, mimosa, new years, orange, orange mimosa, orange strawberry mimosa, strawberry
Servings: 6 glasses
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 12 fl. oz. Sweet Sparkling Wine About 1/2 a standard bottle, chilled
  • 12 fl. oz. Orange Juice Chilled
  • 1 lb. Frozen Strawberries Defrosted
  • 6 Slices Fresh Strawberries For garnish
Instructions

  1. Blend the frozen strawberries to a puree. Pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer to filter out the seeds.

  2. Add 2 ounces of sparkling wine and 2 ounces of orange juice to each glass.

  3. Top each glass with a tablespoon of the strawberry puree, garnish with a slice of strawberry, and serve immediately.

Here are some other recipes that would be great for your New Year’s party:

The Russian Reindeer: A Moscow Mule with Some Holiday Cheer

Nashville Hot Chicken Wings and Waffles

A Trio of Simple Super Bowl Chicken Wings

Fried Halloumi Cheese Bites with Kansas City-style BBQ sauce

Crispy Beef for a Kosher Christmas

 

Crispy BeefI eat Chinese food on Christmas and if I have time go to the movie theater too (or at least watch Die Hard). The custom for Jews to eat Chinese food on Christmas dates back to the late 1800s. I love making my own Chinese food. While it can be a bit labor intensive, it is easier than you think. Don’t worry if your dumplings don’t look perfect, your family will love them any way. This year I decide, by popular demand, to tackle a simple classic, crispy beef.

Better Crispy Beef

Crispy beef is a Chinese American appetizer that easily converts to a main dish when added to the stir fried vegetables of your choice and served along side white rice, so feel free to dress up the basic version of this recipe and make it your own. We are going to start out by tenderizing the beef by coating it in baking soda. This is similar to what we did in the past for other Chinese dishes such as beef and broccoli.  This changes the pH (remember high school chemistry) which spreads out the fibers of the beef, giving it a softer mouth feel. It is served with a simple sweet soy and sesame sauce, that can be augmented with red pepper flakes if you like  things on the spicy side.

Wok This Way

A wok is one of the most versatile cooking implements you can have. They are fairly inexpensive, especially if you have an Asian restaurant supply store near you.  I just would stay away from the non-stick ones and go with carbon steel.  Because of their high sides woks can be used for sautéing and shallow or deep frying. There is nothing like a fry fest Asian style.  Whether it be deep fried eggrolls or won-tons, lo mein or fried rice, or wok tossed sweet and sour chicken or spicy kung pow beef, I love it all.

What is your favorite Chinese dish? Let us know in the comments. Don’t forget to try some of our other Asian dishes:

Orange Chicken: A Jewish Tradition

Beef and Broccoli(ni) in Brown Sauce

Asian Recipe Collection

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Crispy Beef
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Crispy Beef
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Marinating time
1 hr
 

A Chinese food classic perfect for a kosher Christmas.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Holiday, Jewish, Kosher
Keyword: Chinese, christmas, crispy beef, kosher
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 lb Pepper steak Sliced in to 1 inch squares, ¼" thick
  • 3 tbsp Baking Soda
Marinade
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp White Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Fresh is best, but dry will work in a pinch.
  • 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic Chopped fine
Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Fresh is best, but dry will work in a pinch.
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
Coating and Garnish
  • 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
  • Vegetable Oil For frying
  • 1 Bunch Scallions Sliced thin
  • 1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds For garnish
Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl combine with the baking soda and beef and place in the fridge for a half an hour.

  2. While the beef is in the fridge combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl: soy sauce, ginger, white pepper, and sesame oil. Remove the beef from the fridge rinse off the baking soda and add the beef to the marinade. Place back in the fridge for an hour.

  3. While the beef is marinating combine the sauce in the ingredients in a sauce pot: soy sauce, honey, ginger, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Place the pot over medium heat and reduce by 25%.

  4. Remove the beef from the marinade and dust with corn starch.

  5. Add enough oil to a wok or large frying pan come about 1 inch up the side and place over medium heat. Once the oil is hot fry the beef in batches until golden brown and remove to a paper towel lined plate.

  6. Once the all the beef is fried, allow the oil to cool and pour it out of the wok or pan. Add the sauce to wok or pan and place over low heat. Add the beef to the sauce and stir to coat.

  7. Serve immediately topped with the sliced scallions and sesame seeds with white rice.

 

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and one thing I like to do is try and elevate some of my dishes.  I take a dish that I would make for any Friday night and give it a little more pizzazz. Sweet potatoes are a classic fall side dish. They have so more potential than being simply roasted or mashed and baked in a casserole with marshmallows on top. 

First thing you can do is a add some warm fall spices to your mash. Flavors such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg will give your sweet potatoes a nice zing. If you really like it you also add some clove, but use it sparingly as it can easily overtake a dish.  Adding a bit of maple syrup for some complex sweetness wouldn’t be a bad thing either. Just please do not use “pancake syrup.” If you don’t have real maple syrup you can use honey in a pinch. The pecans also give some nice textural contrast to what is otherwise a fairly mushy dish.

By piping the sweet potato back in to the skin you get a fun presentation.  When you make individual portions as opposed to a large casserole, it seems a little more special and brings a little bit extra to your holiday table. This will be a dish that deserves a place right next to your beautifully  cooked turkey (or duck if you want to do something a little different). Just don’t let me catch you putting them next to the cranberry sauce that still looks like the can.

Also, please don’t call them yams. Sweet potatoes and yams are two different things. Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest Thanksgiving recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread or our other Thanksgiving recipes. Finally, let us know how you make Thanksgiving special or just something are thankful for in the comments.

 

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Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
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Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Cooling Time
4 hrs
 

A tasty side dish for your Thanksgiving table

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Holiday, Kosher, Thanksgiving
Keyword: Holiday, Sweet Potatoes, Thanksgiving
Servings: 6 People
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Stick Butter or Margarine
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Nutmeg
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • Real Maple Syrup For brushing on top of your sweet potatoes
  • 48 Whole Pecans
Instructions

  1. Position a rack in your oven in the farthest position from the heat source that still allows you to enough space for a baking sheet loaded with sweet potatoes. If the heating element is on the bottom place your rack towards the top, and if the heating element is on the bottom then place the rack towards the bottom. This helps the sweet potatoes bake more evenly.

  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

  3. Wash the outside of your sweet potatoes and place them whole on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

  4. Bake until a paring knife easily goes through your largest potato, about a 1 ½ hours. Be careful to try and pierce the sweet potato as close to center as possible as you will be splitting the potato and reusing the skin later.

  5. Allow your sweet potatoes to cool completely. Then cut them in half the long way and scoop out the flesh, being careful not tear the skin, and add it to a large mixing bowl.

  6. Preheat the oven to 350°F again.

  7. Add the butter (or margarine), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper to the sweet potato flesh and mash until smooth.

  8. Place the sweet potato mixture in a piping bag. Place the skins on parchment lined baking sheet and and use the piping bag to refill the skins. It should fill about 6 skins. If you are feeling fancy, use different tips to a cool design.

  9. Brush the top of each sweet potato with maple syrup and artfully place 8 pecans on each sweet potato . Then brush the pecans with maple syrup.

  10. Bake until the the top starts to brown, about 30 minutes, and serve immediately.

 

Roasted Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce

Roasted Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce

Yup, we’re here again. That time where we look at our calendars and think, “is it REALLY almost Rosh Hashanah? Where did this YEAR go?!” That’s what we’re all thinking, especially with the last year and a half in a total time warp.

Well, for this year’s Rosh Hashanah menu, I’ll be making Roasted Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce.

Not So Tradish

Wait, what? Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce…for a the Jewish New Year?!

Okay, hear me out.

What are we all eating on Rosh Hashanah? Well, if my mom is reading this, then she’ll remember when I was 4 years old and I would reply, “Tzicken”! LOL Yup, that was back when I ate chicken!

But in reality, we’re devouring apples, honey, pomegranate, maybe some starfruit or dragonfruit – all the new fruits we can get our hands on. We’re consuming a lot of fruit and its sweet accompaniments. So, I made this Baked Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce dish to counter all of the honey and sweetness in our palates in our upcoming yom tov meals. And since honey and chilies pair so well together, it felt like a match made in heaven.

It’s okay to lick your bowl

I first created this recipe several months ago just out of a craving of something spicy, with my red curry powder from The Spice House and creamy coconut milk. Plus adding in some salmon for protein and tomatoes and green beans makes this a complete dish.

What developed that day was a sauce that was truly irresistible and fulfilled every craving. For real. Ask my husband. He’ll tell you that he’s seen me lick my bowl clean. The sauce is so versatile, you can make it to go on just about everything – it would be delish with some roasted or grilled veggies! And I served it with some fish patties for a Shabbat appetizer that were a bit hit! I’ve even dipped tortilla chips in it (it’s no joke how much I love it). My sister-in-law’s mother immediately asked me how I made this, after I shared a “preview” in our family WhatsApp group. And like usual I just made up the recipe, so I needed to finally write something down. This is for you, Levana!!

So I finally wrote down the recipe, albeit with a few tweaks because I KNOW I’m making this again and again and again. Because it’s THAT good. It’s so warm and satisfying. Perfectly spicy, creamy and tangy from the lemongrass and a perfect dish to make on a cool autumn night.

Though it may not be your traditional Rosh Hashanah appetizer, I say “why not”? Why not “spice” (with Thai chilies?) things up and add some flavorful traditions to your yom tov seder meals. Who says you can’t have delicious food at any holiday meal?

Wishing you all a Shana Tova! Here’s to a happy and healthy New Year!

Click here to get lots more Rosh Hashanah recipes!

 

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Roasted Salmon with Spicy Thai Coconut Red Curry Sauce
Course: Fish
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2-3 Garlic cloves, diced
  • 1-2 Thai Chiles, finely diced I like things HOT, so sometimes I use 3-4 chilies, because I'm crazy. Feel free to remove as many of the seeds as possible to reduce the heat
  • 1 tsp Red Curry Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1 15 oz. can Coconut Milk (full fat, NOT the light version)
  • 1/2 Stalk of lemongrass, finely diced (or zest and juice of half a lemon) Remove the outer tough layers, take a chef's knife and pound the lemongrass to release the oils and finely dice the mid-section of the stalk. Feel free to use fresh lemon juice & zest instead
  • 1/2 tsp Tomato Paste I don't measure, I just do 1 big squeeze (from the tube), much easier than using a can
  • 2 4 oz. Salmon fillets Season with salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 425F for the salmon. Meanwhile, start making the sauce

  2. In a large, deep skillet, add 1 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil and add the garlic, red curry powder, diced chilies and diced lemongrass (if using)

  3. Cook for about 1 minute on medium heat - be careful not to burn the garlic

  4. Add the canned coconut milk and tomato paste and whisk until smooth

  5. Season with salt and pepper and adjust as needed

  6. If you're not using lemongrass, add in the lemon juice here

  7. Add your cherry tomatoes and green beans (if using)

  8. Meanwhile, add salt and pepper to the salmon filets and bake the salmon at 425F for 10 minutes

  9. Cook on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes until the sauce has thickened

  10. Add your salmon to a big plate or bowl and top with the sauce, garnish with chopped cilantro or green onion and a squeeze of lemon!

Slow Braised Brisket With Apples For Rosh Hashanah

BrisketSo I may be known for my smoked brisket but sometimes you need something a little more traditional. When it comes to Rosh Hashanah you want something like your Bubby used to make. My Bubby probably thinks a smoker is someone who buys Lucky Strikes, not a cooking apparatus.

This recipe is super simple. If you are hosting a Rosh Hashanah meal for the first time, it is the brisket recipe for you. By going with a slow braise you don’t need to baby the brisket.  You can just pop it in the oven, set a timer, and go work on your tzimmus. You can even put the roast in the oven late at night and let it cook overnight. This recipe will work well with any tougher roast. So if you happen to have a chuck roast or a top of the rib in the freezer, feel free to use that instead of the brisket.

I call for a cook time of four hours, but this recipe should be cooked to tenderness not time. If you like a little more chew in your meat, cook it less. If you like your roast fork tender, cook it longer.

Symbolism at Supper

Apples and leeks are foods traditionally eaten on Rosh Hashanah and are a great compliment to a traditional braised brisket. Jews eat apples with honey as a sign of a sweet new year and leeks are eaten as a symbol that we should be able to destroy our enemies as the word for leek in Hebrew is similar to the word for destroy.

Between the wine and the apples, this recipe is fairly sweet, as opposed to many other traditional brisket recipes that call for things like tomato paste, carrots, and potatoes. I also tried to avoid processed ingredients (unless you count wine as a processed ingredient), so put away the onion soup mix and the duck sauce.

Don’t forget the check out some of our other Rosh Hashanah recipes:

Braised Short Ribs with Apples and Pomegranate Honey Glaze

Delicata Squash Stuffed With Apples Dates and Leeks

Gluten-Free Honey Muffins & Ginger Maple Apple Chip

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Brisket
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Slow Braised Brisket with Apples
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
 

A classic brisket recipe with addition of apples and leeks that is great for the Rosh Hashana season.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Holiday, Jewish, Kosher
Keyword: brisket
Servings: 5 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 5 lb First Cut Brisket
  • 4 Large Apples Peeled, cored, and sliced in to to ¼" slices
  • 2 Leeks (or Onions) Greens removed, sliced in to ½" rounds, and cleaned thoroughly.
  • 4 Cups Sweet White Wine Use something you would drink. Do NOT use cooking wine.
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Instructions

  1. Season your brisket with salt and pepper on all sides to taste and preheat your oven to 250°F.

  2. Add a layer of apples and leeks to the bottom of your roasting pan.

  3. Add your brisket to the pan and cover with another layer of apples and leeks

  4. Slowly add wine until the liquid comes 3/4 the way up the brisket. You may not need all of the wine.

  5. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in the oven. Cook for two hours, then carefully flip the brisket, recover with foil, and cook for another two hours or until desired tenderness is reached.

  6. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and slice in to ¼ inch slices and serve.