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Just because I love pumpkins,
and because I love you, dear readers,
and because there can never be too many pumpkin recipes in this world,
and because I am in a sweet mood,
here’s another perfectly pumpkin treat:
Pumpkin Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

If I were Maria, my Sound of Music moment would go a little something like this:

Pumpkin in pasta and pumpkin in pie shells,
Pumpkin in soups that really go down well,
Pumpkin in cookies and pumpkin in tarts
These are the dishes that speak to my heart.

Lasagna with pumpkin and pumpkin in muffins,
Pizza and puddings and hamantashen,
Fritters and oatmeal, sorbet and cake,
There isn’t anything pumpkins can’t make.

When the cake falls
Or the main flops,
When I’m feeling sad;
I simply remember my pumpkin delights
And then I don’t feel so bad!

So tell me: What’s your fave pumpkin recipe? Extra points for answering in poem or song.

The trees don’t have to be all shades of orange, yellow, and red for me to crave pumpkin pie. After I graduated high school, my family moved to hot, humid Miami. I dreamed of returning north and consoled myself all summer by eating loads of pumpkin pies, like it was my job.

Yes, I freely admit my love of food. It seems that my standards of food categories and portion size are not exactly like everyone else’s; and that point was brought home to me by my agent who is working with me on a proposal for my next cookbook. I was considering including a pastrami-layered potato kugel, and I put it into the chapter on side dishes. She took one look at it and said, “Jamie, you misplaced this recipe. It should go into the chapter on mains.” It was an “aha!” moment. Hubby and I got a good kick out of it. “Oh, so that’s our problem? Eating ‘mains’ as ‘sides’!” And too many pies.

But I digress. Back to the pumpkin…

Luckily, it’s inherently not bad for you. A pumpkin has lots of fiber and vitamin A and it’s low in calories and fat. When I am feeling well-behaved, I make my pie using fat free milk (for my dairy rendition) or low-cal soy or almond milk (for my pareve rendition), a sugar substitute and NO crust. That’s when I let my responsible nature take over. Or I happened to get on the scale that day. I mean, how would I look if I downed an authentic pumpkin pie daily, like my vitamins? (This is not a question to be answered in “comments.”)

This special Pumpkin Pie with Caramel Whipped Cream that I dreamed up for you sits in a chocolate graham cracker cookie crust. You simply fold a few tablespoons of caramel into whipped “cream” and spread a generous layer on top of your pie before serving. Give me a call and I’ll come taste-test it for you.

WIN A TURKEY!!  If you want to be in with a chance to win an Empire turkey for your Thanksgiving Feast, answer this question in the comments: What’s your pumpkin pie twist? Or do you prefer traditional?  Contest closes 9 am Friday Nov 18 2011. But you can win a turkey every day this week – just check out the contest info post for more details. For full contest rules and information click here.

THIS TURKEY HAS BEEN GIVEN AWAY – LAST CHANCE TO WIN HERE!

Entrants must be aged 18 and over, and US Residents. By entering the contest you give JoyofKosher permission to share your email address with Empire Kosher.

I’ve been kvetching a lot about Hubby’s turkey day favorites. And yes, I dutifully plan to recreate all of his childhood memories, even serving up his beloved jellied cranberry sauce from a can. But at my house, the feast was quite different. I’m not saying superior. I’m just saying different.

Back home, my gourmet chef grandparents made the most exquisite Thanksgiving meal – with a strong focus on turkey stuffing and gravy. Everything in the stuffing was finely minced by hand and it was loaded with onions and mushrooms. Absolutely superb! (Um, guess who doesn’t like mushrooms.) Though we were gathered for a real American feast, there was no cornbread, and no sweet potato or green bean casseroles. They were dedicated citizens, but those were lines these immigrant cooks wouldn’t cross. And it would never occur to them to bake with marshmallows. It took my very American aunt –who had married into the family – to bring the pumpkin pie and whipped cream. Without her, we would have missed out on that quintessentially American dessert in favor of a Hungarian cake with an unpronounceable name.

I loved their Thanksgiving menu, and wish they were around to show me how to recreate that magic (I wish they were around for so many other more important reasons too). I’ve had to figure a lot of this out on my own and with a little help (ok a lot of help) from my friends and new family. So after picking up a few tips from my mom-in-law’s Thanksgiving table I can now present you with this Americana side (just like hubby had growing up) a super-sweetsie sweet potato casserole topped with hot, golden marshmallows. If you like your sweet potatoes as sweet as I do, add a 1/3 cup of brown sugar to the mashed sweet potatoes and you’re good to go.

WIN A TURKEY!!  If you want to be in with a chance to win an Empire turkey for your Thanksgiving Feast, answer this question in the comments: What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side? Or your favorite Thanksgiving memory?  Contest closes 9 am Thursday Nov 17 2011. But you can win a turkey every day this week – just check out the contest info post for more details. For full contest rules and information click here.

THIS TURKEY HAS BEEN GIVEN AWAY – ANOTHER CHANCE TO WIN HERE!

Entrants must be aged 18 and over, and US Residents. By entering the contest you give JoyofKosher permission to share your email address with Empire Kosher.

Not sure if this happens only in my house, but Hubby really wants certain things exactly the way he grew up with them. His mother always served dinner rolls with Thanksgiving dinner. I want biscuits.

In marriage, compromise is everything. I will buy him his dinner rolls, since that’s what his mom did anyway, and I’ll bake my biscuits. This year, I’ll add chives to the biscuits. Hubby hates chives. But I can go wild: he’s not eating them anyway. Biscuits with chives for me, dinner rolls for Hubby and the kids. (Ever notice that baked goods with green things are more suited to the adult palate?) I know my mom-in-law will try them and she will love them because that’s how good a mom-in-law she is. As far as she’s concerned, everything I make is delicious, and it doesn’t matter that I’ve deviated from her tradition. Now if I could only get Hubby on board…

WIN A TURKEY!!  If you want to be in with a chance to win an Empire turkey for your Thanksgiving Feast, tell me in the comments whether you bake up your own biscuits or if you serve store bought dinner rolls! Contest closes 9 am Wednesday Nov 16 2011. But you can win a turkey every day this week – just check out the contest info post for more details. For full contest rules and information click here.

THIS TURKEY HAS BEEN GIVEN AWAY. DIDN’T WIN? ANOTHER CHANCE TO ENTER HERE! 

Entrants must be aged 18 and over, and US Residents. By entering the contest you give JoyofKosher permission to share your email address with Empire Kosher.

OK – so I said I was going traditional this Thanksgiving. Here’s tradition with a hint of mustard. Cranberry Mustard Sauce is often served with the other white meat, a four-letter word that starts with P that shall not be referenced on a kosher site. But it’s also great with chicken and salmon, so I figured hey, how about with turkey?

I did a mix of cranberries and blueberries, and a mix of grainy and Dijon mustards, then added a nice helping of sugar to help the medicine go down. The sweetness of the blueberries, boosted by the sugar, cut the tartness in the cranberries. Voila – a full-flavored sauce with just a slight mustardy tang.

Of course, I will have to serve Hubby the jellied cranberry sauce out of the can – just like his mommy did. (Is it “sauce,” if you clearly see the can lines embedded in it?) But all you foodies out there will appreciate this recipe. I know some people may find it easy when their significant other wants store-bought dinner rolls and jarred cranberry sauce. Me, I find it stifling. My kitchen creativity can’t take such an onslaught. I say, can’t we both just enjoy a little Cranberry Mustard Sauce one day a year? Is it asking too much?

Hopefully, you will try this outrage on your traditionalist.

WIN A TURKEY!!  If you want to be in with a chance to win an Empire turkey for your Thanksgiving Feast, tell me in the comments whether you serve the canned cranberry sauce or if you make it fresh!! Contest closes 9 am Tuesday Nov 15 2011. But you can win a turkey every day this week – just check out the contest info post for more details. For full contest rules and information click here.

CONTEST IS CLOSED – Another chance to win a turkey here: CHIVE BISCUITS.

Entrants must be aged 18 and over, and US Residents. By entering the contest you give JoyofKosher permission to share your email address with Empire Kosher.

I’m starting our grand Thanksgiving feast recipes with its star… the bird. Everyone and their Grandma will be doing a BIG bird and we have tons of recipes for BIG birdies here on our site. But I figured that since we all fight over the white meat (at least in my family), I devised a quick-prep, quick-cook, easy boneless, skinless, turkey breast recipe: Southwestern Turkey Breast with Green Chile Stuffing. Southwestern cuisine is a fusion of Spanish colonial, cowboy, Native American and Mexican style food – a “melting pot” concoction that is true Americana. It’s a cool flavor profile to introduce to your friends, family and T-day table.

Of course, if you want to make the biggest bird on the block, you can still use this southwestern spice rub; you just need to convert the measurements. For a 10-pound whole turkey, use 2 teaspoons each of chili powder, mustard powder, kosher salt, dried oregano, and ground coriander; and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste). The cayenne is optional, depending on how much heat you can handle. For every additional 2 pounds of turkey, increase the spices by a ½ teaspoon and the cayenne by a ¼ teaspoon (or to taste). Bake whole turkeys according to this how to roast a perfect kosher turkey chart.

For the savory Green Chile Stuffing: you’ll find green chiles from Ortega with an OU kosher certification in the canned goods aisle of your supermarket. Don’t drain them before using. There’s not much liquid in them and the chunky mixture adds nice moisture to the stuffing.

So let’s enjoy a little south-of-the-border taste on turkey day. Your guests will just gobble it up! (Doesn’t get old, does it?)

Dear Jamie,

I was hoping that you might want to focus on Shabbat meals – specifically, those that can be prepared in advance and rapidly warmed for Shabbat. I plan for Shabbat from the beginning of the week, and don’t have time to prep on Fridays. (PS – I love the cookbooks.)

Thanks,
Michael

Hi Michael,

This is such a great question. Cooking for Shabbat is a challenge because you want your food to taste fresh, not be dried out or killed by the blech/hot plate/warming drawer/warm oven – whatever method you use. Even the best of the best recipes are not all suited for serving on Shabbat when you consider the need to cook in advance, throw it in the fridge, and then rewarm under unconventional circumstances.

Here are a few tips (my own, cherished, personal guidelines) that will help. Follow these, and you’ll be so proud of your Shabbat food.

(*Quick Note: there are many halachos involved with heating and reheating foods on Shabbat and differences between Shabbat Night (which enables you to place foods with liquids directly on a blech/hot plate or in a warming drawer prior to the onset of Shabbat) and Shabbat Day (which prohibits the rewarming of foods in liquids and in many cases requires the need for a 2nd tier/added layer between your food and heat source). For more detailed explanation of some of the basic laws please refer to this post from Rabbi Lawrence)

Beer Braised Brisket

1. Brisket: there are few cuts of meat that can handle the back and forth of oven, fridge (even freezer), hot plate. The brisket is one baby that not only can do it, but is better for it. It’s best to prepare it, refrigerate it overnight and slice it cold the next day. Submerge it in the gravy and re-warm; or return to the fridge or freezer until you are ready to re-warm and serve. Enjoy these Brisket recipes:

Beer Braised Brisket
Garlic Honey Brisket 
Pomegranate Braised Brisket
Brisket in Wine Sauce

For more brisket recipes click here.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2. Red Meat: Like the brisket, any cuts of meat that are completely submerged in liquid and that become softer the longer you cook them are great for Shabbat night. I have a great recipe for Asian Steak that uses 1-inch thick bone-in chuck steaks – not an expensive cut of meat by any means – and the longer they cook, the softer and more tender the meat becomes. It also freezes beautifully. Flanken and pot roast recipes are two more good examples of great make-ahead cuts. Meatballs (cocktail or entrée sized) are another wonderful prep-ahead & freeze choice. Make sure they’re completely submerged in their sauce and you’re good. But be sure to let them defrost (if frozen) before rewarming them in a heavy bottomed pan over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Here are some great prep-ahead red meat recipes:

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Cocktail Meatballs
Coffee Glazed Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions 

For more Meatball recipes click here.
For more Pot Roast recipes click here.

Chicken Thighs with Roasted Winter Fruit

3. Chicken: two keys to making terrific chicken for Shabbat:
1) don’t overcook it. If it’s already dried out, you can’t save it. Most everyone overcooks chicken, especially the white meat.

So here’s the deal: a 3lb. chicken in 1/8ths should take about an hour to cook at 375 F uncovered. The white meat – anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size; the dark meat pieces – about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes tops. A few tricks here: place the white meat pieces in a different baking pan so you can remove them earlier. Cook them for the majority of the time upside down; turn them right side up for the last 10 to 15 minutes to evenly brown the skin.

2) When you rewarm the chicken: allow it to come to room temperature first, and then don’t over-dry it when rewarming. If you use a warming drawer, don’t put it in prematurely. If you use a blech/hot plate, place the chicken on a second tier (always on a 2nd tier Shabbat day) so it doesn’t burn or get too much heat. Remember, you’re just warming it, not cooking. If you’re too “chicken” to try this with white meat, you could use only dark meat chicken for Shabbat; it has an added layer of (fat) juicy protection. When working with cutlets, follow the same tips as above. You have the option of serving these at room temp, if you like. Sure-fire Shabbat chicken recipes you’ll enjoy (provided you follow the tips above!):

Chicken Thighs with Roasted Winter Fruit 
Chicken with Apples
Speedy Coq au Vin
Honey Chicken
Date Glazed Roast Chicken 

For more chicken recipes click here.

Asian Shiitake Mushroom Soup

4. Soups, Soups, & Soups – are a fantastic make-ahead course. I actually make soup only 3 to 4 times a year. I cook about 30 quarts of each of my family’s favorites and freeze them in individual 2-quart containers (and even a few 1-quart containers.) That way, I can take out whatever amount I need, depending on the amount of company I’m expecting. Also consider chilled soups for Shabbat day. They last nicely in the fridge and they’re ready to serve. Keep in mind that chilled soups are not only fruity and not just for the summer. Try these traditional and chilled soups:

Mango Strawberry Soup 
Classic Chicken Soup
Asian Shiitake Mushroom Soup 

For more soup recipes click here.

California Avocado Salad

5. Salads. I am always my own sous-chef – if I can’t commandeer Hubby. I wash, check, and cut my lettuce in advance and keep it in a salad spinner/crisper so it’s ready to go. In fact, I cut all my veggies and store them in the fridge in separate containers for easy salad assembly just before serving. (Hey, all the restaurant chefs have sous chefs. Why shouldn’t we?) And I usually double, triple (and even) quadruple my dressing recipes, so I have a big batch on hand for a few weeks’ time. I keep that in yet another container so I can assemble a fresh salad and dress it quickly just before serving. No soggy salads for us! Most leafy green salads are a one way ticket once dressed; you can’t go back. Check out these recipes:

Pomegranate, Orange, Papaya and Kiwi Green Salad 
Strawberry and Mango Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette 
Spinach Salad with Japanese Ginger Dressing 

Then there are those salads that just get better with age – the ones that benefit from marinating in their dressing to allow all the flavors to marry nicely. They can be made 1-2 days in advance. Just remember to slice in avocados if called for just before serving. One more hint: most salads are best served at room temperature, unless otherwise specified in the recipes. This allows all the flavors to emerge. Try these make-ahead winning salad recipes:

Israeli Cabbage Salad 
California Avocado Salad
Cucumber and Black Bean Salsa Salad

For more salad recipes click here.

Sweet Kugel

6. Sides: I find any potato sides are absolutely best made as close to serving as possible. They benefit from the crispy finish generated by oven cooking vs hot plate re-warming.

The exception is potato kugel, which can handle both prep ahead and fridge time. But I never, ever freeze a potato kugel (though I know people who vehemently insist that it’s ok. We’ve never gone to the mat over this one). If at all possible, allow roasted potato dishes to crisp up again in the oven before placing in a warming drawer or on a hot plate to keep warm. (Of course, this only works on Shabbat night and is the main reason I serve those types of dishes Shabbat night.) But even here watch that you’re potato dishes don’t dry out. I save the kugels for Shabbat day. Kugels are so popular because they re-warm very nicely – and aside from potato kugels (am I drilling in my POV here?) — freeze quite nicely as well. Noodle kugels, Challah kugels, and vegetable kugels (broc, spinach, zucchini, butternut squash, etc.) all fare well in both the fridge and freezer. Maybe that’s the reason kugel is such a Shabbat-y food – I mean, when’s the last time you made a kugel to serve on a Tuesday night? Try these make-ahead kugel recipes:

Salt and Pepper Kugel with Roasted Garlic 
Broccoli Kugel 
Sweet Kugel with Dried Fruit
Potato Kugel Cups 

For 67 more kugel recipes and ideas click here.

Baby French String Beans with Slivered Almonds

And when it comes to veggies, green beans are my fave Shabbat choice. They hold up best from fridge to blech. Again, just make sure not to overcook them initially. In fact, I usually prep them a drop under – until barely tender with still a bit of a crisp bite – and then rewarm them on the blech on a tier (whether serving them night or day). If you use a warming drawer, don’t put them in prematurely. Get ’em warm and keep ‘em green; not piping hot, soft and soggy. Try my favorite green bean recipes:

Green Beans with Three Onion Sauté
Baby French Green Beans with Slivered Almonds
Green Beans with Walnut and Green Olive Tapenade

For more green bean recipes click here.

Caramel Pear Lattice Pie

7. Desserts: the ultimate make-ahead dish. Of course, any freezer desserts are perfect to prep ahead, in fact, designed so. Cakes, muffins, cookies all do well in a cake plate or covered container for a few days, or even in the freezer and then defrosted. The trick is not to lock in moisture. So let any baked goods cool completely before covering or packaging and freezing. I use freezer bags, not foil. Another tip: when you pull it out of the freezer – if the bag has condensation inside, take the goods out of the bag and allow to defrost before placing in a new, clean, dry bag or covered cake plate. Try these great dessert recipes:

Caramel Pear Lattice Pie
Carrot Apple Mini Cupcakes with non-dairy Cream Cheese Icing
One Bowl Amazing Chocolate Cake
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mousse Pie

For more dessert recipes click here.

So now you’re all set! With these recipes you should be able to start cooking for the next 10 (or at least 7) Shabbatot.

The Big Q – What is Quinoa?

Everyone wants to know: Is it a grain? How do you use it? How do you pronounce it? Is it good for you? Is it kosher for Passover?

So I looked it up. Turns out, this trendy food is from South America and it’s a species of goosefoot, a “grain-like” crop. That clears everything up, doesn’t it?

But there’s more. The fact is that quinoa (pronounced keen-wah or kee-no-uh, your choice) is packed with calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron, and has a high protein content to boot. Unlike wheat and rice (but similar to oats) it contains a balanced set of amino acids, making it a complete protein source. It’s high in fiber, gluten-free and easy to digest. It’s so nutritious that NASA is considering it as a crop for their Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned space flights. (So if your kids turn up their noses, tell them it’s astronaut food!)

It’s kinda like rice or couscous. Has a nice, nutty flavor too.

It seems that the ancient Incas were onto this little wonder food as far back as 3,000 years ago and it played a major role in sustaining their teeming civilization. It’s been a staple in that part of the world all this time, and we only just discovered it on our grocer’s shelves a few years ago. Go figure. But it’s time we got in on it. Any food that’s equally at home in a primitive mountain village or in outer space has my respect.

There. I think I answered all your questions. Oh, the Pesach thing. Ask your rabbi.

Listen, I can’t help with everything. Quick & Kosher doesn’t include clean up, doesn’t do your dishes and doesn’t answer tricky halachic questions. But I do have a year-round recipe for you: Asian Vegetables with Quinoa. Light and totally vegetarian, you will feel good about yourself after eating this for dinner. Do I get points for that?

And if you are looking for one skillet meat dishes don’t miss my my Chicken with Roasted Winter Fruit and Steak with Red Wine Glazed Vegetables.

The all-purpose (extra-large if you need it) stovetop to oven skillet is a kitchen essential. Mine works overtime and never lets me down. My skillet and a pair of tongs (which I would take with me if I was stranded on a dessert island – assuming that dessert island had a cooktop) turn out delicious dinners for my family. In the upcoming Chanukah issue of Joy of Kosher Magazine I have a week’s worth of 1-Skillet Meals in Minutes and this week at JoK.com I am sharing 3 special skillet suppers with you all.

Today we have Chicken Thighs with Roasted Winter Fruit. The wonderful thing about skillet chicken is the crisp golden brown skin you get when searing for about 8-10 minutes on each side and then finishing off in the oven. Searing also lock in those juices so you have nice, moist, flavorful, did I say moist! chicken.

Your best friend and must-have-on-hand ingredient for skillet chicken is broth. I use boxed broth and always have extra in my pantry. This recipe comes alive with sweetness from apples, pears and grapes. A combo of mustard powder, cinnamon, garlic and thyme round out the flavors of this dish. Finish off with a drizzle of balsamic for a little tang to balance the fruit.

Anybody out there who doesn’t love cake?

I don’t believe you. Well, if it’s true, I guess you’re lucky ‘cuz you’ll never hear a cake calling you into the kitchen in the middle of the night. I think I can speak for the other 99% of humanity when I say that if there’s a really good cake, I can eat the whole thing myself. Even a not so good cake. I don’t need anyone else at my one-woman party – I actually prefer it that way. I can cut a slice, and another and one more sliver, without eyebrows going up all around me.

So just 2 weeks after giving birth to my new baby, I figured it’s the perfect time to celebrate her entry into this world by testing some of our “Take the Cake” recipe contest entries. A girl can’t start too young when it comes to important things like this.

Honorable mention MUST go to Melinda Strauss (check out her blog at Kitchen Tested). She sent us so many deviously sweet entries. My kids loved decorating the top of her German Plum Cake. My oldest daughter made a peace sign out of the plum wedges and then I filled in the empty spaces with more plum wedges (and ate a few plums) and filled in and ate, until there was no cake in sight. Our plums actually weren’t too sweet (didn’t keep us from eating ‘em though), but once we sprinkled them with sugar and a touch of cinnamon, as Melinda calls for, and baked them up – hot, juicy heaven! I can’t wait to make Melinda’s Rainbow Layer Cake for my Hubby’s B-day this week.

Cinnamon Bun Cake by Nechama

As for our finalists: Let’s just say I never met a cinnamon bun I didn’t love – so the Cinnamon Bun Cake from Nechama Tawil was an instant hands-down finalist. This way you don’t have to commit yourself to just one bun – not to mention that it looks fabulous, a total show stopper.

Red Grape Cake with Olive Oil by imarealtor33162

I tested the Red Grape Cake with Olive Oil from imarealtor33162 for a Chol Hamoed Sukkah party. Now I love olive oil so much I could bathe in it, so I was not just intrigued by this cake, I KNEW I would love it. The test would come when I serve it. Will others feel the same way? I slid it into the oven just as my guests were arriving, and of course everyone wanted to know: “Nu nu… so what are you baking?” When I said Red Grape Cake with Olive Oil, you can’t imagine the nasty faces. Some people didn’t believe me. But when I served it, the response was incredible. It was so light, so exquisite, so perfectly sweetened, so moist and yet still slightly nutty from the cornmeal and ground almonds – in a word (or two), absolute perfection. Imarealtor33162’s recipe header note says “Tastes like a Hungarian cake as per my Hungarian niece! (Hungarian baking-the ultimate compliment.)” That was quickly confirmed when I served it to my Hungarian (Transylvanian/Romanian) mother, who could not stop repeating “This is something your grandmothers would have made!” Maybe it’s the cornmeal, maybe the the light hand with the sugar so it’s just sweet enough to be considered dessert, without being overly sugary. Dunno. But it sure is good and it tastes authentic.

One Bowl Amazing Chocolate Cake

I don’t profess to be a seasoned baker or even to love baking all that much. Eating cake, yes; baking it, eh, not so much. But I do have one fab cake that includes mayo to make it extra moist – I guess that’s the savory cook in me, yearning to break out: it’s My One Bowl Amazing Chocolate Cake. The trend these days among my sister, friends and I is to make this as cupcakes. Give it a try – but when doing cupcakes start, testing for doneness after just 20 minutes – you don’t want to over-bake those little darlin’s.  For a twist on tradition try my Molasses Spice Bundt Cake with Bourbon Pecan Glaze.

And now to announce the winner of our Best Cake Recipe/Take the Cake Recipe Contest, chosen by you, our dear (and discerning) readers…

imarealtor33162′s Red Grape Cake with Olive Oil

Quick dinners, quick dinners, we desperately need quick dinners.  The best way for me to develop something for you is to think of what I need. We’re all in the same boat.

So I can’t get enough recipes for quick weeknight dinners. Of course, I could just make the same four or five dishes, rotating them on a weekly basis – but that’s so boring!  I love serving something new; an easy meal I can fix with my kids’ help, or just let them mill around me as they settle in from school. One minute we’re just chatting and throwing a few things together and then – abracadabra – something hot and fresh hits the table and we all dig in!  It’s not really magic, just a good, quick and easy recipe.

So over the next few days I’ll share 5 simple dinners with you, a week’s worth of new stuff.  We’ll start off light. It’s still kinda warm outside, so I’m not in the mood for a heavy din din. We’ll save those for when there’s snow building up on the windowpanes.

Seems to me, Mandarin Spinach and Chicken Salad is just right for this time of the year.  You’ll need about 1 to 1 ½ pounds of chicken cutlets for this recipe (As a starter, it serves 8; but since we’re using it for dinner, this recipe really gives you about 4 nice dinner portions.)  Bake, grill, sauté or prep your chicken however you enjoy it best.  You can also use leftover chicken for this slightly sweet citrusy salad.  Oh, and you’ll love the dressing – a flavorful combo f honey, Dijon mustard, rice vinegar and olive oil. Double it and keep it in the fridge for a rainy day.

So this is where it all comes together.  All the thought. All the planning. The testing. The tasting, the tasting, and the tasting. (That’s the best part).  A simanim-inspired menu brings added challenges, but also adds a level of meaning to your Rosh Hashanah meal.  I have been doing this for the past few years, using the opportunity as a Rosh Hashanah conversation starter with my kids during our cooking and prep time together. My guests, my kids, my guests’ kids – everybody loves identifying which simanim are on the table openly or “hidden” as an ingredient. Our discussion takes on a special Yuntif energy that only comes with Rosh Hashanah.

I hope you enjoy preparing and eating these simanim-inspired dishes and menus as much as I did creating them.

Which ones will you incorporate into your holiday menus this year?

 Menu 1

Gefilte Fish Cakes with Horseradish Sauce

Apple and Parsnip Soup

Wild Rice with Carrots and Beets

Date Glazed Roast Chicken

Garlic Honey Brisket

Spicy Sauteed Leeds and Spinach

Carrot Apple Mini Cupcakes

Menu 2

Spicy Thai Beef Salad

Honey Chicken

Black Eyed Peas and Green Beans

Roasted Sweet Vegetables in Cider

Apple Cardamom Tart

Menu 3

Carrot Quinoa and Spinach Soup

Spinach Noodle Kugel

Chicken with Apples

Veal Stew with Apricots and Prunes

Baked Apple Strudel Egg Rolls

Menu 4

Spiced Gefilte Fish

Leek and Mushroom Chicken with Spaghetti Squash

Carrot Cupcakes

Candied Apples

Dates are super-duper uber sweet. Kinda over the top.  So when we walk through our simanim seder on Rosh Hashanah, everyone in my family takes about as much date as they do fish head. Nobody can manage more than a nibble, except for my Momma.

But let’s not sell dates short. They’re one of the Seven Species of Israel and a powerful siman. Besides, they’re good for you, with lots of potassium and, um, iron, and stuff. If you know how to use dates, they can be delish on chicken too. Take a look at this special Rosh Hashanah Date Glazed Roast Chicken I developed and tested for you today.

So what you want to do here is soak about 10-12 dates in enough warm water to cover them completely for about 20 minutes.  Then you can easily peel off the skins.  While you’re doing that, don’t forget to get rid of those pits too.  Next,  in a food processor or blender combine your peeled and pitted dates with orange juice, fresh garlic, fresh or dried thyme (remember dried is more potent, so use no more than 2 or 2½  teaspoons max of the dried stuff) olive oil, red wine vinegar, cinnamon and cumin until smooth.

Then toss your chicken pieces in the glaze and bake until golden brown.I like to flip these pieces halfway through so they’ll cook and brown more evenly.  Then broil them on “high” for just a few minutes at the end – the broiling will give you that perfect crisp skin.

Great taste and great presentation. And you got everybody to eat dates. How good is that?

What’s your favorite Rosh Hashanah sweet chicken recipe?

Here are a few more of my favorite chicken recipes that would be perfect on Rosh Hashanah:

Honey Chicken

Roast Chicken with Chestnuts and Orange Yam Mash

Speedy Coq Au Vin

Apricot Chicken

Cranberry Chicken

Some things in life just inspire me – like fish. No really.  There are so many species of fish with different flavors, textures and colors: I look at ’em the way an artist views the paints on his palette. That piece of fish lying there is a raw material (literally!) just waiting to be turned into something fantastique.

So Rosh Hashanah is coming up and I start getting serious about the stuff in my life that matters: my family, my friends, my aspirations – my holiday menu. Okay, so maybe your Yuntif menu is not at the top of your prayer list. It’s not at the top of mine either, but it’s there alright.  I think of the food that I serve as a way of honoring these special days, and of giving my family and guests the good-in-your-gut feeling that helps them appreciate all the fab things G-d has given them.

And I come up with…Gefilte Fish for my first course

Screech! That’s the sound of the breaks on my menu motor.

So it’s not going to win prizes for novelty. But honestly, I have to work with a husband who can’t stand fish except for canned tuna and jarred gefilte: the “hotdog” of the fish world.   He’ll tolerate frozen gefilte loaves if I do something remarkable with ’em.

Hey, who am I to judge?As pristine and posh as I like to think my palate is, my all-time fave food is mac and cheese out of a box. So hubby has his culinary crutches, I have mine.  This is the time of year to forgive.

This RH we’ll compromise with Gefite Fish Cakes that can be made with either a completely defrosted 20-22oz. frozen loaf or a 24 oz. jar of gefilte (sans jelly– which of course I love and he hates), broken up with a fork.

Join me on this one, folks, because you’re gonna love this recipe, along with your not-so-crazy-about-fish loved ones. It’s a special Quick & Kosher Rosh Hashanah rendition of the classic gefilte fish,mixing in diced red onion, red pepper, celery, s&p, some mayo (for both flavor and binding) along with an egg (for more of a binder) and crushed matzah (not matzah meal). Fry these babies up and serve ‘em with a lemony mayo horseradish sauce and the new year starts to look a whole lot brighter.

I think next year I’ll try gefilte in a puff pastry (one of hubby’s other fave foods) so he can fall in love with me all over again.

**Giveaway**

Win a Rosh Hashanah gift basket valueda t $65 from Kosher Care Packages. Just answer this question in the comments below,

What do you cook for someone you love that goes against your better instincts and creative kitchen ideals – but you do it ’cuz you know they love it?

One winner will be chosen by online randomizer from qualified entries only. Must be US resident of at least 18 years of age. Contest ends Thursday September 22snd 2011 at 9 am EST.