This rich challah dough is not formed into braids for the High Holy Days, rather it is shaped in the form of a turban or snail. This is symbolic of the hope that the year will be filled with continuous good health and well being. If the challah is made into one very large challah there is the risk that the center will be under baked or the outer ring will be dry and over baked depending on the baking time you choose. I never use more than 2/3 of the dough to make a large challah.

Ingredients

• 7- 7 1/2 cups bread flour, King Arthur or Gold medal Better for Bread
• 2 packages rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 sticks parve margarine or butter
• 1/4 teaspoon yellow food coloring
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup raisins, optional
• EGG WASH-1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon of honey

Preparation Instructions

1. In a large mixer bowl combine 6 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Stir to combine.
2. Heat the water, margarine, food coloring, sugar, poppy seed and the salt in a saucepan until very warm (140F). Water should be uncomfortably hot to your finger but not hot enough to burn you.(It will feel like hot tap water).
3. Add the warm liquid mixture to the flour while the mixer is on low. As the liquid is being incorporated, add the eggs. Mix thoroughly.
4. Gradually add the remaining flour only until a fairly firm dough is formed. This process should take about 7 minutes whether you are using the dough hook on your mixer or are kneading it by hand. The mixture will be satiny smooth and will not stick to a lightly floured finger tip when touched. If adding raisins, add after 5 minutes of kneading
5. Turn your oven on for 1 minute.  TURN YOUR OVEN OFF.  Lightly grease a bowl with oil and turn the dough in the bowl to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the TURNED OFF oven until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
6. Punch down the dough and divide in half or thirds. Divide each portion into 1 large rope and coil the dough around itself to make a round of dough that looks like a turban. Make sure to pinch the end of the dough under to prevent uncoiling during baking. Place formed breads on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and allow to rise until light and doubled, about 25 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 375F. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash and bake for 25-35 minutes depending on the size of the loaves. When the bread is done, it will be golden brown and have a hollow sound when tapped.

Joanne is now fifty but I am sure she has made this for her own children for many years. You will too!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preparation Instructions

1. Grease 2 coffee cans, OR 1 loaf pan, OR 2 mini loaf pans and some muffin tins or a combination of each.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Into a large mixing bowl add the first 9 ingredients. Stir to combine. Combine all of the remaining ingredients and add to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.
4. Pour into the prepared pans and bake as follows:

• Mini muffins ——— 12-15 minutes
• Cupcakes ———— 20-25 minutes
• Mini loaf pans ——- 35-40 minutes
• Loaf pans ————- 45-60 minutes
• Coffee cans ———- 60-75 minutes

GINGER ORANGE SPREAD

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 Tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon crystallized ginger

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a processor workbowl and process until smooth.

Occasionally the tops of the bread will be sprinkled with poppy or sesame seeds representative of the manna that fell from heaven. In my recipe, I add the poppyseeds to the dough. Flavor and texture are enhanced and the seeds don’t get caught in everyone’s teeth!

Ingredients

• 8 cups bread flour, I use Gold Medal’s “Better for Bread”
• 2 packages rapid rise yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 sticks parve margarine or butter
• 1/4 teaspoon yellow food coloring
• 3/4-cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds, optional
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1-cup raisins, optional
• EGG WASH-1 egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water

1. In a large mixer bowl combine 7 cups of the flour and the yeast. Stir to combine.
2. Heat the water, margarine, food coloring, sugar, poppy seed and the salt in a saucepan until very warm (140F). Water should be uncomfortably hot to your finger but not hot enough to burn you. (It will feel like hot tap water).
3. Add the warm liquid mixture to the flour while the mixer is o­n low. As the liquid is being incorporated, add the eggs. Mix thoroughly.
4. Gradually add the remaining flour o­nly until a fairly firm dough is formed. This process should take about 7 minutes whether you are using the dough hook o­n your mixer or are kneading it by hand. The mixture will be satiny smooth. If you are using raisins, add at this point and incorporate evenly.
5. Pre-heat your oven to 400F for 1 MINUTE. Lightly grease a bowl with oil and turn the dough in the bowl to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a TURNED OFF oven until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
6. Punch down the dough and divide in half or thirds. Divide each portion into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a rope about 10 inches long. Braid each loaf using the 6 braid technique (you can always divide the dough into thirds and make a standard braid). Place formed breads o­n a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and allow to rise until light and doubled, about 25 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 375F. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash and bake for 25-35 minutes depending o­n the size of the loaves. When the bread is done, it will be golden brown and have a hollow sound when tapped.

It is a custom to serve two loaves of bread side by side when welcoming the beginning of shabbat. The torah describes the specific way the 12 tribes of Israel were to present their loaves of bread to the priests in the Temple–in two rows,six loaves in each row. I can’t help wondering if two six-braided loaves placed side by side in a modern Jewish kitchen isn’t representative of this ancient custom?

Ingredients

Preparation Instructions

Pareve broth may be used instead of chicken broth to make this stuffing vegetarian.

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for greasing the pan
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped mixed dried fruit (apples, prunes, pears, apricots etc.)
• 1/3 cup Madeira
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
• 7 cups white bread cubes with crusts
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1/2-teaspoon sage
• 1/4-teaspoon marjoram
• 1/4-teaspoon nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup apricot nectar
• 1 egg

Preparation Instructions

1. Sauté the onion in the olive oil until lightly golden. Add the celery and mushrooms and sauté until the vegetables are soft and have given up their juices; this will take an additional 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile combine the chopped dried fruit with the Madeira in a small glass bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Set aside.
3. Combine the tomatoes, almonds, and bread cubes in a large bowl.
4. Add the onion mixture and the dried fruit and Madeira mixture to the bowl with the bread cubes and toss.
5. Combine the seasonings with the chicken broth, apricot juice and egg. Mix well.
6. Add the broth and egg mixture and stir until the mixture is very moist and almost runny. If necessary, add a little more broth or nectar.
7. Grease a 2-quart casserole or 13 x 9 pan with some additional olive oil.
8. Pour mixture into the prepared casserole and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes.

Additional Notes

NOTE: Casserole can be baked for the first 25 minutes covered with foil and then remove foil for the remainder of cooking time. This will give you a very soft stuffing with a crust.

Ingredients

• 12 thin slices of French bread
• 1 large clove of garlic, cut in half
• 1/4-cup extra virgin olive oil
• 20 large calamata or other cured olives
• 1/2 7-ounce jar roasted peppers
• 2 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Rub o­ne side of each slice of bread with the cut sides of the garlic. Brush the olive oil over the garlic-seasoned sides.
3. Place the bread o­n a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until golden.
4. Meanwhile, make the tapenade.
5. With the flat side of a heavy knife, crack the olives and remove the pits.
6. Place the olives in a processor work bowl and process until fairly smooth. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
7. Drain the roasted peppers and pat dry. Add the peppers and the sun-dried tomatoes to the olive mixture and process until smooth.
8. To serve, spread tapenade over the bread crostini and serve at room temperature.

Additional Notes

This mixture can be stuffed into mushrooms, covered with a little mozzarella and baked until mushroom is hot and cheese has melted! A small amount of blue-veined cheese such as spanish Cabrales can be used as a garnish as in the picture.

A large clove of garlic can be processed with the original ingredients as well.To easily peel a clove of garlic, smash it with the broad side of a large knife. The skin will split and easily fall off.