Some people make challah every Shabbos, but I am not one of them. Challah is a huge deal for me. It’s just such a mess and between the kneading, rising and shaping, it’s a whole day affair. That’s why, I make challah once a year. You got it. Just once. My yearly challah baking happens a few weeks before Rosh Hashanah. I whip up lots of sweet varieties, and pack the freezer with enough sweet bread to last us throughout the chagim. My favorite Rosh Hashanah flavors are sweet crumb and marzipan, but I also make some raisin, cinnamon, honey-glazed and of course, chocolate chip. I always make a few za’atar loaves, since it’s my favorite spice of all time.
Now I love sweet challah, but I don’t love dipping it into savory dips. Chocolate chips and garlic just don’t work for me, so I started to make sweet dips to go along with the sweet challah variations. It’s such a fun change from the typical savory dips that we eat during the year, and it makes the Rosh Hashanah meal even more sweet and special.
Now that you have your challah and dips set, what about the other food? I know it’s crunch time, so I put together my (tentative) Rosh Hashanah menu to give you some inspiration!
Sunday Night:
homemade honey challah with assorted toppings
sweet Challah dips
salmon en croute
simanim salad (recipe variation in the video)
roasted butternut and apple soup
honey roasted zaatar chicken
saffron rice
braised leeks
parsnip honey bundt cake with mulled apple cider
Monday:
honey challah with assorted toppings
sweet Challah dips
breaded gefilte fish
pomegranate coleslaw
roasted beet salad
tzimmes roast
lokshin and cabbage
braised leeks
honey hasselback baked apples with ice cream (minus the brie)
(continued below)
Monday Night:
assorted new fruits
honey challah with assorted toppings
sweet Challah dips
simanim ceviche
rainbow slaw
whole roasted chicken
honey mustard roasted potatoes
sauteed beet greens
mini pumpkin pies (I use this filling in mini pie shells)
parsnip honey bundt cake with mulled apple cider
Tuesday:
honey challah with assorted toppings
sweet Challah dips
fig salmon
roasted eggplants with tahini & pomegranate seeds
arugula waldorf salad
pomegranate molasses roast
mini pumpkin pies (I use this filling in mini pie shells)
cranberry green beans
sticky date pudding
What great dishes are you making for Rosh Hashanah? Share them with me in the comments below!
Halva Dip
1/2 cup tahini paste
1/4 cup silan (date honey)
3 tbsp water
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until emulsified. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more water until desired consistency is reached.
VARIATION: for chocolate halva dip, stir in some melted chocolate.
SUBSTITUTE: if you can’t find silan, you may use honey instead.
Pumpkin Dip
1 15oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of sea salt
Add all the ingredients to a pot and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
VARIATION: Use roasted butternut squash instead of pumpkin.
Beet Hummus
1 15oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium beet, roasted
2 tbsp light olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
honey, to taste
To roast the beet, wrap in foil and roast at 400 degrees until fork-tender, about one hour. Set aside to cool.
Peel the beet and roughly chop. Add to a food processor with the chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and honey and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. If needed, add additional oil to adjust consistency.
QUICK & EASY: blend store-bought hummus with a roasted beet (will taste more savory).
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