Date nut bread, sounds dead-good-for-you-serious, doesn’t it? That is until you taste it. Plump and moist and chock full of goodies. I make it with spelt flour too, so it’s a win-win.

Ingredients:
1 cup diced dates, packed
1 cup dark or golden raisins
2 1/2 cups flour, all purpose, whole wheat pastry or spelt (as always, spelt is my favorite)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup hot strong tea, decaf ok

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Mix the first set of ingredients together in a bowl. Mix the second set of ingredients in another bowl. Combine both mixtures, making sure not to overmix. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan, or 6-cup loaf pan, and bake 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Muffins: Pour the batter into greased muffin molds (about 12 medium) and bake 30 minutes

~ Recipe submitted by Lévana Kirschenbaum of www.levanacooks.com

(Can use a Bread machine for mixing, kneading, and rising ONLY)

***Adapted from challah recipe in the Kosher by Design cookbook on page 16***

In bread machine pan, put in wet ingredients first:

1 and 2/3 cups warm/hottish water
2 and 1/2 eggs (or a little less than 1 cup egg substitute)
A little over 1/2 cup canola oil

Put in dry ingredients next (except for yeast):

6 1/2 cups whole spelt flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 and 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Make a shallow well in the dry ingredients and put in 2 packages of rapid rise yeast.

Turn on your bread machine and set it to the Dough/Pasta (1 and 1/2 hour) cycle where it mixes, kneads, and lets your dough rise.

Shape the challahs (makes 4 small challahs) and let them rise for 30 minutes.
Baste them with egg and bake for 30 minutes on 350.

~ Recipe submitted by Sarrit Kovacs

Ingredients for Chummus:
1 cup raw chick peas soaked over night and cooked in water and salt for about an hour or until tender,
or
2 cans chick peas drained and rinsed cooked for about 10 minutes
Reserve water from cooked peas.
1 Tbs plain Tahini
1/4 cup olive oil (you can also use regular oil)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp vinegar
1 garlic clove peeled & cut in 2
2 tsp salt

Directions for Chummus:
Place cooked peas in food processor. Add enough water to cover about 3/4 of chick peas, not all the way to cover the last layer of chick peas, make sure at least two “rows” of chick peas are not covered. Add the rest of the ingredients and process on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamy. Taste and add salt if needed. Chummus might look too liquidy, that is because you are working with hot chick peas, as soon as it cools down it will get harder.

Ingredients for Mushroom Sauce:
2 pints white mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 big onion
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
oil for frying

Directions for Mushroom Sauce:
Slice onion thinly and fry in oil until browned. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and cook until liquid reduces, stirring occasionally. Add spices and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Place Chummus in a big plate leaving a hole in middle, pour the mushroom sauce into the hole and serve hot. If you make it for Shabbos, make sure to leave Chummus at room temperature and place mushroom sauce covered with the rest of your warmed food.

~ Recipe submitted by Hila Liani

Ingredients:
1 16oz box whole grain or white pasta
3-4 tbs oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 box mushrooms, chopped
1/2 can black olives, sliced
1 tomato, diced
2.5 cups heavy cream and 1 jar marinara sauce of choice
2 small handfuls of grated cheese
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Directions:
Boil the pasta with salt and cook until al dente. Heat up the oil in a medium to large pot. Saute the diced onion and then add the tomatoes, mushrooms and black olives. Saute the vegetables for about 5-6 minutes, until the mushrooms are slightly browned. Add the heavy cream and marinara sauce. Once that is combined, add the cheese. Bring to a low boil and stir in the salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Keep the flame on low and add the pasta to the pot. Mix it with the sauce and allow it to sit on the fire for a few additional minutes. Then turn off the flame and it’s ready to serve!

~ Recipe submitted by Rivka Putter

Ingredients:
Frozen pie shell
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup nondairy creamer
2 TBSP onion soup mix (1/2 package)
10 oz. frozen spinach (or broccoli if want instead)
3 eggs, beaten
1 TBSP flour
garlic powder
chopped garlic
onion powder

Directions:
Bake frozen pie shell on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until lightly brown.
Thaw and drain spinach. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into lightly baked pie shell.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour on 350 degrees.

~ Recipe submitted by Sarrit Kovacs

Ingredients:
Trader Joe’s raw whole wheat pizza dough
6-8 cherry tomatoes, chopped
8 black olives, sliced into rings
6 oz of chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1/3 of a small onion, chopped
pizza sauce
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 of Trader Joe’s marinated mozzarella (O-U), chopped

Directions:
Turn oven on 500 degrees and put pizza stone in. Meanwhile, chop/slice veggies and cheese and roll out dough (if needed). Take the stone out of the oven and sprinkle corn meal on the stone. Stretch the dough over the stone and press the edges onto the edges of the stone.
Spoon pizza sauce over dough, sprinkle only the shredded cheese over sauce, sprinkle veggies over cheese (I sprinkle spinach first, then onion, then olives, and then tomatoes). Then sprinkle TJ marinated mozzarella cheese, and then spices. I use garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.

Turn oven temperature down from 500 to 450 degrees and bake for 15 - 20 minutes (usually 20 minutes since it is whole wheat dough and takes a bit longer to bake).

~ Recipe submitted by Sarrit Kovacs

Always have the following ingredients on hand for a quick, impromptu salad. This is great for unexpected Shabbos guests!

Ingredients:
1-2 cans of corn (niblets or baby corn)
1 red pepper cut in half and diced
1 carrot, sliced
olives and pickles, sliced (optional)
mayonnaise or salad dressing to taste

Directions:
Mix the above ingredients together and serve.

~ Recipe submitted by Roseanne Levine

Roast peppers with other veggies such as garlic, onions, zucchini and mushrooms. Drizzled with some olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, basil or your favorite herbs. Roast uncovered at 425 F on a foil-lined baking sheet. Enjoy!

~ Recipe submitted by Chef Norene Gilletz of “Gourmania”

Ingredients for Sauce:
1/2 cup corn starch
2 tablespoons water
3/4 teaspoon fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3/8 cup sugar (just under 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine or sherry

Ingredients for Batter:
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken cut into chunks
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cp sliced onions
4 small dried hot pepper

Directions:
For the sauce, place all ingredients in a jar and shake well to dissolve cornstarch.
For the batter, place an egg in a ziploc bag and shake to coat chicken evenly. Add cornstarch and mix until chicken is covered. Deep fry until chicken is crispy and then drain. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and add onions, peppers and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the sauce mixture. Cook until thick. Then add the chicken and cook long enough to heat through. Adjust the heat according to your taste - or omit all the peppers for a delicious dish without the heat. ENJOY!

~ Recipe submitted by Chaya Sara Roth

‘Tis the season to be jolly….yes, even in Israel, wintry festiveness has settled upon us (in the form of Channukah, festival of lights) and we are indulging in donuts, latkes, and other seasonal delights. Personally, I find myself missing the mince pies…

Happily, these pears went some way towards fulfilling that craving. Warm, spicy, rich and comforting, a perfect dessert for a chilly winter’s evening. Surprisingly easy to prepare, the best thing about them is the steaming mulled wine left over once you have served the pears.

Ingredients:
2 small cinamon sticks
125g sugar
300ml red wine
150ml water
thinly pared rind and juice of 1 small orange
4 firm pears
frozen vanilla yoghurt or ice cream to serve

Directions:
1. Place the cinnamon sticks on the work surface and with a rolling pin, slowly roll down the side of the cinnamon stick to bruise. Place in a large heavy-based saucepan.
2. Add the sugar, wine, water, pared orange rind and juice to the pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Meanwhile peel the pears, leaving the stalks on. Cut out the cores from the bottom of the pears and level them so that they stand upright.
4. Stand the pears in the syrup, cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the syrup, turning occasionally.
5. Arrange the pears on serving plates and spoon over the syrup. Decorate with orange slices if you wish, and serve with ice cream or frozen yogurt.

~ Recipe submitted by Joanne Mandel of the delicious food blog, Eat Love Jump