Recipes for Rosh Hashanah

By Julie Grosik Halpern

Hello, all the cooks out there!  It’s your favorite shiksa (Yiddish for a non-Jewish woman involved with a Jewish man), and I’m here to share some of my favorite recipes that I make every year for our Rosh Hashanah celebration.

Rosh Hashanah will start on Sept. 9 and will continue until Sept. 10. Note that in the Jewish calendar, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observers will celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the sunset of Wednesday, Sept. 8.

Rosh Hashanah is known as the “Jewish New Year.”  During this High Holiday, days are allocated for repentance and rest, concluding with Yom Kippur.

My husband’s family always makes brisket and challah (along with other items) for dinner during Rosh Hashanah.  Here are two recipes that I’ve been making for years that are a huge hit!  They’re easy and definite crowd pleasers.  Enjoy.

Yummy Brisket

1 (3 lb.) brisket

1 cup ketchup

1 tsp sriracha

1 (1 oz.) package of dry onion soup mix

1 (12 oz.) can or bottle of ginger ale

3 carrots cut into 1 inch pieces

1 onion sliced

2 stalks of celery cut into 1 inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees.
2. Season both sides of brisket with salt and pepper.
3. Place brisket in a roasting pan, fat side up.
4. In a medium bowl mix together ketchup, sriracha, onion soup mix and ginger ale.
5. Pour mixture over brisket.
6. Arrange carrots, onion and celery around the brisket.
7. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
8. Bake for two hours in preheated oven.
9. Remove foil and bake for one more hour.
10. Let stand at least 10 minutes before slicing.
11. Enjoy!

Serves 6

Braided Challah

2 (.25 oz.) packages active dry yeast

2/3 cup warm water

6 eggs yolks

3 eggs (room temperature)

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup white sugar

2 Tbs. honey

1 tsp. salt

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 egg

Pinch of salt

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
2. Stir in the yolks, 3 eggs, oil, sugar, honey and salt.
3. Add about 3-1/2 cups of flour to make a dough (it will be sticky).
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead with remaining flour until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes.
5. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn to oil the entire surface of the dough.
6. Cover with a damp cloth. Place in a warm place until double in size (probably about 1 ½ hours).
7. Punch down the dough, and divide into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. Braid the three strands together, and seal the ends.
8. Place the bread on a greased cookie sheet.
9. Beat the remaining 1 egg with a pinch of salt; brush onto bread. Let the bread rise until doubled (about 45 minutes).
10. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the bread with egg wash again.
11. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden.
12. Cool on a wire rack.