Shana Tova! - A sampling of my food prep

I wanted to wish you all a sweet, happy, healthy, successful, and peaceful new year.  Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, begins this evening.

Our family has been invited out for three meals.  I'm bringing some salads and dessert and keeping the rest of our meals simple.  We are even mixing it up with a couple dairy meals (blasphemous, I know). Tomorrow we are planning a cold meal with fancy cheese, smoked salmon, bagels, and fruits like persimmon and pomegranate.  Traditionally meat and hot foods are eaten on holidays, but with six meals, we think whatever is considered special is fair game for a holiday meal, and we love dairy!

While I'm sitting down for my little break, I thought I'm share a few other things I'm making.

- Cinnamon honey cookies with apple sauce and fresh vanilla - to go with a non-dairy frozen dessert I bought.  I had a tough time with the dough, so I put the whole lump on parchment paper, covered it in plastic wrap, and rolled it out.  No sticky mess on the table or rolling pin.  Then I baked it whole and used cookie cutters while it was still warm.  I would recommend this method if you have sharp cookie cutter (I didn't) and if you don't mind the leftover, though equally yummy, scraps.

- Quinoa tabbouleh - some for us and some for one of our hosts.

- Pasta salad.  I don't know what kind yet. Maybe Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pasta Salad.

- I also have Pre-mixed Bulgur Salad I can always make by adding hot water.


- Eggs made in the electric kettle (kum kum) so they would be pareve and can be eaten with either our meat or dairy meals.

- Brown and red rice with onions and mushrooms and fresh mint, which I will use to make stuffed grape leaves.

- Big green salads to bring to our hosts. (Today I will mostly just wash and check the lettuce for bugs, and maybe chop some herbs and make dressing.)

- I'm also setting up a chicken dish that is similar to chicken Parmesan without the cheese.  It can be enjoyed hot or cold.

- Frozen bananas, aka no-drip Popsicles, and frozen grapes, for the kids to snack on with no crumbs.

Of course we will be eating sweet, round challahs and apples dipped in honey!

What do you do to celebrate the new year?  Please comment and share what you are cooking, what snacks you stock, and what else you like to do to make the days special.

Shana tova u'metukah!