How to Braid a Six Strand Challah

When my husband's grandmother was 90 years old she sat me down at her kitchen table and handed me six strands of thread. With those six strands she taught me the traditional way to braid a challah (the ceremonial bread for the Jewish sabbath commonly referred to as egg braid in bakeries).

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?

Passover Bagels

These bagels are a necessity for Passover, especially if you have to take your lunch to school or work. Straight from the oven they are crisp o­n the outside and soft o­n the inside. As they sit, they get soft like a roll and make it easy to have a tuna sandwich without a desktop filled with matzo crumbs! Shaping the dough into a bagel with a hole allows for even baking so the inside of the roll isn't soggy. The hole closes up most of the way during baking so you don't lose the contents of your sandwich.

Challah

Challah, or egg bread as many bakeries call it, is a rich, golden bread made with more eggs than usually found in "white" breads. Experience has taught me that no amount of eggs will make the bread a real golden color. Instead, a coloring agent such as saffron, turmeric, achiote or vegetable food coloring needs to be added in small quantities to give the desired hue without altering the flavor of the bread. For this reason, I use a small amount of yellow vegetable coloring to make the dough look rich, but not artificial and to preserve the natural flavor of the bread.

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!

Pumpkin Bread

When I taught Junior High Home Economics in Mineola ,New York in the early 70's Joanne Orlando shared her mother's recipe for pumpkin bread with me (actually I teased her with the threat of failing if she didn't share the recipe with me!). I still have the index card with the recipe in her own handwriting and it is still one of my all time favorite healthier snacks for my family as well as entertaining. I have added the whole wheat flour to make it healthier but that is optional.

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

White Chocolate Holiday Hash

I developed this recipe with leftovers from one holiday season. Delicious combination especially when you crave salt and sweet at the same time. Easy to make and significantly cheaper than any store-bought version!

Dulce de Manzana

Turkish Sephardic Jews serve this sweet apple preserve as they wish their family and friends a SWEET NEW YEAR.

Passover Granola

I haven't met a Passover cereal that I liked so I decided to create o­ne. This Granola is too good! I eat it for breakfast, munch o­n it for a snack, and when I am particularly bad, I stir it into melted chocolate and make a candy that is addictive! This makes about a quart, but plan o­n making more than o­ne batch before Passover is over.