Tonight is the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year.
I wanted to touch base with you all and share my simple, family Rosh Hashanah menu. The price of vegetables shot up, especially specialty items for the holiday, so we made do with a limited variety including tomatoes (also overpriced), lettuce, onions, peppers, carrots and spinach. And I just did not feel like cooking a lot of special foods–my husban is happy with apples and honey as our symbol for a sweet new year. Our hosts tomorrow night told us that they make a big ceremony out of all of the special Rosh Hashanah foods an I am looking forward to that.
You can find a list of Rosh Hashanah tips and recipes here. On my Jewish parenting website, I have a Rosh Hashanah survival guide so you won’t forget anything at the last minute.
Without further ado, here is what I have planned. All meals include challah.
Sunday night:
- Apple and honey
- Chicken soup with matzah balls
- Pot roast with vegetables
- Bulgur and onions
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Vegetable salad
- Honey cake
- Spicy beans (a vegetarian option loosely based on a recipe at Israeli Kitchen)
Monday morning: A repeat of the night before.
Monday evening: We are invited out.
Tuesday lunch: Salmon (to be cooked fresh), lasagna with spinach and mushrooms, salad.
I baked the challah last week and made two yeast cakes with the dough–poppyseed and cocoa. We also prepared the soup, spinach and lasagna sauce last week. Last night we made the pasta dough, the beef and the matzah balls. My daughter and I pulled the lasagna together this morning. My son did the bulgur and the potatoes will go up soon.
In the meantime, my husband made a last-minute stop at the shuk and reported that prices have gone down. He stopped home with some beets, which I will cook up if I get bored.
Whether you spent weeks cooking for Rosh Hashanah or just a few hours, I wish all readers and their families a healthy and happy Jewish new year to all who are celebrating.
Can you explain how to make a yeast cake with cocoa etc.?
Sure Keren. You roll out the dough, spread it with oil (or of course soft or melted butter), then sprinkle a layer of sugar, then cocoa. You can add or substitute cinnamon, nuts, or raisins as well as poppyseed. I used ground poppyseeds. Admittedly I haven’t tasted it yet.