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FESTIVE RECIPES for the new year!
APPLE CIDER GLAZED BAKED CHICKEN from:
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION
MY RATING:
Nothing says fall more than a glass of apple cider and watching the leaves change colors. Perfect for a cozy meal, we're bringing you a delicious apple cider glazed baked chicken that will melt your mouth. Our recipe calls for boneless, skin-on chicken breasts, but it can also be made bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts. You might need to adjust the amount of apple cider, salt, and pepper slightly.
What you’ll need:
4 boneless skin-on chicken breasts 4 cups apple cider 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 1 package of baby carrots
What you’ll do:
In a bowl, add the chicken, apple cider, fresh sage, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Cover and marinate for four hours or more in the fridge. When the chicken has finished marinating, pat it dry and sprinkle it with more salt. Then brown the chicken skin side down until golden brown. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place the chicken and carrots in an oven-safe dish. Remove the sage from the marinade and cover the chicken and carrots with the leftover marinade. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken registers 165 degrees F on a thermometer. Serve with carrots and any side of your choice.
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HEALTHY NOODLE KUGEL from:
MORGAN SPINDLER • NEW YORK CITY, NY
MY RATING:
Noodle kugel recipes are staples in most Ashkenazi Jewish households around the holidays. Kugels are served sweet or savory and to this day most Jews still aren't sure if noodle kugel is an entree or dessert. Needless to say, they are always delicious whether it's on Rosh Hashanah or Shavuot. This is why we're excited to feature Birthright Israel alumna, Morgan Spindler's Healthy Noodle Kugel recipe. Most likely any Jewish person you speak to will say their mom or grandmother makes the best noodle kugel. The varieties of this classic Jewish dish are endless. For as long as Jews have been making kugel they've made sure to make a version for each and every Jewish holiday. On Shavuot, when it's common to eat dairy, a cheesy kugel is best. During Passover, you can replace the noodles with matzah or egg noodles or opt for a potato kugel too. However, it is also a tradition to eat kugel on Shabbat.
What you’ll need:
10 ounces wide egg noodles 2 large eggs 2 large egg whites 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese 1/2 cup of coconut or nut milk (If not dairy-free can use skim milk) 1 cup nondairy yogurt 1/2 cup of orange juice
2/3 cup of light brown sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons of butter A pinch of salt FOR THE TOPPING: 1 1/2 cups of crushed cornflakes 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
What you’ll do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cook the noodles as you would regular pasta in boiling water until al dente. In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, orange juice, sugar, vanilla, butter, and a pinch of salt. Then stir in the cooked noodles. In a small bowl, crush the cornflakes and mix in the cinnamon. Pour noodle mixture into the baking pan and top with the cornflake mixture. Bake until brown and set for about 30 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.
Tips & Tricks:
• •
You can substitute olive or coconut oil for the butter I used coconut yogurt instead of nondairy yogurt, but Greek yogurt works well too
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LAMB WITH SWEET & SAVORY CAPONATA from:
JASON COHEN • BALTIMORE, MD
MY RATING:
Braised lamb shank is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a special occasion, a holiday, or a weeknight meal. The lamb shanks are slowly braised in a sauce with eggplant, zucchini, squash, onions, garlic, and olives. The caponata adds a sweet and savory touch, and the whole dish is finished with a splash of red wine. This specific recipe comes from Birthright Israel alum and chef Jason Cohen. He shared that this is one of his favorite recipes because of the braising technique.
What you’ll need:
FOR THE LAMB SHANK: 6 lamb shanks 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary stemmed 2 tablespoons garlic minced 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup dry red wine Salt and pepper
FOR THE COUSCOUS: 1 cup whole wheat couscous 1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock 1/3 cup almonds 1/3 cup black currants 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper
FOR THE CAPONATA: 1 large eggplant small dice 1 zucchini small dice 1 yellow squash small dice 1 large Spanish onion small dice 4 cloves garlic minced Extra-virgin olive oil for sautéing 10 oz. canned San Marzanos tomatoes small dice 3/4 cup manzanilla olives chopped Salt and pepper
What you’ll do:
Place lamb shanks in large mixing bowl. Add rosemary, garlic, and olive oil and toss to coat. Transfer to large Ziploc bag. Let lamb marinate for 4 hours or overnight. Heat large pot to low heat and cook eggplant, zucchini, squash, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and olives covered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Heat Dutch oven to high heat and sear lamb shanks on each side for 2 minutes until golden brown and caramelized. Deglaze with red wine and cook out alcohol for 3 minutes. Transfer to caponata mixture and cook covered for 2 hours. Heat a small saucepan to medium-high heat and add olive oil, toss almonds in oil and toast for 2 minutes until light brown and aroma intensifies. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add the couscous and currants, and cover. Remove from heat and let couscous cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 4
APPLE CRUMBLE WITH ISRAELI DATE SYRUP from:
BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION
MY RATING:
If there is one dessert you must add to your holiday favorites, it has to be an apple crumble. It's a classic recipe that's the perfect dish for any family gathering. Whether you serve it at your Thanksgiving dinner or as a scrumptious Shabbat dessert, this apple crumble will sweeten anyone's evening. Plus, we've added a little Israeli flare to the dish with the addition of Israeli date syrup.
What you’ll need:
FOR THE FILLING: 2 1/2 lbs of the apples of your choice (should be 6-7 cups), peeled and diced 1 tbsp flour 1/4 cup date syrup 2 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
FOR THE TOPPING: 1 cup rolled oats or oatmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 1 tsp cinnamon powder 1/2 cup unsalted butter Date syrup for drizzling
What you’ll do:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Peel apples, then cut them into cubes. For the filling, put apples in a mixing bowl, add flour, date syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon and then combine. Spread out the apple filling into a baking dish. For the crumble topping, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Spread out on top of the apple filling and drizzle with date syrup. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream or whipped cream topping.
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