Strawberry Lemonade Challah

Another week, a new challah recipe!  

As summer is approaching, I love taking advantage of all the fresh fruits! My favorite drink on a hot day is a sweet and tart strawberry lemonade. So, what better way to welcome warm weather than with a strawberry lemonade challah? 

The strands are stuffed with a freeze dried strawberry and lemon filling, then topped with a fresh strawberry and lemon puréed cobbler topping! 

What you will need:

Challah dough recipe

Filling:

I always have dry filling for my babkas on hand in ziploc bags {recipe here} use 8 tbsp of the vanilla pudding powder

½ cup freeze dried strawberries

1 tbsp lemon zest

5-6 tbsp lemon juice

Topping:

3 strawberries, puréed

⅓-½ cup flour

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

Directions:

Make challah dough according to directions here.

Divide dough into 8 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan. {makes 2 loaf challah}

Make the filling by first adding the freeze dried strawberries to a mini blender or food processor, process until almost a fine dust. In a bowl, add all ingredients and stir until combined.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Add filling to each flattened log. Pinch the edges to seal, and then braid the logs. Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise for 30 minutes.

While the challah is rising, prepare the cobbler topping. Puree the strawberries, then add all ingredients together in a bowl until a thick paste-like consistency is achieved. {may need to adjust the flour amount based on consistency} 

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Once the challah has risen, plop little dollops of the topping all over the top of the challah.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the challah is slightly golden.

Once you slice into the challah, you’ll see all the ribbons of strawberry lemon goodness!

And, if you happen to have any leftovers after shabbas, it makes a great Sunday brunch French toast!

Enjoy!

Crockpot Sweet Beer Chicken

There’s nothing better than the smell of warm dinner slow cooking all day as the weather starts to cool down! This chicken is nice and juicy from cooking in the beer mixture all day. 

What you will need 
1-2 onions, cut into rounds 
3-4 carrots cut into chunks
4 medium russet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 small bunch celery cut into pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1 and 1/2 tsp salt 
1 and 1/2 tsp chili powder 
1 and 1/2 tsp paprika 
1 tsp garlic powder 
8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken
12 oz beer

Directions
Oil the the crockpot and place onion rounds on the bottom of crockpot, then add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. 

In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, salt, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder. 

Rub mixture all over each piece of chicken. Place chicken on top onions.

Pour beer over the chicken. 
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. 
The chicken can also be made in the oven in a pan covered tightly at 350°F for about 2 hours. 
Enjoy!