Apple Cinnamon Streusel Topped Challah

Now that summer is almost over, it has me thinking about all the fall flavors I love! I absolutely love apples, pumpkin, and warm spices. This challah recipe is great for Rosh Hashana or any fall Shabbos. It can be made as a round challah like I made, or a regular braided challah in a loaf pan. The streusel topping is sweet and crunchy, with apple chips crumbled into it. 

What you will need:
Challah dough {recipe here}
Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup oil or margarine
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Handful of apple chips {recipe for homemade chips here}

Directions:
After the challah dough is made and rested, braid a round or log challah, or even into a muffin tin for challah bites!

To prepare the topping- combine the flour, sugar, oil, cinnamon, and crumbled apple chips in a small bowl with a fork until coarse crumbs form. 

Sprinkle the apple cinnamon topping over the challahs.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Tahini Green Beans

This recipe is so easy to make and only requires a few ingredients! Makes an easy side for a weeknight dinner with fish!

What you will need: 
1/2 tbsp olive oil 
1 bunch green beans 
Kosher salt 
3 tbsp soy sauce 
3 tbsp tahini 
2 tbsp honey 
1 tbsp sesame oil 
2 cloves garlic or 1 tbsp garlic powder 
Sesame seeds optional 

Directions: 

I usually buy the haricot verts from Trader Joe’s in the steamer bag and snip the edge and microwave for 3 minutes. If you buy regular green beans, add olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add green beans and sauté, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Season lightly with salt to taste and remove from heat. 

Add soy sauce, tahini, honey, sesame oil, and garlic to a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Add beans and lightly toss to combine. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.

Enjoy!

Falafel Air Fried Chicken

This recipe is so easy to make and is a great update on the regular breadcrumb coated chicken! The dry falafel mix has all of the seasoning needed as well. They are even better served with a tahini sauce and a salad on the side, or can even be made like a traditional falafel in a pita. 

What you will need:
1-2 lbs. chicken breast (I cut mine in thin strips as chicken fingers)
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup falafel mix
Spray oil for air fryer

Spread out flour on a large plate. 
Whisk the 2 eggs together in a bowl.
Spread out the falafel mix on another large plate. 
Coat each piece of chicken in flour, shake off the excess, then dredge in egg, and finally into the falafel mix. 
Spray the air fryer insert with oil, place the chicken in, and then spray the tops of each chicken piece. 
Fry on the poultry setting for 15 minutes (375 degrees.) if you don’t have an air fryer you can even bake in the oven or fry in a skillet on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes per side. 

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cream Whoopie Pies

These cookies are so addicting, and even better you get to eat two cookies at once!

What you will need:

Whoopie Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter or neutral oil

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp dark molasses

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3 cup instant oats

Filling

3/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp milk

Directions:
Cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a stand mixer with paddle attachment for a couple of minutes. Slowly beat in the egg, vanilla, and molasses and mix until smooth.

Mix in the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add in the flour and oats and mix on low speed until combined.

Scoop the dough using a 4 tsp cookie scoop to portion the dough onto a parchment or silicone mat lines baking sheet and space about 2" apart. Flatten the balls slightly and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

While the cookies chill, preheat the oven to 375°F and make the filling.

Cream the butter in a mixer with a paddle attachment until fluffy, about 5 minutes and then beat in the vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time. Once all of the powdered sugar is combined, beat in the milk. Mix on high for a few minutes until fluffy and combined.

Add the filling to a ziploc bag {I place in a glass so it's easy to fill} and put in the fridge to firm up.

Bake the cookies 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool on a rack for 30 minutes before filling.

Snip the corner of the filling bag and fill half the cookies {with the bottom facing up.} 

Place the second cookie on top for a sandwich!

Enjoy!

French Onion Challah

After last week's challah mashup, I was already thinking about next Shabbas and what new creation I can bake.

My husband had asked about making caramelized onions for a dinner, and it had me thinking about a new stuffed challah. We love French Onion Soup, and just got a bag of nutritional yeast from Trader Joe's by accident {added yeast to the list and he thought they were all the same.} 

While this version is made parve, I am thinking about Shavuot next week now. Swap out the nutritional yeast for parmesan cheese and added mozzarella cheese on top of the onions for an even more decadent French onion soup stuffed challah!

What you will need:
The Best Challah Bread recipe

Filling: {modified from my French Onion Soup recipe}
3 onions {I used 2 yellow and 1 red}
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 envelope onion soup mix
1 tsp. salt
4 tbs. paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
optional: wine to deglaze
Nutritional yeast or parmesan
Mozzarella if making dairy


Topping:
1 beaten egg
Nutritional yeast or parmesan
Thyme

Directions:
Make dough according to directions here in my challah recipe.

While the challah rises, start making the filling for it.
In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat. While the oil is heating, slice up 3 onions and add the onions to the skillet. Let the onions sweat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. I add the sugar halfway through.

Once the onions have a nice brown sheen to them add the onion soup mix, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Add the optional wine now to give the filling a deeper and richer flavor {or add umami seasoning.} Stir the mixture until it’s all incorporated and is a thick paste consistency.

Let the filling cool before starting the next step.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts and then roll each part into a  log, long enough to fit a loaf pan. 

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Spoon the cooled onion mixture along the center of each log and sprinkle nutritional yeast {or parmesan and mozzarella} along the top.

Pinch the edges to seal, and then braid the logs. Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise 30 minutes. Then brush with egg wash and sprinkle with nutritional yeast {or parmesan.} 

Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Enjoy!

Scallion Challah

I have been on a challah mashup in the past few weeks. This week is an Asian spin, as I had a few too many scallions leftover that otherwise had the garbage can in their near future. The challah is reminiscent of scallion pancakes we would get for Chinese takeout.

What you will need:
The Best Challah Bread recipe

Filling
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 stalks scallions, minced
Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper
1 egg beaten

Topping
A few pinches of toasted sesame seeds and black sesame seeds

Directions:
Make dough according to directions here in my challah recipe

Preheat the oven to 375°F
Divide dough into 4 equal parts and then roll each part into a  log, long enough to fit a loaf pan. 

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Brush each with toasted sesame oil and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, pepper flakes, and scallions. 

Pinch the edges to seal, and then braid the logs. Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise 30 minutes. Then brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Try not to eat the challah before Shabbas!
Enjoy!

Chocolate Babkallah

This week I decided to try a mashup of challah and babka and am calling it my babkallah! It is so good for a little sweet treat before Friday night dinner!

What you will need:

Challah recipe or Babka recipe {sweeter dough} for the challah part

Chocolate Powder, Chocolate Lava, and Babka Crumbs from my Babka recipe

Directions:

Prepare challah dough or babka dough per directions

Portion out challahs {either babka or challah recipe makes about 3 medium sized babkallahs}

For each babkallah, roll out 4 ropes and flatten each so there's room to stuff for filling.

Drizzle a line of the chocolate lava filling, followed by a dusting of the chocolate powder filling.

Pinch up the sides to seal in the chocolate filling.

Repeat this for all 4 ropes.

Braid up the babkallah and place in a greased loaf pan, let rise for 30 minutes.

Brush egg over the babkallah and top with the babka crumbs {or even just sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the egg wash if you don't want it too sweet}

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Enjoy!