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!

Coffee Cake Challah

Happy almost weekend!

One of my favorite cakes is coffee cake, and strangely I really like the Pesach Manischewitz coffee cake mix {I can eat almost an entire cake in a sitting.} 

So, while being challah deprived on Pesach, eating straight out of the coffee cake tin I had this idea! It’s sort of a mashup between a cinnamon bun {since I fill the strands with the streusel} and coffee cake! Yumm!!

What you will need: 

Challah Dough recipe

Swap sugar for-

1 tbsp sugar

⅓ cup honey or maple syrup

Use 2 eggs instead of 1

Add in-

1 tbsp vanilla

2 tsp salt 1 tbsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Additionally, can sub water for milk or almond milk for a richer dough

Streusel Filling:

5 tbsp oil

1 tbsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup flour

Streusel Topping:

Separate half off the filling from above and add ⅓-½ cup flour for a drier streusel crumb

Directions:

Make challah dough according to directions here, add in vanilla with the eggs, then add in the cinnamon and nutmeg along with the flour. 

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 streusel filling in a bowl by adding all ingredients and stirring until combined.

Separate half of the streusel filling into a separate bowl, and add flour gradually until it turns into a drier streusel crumb.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Add a shmear of the streusel 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 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Brush with an egg wash and top with the streusel topping.

Bake for 40 minutes, turning the tray halfway through so it bakes evenly.

Enjoy!

Candied Walnuts

This candied walnuts recipe is lightly sweetened, so easy to make, and so delicious. You can change up the spices to make it more savory, the options are endless!

What you will need:

¼ cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp fine sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups (12 ounces) raw walnut halves

Directions:

Heat oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, sea salt, and cinnamon until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg white and vanilla until combined. Add the walnuts and toss until they are evenly coated with the egg white mixture. Add the brown sugar mixture and toss until the walnuts are evenly coated.

Spread the walnuts out in an even layer on the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and give the walnuts a quick stir. Return to the oven and bake for 5 more minutes. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.

Serve immediately, or store in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. 

Great as a snack or as a salad topper!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pasta

We love east weeknight meals in our house, and my son loves his Mac and cheese, or anything with cheese and pasta in it. This is the perfect elevated ‘Mac and cheese’ type dinner, and what’s even better there some pumpkin in it!

What you will need:

1 pound fusilli pasta

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp sage

2 tsp rosemary 10 tbsp (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 tsp ground ginger

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

15 oz pumpkin puree {recipe here} or 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree

2 tsp dark brown sugar

¾ cup finely grated Parmesan

Salt & black pepper

Directions:

In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt. Add the pasta to the pot and stir so it doesn’t stick to the bottom as it cooks. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta in a colander and hold it there until the sauce is finished.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter until it starts to turn light brown. Add the ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. add in the sage and rosemary. Add the pumpkin, sugar and some of the reserved pasta water. Stir in about ½ cup of Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and warm gently, tossing to coat the pasta with the sauce.

Top with the remaining Parmesan. 

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Pie

I really like how sweet and creamy butternut squash are, and am always looking for new ways to use them (and other squashes.)

I made this pie for my family get together for Chanukah and they really liked it! Can be a side, or with whipped cream for a slightly healthier dessert. 

What you will need:

1 crust, store bought or homemade (recipe here)

For the Filling:

2 large eggs

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

½ cup dark brown sugar

¼ tsp sea salt

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cardamom

1 ½ cups roasted squash purée

¾ cup heavy cream

Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Roasted Squash Purée: heat oven to 400°. Slice into 1” sections (or buy pre cut squash to save time), coat with 1 tbsp oil, and place in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake until tender and beginning to caramelize, about 40 minutes.

Cool slightly, blend with an immersion blender or food processor until smooth.

For Filling:

Preheat the oven to 300°.

Combine eggs, vanilla, sugars, salt and spices in a bowl with an immersion blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Add squash purée, and blend until smooth. Pour in heavy cream, and blend to combine.

Pour filling into a hot prebaked shell, and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven up to 325° and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes until filling is set ⅔ of the way in from the perimeter and the center still jiggles, about 40-45 minutes total (custard will continue to cook after pie is removed from the oven). Tent Pie crust edges loosely with foil if browning too quickly.

Remove pie from oven, and cool to room temperature on rack. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired. 

Enjoy!

Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo is the ultimate comfort meal, especially in the winter! This recipe is so easy to make and can be used multiple ways throughout the week for easy meals!

What you will need: 

1 stick butter

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

2 cups freshly grated Parmesan

Pasta cooking water, as needed 

Directions:

In a saucepan or skillet, warm the butter and cream. (This week I did not have heavy cream in the fridge, so substituted for whole milk and 1 tbsp flour and worked out perfectly!)

Season with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan and stir until melted. 

Toss to combine, thinning with pasta water if necessary.

This sauce can be used for fettuccine Alfredo, or farfalle pasta and peas! I tossed frozen peas into the pasta with sauce and just heated through for a few minutes.

I also used this sauce as a base for a white mushroom pizza. Either make pizza dough recipe here (or store bought) roll out, schmear a generous amount of Alfredo sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and sautéed mushrooms!

Enjoy!

Cranberry Pumpkin Loaf

I love everything pumpkin and any excuse to use pumpkin! And my new favorite combination is pumpkin and cranberry. The earthy, deep flavor of pumpkin combined with the fresh, tart pop of the cranberries in this pumpkin loaf is so unexpected. Festive enough for New Years dessert! 

What you will need:

½ cup canola oil (or 1 stick unsalted butter)

1 cup pumpkin puree (recipe for homemade here)

1 cup loosely packed light brown sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)

2 large eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

¾ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup frozen cranberries

2 tbsp turbinado sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and grease, or grease a loaf pan and dust with flour.

Combine the oil, pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl. When I don’t have whole wheat flour on hand, I use all-purpose flour and it works well too.

Add the dry to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth (but don't overmix).

Scrape into the loaf pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Press cranberries into the top and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the top is browned and crusty, and a toothpick inserted in comes out clean. Let cool.

Enjoy!