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Festive Menus Throughout the Holidays

Gator Pam

By Gator Pam
in 2022

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Erev Rosh Hashanah, the first night, starts at sunset on Sunday, September 25th this year. Traditionally, two challah loaves are served.

 

This year I've decided to do one regular egg challah for dipping into the honey and to use for sandwiches with any left. The second is going to be a plum jam and rosemary challah. Since the jam will keep up to a month in the refrigerator, I made a batch on Wednesday so it is ready to go. It was a little thin when I bottled it, but it is thickening nicely with refrigeration.

 

I managed to get two clean old preserves jars and slightly more than half of a four oz. jelly jar out of the batch.

 

PXL-20220908-012204313.jpg

 

Here's the recipe for the jam and the challah for anyone interested. I'll probably bake the challah on the 25th.

 

Plum and Rosemary Challah

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Ravenseye

Ravenseye

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I started thinking about this last night.
I am sure that there is a best time to start stocking up on ingredients for making cookies, pies and other holiday meals.

I've seen the list, for instance, on the crazy coupon ladies site that shows when to buy what through the year.
But that puts holiday stuff in the Nov/Dec timeframe and that seems late to me...

Am I nuts?

(there are a few facebook groups where some folks have been building up their Christmas cookie collections since june. :) )

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Best sales on butter, flour, etc., do seem to start mid-November. If you have freezer room, I treat those items similar to my Target gift closet. I'll stock up in November for Easter and Passover, and stock up during the winter holidays for the spring holidays. Butter freezes well and both flour and sugar keep. The only items I need to buy in season is kosher for Passover matzah and matzah meal.

 

I do make certain to shelve or freeze items so I always grab the oldest first. And I have the ingredients on hand for when I want to get an early start.

Edited by Gator Pam
  • Like 1
jesusluvu

jesusluvu

Posted
Posted

Erev Rosh Hashanah, the first night, starts at sunset on Sunday, September 25th this year. Traditionally, two challah loaves are served.

 

This year I've decided to do one regular egg challah for dipping into the honey and to use for sandwiches with any left. The second is going to be a plum jam and rosemary challah. Since the jam will keep up to a month in the refrigerator, I made a batch on Wednesday so it is ready to go. It was a little thin when I bottled it, but it is thickening nicely with refrigeration.

 

I managed to get two clean old preserves jars and slightly more than half of a four oz. jelly jar out of the batch.

 

PXL-20220908-012204313.jpg

 

Here's the recipe for the jam and the challah for anyone interested. I'll probably bake the challah on the 25th.

 

Plum and Rosemary Challah

I love how every year you dont just talk about the items but post the finish products. Looks yummy. 

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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I love how every year you dont just talk about the items but post the finish products. Looks yummy.

 

Aww, thank you.

 

Many years ago I moderated kosher cooking boards and hosted chats for an online forum called Moms Online, even though I don't keep a kosher kitchen. Showing photos of our resultant items was very important in sharing recipes there. I've carried that forward ever since.

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mjbateman

mjbateman

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For those of you who have Kroger stores (or equivalent) or Publix as well as Target tend to put butter on sale quite often. I am a big cake and cookie baker so I have to have the butter. I can freeze it and it still makes the best cakes and cookies. 

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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For those of you who have Kroger stores (or equivalent) or Publix as well as Target tend to put butter on sale quite often. I am a big cake and cookie baker so I have to have the butter. I can freeze it and it still makes the best cakes and cookies.

 

100%!!!

 

I generally get butter when it's on sale for $1.99/lb, although lately the sale price seems to hover around $2.49/lb. Occasionally I get lucky, and DariGold butter goes on sale for $2.49/lb while there is an active $1/1 coupon.

 

I bake with unsalted butter, but use salted butter for everything else. I keep a supply of about 10 lbs of each, salted and unsalted butter, in my freezer, and restock only during the sales.

Edited by Gator Pam
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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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I think my Rosh Hashanah Festive Meal Sunday night menu is finalized.

 

Apples and honey

Plum Jam and Rosemary Stuffed Challah

Pumpkin Soup with Pumpkin Spiced Matzah Balls

Apple Glazed Chicken

Honey Maple Carrots

Orzo Salad

 

I think we'll pass on dessert.

That'll do.

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Rosh Hashanah Festive Meal prep has begun. I have the Orzo Salad finished, the matzah balls resting overnight in the refrigerator, and the challah in the oven as I type. Pictures to come later, when I'm recovered from cooking for several days,or perhaps after we eat it all.

 

I know I said no dessert, but I forgot about honey cake. I'm not going to serve one tomorrow night,but I'll probably bake one on Monday.

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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Mostly step-by-step breakdown of the Plum and Rosemary Challot I made for last night's Festive Meal. I figure it's easier to share the original post on my Facebook timeline, than to type it all up again.

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02Gvq4z6QBdaxDS6EYDGmMBmqEQfYUnYyY3nTJtUt8AotHjcAAoVNg9Lq21X3jLSsUl&id=560391364

Presentation

PXL-20220926-012650427.jpg

Interior view

PXL-20220926-015019798.jpg

Edited by Gator Pam
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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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This is my favorite recipe out of everything I made this Yuntiff.

Jake Cohen's Upside Down Apple Honey Cake

It is seriously amazingly good.

https://www.facebook.com/560391364/posts/pfbid02avLF7pXr3TFRrsRcRtcBnwJXbnEFbfprDUAyfDggbtRW7U9WazB8EaGvjyH68kL3l/

PXL-20220926-232707563.jpg

 

*edit*

I was asked to post the recipe for those who don't Instagram. I totally understand, as I resisted Instagram for years. However, I try not to repost someone else's work without permission, which I don't have.

 

After searching, I did find the recipe on the Williams-Sonoma site. Here it is for those who prefer.

https://blog.williams-sonoma.com/rosh-hashanah-honey-apple-cake-recipe-jake-cohen/

Edited by Gator Pam
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Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Next up for me will be Break Fast after sunset Wednesday night. I'll go super easy, since it's still just the three of us and I really won't want to cook after fasting without water for 27 hours.

 

Smoked whitefish

Lox

Creamed herring

Bagels

Cream cheese

Lettuce, tomato, onion, full sour pickles

Creamy cole slaw

 

If guests were coming, I would probably purchase Trader Joe's cheese blintzes and mae a blintz casserole as well. But the bagels and fish will work for us.

  • 1 month later...
Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Everyone got their Thanksgiving menu ready? My turkey is bought and defrosting, but that's as far as I've gotten. Menu will most likely be our carb heavy feast, i.e., crockpot stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, and green bean casserole.
Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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I understand about doing keto/low carb during festive Meals. I'm at the point where I'm comfortable splurging on holidays,but if you want me to point you in the direction of favorite keto recipe sites to help build your menu, let me know.

 

For instance, Pressure Luck Cooking recently posted a green bean casserole recipe made in the Instant Pot, which except for the French fries onions is completely keto, as far as I can tell. No cream of soups or any fillers that I see.

Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Thanksgiving prep is underway.

Turkey is thawed and dry brining.

Giblet broth is made.

Homemade poultry stock is thawing.

Pie pumpkin has been cooked down into pumpkin purée.

Cranberry orange sauce will be made tomorrow.

Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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PXL-20221122-231014862.jpg

For the pumpkin purée, I cooked the pumpkins one at a time in the Instant Pot.

 

PXL-20221122-231607876.jpg

The skin falls right off, the flesh separates easily from the seeds. Puréed in the blender and liquid squeezed out.

 

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I use a store bought graham cracker crust. Easy and yummy.

Gator Pam

Gator Pam

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Yesterday's bountiful meal.

 

PXL-20221125-015531608.jpg

The spread, starting from the far end and working counter clockwise:

Homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce. I'm pretty sure this is the version Cristal gave me. I've added a sprig of fresh rosemary, a 1" piece of fresh ginger cut into coins, and an eighth of a cup of bourbon to the recipe over the years.

 

Platter of carved turkey.

 

Brenda's pumpkin bread. It was made yesterday and we couldn't wait...

 

Crockpot stuffing.

 

George's green bean casserole.

 

Sweet potato casserole.

 

The thermos is how I keep the gravy warm. We screw off the top and pour it directly out of the thermos, instead of using the spigot in the top. This year I made Chef Alex Guarnaschelli's recipe which uses roasted garlic and onions blended with some of the stock and drippings to thicken. The texture was perfect and the taste fantastic. Now, if it stays pourable when chilled, instead of becoming gelatinous, it's the perfect gravy recipe for me.

 

PXL-20221125-020036028.jpg

My plate before gravy...

 

PXL-20221125-020244758.jpg

...and after.

 

PXL-20221125-042502193.jpg

A slice of pumpkin pie with fresh made whipped cream piped on top.

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