I’ve made chicken soup so many different ways, but this veggie-loaded version is my favorite. This version is a real upgraded. Real vegetables are sauteed for maximum flavor, tender shredded chicken gives you protein in each bite , an incredibly flavorful broth, and noodles that don’t turn to mush by the time you eat it..

The small trick that changes everything is this: cook the noodles separately. It takes one extra pot, but it keeps the soup bright and the noodles springy. (And yes, it’s worth it.) You can prep lots of noodles in advance and freeze it separately too… but more on that shortly.

Chicken Vegetable Soup with Noodles, what makes this version so comforting

Comforting soup isn’t complicated, it’s just balanced. You want a broth that tastes like chicken, vegetables that soften without disappearing, and enough “stuff” in the bowl that it feels like dinner, not a snack. With protein, vegetable, and starch, this is a comforting meal in a bowl that’s hydrating and nourishing for when you’re sick, when it’s freezing outside, or any time you need comfort food.

This chicken vegetable soup with noodles hits that sweet spot because the flavors build in layers. Carrots bring a little sweetness, onion and celery add that savory base, and turnip gives a gentle earthy taste that reads “old-school soup” in the best way. Zucchini goes in near the end so it stays tender, not soggy.

Texture matters too. Shredded chicken is soft and easy to eat, which is exactly what you want on a sick day. It also feels a bit special for Shabbat, even though it’s a low cost recipe that’s incredibly healthy – and a fabulous spin on a Friday night classic.

And since the noodles stay separate until serving, the leftovers reheat like a dream. You don’t get that “the pot turned into chicken noodle casserole overnight” situation.

If you’re in the mood for a more traditional take, this Jewish Chicken Soup recipe is another cozy option to keep in your back pocket.

Best vegetables to use (and easy swaps)

The core veggies here are diced carrot, turnip, celery, onion, and zucchini. That mix gives you sweet, savory, and mild flavors all in one pot.

A few easy swaps, based on what you’ve got:

• Parsnip instead of turnip (a little sweeter and easier to dice).
• Sweet potato instead of carrot (warmer, slightly richer and much sweeter).
• A handful of spinach stirred in at the very end (great if you need “something green”).
• Frozen peas added right before serving (kid-friendly sweetness).
• Broccoli stalks for loads of fiber and a fabulous flavor (stalks stay intact better)

Everything is diced and sauteed in layers to really bring out the flavor, without having to let it simmer all day (like I do with a typical chicken soup).

Why cook the noodles separately

If you’ve ever made chicken noodle soup and felt proud, then checked the pot the next day and sighed, you already know the problem. Noodles keep soaking up broth, even after the heat is off. They swell, go soft, and steal liquid from the soup.

Cooking egg noodles separately fixes it fast. You boil them in salted water, drain, and then add them to each bowl as you serve. The soup stays brothy, the noodles stay bouncy, and leftovers don’t turn into a thick starch bomb.

You WILL want to make sure to warm up the noodles as well if cooking it in advance.

Tips for making Chicken Vegetable Soup with Noodles

This soup is forgiving, which is what we all need on busy days. Still, a few small habits make it taste better and store better.

Salt in stages: Add a little early, then taste again near the end. Broth brands (if using) vary a lot, and it’s easier to fix “needs more” than “too salty.” Even salt brands can vary in saltiness.

Keep the simmer gentle: A hard boil can make chicken feel dry and stringy and get you that cloudy finish. A soft simmer keeps it tender.

Taste for sweetness: If your carrots are very sweet (or you added sweet potato), you might want a touch more pepper or fresh herbs to balance it.

Want it extra soothing for sick days? Skip spicy add-ins, go easy on black pepper, and keep the broth clear and simple.

Can you freeze Chicken Vegetable Soup with Noodles

Yes, this soup freezes well. The texture of the vegetables might change slightly – cut them smaller if freezing so the change is less noticeable. Freeze the soup base without noodles for the best texture. Freeze the noodles separately.

Here’s the easy way to do it:

• Cool the soup quickly by moving it off the stove and stirring for a minute or two. The soup shouldn’t sit at room temperature or “warm” for long. If your pot is huge, you can set it in a sink with a little ice water around it (don’t splash water into the soup).
• Portion into freezer containers or zip-top freezer bags.
• Label with the date. Future-you will be grateful.
• If using bags, double-bag and freeze them flat on a sheet pan.
• Once frozen, you can rearrange them as you’d like.
• Freeze up to about 3 months for best flavor.

To serve, thaw overnight in the fridge – in a pan to catch drips if you used bags (or use a low simmer on the stove), then boil fresh egg noodles (or use frozen ones) and add them right before eating.

How long does Chicken Vegetable Soup with Noodles last in the fridge?

This keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days when stored in a covered container. If you’re serving this for Friday night, it’s usually still great through Monday lunch.

A quick heads-up: if noodles sit in the soup, they’ll soften by day two. It’s not unsafe, it’s just a texture thing. If you want the best leftovers, store noodles separately and add them to each bowl.

For reheating, use a gentle simmer on the stove or short bursts in the microwave. If the soup thickened in the fridge or overboiled and got too rich (it happens), add a splash of water or broth and stir until it loosens up.

Ingredients and tools for an easy chicken vegetable soup with noodles

This is more “cozy weeknight soup” than fussy recipe. You don’t need a long ingredient list, you just need a solid base and enough vegetables to make the broth taste like something.

A large pot helps, and so does a sharp knife. Beyond that, you’re good.

Ingredient notes and tips (with simple options)

There are so many different ways you can do this. Here is the basic framework of the recipe with optional add-ins.

• Chicken breast: 1 to 2 breasts, cooked right in the broth, then shredded and returned.
• Carrots: diced.
• Turnip: diced (parsnip works too).
• Celery: diced (optional if you don’t love it, but it adds such a great savory flavors).
• Onion: diced. I put in two but more is yummy too.
• Zucchini: diced larger or half-moons (added later to avoid them dissolving).
• Garlic (optional): 1 to 3 cloves, minced, or a frozen garlic cube.
• Broth: chicken broth, or water plus bouillon. Or use water and just flavor it well.
• Bay leaf (optional): 1 to 2.
• Herbs (optional): parsley or dill, fresh or frozen.
• Salt and pepper: go easy on pepper if serving to kids or someone sick.
• Oil: a tablespoon for sautéing.

For the noodles:

• Egg noodles, cooked separately.

This is a naturally Kosher soup, suitable for meat meals.

Optional add-ins that stay “clean and classic”: peas, spinach, sweet potato, parsnip, or a teaspoon turmeric. I love to add in Hawaiij spice mix for that depth of flavor, but it’s optional. What I’d avoid if you want that pure chicken soup vibe: strong tomato flavors, lots of acid, or heavy spice blends.

I will provide you with an exact recipe below, but I almost always make it differently, so don’t be afraid to play around yourself and see how your family likes it best.

Prep tips that save time

Prep is where soup can feel annoying, so make it easier on yourself.

• Chop veggies ahead and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Use a food chopper if you have one, especially for onions.
• Keep a freezer bag of “soup vegetables” (carrot, celery, onion) and grab a handful whenever you’re making broth.
• I sometimes even prep everything in the pot the night before and start sauteeing the next morning.

How to make Chicken Vegetable Soup with Noodles, step by step recipe

This is the kind of recipe you can make while helping with homework, setting the table, or doing that last-minute Friday afternoon straighten-up. The timing is flexible, and the soup gets better as it sits.

Ingredients

• 1 T neutral oil (I usually use extra light olive oil)
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 turnip, diced
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 6 Stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 large chicken breast
• Water or broth (to cover vegetables)
• 1 t. salt to start if using broth, or 1 T if using water
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 T garlic powder OR a few cloves garlic added at the sauteeing step.
• Optional: frozen ginger cubes – use 1-2. I love adding this when making this for sick people
• Optional: Bay Leaf
• Optional: 1 t. Turmeric
• Optional: Dill, Parsley
• Optional: 1 T Hawaiij soup seasoning
• Optional: additional vegetables like sweet potato, spinach, broccoli stalks, cauliflower stalks, etc
• 12-16 oz egg noodles (I prefer the thin variety)

Cook the vegetables and chicken in the broth

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Sautee, until the vegetables soften. I usually start the onion first, let it get started as I prep the celery, and then same with the carrots.
3. Add diced turnip (or parsnip). Let that soften as well. Add the zucchini and let it go for another couple of minutes to bring out the flavor.
4. Pour in broth (or water) and seasoning until everything is well covered, with room for simmering.
5. Add bay leaf if using, then slide in the chicken breasts.
6. Bring the pot up to a light boil, then immediately lower it to a gentle simmer. If you see foam on top, skim it off with a spoon. (Not mandatory, but it keeps the broth prettier.) Avoid letting it boil.
7. Simmer for about an hour or so until the broth is rich, the vegetables are soft, and the chicken is cooked through.

Shred the chicken and finish the soup

1. Use tongs to lift the chicken breasts onto a plate.
2. Let them rest 5 minutes, then shred with two forks.
3. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir.
4. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper.
5. Stir in chopped parsley or dill right at the end for a fresh finish. If using dried herbs, you can just add it at the seasoning stage.

Boil egg noodles separately and combine for serving

1. Bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Cook egg noodles until just tender (a little firm is perfect). Follow the package timing, then start checking a minute early.
3. Drain well. If you’re storing noodles separately, toss them with a tiny bit of oil so they don’t stick.
4. Serve using one of these two methods:
   • Best for leftovers: Add noodles to each bowl, then ladle soup over top.
   • Best for right now: Stir noodles into the soup pot only if you’ll finish it pretty quickly.

If you want another cozy soup for cold nights, this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Farro is hearty in a totally different way, and it feels a little special without extra stress.

Chicken vegetable soup with noodles is comfort you can count on. You get tender shredded chicken, real vegetables, and that cozy broth that makes the whole kitchen smell like you’ve been taking care of people all day. Best part, the noodles stay just right because you cook them separately.

Make it with turnip, swap in parsnip, add peas, or keep it simple and classic. This soup doesn’t judge, it just shows up for you. Save it for Friday night, double it for leftovers, and tell me what veggies you used, because I’m always looking for new twists on a favorite.

Yield: 12

Sauteed Veggie Shredded Chicken Soup with Noodles

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

This chicken noodle soup is comfort in a bowl! It's loaded with nutrition and makes for a full meal. Update it with different vegetables if you wish and prep it in advance to freeze. Sauteeing the vegetables first makes the soup extra flavorful and it's easy to scale up and food prep.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 T neutral oil (I usually use extra light olive oil)
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 turnip, diced
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 6 Stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 large chicken breast
• Water or broth (to cover vegetables - about 8 cups)
• 1 t. salt to start if using broth, or 1 T if using water
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 T garlic powder OR a few cloves garlic added at the sauteeing step.
• Optional: frozen ginger cubes - use 1-2. I love adding this when making this for sick people
• Optional: Bay Leaf
• Optional: 1 t. Turmeric
• Optional: Dill, Parsley - a few sprigs of fresh or 1 T dry
• Optional: 1 T Hawaiij soup seasoning
• Optional: additional vegetables like sweet potato, spinach, broccoli stalks, cauliflower stalks, etc
• 12-16 oz egg noodles (I prefer the thin variety)

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Sautee, until the vegetables soften. I usually start the onion first, let it get started as I prep the celery, and then same with the carrots.
3. Add diced turnip (or parsnip). Let that soften as well. Add the zucchini and let it go for another couple of minutes to bring out the flavor.
4. Pour in broth (or water) and seasoning until everything is well covered, with room for simmering.
5. Add bay leaf if using, then slide in the chicken breasts.
6. Bring the pot up to a light boil, then immediately lower it to a gentle simmer. If you see foam on top, skim it off with a spoon. (Not mandatory, but it keeps the broth prettier.) Avoid letting it boil.
7. Simmer for about an hour or so until the broth is rich, the vegetables are soft, and the chicken is cooked through.
8. Use tongs to lift the chicken breasts onto a plate.
9. Let them rest 5 minutes, then shred with two forks.
10. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir.
11. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper.
12. Stir in chopped parsley or dill right at the end for a fresh finish. If using dried herbs, you can just add it at the seasoning stage.
13. Bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil.
14. Cook egg noodles until just tender (a little firm is perfect). Follow the package timing, then start checking a minute early.
15. Drain well. If you’re storing noodles separately, toss them with a tiny bit of oil so they don’t stick.
16. Serve using one of these two methods - Best for leftovers: Add noodles to each bowl, then ladle soup over top. Best for right now: Stir noodles into the soup pot only if you’ll finish it pretty quickly.

Notes

• Cook noodles separately to avoid mushiness and making your soup starchy and cloudy.
• This soup freezes well. Texture of vegetables might change slightly - cut them smaller if freezing so the change is less noticeable.

• Freeze in containers or large freezer bags. If using bags, double-bag and freeze them flat on a sheet pan.
• Once frozen, you can rearrange them as you'd like.
• Freeze up to about 3 months for best flavor.
• Defrost in a 9x13 pan to catch drips.

Did you make this recipe?

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The post Chicken Vegetable Soup with Noodles appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Rosh Hashanah is the holiday when we eat lots of sweet treats and symbolic foods, including dates… and honey! So why not combine the two into a sweet treat, inspired by the ancient Roman stuffed dates?!

If you’re making this for Rosh Hashanah, they go beautifully with these printable simanim picks. Note: please be aware that some people have the tradition not to eat nuts on Rosh Hashanah, so verify this first.

The traditional recipe requires crushing nuts with a mortar and pestle, and combining it with cracked black pepper before frying the nuts in straight honey for like a minute.

I mixed it up a bit – I kept the nuts whole like I remember my great aunt doing with walnuts. I omitted the pepper. And I fried it in honey WITH water, so that I can go a bit later, and really let it soak in.

Variations on nut stuffed pecans + prep tips

Can you make stuffed dates with almonds or other nuts?

I stuffed my dates with pecans, but you can definitely replace it with virtually any nuts. I imagine pistachios would be incredible, but my son is highly allergic so I couldn’t make it that way.

Hot honey vs. regular honey

When you have something like this that’s super sweet, adding some heat can really add depth to it. I made some with hot honey and some with regular. You don’t want to put too much hot honey here – just a kick is perfect!

Regular honey is perfect for those who DO like it endlessly sweet and avoid heat.

Finishing it with sea salt

You don’t need to finish it off with flakey salt… but it adds so much! It really helps cut the sweet a little and works both on the hot or regular version!

Kosher salt works perfectly, and just sprinkle it on right before serving

Storing your nut stuffed dates

For short term use

If you’re making this for immediate use, you simply need to store it in an airtight container on the counter. None of the ingredients need refrigeration, and if stored well, they should last up to a week.

You can also fridge them for up to a week – and they’re incredible cold!

Freezing ahead

These also freeze quite well. The nuts lose their crunch a bit when they fry, so you don’t need to worry about that.

I recommend storing them in a container or pan with sheets of parchment between the layers. Place that pan or container in a freezer storage bag and seal it so that it’s airtight.

You can also gift these nut stuffed dates! They make a fabulous food gift. Just place them in a gift box lined with something food-friendly – they make a fabulous hostess gift!

I like to recruit a bored kid to help me cut them open and stuff them – if they’re old enough to use a knife (or a cutlery knife for younger kids).

How to make honey fried nut stuffed dates with pecans

Ingredients

• Medjool dates
• Pecan halves (or whole)
• 1/4 cup honey
• Optional: replace a portion of the honey with hot honey (depending on how hot you want it)
• 1/2 cup hot water (it doesn’t need to be hot but it’ll make things easier if you have it easily available)
• Flaky sea salt or Kosher salt

Equipment

• A frying pan
• Measuring cup
• Mixing spoon
• Mixing spoon for frying

Process

1. Pit and stuff your dates: cut each one the long way but only on the front – on one side of the pit – leaving the back of the date intact. Remove the pit, inspect for bugs and worms. Place a pecan in each and stick the two halves back together.

You can also cut them completely in half and add a pecan and just squish the date around the bottom half of the pecan for a more boat-style nut stuffed date.

2. Dissolve your honey in some hot water (with some hot honey if you want heat). If you don’t have easily ready warm water, I recommend just starting the honey and water in your frying pan ahead of time and dissolving it in before adding the dates.

3. Heat up your honey mixture in a frying pan over medium heat so that it’s just starting to bubble up. Lower your heat a little, adjusting it as needed to keep it at a gentle foam. Using a spoon, carefully drop your dates in one at a time, trying to fit all of them in one batch as your honey might begin to burn after the first.

Move them around a little – gently to coat them and let them fry in the gently bubbling oil for a few minutes (I like to do 3-5) but make sure it doesn’t burn.

If it seems to be burning, you can add a little more water. Having water mixed with the honey allows you to get away with frying it a bit longer.

4. Remove your dates using a slotted spoon and place it directly onto a plate or your storage containers (no paper towels – it’ll stick!!)

5. Sprinkle on some sea salt right before serving.

Your honey fried nut stuffed dates with pecans are ready to serve and enjoy as a nibble-worthy snack!

Yield: 12

How to make stuffed dates with nuts

Prep Time: 7 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

Rosh Hashanah is the holiday when we eat lots of sweet treats and symbolic foods, including dates... and honey! So why not combine the two into a sweet treat, inspired by the ancient Roman stuffed dates?!

Print

Ingredients

• Medjool dates
• Pecan halves (or whole)
• 1/4 cup honey
• Optional: replace a portion of the honey with hot honey (depending on how hot you want it)
• 1/2 cup hot water (it doesn't need to be hot but it'll make things easier if you have it easily available)
• Flaky sea salt or Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Pit and stuff your dates: cut each one the long way but only on the front - on one side of the pit - leaving the back of the date intact. Remove the pit, inspect for bugs and worms. Place a pecan in each and stick the two halves back together.
   You can also cut them completely in half and add a pecan and just squish the date around the bottom half of the pecan for a more boat-style nut stuffed date.
2. Dissolve your honey in some hot water (with some hot honey if you want heat). If you don't have easily ready warm water, I recommend just starting the honey and water in your frying pan ahead of time and dissolving it in before adding the dates.
3. Heat up your honey mixture in a frying pan over medium heat so that it's just starting to bubble up. Lower your heat a little, adjusting it as needed to keep it at a gentle foam. Using a spoon, carefully drop your dates in one at a time, trying to fit all of them in one batch as your honey might begin to burn after the first.
   Move them around a little - gently to coat them and let them fry in the gently bubbling oil for a few minutes (I like to do 3-5) but make sure it doesn't burn.
   If it seems to be burning, you can add a little more water. Having water mixed with the honey allows you to get away with frying it a bit longer.
4. Remove your dates using a slotted spoon and place it directly onto a plate or your storage containers (no paper towels - it'll stick!!)
5. Sprinkle on some sea salt right before serving.

Notes

• I stuffed my dates with pecans, but you can definitely replace it with virtually any nuts.
• I made some with hot honey and some with regular. You don't want to put too much hot honey here - just a kick is perfect! Regular honey is perfect for those who DO like it endlessly sweet and avoid heat.
• Flakey salt adds a lot but is optional. It really helps cut the sweet a little and works both on the hot or regular version!
• Store at room temperature for up to a week, in the fridge for longer. Freezes nicely with parchment between layers.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Honey Fried Nut Stuffed Dates with Pecans appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

With Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year around the bend, honey is all the rage! This hot honey chicken recipe is perfect for when you want a twist on the tradition, and a small break from all the sweet.

Hot Honey Chicken Tips, Storage, and Variations

How to serve it

You can totally control the heat of this, since the hot honey is actually added after cooking and before serving. That means that you can omit it for family members who are a bit more finicky with their spice.

Serve this with any Shabbat meal – whether it’s Friday night dinner, or Shabbat lunch. You can serve it during the week with pasta salad or rice and of course, your favorite air fried veggies.

Can you do this only in the oven or on the stove?

This hot honey chicken recipe calls for searing the chicken and then baking it. You can do it completely on the stovetop if you prefer, or bake it “high and fast”. When baking chicken breast in the oven, unless you brown it first, you need to go high and fast to retain the moisture.

I usually do it at 425 for about 20 minutes (checking of course for readiness before taking it out.)

How to store the hot honey chicken – and can it be frozen?

While this hot honey chicken is really best served fresh and hot, you can reheat it – just don’t overheat it or leave it on for too long, or it’ll dry out. You can freeze it but it won’t be nearly as moist. I always try to avoid freezing cooked chicken, and if I must, I use it in salads or sandwiches when defrosted.

You can also serve it cold or at room temperature as a “cold cut” type of meat but it won’t be quite the same!

Whether you’re making your hot honey chicken for Rosh Hashanah or for everyday eating, it’ll be an instant family favorite!

If you’re looking for more ideas for Rosh Hashanah, try these honey roasted chickpeas too! Then give this roasted beet salad with pomegranate arils a try and try making pomegranate lemonade too!

Hot Honey Chicken Breast Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, or more as needed
• 2 Chicken Breasts, approximately 1.5lb
• 2 Tablespoons Hot BBQ Seasoning or Chili Seasoning
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 cup Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Hot Honey, or more as needed

Note: if you don’t have hot honey, you can infuse regular honey with a diced jalapeno or 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce of choice.

Equipment

• Recommended: a cast iron skillet (or a sheet pan if only baking)
• Instant read meat thermometer
• Flat and wide bowl

Process

Preheat oven to 450F.

Place a skillet over medium heat.

Cut your chicken breasts through the middle to create 4 thinner chicken filets. Season each chicken filet with 1/2 teaspoon bbq seasoning, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a shallow dish, combine flour with remaining bbq seasoning.

Dredge the chicken filets in the seasoned flour mixture until completely coated.

Place the oil in the preheated skillet and once oil is hot, add the chicken filets.

Place skillet in the oven to finish cooking, about 8-10 minutes until an inserted meat thermometer reads 165F.

Immediately after the chicken is removed from the oven, drizzle with the hot honey. Makes 4 servings.

Yield: 4 cutlets

Hot Honey Oven Baked Chicken Cutlets

Prep Time: 6 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes

With Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year around the bend, honey is all the rage! This hot honey chicken recipe is perfect for when you want a twist on the tradition, and a small break from all the sweet.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, or more as needed
• 2 Chicken Breasts, approximately 1.5lb
• 2 Tablespoons Hot BBQ Seasoning or Chili Seasoning
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/4 cup Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Hot Honey, or more as needed.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Place a skillet over medium heat.
3. Cut your chicken breasts through the middle to create 4 thinner chicken filets. Season each chicken filet with 1/2 teaspoon BBQ seasoning, salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. In a shallow dish, combine flour with remaining BBQ seasoning.
5. Dredge the chicken filets in the seasoned flour mixture until completely coated.
6. Place the oil in the preheated skillet and once oil is hot, add the chicken filets. Brown for about a minute on each side.
7. Place skillet in the oven to finish cooking, about 8-10 minutes until an inserted meat thermometer reads 165F.
8. Immediately after the chicken is removed from the oven, drizzle with the hot honey. Makes 4 servings.

Notes

• While this hot honey chicken is really best served fresh and hot, you can reheat it - just don't overheat it or leave it on for too long, or it'll dry out. You can freeze it but it won't be nearly as moist. I always try to avoid freezing cooked chicken, and if I must, I use it in salads or sandwiches when defrosted.
• Serve this with any Shabbat meal - whether it's Friday night dinner, or Shabbat lunch. You can serve it during the week with pasta salad or rice and of course, your favorite air fried veggies.
• This hot honey chicken recipe calls for searing the chicken and then baking it. You can do it completely on the stovetop if you prefer, or bake it "high and fast".

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Hot Honey Chicken Recipe appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I hate mango. There, I said it. I don’t like mango sorbets, juices, or anything to mango-ey. And I won’t touch blueberries plain either.

But toss them together in a gorgeous and flavorful summery salad and I simply can’t get enough!

I first put this salad together for a relative’s barbecue and while it’s not quite on-theme, it’s such a refreshing change from all the salty foods we tend to eat at barbecues.

And it’s fabulous for picnics or any summery get-together too!

Switching up the mango and blueberry salad recipe

This recipe has blueberries, mango chunks, halved mandarin wedges, and candied pecans on a mix f spinach, butter lettuce, and arugula. I made a light vinaigrette with honey to go with it.

You can definitely switch things around for your preferences or dietary needs.

One thing I’ll note: this is a very fruity (and not low carb) salad, which might not work for everyone. While you can ditch some things, it’ll still be on the higher sugar end of salads.

Can you skip the nuts in mango and blueberry salad?

One of my kids is allergic to tree nuts, and while he’s outgrown some of them (including pecans) I’m always hesitant to put nuts in a salad.

However, a salad like this one really benefits from that candied crunch! There are definitely alternatives:

• Try adding homemade granola on top – super crispy granola would work best.
• For a crunch without necessarily adding sweet to an already sweet salad, you can use veggie sticks as a topper. Croutons can work as well, but with both of these you won’t quite get the same effect.
• You can also add crispy chickpeas or even sunflower seeds to get the nutty flavor (minus the sweet) in the salad.

Do you need to use these fruit?

I made this mango and blueberry salad recipe thinking what a fabulous combination that is, but you can absolutely switch it out:

• Blueberries – You can swap these for strawberries, or any sweet berry really.
• Mango – The closest swap for this would of course be cubed peaches or nectarines.
• Mandarin oranges – I really felt like this salad would benefit from the added citrus flavor! You CAN totally ditch this (the dressing does have some orange juice).

Using different greens

I was making this mango and blueberry salad for quite a crowd, so I used a package of spinach AND butter lettuce/arugula mix. However, you can really use any greens!

I’m not the biggest fan of Romaine in such a salad. You can definitely make it on baby arugula or spinach only, or using a Spring mix.

And finally, I did make the dressing for this salad, however you can really make any slightly sweet vinaigrette to go with it perfectly – so if you have a favorite dressing, go ahead and use it!

Mango and Blueberry Salad Recipe

A printable version of this is at the end of the post.

Ingredients

Salad components

• 1 Package fresh spinach
• 1 Package red butter lettuce and arugula
• 1 Pint blueberries, washed well
• 1 mango, diced
• 2-3 mandarin oranges, peeled and cut into half wedges
• A Package candied pecans

Dressing

• 2 oranges juiced (abut half a cup orange juice)
• Half cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Quarter cup wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
• Salt to taste

Process

1. Place your greens in a large salad bowl.

2. Top with mango, blueberries, and mandarin oranges.

3. Break up candied pecans into large chunks and sprinkle on top.

4. Mix up dressing ingredients.

5. Pour on dressing and toss immediately before serving.

Yield: 20

Summer Fruit Green Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This incredible green salad is loaded with summer fruit and crunchy, nutty goodness! It's pretty forgiving and you can switch it up. It's easy to make in large batches for a crowd, but definitely scale it down if you want!

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Ingredients

Salad components

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 Package fresh spinach
• 1 Package red butter lettuce and arugula
• 1 Pint blueberries, washed well
• 1 mango, diced
• 2-3 mandarin oranges, peeled and cut into half wedges
• A Package candied pecans, slightly crushed

Dressing

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 oranges juiced (abut half a cup orange juice)
• Half cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Quarter cup wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Place your greens in a large salad bowl.
2. Top with mango, blueberries, and mandarin oranges.
3. Break up candied pecans and sprinkle on top.
4. Mix up dressing ingredients.
5. Pour on dressing and toss immediately before serving.

Notes

• This really does serve a crowd - halve the recipe if you want (you can still use a whole mango).
• The dressing makes a lot so feel free to store the other half.
• To make it nut free, switch the candied pecans for crunchy granola, or any other salad crunch.
• Any of these fruit can really be switched out. Use strawberries instead of blueberries, peach instead of mango, and any other sweet citrus works instead of the mandarin oranges.
• I used all fresh fruit - and that's kind of the point! You can get a similar flavor using freeze dried berries adn technically you can use defrosted and drained mango chunks if you don't like cutting mango.
• This salad BEGS for a light and slightly sweet vinaigrette, however you can switch this up and just use your favorite dressing.
• This salad has lots of fruit which gives it pretty high sugar content. I'm not a nutritionist and don't feel confident putting nutrition content here but I feel like I need to issue that warning for diabetics or anyone watching their carb intake. You can reduce it by using less fruit (such as halving the mango and blueberry and ditching the citrus), omitting the honey in the vinaigrette, and using salted nuts instead of sweet. The salted nuts have the added benefit of providing protein without adding more sugar.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

I hope you enjoyed this delicious mango and blueberry salad recipe! Will you be making any modifications? Got any questions? Comment below!

The post Mango and Blueberry Salad Recipe – A Fruity Green Summer Salad appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Kugel is possibly the most underrated Ashkenazi food group – the ultimate comfort food.

And while I’m a big fan of a crispy potato kugel or a healthier vegetable kugel, lately I’ve been making a lot of broccoli kugel because it’s so easy! It uses frozen broccoli so there’s no peeling or chopping – but yes, you do need to take out the food processor.

Tips for making a tasty broccoli kugel

Broccoli is the kind of food that just needs a bit of the correct seasoning and then it’s incredibly tasty in its own right. But in making this, I did try to see what I can do to help it taste like the junk food that Kugel is supposed to feel like.

The sauteed onions hack

My main kicker is adding sauteed onions. Yeah, yeah, I know. The second that a recipe starts with “sautee up some onions” it’s a no-go for the “easy recipe” crowd.

But there are a few ways to tackle this issue. One is easy onions that come in a can. I don’t know if they make these for Passover, but you CAN get the frozen cube variety for this price.

My trick is that I always start any batch cooking for any holidays with sauteeing piles of onions. So it’s just another ingredient in my freezer! Do it! It’s a game-changer!

I usually slice them in the food processor, sautee them low and slow in a large pot, in the slow cooker, or when I’m really low on time, in the oven. Yes, I know, that’s not really sauteeing. Sue me.

I then store them in snack sized Ziploc bags in the freezer (freeze them flat so they defrost quickly and don’t get stuck to each other).

And if you really don’t want to? Just pop in two raw onions instead. It’ll still add lots of flavor.

Seasoning it

Since broccoli is the type of food that you just need to season right for it to be incredibly tasty, this does transfer to the kugel. I’m a big fan of spice mixes and use those heavily throughout my kitchen.

For this one I usually use Everything but the Leftovers from Trader Joe’s. Since I wanted to make it Passover friendly (and we’re still waiting for TJ’s to make us some KFP spices!) I decided to put in generous garlic powder and some black pepper – in addition to the salt, of course.

You can really play with the spices on this. Go crazy. Get creative. Just use ones that make sense.

Getting the right texture

I’m a very sensory eater and therefore, I will SWEAR by adding a zucchini to any kugel you make. It just makes it so creamy and delicious! I do it to my potato kugels and virtually any kugel I make. It doesn’t add a lot of flavor, but makes it so much more pleasant (for me) to eat.

This is something else you can ditch if you don’t like it – it won’t affect the recipe much, though you may want to reduce it by an egg.

Another thing I do for texture is add a couple of potatoes. If you’re on a low or no carb diet, you can definitely skip this. Again, it makes it less dense with broccoli and improves the texture in my opinion.

And defrost your broccoli! This is something I always forget to do. You want to allow your broccoli to fully defrost and drain, otherwise you have way too much extra water in it. So do it, and if you forgot to, flash defrost it in the microwave or in hot water.

Making this broccoli kugel recipe in larger or smaller quantities

I made this as a bigger batch kugel (it made 2×9 inch square pans and 2x 2.5 LB pans.) Once I’m making it, I might as well freeze some, right? Yes, it freezes beautifully!

Freezing and defrosting

I freeze these in pans in the target sizes I plan to use them in. I recommend getting pans with cardboard lids for this. I bake it right in that pan.

I place it in a gallon Ziploc bag as well and label it on the front of the pan and the top of the bag so that it’s easily visible.

To defrost, I place it right in the oven at 350 uncovered until it’s defrosted. I find that vegetable-based kugels have enough natural water in them that you don’t need to add any liquid when reheating.

Making smaller batches

If you take a look at the actual ingredients in this recipe, it is one of the easiest to halve.

I used two bags of broccoli, use one. Keep the sauteed onions quantity but reduce the oil by a tablespoon or two beyond halving it. Use one potato, and a small zucchini instead of medium. And of course, reduce the eggs to 6.

Gluten free, Kosher for Passover Broccoli Kugel Recipe

Printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredients

• 2x 24 oz broccoli (defrosted)
• 1/4 cup sautéed onions (can put in 2 med. yellow onions instead)
• 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled or scrubbed
• 1 Med. zucchini, peeled or scrubbed
• 12 large eggs
• 1.5. cups oil (I used avocado)
• 1 T salt
• 1 T garlic powder

Equipment

• Colander
• Big mixing bowl
• Potato peeler
• Food processor fitted with the S blade

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 425
2. Place your defrosted broccoli into a colander to strain it. Squeeze out any excess liquid.
3. Fit your food processor with the S blade and add in your vegetables. Don’t overfill. Process till coarse in batches.
4. Mix together with other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
5. Divide into pans.
6. Bake uncovered until the top is nice and crispy, about 1-1.5 hours (depending on Kugel size)

Yield: 24 Servings

Passover Friendly Broccoli Kugel Recipe

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Ingredients

• 2x 24 oz broccoli (defrosted)
• 1/4 cup sautéed onions (can put in 2 med. yellow onions instead)
• 2 med. yukon gold potatoes, peeled or scrubbed
• 1 Med. zucchini, peeled or scrubbed
• 12 large eggs
• 1.5. cups oil (I used avocado)
• 1 T salt
• 1 T garlic powder
• Strainer
• Big mixing bowl
• Potato peeler
• Food processor fitted with the S blade

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425

Place your defrosted broccoli into a colander to strain it. Squeeze out any excess liquid.

Fit your food processor with the S blade and add in your vegetables. Don't overfill. Process till coarse in batches.

Mix together with other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Divide into pans.

Bake uncovered until the top is nice and crispy, about 1-1.5 hours (depending on Kugel size)

Notes

If you take a look at the actual ingredients in this recipe, it is one of the easiest to halve.
I used two bags of broccoli, use one. Keep the sauteed onions quantity but reduce the oil by a tablespoon or two beyond halving it. Use one potato, and a small zucchini instead of medium. And of course, reduce the eggs to 6.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Broccoli Kugel Recipe – Passover Friendly appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

With Passover around the bend, we’re always on the lookout for healthy-ish things to eat, so why not do a dipped fruit-style dessert?

I’m not gonna lie: it’s not healthy, and if you’re prediabetic like me, it’ll definitely affect that blood sugar. But it’s delicious and a great choice for those who prefer to include a superfood with their desserts!

How to switch up chocolate blueberry clusters

This recipe calls for dark chocolate, and quality WILL matter! Because it’s one of the dominant flavors here, which chocolate you use will matter heavily. It sticks with dark chocolate and sea salt as a mature flavor profile with the blueberries, and as a lower-sugar content chocolate option (obviously depending on what you purchase).

However, this is one of those super duper easy recipes that you really don’t need a recipe for! So you can switch up your chocolates to:

• Peanut Butter (or other nut butter if you don’t eat peanuts on Passover and are making it for then) and chocolate mix OR drizzle melted nut butter on top
• Milk chocolate
• Even better – try it with a nutty Schmerling chocolate bar!
• White chocolate and decorative sprinkles to make it more kid-friendly

You can, of course, try it with any berry, nut, or filling. In fact, I’m not even positive you need a recipe for this – it’s more of a “here’s how to melt chocolate around ANYTHING for a tasty dessert” tutorial.

So enjoy 🙂

Storing chocolate blueberry clusters

Since you’re using fresh blueberries, you’ll want to keep these in the fridge. How long they’ll last will depend on how fresh the blueberries you use are.

The best way to store these is with a paper towl on top so that it can absorb any moisture from the blueberries. If the paper towel is damp, you can replace it so that it lasts even longer.

These dark chocolate blueberry clusters can be frozen for up to a month (you can still eat it afterward but it might deteriorate in quality).

Freeze them in an airtight container, or in a Ziploc bag. I recommend freezing them on a sheetpan and then transferring them already frozen to your chosen method of storage, to preserve the shape.

How to make chocolate blueberry clusters

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate
• 1 pint blueberries (approximately 2 cups)
• 1 Tablespoon flakey sea salt

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Place the dark chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30-second bursts, stirring well in between each reheating.

Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the blueberries until fully coated.

Set 1/4 cup clusters of the chocolate-coated blueberries onto the lined baking sheet.

Immediately sprinkle each chocolate-coated blueberry cluster with a bit of sea salt.

Allow the chocolate to set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 10 clusters.

Yield: 24 servings

Dark Chocolate Blueberry Cluster Recipe

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate
• 1 pint blueberries (approximately 2 cups)
• 1 Tablespoon flakey sea salt

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Place the dark chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30-second bursts, stirring well in between each reheating.

Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the blueberries until fully coated.

Set 1/4 cup clusters of the chocolate-coated blueberries onto the lined baking sheet.

Immediately sprinkle each chocolate-coated blueberry cluster with a bit of sea salt.

Allow the chocolate to set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

This is one of those super duper easy recipes that you really don't need a recipe for! So you can switch up your chocolates to:

- Peanut Butter (or other nut butter if you don't eat peanuts on Passover and are making it for then) and chocolate mix OR drizzle melted nut butter on top
- Milk chocolate
- Even better - try it with a nutty Schmerling chocolate bar!
- White chocolate and decorative sprinkles to make it more kid-friendly

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Dark Chocolate Blueberry Clusters Recipe appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I’m not gonna lie: making hamantaschen is not for the faint of heart. It is a slightly more intricate project that gets spread across the counter and takes an afternoon. Not quite your “dump mix ‘n bake” recipe.

But it’s a longstanding tradition – and one that just doesn’t yield the same results when you buy it. In fact, I never liked hamantaschen at all – until I tasted the homemade variety, and then started making my own.

Today I’m going to be going over the tradition of Hamantaschen on Purim, as well as tips and tricks for yielding perfect batches, where all your hamantaschen look fabulous and stay closed.

Hope this helps!

Why Eat Hamantaschen on Purim?

Haman’s hat or his ears?

Hamantaschen translates in Yiddish to “Haman pockets” and is said to be reminiscent of Haman, the main antagonist of the Purim story’s triangular hat. In fact, you’ll see that any time I illustrate a Purim craft, like Purim puppets or megillahs, I make Haman with a kind of cushioned triangular hat with a bump in the center.

However, in Hebrew, they’re called “oznei Haman” – or Haman’s ears. And just think about it: the evil guy with the sneaky face -and triangular cushioned ears. So which is it? And why would we labor (of love) over cookies that are the evil dude’s presumed hat – or ears?

Various storied origins

The truth is, there are a number reasons for this, and a fusion of the Ashkenazi and Sephardi exiles mixing with the Mizrahi. You’ll find European and Middle Eastern influences, just like in much of middle easter cuisine.

There are sources that point to Haman’s pockets filled with bribes.

The most common Ashkenazi sources share that it’s from the Yiddish word for poppy seeds – mohn. Hamantaschen were originally baked with poppy seeds inside – and sometimes still are.

There are those that say it refer’s to Esther’s youth (seeds, fertility…)

Chabad.org shares that it can refer to Hatach who may have been the prophet Daniel, who was Esther’s loyal servant that served as a go-between between Mordechai and herself. It is said that he ate seeds when in the King of the House of Babylon.

In fact, Esther presumably subsided on beans and seeds as her source of protein as she tried to keep kosher while essentially being held captive in the palace.

Or, it may have been a pastry already eaten, but because “mohn” sounds like “haman” people fused it into Purim cuisine.

So in a nutshell: the Ashkenazi iteration of Hamantaschen is literally seed pocket pastries and the seeds have loads of symbolism for Purim. Chabad.org shares more reasons – I do encourage you to look through it if you want more, deeper meanings to hamantaschen, however for me, explaining to the kids that the source may have been the seeds that Esther (and maybe Daniel too) ate in the palace is spot on.

But what about the Sephardic “Oznei Haman” – Haman’s ears? Those were quite different – they were twisted, fried pastries (sometimes filled with nuts, etc) in the shape of ears. Those were most likely referring to Haman’s defeated ears (picture him with head bent, ears down) when he learned that Mordechai will be honored by the king and not him.

A fusion of tradition

As exiled Jew meets exiled Jew from across the world, our traditions blend. There is so much overlap despite having been separated by so many years and miles (think of the tradition of slow-cooked Shabbat foods).

I think that there must have been an original source of a Haman-inspired pastry from before the exile, perhaps even eaten at the time of the Hanukkah story. And then it separated and gained influence based on the local diaspora flavors. But I don’t have a source for that…

Just think of how many different Hamantaschen recipes and styles there are today. We make pizza ‘taschen and taco ‘taschen – and many others influenced by diaspora flavors, a true testament to our survival, and our ability to work with the hand that we were given.

And of course, they tried to kill us, and we won, so we need SOMETHING to eat.

Top tips for How to Make Perfect Hamantaschen

Choosing your dough recipe

To make hamantaschen, you have two components: the dough and the filling. And they do NOT need to come from the same recipe!

Personally, I’ve chosen a dough and then worked with different fillings when making hamantaschen in the past. Especially when using premade fillings (more on that below) it’s not that hard to make a spread with variety.

Some doughs need refrigeration before cooking so keep that in mind when looking for a recipe. This makes sure it doesn’t expand too much and fall apart.

Bakery hamantaschen usually have a cakey outside – and that’s probably why I never liked them. I personally prefer a crunchier cookie dough. And while that might not look as “bakery perfect” it’s quite tasty and definitely something you should try!

For years, I made Tori Avey’s Parve (non-dairy) dough for my sweet hamantaschen (no refrigeration needed), and then this year I tried this recipe too.

For savory, I often use premade doughs. These savory veggie hamantaschen are fabulous with a wonton wrapper dough (just eat them super fresh, and make them right before you put them in the oven).

I often use pizza dough rounds as well. They are not as easy to keep folded but they’re so easy to use.

Filling Choices

Hamantaschen fillings are almost an “anything goes” scenario. You can use so many different things, but test them first to make sure they work. Some things will expand and spill over (for example, I’ve had that happen with peanut butter).

Hamantaschen fillings can be savory or sweet – we’ve done pulled beef, fried pastrami, veggies as shared above, pizza (cheese and sauce)….

For sweet fillings, I usually use a premade filling (besides for the brownie version shared at the start of this post).

Some more favorites include (note: I always check for Kosher symbols in product listings and reviews – but double check me!)

• Jelly bellies – this started as a joke when my son thought his Morah said that we put jelly beans inside instead of jelly. It’s not perfect but it works.
• Lotus butter – I can’t make these anymore because I eat them all myself…
• Nutella – or parve versions of the same.
• OR Hashachar Cocoa spread (I used this in the photos of the white dough hamantaschen shared here)
• Chocolate chips

Some more ideas that aren’t personal favorites but are common are:

• Poppy seed paste – of course, this is the classic/original
• Jam – I’m not a jam fan myself, but this is a pastry classic
• Pie filling – these can be runny so beware
• Lekvar (date/prune filling) is a traditional one

Putting it together

Start by choosing your favorite recipes for dough and then mixing it with a matching filling! You may not want to go full chocolate with a fruity filling, but it’ll be fabulous with Lotus.

You can use non-sweet doughs for sweet fillings to minimize the sweet a little, but be careful when choosing sweet doughs for savory fillings. It CAN work (think of a corned beef filling in a slightly sweet cakey dough). Just approach with caution.

Hamantaschen look like artisan pastries when you drizzle them or dip them. And they are much less effort than the hamantaschen themselves!

Try these:

• Drizzle melted chocolate chips
• Or mix in some peanut butter and drizzle that
• I don’t love just drizzled PB but sometimes for a two-tone finish, I’ll drizzle chocolate and peanut butter in separate lines.
• Dip one corner in chocolate – or chocolate with some peanut butter
• Dip in chocolate then nuts
• Dip in chocolate then cookie crumbs

The possibilities are truly endless.

Folding Styles – How to make sure they don’t unfold

The biggest question on how to make perfect hamantaschen is folding styles. You’ll spend a Sunday laboring over a big batch and half of them are hardly “pockets – more like pizzas!

The trick is simple: you want to do an overlap fold. You’re not pinching corners like many people do (and I used to). You want to fold it like you would the top of an open cardboard box: overlapping sides while alternating which one is on top.

However, with younger kids, especially less skilled ones, you’ll want to show them to pinch it. I recently made hamantaschen with my eight year old and his friends, as well as my four year old (don’t ask – I don’t recommend it…) and the best way was to show them to pinch it at the corners and let it hang half-open.

They felt that they made it themselves and that’s MUCH more important than making them perfect.

Another very important tip for making perfect hamantaschen is not to overfill the dough! This is probably the MOST common mistake. You want a marble size of filling – about half a heaping teaspoon (in that shape).

The Step by Step Tutorial for How to Make Perfect Hamantaschen

Note: the tutorial was recorded on a chocolate dough with brownie filling – the final hamantaschen is a vanilla dough with chocolate filling.

You’ll Need

• Your favorite dough recipe
• Your favorite filling
• A circle cutter about 3-4 inches in diameter (a standard drinking glass should work)
• A work surface (such as a baking mat)
• Flour
• A rolling pin
• An APRON – yes, wear an apron for this!!

Process

Flour your surface evenly.

Roll out your dough to about 1/4 inch thick give or take.

Cut out circles as close together as you can. You’ll rework the extras, but each time you’ll be adding flour to the dough so it’ll eventually get too dry and crumbly. So try to fit in as many as you can in the first few runs.

Take the extra, roll it out again, and cut more circles, until you can’t anymore. I usually take that last bit, roll it into a ball, and flatten it to make one last hamantasch.

Place a small dollop of filling as dead center as you can. Do not overfill. I find that about half a rounded teaspoon works best.

Start by folding one side that covers about 1/3 of the circumference of the circle over the filling.

Bring the second side (another 1/3) over the filling so that the corner overlaps with the first.

Repeat with the third, but tuck the part that meats your first fold under that first folded side.

Gently press on each corner not quite enough to make an indentation, but enough to fix them together.

Bake according to dough instructions. With this process I get a near 100% success rate – I hope it works as well for you!

You’ve successfully learned how to make perfect hamantaschen? Comment below if you have any questions, tips, suggestions, or filling/dough recommendations!

The post How to Make Perfect Hamantaschen appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

If you’re looking for a fun Hanukkah party activity, why not try some donut decorating? It’s a 2-in-1: a fun way to entertain kids at a party, and a sweet way to serve up some donuts.

We did this as an activity for young kids. You can also upgrade it and do it as a “donut board” with toppings served in a more classy style. But for now, I’ll share it as a kids activity.

What you’ll need for donut decorating at a Hanukkah party

The donuts

You can, of course, make your own donuts. But you can also just hit up your local bakery and ask for plain, unglazed donuts, which is what we did. You may need to order these in advance, so definitely ask.

The creamy stuff

You’ll want some sort of glaze for your donuts. You can pop open containers of cake frosting for this. Or, mix up a simple confectioner’s sugar glaze.

You can also get creative. I made this hot cocoa cookie dip for a cookie board at a party, and it would be incredible for a donut decorating party activity too.

Sprinkles and more toppings

The sprinkles are the most fun of all of this!

After kids spread their donuts with some sort of cream, they sprinkled on all sorts of Hanukkah-themed sprinkles. Of course, it doesn’t need to be blue and silver (that’s sort of made up for Hanukkah anyway) but you can have fun with shapes like silver stars, gold coin shapes, etc.

You can even put out chocolate coins cut into small chunks (or whole ones) to use as toppings.

More fun toppings include:

• Crushed nuts (if no one is allergic)
• Mini chocolate chips
• Chunky oreo crumbs
• Small chopped dried fruit (best if you’re doing this with adults…)
• Cereal like fruity pebbles
• Coconut flakes
• Flaked up halva (if no one is allergic to sesame)

You can also put out syrups like chocolate, caramel, etc in squeeze bottles – just make sure that the flow is slow enough that kids don’t just dump the whole thing out.

Setting up a donut decorating activity

As I mentioned, we did ours very informally. We simply laid out fun Hanukkah plates and placed all the ingredients in bowls.

We placed spoons on the table and called it a day.

If you’re doing this with a larger group (we just had a handful of kids) you may want to have an adult in charge of supervising the activity.

You can make it much prettier, even a focal point of the party with a donut wall, or even just a pretty high-walled rectangular tray to place them on. Lay out your ingredients in pretty ceramic dishes.

You can put out small bakery boxes for people to take home donuts if you want to make it more of a feature, or treat it more like a donut board – a “prep it and eat it” activity.

Got any other tips or ideas for a donut decorating Hanukkah party activity? Comment below

The post Donut Decorating Hanukkah Party Activity appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I absolutely love, love, love hosting Shabbat meals and often have friends and family over.

I wanted to share some fun menu plans and ideas. The truth is that I find it easier to share ideas for Shabbat lunch, just because there are more “rules” – so there’s an end in sight! With Shabbat dinner menus, the possibilities are truly endless.

For that reason, I’m going to start by sharing a basic formula I use when planning meals. I’m going to be honest: very often, I overdo it. I make a zillion extra little salads for the first course, just toss in that extra vegetable kugel or quick pickled beets that wasn’t part of the original plan.

So I’ll give you the advice that I need to hear: To avoid excessive leftovers and go easier on yourself, stick to your Shabbat dinner menus strictly! That means no last minute add-ons.

Now I need to turn that into a huge flashing sign to mount over my kitchen counters…

Before I start, I will inform you that I did create a “menu helper” – that is, a doc version of just the basic list of foods you can choose from. It’s editable in Google Docs or any document editor, so you can add your own favorites or remove what’s not relevant. It’s available for download at the end of this post.

The basic formula for making Shabbat dinner menus

Just us – 2 adults and 3 picky children + an eating baby.

• Appetizer – the “challah and dips” course. Usually we have 3-4 dips such as marinated eggplant dip, matbucha, hummus, and often a homemade option such as garlic confit or fire roasted eggplant (from the Peas Love & Carrots cookbook).
• Soup – My kids like to eat chicken soup, and I often make my favorite chicken noodle soup recipe for Shabbat dinner. You can also try making chicken soup in the Instant Pot. We usually use about half the pot and freeze the second half to use the next week. Noodles are made by the bag, separated into 3-4 bags, and frozen as well.
• Main Course – My two younger kids are usually asleep for this (during the summer) or don’t really participate. My basic structure is:
  • 1 vegetable side – Usually a roasted vegetable such as broccoli or cauliflower
  • 1 starchy side – Usually a potato or rice dish
  • 1 main dish (protein) – Most often a chicken-based dish.

Sometimes when it’s just us, I make an all-in-one main dish. One of my favorites is similar to this recipe for crispy sheet pan gnocchi with Italian sausage and vegetables. The recipe I use has in it broccoli too, and I like to use mini gnocchi. I’ll include more ideas below.

Shabbat Dinner Menus for 2-3 additional adults

If we’re having additional adults, I usually try to make a little extra for each course. This will vary depending on how well I know said guests and what they’ll eat.

• Appetizer – I’ll make an extra side salad or two (such as Moroccan carrot salad or roasted beet salad), and depending on who it is, a fresh tossed salad too
• Main Course – If we have any guests, I stick to separate the main, vegetable, and starchy sides. Then, I’ll try for one or two extra sides. Sometimes it’ll be something like saucy pepper steak and rice, or a mixed dish like the gnocchi above.
• Dessert – When it’s only us, I don’t usually serve dessert formally – we just give the kids a small treat. With guests, especially those that tend to sit around and chat, I try to have a baked good (such as brownies), ice cream, some munchies like watermelon seeds and popcorn…

Shabbat Dinner Menus for 4+ additional adults/kids

I tend to go overboard when we’re more than doubling our family’s appetite.

I do the same formula as above but usually there is a nice sized salad for the first course, and at least two extra sides. Sometimes I even put in an extra main. The idea with guests is to offer more options since you don’t necessarily know what they like to eat.

So more guests doesn’t necessarily mean you need more options, but you’ll want to have more quantity. But if you are doubling your options, you don’t also need to double the quantity of each – and that’s where I personally go overboard with my Shabbat dinner menus. Just make a little more (1.5 is probably a good number) than you would for your family, especially with sides.

My Shabbat dinner menu with four or more adult guests will often include extras that are easy to put together or even ready made. Rice mixes or freezer kugels are a great option as an extra.

Mix & Match Shabbat Dinner Menu Ideas

Want to fill in your menu from a running list of ideas? Here you go! I linked recipes where I could, but you can also google an option that works for you.

These are ideas without quantities that you can plug into the template I shared above. They are also meant to just be ideas, so that you can skim and find inspiration.

Tip: you can download my free printable Shabbat menu planner and shopping list for a fun place to write down what you’re doing!

Challah, Dips, Salads first course

Of course, you don’t need to do a big first course, but if you do, here are ideas. On Shabbat dinner menus, we typically skip the fish that is often served.

We purchase 2-3 dips that are easily found in the deli aisle of the supermarket. That’s very individual. We like things that don’t have mayo, such as Spanish eggplant, matbucha, hummus, Turkish salad, eggplant liver, etc. More options include babaganoush, tehina, onion/jalapeno/pickle mayo dips…

Homemade Dips & Spreads

• Tomato dip – Make this in minutes in your food processor
• Garlic confit – try this herby tomato garlic confit for a kick or make an easy garlic confit in the oven.
• Fire roasted eggplant – This is a new favorite – the smoky flavor is incredible! I use stovetop drip trays to make cleanup easier. It’s always a hit with guests, and since it’s much better served warm, it’s perfect for Friday night.
• Roasted red pepper dip – I first made this for Passover and it’s begging to become a new go-to in our home.
• Olive Tapenade – My kids love olives and LOVE this dip. I can not keep up with their consumption!

Salads

I like having a few marinated or cooked vegetable salads, and salads that can sit in the fridge for a few days and be pulled out for multiple meals. Eating a tiny sampler of each with the challah and dips course lets us sample different flavors, giving a luxurious restaurant feel in honor of Shabbat, and is so wholesome.

Again, I make these usually when I have guests.

• Moroccan carrot salad – you can make a raw version using grated carrots, or a cooked version. The trick to getting the cooked version to be perfect: bring the water to a boil, add carrots, when boiling again set an 8 minute timer. It should be perfectly tender but not mushy at that point. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Beet salad – I use vacuum sealed beets to save time and season lightly with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Or, try this roasted beet salad recipe.
• Green beans drizzled with teriyaki and sprinkled with your favorite spice.
• Israeli salad – while I usually do this by day, there’s no reason it can’t be served for Shabbat dinner. We make it with cucumber, tomato, and pepper diced small. I sometimes split it in half. Add pickles to one half for a version that my kids like. Add bulgur, chickpeas, shallots, and a good lemony olive oil dressing to the other half.

There are of course leafy green salads – any one goes! Some favorites (these aren’t exact recipes, as any that I ‘ve used I tweaked a lot to suit my needs. I recommend googling one that works for you – this is just a starting point.)

• Beet arugula salad
• Spring Mix and roasted squash salad with seeds or nuts
• A simple light tossed salad with a Romaine base, avocados, and whichever vegetables I have handy
• Romaine with avocado, grape tomatoes, something crunchy and something sweet (such as candied nuts, crushed veggie chips and candied nuts…)

Soup appetizer course

I usually make a traditional Jewish chicken soup for this. Even when I do, I try to keep it to brothy soups, rather than blended soups with one exception on this list.

When it’s just us, we sometimes make a meat version to serve over couscous. I’m having a hard time finding a good recipe to link, so if you’re ready to wing it: Saute/soften onion, celery, squash, carrot, parsnip, or any other veggies you like. Brown beef stew meat, add. Add water, season well, simmer for a while.

We serve over real couscous – not what Americans call couscous but is really petitim. The tiny stuff. And we ditch the rest of the meal.

Another great soup option for Friday night is a sauteed veggie soup – using any vegetables you’d like! I use celery, onion, carrot, sometimes leek, parsnip or turnip, broccoli, zucchini – all cut as small as I can. I finish it off with water and seasoning and it’s so flavorful!

Blended chicken soup (or a parve cream of chicken soup) is delicious, and more filling. The recipe I based my process off of (which I can’t find, of course) says to cook a chicken breast in the soup, remove it before blending, and cube it and add it back before serving.

And if you’re feeling fancy, a beef onion soup is a real treat!

Main course

The main course can be the sole part of the meal, or skipped if you’re filling up on earlier courses. When mixing and matching elements, even if not cooking it as a single dish, think about what goes well together.

Chicken breast goes well shredded into rice. Meatballs, even if not saucy, work perfectly with any hot grain, such as rice or quinoa.

Main course one-dish or mixed dishes

• Chicken cooked over potatoes with broccoli
• Chicken cooked over rice with zucchini
• Orzo with roasted vegetables and sausage
• Stir fry: chicken or beef with broccoli, pepper, other veggies served over rice.
• Vegetable quiches (made parve usually with oat or nut milks)
• Stuffed Zucchini – or other vegetables
• Moussaka (make it dairy-free)

Main course main dishes (proteins)

• Chicken on the bone with spices
• Marinated chicken breast (grilled or baked high and fast to retain juices.)
• Shnitzel – cook as close to Shabbat as possible, and leave the lid of the pan a bit open while keeping it hot so that it retains crispiness until you eat it.
• Capons or boneless skinless chicken legs
• Corned beef
• Meatballs – I love cranberry chili sauce meatballs (I make the balls from scratch and do it in the oven).
• Pepper steak
• Any roast/brisket

Main course veggie sides

• There is a kugel for every veggie (almost)! I love this mixed vegetable kugel.
• Roasted broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or eggplant.
• Cauliflower pastrami kugel
• More vegetable kugels: broccoli, spaghetti squash kugel, savory cabbage kugel
• Sweet chili string beans (from Dinner Done)

Main course starchy sides

• Rice – plain/lightly seasoned, Persian, rice with Mushrooms, fried rice, Spanish rice…
• Orzo – there are LOADS of recipes out there to dress up orzo, but one of my favorites is a simple burst cherry tomato sauce, minus the cheese.
• Potato kugel
• Potatoes: refer to your Passover menu for LOADS of ideas! Roasted is a favorite – just season generously with your favorite spices and herbs. I love it drizzled with a bit of hot honey, and roasted with leftover oil from the garlic confit.
• Sesame noodles or similar Asian-inspired pastas

Sample Shabbat Menus that we’ve actually done

I always try to include a few sample menus for you to refer to. These are tried and true menus HOWEVER I did remove a few items that were excessive so that you can have a better gauge for what to make!

Just us: 2 Adults, 3 Kids (+ eating baby)

• Challah and hummus, olive dip, eggplant dip
• Chicken soup and noodles
• Corn flakes crumb coated chicken with roasted potatoes and broccoli

Just us: 2 Adults, 3 Kids (+ eating baby) – Summer

• Challah and dips
• Chicken drumsticks with bbq sauce
• Gnocchi with vegetables

The kids have the chicken early and older kids join for Challah and dips as well. I usually chop up veggies for them to have with the chicken too.

Just us: 2 Adults, 3 Kids (+ eating baby)

• Challah and dips (sense a pattern here?)
• Mushroom rice
• Cranberry, Sweet chili meatballs
• Roasted Zucchini with shallots

Guests: 6 adults, 5 kids total (+ eating baby)

• Challah and WAY too many dips, Moroccan carrot salad
• Chicken soup with noodles
• Boneless rib roast
• Grilled capons
• Roasted potatoes with hot honey drizzled on
• Roasted broccoli with shallots
• Cauliflower pastrami kugel

Note: I also made a mixed orzo/veggie dish but it was almost untouched so I removed it from the menu.

Guests: 4 adults, 8 kids, 1 eating baby

• Challah and dips
• Chicken soup & noodles
• Broccoli Kugel 
• Honey roasted potatoes
• Duck sauce Chicken
• 1 pot kielbasa orzo (from Whisk by Ami magazine)
• Mushroom pastrami quiche (from Whisk by Ami magazine)
• Tossed salad

This menu was very generous, with lots of leftovers and 1-2 dishes can easily be nixed, but there was nothing that was really untouched.

Guests: 6 adults (1 gluten free), 3 kids + 2 toddlers

• Challah and dips
• Beef French onion soup
• Potato kugel with pastrami
• Stuffed zucchini
• Rice
• Salad – lettuce, pepper, avocado, veggie sticks salad topper
• Gnocchi w veggies, sausage
• Chicken drumsticks

Got any Shabbat dinner menus or ideas to add to the list? Comment below! Make sure to include what worked, what didn’t, and who it was designed to serve.

Need to whittle down your Shabbat cooking to much less time? Check out my tips for making an easy Shabbat in an hour! Yes, I’ve done it both ways!

Download the free printable Shabbat dinner menu helper!

This editable document can be uploaded to Google docs or used in any document editor to help you plan your menu.

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Jewish tradition has evolved – or maybe I should say, Ashkenazic tradition has begun to borrow from Sephardic & Mizrahi as our cultures are reunited. Now, instead of starting the Shabbat meals with chicken soup or gefilte fish, we tend to feature an array of dips and small salads to go with our Challah as a first course, just like our Eastern brothers and sisters.

One of my favorites is actually more mild in flavor.

This tomato dip takes literally minutes to make, is inexpensive, and a fabulous option for when you’re serving a crowd.

It lasts for a couple of weeks in the fridge and is a delicious option for soaking up your challah.

How to make tomato dip in minutes

The biggest challenge with making tomato dip is getting the flavor just right. Add too little flavoring and it’s bland. But because it’s a small quantity, add too much of anything and it can be too intense.

The trick is to add just the right amount of lemon juice, basil, and garlic to complement but not take over. Keep in mind that tomatoes come in different sizes, so you may need to tweak, even if following the recipe.

To make it, you simply pulse it in the food processor for a few seconds.

That is it.

It’s so simple, especially if you’re already taking out the food processor for other dishes. You can double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe to cater to a larger crowd if needed.

It’s raw, and lasts well in the fridge. We’ve had it last 2-3 weeks easy. I store it in a round glass Pyrex bowl with a lid, making it easy to serve.

How to serve raw tomato basil dip

While we typically serve this tomato dip as part of a Challah & dips spread, it’s also fabulous as a relish or salsa.

Scoop it up with chips or crackers.

You can also treat it as a raw tomato sauce and use it in anything that would take well to tomato sauce. It’s tarter than the cooked variety. Toss it into pastas, dip breaded cheese sticks into it, or use it as a spread in sandwiches.

For those who are going to ask: I have NOT tried freezing it and I imagine that would alter the texture too much. It’s also a watery dip to begin with, and freezing it may add to that.

If you’ve had a different experience, do share in the comments below!

Easiest Tomato Dip Recipe

Makes about enough to fill an 8 oz deli container. Exact quantity will depend on the size of your tomato.

Ingredients

• One large beefsteak tomato
• 4 garlic cubes – or 4 cloves fresh
• 3 basil cubes – or about 1/3 packed cup fresh leaves
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt, pepper to taste

You’ll also need a food processor, fitted with the S blade.

Instructions

Add all your ingredients to the food processor, and pulse for a few seconds at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Notes

As you can see, I like to shortcut by using frozen basil and garlic cubes. I provided “fresh” measurements. I put my cubes into the food processor frozen solid. If you’d like to have more control over textured your tomato dip is, you can chop your basil and mince your garlic in advance, so that you can focus on getting the tomatoes right. Otherwise, just dump it all in and process.

What will you be serving tomato dip with? Comment below!

Yield: 6-8

5 Minute Tomato Dip

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Make this super easy tomato dip recipe to serve with challah or as a salsa! Delicious on toast with soft cheese, or as a dip to scoop up with chips too!

Print

Ingredients

• One large beefsteak tomato
• 4 garlic cubes - or 4 cloves fresh
• 3 basil cubes - or about 1/3 packed cup fresh leaves
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt, pepper to taste
• (You'll also need a food processor, fitted with the S blade.)

Instructions

Add all your ingredients to the food processor, and pulse for a few seconds at a time until you reach your desired consistency

Notes

I like to shortcut by using frozen basil and garlic cubes. I provided "fresh" measurements. I put my cubes into the food processor frozen solid. If you'd like to have more control over textured your tomato dip is, you can chop your basil and mince your garlic in advance, so that you can focus on getting the tomatoes right. Otherwise, just dump it all in and process.

Keeps for about two weeks in the fridge.

I have never tried freezing it, but since it's a raw vegetable, it's not something I'd think would work.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post Tomato Dip Recipe – 5 Minutes! appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.