What’s Cookin’ This Week?

By Shannon Sarna | October 19, 2012

The first week back to work after a month of short weeks during the chagim is always a doozy, and so to be honest, I have NO idea what I am making for Shabbat dinner tonight! At least not yet…

But I do know that my husband and I are dying to try a fantastic looking recipe from this month’s Food and Wine. As soon as I saw this recipe for Braised Chicken with Cilantro, Mint and Chilies I knew my husband would start drooling. He loves any dish that creates a marinade using fresh herbs like this one. I’ll let you know how it turns out…!

Last weekend I had a really delicious cherry apple noodle kugel that I am looking forward to re-creating. While the kugel was delightful, I want to update this American-Jewish classic by using FRESH cranberries instead of canned cherry pie filling – it will probably turn out similar to this recipe for Apple-Pear Cranberry Kugel. Stay tuned!

Apples apples are everywhere and this time of year I do my best to make as many apple desserts and treats as possible. What’s on tap for my baking agenda this weekend? None other than Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust. If you are scratching your head about this one…allow me to explain: by incorporating the savory cheddar into the pie crust, you end up with both a flaky crust, and a delectable sweet-salty quality to the pie. I love this recipe from Bon Apetit, and I cannot wait to serve it to a dear friend who is visiting from in town this weekend.

A few months ago I wrote about a new cookbook, Jerusalem, from the acclaimed duo Yotam Ottolenghi, an Israeli and Sami Tamimi, a Palestinian. Their much-anticipated cookbook Jerusalem is now available for purchase and receiving rave reviews. Want to see if their style strikes your fancy? Try their recipe for Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts.

Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom, wonderful weekend and happy cooking!