Recipes - Holy Branches

Challah Bread Recipe

Written by Holy Branches on May 7, 2024. Posted in Recipes, Sabbath. 6 Comments on Challah Bread Recipe

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Challah bread is a beautiful and delicious Jewish bread eaten on Shabbat (the Sabbath), holidays, and other special days (except during Passover). It is made from a heavy dough that is separated and braided. A topping is usually added before baking—poppy seeds and sesame seeds are common.

Most Americans pronounce it “hallah” bread, but the “ch” at the beginning of challah is the Hebrew letter “chet” pronounced like the “ch” at the end of Bach. It’s a guttural sound, typical in Hebrew, a harsh sound made in the throat—practice for a minute. Now, practice with your kids. They’ll love it.

After braiding, I double this recipe and put the loaves I am not using for that evening in the freezer to save work on the following Shabbat. They will take a few hours to defrost and rise, so allow that if you freeze yours.

I adapted this recipe from Susan Marcus’s book Enter His Gates. This book is written for Christians who desire to return to their Jewish roots. It contains recipes, traditions, holidays, and more, all explaining how they’re relevant to the Christian faith. I highly recommend it!

I use a 6-strand braid, but a 3-strand braid also looks beautiful. I will include a video for the 6-strand braid soon, so stay tuned!

Gold and Silver Detailed Messianic Seal Necklace

Challah

(makes three loaves)

Ingredients:

3 eggs + 1 egg to brush on top
½ cup sugar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoons salt
1 ½ cups warm water
2 packages (or 4 ½ teaspoons) Fleischmann’s yeast
6-8 cups flour
Optional: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, etc. for topping

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except the flour.

Add flour until a soft, pliable dough is formed.

Cover and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled in size (about one or two hours).

Punch down and let rise again (about one hour) until doubled.

Divide the dough into 3 sections.

Divide each section into 6 sections and roll each section into a log.

Braid.

Place in a loaf pan or on a pizza stone.

Repeat with the other 2 sections.

Cover and let rise for about 30-40 minutes.

Just before baking, brush loaves with beaten egg.

Optional: top with poppy seeds, coarse salt, sesame seeds, etc.

Bake in 350° oven for about 23 minutes or until golden brown.

Immediately place on a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

15 Meals that Bring Shalom to Your Shabbat

Written by Holy Branches on February 27, 2024. Posted in Recipes, Sabbath. 6 Comments on 15 Meals that Bring Shalom to Your Shabbat

When making Shabbat (the Sabbath) a tradition in your home, nothing is more challenging to overcome than meals. While we may take a day off, our appetites don’t, and meals are a lot of work, not to mention the cleanup afterward!

Although it takes some planning and preparation, Shabbat meals can be delicious and low-maintenance. Here are 10 of my family’s favorite meals that either can be prepared the day before or require very little preparation and cleanup.

A note when cooking casseroles prepared the day before and chilled overnight – give them some time to come up to room temperature or expect to cook them for a longer time in the oven than the recipe says to ensure they’re fully cooked.

Breakfast

Protein Pancakes/Waffles or Protein Muffins

We make a couple of boxes of these at a time and freeze them so they can be warmed for a quick and easy breakfast. Since they’re high in protein, they’re more substantial than regular pancakes or muffins; they’ll keep everyone satisfied until lunchtime!

Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole

This recipe is just your basic Tater Tot Casserole recipe made more breakfasty using turkey sausage (not the breakfast sausage that this recipe calls for) instead of ground beef and adding eggs and cheese. I make it the night before and cook it in the morning.

Silver Circular Aaronic Blessing Necklace

Hash Brown Casserole

While this can’t be put into the health food category, it’s a hearty comfort food that will satisfy everyone. This recipe is another dish I make the night before and cook in the morning. It’s also great to bring to a breakfast potluck. If you do, chances are good that all you’ll bring home is an empty dish!

Parfaits

No recipe is needed here. Parfaits include your favorite yogurt, topped with fruits, nuts, and granola. My children would eat this every day of their lives if they could!

Egg and Veggie Scramble

No recipe is needed here, either. We scramble a bunch of eggs, then add a cooked or steamed vegetable like broccoli, spinach, or potatoes. We’ve also added turkey sausage or smoked beef sausage to this flexible dish. Each member of my family spices their scramble differently. They like Srichacha Sauce, tarragon, Tajin seasoning, or just salt and pepper.

Lunch/Dinner

Israeli Couscous Salad

This dish is a favorite in my house. We vary it by adding gold tomatoes or different cheeses or veggies. And we always have to double the recipe to see that everyone gets their fill.

Chicken Pasta Salad

A regular meal in my family, this one can be made ahead by cooking the chicken and cutting the veggies the day before, so all you have to do before the meal is mix all the ingredients. Don’t mix it ahead of time, though. If combined, sitting overnight or even for a few hours in your fridge will make the croutons mushy and the cheese – well – it’s unappetizing. Mixing and dressing it just before serving for a tasty and healthy meal is quick and easy.

BBQ Brisket Sliders

I’ve made these in both the slow cooker and the Instant Pot. You can make it ahead of time or prepare the ingredients so that it’s quick and easy to make on Saturday morning (slow cooker) or afternoon (Instant Pot) to be ready for a hearty lunch or dinner.

White Chicken Chili

One of my children requests this meal whenever he’s given a choice. It’s an easy meal because you can add all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low, although this recipe says to cook on the stove. It goes well with cornbread, tortilla chips, or tortillas.

Rice with Lentils

I have to admit I made this one up. But it’s an easy meal we have so often – both on Shabbat and other days – that it must be mentioned here. You can serve it vegetarian or add chicken or beef to make it more of a main dish.

Squash Casserole

This vegetarian option can also be made the day before and cooked before the meal. It’s hearty for a vegetarian meal and can feed many people!

Snacks/Light Meals

Charcuterie Platter

This snacky appetizer is our absolute favorite Shabbat meal. It’s basically a meat and cheese platter, and there’s even a board made to serve all of this deliciousness. We add all sorts of things to our plate: beef and turkey sausages, various cheeses and crackers, fruits, berries, nuts we love, olives, and dolmas. You can go all out on this one or choose a few of your family’s favorites.

Hummus with Veggies and Pita

You can either purchase ready-made hummus or make your own. Serve it with vegetables your family likes and pita bread, chips, or crackers.

Hand carved Bethlehem Olive Wood Pair of Candlesticks Candle Holders (7.5 Inches)

Fruit and Dip

We often use vanilla yogurt as a fruit dip, but if we’re feeling like making something special, this Apple Dip recipe is one we’ve used many times. Some great dippers are Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples.

Chips and Salsa

This snack is a no-brainer but can be made special for Shabbat with some homemade Tomatillo Salsa or Guacamole as a more hearty dip.

Does your family have a favorite Shabbat meal? Leave it in the comments!

Sufganiyot for Hanukkah

Written by Holy Branches on December 3, 2021. Posted in Hanukkah, Recipes. No Comments on Sufganiyot for Hanukkah

Sufganiyot are like jelly donuts and are a traditional food eaten during Hanukkah. Because they’re fried in oil, they remind us of the miracles of Hanukkah – the victory of God’s people and the oil that lasted 8 days. The origin of this dessert, as well as its name are debated, but what’s for sure is that it’s a common sight on Hanukkah tables around the world.

This recipe is from the Taste of Home website. I love their site for recipe ideas because their recipes are well tested so they always come out great. They also suggest in this recipe to try different fillings, such as dulche de leche or Nutella. Yum!

Interested in other Hanukkah traditions? Check out 10 Traditions for a Christian Hanukkah.

Print-friendly PDF version

Ingredients

1/2 c. whole wheat flour (I’ve used all-purpose and it works fine also)

1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast

1/4 t. ground cloves

1-1/2 to 2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. honey

2 t. canola oil

1 large egg

1/2 t. vanilla extract

Oil for deep fat frying

3/4 c. seedless raspberry preserves

Confectioner’s sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, yeast, cloves and 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour.

In a small saucepan, heat the water, honey and oil to 120°-130°.

Add to dry ingredients; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat 2 minutes longer.

Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. biscuit cutter.

In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, for 45 seconds on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a resealable bag; insert a small tip. Fill bag with preserves.

With a small knife, pierce a hole into the side of each doughnut; fill with preserves.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.

Charoset Recipe

Written by Holy Branches on March 13, 2020. Posted in Passover, Recipes. 5 Comments on Charoset Recipe

Charoset (pronounced by most Americans as “har-oh-set”) is one of the items on a Seder Plate during a traditional Passover Seder. It is supposed to remind the Seder participants of the mortar between the bricks of the buildings the Israelite slaves built for their Egyptian captors. It’s in stark contrast to horseradish, which is eaten at the same time as charoset during a Seder. While horseradish is bold and shocking, charoset is sweet, mild, and pleasant.

This can be made a day or two ahead of time, which can give a Seder host a welcome break on the day of the Seder itself.

Any type of apple you like will work for this recipe. Gala are the most highly recommended and sweeter apples are preferred by most, but we usually use Granny Smith apples or a combination and it always turns out delicious!

Traditionally, a food processor is used, and the entire mixture ends up resembling the brick mortar from the Passover story. It can then even be molded into a pyramid shape to serve it! Many people simply chop the apples coarsely, giving the charoset a fruit salad type appearance. How you make yours is up to you!

Here’s how to hold a Basic Christian Passover Seder in case you need to brush up on that.

Ingredients:

6 apples – peeled, cored, and chopped
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon white sugar
3 ½ teaspoon honey
1/3 cup sweet red wine (I used grape juice when my children were small, and it was delicious also!)

Directions:

Place the apples and walnuts into a large bowl.

Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the mixture over the apples.

Stir in the honey and sweet wine.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

(recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Chicken Pasta Salad

Written by Holy Branches on January 12, 2020. Posted in Recipes. No Comments on Chicken Pasta Salad

One of the frequent regulars in our home, this is an easy and healthy meal that you can prepare ahead of time and mix just before you serve it. For that reason, it’s a great choice for a lunch or dinner on Shabbat. I often make the noodles and chicken and cut the veggies on Friday so that it’s ready to combine and serve before a meal on Shabbat.

While it may be tempting to mix it ahead of time, don’t! If kept overnight or even for a few hours in your fridge, the croutons will become mushy and the cheese slimy and very unappetizing!

This dish is very flexible and we have varied it a lot over the years! The type of pasta, cheese, vegetables, dressing, and more can be substituted with your favorites.

The chicken can be whatever type you prefer – chicken breasts, rotisserie, thighs, or even canned chicken. I marinate the chicken first sometimes for a more rich flavor. I either cook it on the stove or in the Instant Pot. Iceberg, romaine, leaf lettuce, or a mix of greens are all great options for the lettuce.

For the pasta, we commonly use spirals, but have also have used shells and tortellini with wonderful results. The tomatoes can be any type – halved grape and cherry tomatoes are what we like best. Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses work well in this recipe so use your favorite between those or use a mixture of all three! Have fun with it!

Ingredients

3 cups of cooked chicken

4 cups shredded lettuce

Concrete Shabbat Candle Holders with Elegant Design

12-16 ounces of pasta, cooked

1 can of corn

1/2 onion, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

5 ounce package croutons, any variety

12 ounce bottle of Raspberry Vinaigrette

2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella both work well)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Instant Pot Rice

Written by Holy Branches on January 12, 2020. Posted in Recipes. No Comments on Instant Pot Rice

My family loves this rice dish much that we make it a few times a week. It works with just about anything you’d like to top I with and it’s also delicious on its own. You can add meat to it if you’d like to make it more hearty. Ground beef or shredded chicken both taste great with this rice!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons coconut oil

3 cups Jasmine or Basmati rice

1/2 onion, diced

2 tablespoons brown lentils (optional)

Garlic – 4 cloves, minced (or 2 tablespoons pre-minced garlic)

14 ounce can chicken broth

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon Greek Seasoning (I use Cavender’s)

1 tablespoon oregano

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add coconut oil and rice.

Sauté for a couple minutes, then add onions and lentils (if using).

After about a minute, add garlic and sauté for another minute.

Add chicken broth, water, and spices.

Set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” for 4 minutes.

When finished cooking, let the Instant Pot natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release or let it natural release until fully depressurized.

Fluff rice and enjoy!

Tomatillo Salsa

Written by Holy Branches on January 12, 2020. Posted in Recipes. No Comments on Tomatillo Salsa

This roasty salsa is great on chips, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, eggs, and much more! You can spice it as much as you’d like – chop the Serrano peppers separately and add to taste. It’s difficult to tell how hot they are when I purchase them. They’re sometimes blazing hot and sometimes milder.

Ingredients

24 Tomatillos, husked

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6 Serrano peppers, stems trimmed

1 onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 lime juice

1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon cumin

Instructions

Broil whole tomatillos and Serranos in a single layer for 5 minutes or until tomatillos are olive green.

Turn tomatillos and Serranos over and broil other sides as well.

Turn oven down to 425°.

Combine onion and garlic and bake until onion is translucent and garlic has brown spots.

Stir/turn as needed while baking.

Let all ingredients cool to room temperature.

Pulse/puree all ingredients except Serrano peppers together.

Puree the Serrano peppers and add to other ingredient mixture to taste.

Tzimmes

Written by Holy Branches on October 18, 2019. Posted in Recipes. 2 Comments on Tzimmes

Tzimmes is a traditional Jewish recipe, usually served on Rosh Hashanah. It has a base of carrots with a root vegetable and dried fruit added. Cooked in a syrup of honey and cinnamon, this is a delicious addition to the sweet dishes on your Rosh Hashanah table or with any meal during the Autumn season.

I used dried apricots and cherries, but you can also use raisins, prunes, or other dried fruit. Yams or sweet potatoes are called for in this recipe, but you could use another root vegetable as well. Click here to view the original recipe.

Rosh HaShanah and The Messianic Kingdom To Come By Joseph Good

Pronunciation

Although not Hebrew in origin, Tzimmes starts with the sound of the Hebrew letter tsadi, which makes the sound at the end of the English word “nuts.” It’s “tsim-ees”.

Ingredients

1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup fresh orange juice, plus the zest from 1 orange
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, plus more for greasing pan

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 11×7 inch baking pan and place carrots, sweet potatoes, dried cherries and dried apricots in pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, zest, white wine, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour over the vegetable mixture and bake for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, if liquid is completely reduced, add a touch of water. Dot with butter and bake for 30 more minutes until vegetables are tender and liquid has become a glaze.

Shabbat Hummus Recipe

Written by Holy Branches on October 2, 2019. Posted in Recipes. No Comments on Shabbat Hummus Recipe

This is just a basic hummus recipe; made the way my family likes it. We often make it on Friday so that we have something to snack on or serve with lunch on the Sabbath (Shabbat) that we don’t have to prepare. We serve it with pita bread and veggies or put it on sandwiches or in wraps. Sometimes we double the recipe so there’s plenty to go around and leftovers in the fridge.

From Sabbath to Sabbath: Returning the Holy Sabbath to the Disciples of Jesus By D. Thomas Lancaster

Ingredients

3 cans garbanzo beans (leave a few whole if you plan to garnish with them)
1/3 cup tahini
½ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, halved (or more if you like garlic as much as we do!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Paprika
Parsley (fresh or dried)

Blend garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and garlic in blender or food processor until smooth. Add small amounts of water to aid in blending if necessary.

Transfer mixture to a serving bowl and drizzle oil over hummus.

Garnish with paprika, parsley, and whole garbanzo beans.

Serve with fresh vegetables and pita bread or spread on crackers or sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Here’s a convenient dish to use to have your hummus and veggies ready for your Shabbat snacking or lunch. Fill with hummus and cut veggies on Friday and keep it in the fridge overnight. Just take it out and serve or take it with you on a picnic!