\n \u200b\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When expecting a larger crowd than normal, I like to place my bottled fruit juice, white wine and water into a silver champagne cooler surrounded by ice blocks, to keep them cool. Yes, those little blocks do melt quickly and when you forget to buy large packs from the bottle store and have to start collecting packets of homemade ice, it becomes a real pain! However, all this changed for me after watching a TikTok clip on how to make ice balls with balloons. It was so simple, a bag of balloons, water to fill them and scissors to cut and peel off the balloons once frozen. Of course, you can make them any size and any colour by adding food colouring, before tying the knot. Flowers can also be inserted through the stretched neck of the balloon before tying them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“THE BEST” CHICKEN SOUP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy mom makes THE BEST chicken soup, why don\u2019t you get her recipe?\u201d Said by many a tactless man after their wives have stood hours in the kitchen trying to perfect their own version. This soup uses chicken soup as its base with a few added extras that his mom would never have ever imagined would work so well. This soup recipe has a few twists that only a daughter in law would share!!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \u200bThis dish includes the \u2018traditional tastes\u2019 of Rosh Hashanah. The subtle sweetness of prunes, the woody hint of cinnamon, the aroma of flavours complementing one another as they slowly cook into the New Year. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n 6 chicken breasts off the bone and butterflied <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 box Spanish\/mushroom flavoured rice (Tastic)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1\/3 cup mayonnaise\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Salt and pepper to taste\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 3 eggs \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd tsp salt\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 tsps chicken spice (I like Ina Paarman)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 tsp paprika powder\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 tsp garlic powder\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2 cups Panko or cornflake crumbs Make up the rice as per instructions on the box. Allow rice to cool. Cut the breasts in half lengthwise.\u00a0Place each halved breast in between two pieces of wax paper. Using a mallet or rolling pin flatten the breasts, carefully, trying not to tear them. Paint a teaspoon of mayonnaise onto each breast half, facing you. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over each breast. Place a heaped tablespoon of rice on the bottom 1\/3 of the chicken breast and roll the chicken up, securing it with a toothpick. Once you\u2019ve rolled up all the chicken breasts (you should have twelve) place them in the fridge, covered, for at least 1 hour to firm up. Combine the eggs, salt, chicken spice, paprika powder, and garlic powder. Remove the chicken from the fridge and dip them into the egg mixture, followed by the crumbs. Refrigerate again for another hour or two then either fry in them in oil until golden brown on all sides or bake them. Preheat oven to 180C. Spray\/paint a wire baking rack with oil and place the rack on a baking tray. Place the crumbed chicken on the rack. Using a wire rack allows even distribution of heat to brown under the chicken as well. After placing the chicken on the rack, paint them with oil, and bake until golden brown. This should take 25 to 30 minutes.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2\u00bd kg roll of beef <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd cup cake flour\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 200 g pitted prunes\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 200g dried apricots\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 500ml (2 cups) dry red wine\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 Tbls peri peri oil + 2 Tbls vegetable oil\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 large onions roughly chopped\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 tsp fresh ginger finely grated\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 tsp fresh garlic crushed\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bc tsp cinnamon\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 100g tomato PASTE \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 beef cube dissolved in 1 cup boiling water\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd cup chutney \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 Tbls apricot jam (this gives a lovely glaze to the sauce)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Salt and pepper to taste <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Pre heat oven to 170C. Soak prunes and dried apricots\u00a0in wine\u00a0overnight\u200b.\u00a0Cover with clingfilm. Wash the\u00a0meat\u00a0then dust\u00a0entire roast with flour.\u00a0Place peri\u00a0and vegetable oil\u00a0into large\u00a0pot or frying pan\u00a0and fry the\u00a0roll of beef\u00a0over medium to high heat until it\u2019s golden brown on both sides. Remove the meat and set aside in a roasting\u200b bag which has been placed into a roasting dish.\u00a0The roasting pan should not be too large as you just want the roll of beef to fit\u00a0with about 1cm free on each side of the roast, as the roast will shrink. In the same frying pan\u00a0or pot\u00a0in which you fried the meat,\u00a0fry the onions,\u00a0ginger, and garlic\u00a0until soft. Add the cinnamon, tomato paste, dissolved beef cube, chutney and apricot jam to the onions.\u00a0Give it a good stir. Add the prunes and apricots with the wine to the glaze, bring it to the boil, then reduce it to a simmer and simmer until apricots are soft.\u00a0This should take about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the meat in the roasting bag and cook covered in a preheated oven for 3 hours. A roll of beef always takes longer to cook than a flat piece of beef as the heat has a way to travel to the inside.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n This is killing two birds with one stone at its best! This can either be a hot dish to be served with your roll of beef, chicken, or ribs, or you can serve it the next day cold with the tachina dressing (recipe below).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1kg pre-cut Mediterranean roasting vegetables (Freshfellows or Checkers)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bc cup peri peri oil for roasting. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bc cup vegetable oil \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 Tbls honey\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 tsp ground cumin\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd tsp garlic salt\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd tsp onion salt\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 tsp paprika spice\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Pinch of cinnamon \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Salt and pepper\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 500g Couscous cooked as per instructions on box. \n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n Preheat oven to 180C. Place the oils, honey, cumin, garlic salt, onion salt, paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Mix well then add roasting vegetables to this mixture and mix well again ensuring all vegetables are well coated. Roast in a preheated oven, uncovered, until golden brown. When the vegetables are cooked through and golden brown pour them over the couscous and serve with a sprinkling of freshly chopped mint and fresh coriander.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00bc cup tahini <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 Tbls fresh lemon juice\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 3 Tbls fresh orange juice \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 cloves freshly crushed garlic\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 Tbl honey\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Salt and pepper to taste\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00bc cup water to thin out dressing (you may need more) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Whisk all of the above dressing ingredients together and pour over salad.\u00a0You may need to double up on salad dressing depending on the size of the salad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Optional extra: I like to add 4 Tbls of eggplant mayonnaise (made by Friends bakery) or babaganoosh as it\u2019s called elsewhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n 2 large sweet potatoes\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 large potatoes\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 large carrot peeled and sliced into \u00bdcm discs\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 packet round butternut discs (available Checkers and Fresh Fellows) or slice the necks of a butternut into 1cm slices. Longer thinner butternut work well.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n Boil sweet potatoes and potatoes (skin on to retain shape) and carrots until JUST soft, remember they still have to be roasted. Microwave butternut for 3 minutes on high. Remove potatoes and carrots from heat and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 180C. When cold, cut the potatoes in 1cm slices. Start stacking by placing a slice of butternut, followed by a slice of potato, a slice of sweet potato and finally a slice or 2 of carrots. Repeat this again ending with a prune on top of stack.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Start building another stack in the same way. Place the stacks on a well-oiled baking sheet and paint each stack generously with glaze. (Recipe below.) Roast in a preheated oven until golden brown \u2013 this should take approximately 30 to 40 minutes.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n GLAZE<\/strong> \u2013 this can be made up the day before and refrigerated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd cup syrup \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd tsp cinnamon\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 Tbl lemon juice\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd cup vegetable oil\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd tsp ginger spice\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 8 pitted prunes \n \n Combine all the above in a small saucepan, bring to the boil and then blend until smooth\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n At the time of going to press our hostages were still not home. May they all, please G-d, be safely home, by now, with their families and loved ones. If not, G-d forbid, please pray for their immediate release and the safe return of the soldiers. The yellow ribbon is a symbol used to call for the return of hostages currently held by Hamas. It is usually used with the slogan \u201cBring Them Home Now\u201d and it is for this reason and in their honour I created this challah to go with my traditional round challahs for Rosh Hashanah. To achieve the yellow colour of the challah dough I used yellow food colouring. Use your favourite challah recipe and add 1 teaspoon food colouring to a cup of warm water. You can always add more colouring if it looks too pale. Use gloves if you\u2019re making the challah by hand. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 pkt Divella POTATO gnocchi (500g)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 200g rocket\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Handful of basil leaves\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 red onions cut in half and finely sliced\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 250g baby tomatoes \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Optional extras: Avocado, olives, and cucumbers\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n Preheat air fryer to 200C and oil the basket and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. This can also be done in a regular oven but may need a little more time to achieve that golden brown, crispy look. Frying them is another quick alternative, however the gnocchi must be really crispy. If you\u2019re going to fry them do it with the lid lying loosely on top of the pot as they can pop like popcorn!! Lay a bed of rocket on a flat platter. Tear a couple of basil leaves and place on top of the rocket. Sprinkle the onions on top. Add the tomatoes and any optional ingredients suggested above. Just before serving drizzle salad dressing over the salad and finally sprinkle with roasted gnocchi. \n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Salad dressing <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1\/3 cup of red wine vinegar\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 Tbl brown sugar \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd tsp crushed fresh garlic\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2\/3 cup olive oil\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 tsp mustard powder\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd tsp ground black pepper\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 tsp salt\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n Combine the above salad dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n This is a lovely fresh salad that pairs so well with fish. It does rely on the crispiness of the apples so when purchasing please bare this in mind.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 250g baby spinach\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u200b\u200b3 red apples\u200b, cored and cut lengthwise into 8 or 16 slices (place into lemon and water \u00bd cup lemon juice to 1 cup cold water, toss apples to ensure they all get covered in lemon juice)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u200b1 large head of fennel or a few smaller ones sliced finely \u200bon the diagonal \u200b(you will need 2 cups of sliced fennel)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u200b5 large red radish thinly slice\u200bd \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Pomegranate seeds \u200b(arils\u200b) \n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n Line a platter with spinach. Rinse the apples in cold water to remove any sourness from them. Place them on top of the spinach. Place the fennel on top of apples. Sprinkle sliced radish and pomegranate seeds on top of salad just before serving. (These should only be added to the salad when ready to serve as both their skin colour bleeds onto the apples.) Pour over salad dressing.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Salad dressing <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u00bd cup pomegranate juice\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Handful of fresh mint leaves\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u200b1\u200b\/3 cup apple cider\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u200b\u00bd cup oil\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 Tbl chrain (red or white)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 2 Tbl Honey\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u200b\u00bd tsp crushed garlic\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \u200b\u00bd tsp black pepper\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 1 tsp salt\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n Blend for \u200b3 minutes \u200buntil smooth\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n \n This is one of those \u201csnacks\u201d that you\u2019ll say \u201cnext time I\u2019ll double up\u201d. Why? Because once you and the rest of the family start on them, you won\u2019t stop.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n 5 cups cornflakes (crush them slightly in the bag)\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Stuffed and crumbed chicken wraps\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Oil for frying or baking <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n Spring roll of beef <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n Mediterranean roasted vegetables served two ways\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Salad dressing if serving it cold<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n Tzimmes stacks\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n # Bring them home challah\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n Tuscan gnocchi salad\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n \u200bApple, fennel, mint, and pomegranate salad\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n Cornflake Crispies\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n