This is based on Joan Nathan's recipe in her original edition of The Jewish Holiday Kitchen (Schocken Books, 1979).  Joan uses whole chickens, cut up, but I have adapted it for boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  This recipe is easier than it looks and really tastes delicious.  The chicken stays moist and there is a wonderful just-sweet-enough sauce to go with the chicken and any rice or other grain side dish you choose.  Leftovers, if there are any, are good cold.  I have a natural aversion to reheated chicken (me and Julia Child!), but I've found that you can re-heat this chicken in the sauce – covered, at a low temperature, in the oven or at a reduced power level in the microwave – with little loss in flavor.  This is a wonderful dish to serve for a Rosh Hashanah dinner.

This easy treat is adapted from the traditional Catalan recipe, Pa amb Tomaquet, which translates simply to Bread and Tomato. In Barcelona and the surrounding countryside it is eaten both as a snack and as an accompaniment to meals. It also makes a delicious and portable breakfast. Use the most fresh and fragrant tomatoes you can get your hands on. Never refrigerate tomatoes - it spoils their delicate texture and flavor.

This is a simple soup that everyone loves.  It is easy to make if you have the chicken stock ready – I make it for my family using the leftover soup from Shabbat dinner.  You can use any vegetables you like – try bell peppers, baby corn, water chestnuts, or various types of Chinese mushrooms.  The vegetables stay crunchy and fresh-tasting as they are not cooked or boiled in the soup and, because they are divided among each soup bowl, you can give each person (child!) exactly the vegetables they like.  This recipe is for a crowd and makes 12 large bowls of soup – for smaller servings, use 12 cups of stock and reduce the seasonings accordingly.

Food Editor's Note: This recipe came to us via Julie from one of her mother's neighbors. Julie's family enjoys this chicken all the time and now, so does my family. It is a variation of a popular recipe using apricot preserves and is perfect for Rosh Hashanah and for a sweet and tangy entrée year round. You may also use boneless chicken breasts, but cook for less time to avoid drying out.

Food Editor's Notes: This is a variation of a recipe I found on the Aish HaTorah web site, a favorite of the ShalomBoston.com staff. This recipe is now one of our favorites as well. The name and the taste are perfect for Rosh Hashanah, but you can enjoy this year round. You might think this is a very sweet dish, but the soy sauce and spices tone down the sweetness. The end result is a tasty and different chicken dish that you will be proud to serve.

Our debut feature recipe is classic chicken soup. I wanted our inaugural recipe to be something traditional, something special, something memorable. But chicken soup? Doesn't everyone know how to make chicken soup? Maybe. But here is the version that my husband calls "the elixir of life." I make this stock every Thursday evening (for Shabbat dinner the next night), before every Jewish holiday, when a family member is sick, and whenever I have a good excuse. I use the stock as is, with noodles or other starch additives, or doctor it up to make a Chinese-style soup or a vegetable soup. I have a secret, though, that keeps me from being tied to my stovetop for hours, a secret passed down from my grandmother to my mother to me: Use a pressure cooker! My pressure cooker is probably the pot used most in my kitchen. I have three sizes for year-round use (the inexpensive Presto brand), and another set for Passover. Once the pot is put on the burner, the stock is done in about 30 minutes. If you insist, you can use a regular stockpot, but be prepared to stick around for two or three hours. Here it is: my easy, quick version of the Jewish penicillin.

This elegant chicken dish is marvelous for any special occasion, especially the Jewish High Holidays as it contains honey, wine, and dried fruit.  This recipe is a triple blessing – it's easy, can be doubled for a large crowd, and can be prepared in advance.  It's guaranteed to inspire rave reviews.

Food Editor's Notes:  I made this dish for a Shabbat dinner and everyone loved it.  Even the kids who didn't eat the fruit and vegetable garnishes liked the flavor of the chicken.  This is really easy to make and great for a crowd, as you can put it all together in advance and just pop it in the oven about 1 1/2 hours before you want to serve it.  It is pretty, with the colors of the apricots, sun-dried tomatoes, and black olives, along with the flecks of herbs on the golden-skinned chicken.  (I don't even bother to put the herbs under the skin as suggested, but just sprinkle it on top to save time.)  It is tasty, with lots of delicious flavors, none overwhelming, and not too sweet.  And it is healthy, with nutritious ingredients and little fat (be sure to trim the excess fat from the uncooked chicken).  I served this with a bulgur and orzo pilaf and oven-roasted asparagus.  Delicious!