Healthy and really delicious!  This recipe came from my friend Nancy Arkuss.

Food Editor's Notes:  I originally tried this recipe when I was looking for something different that might be appropriate for Purim.  This is a Sephardic-style recipe with fruits and nuts, certainly appropriate for the holiday, but an absolutely delicious side dish for any time of year.  It is incredibly easy to make as well, and very healthy.  What more could one ask for?  You can leave out the nuts and raisins if you wish (my son's preference), but they add not only extra flavor and textures, but color as well.  I used dates, left the nuts in halves and wholes instead of chopping, and I didn't feel that salt and pepper were even necessary.  Enjoy!

Cheese blintzes are delicious and are much easier to make than most people imagine. The crepe batter mixes up in a minute and each pancake slips out of the pan in just about the same amount of time. The filling is also a snap to mix up and the forming of the blintzes is easily learned and quick work.

Small blintzes may be served as hors d’oeuvre, but I prefer to make larger ones and serve them as a main course, topped with sour cream. My mother eats them sprinkled with sugar, but I think this recipe produces blintzes which are sweet enough on their own. Of course blintzes may also be served for dessert, with or without a fruit topping or cinnamon and sugar. If you like blintzes that are less sweet, reduce the amount of sugar in the filling.

Blintzes are often served on Shavuot, as it is traditional to eat dairy foods on this holiday. But do yourself and your family a favor and make these filling, nutritious bundles more than once a year. They freeze well, and will be a welcome treat for any meal of the day!

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.

This recipe is an adaptation of one I found years ago in an old cookbook of the Sisterhood of Congregation Mishkan Tefila in Newton. It is pure comfort food to me and my favorite chili recipe. It is easy to make (you don’t have to chop chili peppers!), easy to serve, and will satisfy a hungry crowd. This version is medium spicy, but you can use more chili powder or cayenne pepper to add more zip!

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.