Since Rosh Hashanah starts on a weekend evening this year, I’ll actually have time to prepare! Don’t get me wrong, last year’s quick and easy dinner for the working professional was DELISH but it is always nice to have the extra time to be a bit more fancy.

This year, I’m going to fully embrace the apple theme with this menu. Try it with me and show me photos of your versions on social! Insta / Facebook / Twitter / Pint

BTW this menu is completely dairy-free.

Apple Cinnamon Turkey-Bacon Bites

Inspired by Sprinkle Some Fun

I tried making turkey-bacon wrapped appetizers recently during my Spanish-Themed Shabbat, and they were such a huge hit and so easy to make! I can’t wait to try them again with a different fruit combo.

• 1 pound of turkey-bacon with each slice cut in half
• 2 large peeled apples cut into 1 inch slices
• Pinches of cinnamon and sugar

Preheat oven to a low broil or 400 degrees. Wrap 1/2 piece of turkey-bacon around each apple slice. Place each bite on a foil lined baking sheet and sprinkle each with cinnamon and then with sugar. Bake around 10-15 minutes, until the turkey-bacon is crispy on the edges. After removing, sprinkle with a little more cinnamon and sugar. Serve with toothpicks!

Pomegranate, Apple and Date Salad

By Joy of Kosher

Serves 4 (so I will be multiplying this a bunch):

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1½ tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoons black pepper
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6-8 cups arugula
• ½ red onion, sliced thin
• 1 apple, cut into slices (Red Delicious or Fuji work great)
• 4 dates, diced
• 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
• ¼ cup walnuts

For the dressing: in a small bowl, whisk up minced garlic, lemon juice, honey, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle olive oil into mixture while whisking.

Put red onions with arugula in a bowl and pour in about ¾ of dressing. Toss with tongs. Reserve the rest of dressing for drizzling. Put a pile of arugula on 4 plates. Top each with apple slices. Sprinkle on dates, pomegranate seeds and walnuts. Drizzle with more dressing, and serve!

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

By Erin Clarke/Well Plated

Serves 8. Note: the photo below shows cheesy croutons, which I’ve left out of the recipe since I am keeping this dinner dairy-free. Pass over the challah for dipping though!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped (about 3 cups total)
• 2 large butternut squash (about 5 pounds total), peeled and diced into chunks
• 4 medium or 3 large apples (try a mix of sweet apples such as McIntosh or Golden Delicious and tart such as Granny Smith or Cortland), peeled, cored and roughly diced
• 3-4 cups low sodium chicken stock, divided
• 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large, deep stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low. Add the onions and cook until very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the onions cook, cut and peel the squash and apples. Add them to the pot, then add 2 cups of the stock. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat to low, then cover, and cook until the squash and apples are very soft, about 20 to 30 minutes depending upon how larger you cut your squash and apple pieces (smaller pieces will cook more quickly).

Once the apples and squash in the soup pot are tender, puree the soup with an immersion blender or carefully transfer it to a food processor fitted with a steel blade to puree in batches. Return soup to the pot once complete. Add 1 cup of the remaining chicken stock, then stir, adding a bit more stock as needed to reach your desired consistency (the soup will thicken somewhat when stored). Leave the texture fairly thick and rich. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, black pepper, and cayenne. Taste and add a bit more salt and pepper as desired.

Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Apple Cider & Brown Sugar Corned Beef and Veggies

Inspired by Genius Kitchen, Mirj2338; Photo by SharonChen

• 1 corned beef brisket
• 1 quart apple cider
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 8 small red potatoes
• 2 medium carrots, pared, and cut into chunks
• 1 onion, peeled, and cut into eighths
• 1⁄2 head cabbage, cut into chunks –>I’m going to replace this with some other fresh root veggies I can find at the market

Place all ingredients in a large crock pot (cut meat in half if necessary); stir to mix. Cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Remove meat and vegetables and some of the cooking liquid. Slice meat thinly across the grain. Serve with vegetables and some of the liquid.

Apples & Raisin Noodle Kugel

By Simply Beautiful Eating

If you couldn’t tell from my name, I love kugel. I’ll be making my family recipe on Sunday, but this one from Simply Beautiful Eating also looks phenomenal.

• 1 package egg noodles, medium size
• ½ cup margarine, melted (1 stick) <–I changed this from butter in the original recipe
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• ½ cup raisins
• 2 – 3 large granny smith apples, shredded (or 6 small apples)

Preheat oven to 350F. Boil noodles according to package directions in salted water, drain and rinse with cool water. In a large bowl, add noodles, eggs, melted margarine, salt, sugar, cinnamon, raisins and grated apples. Place in greased 9″ x 13″ casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 50 – 60 minutes or until golden brown.

Parve / Dairy-Free Apple Honey Cake

By Tori Avey

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups canola oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups all purpose baking flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• Dash ground cloves
• 4 Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and shredded)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they are frothy. Whisk in the honey, white sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla. In a separate medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and spices. Incorporate the flour mixture into the liquid, stir to blend. Fold in the shredded apples.

Spray your Bundt pan with cooking spray, making sure to evenly coat the entire inner surface. Pour your batter into the pan. Bake cake in preheated oven for 75-90 minutes. When the edges darken and pull fully away from the sides of the pan, and the cake browns all the way across the surface, insert a toothpick deep into the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.

Let the cake cool for exactly 10 minutes, then invert it onto a flat plate. Tap the Bundt pan gently to release the cake. If your cake sticks, use a plastic knife to carefully loosen the cake around the center tube and sides. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.

Note: the original recipe calls for a vanilla sugar icing mix, but in the fall spirit I’m going to try some melted caramel instead.