Recipe(tried): A Rosh Hashana Meal in Fla... Pot Roast Of Brisket with Gravy, Carrot Ring, Spinach Noodle Kugel, Vegetable Tsimmes, Roasted Potatoes with Herbs and Garlic, Rugelach, Banana Cake

Tonight for dinner we will be having Pot Roast of Brisket, Carrot Ring, Vegetable and Dried Fruit Tsimmes, Roasted Potatoes with Herbs and Garlic, Spinach Noodle Kugel, Challah Bread, Rugelach and Banana Cake.

POT ROAST OF BRISKET WITH GRAVY
Makes 8-10 servings

3 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (5 lb.) first-cut brisket
2 large onions, peeled and cut into eighths
2 lbs. carrots, scraped and cut into slices
1 cup dry red wine

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Make a paste with the garlic, salt and pepper. Rub the paste onto both sides of brisket. Put the meat into a roasting pan, fat side up and roast until very brown, 15-20 minutes.

Remove the brisket from the oven and lower the heat to 350 degrees F.

Strew the onions over the bottom of the pan. Replace the meat and put the carrots on top. Pour the wine into the pan.

Cover the meat with aluminum foil and roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove the meat and carrots to a plate and keep warm or refrigerate. Pour the liquid and onions into a bowl. Refrigerate or freeze the liquid until the fat rises to the top and can easily be removed.

Put the liquids and onions in a processor or blender and puree.

Slice the meat and put it back in the pan for a few minutes with the gravy to heat up. Serve with the carrots, reheating if necessary.

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CARROT RING
Makes 6-8 servings

1 1/2 lbs. carrots, scraped and sliced into thin rounds
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening
4 eggs, separated
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. almond extract
2 tbsp. water

Cook the carrots in boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes until very tender. Drain well and puree.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8-cup mold or Bundt pan.

Cream together the brown sugar and shortening, add the egg yolks and the carrot puree; set aside.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and baking soda and salt. Add to the carrot mixture alternately with the lemon juice, lemon peel and extract and 2 tbsp. water; set aside.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into carrot mixture then gently turn into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour until the ring is puffed and the top is slightly cracked and lightly colored.

Invert the ring onto a serving dish.

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SPINACH NOODLE KUGEL
Makes 6-8 servings

This recipe can easily be doubled.

1 onion, chopped
1 (1/2 cup) stick butter, divided use
1 (8 oz.) pkg. noodles (fine or medium)
2 pkg. Birds Eye Creamed Spinach, thawed and cooked according to package directions
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
Bread crumbs (to sprinkle on top)
Salt and peppe,r to taste

Saute onion in 1/4 stick butter until golden.

Cook noodles according to directions on package. Drain noodles and toss with the remaining 1/2 stick butter. Add the spinach, sour cream, eggs, sauteed onions and salt and pepper to your taste; blend well.

Pour into a buttered casserole dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes. YUMMY!!!

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VEGETABLE TSIMMES
Makes 8-10 servings

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
4 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and sliced
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup prunes
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped dates
Grated rind of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup honey

Layer all fruit and veggies in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until vegetables are tender.

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ROASTED POTATOES WITH HERBS AND GARLIC

2 lbs. small red potatoes, cleaned and quartered
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried savory
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss the potatoes with the other ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

Roast in a large baking pan at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes, stirring one or twice.

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RUGELACH
Makes 32 delicious cookies

1/2 lb. unsalted butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups flour
FOR THE FILLING:
1/2 cup sugar (and 1/4 sugar for topping)
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Beat in flour little by little. Knead dough till all flour is incorporated. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.

Divide dough into two balls. Wrap up 1 ball and refrigerate and roll out the other ball into a circle about 1/16-thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 16 pie shaped wedges.

Combine the 1/2 cup sugar with the remaining ingredients for the filling. Sprinkle filling onto the top and roll up each wedge starting at wide end. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-18 minutes.

These freeze well also.

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BANANA CAKE

3 cups sugar
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. baking soda
6 ripe bananas
4 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Sift all dry ingredients together in a large bowl; set aside.

Put the bananas into a large mixing bowl and mash at low speed. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice and vanilla and mix for 1 minute at medium speed. Add the dry ingredients, mix till smooth, about 2 minutes.

Add the chocolate chips and mix till blended. Pour into a greased and floured 9-inch tube or Bundt pan (can also use 2 loaf pans).

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 1/4 hours. Cool on cake rack 15-20 minutes and then unmold. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before wrapping tightly.

If you are making 2 loaves and saving 1 for later, this cake keeps at room temperature for about 5 days and freezes well for 3 months, well wrapped.