Challah

Ingredients:

3/4 Tablespoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup olive, corn, or canola oil

4 eggs

1/2 tablespoon salt

4 1/2 - 5 cups flour

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast and 1/2 tablespoon sugar in 1 cup luke warm water

2. Whisk in oil, beat in 3 eggs with remaining sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Add the flour slowly until dough forms a nice ball and is not too sticky.

3. Knead dough for 10-15 minutes

4. Roll dough in flour, grease a bowl and put dough in bowl. Cover with loose cloth or towel and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

5. Punch down dough, knead for 1-2 minutes, return to bowl, loosely cover and allow to rise again for 1 hour.

6. Remove dough from bowl and braid into loaf (loaves).

7. Beat remaining egg and brush half of the egg over the challah. Cover with loose cloth and allow to rise for 1 hour.

8. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

9. Brush remaining egg on challah.

10 Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Khoresh Karafs

Ingredients:

1 large onion

2 lbs of Beef Chuck Roast

3 tablespoons corn or canola oil

2 teaspoons tumeric

4 bunches of Italian parsley

2 bunches of mint

1 bunch scallions

1 large bunch celery

3 dried limes

1-2 tablespoons dried lime powder (to taste)

1 tablespoon salt (to taste)

1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)

Add the oil to a large sauce pan and slice the onion. Add onion to pot and cook (on medium-high) onion until soft, tender and slightly browned (about 7-10 minutes). Cut meat into 2 inch cubes. Add to pot and allow meat to cook on outside (5-8 minutes) - no need to cook meat all the way through. Add the tumeric and mix well. Add 3 cups of water, cover and let simmer (medium heat) for 45 minutes.

Finely chopped the mint, parsley and scallions. Add to the pot and let cook for 20 minutes. Cut the celery into 2 inch pieces. Cut the whole dried limes in half. Add celery and limes to the pot and cook for additional 30-45 minutes. Add additional water as needed. Add the dried lime, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over white basmati rice.