Simchat Torah marks the end of a month of celebration and introspection, where family and friends get together both in the shul and in the home. Traditionally, the foods we eat at this time of year are ones that have stuffing, to represent a year of fullness, and my mother, like so many other mothers made stuffed cabbage, but here are some new twists on the stuffing motif that I hope that you and your family will enjoy.

Stuffed peppers with ground beef and rice

o 1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef

o 6-7 bell peppers,
green or red, or your choice

o 1 tbsp. olive oil

o 1 tbsp. pareve margarine

o 1/2 cup onion, chopped

o 1/2 cup celery, chopped

o 1 can diced tomatoes

o 1 cup tomato sauce

o 1 garlic clove, crushed

o 1 tsp. dried oregano

o 1/2 tsp. dried basil

o 1 tsp. salt, divided

o 1/2 tsp. pepper, divided

o 2 tbsp. sugar

o 1 egg lightly beaten

o 1 1/2 tsp. pareve Worcestershire sauce (optional)

o 1 1/2 cups cooked rice

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut tops off peppers. Remove seeds and membranes. Place peppers in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil and margarine over medium heat. Sauté onion and celery until tender. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, basil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and sugar. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine egg, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add raw ground beef, cooked rice and 1 cup of the tomato mixture. Stuff peppers with meat mixture and put into an ovenproof baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over peppers. Bake for 65 minutes.

Salmon stuffed baked potatoes

o 4 large baked potatoes

o 1 can salmon, drained and deboned

o 1/4 cup mayonnaise

o 1/4 cup cottage cheese

o 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

o Salt and pepper to taste

o 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese.

o paprika to taste.

Preheat oven to 400. In a bowl, combine salmon, mayonnaise, cottage cheese, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Scoop out the inside of baked potatoes and fill with salmon mixture.

Top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Braised chicken with artichokes and olives

o 8 boneless, skinless, trimmed chicken thighs about 1 1/2 pounds

o sea salt

o freshly ground black pepper

o 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

o 1 yellow onion, diced

o 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

o 1 tsp. turmeric

o 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

o 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

o generous pinch red pepper flakes

o 1 cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

o 1 bay leaf

o 2 cups chicken broth

o 2 tsp. grated lemon zest

o 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

o 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and mixed with a spritz of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt

o 8 thawed frozen or jarred artichoke hearts, rinsed

o 1/2 cup pitted green olives, such as picholine or manzanilla

o 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint

Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken, working in batches if necessary, and cook until well browned on each side, approximately 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Decrease the heat to medium.

Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and sauté until soft and slightly golden, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, cinnamon and bay leaf. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pour in 1/4 cup of the broth to deglaze the pot, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to the bottom. Stir in a pinch of salt and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the remaining broth, lemon zest and 2 tbsp. of the lemon juice.

Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the chicken, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and olives. Stir gently to combine.

Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally until the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining tbsp. of lemon juice. Add lemon juice and salt to taste.  Garnish with mint. Serves 4