📷Challah. Who doesn't love Challah? The bigger questions is what to do with all the leftover Challah!? I've got the perfect Challah 'Mom Life Hack' for the win!
Sometimes there are things that words can’t express that making Challah for my family can. It's all about love, dedication, family, warmth and a bit more love. There is something special in the air on the weeks when I bake challah for Shabbat. My kids love it. Especially the younger ones. As soon as they see the mixer come out they know that the countdown is on and there are only a few more days left until the chaos of the week fades away and Shabbat begins, a time of playing, laughing (ok, ok and some wrestling fights here and there) and connecting together as a family.
📷
They love everything about Challah from shaping their very own mini braids to setting them out in their special place on the table and taking that first bite. You can almost taste the deliciousness just by watching them. It might have something to do with the fact that it's the one time a week that they get their official “gluten-fix”. 📷
I didn't used to make Challah so often. But, when a saw a post in a FB group that I am in, asking for people to bake Challah in the merit of a miraculous recovery needed for a sweet young girl I decided to make Challah that week, just for the mitzvah, just for her. Making the blessing while preparing Challah is one of the mitzvot specific to women and it is known to be an auspicious time to ask for blessings. The Challah that week came out SO good and my family devoured it! The next week when asked if I was baking Challah again, I immediately said yes! I made it again the next week and the next week after that. And thats how I got into the routine of making Challah every week. It was my little way of being able to do what I could for this sweet girl. And now I continue to bake Challah every week with her beautiful and precious soul in mind!
Well, as much as my family loves Challah, we aren’t always able to eat the 5 pounds of Challah that my recipe requires.
So now I was faced with a dilemma... what to do with all that extra Challah? Of course, french toast comes to mind, right?! I mean what else would one do with leftover Challah? As a kid growing up we used to have french toast (using leftover Challah) on many Saturday evenings, prepared by my father. I was excited to share those fond memories with my kids and use the leftover Challah to make French toast.
📷
BUT, after cooking and preparing a whole day on Friday by the time Saturday evening rolls around, the last thing I want to do is cook. But the kids still need to eat. ( I know, seriously?! Why do they need to eat 3 times every single day!?) So, here’s my little mom life hack. While I am preparing dinner for Friday night I also prepare a French Toast Overnight Bake. It sits in the fridge soaking in all the yummy deliciousness over Shabbat and then when Shabbat is over, all I have to do is turn on the oven, put it in the oven and bake it. The kids love it, there is no prep or clean up work and boom! no more Challah leftovers.
So, if you want to score some mom points without working too hard... this is the recipe to use to make my Challah and following that you will find the recipe that I use to make Overnight Challah French Toast.
to lots of Challah eating, xxx
📷
PS. What your favorite Challah topping? Head over to the Busy and Healthy Moms Facebook group and let us know!