Baked Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Appetizer

These appetizers are delicious, fun, and gorgeous. You can put them out on the plates as a first course.   

10 oz. frozen spinach (defrosted)

1 sheet pastry dough (12x8 rectangle) 

6 oz. artichoke hearts, drained and dried

1 c. diced onions

2 T. chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Shabbos descends with alarming (and thrilling) speed in the winter. With candle-lighting as early as 4:30 p.m., not only do you need delicious food that will keep your children full and warm through bedtime, but the meal also needs to be cooked in advance, or require very little prep time, so as to insure that the cook can welcome Shabbos in a calm, happy, and mindful state.

Winter Shabbos meals practically demand the right soup, and below is a recipe for a heart-warming chicken soup that will get your meal started off right. Chicken soup is delicious, has been proven to fight the common cold (when the broth is made from the bones), and is the only soup one of my children will eat. This soup can be made in advance and frozen, or put up on Thursday night. (If you decide to freeze it in advance, remove the vegetables and freeze them separately.)

First and foremost, you are about to host a sheva brachos, which means you will inevitably be organizing, arranging invites, and managing a to-do list the length of your arm. The friends and family gathering to share in the simcha are planning to enjoy themselves and want you to enjoy yourself as well. Remember that a sheva brachos, like any simcha, is not intended to drive you crazy. Rather, it presents an opportunity to build relationships, enjoy the moment, and allow your family and friends to share in a happy occasion. So no matter which centerpieces you select, which dishware you use, and whether or not you’ve found a dress for the event, enjoy it. Your friends and family love you and are just happy to be with you.