One our holiday traditions is to share a meal with neighbors - they are the people closest to you! Every year I host a Neighborhood Nosh and invite the surrounding eight blocks of families to our home. We catch up, toast triumphs and ease sadness. Some say it is their favorite party of the year. It is simple - just ask everyone to bring a dish to share. The year round benefits for everyone will far outweigh your efforts to make it happen! Good for the community soul! 

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My gift for the shared table is a roasted turkey and fresh homemade bread, which I've been making since I was 10 years of age. This is my eggbread/challah recipe: Bring 2 cups milk, 6 tbsp butter, 1/3 cup sugar just to a boil in a saucepan. Pour it into a ceramic bowl and let cool until lukewarm (approx 110 degrees). Add 2 packages of dry yeast and let sit for 10 mins. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Add 3 beaten eggs, a tsp of salt, a tsp of nutmeg. Stir in 3 cups of flour. Then sprinkle in flour and mix until it is kneadable. Take it out of the bowl and knead, adding a bit of flour as needed, until smooth and elastic. Clean the bowl and rub 2 tbsp of butter around the inside of bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it a bit to coat it in butter. Cover with a damp cloth. let it rise for 1.5 hours, then split the dough into 2 and each piece into 3. Roll the 3 pieces into a long strand about 16" and then braid. Put both braids onto a cookie sheet, cover to rise for about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until golden brown on top and brush with butter after out of oven. 

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For more holiday ideas, visit my Holiday Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/marycouzin/holiday-ideas