Fresh orange juice and cinnamon infuse this winter squash and chicken stew. Tzimmes (pronounced "tsim-iss") can also be made with brisket and is often served during the Jewish New Year. A fairly sweet dish, it's said to offer wishes for a sweet year ahead.

Makes 8 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 45 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 25 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

9 cups cubed peeled butternut, buttercup or hubbard squash (1-inch cubes; see Tip)
1 cup small pitted prunes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds), trimmed
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place squash, prunes, garlic, shallots, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle chicken with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and place on top of the vegetables. Mix broth, orange zest and juice in a small bowl and pour over the chicken. Cover the baking dish with foil.
3. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, basting often, about 1 hour more.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 398 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 101 mg cholesterol; 46 g carbohydrate; 32 g protein; 7 g fiber; 404 mg sodium; 1,330 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (580% daily value), Vitamin C (100% dv), Potassium (38% dv), Magnesium (31% dv).
2 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fruit, 4 lean meat

TIP: Tip: For quicker prep, look for cubed butternut squash in your market’s produce section.

Almost as good as grandma's. We used half the squash and used garnet yams for the remainder. Much easier than the recipe looks--just dump it all in the dish and bake. Wonderful combination of flavors. Served it with kasha (buckwheat groats).

Anonymous, Long Beach, CA