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If you have the time, here's basiclly what I do:
rub brisket (about 5 lbs) all over with lots of a good seasoning mix (now I'm using hikory smoke, but you can use any spice/herb mixture you want).
Refrigerate covered several hours (I do overnight).
Set in a roasting pan on top of aromatic vegetables (onions, carrots, etc).
Roast on high (475) about 1/2 hours on each side.
Meanwhile, saute 2 medium chopped onions in oil. Add some chopped garlic. Mix in 1/2 brown sugar; 1/2 bottle chile sauce (or ketship), 3 Tbs cider vinegar, 1 bottle beer (12 oz); any other herbs of your choice; 1 tbs. liquid smoke; salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then simmer about 1/2 hr or so. Pour about 1/2 mixture all over brisket, reserving rest in refrigerator. Cover tightly and turn oven temperature down to 300. After 4 hrs, turn off heat and leave in oven till cool. Refrigerate again. Remove from pan and slice against the grain when cold. Return to pan and cover with remaining sauce. Heat slices in the sauce until piping hot. You'll have lots of delicious meat and lots of sauce. If you want, you can thicken the sauce with flour, as you would to make grave. Enjoy. L'Shana Tova!

My Jewish in-laws will probably do the same thing they do for most of the year's special occasions: a cold cuts platter from the local Jewish deli.

I've offered to cook on more than one occasion (especially since the platter thing is starting to get really old), but it's "too much work". :P

Luckily I was invited to dinner. I'm in charge of bringing a salad. Thinking of going with greens, pears and nuts.

@orchidgirl, consider adding pomegranate seeds for a traditional twist.

I was just thinking about this because I'm in charge of a green vegetable, but don't want to do salad and want something a little exciting. The spinach with pine nuts and raisins sounds delish, though!

Here a different take on brisket, based on a recipe by Hawaiian chef Sam Choy. This is always a hit with my family:

Ingredients
3–5 lb. beef brisket
1 qt. beef broth
2 tbsp. oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 oz. fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp. whole aniseed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt & fresh ground pepper

Equipment
Large dutch oven
2 qt. saucepan
mesh sieve

Preheat oven to 275°F. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Season the brisket on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven on the stovetop. Over medium–high heat, sear the brisket a few minutes on each side. Do not let the bottom of the pot burn.
In the saucepan, combine the beef broth, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, cilantro, aniseed, and the sugar. Bring to a boil, pour over the meat in the dutch oven, and cover tightly. Cook until meat is fork tender, but not falling apart.
Allow the meat to cool. Slice across the grain, and transfer to a baking dish. Strain the sauce through a mesh sieve and pour over the meat. Rewarm before serving.

COOKING TIME: roughly 1 hour plus 1 hour for each pound of meat.

@sixsonnets - which Barefoot Contessa recipe are you going to use? Looking some up now, but she does a lot of roast chicken!

I'll be at my brothers on Friday night, which means all I need to bring is wine.

Saturday night is just my husband and myself so I figured roast chicken, potato kugel and some sort of veggie.

I'm serving beer-braised brisket, tzimmes, sephardic stuffed chicken, pareve risotto, roast, apples baked in sugar, plus all the simanim. anyone know what to do with beef lung, heart and cheeks?

i finally figured out my Rosh Hashanah menu:

Challah w/raisins
matzah ball soup
Turkey breast stuffed with onions, figs and apricots
Honey glazed sweet potatoes and carrots with pineapple
some kinda green bean side dish
apple cake for dessert