This year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 8, and ends on the evening of Sunday, Dec. 16.
Observing the Festival of Lights goes hand-in-hand with making special Hanukkah foods. Before you light the menorah, make sure you have all the ingredients for some great brisket, latke, and sufganiyot. Although there are many recipes, below are a few to try during the eight nights.
Potato Latkes
3 medium/large potatoes, washed, peeled and grated
1 egg
About 1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Oil, for frying
Apple sauce or sour cream, for serving
Instructions:
Grate potatoes, drain off excess liquid, add egg, flour, onion and garlic powders. Mix well.
Place enough oil in a large frying pan to have about a 1/2-inch of oil, or enough to cover the bottom half of the potatoes. Heat oil.
Take a heaping soup spoon full of potato mixture and place in hot oil and flatten to make a pancake, about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Cook on medium heat about 4 to 5 minutes each side, watching carefully—they go from being done to burnt very quickly. Best to use tongs to turn the latkes, so oil doesn't splatter.
Remove from pan when latkes are a medium to dark golden brown. Drain on paper towels then remove to plate.
Once they are ready to eat, try them with some apple sauce mixed with sugar and cinnamon, sour cream or just a sprinkling of salt.
To increase this recipe, add 1 egg, about 1/4 cup flour, and 1 tablespoon each onion powder and garlic powder for every 3 potatoes you use.
Brisket
1 brisket, any size
1 can jelled cranberry sauce
1 packet onion soup mix
Orange juice
Instructions:
Line deep baking pan with foil. Place brisket in pan. Dice up cranberry sauce and place on top of brisket. Sprinkle onion soup mix on top of brisket. Pour in enough orange juice to cover brisket about half way.
Cover with foil and bake at 350° F until you can stick a fork in and it slides out easily, about 1 hour per pound.
Let cool and cut on the bias.
Sufganiyot
(Jelly Doughnuts) from chabad.org
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 packages yeast
1/3 cup margarine
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 or 5 cups flour
Jelly of your choice, for filling
Oil, for deep frying
Powdered sugar
Instructions:
Mix water, sugar, juice, and yeast. Let stand 10 minutes. Melt margarine and add to yeast mixture. Beat in eggs and salt.
Add flour, mixing and kneading by hand to form a soft dough. Let rise 1-1/2 hours.
Roll dough 1/4-inch thick and cut circles (approximately 2 inches). Let circles rise 1/2 hour. Deep fry at 400° F about 3 minutes, turning once.
Pipe in jelly and roll in powdered sugar.
What are your favorite things to eat during Hanukkah? Do you have any special or traditional Hanukkah recipes in your family? Tell us in comments.
