Some Sample Hanukkah Recipes

Roast Chicken

Yields 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes. Cook Time: 1 hour

Roast chicken is a Hanukkah favorite. Simply mix spices, coat chicken and then bake uncovered in the oven. You can make preparation and serving even easier by buying a chicken cut into eighths. The result is a moist and flavorful chicken entree that everyone will love.

Ingredients

• 1 3 1/2-pound (1.5 kilo) chicken, cut into eighths
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water

Preparation

1. Place chicken in a shallow pan.
2. Mix oil and spices in a bowl. Rub on chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
3. Discard marinade. Pour water into a shallow roasting pan. Place rack over water. Place chicken on the rack.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
5. Roast chicken, covered, for 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and its juices run clear when pricked with a fork. Uncover the final 30 min. to brown the top.

Variations

1. Add 1-2 tablespoons of white wine to the marinade.
2. Place onion slices under the rack in the roasting pan.

Sweet Challa Bread

Makes 2 medium loaves

Ingredients for yeast prep

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup bread flour

Ingredients for the bread

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 whole egg
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (it’s fine to use a different salt)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 1/2-3 cups bread flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• poppy seed or sesame seed or cinnamon sugar or cheese (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water, honey and yeast.
2. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in 1 cup bread flour, and cover with a towel.
4. Let stand for 30 minutes.
5. Stir in the olive oil, whole egg, and egg yolks until very well mixed.
6. Add the salt, sugar, and the rest of the flour.
7. You should have a sticky dough. Pour dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead, adding flour as you need it, for 10 minutes.
8. Place dough in a large greased mixing bowl and let rise for 1 hour.
9. Place dough in the refrigerater and let rise over night or at least 6 hours.
10. Turn dough out on a corn-mealed surface and cut it into two proportional pieces.
11. Cut and braid the two dough balls. Place in two loaf pans or form the Jewish circle with them.
12. Let dough rise for 1 hour and preheat your oven to 375F.
13. Beat 1 egg with the tablespoon of water and brush the doughs with the egg wash twice.
14. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or cinnamon sugar, as desired.
15. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. You may have to cover the breads with foil to stop them from browning too much after 15 or 20 minutes.
16. Remove the breads from the oven and either place them in plastic bags to get a soft crust or place them on wire racks until cooled completely before storing for a crisp crust (I personally don’t wait for either and just eat it right out of the oven).
17. If you would like a cheesey challah bread, sprinkle on your favorite cheese in the last 2 minutes of baking.

Middle Eastern Flat Bread

Ingredients

• 6 c. flour
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 pkgs. yeast
• 2 1/2 c. warm water

Preparation

1. Put 6 cups flour, 1 tbsp. salt and 2 tbsp. sugar in bowl.
2. Proof 2 packages yeast in 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp. sugar.
3. Add yeast mixture to bowl with 2 - 2 1/2 cups warm water (or enough water to make dough stiff enough to handle).
4. Knead and let double.
5. Punch down and divide into 16 balls.
6. Let stand for 10 minutes, then roll into 6 inch rounds.
7. Fry in a pan until nice and bubbly. Turn for other side.
8. Brush tops with oil to keep soft. After that, sprinkle salt on it.
9. Cut into pie-shaped slices with a pizza cutter, if needed.
10. Keep warm on a plate under a towel until serving.

Crock Pot Pumpkin Soup (Aka Korma Soup)

Takes 3 ¼ hours

Makes 10 cups

This is delicious soup is based on a recipe from “S.O.U.P.S. - Seattle’s Own Undeniably Perfect Soups” by Michael Congdon and is wonderful.

Ingredients

• 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon green peppercorn
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried ancho chile powder
• 1/8 teaspoon dried chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon vietnamese ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1 (8 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• grated cheddar cheese, for garnish
• toasted cashews, for garnish

Preparation

1. In a hot skillet, toast the cloves, coriander seeds, and peppercorns.
2. Add the ground spices to the whole ones in the skillet and toast the mixture over high heat, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes or until the spices begin to smoke.
3. Remove from heat, let cool, and grind together to a powder (an electric coffee grinder works well for this); set aside.
4. Pour the stock, half and half, and evaporated milk into the crock pot; stir well, cover, and turn on high.
5. Put the pureed pumpkin into a large bowl, then add the maple syrup, salt, and the now-powdered spice mixture; use a whisk to incorporate the mixture well.
6. Add the pumpkin mixture to the liquids in the crock pot, whisking it well to make sure there are no lumps.
7. Cover and let simmer on high for 2 to 3 hours.
8. Garnish servings with grated cheddar cheese and toasted cashew pieces.

Mulled Wine

Yields 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1/2-inch piece of cinnamon stick
• 3-4 whole allspice seeds
• 3-4 whole cloves
• sugar substitute equal to 1/4-1/2 cup sugar
• 1 long piece of navel orange peel

Preparation

1. In a 2-quart pot, combine all ingredients and heat, but do not boil, until liquid is steaming.
2. Cover and let sit for 1 hour off the heat.
3. Gently reheat to steam again.
4. Strain liquid into a 2-quart thermos bottle. Seal lid tightly.
5. Serve steaming hot.

Apple and Orange Punch

Ingredients

• 4 cups apple juice
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 4 cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 orange, sliced

Preparation

1. Heat all ingredients, except orange slices, in a saucepan.
2. Reduce heat when it boils and cook for 10 more minutes.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Heat again, garnish with orange slices, and serve.

Hanukkah Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

Yields approximately 20 pancakes

Fried food is traditionally eaten on Hanukkah in commemoration of the oil that miraculously burned for eight days when the Maccabees purified and rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem. Fried Potato Pancakes (called Latkes in Yiddish and Levivot in Hebrew) are a holiday favorite. For best results, use russet potatoes. This variety is much higher in starch, and the starch is necessary to keep the pancakes from falling apart. Most people choose to peel the potatoes, though others leave the skin on.

Ingredients

• 5 potatoes
• 2 onions
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• between 1/4 to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• oil for frying (canola is recommended)

Preparation

1. Peel potatoes. Place in a bowl of cold water so they won’t turn brown.
2. When ready to prepare the latkas, drain the potatoes. Place potatoes and onions in a food processor fitted with a knife blade. Pulse until smooth. Drain mixture well.
3. Pour potato mixture into a large bowl. Add beaten eggs. Add salt and pepper. Add enough flour so that the mixture holds together.
4. Pour 1 inch of oil into a large, deep frying pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
5. Carefully drop 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into the hot oil.
6. Flatten the pancake slightly so the center will cook.
7. Fry for several minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
8. Drain on paper towels.

Serving Suggestion: Serve the latkes with applesauce.

Hanukkah Loukoumades (Honey Puffs)

Ingredients

• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 cups vegetable oil, or as needed
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water in a small bowl. The water should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam. In a large bowl, mix the warm milk, sugar, and salt, and mix to dissolve. Pour the yeast mixture into the milk mixture, and stir to combine.
2. Beat in the butter, eggs, and flour until the mixture forms a smooth, soft dough. Cover the bowl, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Stir the dough well, cover, and let rise 30 more minutes.
3. Mix honey and 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let the honey syrup cool.
4. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Oil should be about 2 inches deep.
5. Place a large table or soup spoon in a glass of water near the batter. Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of dough per puff with the wet spoon, drop it into the wet palm of your hand, and roll it back into the spoon to create a round shape. Do not overhandle the puffy, soft dough. Drop the dough balls into the hot oil in batches, wetting the spoon each time you make a dough ball. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown on the bottom, and roll them over to cook the other side, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Gently set the loukoumades aside to drain on paper towels.
6. Place the loukoumades on a baking sheet, drizzle them with honey syrup, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm.