Zhava's Quite Unhealthy Potato Latkes

Come on, this recipe is way too easy and too delicious to NOT try it! If you're feeling guilty about the frying, just remember: the miracle of Hanukkah is that Jewish people have been eating latkes for 2,000 years and we still survive!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Tons of oil for frying
• Applesauce or sour cream

PREPARATION:

Grate potatoes (OK, you have my permission to do it in a food processor - just don't tell anyone). Now here's the important part: MAKE SURE you remove as much liquid as possible from the grated potatoes! Then grate the onions, combine with the potatoes, and mix together with the eggs, salt and flour. That's all! Now drop by heaping tablespoonfuls into hot oil in frying pan, and smoosh a bit with your spoon until they measure about 3" across. Fry until the latkes turn nice and brown. Don't turn them over more than once, though, or they'll get soggy, and I'll have to say, "I told you so!"

Latkes are traditionally served with applesauce or sour cream-I like them with both! Enjoy - and have a Happy Hanukkah!

(This recipe makes about 12 small latkes-which is definitely not enough!)

Sufganiot: Jewish doughnuts

Sufganiot are deep-fried jelly doughnuts that are traditionally eaten during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Sufganiot are especially popular in Israel. The oil used to fry the doughnuts are reminiscent of the oil that miraculously burned, according to the Hanukkah story, in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.

INGREDIENTS:

• 25 grams (1 ounce) yeast
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 3 cups flour
• 50 grams (1/4 cup) margarine, melted
• dash of salt
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups water (room temperature)
• jelly (strawberry is recommended)
• oil for frying (canola is recommended)
• powdered sugar

PREPARATION:

1. To make the dough: Combine the first four ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, cover, and wait until it rises. In another bowl, mix 3 cups of flour with the melted margarine, salt, sugar and egg yolks. Combine the yeast mixture with the flour mixture.

Slowly add water while stirring. When batter is smooth, cover the bowl with a towel and let it sit and rise.

2. To make the doughnuts: After the batter has risen, pour it onto a floured surface and roll it out. Use a glass with a small opening to cut out circles of the dough. Place a drop of jelly in the middle of each circle, and then cover with another circle of dough. Make sure that 2 circles attach well to form a closed ball with jelly in the middle. Cover the doughnuts with a towel and let rise.

3. To fry the doughnuts: Heat oil in a deep pot until very hot. Drop the doughnuts into the oil and fry on both sides until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

TIP: These sufganiot are only good fresh. After you make the dough, only fry a few at a time. Store the rest of the dough in the refrigerator.

Source: Kosherfood.About.com

Hanukkah Cookies

What do kids like even more than eating cookies? Making cookies! Mix the dough, get out the rolling pin and Hanukkah-shaped cookie cutters (menorah, oil lamp, dreidel, and more), and give your children a memorable and yummy Hanukkah experience.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (200 grams) butter or margarine, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

PREPARATION:

1. Mix ingredients margarine and sugar until smooth. Add in eggs, juice and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, mix flour with baking powder.
3. Add flour mixture to dough and mix until just blended.
4. Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for at least an hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Grease cookie sheets.
7. Flour surface and rolling pin.
8. Roll out dough until 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Add flour if the dough is sticky. Cut dough with Hanukkah cookie cutters.
9. Place Hanukkah-shaped cookies on the greased cookie sheet.
10. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Source: Kosherfood.About.com

Ruth's Homebaked Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Mix together for 1 minute:

• 2 sticks of margarine or butter
• ¾ c. brown sugar
• ¾ c. white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Add and mix in for 1 minute:

• 1 ¾ c.flour (I always use Pillsbury's best)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt

Add and mix in for 30 seconds:

• 2 ½ c.oatmeal
• 1 ¼ c. raisins

Bake in 350 oven for 15 minutes. ENJOY!

Sara's Chicago Mandel Bread

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup oil
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• Chopped almonds and/or chocolate chips (1/2 cup)

PREPARATION:

Beat oil and sugar, then add eggs. Mix in vanilla or almond extract. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Shape dough into two loaves on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into diagonal slices ¾-inch wide. Lay slices on pan sideways and return to oven for 10 minutes to brown.

Dip in melted chocolate when cool.

Cranberry-Orange Bread

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar (maybe a little less)
• 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
• ¾ cup orange juice
• 1 beaten egg
• ½ can whole berry cranberry sauce (equal to 1 cup)

PREPARATION:

Sift dry ingredients. Mix in wet ingredients. Fold in cranberry sauce. Bake in a greased loaf pan for 1 hour at 350, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 1 loaf.

Frozen Pumpkin Pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 4 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 2 cups butter pecan ice cream, softened

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Press onto bottom and up sides of a 9" pie plate and bake for 8 minutes. Cool completely.

In medium bowl, mix pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

Fold in whipped topping until blended. Fold in ice cream to partially blend; mixture will be marbled. Place in cooled crust and freeze for 3 hours. Then cover tightly and return to freezer. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving time. Serves 8.