Try These Hanukkah Recipes During the Festival of Lights

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.

If you are looking for Hanukkah foods, the Market District in Pine Township has Lake Champlain Chanukah Chocolate Gelt, Manischewitz Pancake Mix, Golden Frozen Potato Pancakes, Rokeach Candies and Elite Chocolate Coins.

Market District encourages shoppers to visit its Shadyside and South Hills locations for a full menu of kosher foods. Click here for details.

Giant Eagle features a Hanukkah section on its website; click here to see it.

Whole Foods' website give you "Hanukkah Dishes Worth Sharing" and "Stock up on These Hanukkah Essentials", which you can access by clicking here.

Potato Latkes

Ingredients

• 3 medium/large potatoes - washed, peeled and grated
• 1 egg for every 3 potatoes
• Approximately 1/4 cup of flour per every 3 potatoes
• 1 TBS onion powder per every 3 potatoes
• 1 TBS garlic powder per every 3 potatoes

Instructions

• Grate potatoes, drain off excess juices, add egg(s), flour, onion and garlic powders.
• Mix well.
• Place enough oil in a large frying pan to have approximately a half-inch of oil, or enough to cover the bottom half of the potatoes. 
• Take a heaping soup spoon full of potato mixture and place in hot oil and flatten to make a pancake, approximately a quarter to a half-inch thick. 
• Cook on medium heat and watch carefully as they go from being done to burnt very quickly. 
• At medium heat, cook approx. 4 - 5 minutes on each side. 
• Remove from pan when a medium to dark golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels then remove to plate. 
• Best to use tongs to turn the latkes, so oil doesn't splatter. 

Once they are ready to eat, try them with some applesauce mixed with sugar & cinnamon, sour cream or just a sprinkling of salt.

Brisket

Ingredients

• 1 Brisket any size
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• 1 can jelled cranberry sauce
• 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 OJ to cover brisket about half way.
• Cover with foil and bake at 350 until you can stick a fork in it and the fork slides out easily.
• Approx. 1 hr. per pound.
• Let cool and cut on the bias

 
Sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) from chabad.org

Ingredients

• 2 packages yeast
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 or 5 cups flour
• 3 egg yolks
• Jelly of your choice for filling
• 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.

TELL US: What are your favorite things to eat during Hanukkah? Do you have any special or traditional Hanukkah recipes in your family?

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook