Celebrating Hanukkah: Brisket, Latke and Sufganiyot Recipes

Hanukkah begins tonight and ends on the evening of 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. Here are just a few recipes to try during the eight nights.

Potato Latkes

Ingredients:

• 3 medium/large potatoes — washed, peeled and grated
• 1 egg for every 3 potatoes
• Approximately ¼ 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 one quarter- to one half-inch thick.
• Cook on medium heat approximately 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Watch carefully. These can burn quickly! 
• Remove from pan when cakes are medium to dark golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels and then remove to plate. 
• Hint: Use tongs to turn the latkes so oil doesn't splatter. 

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.

Brisket

Ingredients:

• 1 brisket, any size
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• 1 can jellied cranberry sauce
• Orange juice

Instructions:

• Line deep baking pan with foil.
• Place brisket in pan.
• Dice 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 degrees until you can stick a fork in it and the fork slides out easily — approximately one hour per pound.
• Cool, cut and serve. 

Sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) from chabad.org

Ingredients:

• 2 packages yeast
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ⅓ cup margarine
• ½ 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 1½ hours.
• Roll dough ¼-inch thick and cut circles (approximately 2 inches).
• Let circles rise ½ hour.
• Deep fry at 400 degrees about three 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?