Happy Hanukkah!

[wendyc]

Happy Hanukkah to all families who celebrate! Wishing you eight wonderful days with your family and friends.

[Ellen]

http://www.pflag-queens.org/dreidel-animated.gifCHAG SAMEACH (Happy Holiday)!!!

http://www.boulder.lib.co.us/youth/holidays/images/Hanukkah_anim.gif

[aidensmom23]

Thanks! I've been busy cooking doughnuts and latkes. Hopefully Aiden doesn't want to eat any:p

[mischloss]

BTW, I have been using about 7 carbs per Latke! I usually have a 2 oz. latke, the size of the inside of your palm (think making a meatball but then flattening it a bit!) :D and it has worked out very well with insulin administration!!! My son just devours them with sour cream!!!

Make sure you include counting apple sauce for those that take their latkes that way!!!

YES THIS WILL BE EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS!!!! :p

[Colinsmom]

We made homemade applesauce with splenda with ours last night- it was so much better then the stuff in the jar!

[wendyc]

We made homemade applesauce with splenda with ours last night- it was so much better then the stuff in the jar!

The Motts all natural, no sugar added is actually very good. Not artificial sweeteners. I think 1/2c is about 13g's. But of course, it's not as fun as making your own!

[mischloss]

Yeah, we buy the Mott's unsweetened as well. Love that one. It has just the right "taste" of sweetness for me.

I grate my potatoes fresh for each night that we make it. I haven't used the Maneshevitz Potato mixes at all, ever.... (against my grandmother's religion! :p ) Just learned to make it from scratch but it is such a wonderful and special treat that it is worth the time. Besides, you get to Kibbitz (jewish for chatter and gossip!) in the kitchen while cooking with your kids, what could be better than that. Great times, great memories!!!

I personally like it with sour cream. My husband mushes both together and eats it that way! LOL

[Ellen]

I begged my mother to make ruggeleh for gifts for the family and she capitulated. Lots of mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmms. Hopefully she'll teach the grandchildren how to make them too. She hadn't made them in 22 years - since my nephew's bris ;-).

[Colinsmom]

I agree about making them from scratch- I think the smell of potatoes, onions and the sting of the hot oil on my now-burnt arms are all rites of jewish passage...:D

[mischloss]

:D You know you have the recipe right when tears are streaming down your cheeks from grating the onions!

[Kaylee's Mommy]

Happy Hanukkah to all those that celebrate! You ladies are making me very hungry!!;) the food sounds wonderful!

[Eoin'sMam]

Ye are all making me hungry...any chance of sending us the recipe...sounds like a treat that would easily transfer to and enhance an Irish Christmas!

[Sadie'smum]

I agree,i have never even heard of them before,but they do sound yummy!.

[Ellen]

Gluten Free Goddess has a lovely post about her latkes (with pictures)

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

12.15.2006
Karina's Latkes and Applesauce (http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/12/karinas-latkes-and-applesauce.html)



http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/517/1831/400/KarinasLatkes5.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/517/1831/1600/KarinasLatkes5.jpg) a stack of karina's potato latkes

Karina's Potato Latkes

"Put on your yamaka, it's time for Hanukkah!" [Adam Sandler]

Yup, Babycakes, 'tis the season (http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/) for latkes. I just adore them. And they're easy to make gluten-free. Although latkes come in all shapes and sizes, according to personal preference, I make mine thin and lacy, fried to a crispy golden brown. Oy, these are good! Maybe Mel Gibson wouldn't be such a nudnik, if he tasted these.

Serve them with homemade applesauce [recipe below].

3 large starchy potatoes (Idaho work well), peeled
1/2 small to medium onion, minced
1/2 to 2/3 cup superfine brown rice flour, or all-purpose GF flour mix
2 to 3 organic free-range eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp sea salt, to taste
fresh grated pepper, to taste
organic canola oil or high heat safflower oil, for frying


Grate the potatoes by hand or in a food processor (follow manufacturer's instructions for grating). Press the grated potatoes between clean paper towels, or tea towels, to extract moisture.

In a large bowl, combine the grated potatoes with the onions and GF flour, then add the beaten eggs, sea salt, pepper. Stir well. Start with 2 eggs, and a half cup of GF flour; add more of each if you need to.

Heat a good inch and a half of canola oil in a deep sided skillet over high heat. Carefully drop the batter with a large spoon, or fork, into the hot oil, and press down with a spatula. I like my latkes lacy and irregular, and this is the method I use to achieve this.

Cook the latkes until they are golden on each side - crispy on the outside, and tender in the middle. This takes maybe five minutes, depending upon the size of the latke.

Remove the latkes with a slotted spatula and place on paper towels, to drain.


http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/517/1831/400/KarinasLatkes4.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/517/1831/1600/KarinasLatkes4.jpg)

We keep the drained latkes warm in a hot oven, at 400 degrees F., until all the latkes are ready to serve, and try to work fast, Bubela, as latkes are best eaten hot from the pan.

Serve the latkes immediately with homemade applesauce. Some people like sour cream stirred with a touch of horseradish on the side.


Serves about 4 - depending upon appetites.


http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/517/1831/400/ApplesauceZz.jpg (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/517/1831/1600/ApplesauceZz.jpg)karina's homemade applesauce


[Homemade] Applesauce



Homemade applesauce is so easy, and so much better than jarred applesauce. It's a must with crispy golden latkes. I like to combine two or three apple varieties for flavor - Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and MacIntosh. Sometimes I add pears.

8-9 assorted apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup unsweetened 100% apple juice
1/2 cup water, more if needed
pinch of sea salt
1-2 teaspoons honey (or brown sugar), to taste - optional
cinnamon, to taste

Place the chopped apples in a large saucepan and add the apple juice and enough water to barely cover the apples. Add a pinch of sea salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook the apples until they are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Mash the apples with a potato masher. Stir in the honey and cinnamon, if adding. Continue to cook over low heat until the apples are soft and all the excess liquid has cooked off; about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Serve at room temperature; or cover and store in an air-tight container and chill.

Makes 6 servings.


Enjoy! Shalom!

And for a truly fabulous latke Q & A [with latke links galore], Babycakes, don't miss THIS (http://is-that-my-bureka.blogspot.com/2006/12/latkes-latkes-and-more-latkes.html) post at Bureka Boy's uber-yummy blog.


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[Eoin'sMam]

Thanks for that Ellen...all ingredients are now on my Christmaws shopping list...yum!!