HAPPY HANUKKAH! Potato Latkes and Matzo Ball Soup

Happy Hanukkah everyone!  I hope that your holiday season has began wonderfully and that it will end the same way! 

This is the first year we've decided to celebrate the Festival of Lights and boy has it been fun!  My husband is Jewish on his father's side, and though we are not religious, we wanted our daughters to get a taste of part of their heritage.  Plus, who doesn't love 8 extra presents?! ;-) 

For our big Hanukkah meal, I decided to take a few chances and make some traditional Jewish foods.  On the menu.....English roast (we can't afford brisket!), latkes, matzo ball soup, and salad.  I was also going to make an apple dessert but somebody...ahem, my children...got into my apples before I could do that.  Oh well...maybe next time! 

So, anyway, here is my first experience with Hanukkah.....

RECIPE ONE:

Latkes

Ingredients:

- 1 bag Simply Potato hash browns, drained well. (I used the ones with onion and bell peppers for extra flavor!)
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 to 1 cup Flour
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- Salt, Pepper, and Parsley to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1.  Squeeze all the liquid from your hash browns that you can using either a paper towel or a clean dish towel.  Place them in a bowl.

2.  Toss in your eggs and seasoning.  Mix well. 

3.  Now toss in your flour and baking powder.  Depending on how wet your potatoes are, you may need just a 1/2 a cup or a full cup of flour.  Your potato mixture should appear dough like, not sloppy. 

4.  Now refrigerate for 20 minutes.  I find this helps the latkes come together better.  Or, I'm just making that up, but eh, it works for me!  Now heat the vegetable oil in your frying pan until it's hot.  Do this over medium high heat.  Take a handful of your potato mixture and make into a palm sized disc.  Place that into your oil.

5.  Now, this is important....leave it alone until it's ready to flip!  Do not be flip flopping all over the place or your latke will be oily and not done inside.  You'll know it's ready when it's easily slid around the pan and the one side is a beautiful golden brown.  Flip and brown the next side. 

6.  Remove and drain on a paper towel, sprinkling with some salt if you wish.  Eat warm and serve with sour cream if desired. 

Here's the final product....

RECIPE 2:

Semi-Homemade Matzo Ball Soup

Ingredients:

THIS, lol!

Follow the directions on the box and you'll be fine!  I jazzed my soup up by adding parsley to the matza and parsley, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the broth.   Here's a few photos of me just following the directions.....

Here's the final product.....

IT WAS AMAZING!  My oldest daughter ate so much soup I thought she may end up turning into one giant Matzo ball!  LOL! 

Whether you're Jewish or not, I recommend these recipes!  I've never had Matzo ball soup before this and lemme tell you, I am sad about all the years I've missed out on!  It was delicious!  Try these out tonight and HAPPY HANUKKAH!