Confessions of a Mormon Foodie

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Holiday Cookies

Nothing brings me back home for the holidays like cookies. As a kid, iced sugar cookies and hot chocolate were a favorite of mine during the holidays. My mother would make a large batch sugar cookies, using Christmas themed cookie cutters, and then we would ice them together.

Getting my brothers and I to leave the cookie dough alone long enough that she could actually bake them was a challenge, but it was still fun.

Homemade cookies and Christmas just can’t be separated for me. My kids still like leaving milk and cookies for Santa. One of my daughters is scaring me, though. She told me that Santa must be getting tired of eating cookies because so many other kids leave him milk and cookies. She’s suggested we leave him celery and carrot sticks, instead.

I’m thinking about getting her therapy.

Over the years, different kinds of cookies have become associated with the holiday for me – traditional icebox sugar cookies, spice cookies, chocolate chip, peanut butter, citrus dainties … they’re all delicious. Each one works well with hot chocolate or wassail (the non-alcoholic kind).

They’re also easier to make that you might think.

Over the next week I’m going to share some of my favorites with you. Stay tuned, fellow cookie lovers. These homemade cookies are sure to satisfy even your pickiest holiday cookie monster.

If anything, you should make these so your kids don’t leave Santa celery and carrot sticks.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Course Israeli Salad

With all the fried foods filling the tables at Hanukkah, it's nice to serve a bright, raw, vegetable salad to balance out the meal. Israeli salads are characterized by finely chopped tomatoes and cucumbers.

This version is a little bit chunkier, but then again, so am I.

For the Dressing

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place all the ingredients in small jar. Put on the lid and shake until well blended and put it aside in the refrigerator.

For the Salad

1 cup yellow grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 cucumbers, diced in ½ inch slices. (Don't peel them!)
2 large ribs of celery, sliced thin
2 green onions, sliced thin (use both white and green parts)
3 tablespoons dried parsley

Gently toss all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Add half the dressing, and toss again. Serve cold.

Makes about 4 - 6 servings.

Save the rest of the dressing to top other salads later in the week.

If you can't find yellow grape tomatoes, try substituting one cup of diced yellow pepper.

Monday, December 10, 2007

How to Make Potato Latkes

Because of the central role of oil in the miracle of the Menorah, fried foods are traditional at Hanukkah. Potato latkes are just that – fried potatoes. They're kind of like Israeli hash browns. This recipe, when prepared well, results in latkes that are a crispy golden brown on the outside, and snow-white and moist on the inside.

I originally found this recipe in Celebrate! The Holiday Cookbook published in 2000 by the Cooking Club of America (I was a charter member!). I've modified it to suit my own tastes.

Ingredients

3 large potatoes (Russets will do nicely)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup chopped green onion
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon dried dillweed
light oil for frying

Peel and coarsely grate the potatoes in a food processor.

You can do this by hand if you want to, but I'm lazy.

Place grated potatoes in a clean dishtowel and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can. Place in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice.

Add the onions, eggs, flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and dill, to the potatoes and mix well. Heat about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. You'll the know the oil is hot enough when a small shred of the potato mixture immediately starts to sizzle if you drop it in the oil.

Use a tablespoon to scoop up rounded globs of the potato mixture, and slide them into the hot oil. Press them into the bottom of the pan with back of the spoon to flatten them out. Don't cook too many at once, and don't let them touch. It will cool the oil to fast, and the latkes will stick together.

Fry for about two or three minutes on each side until they are crispy and brown. Remove from the oil and place on paper towels to drain off the excess oil.

Serve them hot with a dollop of plain yogurt, sour cream, or applesauce. (My wife prefers sour cream.)

Makes about 10 to 15 latkes.

You can make them up to an hour ahead of time, if you want to prepare them early. Just put them on a baking sheet and put them in a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven to keep them warm.

You can use frozen potatoes if you want, but make sure they are completely thawed and be extra diligent about pressing them in the towel. You've got to get the excess water out or you'll get hurt when they hit the oil.