Marshmallow Dreidels

For an easy spin on the Chanukah top, whip up these fun treats that look as good as they taste! Marshmallows form the dreidels’ bodies, chocolate kisses serve as the tips, and pretzel sticks act as the knobs. A quick dip in melted white or milk chocolate provides a surface for colorful sprinkles.

Ingredients:

One bag of marshmallows

One bag of thin pretzel sticks

One bag of Hershey’s Kisses

One package white chocolate chips

One package milk, semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Assorted Sprinkles

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper.

Using a separate microwave-safe bowl for each type, melt the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.

Spear each marshmallow with a pretzel stick, making sure it goes about 3/4 of the way into the marshmallow. Using the pretzel stick as a handle, dip one of your treats into the chocolate so that it is completely coated.  Adhere a Hershey’s Kiss to the other end of the marshmallow.  Place on lined baking sheet and decorate with sprinkles.

Put the marshmallow dreidels in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving.

Potato Kugel

from SmittenKitchen.com

Serves about 12

1 large or 2 small yellow onions
3 pounds or about 5 large baking — Russet or Idaho — potatoes, peeled
1/3 cup potato starch*
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs
5 tablespoons olive oil, schmaltz or another oil of your choice

Heat oven to 350°F.

By hand: Chop onions very finely and coarsely grate potatoes.

With a food processor: Blend onions in food processor with regular blade until finely ground. Switch to grating blade and grate potatoes — I like to do this one their sides, for the longest strands.

Both methods: Place onions and potatoes in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt, pepper and starch evenly over potatoes and toss together with two forks or, as I do it, your very clean hands, evenly coating strands. Break eggs right on top and again use forks or your fingers to work them into the strands, evenly coating the mixture.

Heat a 1/4 cup oil or fat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet** over high heat until very hot. Pour potato-egg mixture into pan carefully (it’s going to splatter) and spread evenly in pan. I like to twist and tousle the top strands a little for a pretty final texture on top. Drizzle with last tablespoon of oil. Bake in heated oven for 75 to 80 minutes, until browned on top and tender in the middle. If top browns too quickly, before center is baked, cover with foil for all but the last two minutes of baking time, though this has never been necessary in my oven.

Serve in squares, either right from the skillet or unmolded onto a platter. Kugel reheats exceptionally well in a warm oven. It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, and much longer (months, even) in the freezer. I like to defrost it in the fridge before rewarming it in an oven.

Sweet Potato Latkes

From The Food Network Kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 medium yellow onion

1/2 pound Yukon gold potato, (about 1 large)

1/2 pound sweet potato, (about 1 medium)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch cayenne

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Vegetable oil

4 teaspoons light sour cream

4 teaspoons beet or regular horseradish

2 to 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Put a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in the oven.

Grate the onion on a box grater into a large bowl. Grate both potatoes into the same bowl, grating down the length of the potato to get long strands. Toss the potatoes with the onions as you work to keep them from discoloring. Put potato mixture in a clean dish towel and wring out excess liquid. Toss the latke mixture with the flour, salt, and cayenne. Stir in the egg.

Heat a 1/4-inch oil in a large cast iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, spoon about 1/4 cup of the latke mixture into the skillet, pressing lightly to form 3-inch pancakes. Take care not to overcrowd the pan. Cook, turning once, until just golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the rack in the oven while you cook the remaining batter.

Serve the latkes topped with a small dollop of sour cream and horseradish. Garnish with a parsley leaf. Serve immediately.

The Menorah Martini

Ingredients:

3-ounces vodka

½ ounce sweet vermouth

Splash Blue Curacao

Blueberries for garnish

Chill and rim 2 martini glasses with sugar.

Mix it:

Fill a mixing glass with ice.

Pour in vodka and sweet vermouth.

Shake and strain into the martini glasses.

Splash with Blue Curacao.

Garnish with a few blueberries