HAPPY HANUKKAH (Chanukah)

CookingWithCarlo.com ^ | Dec. 8 2004 | Carlo3b, A PROUD AMERICAN

[carlo3b]

HAPPY  HANUKKAH

". . . and May This Festival of Lights bring Blessings
upon you and All Your Loved Ones for Happiness,
for Health, and for Spiritual and Material Wealth,
and May the Lights of Chanukah Usher in the Light of Moshiach
and a Better World for All of Humankind."

The Victory over Antiochus

More than 2000 years ago, the land of Judea was ruled by Antiochus, a tyrannical Syrian king. Even today, people fight wars over their gods, despite claims to value "religious tolerance." But a couple of thousand years ago, religious tolerance didn't exist at all. Religion was as good an excuse as any to oppress a people.

That's precisely what Antiochus did to the Jews: he forbade them to observe the Sabbath or study their religious text, the Torah, and he erected a statue of Zeus in their sacred temple of Jerusalem. Many Jews followed his decrees, because they had no choice; those who resisted were executed.

In 167 B.C., the Jews -- driven to desperation -- rose up against Antiochus. Mattathias, a well-respected priest, gathered together an army and put his five sons in charge. Judah and his brothers wanted a name for their battalion that would signify force and strength; "Maccabee", meaning "hammer", fit the bill. It took three years of fighting, but eventually the Maccabees drove the Syrians out of Israel and reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem.

Naturally, the Maccabees quickly got rid of the statue of Zeus. Then they cleansed and purified the temple, and rekindled the menorah, a candelabra that symbolized God's Divine Presence. Oddly enough, although it only held enough oil to burn for a single day, the menorah burned for eight. This was the miracle.

HANUKKAH CUSTOMS: THE MENORAH

About the Menorah
To Jews and non-Jews alike, the menorah, or Hanukkiya, is the most recognizable symbol of Hanukkah. It's usually a nine-branch candelabrum whose candles are lit by a "shamash" or service candle which then takes its own place at the centre of the menorah. The menorah itself is placed in a window or anywhere it can be seen by passers-by.

Lighting the Menorah
On the first night of Hanukkah, a single candle (or oil wick) is lit on the far right side of the menorah. A candle is added, from right to left, each night, and the newest candle is always lit first. Ideally, the candles should be lit as soon as stars become visible in the night sky, but they can be lit late into the night. While the candles are being lit and the blessing given, the whole family and any guests gather to witness the ceremony; everyone is encouraged to participate. By the eighth night, with all eight candles lit, the menorah makes a spectacular sight. And as they did the previous evenings, the candles will continue to shine until they burn themselves out.

The Blessing
The first blessing thanks God for the commandment to "kindle the Hanukkah lights."

Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-olam Asher Kidshanu B'mitzvotav V'tzivanu L'hadlik Ner Shel Hanukkah.
Blessed is Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, by whose Mitzvot we are hallowed, who commands us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.

The second blessing praises God for the miracle the candles symbolize; it's said as the candles are being lit.
  Baruch Atah Adonia Elohenu Melech Ha-olam She-asa Nissim L'votenu Bayamim Ha-hem Ba-ZmanHa-zeh.
Blessed is Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who performed wonderous deeds for our ancestors in days of old, at this season.
On the first night of Hanukkah the "shehechiyanu" blessing is included, to signify that this is the first time the Hanukkah lights have been lit this season.

 Hanukkah is a "Festival of Lights" to celebrate the victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Syrians, and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. The holiday also commemorates the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.

[carlo3b]

BagelsEquipment:

• A HUGE bowl
• A STRONG wooden spoon
• A 1-cup dry measure
• A 1-cup liquid measure
• at least 3 cookie sheets
• A 2-quart sauce pan
• A slotted spoon
• A metal spatula
• A large, clean counter.
• A basting brush
• An oven and a stove.

Ingredients:

• At least a 5lb sack of flour
• Some eggs.
• Some oil
• Some non-stick (I just use crisco)
• some salt
• Water
• Yeast, one package (about a teaspoon)
• Sugar or honey

Directions:
            Put 3 cups of warm water in the bowl, with about 1/4 cup
            sugar or honey. Mix well, add a package of yeast. Mix in a
            cup of flour. Let rise 1/2 hour
 
            Dump in about 6 cups of flour, and as many eggs as you want,
            and some salt (not too much). Mix like crazy, adding more
            flour a bit at a time until you cannot work the spoon anymore.
 
            Dump on a well floured counter. Clean the bowl and oil it.
            Now kneed the dough until it doesn't want any more flour.
            Could take 10 minutes. Put back in the oiled bowl.
 
            Clean your counter again, and flour well. You are going to
            spread bagels all over it. Grease the cookie sheets. Put a
            quart of water in the sauce pan and bring to gentle boil.
            Meanwhile dump out the dough, kneed until elastic, then cut
            in half. Cut each half in half. Cut each quarter in half.
            Cut each eighth in half. Cut each 16th in half. If the
            pieces you have now are bigger than a lemon, cut in half
            again. Each piece will become a bagel.
 
            Roll each piece out to a snake - a long thin cylinder. Loop
            around your fingers and roll the ends together making a
            donut. Don't fret about wimpy looking rings - they will
            rise!  Put down on a floured surface to rise. By the time
            you finish rolling them all, they will be ready to boil.
 
            Heat oven to 400.  Boil each bagel on each side about 30
            seconds.  I usually do 2 at once, one 30 seconds before the
            next so that I have a continuous flow of bagels through the
            boiling water. Put boiled bagels on the sheets.
 
            When you have one sheet covered with bagels, stop the
            boiling. Mix eggwash: one egg and a bit of milk. Brush egg
            wash on top of bagels, sprinkle on sesame seeds, or poppy
            seeds, or your favorite. Or leave blank. Pop cookie sheet in
            oven for 20 minutes. Check the last 3 minutes to prevent
            burning. Have the next batch ready by the time the first
            batch comes out.
 
            Remove from cookie sheet (may need metal spatula) and let
            cool on cake rack.  Clean cookie sheet for re-use. Eggwash
            is hard to remove.  Eat with butter or cream cheese or
            anything. Clean up your mess.
 
            NOTES: You can try other ingredients if you wish - rye flower or
            whole wheat, add seeds to the dough, add raisins, cranberries
            or dried fruit, or nuts. Try different amounts of eggs. Try
            molasses for sweetener. Try other shapes than donuts.
 
            The same recipe is good for traditional Challah bread. You
            just braid 4 very big snakes of dough and bake on a cookie
            sheet like the bagels - no boiling necessary. A Challah loaf
            takes only a quarter the dough of a batch of bagels, so I
            usually make a loaf and 3/4ths the usual number of bagels,
            all at once.
 
            Freeze the bagels you will not eat today. Give them to
            friends. They make great drop-off Christmas gifts! Great to
            bring to parties (with creamcheese, too). Slice thin and
            toast. Dip bagel chunks in cheese fondue.

[sweetiepiezer]

Best Wishes.

[tiamat]

I'm not Jewish either, but Jewish folks often know how to make very good food!

( I grew up in a Jewish neighborhood)

Latkes are good.

[Alouette]

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel ping list.

WARNING: This is a high volume ping list

[dennisw]

 

Chanukka 2002 at the White House

 

 

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning, sweetie!!

Thanks for the ping.

[massgopguy]

I know it's cheating but if you put sour cream on McDonalds potato patties it's like fast latkes.

[Gabz]

LOL!!!

I prefer applesauce to sour cream.

[carlo3b]

I lifted this directly from a website the gave this answer, I am not sure if this does it ..

The Hebrew word was coined to distinguish the 9-candle chanukah menorah from the 7-candle menorah of the Temple. A minor point: "menorah" means "lamp, candelabrum" and not "lantern," which is "panas" in Hebrew; the latter is also used for "flashlight."

[carlo3b]

1) Are these donuts (sans jelly) anything like beignets? and;

No, these are a bit more bready than beignets which have more air in them..

2) Do you have any tips for making miniature cookies?

..a..er.. OK, .. MAKE THEM SMALL... :^)~

[lupie]

Happy Hannukah to all.

And bumping for the recipes!

[netmilsmom]

Happy Hanukkah!!!
(thanks for the ping Tia and thanks for the goodies Carlo)

One of my girl's favorite books from the Library is "The Flying Latka" I have promiced to make them forever but never knew how. Now I have no excuses!
Time to get out the Menora (I'm sure I didn't spell that right). I have to find candles! Birthday candles just don't cut it.

[Alouette]

The Hebrew word was coined to distinguish the 9-candle chanukah menorah from the 7-candle menorah of the Temple.

The 9-branched Chanukah lamp is called a Chanukiah to distinguish it from the 7-branched Menorah that was used in the Temple (and also on the Seal of the State of Israel)

[Alouette]

I'm going out now to buy doughnuts.

[netmilsmom]

Could you post pictures of your son for the ladies here who thinks he is a doll>

[carlo3b]

Good Morning Sunshine.. :)

Noodle Kugel with Cinnamon

• Cooking spray
• 4 ounces Neufchatel cheese
• 4 ounces fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup skim or low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 ounces dry egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
• Additional ground cinnamon, optional


Preheat oven to 350°F Evenly coat a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
1) In large bowl, beat together cheeses until light and fluffy.
2) Gradually beat in sugar until thoroughly blended.
3) Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Gradually beat in milk, butter, and cinnamon until smooth, Stir in noodles.
4) Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish, smoothing top and sprinkling with extra cinnamon, if desired, Bake until thermometer inserted near center registers at least 160°F and kugel is light golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 servings.

 

[netmilsmom]

Okay, WHERE?!?
You need to give us a hint for the Michiganders, please.

[tiamat]

What netmilsmom said!



(please! )

[safisoft]

Thank you Carlo. L'chaim!

Happy Hanukkah to all, and may HaShem bless your homes as you light the hanukkiah each night and declare to the world that this world is HaShem's, and His Torah is shining forth.

"Whoever is for the HaShem, come with me!"
We follow you Mattityahu, as you so followed Moshe, as he so followed all the words of HaShem.

[veronica]

HAPPY HANUKKAH to all Jewish FReepers and an early Christmas greeting to all righteous Christians at FR. We have a beautiful new baby girl in our family this year, and she makes us believe in miracles. Miracles do happen...