When I asked if I could make a cake for my friend Heather’s baby shower, I was told that the theme was “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” and the colors were white gray and gold. That was it. I could have made anything. White cake, carrot cake, gingerbread, whatever. I guess because I wasn’t given more direction, I let my imagination do the deciding. You can say I got a little carried away when I made this Chocolate & the Kitchen Sink Cake, but I have no regrets.
My Mediterranean Cheesy Penne has everything, the creaminess of a macaroni and cheese filled with vegetables and a unique flavor your babysitter will love. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak vegetables all in one pan! This dish keeps really well, and can be made ahead of time, then reheated.
Right, so champagne donuts. I basically adapted my Guinness donuts recipe to make these festive morsels. I decided to switch it up from the other sufganiyot posts I’ve been writing, and make a more traditional donut and donut holes. After all, do champagne donuts really need filling? No, I didn’t think so.
What could be a more festive Chanukah cookie than deep fried cookie dough? I know, I’m a genius, right? Sinful and delicious, they are sinfully delicious. Personally, I like it when the deep fried cookie dough cools a bit, and you are actually biting into cookie dough covered in fry batter. I’m the worst, you guys. I love this kind of food, and I don’t care who knows about it. There, I said it. I hope all of you who were thinking about a kale salad for lunch are craving deep fried cookie dough now.
When I began to think about what Chanukah recipes I should put together, the very first thing that came to mind was churros, and we have a lot of extra pumpkin, and the two make a great pair. I don’t know when I was first introduced to churros, but growing up in California, churros were a way of life. When I went to college, it seemed that the only place to get a churro was Disneyland, and I haven’t found a churro to taste in North Carolina. When I made these pumpkin churros, the smells, crunch and taste felt a bit like going home, and also felt like I was adding at least 7 pounds to my body.
I make sufganiyot, from scratch. Thinking sufganiyot is too hard to make? Well, you’d be wrong. It’s easier to make than Challah, and frankly, if you celebrate Chanukah, you should buy yourself a deep fryer. My Chanukah Sufganiyot are more than just boring old jelly donuts. I love to experiment with different flavors and textures to create a Chanukah Sufganiyot experience.
This year, Chanukah collides with Christmas, and that may leave you feeling like you have plenty of time to buy all you Chanukah gifts, but don’t be fooled. The Festival of Lights will come sooner than you know it, and if you wait to shop until December, you’ll be fighting crowds and lines and Christmas music to buy for everyone on your list. That’s why I’m giving you a head-start with the Ultimate Etsy Chanukah Gift Guide for 2016.
My deep fryer is out, and I am frying up a bunch of not-so-typical Chanukah goodies for you all. First off, let’s sparkle up your sufganiyot and make New Orleans Beignets instead! What’s the difference? Not much! You can even fill these babies if you like, although they are rather thick and doughy and delicious inside. It’s better to just take a big bite, then smother these dough pillows with whatever filling you were planning on.
Is there anything better than warm, soft gingerbread? I just couldn’t wait to taste that deep molasses flavor, so I baked up a batch of Soft Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies. Sweet and satisfying, these chewy, spicy morsels are sure to please your inner Santa’s elf.
Soft pretzels are the perfect game day snack, or the perfect “taking in an episode of Doc McStuffins with the toddler” snack. The great thing about these pretzels is you can make them whatever flavor of beer you want. For this recipe I chose pumpkin beer, and I could definitely taste the pumpkin. I would recommend choosing a beer with a stronger flavor than typical so the bitter and sweet notes really stand out.
