Holiday Food: A Collection of Recipes for the Celebration of Hanukkah

I am a Christian but I have many Jewish friends who are celebrating Hanukkah. It is a holiday celebration that lasts for eight (8) days and it has been observed for more than 2000 years. The word Hanukkah means "dedication".  But it is also known as the Festival of Lights.

If you would like to know more about the holiday, My Jewish Learning published an excellent article: The History of Hanukkah.

Like most holidays celebrated by any group of people, there is lots of wonderful food to be enjoyed. 

HAPPY HANUKKAH!!

The holidays don't align very often.#Hanukkah2024 starts on the day of #Christmas2024. Let's align our hearts & #PrayForPeace. 💙❤️💚💙❤️💚💙❤️💚
Everything you need to know to celebrate and prep for Hanukkah https://t.co/P8lXHwlreL pic.twitter.com/ap0LAWKOUL

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) December 5, 2024

Foodie Friday : Apples and Pumpkins

Autumn is the season for apples and pumpkins.  My favorite recipes are apple cobbler and pumpkin pie, which (in my humble opinion) are true American holiday cuisine.  I enjoy these desserts for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

FUN FACTS:

Cobblers originated in the British American colonies.  "The earliest recipe dates from 1824. Apple Cobbler – Cobblers (stewed fruit topped with batter, biscuit, or dumplings) originated in the British American colonies with the term “cobbler” recorded in 1859. Cobblers can be made with any type of fruit or berry and are also known as slumps, grunts, and pandowdy." (SOURCE: M. E. Bond)

A cobbler is not the same as Crisp, Crumble, Betty, Or Buckle?  What's the difference?  "Cobblers are a fruit dessert baked with biscuit-style topping. It's called a cobbler because its top crust is not smooth like a pie crust but rather “cobbled” and coarse. It's usually dropped or spooned over the fruit, then baked. Individual fruit cobblers." (SOURCE: Farmers' Almanac)

"Northeastern Native American tribes grew squash and pumpkins. The Native Americans brought pumpkins as gifts to the first settlers, and taught them the many uses for pumpkin. This led to serving pumpkin pie at the first Thanksgiving in America about 50 years later." (SOURCE: The History Behind Pumpkin Pie)

• Easy Apple Cobbler Recipe (Perfect Fall Dessert) - A Cozy Kitchen 

• Easiest-Ever Pumpkin Pie Recipe – Pillsbury.com 

Do you have a favorite recipe using these ingredients?

BONUS QUESTION:  Which do you prefer to top your apple cobbler or your pumpkin pie?

• Scoop of vanilla ice cream
• Huge squirt of whipped cream
• Other topping

History of Baked Fruit Desserts Like Buckle, Pandowdy, and Cobbler

Pumpkin Pie! A History!

Previous 5 Foodie Friday Posts;

YACR (Yet Another Chili Recipe)

Figs ~ Enjoy a Coconut Fig Slice

Childhood Memories:  COTTON CANDY

Upside-Down Cakes

Dinner Idea: Chicken with Blackberry Salsa

Holiday Food: Spotlight on Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Cinco de Mayo is a holiday celebrated mainly by those of Mexican Heritage. It is not observed as a national holiday but here in America, particularly Texas, the state of my current residence, it is celebrated every May 5^th. As with most holidays, there is great food! This post shares a selection of cooking videos that showcase food served during Cinco de Mayo celebrations. 

Cinco de Mayo: Facts, Meaning & Celebrations – HISTORY

How to do Cinco de Mayo at Home in Austin ~ https://t.co/k7oAOmzkcI #holidays #celebrations #CincoDeMayo #Austin #Texas pic.twitter.com/8btop26zi1

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) May 3, 2020

More YT Cooking Videos for Cinco de Mayo

My Texas Foodie Blog Posts Round Up

Hi!  Thank you for visiting my foodie blog.  Stay here as long as you like.  Feel free to come back as often as you like.  I am originally from Florida but currently reside in Texas.  When I got here I mentally donned my cowboy hats and boots and dived into the food!  LOL. ☺  Here is a collection of my blog posts and various articles I have published around the web. 

Image credit:  In Texas, Chili is a Huge Deal

YACR ( Yet Another Chili Recipe )

• Texans love their chili and everyone will tell you they have the best chili recipe.  Everybody but me.  I won't say mine is te best.  But I will tell you that after years of experimenting with various recipes, I finally cme up with one that everybody in my family liked.  

Chili Cornbread Salad (Guest Post)

• Wait!  What??  You can make chili and cornbread into a salad???  

Candied Jalapeño Peppers

• Some Texans will argue over whether fresh jalapeños are better than pickled jalapeños.  But just so the argument won't get boring, throw in candied jalapeños.

Who Loves Nachos?

• I loved going to office parties in Texas.  Somebody always brought nachos!  ♦ Fun Food Fact: In America, National Nachos Day is celebrated on November 6.

Image credit:  Foodie Fun!  Love me Some Nachos!

Cinco de Mayo Holiday Recipes

• Cinco de Mayo is a holiday in Texas mainly celebrated by people of Mexican heritage.  If you want to taste a sampling of Tex-Mex cuisine, get yourself invited to Cinco de Mayo festivities.

A Question About Salsa: Is There an Alternative?

• In Texas salsa is a very common condiment. Nobody looks for alternatives. Just different salsa recipes.

Texas and Tacos are a Match Made in Texas!

• One of the best things about moving to Texas was that my family got introduced to a fun food called tacos. Not only was it fun but it was very inexpensive.  Guess what?  You can make a taco salad or soup.  YUM!

World Cuisine: Great Recipes from Around the World (and Texas)  There's Texas and then there's the rest of the world.  LOL.

Diet and Nutrition Advice: 5 Low-Carb Swaps for A Guilt-Free Holiday Season

With the holidays upon us, you might be worrying about how to get through all the parties and cookie exchanges without derailing your healthy lifestyle. It can be a struggle to avoid temptation, particularly when you’re busy, stressed, sleep-deprived, or all three. At times, you might consider giving up and just diving into the dessert tray. But with a bit of motivation and creativity, you can whip together some festive treats that are both delicious and carb-conscious.

Courtney McCormick, Dietitian at Nutrisystem, offers five low-carb swaps to keep you healthy and happy through the holidays:

1. Try veggies when you’re craving a crunch. 

We’re all guilty of lingering too long at the chips and salsa bowl at a holiday party. If you’re craving something crunchy such as a pretzel or chips, try carb-conscious snacks with a crunch – brussel sprouts chips, kale chips, veggies such as cucumber, zucchini, and carrots – they pair wonderfully with a healthier dip such as low-fat ranch or hummus.

2. Sub in cauliflower for your favorite comfort foods. 

Do you love mashed potatoes, rice, pizza, and tater tots? If you’ve been avoiding these foods as part of your healthy lifestyle, cauliflower is here to help. This versatile veggie has recently become popular as a substitute for some of our favorite comfort foods. Mashed and steamed cauliflower have a texture and taste that is surprisingly similar to mashed potatoes – add a bit of salted butter and enjoy! And if you’re not ready to go all in on the cauliflower craze just yet, McCormick recommends swapping out at least half the potatoes for cauliflower.

3. Mix your own dressings and condiments. 

Have you taken a close look at the nutrition facts on your favorite cranberry sauce? You might be shocked by the carbs and added sugars in dressings, sauces, and condiments, even those that appear to be "healthier" options. The best way to avoid sneaky carbs in your condiments is to make them at home. That way, you can control the ingredients and ensure they taste great.

4. Bring the healthy alternative to the holiday party. 

Where everyone else is hauling sugary cookies and cakes, dare to bring the delicious low-carb snack! Get creative with the presentation – use edamame hummus, pita, and slices of red pepper to make perfectly festive "holiday trees."

5. Don’t drink your carbs. 

You’ve probably heard the saying, "don’t drink your calories," before, but you shouldn’t drink your carbs either. Toss the fruit juices and sodas for seltzer, unsweetened tea, and the original favorite, water. Light beer, spiked seltzer, or dry wines are good low-carb alcohol options if you’re celebrating.

• Low-carb non-alcoholic drinks are an even better option.

For more great tips and tricks on how to make the most of your holidays with healthy alternatives, visit leaf.nutrisystem.com.  

(NewsUSA) – 

World Cuisine: Easy Dessert Recipe: Malpua

Do you love experimenting and tasting the food of other countries? Especially the desserts. Yum!

I'm sure I'm not the only foodie out there who loves global flavors. So I'll share this delightful recipe. It's a sweet treat popular in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Malpua is often served at holidays or festivals like Holi and Diwali.

You can find lots of variations of this recipe online. There is malpua served with rose and saffron syrup. There’s Bengali style. There’s banana malpua. There’s Mawa Malpua. (Image below.)

Cooking video: How To Make Malpua - Dessert Recipes



Related Link: How to make mawa - 5 ways of making mawa.

♦
If You Like This You Might Also Like:

• Sampling Fast Food World Cuisine is a Fun Do!
• Can You Name 5 British Desserts? (NO Googling!)
• Recipe for a Refreshing Summer Drink Made With Mango and Chia Seeds

Old-Fashioned Fruitcake Recipes | Vintage Recipes and Cookery (Reblog)

I have a fond memory of fruitcake. It dates back over 40 years and it was the time when my husband-to-be took me to his childhood home in The Bahamas to meet his parents. It was the Christmas holiday season.  His mother offered me a piece of fruitcake. I did not want to offend her but I really was not a fan of fruitcake. She served me a slice with a cup of coffee. I don't know where my mother-in-law got her fruitcake but to my surprise ... it was delicious!! That is a sweet memory and that's why I was happy to reblog this post. It evoked that memory and took me on a sentimental journey.

Most commercially-made fruitcakes are alcohol-free, but traditionally, fruitcakes usually contained alcohol; both for the flavor and to preserve the cakes for months. In the 1800s, wood burning stoves didn’t have temperature gauges, and oven temperatures varied based on the type and size wood used. You were supposed to learn how to determine the heat through experience. Some recipes ignored the oven temperature and others used terms such as a slow, moderate, or quick oven. ...

Continue reading ...

Old-Fashioned Fruitcake Recipes 

| Vintage Recipes and Cookery from the 1800s

* * *

Did you know that food historians say fruitcakes were common in ancient Rome "when pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and barley mash were mixed together to form a ring-shaped dessert"? (Source)

Similar or Related Content from my Tumblr foodie blog:

https://foodways2017.tumblr.com/post/630978825451339776/four-winter-fruit-cake-recipes-henrietta-inman

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https://foodways2017.tumblr.com/post/630978598344491008/fig-and-pomegranate-fruit-cake-healthy-and

Enjoy Your Fruit By Season and in a Salad

Not sure how many of my blog readers have ever eaten an American Thanksgiving meal. If you have then you know how heavy that meal is. Is it any wonder many people just want to go to sleep afterward? LOL.

I have been preparing Thanksgiving dinner ever since I got married. That was over 40 years ago. My kids say they have good memories of our holiday meals and I'm glad. There was one holiday in particular that one of my kids remembers because I made a fruit salad. Instead of a cake with icing or a pie, I wanted to make something sweet but not so heavy. When I went shopping that year there was some great fruit in the produce department. So I decided to put fruit salad on the Turkey Day menu.

That memory got me thinking about fruit salads and whether or not there were specific recipes for every season of the year. I managed to find fruit salad recipes for winter, spring, summer, and fall. The Thanksgiving holiday occurs during the fall season and it was no surprise that there are quite a few fall fruit salad recipes.

Image credit: 3pcs Heart Shaped Glass Bowls Golden Rim Edge Fruit Salad Bowl Home Dinnerware Set by GOODFEER 

If you like fruit (and who doesn't?), you'll probably love these fruit salad recipes. There is a delightful winter fruit salad, loaded with the best fruits of Autumn and Winter; and dressed with honey; a spring salad recipe is super sweet, hydrating and nourishing; and a summer salad made with fresh summer fruits mixed together with crunchy peanuts and a dressing made of Thai herbs and fish sauce. Enjoy!

📷 A delightful winter fruit salad, loaded with the best fruits of Autumn and Winter; and dressed with honey. (via Winter Fruit Salad Recipe - https://t.co/IbT8UTrmF8) https://t.co/3h8xxVVA0n

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) May 7, 2020

📷 13 Amazing Salads for Spring you Should Eat Right Now https://t.co/DzEZ4pAG1W

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) May 7, 2020

📷 This recipe is super sweet, hydrating and nourishing. Spring Fruit Salad - Exploring Healthy Foods For #breakfast or a #healthysnack. https://t.co/uE7XROcoTt

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) May 7, 2020

📷 Fresh summer fruits mixed together with crunchy peanuts and a dressing made of Thai herbs and fish sauce. (via Fresh Summer Asian Salad | The Splendid Table) https://t.co/8eZzkUqS3k

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) May 7, 2020

📷 15 Incredible Summer Salad Recipes you need to try - Jessica Gavin @jessica_gavin https://t.co/M660CiKv1R

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) May 7, 2020

Autumn Fruit Salad Recipe - https://t.co/8qjafQgrMV via @flipboard pic.twitter.com/Hh4AzSEpsB

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) May 7, 2020

Sweet & Spicy Fall Fruit Salad — Shauna Sever @shaunasever https://t.co/L6vbiEuTL6 pic.twitter.com/KRicVhYuJC

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) May 7, 2020

More Wonderful Fruit Salad Recipes

How to Find Out When Fruits Are in Season