Everyday Sweet Potato Latkes

Who said we have to wait for Chanukah to have potato latkes? These little treats are great as appetizers and they also can go great with your meal. There is not much to them and there is no frying involved. I will come clean and share with you all that frying frightens me, I feel as if I need protective eye gear, heavy duty gloves and a special apron. So maybe by the next holiday I’ll be more on board with the idea, until then, we have these little beauties that will bake in the oven until golden brown, melt your palate and keep you coming back for more!

Ingredients

1 lb sweet potatoes

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 oz butter, melted

3 1/2 feta cheese, crumbled

3 tbsp chopped fresh min

salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp sour cream 

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Directions 

Mix the grated sweet potato with the egg, flour, melted butter, feta, and mint until well combined. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

 Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spoon large tablespoons of the mixture into patties, flattening slightly, and cook on both sides in batches until golden.

 Slide patties onto cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven, 325˚F, for 15 minutes, or until crisp. 

Place 2 patties on each plate, top with a tablespoon of sour cream, and garnish with a little chopped parsley. Serve at once. 

A little background on Chanukah while we’re here.  Chanukah is a Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month.  This holiday is probably one of the more popular ones since it’s very close to Christmas, and it’s adopted some of the customs, such as elaborate gift giving and decorating. The religious observance is the lighting of the Menorah, which is the seven-branched candelabrum housed in the Jewish Temple. Each night a candle is added from right to left (like in Hebrew), then lit from left to right, then you allow for them to fully burn out on their own. 

Passover 2012

Passover is a holiday that brings a lot of joy for me, it’s a night where we gather and see our friends and family, we get together on a beautiful night and share numerous traditions. I am proud to share the first and second night of Passover with a great group of people every year.

Passover commemorates the exodus from Egypt when Moses led the Israelites out of the land. The most significant observance during Passover is avoiding leavened bread, this reminds us of the fact that the Jews left Egypt in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise.  It’s also a symbol of removing pride from our souls.

 The Seder Plate

Bitter vegetable – a green vegetable, most often parsley.  We dip the parsley in salt water or vinegar in order to taste both the hope of new birth and the tears that the Israelite slaves shed over their condition.

Haroseth - This mix of fruits, wine or honey, and nuts symbolizes the mortar that the Israelite slaves used to construct buildings for Pharaoh.

Maror - This bitter herb allows us to taste the bitterness of slavery. Today, most Jews use horseradish as maror.

Lamb Shank - Symbolizes the lamb that Jews sacrificed as the special Passover offering when the Temple stood in Jerusalem.

Hard boiled egg - There are two interpretations of the symbolism of the hard boiled egg. One is that it is an ancient fertility symbol. The other is that it is a symbol of mourning for the loss of the two Temples, the first of which was destroyed by the Babylonians and the second of which was destroyed by the Romans.

The orange - Honors the role of women, gays and lesbians in Jewish life.

Unleavened bread - Matzah

Coconut Macaroons

Last year I went to a cooking class and one of the featured items was coconut macaroons, let’s first discuss how I have never been a fan of coconut, but these little nuggets of deliciousness for some reason tickle my fancy! Two weeks ago as I was calmly reading my Facebook posts and saw that Dr. Axe posted a recipe for the healthier alternative to coconut macaroons I said well this is my chance to give these little guys a try of my own! Healthy and Jewish cooking are not necessarily in the same sentence, I understand this… and I’m not trying to make all the dishes calorie conscious here, sometimes a little extra butter is needed in a recipe and I’ve made peace with these things. SO no worries for those that thought I was trying to revolutionize the Jewish kitchen and taking the goodness out of it!

Ingredients

6 egg whites

1/4 tsp. celtic sea salt

1/2 cup raw honey

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

3 cups unsweetened coconut

Directions

In mixing bowl, whisk eggs, sea salt

add in raw honey, vanilla and coconut

Drop batter on to parchment paper on cookie sheet

pinch off each at the top like a chocolate kiss

Bake and 350 degrees for 10 to 15 mins until lightly browned

makes approx 48 macaroons