It's a Hanukkah miracle!
This year, for the first time since 1888 (and according to one calculation, the last time for another 77,798 years), the first full day of the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights falls on Thanksgiving Day.
It's Thanksgivukkah, y'all! Challah!
To honor this very special day, we've come up with 8 Dishes (including sides, a main and desserts) for Your Thanksgivukkah Feast.
Thanksgivukkah Menu
The Sides
The Main
The Desserts
The Sides
Roasted Beet Salad w/ Toasted Hazelnuts & Horseradish Cream
Both beets and horseradish are common ingredients in Jewish cuisine, so why not turn them into a warm Thanksgivukkah salad.
Prepare this beet salad and add toasted hazelnuts for warmth. The beet greens are sautéed in olive oil, while the root vegetable is roasted low and slow until caramelized. Add a mix of crème fraîche (or sour cream) and horseradish for a punch of spice and brightness.
Sweet Potato Latkes Two Ways w/ Marshmallow Pecan Topping & Cran-Apple Relish
Latkes are good, but sweet potato latkes are better. Baked marshmallows and toasted pecans turn the potato pancakes into miniature versions of baked sweet potato casseroles, and the cranberry relish makes a great substitute for the more traditional applesauce.
To make latkes, use this recipe, but substitute sweet potatoes for the regular Yukon Gold.
To make the marshmallow topping, sprinkle the tops of cooked latkes with mini marshmallows and brown sugar. Bake at 350 for ten minutes, or until topping is melted and bubbling. Top with lightly toasted chopped pecans.
To make the cran-apple relish, combine fresh cranberries, tart apples, orange and sugar. See a recipe here.
Brown Butter Mashed Potato-Kasha Knishes
Up the ante on the traditional mashed potato by turning the dish into knishes, the traditional Jewish potato dumplings. Brown butter adds a richness to the savory dish, while coarse kasha (buckwheat groat) adds heartiness.
Prepare brown butter mashed potatoes, then use them as the filling for this kasha knish recipe.
Challah Stuffing
Substitute day-old challah for the bread in your usual stuffing recipe. We like adding dried cherries, sage and toasted walnuts for pizzazz. And if you can find pumpkin challah, all the better.
Pickled Green Bean Salad w/ Crispy Fried Onions
Pickling is a common practice in Jewish cooking. This bright pickled salad is a nice change from the heavy, cream-filled green bean casserole.
To make, prepare the green bean salad, then top it with crunchy fried onion strings (you can even use French's, a Thanksgiving classic).
The Main Dish and Desserts are next.
The Main
Apricot-Glazed Turkey w/ Herbed He'brew Ale Gravy
An apricot glaze gives a nod to Hanukkah, while a roast turkey is decidedly Thanksgiving. And adding a few splashes of He'Brew: The Chosen Beer to your gravy just kicks things up a notch.
Prepare this apricot-glazed turkey, then ditch the excess grease from the roasting pan but reserve the juices. Deglaze the pan using a bottle of He'brew Ale. Allow the sauce to reduce and add it to your homemade gravy.
The Desserts
Pumpkin Noodle Kugel
If you've never had noodle kugel, the traditional Ashkenazi pudding made with raisins, cinnamon and sweet cheese, now is the time to try it. The dish can be served as a side or as a dessert, but we're adding pumpkin purée and walnuts to bring a pumpkin pie feel to the dish. Recipe here.
Cranberry Pecan Pie Rugelach
Rugelach, a sort of croissant-cookie hybrid, are traditionally made with raisins, fruit preserves, walnuts or chocolate. We're Thanksgivukkah-ing ours out with dried cranbrerries, cinnamon and brown sugar. See a recipe here.
Happy Thanksgivukkah, you guys! And remember, serving Manischewitz wine is never a bad idea.
Or sign in with a social account:
FACEBOOK GOOGLE + TWITTER YAHOO!