20061216 All I want for Christmas are Potato or Cheese Latkes

All I want for Christmas are Potato or Cheese Latkes

December 16th, 2006 - - posted December 17th, 2006

Alright, I’ll take a couple of

cheese blintzes.

Then again, what I really want is steak and eggs and grits – but don’t tell my primary care physician, he would disapprove… Whatever.

Okay. Okay - - What I really really really want - - is a hippopotamus for Christmas.[1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7xjjlUbpJ4


"Dayhoff’s" Potato Latkes[2]

4 large potatoes
1 medium onion
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons Matzo meal, corn meal, or flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
sour cream, and/or sugar

Peel potatoes and onion and grate in long strips.
Mix potato and onion with egg, meal, and salt.
Add some diced jalepeño peppers to the batter

Heat oil in a 10" pan over medium heat until it is quite hot. Drop 1-2 tablespoons of the potato mixture onto the pan per pancake. Turn once to allow both sides to fry.

Serve with sour cream, and/or sugar as a topping.

"Dayhoff’s" Cheese Latkes[3]

3 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup cottage cheese, drained 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 Tbsps. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup oil for frying

Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet. Using a large spoon, drop the batter into hot oil. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Continue until batter is used up, adding oil when necessary.

The latkes may be served topped with sour cream, applesauce, or maple syrup.

Adding some of Stephanie Dray’s spiced walnuts is optional.

I’ll be more than happy to share them with Bruce and David.

####

[1] I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Words and music by John Rox

performed by Gayla Peevey (1953)

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
Don't want a doll, no dinky Tinker Toy
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I don't think Santa Claus will mind, do you?
He won't have to use our dirty chimney flue
Just bring him through the front door,
that's the easy thing to do

I can see me now on Christmas morning
creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise
when I open up my eyes
to see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too

Mom says the hippo would eat me up, but then
Teacher says a hippo is a vegeterian

There's lots of room for him in our two-car garage
I'd feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage

I can see me now on Christmas morning,
creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise
when I open up my eyes
to see a hippo hero standing there

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles or rhinoceroseses
I only like hippopotamuseses
And hippopotamuses like me too!

[2] Oh for pity sake, of course it isn’t my original recipe. I haven’t a clue as to where I got them. Go away while I’m eating or I’ll send Judah Maccabee after you. If either recipe is yours, e-mail me and I’ll give ya credit. All I wanna do is eat latkes.

[3] See footnote number 2, although this recipe was excerpted from Spice and Spirit, The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook, published by Lubavitch Women's Cookbook Publications