Chicken soup ok at hanukkah?

18 years ago

I want to make some chicken soup for 2 neighbors who are having a very difficult hanukkah - one who has a husband in intensive care from a heart attack just before hanukkah and another who's 33 yr old son has just been diagnosed with colon cancer. My question: are there any dietary restrictions associated with hanukkah that would exclude a comfort food like chicken soup? The last thing I would want to do is insult the families by making a gesture that is not appropriate during their family holiday. Would it be ok to bring them soup? If not, is there something more appropriate I can do?

Thank you.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

Terri_PacNW
18 years ago
Maybe this? Hanukkah Noodles
tee hee

Here is a link that might be useful: Hanukkah Soup
Carol Schmertzler Siegel
18 years ago
No restrictions that I know of for Hanukkah and I think that's so nice of you do that for your neighbors, Sands! I'm so sorry to hear such sad news! To me, chicken soup is always appropriate and comforting!

My soup recipe is different than that one, Terri! I do a lazy version, LOL, no roasting, but it simmers for so long it has great flavor!
Related Discussions
Undercooked chicken in soup?
Q
Comments (8)
Glad to hear I'm not the only one on "yuck patrol." I am always looking for suspicious stuff in my food. If I don't recognize it or don't like its looks, it gets pushed to the side. I'm always amazed at people who really eat every single thing on their plate. Here 's the recipe. I found it on Allrecipes. Really pretty simple and straightforward, but the lemon juice and wine add a nice taste. Creamy Chicken Rice Soup INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 1/3 cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 (14.5 ounce) cans reduced sodium chicken broth 2 cups cooked long-grain rice 1 cup cubed cooked chicken 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup 2% milk 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon white wine DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large saucepan, saute the carrot, onion and celery in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Add the rice, chicken, salt, pepper and garlic powder; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the milk, lemon juice and wine if desired. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until heated through.
...See More
I want to make chicken matzo ball soup
Q
Comments (8)
Here is Bubbe's recipe. I use the mix....got enough on my plate as is. *** Recipe from RenÃ©e Adler AscherÂs kitchen *** Matzoh Balls (Judy LaneÂs Grandmother TillieÂs recipe) R.A.Âs Comments: These are heavenly, light as a feather. I refer to them as "floaters" VS sinkers. Families have preferences. This is ours by way of a dear, dear friend. Ingredients: (For 8 - 10, makes 20 medium size) 1 1/2 cups Matzoh meal + 1 Tbs. 8 Tbs. Chicken fat (1/2 cup) (soup fat is wonderful, may use 1/2 oil to cut back on cholestrol) 8 Tbs. Chicken stock (1/2 cup) 6 eggs separated at room temp. 2 tsp. salt Scant 1/2 tsp. pepper (1 1/2 times the recipe, enough for 12 to14) 2 1/4 .cup s Matzoh meal plus 1 1/2 Tbs. 12 Tbs. Chicken fat (3/4 cup) 12 Tbs. Chicken stock (3/4 cup) 9 large eggs separated at room temp. 3 tsp. salt 1/2 + tsp. pepper Equipment: 2 large mixing bowls, Electric hand or stand mixer, 1 or 2 large pots, a small ice cream scooper with a scraper works wonders for shaping the matzoh balls Instructions: Â Beat egg yokes with whisk, add stock, salt, pepper, and chicken fat (melted, but cool). (I use a Kitchenaid electric mixer, but a hand mixer will work for the single recipe Â Add the matzoh meal 1/4-cup at a time and blend thoroughly. Note: mixture will be somewhat dry and difficult to mix. An electric mixer helps. Â Beat egg whites almost stiff but still glossy and not dry. Fold 1/4 of the whites into matzoh mixture to soften the mass. This will be difficult to do because of the stiffness of the matzoh mixture unless using an electric stand mixer. Then gently fold in the rest of the whites two to three stages Â Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, two is better. Â Meanwhile, put one or two large pot of water up to boil. Â Using an ice cream scoop or with oiled hands, roll 1 Tbs. of mixture into sphere shape. These will expand quite a bit, so donÂt make them too big. Note: The mixture will be soft, but if it is very loose. . Â Drop into boiling water as you go. If using one pot, cook in batches making sure not to over crowd pot or the matzoh balls will not expand properly and will be hard inside. I put 20 at a time in both my 13 and 16 Qt. stockpots. Â When water returns to a boil, cover boil for 25 minutes then reduce heat slightly [medium high] and keep at a boil for 40 minutes. Â Remove with slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water. Cool. Â Store in water until ready to use. Refrigerate for longer storage (up to 3 days). Â Drain well on kitchen towels or a few thicknesses of paper toweling; add to chicken soup to heat thoroughly. Notes on freezing: Matzoh balls can be made ahead of time and frozen in water. Just remove from freezer in enough time to defrost. In a pinch, you may microwave carefully to aid in defrosting. Drain well before adding to soup to reheat.
...See More
Turnip greens in chicken soup?
Q
Comments (9)
Sometimes greens can overpower a soup. I make a great kale and potato soup with a chicken stock base, but I cook the kale separately to reduce its intensity, then add it to the soup. But you're right, nutritionally dark leafy greens are powerhouses. There's a classic Cuban soup called caldo gallego which includes collard greens or other strong greens. Great stuff.
...See More
Help with easy Hanukkah dairy dinner ideas
Q
Comments (8)
Sometimes we do tuna salad. Tonight, I'm planning on making cholo tikki (like a latke but with Indian spices and garbanzo beans added to the potatoes) in addition to the traditional latkas because my son prefers them and they turn it more into a full meal. You could make a Quajado, a Sephardic cheese and vegetable casserole, which would take care of adding vegetables as well as providing a protein dish. Quuajado For a 9" square, or 8 by 13" baking dish or two 9" round pie plates (I prefer the latter because I think it tastes better with more browned surface). About 2 pounds of diced or chopped vegetables which should include some leeks or onions 2 tbsp olive oil About 8 ounces cheese - I like it with crumbled feta, but one can use others chedder, Gouda, Parmesean, kashkavak or a mix. 5 eggs lightly beaten 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cayenne or some black pepper Optional - 1/4 cup chopped dill Preheat oven to 350 C and oil the baking dish Saute the onions/leeks in the oil. Add in the rest of the vegetables and cook a bit. (You could probably microwave them instead - the recipe in Olive Trees and Honey says to add a cup of water, simmer 15 minutes and then drain, but we don't find that step necessary - it hasn't made a difference in the final result. Combine the vegetables with the rest of the ingredient and put in the baking dish(es). Bake about 50 minutes until set and golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Often I put in some chopped potatoes in addition to the other vegetables, but with potato latkas, I'd skip that. Carrots don't work well in this, IMO - they are a bit too sweet to be right - but most other vegetables can be used.
...See More
mtnester
18 years ago
Sorry to throw a monkeywrench into the soup, but ... if your neighbors keep kosher (and you don't), then they wouldn't be able to eat your food. Even if you bought a kosher chicken, your pots and utensils, etc, wouldn't be kosher. OTOH, if their level of observance is not quite so strict, then chicken soup--or any comfort food--would be a lovely gesture.

Perhaps the safest thing to send them is fresh fruit or perhaps something from a kosher bakery or a packaged kosher product.

Regardless, I'm sure they'll appreciate your good intentions and warm heart!

Sue
hawk307
18 years ago
Ask them ?????I wouldn't think any worse of you, if you asked me.
And if you can, Bring them Some Italian Wedding Soup.
LOU
arabellamiller
18 years ago
I can't think of an occasion when Chicken soup would not be appropriate. (do check on the kosher thing though)

You are very kind to think of them.

AM
The Dinner Chronicles
mimsic
18 years ago
Yes, chicken soup is a wonderful thing to send to friends in need. Chanukah is a simple holiday, really just a festival and other than lighting candles there are no strict rules or restrictions. Everything else is custom and depends on the local traditions.

I bet there are as many ways to make chicken soup as there are cooks in kitchens. I never roast the chicken first for making soup. An old Yiddish saying: "If a poor man is eating a whole chicken one of them is sick."

I do roast chicken often though and I like to pour all the pan drippings, onions, and juices into the soup pot (if there is a soup pot).

When just making soup, I like the dark meat portions best. Dark meat is more flavorful and moist and I find it holds up better to the long cooking. I skip the bay leaf, celery (I may use the little leafy tops of the celery if I have it) and parsley but add parsnip, several cloves of garlic and fresh dill weed instead and salt and pepper, plenty of both but let your taster be the judge. I often use whole pepper corns that I crack with the side of a wide-bladed knife first. Some people skim the top of the soup once it starts to boil. I usually stir it a few times, lower the heat and let it simmer for as long as I am in the kitchen. If there's time to cool the soup in the fridge it is easy to remove the fat from the top. And soup is usually better the second day.
sands99
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you everyone! I was pretty sure that neither family is kosher but it did remind me that the one family does do the vegetarian option in their house so no chix there. It's ok though when I called Marian [other neighbor] she told me the 1st family is overflowing with food right now so we sent over some cards instead.

mim do you skim off the cracked peppercorn [ala bayleaf] after simmering?

And thank you all for the well wishes for my neighbors, it seems we are having a very difficult holiday season in my immediate neighborhood. Unfortunately there are some things chicken soup can't help with at all.
mimsic
18 years ago
I try to remove peppercorns before serving. They do tend to fall to the bottom of the pot so its not too much of a problem. I warn the diners to look out for them if it seems like a few have escaped.

Chicken soup ok at hanukkah?

Comments (8)

Terri_PacNW

Carol Schmertzler Siegel

Related Discussions

mtnester

hawk307

arabellamiller

mimsic

sands99
Original Author

mimsic

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Chicken soup ok at hanukkah?

Comments (8)

Terri_PacNW

Carol Schmertzler Siegel

Related Discussions

mtnester

hawk307

arabellamiller

mimsic

sands99Original Author

mimsic

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

sands99
Original Author