Ann H., traditional Chanuka foods vary with the community. Jews of Eastern European descent eat latkes (but never agree on how to make them). Israelis eat fried filled doughnuts. As you see in the string, and can find on many web sites, everywhere in the world, Jews come up with something different for Chanuka. The one constant is that it should be something cooked in oil; that's the point. The idea is to commemorate the story about the oil for the menorah. lpinkmountain, if you use a mix for matzo balls, you will go to hell. JUST KIDDING! But really, I have never understood what the point is of that mix. I mean, matzo balls contain matzo meal, salt, egg, water or broth, and fat (chicken fat best if you are not a vegetarian and your cardiologist isn't looking). So what's in that mix? I think it's just matzo meal, salt, and some bouillon powder (which I don't like anyway); you still have to add the rest -- doesn't really save any time and just costs a lot more and uses more packaging. Lakeguy, here is how I (a genuine Jewish mother) make chicken soup and matzo balls. It's a very simple recipe, without even any dill or garlic, but it really doesn't need it, because the strongly developed chicken flavor holds its own, so try it this way first. Really, you can make any kind of chicken soup your family likes, but make sure to follow the two essentials about the type of chicken and the length of cooking. Try to find a kosher chicken -- the bigger, fatter, and older, the better. The taste is just much, much better. It's not that the kosher slaughtering makes a difference. But they grow them bigger, and they don't feed them chemicals (not for kosher purposes, just to broaden their market to foodies), and the soaking and salting of kashering is like brining it. If you can't find a kosher chicken in your town, then go for an organic one, I guess. Lindac taught me the money-saving tip of using a package of wings instead of a whole chicken (kosher chickens are not cheap). Gellchom's Jewish Chicken Soup (eat! eat!) 1 cut up kosher chicken, or a large package of wings, necks, etc. 2 stalks celery, NO LEAVES, scraped and cut into sticks 2 large carrots, scraped and cut into sticks one whole onion, peeled Salt and pepper Rinse the chicken and put it in your soup pot. Cover with water to about 3/4 inch from top. Bring to a good hard boil, reduce the heat, and skim. Then add the vegetables, 1-2 T salt, and some pepper. Cover and simmer a LONG time -- absolute minimum 1 1/2 hours, but I like to let it go to much longer, even to 6. If it cooks too far down, then just add some water; the taste will still be plenty rich, I promise. Remove chicken and use for something that can have seriously overcooked chicken! Discard onion (and celery, if you want, but I like it in the soup). Remove carrots and set aside. Strain soup and return carrots, celery, and maybe some of the chicken. Chill and remove some but not all of the fat before reheating. Serve with matzo balls, kreplach, noodles, or rice. Matzo balls (this is just the old recipe off the back of the Manischewitz matzo meal box, before they changed it from schmaltz to oil) 2 T schmaltz (rendered chicken fat; buy frozen in kosher market or make your own) or oil (if you must!) 2 lg eggs, slightly beaten ½ c matzo meal 1 t salt, optional 2 T water or broth (use broth if no schmaltz) Mix schmaltz and eggs. Mix matzo meal with salt and blend. Add water and mix. Cover and chill at least 15 minutes. Boil slightly salted water. Reduce heat to low, form balls (with wet hands, and note that they will enlarge as they cook), and add to soup. Cover and cook 30-40 minutes.

Here's a couple of recipes for you. Cabbage just says "Autumn" to me, for some reason :-) I've made the first recipe often - we like it as a side dish with roast turkey or pork. The second is a recipe I have in my files to try that sounds good, with the bonus of being a one pan meal. Becky * Exported from MasterCook * Slow-Braised Cabbage with Apples and Cranberries Recipe By :Becky Chatham Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3 tablespoons brown sugar a generous pinch each of cinnamon, cloves and freshly grated nutmeg salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 head red cabbage -- cored and shredded 1 large onion -- chopped finely 1 garlic clove -- peeled and chopped finely 2 large cooking apples -- peeled, cored and chopped 1/2 cup dried cranberries 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon butter SERVES 6 Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Lightly grease a large casserole dish. Mix the sugar, spices, salt, and pepper. Layer the shredded cabbage with the onion, garlic, apples, and cranberries, seasoning each layer with a pinch of the seasoning. Sprinkle the vinegar over top, and dot with butter. Cover and cook for about 2 hours, giving the mixture a stir halfway through cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary before serving. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * Pork Tenderloins Braised with Red Cabbage Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3 pork tenderloins 1 cup Pinot Noir 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 bay leaves -- crumbled 2 cloves garlic -- mashed Ground cloves 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 thick slices bacon 1 large red onion -- thinly sliced 4 medium carrots -- peeled, sliced or julienned 1 red cabbage -- (2-pound) cored, thinly shredded 1/2 cup beef stock (homemade or canned) 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Steamed baby carrots -- for garnish Trim the tenderloins of all fat and silver skin. Combine the Pinot Noir, 1/2 cup olive oil, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, garlic and a pinch of ground cloves in a noncorrosive bowl and whisk to mix well. Add the tenderloin and turn to coat well. Marinate, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour, or in the refrigerator for 8 hours or longer, turning 2 or 3 times. Remove the tenderloins to drain on paper towels, reserving the marinade. Cut the tenderloins into halves. Brown in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan. Remove the pork. Cut the bacon into 1/4-inch strips. Add to the saute pan. Cook over low heat just until light brown. Add the onion and sliced or julienned carrots. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cabbage. Cook until it begins to wilt. Add the reserved marinade with the garlic, beef stock, salt and pepper; mix well. Add the pork, covering with the cabbage. Cook, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes, turning the pork once. Remove the pork to a plate. Cook the cabbage, uncovered, until any remaining liquid is reduced to syrup. Adjust the seasonings. Slice the pork. Spoon the cabbage onto plates and arrange the pork on top. Garnish with steamed baby carrots. Yield: 6 servings Credits Recipe from: The Vintner's Table Cookbook: Recipes from a Winery Chef by Mary Evely (Simi Winery) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yes, there is such a thing as a "little bit of stir-fry" and you can make enough for one or two by following a simple ratio of ingredients. I have a meal plan where I place stir-fry on Wednesday's menu. I use vegetables (and often leftover meat) from the previous two or three days of meal preparation (if I'm chopping vegetables for Monday's meal - I'll just do enough for subsequent meals at the same time), occasionally I'll add something from the freezer, and I also use rehydrated freeze-dried veggies in stir fry - but any and all of those choices will work. I figure 2-3 ounces of meat per serving along with 3/4 to 1 cup of vegetables per serving, and 1/2 a cup of rice on the side. Use a ratio of ingredients that fits your serving size requirements. I sprinkle it with lemon pepper if I want to skip the sauce, or adapt a favorite sauce to this small amount.

I finally made the cabbage dish. I didn't have a recipe, just an idea I'd heard somewhere, so I kind of cribbed a lot from the Molly Stevens braise, which is a standard for me. I did learn that it needs more stuff than I used (I added it to the ingredients, but it was all eaten up. :) I thought it was delicious. Layer-stuffed Cabbage 1 nice tight white or green standard cabbage, about 2 lb., wedged 5-6 oz., approx., sliced prosciutto (thin, salty, tasty). I use domestic humane. A crime to use the best of Parma for this. 1 small block (inch slice off the wheel or wedge, about half a pound) of good Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 18 mo. is fine. 1/2 cup Cuban citrus garlic sauce, or 1/2 cup garlic infused and seasoned chicken stock with a little lemon juice 1 fat carrot 1 baseball sized yellow onion Olive oil Choose a baking dish that will fit your cabbage wedges. They can be packed in tightly. Oil generously with olive oil (cooking quality, not your best EVOO). Preheat to 330° F (or so). Cut cabbage into enough wedges so everybody gets one. Wide on the outside, and not too deep into the middle of the cabbage works really well, but however it comes out should be fine. Use a madoline or slicing blade to slice the onion paper thin (.5 mm), the carrot and cheese card thin (1.3 mm). Chop the last bits of the veg and throw into the bottom of the dish, with some of the slices. Gently separate the leaves of each wedge, keeping them stacked together. Layer the leaves with the prosciutto, onions, carrots and cheese. Be generous. Reserve a slice or two of the prosciutto and a little of everything else for the top. Place the layered wedges in the dish, scatter the reserved ingredients over the top, and pour the garlic sauce around. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 330° F (or so) for an hour, covered with tucked but not tight foil. After the hour, carefully remove the foil (in case something sticks) and bake another half hour to hour until the cabbage is at your desired tenderness. A berry spoon works well for serving.