Chowhound Gift Guide 2018: Best Gifts for Neighbors

They let out your dog, watch the house when you’re away, and shovel your sidewalk the moment snow starts to fall. Here are the best ways to to say you love thy neighbor.

Strike It Outdoor Game, $37.49 at Target

Target

Your kids are already BFFs, so gift the family next door a yard game that you can all play together, and try not to acknowledge that it’s really a gift for your family, too.See It

Hello Goodbye Door Mat, $9.09 at Target

Target

Give your neighbor a gift they wouldn’t think to buy for themselves. Also, they’ll think of you every time they leave the house.See It

Chocolate Sables, $11.00 at Mouth

Mouth.com

For the neighbor who brought you a batch of homemade cookies on the day you moved into the neighborhood, return the favor with a sweet treat that you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen baking yourself.See It

Traveling Neighborhood Giving Plate, $23.95 on Amazon

DEI

Still pissed you never got your casserole dish back from Carol? Give her this plate that’s meant to be handed off to a new neighbor when they move in, then passed on to the next newbie neighbor on the block. (Then kindly remind her about that casserole dish.)See It

Lord Hobo Boom Sauce IPA, $5.04-34.99 at Drizly

Lord Hobo Brewing Co.

A pack of brewskis is the perfect way to thank your neighbor who always fires up the grill and invites everyone over on game day.See It

RunLocker Subscription Box, $44.95/month at Cratejoy

CrateJoy

This subscription box will fulfill the marathon runner down the block’s need for speed. Every month they’ll get a pre and post run snack and other cool gear to help them out there on the course. (The course being your neighborhood.)See It

Herb Garden Kit, $21.99 on Amazon

Amazon

For the neighbor who has the most enviable garden on the street, give them a boost on next season’s harvest with a Sow & Grow seed starter kit. It comes with everything they’ll need to grow—thyme, basil, cilantro, parsley, and sage—and when you run out of herbs you can always just hit this house up instead of the grocery store.See It

Monopoly Game: Rustic Series Edition, $38.99 at Target

Target

The couple who always hosts game night is about to get an upgrade to their Monopoly board with this version that comes in a chic wooden box and includes wooden dice, houses, and hotels for an on-the-farm feel.See It

Emile Henry Butter Pot, $39.95 at Sur La Table

Sur la table

It’s one of those I-didn’t-know-I-needed-this-and-now-I-can’t-live-without-it gifts. This keeps a whole stick of butter fresh without refrigeration for up to 30 days. And it looks good too.See It

Stalwart Hide a Key Set, $8.38 on Amazon

Amazon

It’s two gifts in one: a thermometer (plus a fake sprinkler head and rock), and a place to stash keys (for when you need to go to a neighbor’s house to let out their dog).See It

Roku Streaming Stick, $59.99 at Target

Target

They’ve come over a billion times to watch the Super Bowl and the Oscars. Now they can stream in their own home in case you feel like critiquing the red carpet dresses solo.See It

Related Video: 7 Holiday Food Gifts No One Wants

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2FJIwpD
via IFTTT

The History of Chocolate Gelt

Reluctantly nibbling on chocolate gelt, the foil-wrapped coin-shaped candy enclosed in tiny mesh “money bags,” is as much a holiday tradition as playing dreidel and lighting the menorah. Most Jews will tell you the stuff is awful, waxy and flavorless with little resemblance to what one would consider actual chocolate. Easter has Peeps. Halloween has candy corn. Hanukkah has gelt.  

So where did Hanukkah’s fruitcake equivalent come from? Gelt (the Yiddish word for money) has always been synonymous with the Festival of Lights long before it made its way into chocolate form. Gifting actual coins was integral to the celebration of Hanukkah in ancient times. The Talmud, the main source of Jewish law which dates back to the 6th century, encourages people to give money to those in need of supplies to ensure they were able to keep their menorahs lit for eight days.

Ugly Hanukkah Dreidel Sweater, $22.95 on Amazon

Spin the dreidel in this stunningly ugly holiday sweater!

See it

Fast forward to the 1700s in Eastern Europe, when Jewish parents would give their children gelt to gift to their teachers as a bonus for their efforts. Eventually, the tradition evolved, and parents also gave money to their kids as a sort of reward, but with the stipulation they’d have to save it for their future educations.  

Shutterstock

The transition from currency to confection took place in the 1920’s, when the now-defunct New York-based Loft’s became the first candy company to produce a chocolate version of gelt. Not only did this provide a cheaper alternative to gifting actual money, it also forged a connection with Judaism’s minting roots—the first coins produced by Jews back in 142 B.C. were stamped with a menorah.  

While chocolate gelt would go on to join the ranks of latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts), its sustained popularity can only be described as another Hanukkah miracle. Historically, big-name chocolatiers avoided making the stuff as obscure American and Israeli manufactures cornered the market and felt no incentive to improve their product.  

What Jew Wanna Eat

But in the era of artisanal revamping, that’s all changing and Jewish kids now have options beyond gelt that tastes like a box of Hanukkah candles. Several chocolate companies including Divine Chocolate, which sells coins made from fair trade certified single-origin West African cacao beans, and Veruca Chocolates, known for their foil-less version sprayed in silver and gold and studded with sea salt, are revamping the stuff. Thankfully, some traditions aren’t built to last.

Related Video: Delicious Chocolatey Treats for Hanukkah!

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2E0sMNA
via IFTTT

Why Cauliflower Will Save Your Holiday Party

Can I be real? As a person that lives for a good…no, an epic dinner party, I like to please all my guests. This, however, can be challenging when you are not aware of what people can’t eat. Failure to let me know about a food restriction—after I have explicitly bold-type-face-requested it as part of the RSVP—has resulted in no future invitations and disasters in real-time. I apologize for not knowing, they apologize for not realizing they wouldn’t be able to eat anything, I apologize for them even having to apologize, and this continues until we move on to the next course or, hopefully, a bottle of wine.

In a world of gluten-free, paleo, vegan, nut allergies, lactose intolerance, and you name it, all this apologizing is just annoying. What we need, especially with the onslaught of holiday party season, are solutions.

Holiday parties, whether at home or at the office, are places where you literally just don’t have the time or manpower to cover all your bases as far as people’s food restrictions go. The numbers are too high and budgets aren’t big enough. You need food that will please the masses. After all, people are expecting indulgence—not celery and tofu.

Handmade Acacia Wood Serving Platter, $20 - $30 at Sur La Table

Even celery and tofu will look appealing on such a handsome handmade platter, though.

See It

So, let’s talk about the food that is giving me life right now: cauliflower.

Pixabay

Yes, I mean it. We are not talking about the tasteless vegetable that your parents made you eat, boiled with a little salt and pepper. We are not talking about that stuff that comes raw in veggie platters from Stop & Shop. Well, actually, that’s a lie. Yes, we are talking about that cauliflower, but have you seen what the food blogosphere is doing to cauliflower lately?

Let’s start with hors d’oeuvres. All parties need a finger food. Normally, we think of cheese, wings, and charcuterie, so how could cauliflower work?

Crispy Sea Salt & Vinegar Cauliflower “Popcorn”

Blissful Basil

Cauliflower popcorn sounds simple, but this salt-and-vinegar-chip inspired dish is a way to get your health-conscious guests munching away at the start of a party.  It is also gluten-free (if you get certified gluten-free oats) and vegan. If you want to make this dish more savory, just add a little truffle or rosemary oil. Get the Crispy Sea Salt & Vinegar Cauliflower “Popcorn” recipe.

Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks

Jo Cooks

Whether you call it cauliflower bread sticks or cauliflower pizza, this recipe is the easiest way to make pizza appear gourmet. This gluten-free pizza will be also lighter and crispier than your average dough so be prepared for pleasantly surprised guests. If you want to make it a little tastier, I like to add a little onion powder or fresh scallions to the dough. Get the Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks recipe.

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Gimme Delicious

And what about wings? To that, I say buffalo cauliflower “wings”. The bonus from doing it this way is you can easily make them vegetarian, vegan, and/or gluten-free depending on what you need. Get the Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings recipe.

If hors d’oeuvres aren’t enough, you can make some more substantial dishes.

General Tso’s Cauliflower

Cooking Curries

Try General Tso’s cauliflower. Sure, it is American Chinese food, but I dare you to tell me that you never enjoyed this classic. The sweet, sour, spicy treat will make even the meat-eaters jealous and can be made vegan and gluten-free. Get the General Tso’s Cauliflower recipe.

Creamy Cauliflower Sauce

Pinch Of Yum

How about something creamy? Well, did you know that cauliflower makes a mean Alfredo sauce? Just think of the possibilities. You can make Alfredo pasta, Alfredo pizza, or add it to rice to make a creamy, risotto-like side dish. The recipe I recommend from Pinch of Yum is my favorite cause it still has cheese. It is also a gluten-free and vegetarian option. Get the Creamy Cauliflower Sauce recipe.

Dreamy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

The Endless Meal

However, if you need to go vegan or paleo, The Endless Meal has you covered. Get the Dreamy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce recipe.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Goji Berries

Chowhound

If you want to showcase the beauty of the actual cauliflower, try the roasted cauliflower with tahini and goji berries. This colorful, nut-free, vegan, and paleo combination had my tastebuds floored. Cauliflower, especially when baked or roasted, can be both crispy and juicy, so adding the tahini will give your florets or cauliflower steak (thick slices) a satisfactory, nutty flavor that leaves your guests completely satiated. Also, if you need to amp up the nutty flavor, add a side of tahini dressing. Get our Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini and Goji Berries recipe.

Now, nothing is more annoying than skipping out on dessert. So, let’s get to it.

Cauliflower Rice Pudding

Cookies To Kale

To start, one of my favorite desserts just got way healthier with cauliflower rice pudding. It’s paleo, vegetarian, gluten-free, and nut-free.  Need I say more? Get the Cauliflower Rice Pudding recipe.

Cauliflower Brownies

I Breathe I’m Hungry

Brownies, anyone? I can hardly turn down anything chocolate and neither will your guests after they find out this dessert is flourless and gluten-free. Get the Cauliflower Brownies recipe.

Cauliflower Ice Cream

The Big Apple Mama

Finally, we already got creamy with Alfredo sauce, but imagine if we could make ice cream! Well, you can. The creamy nature of blended cauliflower will have you thinking about gelato as it melts in your mouth. Plus, it’s vegan and gluten-free. Get the Cauliflower Ice Cream recipe.

Now, do all these new takes on cauliflower mean that we have found our new favorite guilt-free holiday food? 

To that, I say “Guilt is an emotion that doesn’t need to get indulged.” Eat and be merry!

Related Video: Vegan Cauliflower Meze

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2RkjtuW
via IFTTT

8 Ways to Top a Latke

Latkes have a long and storied history dating back to the Ashkenazi Jews who prepared these diminutive potato pancakes for Hanukkah since the mid-19th century. They were inspired by an ancient recipe that had been used since the Middle Ages. The word latke is derived from the word “oladya” which translates as a small pancake.

Even though the most well-known latke recipe includes a combination of grated potatoes, eggs, flour, and sometimes finely chopped garlic and onions, there are countless variations to this beloved dish. These include legumes, grated vegetables such as zucchini and carrots, and various grated or powdered cheese varieties.

Latke Tray, $10.99 on Amazon

Perfect for all you Hanukkah party need!

See it

What really makes a latke sing are the toppings. Traditional ways to top a latke include spooning applesauce on top or dolloping it with sour cream, but there are endless ways to get creative when it comes to topping your latke. Include a few of these ideas at your next latke gathering. Your latke-loving guests will thank you for it.

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese

Smoked salmon was made for latkes. Spread room temperature cream cheese over the entire side of the latke and top with slices of smoked salmon. Sprinkle capers and finely chopped chives over it and serve with a lemon wedge.

Mango Chutney and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Mango chutney is an upgrade from the applesauce that is traditionally used as a latke topping. It adds a spicy note to the neutral flavor of the latke that is countered by the sweetness of the mangoes. Toast pumpkin seeds until they are slightly golden brown and aromatic and sprinkle on top of the chutney. Serve alongside a bowl of plain Greek yogurt for a tangy finish.

Freshly Whipped Cream and Berries

There’s really nothing better than this simple but always welcome combination of silky cream that has been freshly whipped into gentle peaks and spooned atop a latke. Spread the cream generously over every inch of the latke and top with your favorite spring or summer berries. For extra sweetness, sprinkle the berries with sugar the night before and refrigerate until the next morning. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top and breakfast is served.

Nutella, Bananas, and Chopped Hazelnuts

This flavor combination is all the rage in Paris where it is wrapped up into a warm crepe. It works just as well with latkes. Saute sliced bananas over medium heat in a nob of butter for a few minutes to soften them up. Spread nutella over the surface of the latke, arrange the bananas on top, and sprinkle with toasted, coarsely chopped hazelnuts.

Hummus, Black Olive Tapenade, and Sundried Tomatoes

Invite the Mediterranean to your next latke gathering. Spread hummus over your latke and then a thin layer of black olive tapenade. Spoon a few sundried tomatoes on top and drizzle the entire latke with their infused olive oil. Sprinkle the tomatoes with thinly sliced basil and crumbled feta for a bright finish.

Porcini Mushrooms, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onions

Infuse your latkes with the flavors of France with this topping combination that brings an earthiness to your latke party. Saute thinly sliced onions or shallots in butter over medium heat until their natural sugars are coaxed out and they are tender and caramelized. Add thinly sliced porcini mushrooms about halfway through. Once everything is soft and aromatic, sprinkle with fresh thyme or finely chopped tarragon. Spoon over your latke before topping it with crumbled goat cheese.

Peaches and Ice Cream

This is a latke dessert that will be requested time and time again. Over medium heat, saute sliced peaches in butter until they are just tender. Turn the heat down to low and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and saute for one minute more. Spoon the peaches over your latke and top with a scoop of softened vanilla ice cream.

Cheese Curds and Gravy

Take a cue from Canada on a cold winter’s day by topping your latke with the classic poutine combination of warm gravy and cheese curds. This is a nice way to use up the gravy from a holiday party and is the perfect foil to a cold afternoon. First top the latke with cheese curds and then drizzle the gravy on top. Sprinkle with finely chopped rosemary for a gourmet finish.

Related Video: How to Make Roasted Root Vegetable Latkes

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2irACqa
via IFTTT

Storing and Re-Heating Tricks and Tips to Survive the Holidays

Maybe you’re superhuman, but the rest of us mere mortals can’t possibly make an entire, elaborate holiday dinner all on the big day and have everything as warm or cold as it should be, all at the same time, just as guests are ready to eat. And maintain our sanity. I mean, really. You’ve got to have a strategy.

A New Way to Dinner, co-authored by Food52 founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, is a playbook for stress-free weekly meal-planning. (Don’t you just love making nouns into verbs? If you can lunch, you might as well dinner.) The book can help with the biggest holiday meals you’ll make all year too.

Food52

And for some help before those big days, Hesser and Stubbs gave us two recipes that can create a meal plus another meal with the leftovers, which is so necessary on busy weekdays. Get our Pan Roasted Chicken recipe and our Brussels Sprouts Salad with Anchovy Dressing recipe.

To help you plan ahead for the coming fall and winter holiday meals, we did a little Q&A with the authors.

Chowhound: How can we apply your cookbook’s tips to our holiday cooking?

Amanda Hess and Merrill Stubbs: As busy parents and entrepreneurs, we don’t have much time to cook during the week – even though food is our business! After years of trial and error, we figured out that if we want to eat well, we need to plan ahead and do the bulk of our cooking over the weekend. So our book puts forth seasonal plans for getting it all done: grocery lists, cooking plans for the weekend, and then how to mix and match the food through the week. This new way to dinner will change the flow of your weeks and improve your life. You’ll have more time with the people you love. You’ll save money on groceries and waste less food. You’ll become faster, better and more focused in the kitchen. This is especially important during the holidays, when time is tight, so all the tips in the book about using grocery lists (organized by area), planning, and cooking over the weekend apply. Merrill’s even included a holiday dinner party menu for six in the book, which utilizes some base dishes you prep over the weekend for a stress-free party.

C: What can we make ahead for Thanksgiving/Hanukkah/Christmas?

A & M: Cooking ahead for holiday meals frees up your oven and allows you to sit down and have a cocktail with everyone! Our book is full of holiday-friendly recipes (along with reheating information where necessary) — from short ribs in red wine to overnight roast pork to mashed potatoes, to cakes, cookies, and even cocktails. Amanda’s butternut squash puree is perfect for Thanksgiving and stores and reheats beautifully. We both make sour cream mashed potatoes (Merrill sometimes adds parsnips), which you can rewarm easily in a saucepan over low heat, adding a little water or warm milk to loosen. Use leftovers to make mashed potato cakes! If you want to talk turkey, Amanda plans for her turkey to finish roasting 2 hours before dinner so she can carve it, arrange it on a platter, dampen it with some gravy, and simply rewarm it in the oven 15 minutes before she serves it.

Food52

C: Tell us about a time when something didn’t work out when you cooked for your family’s holiday, and how you’ve learned from that.

Merrill Stubbs: I once forgot about a pan of Brussels sprouts roasting in the oven; they didn’t burn, but the texture turned to mush. I was doing too many things at the last minute — and trying to talk to people — and the food suffered. From this I learned to have pretty much everything finished by the time my guests walk through the door, so that I’m just keeping things warm or reheating before the meal.

Amanda Hesser: One year I got too ambitious about cookies and bought all sorts of great sanding sugars, dragées, and cookie cutters. I made the dough, and then work and life got busy and I never got around to making them. So the sugars and cutters just stared at me, forlorn, on the counter until February, when I finally gave in and put them away for another year. The holidays should be about pleasure, not self-flagellation — and ever since then, I’ve been more thoughtful about what I can really get done before building up a senseless pile of guilt!

C: What is a dish your family wants you to make every year for the holidays?

MS: My mother-in-law always talks about how much she likes my gravy (she says hers comes out lumpy and flavorless), so I’m on gravy duty no matter who’s hosting.

AH: I’m always on reserve dessert duty, which I love. I fill in whatever holes there might be — if we need an apple pie, I make. Something pumpkin? I’m on it!

Food52/Rocky Luten

C: Are there any differences in how we should prepare and entertain for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve/Christmas dinner, and Christmas brunch?

MS: Thanksgiving usually means a bigger crowd than Christmas at my house, which necessitates better planning and more advance prep. More people equals not only more food, but also more distractions — er, opportunities to socialize — which makes last-minute cooking a significant challenge. (See above!)

AH: Thanksgiving for us is sometimes with family, sometimes with friends, so it’s rarely the same. But Christmas is often with my husband’s family, and is a fairly relaxed affair. I like to volunteer to cook for Christmas Eve because after a busy work season, it’s a chance for me to putter around the kitchen and cook a bunch of things. I don’t stick much to tradition. Last year I made a pork ragu over pasta, and a big salad. For Christmas brunch, I either make a cherry almond danish or order stollen (from Big Sur Bakery).

C: What are the best ways to store certain types of leftovers like cheese, turkey bones for soup, etc.?

A & M: Store-washed (and dried) greens or par-cooked vegetables like green beans separately in the fridge in paper towel–lined containers or bags. Make sure to use cooked vegetables within a couple of days; wait much longer, and they will have lost most of their crunch. Whenever possible, refrigerate dishes like stews, braises, baked pastas, and pilafs right in the pan they were cooked in. You’ll cut down on dishes, and it makes reheating simple. You’ll see in the book that we call for shaking up most of our salad dressings in a jar. It’s the easiest way to emulsify the ingredients, and then you’re left with both a handy storage container and one step to re-emulsify the leftovers.

Keep leftover cheese wrapped in waxed paper instead of plastic to let it breathe a little, and store bones and vegetable scraps in bags or containers in the freezer for the next time you make stock — no need to defrost before tossing them into the pot.

— Head photo by James Ransom.

Related video: 5 Portable, Make-Ahead Holiday Desserts

 

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2TPGIi3
via IFTTT

How to Host a Hot Pot Dinner Party

A few years ago, my parents brought home a pot-and-burner set they’d picked up at a specialty store. Now, whenever I go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas, our tiny kitchen table is inevitably covered in bowls of sliced meat and raw vegetables. My dad hands me a bowl and a pair of tongs as my mom sets out a huge pot of broth, and dinner is served.

Hot pot, the communal cooking method found throughout Asia, is an event that stretches beyond, “let’s get something to eat together” variety. Anyone who’s had it, whether it’s at the wildly popular chain restaurant Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot (there’s even one in Plano, Texas,) or at the more upscale Tang Hotpot in New York, knows it’s not only delicious and soul-warming, but inevitably a good time.

But you don’t need to go to a restaurant to do it. As my mom says, “It’s the easiest meal to serve.” The guests, after all, do the cooking themselves. When you throw a hot pot dinner party, all you have to do is make sure everyone’s glasses are full as the broth boils. Below, a few tips and tools you’ll need.

Tang Hotpot (New York)

The Equipment

The first thing you need is a pot. You’ll want one that’s wider than a traditional soup pot, so that heat will be equally distributed and you won’t have to go deep-sea diving for anything that goes missing from your tongs. A pot around 12 inches wide and 6 inches deep will work for up to six people.

For the “hot” part, you’ll need a burner. Butane burners provide the most fine-tuned heat control, but can be unpredictable. For easier clean up (and to keep your house from burning down), go with an electric or induction burner. (Be aware that induction-based heat sources require induction-compatible pots.)

There are also plenty of affordable pot-and-burner sets specifically designed for hot pot. Many of the pots come with a built-in divider, so that you can serve two different flavors of broth at once.

Aroma Stainless Steel Hot Pot, $58.67 on Amazon

The perfect hot pot to get you started!

See it

The Broth

Sichuan-style, which is a spicier base, is the go-to style of broth most people are familiar with. Stir-fry a few dried Sichuan chiles with roughly equal proportions of sliced ginger, minced garlic, black bean paste, and whole Sichuan peppercorns. Add a few bay leaves, several star anise, and a sprinkling of cloves. Once all the ingredients are cooked down into a paste, add the base into your pot of chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then lower back down to a simmer.

But by all means, feel free to get more creative. Try a Thai curry with sautéed garlic by mixing four parts vegetable stock and three parts coconut milk, as well as red curry paste, lime juice, and fish sauce to taste. Top with sliced ginger and a few sprigs of Thai basil. Or opt for a Japanese sukiyaki, made with equal parts mirin, sake, and soy sauce, two parts dashi, and a bit of sugar to taste. You can even try French onion soup for a fondue-like spin.

And if you’re overwhelmed by the broth possibilities, you can simply fill your hot pot with stock and let the dipping ingredients be the stars.

Tang Hotpot (New York)

The Ingredients

Sliced beef, fish balls, bok choy, potatoes, mushrooms, tofu, and rice noodles are all fail-safe ingredients, but the truth is you can cook just about anything in a hot pot. A good rule of thumb is this: Keep proportions of meat or seafood, non-meat items, and noodles to a 2:4:1 ratio.

You also want to make sure the ingredients you select pair well with the flavors in the broth. For a curry-based pot, you might want vegetables with more bite, like bell peppers; in a more moderately spicy pot, try frozen dumplings; for a Western-style pot like onion soup, replace the noodles with toasted bread.

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot

How to Eat

Slice all the meat and vegetables into bite sized portions and gather your guests around the table. Using tongs (maybe grab a few of these miniature ones so that every guest can have their own pair), ladles (wider ones make it easier to grab ingredients), and chopsticks or skewers, dip whatever ingredients you want into the broth. Once each ingredient thoroughly cooks, put it into your bowl alongside a ladle of hot soup. If you really want a kick, use a dipping sauce like sesame oil or crispy chili paste. This is a party after all.

Related Video: Chowhound Tour of Portland—Asian Small Plates

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2Sdiz3a
via IFTTT

Great Food Gifts for Hanukkah

Don’t you dare show up to a Hanukkah dinner empty handed. Bring a gift, and make it food — but not any food. There are rules. So do it right and try one of our eight tasteful suggestions.

And get some ideas of what Hanukkah-inspired dishes to make for your own dinner or party on our Hanukkah recipe page.

1. Eleni’s Patterned Dreidels Tin (Kosher) | Buy It

Eleni’s

These are some classy cookies. These 12 nut-free, traditional sugar cookies are made with pure butter, whole eggs, and vanilla. finished with royal icing.See it

2. Cheesecake Layercake Sampler | Buy It

QVC

Go big with Junior’s biggest cheesecake sampler yet. The New York City cheesecake institution has a new cake-within-a-cake sampler, super-sized. You’ll get carrot cake cheesecake, red velvet cheesecake, chocolate dream cheesecake, and new white chocolate cheesecake with tons of white chocolate chips. This gift is a crowd pleaser. Call 800-958-6467 or buy it here.See it

3. Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Buy It

Dean & DeLuca

The extra virgin olive oil is pressed from the finest Sicilian Nocarella del Bellice, Biancolilla, and Cerasuola olives. With its deep, brilliant green color and aromatic notes of herbs, citrus, green tomato, and artichoke, it’s a treat for both the eyes and the palate, and its finish is both pleasantly bitter and persistently spicy. See it

4. Eight Nights of Hanukkah Crate (Kosher) | Buy It

Zabar’s

Your thoughtfulness will be remembered as your recipients open gift upon delicious gift from one of the most celebrated NYC Jewish delis. What’s Inside: Chocolate coins, Zabar’s chocolate babka, Zabar’s cinnamon rugelach, silver and blue chocolate covered almonds, blue and white mini lentils, blue and gold Hanukkah chocolates, Hanukkah cookie assortment, blue and white cookies, Hanukkah candles, and dreidels. See it

5. Chocolate Babka (Kosher) | Buy It

Dean & DeLuca

Made from enriched yeast dough rolled around a rich chocolate filling to produce a beautifully marbled bread, chocolate babka is a great Hanukkah treat to share. The two loaves, 3-pounds total, will be shipped frozen. See it

6. Sugarfina Candy Bento Box (Kosher) | Buy It

Sur la Table

Beautifully packaged for gifting in a blue and silver box with a magnetic closure, this box carries eight delicious candies in clear Lucite boxes — perfect for celebrating eight nights of light. There’s even a tasting menu with notes for each candy. The candy bento box includes: dark chocolate sea salt caramels, robin’s egg caramels, sugar cookies, Champagne bubbles, dark chocolate toffee almonds, heavenly sours, peanut butter toffee, Kona espresso beans.See it

7. Top of the Latke | Buy It

Mouth

Latkes, a popular Hanukkah dish, can be even better with a spread of indie toppers, an ideal entertaining gift for any Hanukkah host. Try this assortment of apple butter, fresh figs, and cheese.See it

8. Rugelach (Kosher) | Buy It

Dean & DeLuca

Honor your beloved bubbe with this gift of a traditional rugelach recipe faithfully recreated into these special sweet, chewy pastries in cinnamon and raisin with walnuts, packaged in a signature gift tin. See it

Related Video: Delicious Chocolately Treats for Hanukkah 

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.
 

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2zvDt6I
via IFTTT

Tri-Tip Beef Roast With Shallot Jus

Get Recipe!

from Serious Eats: Recipes https://ift.tt/2PZyYLU
via IFTTT