There’s something magical about the soft flicker of candlelight. It creates a mood of warmth and undeniable elegance. In this Chanukah party scene, the stunning array of candles enhances the festive spirit and adds a touch of sophistication. Whether you’re hosting a small family party or a large-scale event, adding a few candles always transforms a space and brings out that Chanukah feeling!

 

Tall blue glass vases filled with a combination of artificial long-stemmed berries and leaves in coordinating colors add height and color and are easy to prepare in advance.

 

Each place is set with a scalloped placemat, a pink ceramic plate, an off-white napkin with a slight sheen tied in a pink velvet bow with a branch inserted for color, and a pink and blue glass pulling all the colors together.

 

Mix and match any candlesticks or candle holders you have with a variety of candles—long taper candles, pillar candles, and short votive candles—to add a touch of glamour and sophistication.

 

Don’t forget the dreidels and chocolate coins to keep with the Chanukah spirit and keep everyone busy!

 

Popcorn bar

Keeping the kids entertained and happy is always a challenge at Chanukah gatherings where there are adults and children of all ages. First have the children decorate their popcorn containers with the Chanukah-themed foam stickers and crayons or markers. For an added spin, have them decorate it for another family member. Then allow them to scoop the popcorn, sprinkle on their choice seasonings and toppings, shake it up, and enjoy!

· Prepare a large bucket of freshly popped plain popcorn.

· Line up the spice jars with a variety of sweet and savory spices.

· Have an assortment of kid-friendly toppings.

Have fun!

 

Games

Game 1: Connections

Each board has 16 words written on little tiles. Players must place the words into groups of four, trying to notice the characteristic each set of four words have in common.

Category examples:

· Transportation—train, bus, car, plane

· Found in the kitchen: knife, table, sink, salt

Feel free to customize your 16 tiles with family members’ names, places, or events that evoke those great family memories!

Each puzzle should have exactly one solution. Watch out for words that seem to belong to multiple categories!

Game variations:

1. Each player gets their own copy of the board and tries to solve the puzzle correctly before the timer goes off.

2. Divide the players into several teams. Create a large board and have the teams compete to get it correct first. 3. Create a large board and have everyone work on it together.

 

Game 2: Rapid Recall

A great, fast-paced game for all ages, involving the whole family reliving memories together.

Players are divided into two teams. One player gives clues to the other members of their team from a card that contains ten words or phrases.

If the players know what the clue is, they throw a chocolate coin into the bowl on the game board.

Once the timer is up, the team works together to try to recall all the words that were clued.

Upon getting the word correct, a chocolate coin is taken out of the bowl and placed on that team’s side of the board. If the clues are forgotten or incorrect, the other team gets a chance to steal the coins that remain in the bowl.

The object of the game is to fill your side of the board with correctly guessed or stolen coins.

Have fun creating your own set of cards of ten words. You can either keep it simple and put together basic Chanukah or Judaic words or take it up a notch and make the cards more family-oriented with family names, places, and memories.

 

Winter Harvest Salad with Blended Feta Cheese Dressing

This combination of winter fruits and vegetables have a variety of color, taste, and texture. The feta cheese blended into the dressing lends itself to a subtle yet powerful flavor.

 

Yield: 8 servings

 

Ingredients:

8 oz. romaine lettuce or crisp greens

1 bag frozen butternut squash cubes, roasted with oil and salt

2 ripe yet firm Bartlett pears, cubed

1 cup pomegranate arils

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

Roasted sunflower seeds

 

Dressing

½ cup milk

6 oz. feta cheese

2 cubes frozen garlic

4 cubes frozen dill

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

 

In a bowl, combine all salad ingredients.

Blend dressing ingredients with an immersion blender.

Drizzle dressing over salad right before serving.

 

Gravlax

It’s hard to believe that making a delicacy so sophisticated and impressive-looking can be so simple! It’s all about the technique and a bit of advance planning, as you want to give the salmon time to cure and get the perfect consistency.

Yield: 10 servings

 

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 cups kosher salt

1 3–4-lb. side fresh salmon

Dill weed spice (or any spice or flavoring you like)

1 fresh raw beet (optional, for color)

 

Directions:

Line counter with two overlapping large sheets of plastic wrap.

Combine sugar and salt in a container.

Pour half of sugar-salt mixture in center of plastic wrap.

Lay side of salmon skin side down on top of sugar-salt mixture.

Sprinkle dill generously over salmon.

Grate beet over the salmon, if using.

Pour remaining sugar-salt mixture over salmon.

Wrap plastic wrap tightly around salmon and place in a deep dish or roaster pan.

Place heavy weights, such as cans or bags of beans or bricks on top of wrapped salmon and store in refrigerator for at least 24 hours, up to 2–3 days.

Remove plastic and all released liquids.

Rinse off all excess spices, salt, and sugar.

Pat salmon dry.

Pull off skin—skin should be firm and easy to pull off.

Slice very thinly with a very sharp knife.

Note: Use same technique for tuna. However, because tuna has less fat content, it shouldn’t be cured for more than 12 hours.

 

Creamed Gnocchi with Portabella Mushrooms, Spinach, and Sundried Tomatoes

This is no ordinary pasta dish! The creamy sauce packed with flavors from the veggies really takes the gnocchi up a notch.

Yield: 8 servings

 

Ingredients:

2 packages frozen gnocchi, cooked according to package directions

4 large portabella mushroom caps

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons butter

½ onion, finely diced

4 cubes frozen garlic

12 oz. heavy cream

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

4 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves

Parmesan cheese, for garnish

 

Directions:

Sauté mushrooms in oil and set aside.

Heat butter in pan and lightly sauté onions.

Add garlic, stir until fragrant.

Add heavy cream, salt, pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes.

When sauce starts to bubble, reduce heat and let simmer until it thickens.

Pour sauce over gnocchi.

Add mushrooms and spinach leaves and stir.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

 

Halva-Infused Hot Cocoa

The tahini in this rich hot cocoa infuses that halva flavor in a delicate way, leaving you reaching for just a bit more!

Yield: 8 servings

 

Ingredients:

½ cup cocoa

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons vanilla sugar

7 cups milk, divided

10 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons chocolate liqueur (optional)

 

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine cocoa, sugars, tahini, and ½ cup cold milk and whisk until a smooth paste is formed.

Add remainder of milk and liqueur, if desired, and bring to a low boil.

Watch pot, as milk can go from a slight boil to overboil very quickly.

Pour into a pitcher and top with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and chocolate shavings.

Note: For a lighter version, swap half the milk with water.

 

Price List

Tablecloth (fabric): Hobby Lobby—$12.99/yard

Branches/berries/leaves: Hobby Lobby—$2.49/$1.49 branch

Candlesticks: Home Sense—$14.99

Vases: Kohl’s—$9.97

Runner: HomeGoods—$19.99

Placemats: HomeGoods—$14.99/pack of 4

Napkins: HomeSense—$9.99/pack of 8

Glasses: HomeGoods—$9.99/pack of 4

Dishes: HomeGoods—$9.99/pack of 4