Holidays are here

Thanksgiving has come and gone and hopefully we slept off the food coma we got from all the Turkey and stuffing. This means one thing; The holidays are just around the corner. Two things are tricky about the holidays. One, what to gift your mother who has everything and two what you call the holiday or how your spell it.

Take Christmas for example which can also be called Yuletide. According to Thesaurus.com, Christmas may also be referred to as  Noel, Xmas and even Christmastide.

Chanukah can be spelled with two H and/or no C. “For many English speakers, the festival is also known for confusion over the spelling of its name: Is it Hanukkah or Chanukah? The answer is that both are considered correct, though Hanukkah is the most widely used spelling, while Chanukah is more traditional. In addition, more than 20 other variations are recorded. Why so many spellings? Transliteration.” —Amy Tikkanen, Britannica

All confusing. Thank ully Kwanza is it and Winter Solstice is it too. Once you get over or push aside the issue with name or spelling, you can get back to the real meaning of all these holidays — to celebrate with family and friends the birth of Jesus, the miracle of the oil lasting 8 days, the shortest daylight of the year and/or Kwanza which celebrates the seven principles of African heritage and culminates in a feast.

This brings me to the next part of the holidays—the food. For Chanukah, potato latkes with sour cream and/or apple sauce, the feast of seven fishes (Italian) and/or roast pig (Hispanic) for Chrsitmas.  Of course, Egg Nog (or Coquito) cannot be left out. “And in Japan, the colonel comes to dinner with KFC fried chicken as a traditional merry meal. Venezuelans often wrap up hallecas, a cousin to the tamale nestled in banana leaves, which doubles as a fun bonding activity. And because Christmas arrives during the summer in Australia, they'll often throw some shrimp or other seafood on the barbie.” —Liz Shumer, Good Housekeeping And for Kwanza people look to Africa and West Indies for their recipes— Senegalese soup, Jerk Chicken, blackened fish, etc. For the Solstice people tend to look to nature for their food inspiration— nuts, berries, plants, etc.

So what every holiday you celebrate don’t worry about how you spell it or what you call it, just enjoy the food, the people and worry if Uncle Ted will get drunk again this year.

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For Chanukah I make Jelly Swirl baked mini donuts, instead of buying the greasy, covered in powdered sugar jelly donuts.

Mini Donuts

1 box Vanilla, yellow or white cake mix

1 jar raspberry or mixed berry jam

Mini Donut pan

Make the cake batter according to the box. Grease the donut pan with oil spray. Fill each one 2/3 full. Spoon ½ tbsp. jam in several places on top and swirl using a knife, chopstick or toothpick. Bake according to the box instructions for cupcakes. I like to set the time for ½ the time and check on them to make sure I don’t overbake or burn them. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and turn out on to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for maximum 4 days.