Today, being the first official DAY of Hanukkah, the Kabbalah Centre is putting on a huge Hanukkah festival at Mizner Park. I’ll be there volunteering for a few hours. There’s a bounce house, rock wall, face painting, food, rides, astrology readings, and a candle lighting at sundown. It’s a pretty awesome way for the Centre to bring the community together to celebrate the holiday. I wish I had my hand-made Menorah here at my apartment, and decorations... I don’t have any decorations!!! My windows are bare; they are totally in need of some blue and white lights.
What are your favorite parts about the holidays? Baking and cooking is always the best. My dad makes the absolute best potato latkes. I shared his recipe last year during my Eight Nights of Hanukkah series. I’ve never had latkes as good as his — anywhere. One year we made them together. It it some seriously hard work. But well worth it when it’s all over and you can eat ‘em up! I haven’t tackled it myself because it just doesn’t feel right to make them without my dad.
Instead, I’ll just bake up a million different kinds of cookies. Today, triple chocolate Oreo chunk cookies. Yep, you heard right. Triple. Chocolate. Oreo. Chunk. White chocolate chips, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and Oreo cookies. The recipe is from Two Peas and Their Pod. The picture alone made me drool. There were snack packs of Oreos in the office at work, so I asked if it would be ok if I brought them home to bake with. No surprise when I got a bunch of yeses. Everyone loves Oreos, but I think I like baking with them more than I like eating them on their own. They always lend such a rich taste to whatever you make. Brownies, cookies, cheesecakes, pie crusts, ice cream... Oreos can be used in so many different desserts. As much as I do love to use them as the main ingredient in baked goods, I still could never resist an Oreo soaked in ice cold milk.
