Chanukah Party Ideas continued...

Blogging while nursing isn't as hard as I'd have thought.  And since I have started reminiscing parties of Chanukahs past, I decided to post pictures of a few more parties I've done.
2 years ago I invited over a few couples over for a small Chanukah get together.  I decorated the table in a more sophisticated black and white color scheme.
For center pieces, I baked dreidel cookies which I poked a whole in before baking so that I could string them on to the branches I brought it from outside.
For the appetizer, I served salad in tortilla bowls.  I served fish for this party.  I made sushi, and tariyaki salmon.  I served it with the traditional latkes.
For dessert, there was of course, homemade chocolate donuts with strawberries.

Tortilla Salad Bowls

• 8" flour tortillas
• Pam cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450.  Pam a cupcake pan.  Place a tortilla in every other cup, allowing space so that the tortillas don't over lap.  Pleat the edges of the tortilla so that the center lays on the bottom on the cupcake cup and the outer edge comes out forming a bowl.  Place the baking pan with the tortilla into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the tortilla is darkened but not burned.  Let cool for a few minutes to allow to harden before removing from pan.

Can be made a day in advance.  When ready to serve, lay on plate and fill with salad, allowing some to spill out. Drizzle with salad dressing.

 

Have a happy Chanukah!

Chanie

Smoked Salmon Sushi Bites

Sushi is a fun bite size appetizer. Some have mastered the art of rolling sushi, yet sometimes want as easy way out (especially when hosting friends and don't want to spend hours doing prep), others have yet to figure out the proper technique and therefor don't bother with it.  Here I share a no-fail, delicious way to serve up sushi that no one can mess up (okay, let me take that back, I do know people who can mess even this up.)



Lox sushi squares



Tuna avocodo sushi



Smoked Salmon Sushi

• 1 2/3 cups sushi rice
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 7 oz. lox
• 1 tsp wasabi paste or spicy mayo (see recipe for spicy mayo below)
• 2 sheets nori (seaweed paper)
• soy sauce, spicy mayo or/and wasabi (for serving)

Rinse rice well, in cold water (for a few minutes). Place rice in small sauce pan with water.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Lower flame and cook for 10 minutes.  Remove from flame and allow to sit, covered for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and mix to dissolve.  Spread rice onto a nonmetallic dish and sprinkle with the vinegar mixture. Stir for 5 minutes, or until rice is cooled.
Line a 9"x13" baking pan with a large piece of saran wrap (leaving a generous overhang) Place lox pieces in pan and spread with wasabi paste or spicy mayo evenly on top.  Spoon rice into pan, pressing down firmly to cover the lox and wasabi.  Top with nori sheets, and fold up overhanging saran wrap to cover.  Place a piece of cardboard on top of the sushi to weigh it down.  Refrigerate 1 hour or up to one day.  Turn onto cutting board, lox side up.  Slice and serve.

Spicy Mayo

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbs. lemon juice
• 2 tsp hot sauce (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Bon appetit,
Chanie