How to Have the Best O.C.-Style Chrismukkah Celebration Ever
'Tis the season to be jolly, and no matter what holiday you're celebrating, there's one you should get on your radar. Chrismukkah — which combines the best parts of Christmas and Hanukkah — is the brainchild of The O.C.'s Seth Cohen, and throughout the show's four seasons, we learned all the magical ways to combine menorahs and candy canes during the joint holiday.
During the eight days of presents followed by one day of many presents, two things are vital: wearing a Yamaclaus and eating an abundance of food from both styles of feasts. So to help you throw the perfect Chrismukkah party, we've put together the ultimate menu fusing Jewish cuisine, like latkes and kugel, with traditional Christmas fare, like prime rib and cranberry sauce.
And remember: Chrismukkah is unruinable. It has twice the resistance of any normal holiday, making it the perfect time to experiment.
If your family normally eats turkey for Christmas, you're halfway to an awesome mash-up. Kelsey Nixon tops mini potato latkes with smoked turkey and kumquat chutney, but you could use cranberry sauce instead.
Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
When rubbing a prime rib roast with spices, try adding garlic powder, paprika and dry mustard to a basic salt and pepper mixture to flavor the meat like a brisket. To combine the dishes even more, you could add tomato sauce to a traditional au jus to replicate the flavors of brisket's braising liquid.
Traditional noodle kugel features raisins, but dried cranberries could add a festive pop to the dish. Dried cranberries also bring in a flavor similar to cranberry sauce while maintaining the familiar texture of dried grapes.
If you want an everything bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon at dinnertime, Justin Warner's wacky Ed Koch Stuffing recipe will do the trick. This could also be an easy Chrismukkah brunch dish if it's too crazy to serve alongside your turkey or roast at the holiday feast.
Rugelach cookies and apple pie are together at last. Cinnamon sugar coats the cookie dough before it's all rolled up around tender, caramel-flavored apples.
Matt Armendariz, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
Alie Ward and Georgia Hardstark's Meshugana Macaroon cocktail tastes like the cookie because of the coconut creme and rum, but it also has hints of egg nog flavors with egg whites and vanilla vodka shaken in. Alternatively, you could stir coconut rum into Alton Brown's eggnog for a similar mash-up.