Recently, my husband found this intriguing show on Hulu called Master Chef. It's one of those reality-tv shows, but what's fun for us is that it's home cooks - people like us, basically - who are competing to be declared the Master Chef by the three judges, 3 formidable giants in the culinary world (Gordon Ramsay one of them, who I think is hysterical to watch). The contestants come from all walks of life and are self-taught cooks, but they all have a passion to succeed in the restaurant business. Since my husband and I love cooking and have fun with it, we enjoy the show.
The contestants have to battle it out through a series of challenges, which got me thinking. I have a suggestion for a challenge: shabbat meals.
Somehow, I developed a reputation (among a very small group of individuals, like maybe, 3) that I can whip up shabbat meals in about 2 hours. On a Friday afternoon. After I come home from work and the grocery store. If you're unfamiliar with shabbat meals, the most common description is that it's like preparing Thanksgiving dinner. And that's not really too far from the truth. There are usually several courses and the attempt is made at preparing dishes that are special and different from what you'd serve during the week - all in honor of the holy day that is Shabbat.
There are books and blogs and articles all about how one can prepare for Shabbat ahead of time so that one does not feel disorganized as Shabbat approaches on Friday evening (this blog is dedicated to the entire notion of how to de-frazzle oneself). They're all wonderful, and I try to implement them. Preparing everything on Friday afternoon is not a sustainable solution, nor is it very nice to have a frazzled mommy who is running around preparing everything right up until the verylastsecond before candlelighting, when all preparation ceases. <--oh, that's another important point here - one often prepares two meals, one for Friday night dinner, and one for Saturday lunch, due to the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat itself...
And yet, that is the situation I find myself in week after week (except for the frazzled mommy part. I suppose I'm so used to my routine that I'm no longer frazzled but I do what I need to do and I just "git 'er done").
So here's my suggestion to the Master Chef show developers: I challenge the home cooks to create two Thanksgiving-style meals in two hours - start to finish. And I think I'm being generous by not throwing kids into the mix, because things always get more interesting when you're trying to entertain two little kiddos and get the chicken into the oven at the same time...
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Cinco de Mayo - son's birthday party
Last week we celebrated my big boy's 2nd birthday on May 5th (his birthday), or Cinco de Mayo as it's known in these parts. Since he was born on May 5th, I knew that this party theme would come up eventually, so I figured I'd jump the gun and go ahead and do it. To wit, a feast:
I made a Tex-Mex dinner that consisted of some incredibly tasty things...thanks to all contributors for this beautiful table. Menu consisted of:
Mexican Rice: (recipe courtesy of a friend of mine)
1 or 2 cups of rice (depends if you have a lot of guests)
water (double the amount of rice you make)
1 medium onion
1 can tomato juice
fresh pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
dash of oregano
salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil (canola, safflower...not olive oil)
1 cup of mixed veggies (corn, carrots, green beans), if desired
In a large skillet or pot heat the oil (on medium heat) and then add the desired amount of rice and brown. Make sure you stir the rice constantly while it browns otherwise it will burn. The rice should be a light, even brown color. Then add the onions and saute until they are a crystalline color. Then add the can of tomato juice and stir quickly so it does not stick to the pan. Add the water and the chicken bouillon and bring to a boil. Add veggies, pepper, oregano and salt to taste. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes and then turn heat down to a low simmer and cover. Cook rice until it is soft but not sticky.
- Mexican corn soup
- Slow cooker shredded beef
- Mango corn salad
- Mexican rice (recipe below)
- Taco-seasoned peppers
- Fixins - non-dairy sour cream, shredded lettuce, guacamole, salsa
- Chips + guacamole
- Dirty meringues
- Non-dairy tropical fruit ice cream
- All-occasion homemade yellow cake with TWO candles
Mexican Rice: (recipe courtesy of a friend of mine)
1 or 2 cups of rice (depends if you have a lot of guests)
water (double the amount of rice you make)
1 medium onion
1 can tomato juice
fresh pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
dash of oregano
salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil (canola, safflower...not olive oil)
1 cup of mixed veggies (corn, carrots, green beans), if desired
In a large skillet or pot heat the oil (on medium heat) and then add the desired amount of rice and brown. Make sure you stir the rice constantly while it browns otherwise it will burn. The rice should be a light, even brown color. Then add the onions and saute until they are a crystalline color. Then add the can of tomato juice and stir quickly so it does not stick to the pan. Add the water and the chicken bouillon and bring to a boil. Add veggies, pepper, oregano and salt to taste. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes and then turn heat down to a low simmer and cover. Cook rice until it is soft but not sticky.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Adventures in the Kitchen: Homemade Fruit Leather
Under the heading "Why Not?", I present to you homemade fruit leather:
What you see there is strawberry fruit leather, using mashed strawberries that we had previously frozen since we had a large amount of strawberries left over from when we last made strawberry jam (a couple of months ago) (thank you dear friends who brought us the hand-picked strawberries), so this came together very quickly. We followed this blog post. Who knew we had a dehydration setting in our oven?!!?! But please note - you don't need a food dehydrator for this - just set it in the oven overnight on the lowest setting for the fruit to dry out!!
Needless to say, the kids loved it. Tonight my husband made a second batch. Awe-some. I recommend you try it!
What is your favorite fruit leather flavor?
 |
| Strawberry fruit leather |
Needless to say, the kids loved it. Tonight my husband made a second batch. Awe-some. I recommend you try it!
What is your favorite fruit leather flavor?
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Easy Passover Salmon Recipe
I got tired of meat meals so I made dairy for lunch today. In addition to my husband's awesome matza lasagna, I made a salmon fillet. This is hardly an original and more of a technique than anything else, but it's fresh tasting and super yummy so I'm including it here. Here's the recipe:
Celebrate Spring Salmon:
1 piece of salmon fillet
1 lemon, sliced with peel
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
several sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed
extra virgin olive oil, probably about 1 Tablespoon
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. You'll be roasting this salmon, baby.
2. Lay the lemon slices spread throughout your pan. This is your bed. Lay the salmon on top of the lemon slices.
3. Make several slits throughout the fillet and insert the garlic slices into the slits.
4. Scatter the rosemary leaves on top of the salmon.
5. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the salmon.
6. Roast the salmon, about 10 minutes per inch. It took me about 20 minutes. The top of the salmon may turn a nice even brown color from the roasting - a total guest-pleaser. Serve immediately, or at room temperature, which is my preference.
Enjoy!
Celebrate Spring Salmon:
1 piece of salmon fillet
1 lemon, sliced with peel
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin
several sprigs of fresh rosemary, stems removed
extra virgin olive oil, probably about 1 Tablespoon
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. You'll be roasting this salmon, baby.
2. Lay the lemon slices spread throughout your pan. This is your bed. Lay the salmon on top of the lemon slices.
3. Make several slits throughout the fillet and insert the garlic slices into the slits.
4. Scatter the rosemary leaves on top of the salmon.
5. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the salmon.
6. Roast the salmon, about 10 minutes per inch. It took me about 20 minutes. The top of the salmon may turn a nice even brown color from the roasting - a total guest-pleaser. Serve immediately, or at room temperature, which is my preference.
Enjoy!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Pesach granola - YUM-O
For the last couple of years, I start to get panicky about Pesach breakfasts for my kids, thinking that without cereal in the morning they will surely starve. I turn to my friends for assistance and send out an email starting an email chain that's all about Pesach breakfasts. I've received several helpful responses! Here is a short list:
Enjoy!
- matza brei - the truly original Pesach breakfast - can be customized!
- muffins
- cream cheese OR whitefish salad OR butter & jam OR just jam + matza
- cottage cheese latkes
- eggs (I wish the rest of my family loved eggs as much as I do...)
Enjoy!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Starbucks now questionable for the kosher consumer
Starbucks has rocked the boat in the kosher world.
As Starbucks has added to their food menus, their cleaning practices (as far as cleaning cooking utensils) has come into question with respect to the separation of utensils that are used for coffee-brewing purposes and utensils used for (non-kosher) food purposes. Knowing that all utensils are (or may be) washed together in hot water, it now becomes difficult to say that a brewed drink at Starbucks is 100% kosher since it has been cleaned and washed together with utensils used in the production of non-kosher food.
In light of all of this, the Houston Kashrut Association (HKA) put out a statement aligning its policy with the Chicago Rabbinical Council which you can read here; essentially, the new guidelines are that the full-service stores are to be avoided (for the most part), and that the kiosks (like those in Target and Randalls) are ok. Please read more details in the CRC policy which easily outlines the dos and don'ts so that you know what you can order.
Too bad!!
As Starbucks has added to their food menus, their cleaning practices (as far as cleaning cooking utensils) has come into question with respect to the separation of utensils that are used for coffee-brewing purposes and utensils used for (non-kosher) food purposes. Knowing that all utensils are (or may be) washed together in hot water, it now becomes difficult to say that a brewed drink at Starbucks is 100% kosher since it has been cleaned and washed together with utensils used in the production of non-kosher food.
In light of all of this, the Houston Kashrut Association (HKA) put out a statement aligning its policy with the Chicago Rabbinical Council which you can read here; essentially, the new guidelines are that the full-service stores are to be avoided (for the most part), and that the kiosks (like those in Target and Randalls) are ok. Please read more details in the CRC policy which easily outlines the dos and don'ts so that you know what you can order.
Too bad!!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The Post-Purim, pre-Pesach detox
With the weather turning beautiful, and our plans for our summer trip to Israel underway, and with my closet being restored to its walk-in self, I feel the urge to detox. Not in the "colon cleanse" kind of way (that's hardcore), but definitely move towards a more healthy, clean living. I want to be outdoors (maybe my lovely office view is to blame), I want to move and walk, and I want to eat clean. I'm not sure what "eat clean" means, but I feel like my body needs something more simple than the current fare.
So - this is a general call-out for your favorite clean-living recipes. Recipes that are more plant-based and grain-based, as opposed to meat-based (not that we eat a lot of meat during the week, fortunately!). For example, I want more recipes that use quinoa, tofu, vegetables, etc - but also recipes that don't require a lot of cooking or baking or processing.
I get inspiration from the Gluten-Free Goddess, but I'd like you to share with me your favorite *simple* recipes. I like crunchy salads, fish, light soups, sandwiches. Anything dairy. Simple desserts.
Thanks in advance!!
So - this is a general call-out for your favorite clean-living recipes. Recipes that are more plant-based and grain-based, as opposed to meat-based (not that we eat a lot of meat during the week, fortunately!). For example, I want more recipes that use quinoa, tofu, vegetables, etc - but also recipes that don't require a lot of cooking or baking or processing.
I get inspiration from the Gluten-Free Goddess, but I'd like you to share with me your favorite *simple* recipes. I like crunchy salads, fish, light soups, sandwiches. Anything dairy. Simple desserts.
Thanks in advance!!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Purim Challenge: You give cans. I give cash.
**UPDATE: This challenge will be extended through tomorrow, just to have one more opportunity day for a mitzvah!! Please give what you can!!**
Matanot L'Evyonim - one of the major mitzvot of Purim but sometimes overlooked. This is the mitzvah where, even though we go crazy with our celebrations, we ALWAYS remember those who are needy among us and we GIVE.
Kosher on a Budget is challenging her fellow bloggers to raise the profile of this mitzvah, and with your help, I know that Houston will rise to the challenge.
Here's how it will work: For every non-perishable food item that you donate between now and Ta'anit Esther (March 17), Houston Ima will donate 10 cents to Yad Sarah in Israel, up to $200.
Yad Sarah is an incredible organization in Israel that is dedicated to assisting homebound individuals to make life easier, serving the disabled, the elderly, and the sick, all provided free or at minimal cost by an enormous network of volunteers. My aunt (z"l) was a beneficiary and the work they do is mindblowing. Visit their website to get a feel of the services they provide.
Give as generously as your budget (or pantry) will allow, and leave a comment on this post with the number of items you donated AND leave a comment on the original Kosher on a Budget post.
In local grocery stores, we have a network of "red barrels" to help you donate to the Houston Food Bank. Or, you can donate to your pantry or organization of your choice.
Thank you, Houston!
Matanot L'Evyonim - one of the major mitzvot of Purim but sometimes overlooked. This is the mitzvah where, even though we go crazy with our celebrations, we ALWAYS remember those who are needy among us and we GIVE.
Kosher on a Budget is challenging her fellow bloggers to raise the profile of this mitzvah, and with your help, I know that Houston will rise to the challenge.
Here's how it will work: For every non-perishable food item that you donate between now and Ta'anit Esther (March 17), Houston Ima will donate 10 cents to Yad Sarah in Israel, up to $200.
Yad Sarah is an incredible organization in Israel that is dedicated to assisting homebound individuals to make life easier, serving the disabled, the elderly, and the sick, all provided free or at minimal cost by an enormous network of volunteers. My aunt (z"l) was a beneficiary and the work they do is mindblowing. Visit their website to get a feel of the services they provide.
Give as generously as your budget (or pantry) will allow, and leave a comment on this post with the number of items you donated AND leave a comment on the original Kosher on a Budget post.
In local grocery stores, we have a network of "red barrels" to help you donate to the Houston Food Bank. Or, you can donate to your pantry or organization of your choice.
Thank you, Houston!
Friday, February 25, 2011
HKA Kosher Survey
Did you know that Houston is home to its very own kosher supervising agency? The Houston Kashruth Association is a neat organization that supervises local bakeries and eateries as well as factories that produce a lot of what we see on the grocery store shelves.
With the recent explosion (hey, when 2 kosher restaurants open in the same month, that's an explosion) of kosher eateries, "going kosher" has gotten more attention.
With that in mind, HKA has launched a survey to assess the kosher needs in town. If you haven't taken the survey yet, please do so here. Hey - you may even win a prize!!
(I would be remiss if I didn't mention the OTHER local kosher supervising agency organized by Chabad - the Mehadrin Kashrus of Texas - with its nifty logo! We are so lucky to have two!!)
With the recent explosion (hey, when 2 kosher restaurants open in the same month, that's an explosion) of kosher eateries, "going kosher" has gotten more attention.
With that in mind, HKA has launched a survey to assess the kosher needs in town. If you haven't taken the survey yet, please do so here. Hey - you may even win a prize!!
(I would be remiss if I didn't mention the OTHER local kosher supervising agency organized by Chabad - the Mehadrin Kashrus of Texas - with its nifty logo! We are so lucky to have two!!)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Week ending 2/26: meal plan
Dude, it's late and I'm tired, but here's what I thought of for a meal plan this week:
Tonight - Broccoli cheese crustless quiche - had some fresh broccoli in the fridge (sale last week!) so whipped that up with some mozzarella and feta cheese - yum!
Sometime this week - I want to make homemade black bean burgers (and maybe I'll try homemade buns??), and I also have homemade pizza dough in the freezer that is always begging to be made into pizza (and I have caramelized onions in the fridge ready to go, so why not?), plus we have some frozen tuna steaks...so I think we'll be ok this week.
I'm trying to narrow down the list of top family recipes so that I have a set list to choose from - but there are so many! This is such a hard project, I can't even get started!
Tonight - Broccoli cheese crustless quiche - had some fresh broccoli in the fridge (sale last week!) so whipped that up with some mozzarella and feta cheese - yum!
Sometime this week - I want to make homemade black bean burgers (and maybe I'll try homemade buns??), and I also have homemade pizza dough in the freezer that is always begging to be made into pizza (and I have caramelized onions in the fridge ready to go, so why not?), plus we have some frozen tuna steaks...so I think we'll be ok this week.
I'm trying to narrow down the list of top family recipes so that I have a set list to choose from - but there are so many! This is such a hard project, I can't even get started!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Best Places in Houston: Kosher Pizza Places
Well of course they are two of Houston's Best Places...it's just that no one else knows that...
Check out the Best Places in Houston blog and today there is a post about Saba's and Aroma Pizza Cafe. I actually love both pizzas and all the other food and I wish both of them hatzlacha (good fortune) in their endeavors. I love having options when it comes to dairy meals.
So - check out the website and post a comment in support of these two restaurants!! Thanks to Best Places in Houston for recognizing these two!
Check out the Best Places in Houston blog and today there is a post about Saba's and Aroma Pizza Cafe. I actually love both pizzas and all the other food and I wish both of them hatzlacha (good fortune) in their endeavors. I love having options when it comes to dairy meals.
So - check out the website and post a comment in support of these two restaurants!! Thanks to Best Places in Houston for recognizing these two!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Menu plan week ending 2/19
Another Monday, another menu plan. Or not much of one. I still can't do it, folks. Tips???
Here's what I had planned:
Last night - homemade pizza (planned and done - it was tasty!)
Tonight - I planned on making chicken stir fry with leftover Shabbat chicken, so I went ahead and made brown rice this evening. However, my husband came home late tonight and my kids finished up the chicken soup, so chicken is shredded and brown rice is made for another night, I guess.
Tomorrow night - I was thinking of making this crock-pot "Mexican Lasagna" (dairy) from Family Circle magazine, so maybe I'll make that. But I have all this leftover chicken to use up...
Beyond that? I don't know. It'll have to depend on how tomorrow night goes!
Please share any tips you have to plan menus in advance!!
Here's what I had planned:
Last night - homemade pizza (planned and done - it was tasty!)
Tonight - I planned on making chicken stir fry with leftover Shabbat chicken, so I went ahead and made brown rice this evening. However, my husband came home late tonight and my kids finished up the chicken soup, so chicken is shredded and brown rice is made for another night, I guess.
Tomorrow night - I was thinking of making this crock-pot "Mexican Lasagna" (dairy) from Family Circle magazine, so maybe I'll make that. But I have all this leftover chicken to use up...
Beyond that? I don't know. It'll have to depend on how tomorrow night goes!
Please share any tips you have to plan menus in advance!!
Follow up to my 12:25 am Thursday night post
As you may recall, I posted at 12:25 am on Thursday night while I waited for a kugel to finish baking, on my mission to get as much done as possible before Friday, inspired by this blog here. I went to bed sometime around 1 am, not a late hour for me (sadly enough).
What did I have left to do on Friday? I planned on baking dessert, making a veggie (something with green beans), and I think that was it. Shabbat lunch was basically leftovers (+ a fresh chicken dish) so that made it easy.
Friday afternoon I found my green bean recipe - super easy (and amazing - I've never seen green beans consumed that fast).
For dessert I planned on chocolate walnut torte, but since my guests included a tree-nut allergy, that became a chocolate torte. When I came home, I discovered that I ran out of eggs and flour, so there went the torte. I spent about 10 minutes wondering what to make for dessert. Finally - thank you, Susie! - I pulled out my Short on Time cookbook (um, because I was) and found the baby apple tart recipe. Perfect! I had everything I need. And then - I decided to change the recipe half-way through the process (recipe to follow).
Anyway - long story short - I had EVERYTHING ready for Shabbat EARLY, and since the children were playing nicely by themselves, I did the unthinkable: I pulled out a book and actually read about the parsha for about 7 minutes.
Wow, can you imagine?
I felt awesome. I really did. And when everyone came over and so generously offered to help, I sincerely meant it when I said, "Thanks - but I'm good, everything is done."
Here's my super-easy last-minute dessert:
Almost-Strudel (hey - I just made that up!)
* 1 puff pastry, thawed and at room temperature
* 1 apple, diced (I sliced it and I know that dicing it will be easier)
* 1 jar of jam, like cranberry or apricot or something that complements apples (I used our homemade apple cranberry jam)
* a bit of margarine + a bit of brown sugar + cinnamon - all melted together in a pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Unwrap the puff pastry so it's a square.
2. Slather your jam on top of the dough. Use as much as you like! (I used almost 8 ounces)
3. Evenly distribute the apple pieces all over the jam.
4. Add the brown sugar mixture on top of the apples. The mixture won't cover all of the apples - that's ok.
5. Fold one third over the middle section, and fold the other third over the middle section, and transfer to a baking pan (I lined mine with aluminum foil), seam side down.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until brown and golden. Some of the filling may leak out.
7. Before you serve, warm it up a bit. Slice and graciously accept compliments.
What did I have left to do on Friday? I planned on baking dessert, making a veggie (something with green beans), and I think that was it. Shabbat lunch was basically leftovers (+ a fresh chicken dish) so that made it easy.
Friday afternoon I found my green bean recipe - super easy (and amazing - I've never seen green beans consumed that fast).
For dessert I planned on chocolate walnut torte, but since my guests included a tree-nut allergy, that became a chocolate torte. When I came home, I discovered that I ran out of eggs and flour, so there went the torte. I spent about 10 minutes wondering what to make for dessert. Finally - thank you, Susie! - I pulled out my Short on Time cookbook (um, because I was) and found the baby apple tart recipe. Perfect! I had everything I need. And then - I decided to change the recipe half-way through the process (recipe to follow).
Anyway - long story short - I had EVERYTHING ready for Shabbat EARLY, and since the children were playing nicely by themselves, I did the unthinkable: I pulled out a book and actually read about the parsha for about 7 minutes.
Wow, can you imagine?
I felt awesome. I really did. And when everyone came over and so generously offered to help, I sincerely meant it when I said, "Thanks - but I'm good, everything is done."
Here's my super-easy last-minute dessert:
Almost-Strudel (hey - I just made that up!)
* 1 puff pastry, thawed and at room temperature
* 1 apple, diced (I sliced it and I know that dicing it will be easier)
* 1 jar of jam, like cranberry or apricot or something that complements apples (I used our homemade apple cranberry jam)
* a bit of margarine + a bit of brown sugar + cinnamon - all melted together in a pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Unwrap the puff pastry so it's a square.
2. Slather your jam on top of the dough. Use as much as you like! (I used almost 8 ounces)
3. Evenly distribute the apple pieces all over the jam.
4. Add the brown sugar mixture on top of the apples. The mixture won't cover all of the apples - that's ok.
5. Fold one third over the middle section, and fold the other third over the middle section, and transfer to a baking pan (I lined mine with aluminum foil), seam side down.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until brown and golden. Some of the filling may leak out.
7. Before you serve, warm it up a bit. Slice and graciously accept compliments.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Supermom came to my house yesterday
I wasn't planning on it, but Supermom came to my house yesterday.
Turns out we're very good friends and while I always suspected that's she's a Supermom, it wasn't confirmed until yesterday.
Yesterday we were in the middle of enjoying a very nice seudat shlisheet (Sabbath third meal) at our house, with good table conversation flowing punctuated by reminders to the kids to be careful. My Supermom friend fished out a pickle (gherkin-size) from the glass pickle jar, in the process stabbing it with the (not sharp) knife. A couple of minutes afterwards, we all simultaneously noticed that the pickle jar was leaking water onto the table. Not a common occurrence at the table, there was a brief moment of interest followed by mayhem, trying to figure out how to stem the water leakage and also figure out HOW it was leaking if the jar was sitting on the table, seemingly whole-looking. Needless to say, my husband and I basically did nothing (for some reason, I threw a tortilla under it thinking the tortilla would absorb the water - not a good idea) while my friend's husband (thank goodness he's an engineer) smartly grabbed a kitchen towel and cleaned up the whole mess. We threw away the pickle jar and all the pickles. For the next 15 minutes, we marveled at my friend's Supermom ability to break the glass jar with a butter knife without actually breaking the jar, and it continues to be a mystery.
It was funny. So - be careful when fishing items out of glass jars...
Turns out we're very good friends and while I always suspected that's she's a Supermom, it wasn't confirmed until yesterday.
Yesterday we were in the middle of enjoying a very nice seudat shlisheet (Sabbath third meal) at our house, with good table conversation flowing punctuated by reminders to the kids to be careful. My Supermom friend fished out a pickle (gherkin-size) from the glass pickle jar, in the process stabbing it with the (not sharp) knife. A couple of minutes afterwards, we all simultaneously noticed that the pickle jar was leaking water onto the table. Not a common occurrence at the table, there was a brief moment of interest followed by mayhem, trying to figure out how to stem the water leakage and also figure out HOW it was leaking if the jar was sitting on the table, seemingly whole-looking. Needless to say, my husband and I basically did nothing (for some reason, I threw a tortilla under it thinking the tortilla would absorb the water - not a good idea) while my friend's husband (thank goodness he's an engineer) smartly grabbed a kitchen towel and cleaned up the whole mess. We threw away the pickle jar and all the pickles. For the next 15 minutes, we marveled at my friend's Supermom ability to break the glass jar with a butter knife without actually breaking the jar, and it continues to be a mystery.
It was funny. So - be careful when fishing items out of glass jars...
Friday, February 11, 2011
It's 12:25 am and I can't remember the last time I felt this productive
Chatzos Challenge - BRING IT!
(this post is for you)
A friend of mine recently started a blog detailing her adventures in making Shabbat early enough to meet the chatzos (mid-day Friday) deadline - a concept I've never heard of until she brought it up. Sure - it's always wonderful to prepare Shabbat early enough so that you're not racing around counting down the seconds until the 18 minute window before candlelighting is up (I may speak from experience) - but I did not know that such a custom exists.
It's as though the Torah is teaching us organizational skills...
Anyway, you can read more about the concept on her blog. For me, getting anything done before Friday afternoon is icing on the cake because I work out of the house full-time, and I don't cook in advance and stock up my freezer (although I may do that in the future). So tonight - I don't know what got ahold of me. Here is a run-down of what I've done so far:
* Floormated (thanks Hoover!) the living room floor
* baked challah
* made Shabbat lunch chicken
* made 2 different kugels (one noodle, one veg)
* prepped and marinated Friday night chicken (hubby will cook in the morning)
* polished candlesticks and kiddush cup
* laid tablecloth on table (the kids like to help me set the table for Shabbat and I love doing it with them, so that's our activity for tomorrow afternoon)
* cleaned the kitchen
* 1 load of laundry, start to finish
So - why am I still awake? Because my throat is dry and I wanted some warm apple cider before I go to bed. Also, kugel #2 is still in the oven so I am waiting for that.
There's no way I'm expecting such activity on a routine basis. Certainly I don't want my Thursday nights to be all about the kitchen. But it definitely is nice to know that certain things are already done.
(this post is for you)
A friend of mine recently started a blog detailing her adventures in making Shabbat early enough to meet the chatzos (mid-day Friday) deadline - a concept I've never heard of until she brought it up. Sure - it's always wonderful to prepare Shabbat early enough so that you're not racing around counting down the seconds until the 18 minute window before candlelighting is up (I may speak from experience) - but I did not know that such a custom exists.
It's as though the Torah is teaching us organizational skills...
Anyway, you can read more about the concept on her blog. For me, getting anything done before Friday afternoon is icing on the cake because I work out of the house full-time, and I don't cook in advance and stock up my freezer (although I may do that in the future). So tonight - I don't know what got ahold of me. Here is a run-down of what I've done so far:
* Floormated (thanks Hoover!) the living room floor
* baked challah
* made Shabbat lunch chicken
* made 2 different kugels (one noodle, one veg)
* prepped and marinated Friday night chicken (hubby will cook in the morning)
* polished candlesticks and kiddush cup
* laid tablecloth on table (the kids like to help me set the table for Shabbat and I love doing it with them, so that's our activity for tomorrow afternoon)
* cleaned the kitchen
* 1 load of laundry, start to finish
So - why am I still awake? Because my throat is dry and I wanted some warm apple cider before I go to bed. Also, kugel #2 is still in the oven so I am waiting for that.
There's no way I'm expecting such activity on a routine basis. Certainly I don't want my Thursday nights to be all about the kitchen. But it definitely is nice to know that certain things are already done.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
An egg co-op in Houston?
Why yes - of course! Um - what is an egg co-op?
(it's ok, I've never heard of one either)
My understanding is that an egg co-op is similar to participating in a co-op for fruits and veggies. The benefit is that you know where your eggs come from, and you know about the chickens who worked so hard to lay those eggs for you. You get to support a local farm and also improve the health and well-being of your egg-eating family.
The way it works is that you buy a "share" for the specified length of the program. Your share will be a certain number of eggs each week delivered straight from this farm. You can also buy half-shares. The co-op needs a minimum number of shares in order to commence, so time is of the essence.
Here at our local Jewish Community Center, a program is underway to begin an egg co-op to purchase farm fresh eggs. Now, everyone touts farm fresh eggs, but really, these are straight from the farm. As in, this farm. Right outside of town. Not hundreds of miles away. I believe this is a fairly innovative program along with the CSA (community supported agriculture) fruit/veggie program our JCC operates. Not too many JCCs have such programs, so we are very lucky.
Judaism, of course, supports and advocates for humane and ethical treatment of animals. After all, how can we nourish ourselves if we don't take care of the beings who nourish us?
If you would like more information about this program, contact the egg co-op administrator at the JCC at jhandy [AT] jcchouston [DOT] org.
(it's ok, I've never heard of one either)
My understanding is that an egg co-op is similar to participating in a co-op for fruits and veggies. The benefit is that you know where your eggs come from, and you know about the chickens who worked so hard to lay those eggs for you. You get to support a local farm and also improve the health and well-being of your egg-eating family.
The way it works is that you buy a "share" for the specified length of the program. Your share will be a certain number of eggs each week delivered straight from this farm. You can also buy half-shares. The co-op needs a minimum number of shares in order to commence, so time is of the essence.
Here at our local Jewish Community Center, a program is underway to begin an egg co-op to purchase farm fresh eggs. Now, everyone touts farm fresh eggs, but really, these are straight from the farm. As in, this farm. Right outside of town. Not hundreds of miles away. I believe this is a fairly innovative program along with the CSA (community supported agriculture) fruit/veggie program our JCC operates. Not too many JCCs have such programs, so we are very lucky.
Judaism, of course, supports and advocates for humane and ethical treatment of animals. After all, how can we nourish ourselves if we don't take care of the beings who nourish us?
If you would like more information about this program, contact the egg co-op administrator at the JCC at jhandy [AT] jcchouston [DOT] org.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Meal planning check-in: Week ending 2/12
Well, here we go again. What shall I make for dinner this week?
I finished the chicken soup from shabbat, and I feel like there is so much leftover food in the fridge from this weekend that needs to be creatively re-invented, so I feel like it's only right to use up that food before making fresh food...
I also want to make the pasta-tofu dish that was suggested in the comments here. I think homemade pizza is in the plans for this week. Maybe something with fish...like fish wraps? We used to eat a lot of those when we were in grad school...
Maybe what I need to do is to make a list of my family's favorite recipes, and work from there? Then I don't have to start from scratch every single week?
What are your family's favorite weeknight recipes? Share in the comments box!
I finished the chicken soup from shabbat, and I feel like there is so much leftover food in the fridge from this weekend that needs to be creatively re-invented, so I feel like it's only right to use up that food before making fresh food...
I also want to make the pasta-tofu dish that was suggested in the comments here. I think homemade pizza is in the plans for this week. Maybe something with fish...like fish wraps? We used to eat a lot of those when we were in grad school...
Maybe what I need to do is to make a list of my family's favorite recipes, and work from there? Then I don't have to start from scratch every single week?
What are your family's favorite weeknight recipes? Share in the comments box!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Get ready for wintry weather!
If you haven't been outside recently - watch out! It is COLD!!!
Please be careful and be strategic re: food and gas. You don't want to be stuck in the cold pumping gas, and you also don't want to be one egg short of a challah recipe when making challah this week. Take the time today to plan out your recipes for the rest of the week and grocery shop asap.
A good excuse to plan for Shabbat early!
Please be careful and be strategic re: food and gas. You don't want to be stuck in the cold pumping gas, and you also don't want to be one egg short of a challah recipe when making challah this week. Take the time today to plan out your recipes for the rest of the week and grocery shop asap.
A good excuse to plan for Shabbat early!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Meal planning check in: week ending 2/5
This week is a bit tough because right now my kids + husband are sick, so I need to think of sick-friendly foods. Obviously, chicken soup is at the top of the list. I'm planning on making butternut squash soup tonight because I picked up a butternut squash at the market, and I also need to get some tofu and maybe try the noodles + tofu with peanut sauce left in the comments from the earlier meal planning post. In general, I want to take inventory of my pantry/freezer and try to use up what we have.
Easier said than done? I hope not.
Please drop me a note in the comment box with your favorite food to eat while you're sick. Help me feed my family!
Easier said than done? I hope not.
Please drop me a note in the comment box with your favorite food to eat while you're sick. Help me feed my family!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Meal planning check-in: week ending 1/29
I suppose since I started the conversation about meal planning, I should update you on my progress.
Remember, this was my first week, so be forgiving.
This week I planned on making:
super salmon veggie patties (really, they ARE super)
shepherd's pie with leftover Shabbat chicken (frugal, right??)
I think that's as far as I got.
So far I made:
hamburgers (husband had a craving)
chili (made by husband with leftover hamburgers while I was Zumba-ing)
mushroom barley soup (made with leftover cooked barley from Shabbat)
So....can't say that I stuck to the meal plan...but I can say that all of the meals were possible because we had the ingredients on hand...
Remember, this was my first week, so be forgiving.
This week I planned on making:
super salmon veggie patties (really, they ARE super)
shepherd's pie with leftover Shabbat chicken (frugal, right??)
I think that's as far as I got.
So far I made:
hamburgers (husband had a craving)
chili (made by husband with leftover hamburgers while I was Zumba-ing)
mushroom barley soup (made with leftover cooked barley from Shabbat)
So....can't say that I stuck to the meal plan...but I can say that all of the meals were possible because we had the ingredients on hand...
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