Chicken Soup

My birthdays don't line up

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:39:13 GMT

And I have no idea why.

The Hebrew and Gregorian calendars are supposed to synch up every 19 years.

So in theory this year's birthday should have both my Hebrew and secular birthdays on the same day. Except it doesn't. It's off by a day.

If you go to kaluach.net and look at December 15th, 1971 it says it's the third light of Chanukah.

If you look at December 15th, 1990 AND 2009 however, it says it's the fourth light of Chanukah.

I know that some years the month of Cheshvan has 30 days and other years it has 29 days.

It had 30 days both in 1971 and 2009. And 29 days in 1990.

So... anyone know why my birthdays don't line up?

Economics of eating

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:06:50 GMT

In a recent post on Imamother about how in just 5 months of marriage, the poster and her (mostly in Kollel) husband were in debt an anonymous poster wrote the following:

Wow I am so impressed with how people really live frugally. I am not the op but I wish I could do the same. I know that I spend way too much money but my dh would never listen to me if I tell him that we should cut down. Do people really not serve meat or chicken every night for supper? My dh would kill me if I just served him macaroni.

I have to say I am flabbergasted that people can be so ~~pettystupidselfish~~blind.

Last week my husband and I sat down with all our bills and our bank statements and using Google Docs we made several spread sheets with regards to our finances.

After looking things over we decided we needed to cut down our grocery budget and the main way we were going to do that was to pretty much cut out chicken and meat during the week and limit the fish to canned tuna.

This week's menu was: Sunday we had HOMEMADE lentil burgers and baked ziti. On Monday we had potato latkes and fresh salad. Tuesday was a thick veggie-barley soup and Wednesday I bought a package of kebabs, cut them into bit sized pieces and added that to the soup. So we had meatball soup. Not sure what we'll be having tonight. (Here in Israel, dairy tends to also be crazy expensive. Ingredients for lasagna for 6 is 50NIS or more in just cheeses. Also by 'we' I mean my husband and myself, our 2 1/2 year old son and on Tuesday my 18 year old daughter)

Would I prefer fried chicken and entrecot steak? Of course.

But I also would prefer a roof over my head.

I really think that anyone who claims that their spouse will 'kill them' if they served mac and cheese for dinner needs to sit down with said homicidal spouse and plan the budget. If smacked with the cold hard facts that chicken every night is simply out of touch with the budgetary reality, I highly doubt your spouse will want to kill you.

Womanly TMI

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:05 GMT

I nursed clean with NS for 9 wonderful months. Then for the first time in 5 years I got my period without the need of medication.

So far I've been nursing clean with EN. He's 8 months old today.

Yesterday while nursing him I had some terribly painful cramps that felt just like my period. This morning while watching Trauma I was an emotional mess throughout and it wasn't a particularly emotional episode. I've also been eating like there's no tomorrow. The 'PMS munchies' tends to be a usual thing for me when I'm expecting my period. I'm also feeling a bit crampy today (when not nursing).

So who knows. Maybe I'll be getting a visit from 'Aunt Flo' in the near future.

(I know that uterine cramping is fairly common while nursing. So I'm also keeping in mind that it might have been that. Although it would have been the first time I'd ever had it from breast feeding).

NS and his vocabulary

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:43:35 GMT

While we haven't had the language explosion people tell me about there is a definite improvement. He adds new 'mostly words' to his vocabulary on a weekly basis and he's just started saying 'whadat?' when he wants to know what something is or where something is. He's also starting to put 2 'mostly words' together.

The problem is these 'mostly words'. For the most part he doesn't say complete words. Dog is daw, cat is itty (kitty), bus is buh, etc.

I'm going to speak to my friend who is a speech therapist in Kiryat Sefer/Modiin and see what she recommends and if she can offer me advice to circumvent the pediatrician.

In addition, I made an appointment for NS to see an ENT on Sunday to get his hearing checked. Just because he understands everything we say doesn't mean his hearing is fine.

Re the Greyhounds

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:43:49 GMT

Probably a false post...

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/shelterclosure.asp

Reposting for a friend

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:40:16 GMT

From one of my friends:

Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack in Kenosha, Wisconsin will be closing on December 31, 2009. 900 Greyhounds need to be adopted or they will be euthanized. Please help me get the word out; there is only 6 weeks to get this task done. Contact Joanne Kehoe Operations Director P: 312.559.0887 Or Dairyland Race Track Adoption Center direct at (262) 612-8256.

A photo post

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:46:30 GMT

3 generations

TEEFS!

Crock pot meals

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:23:38 GMT

From a post on Imamother. Wanted to save it here. (None of these are mine and I haven't tried any of them yet).

Honey Barbecued Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
3 cups peeled and sliced sweet potatoes, about 2 medium-large sweet potatoes
1 cup (8 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
¼ cup finely chopped onion
½ tsp ground ginger
2/3 cup thick barbecue sauce
4 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp dry mustard
4 to 6 chicken leg quarters, skin removed

In 3½ to 5 quart slow cooker, combine sweet potatoes, pineapple with juice, chopped onion, and ground ginger. Stir to blend well.
In a measuring cup, combine barbecue sauce, honey, and dry mustard. Stir with a fork to blend well.
Coat chicken generously on all sides with barbecue sauce mixture. Arrange coated chicken in single layer over sweet potato and pineapple mixture, overlapping if necessary. Spoon any remaining barbecue sauce mixture over chicken.
Cover; cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours (or on HIGH for 4 to 4½) or until chicken is fork tender and juices run clear, and sweet potatoes are tender.

Crockpot Balsamic Chicken
Chicken
4 chicken legs, skinned
1 very large Spanish onion, chopped (I like to add more - they come out like sauteed onions)

Dressing (this is approximate amounts, just make a dressing and taste - season generously with salt)
4 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil, optional
1 Tbsp garlic powder or 4 cloves garlic, crushed
salt to taste

Rice
1 cup white rice
2½ cups boiling water
2 tsp Kosher salt OR 1 tsp table salt

Place chopped onion on bottom of crockpot; place chicken on top in a single layer, overlapping if necessary.
Combine balsamic vinegar, optional olive oil, garlic powder and salt in a plastic cup. Pour evenly over chicken.
Cook on low for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

When you come home:
One full hour before chicken is ready, pour rice, boiling water from tea kettle, and salt into a crockpot liner/bag. Tie the bag with a knot. Place bag on top of chicken in crockpot. Cover crockpot and continue to cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
To serve, pour sauce and onions from bottom of crockpot over rice, and serve with chicken.

(This puffed white rice method works great with any crock pot recipe. It comes out perfectly puffed, no mushiness at all.)

Shredded Beef Buns these are really good

1 lb. flanken
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 medium tomato, chopped
½ cup original bar-b-q sauce (use a thick sauce, not a liquidy version)
2 tsp Italian seasoning spice
2 sandwich buns, split (French or Italian baguettes work great.)

Place steak in slow cooker; top with onions, mushrooms and tomatoes.
Combine bar-b-q sauce and Italian seasoning; pour over ingredients in slow cooker. Cover with lid.
Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 5 hours.

Remove steak from slow cooker; shred with fork or cut across the grain into thin strips.
Return steak to slow cooker; stir gently to evenly coat with sauce.
Place 1 bun half on each of 4 serving plates; top evenly with the steak mixture.

You can use any variety of meat cuts. Less expensive meat cuts benefit most form this cooking method.

Garlic Chicken
4-6 chicken bottoms with skin
1 large or 2 small onions, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
4 garlic cloves, halved

Place onion slices on the bottom of crockpot.
In a large mixing bowl, toss chicken parts with olive oil, salt, paprika, pepper, and garlic. Pour into crockpot, on top of the onion.
Do not add water.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
(Original recipe calls for 20 whole garlic cloves, still intact. Also so delicious.)

USE THE RICE IN THE CROCKPOT BAG METHOD FOR THIS RECIPE.
(The reason rice is not added under the chicken in these two recipes is because the onions on bottom become butter soft and very tastey. The rice would interfere with that, and the taste would come out too strong. Buy making plain puffed rice, you get to top it with the delicious onions and sauce.)

Chicken Curry
4 chicken bottoms, legs and thighs separated
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
10 baby carrots, sliced, or 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, halved and sliced
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh minced ginger
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup water

Place 1/2 cup water on bottom of crockpot.
In a large mixing bowl, toss chicken, potatoes, baby carrots and onions, with olive oil, curry powder, cumin, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper. Pour everything besides chicken into crockpot. Place chicken on top.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Saucy Meatballs
At the beginning of the week, or the night before, cook 1 package spaghetti as directed on package; drain. Drizzle with a drop of oil. Place in sealed container or Ziplock bag and keep in fridge until ready to serve with meatballs.

3/4 cup bread crumbs seasoned generously to taste
1½ lbs. lean ground meat
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup water
2 cups sliced mushroom
2 medium green peppers, sliced (about 2 cups)
4 cups (32 jar) spaghetti sauce

Combine bread crumbs, spices to taste, meat, egg and water. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place in slow cooker, top with mushrooms, peppers, and spaghetti sauce. Cover with lid.
Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
Serve over spaghetti.

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:18:30 GMT

When Hollywood names your child, you end up with a little Israeli girl being named Ziva because the father really likes that character on NCIS.

Except ziva is the Hebrew word for gonorrhea.

And yes they knew what it meant. I know this for a fact because I told the mother last week, before the baby was named and she was telling me of all the various possible names up for consideration.

Poor baby Ziva Evangeline.

Chabad meets the Queen

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:33:35 GMT

I thought it was interesting to watch because as a Jewish SCAdian, this question comes up quite a bit about what one should do when before royalty.

ETA: My original intent for posting it here was not so much the fact that she didn't shake his hand but how he approached and walked away from Her Majesty. A common question that comes up is whether a Jewish mundane or a Jewish persona is allowed under Jewish law to bow to a king and/or queen.

Making soap

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:32:55 GMT

So next week I hope to buy 'ingredients' to make my own soap. The main reason we're doing this is because of Zach's fragrance allergy (and fragrance-free anything is hard to find here or costs a fortune) and because of NS's eczema.

I found a place in Holon that sells pretty much everything we'd need but the choices are so darn confusing!

I have a choice of mango, refined cocoa and shea butter. And as for oil... 26 different types.

I'm so overwhelmed I don't know where to start!

Sneaky Cooking

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:54:41 GMT

I don't think NS is a picky eater per se, he's just 2 1/2. He'll eat when he's hungry, he likes to try things for the most part and he has some favorites.

Like pasta and rice, scrambled eggs, franks in beans. And if something is dipped in ketchup, well so much the better.

It was kind of ironic that someone posted about the Sneaky Chef and her husband's project to get their kids eating more veggies and not realizing it because I was having the same problem. How to get my 2 1/2 year old to eat more veggies without shoving it down his throat.

Today I made the 'white puree' - steamed zucchini and cauliflower and then ran it through my grinder (my blender was a total waste of time). I froze 2 baggies with one cup each in it and 1/3 cup portions went into other baggies. And 1 whole cup was mixed into tonight's dinner - Mac and Cheese.

Everyone ate it. No one complained, as a matter of fact I don't think anyone particularly noticed.

The smaller portions I froze will be for NS's scrambled eggs. I'm sure I'll find a use for the larger portions.

The next puree will be the 'orange puree' of baked sweet potato and steamed carrots. I'll be using that for pasta sauce.

Heck, I can probably steam and grind a whole bunch of veggies for pasta sauce...

Talking food... now there's something new

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:02:56 GMT

For some things I don't do well with surprises and for the most part, don't really like spontaneity. Like meals. And having guests. I need to have it planned, I need to HAVE a plan.

Lately I've started shopping for Shabbat on Wednesday or even Tuesday and starting my cooking on Thursday. It's been making Fridays a lot more enjoyable.

This Thursday my father in law (FIL) will be arriving for a week. We've invited the Rabbi of our shul and his family to join us for the Friday night meal (his wife is a biologist) and we may have a new family join us as well. They just arrived this week and they have 18 and 20 year old daughters. Perfect for the girls.

In honor of my FIL being with us and as a Chanukat haBayit* we will also be hosting an Oneg Shabbat Friday night (which means members of the community are welcome to come by after dinner for cake and mixed nuts and maybe some booze).

So of course I've got a list of the cakes that will be made (and most will make multiple cakes so I'll be able to freeze).

Cinnamon-walnut babka (a crumb topped yeast cake), craisin and almond mandelbroit and a cherry topped yeast cake.

I'm still working on the actual menus.

Friday night we'll start with vegetable-kubbeh soup. The main dish will be felafel-crusted chicken, spinach kugel, sweet potatoes with sweet chili sauce and I'm not sure what else. Oh, regular chicken nuggets for the smaller kids.

Shabbat lunch will be a turkey version of a crock pot BBQ pulled pork recipe I found, home made cole slaw and probably a macaroni salad. Not sure what else. Suggestions of what traditional sides for pulled pork would be appreciated.

* The short version is a Chanukat haBayit is a dedication of the house. Traditionally it is done upon moving into a new home and there is a disagreement about whether it means only a house you own or also one you're renting. And since we've never done a Chanukat haBayit and haven't had much luck with the previous houses we've lived in, we figure we should try it. The whole thing basically involves serving food of some sort and saying several passages of Psalms.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:25:36 GMT

How many of you have done this - you go to a restaurant and order something and when the server sets the plate down in front of you in your opinion, there's something wrong with it - the dish wasn't what was advertised, it's cold when it shouldn't be, it has things in it that you requested be left out or it's over/under cooked.

And rather than 'cause a scene', you eat it. And sometimes it works out that it's better than you expected but more often than not, each bite just makes you more annoyed at yourself for NOT returning the plate and at the end of the meal the food sits in your belly like a lead weight.

I don't know about you, but I tend to be that person.

One time I was out with friends and we had gone out for my birthday. I ordered a dish and told the server to hold the pilpel which is Hebrew for peppers. My dish arrives, swimming in red peppers. When I said something to the server he said "Yes, you did ask to hold the pilpel. This is gamba".

Silly me for forgetting that the Hebrew word for sweet peppers is different from 'regular' peppers. He took it back and brought it out several minutes later... someone had simply picked out the most visible red peppers off the plate. No, I wasn't expecting different.

More recently I had a bit of a breakthrough.

Thursday many of the Anglos in Ariel had a community meeting at CafeCafe. We met to discuss any issues the new Olim (immigrants) are having and to discuss activities and such. Since it was an official meeting, the city council gave us 300NIS to spend on food. Since we were about 20 people, we were allowed 15NIS to spend. Most folks ordered hot or cold drinks but a few of us (like me) were hungry. 2 people ordered sushi. 1 person ordered a sandwich. I ordered Belgian waffles.

It took about 20 minutes for the cold and hot drinks to start showing up. 10 minutes after that the sushi and sandwich arrived. Then my husband came and he ordered sushi. 10 minutes later, my husband had his sushi.

I joked that they had to go to Belgium for the waffles. I waited 5 minutes and asked a server where my waffle was. She said it was coming. A minute later another server placed a spoon and napkin in front of me and set another 2 spoons and napkins to the side.

I don't know about any of you, but I eat my waffles with fork and knife. And I felt it was a tad presumptuous that I'd be sharing with anyone.

It's now been 50 minutes since I ordered. Everyone else has long finished their drinks and even my husband was popping the last bit of sushi into his mouth. And finally a server arrives and sets my order down in front of me.

The plate is drizzled with the bad imitation maple syrup and the even worse imitation chocolate syrup so popular in this country. In the center is a fluffy-looking, golden waffle smothered in a mountain of whipped cream. On either side of the ridge of cream are golf ball sized scoops of ice cream - one chocolate, one vanilla. There's also a small boat of fruit salad (I think it was mostly diced apples). I think they serve it so people feel better about ordering a dish that has a bazillion calories.

I cut into the waffle with my spoon and it starts to slide so with my finger I hold it in place.

The waffle is cold. And not as in 'it's smothered in whipped cream and ice cream so it's transfer' cold. But like 'what do you expect, it's been sitting on the counter for 40 minutes' cold.

I called the server over and told her I was sending it back because it was cold. She mumbled an apology, took it away and came back a few minutes later to tell me they were going to make me another plate. I told her to forget about it because the meeting was over and everyone was finished eating.

Before going home, Zach and I went for pizza.

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:05:21 GMT

So I'm going to have to come up with a battle plan for getting the house cleaned, the shopping done and the cooking done for next week.

Father-in-law is arriving Thursday afternoon for 1 week.

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:41:47 GMT

First of all, how the hell do I get rid of the Hallowe'en theme on my LJ? Hallowe'en is long over and frankly, I didn't want it in the first place.

On to food. I bought a decent-sized roast (aka brisket) and will be making that for Shabbat. I'll be making it in a few minutes in the crock pot... with red wine. Wanted mushrooms but the store only had over-priced Shiitake mushrooms.

The side dishes to go with it will be: roasted potatoes (maybe also sweet potatoes), spinach-noodle kugel, roasted mixed veggies and probably white rice. Oh, and fresh salad. I'll be mixing the various sides for the two meals.

Dessert will be chewy granola bars (already made) and maybe a lemon cake but I'm not totally sure.

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:18:48 GMT

Very funny but not safe for kids because it contains foul (fowl?) language...

Kosher Cooking Carnival!

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:55:37 GMT

I will be hosting the November edition in my other blog.

If anyone is interested in contributing a recipe, review or story about Kosher food, head over here and fill out the form.

To see the latest KCC, head on over to Israeli Kitchen and have a read.

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:40:31 GMT

Friday night: potato bourekas with mushroom sauce then baked salmon fillet and spaghetti tossed with roasted eggplant and garlic. Fresh green salad. Cheesecake for dessert.

Shabbat lunch: other than a mushroom-onion quiche and cheesecake for dessert, I have NO IDEAS!!!

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Would rather not have a pasta dish. Or legumes. And since it's a dairy quiche, and my guest doesn't eat red meat or like chicken or turkey, that's all out of the running too.

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:02:46 GMT

debka_notion will be joining us for Shabbat and upon asking her if she has any allergies or if she's vegetarian (I make a point of asking all my guests this), she informed me that she doesn't eat red meat and doesn't really eat chicken or turkey.

So there went my plans to make chicken breasts stuffed with mushrooms, onions and pine nuts served over spaghetti in vodka sauce. I got that idea after deciding the pretentious cole slaw would be made too.

Instead I will be making either a baked salmon fillet with roasted eggplant and garlic-tossed spaghetti or salmon cubes and spaghetti in a vodka cream sauce.

And the broccoli 'slaw' salad.

Before that I'll be serving potato bourekas with mushroom sauce.

Not sure what to make fr lunch though. Maybe an onion quiche... and I have no idea what else.

And I'll get to further perfect my tie-dye cheesecake skills...

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:11:50 GMT

head of broccoli
carrots
red onion
craisins
cashews (or other nuts you like)
sunflower seeds

3/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar or splenda (or skip it altogether) ...

I think I'm making this for the weekend... it's like an pretentious cole slaw...

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:31:38 GMT

http://www.october15th.com/

I can't begin to imagine what this must be like. But to my various internet friends who know of this type of loss firsthand, you are in my thoughts and prayers, especially today.

In the name of science

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:21:34 GMT

It was interesting to watch... and let's not forget, he only was dealing with the pain of contractions. Never mind the incredible pelvic pressure that also comes with childbirth.

Beyond 2 slices of bread...

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:07:55 GMT

Sometimes we have sandwiches for dinner. Sometimes it's because the boys won't let me cook and other times it's been planned.

Meatball subs - usually the day after I make meatball and spaghetti, we do 'take two' but instead of over pasta, the meatballs are placed over home made garlic bread (well, the baguette is store bought) and I spoon extra sauce over the whole thing. Definitely a fork and knife meal. And about half a dozen napkins.

Grilled cheese, and then some - saute fresh mushrooms and onions. Spoon over whole wheat mini baguettes. Place cheese (our usual is a combination of brie, cheddar, gouda and this last time I bought gruyere instead of cheddar) over the whole thing and stick in the oven until the cheese is all melty. Sometimes I'll serve it with a tomato and basil soup.

Monster burgers - the more stuff that gets thrown on it the more cooking/food shows I've been watching (primarily Man v Food). It often starts with about 1/4 to 1/3 pound per burger of ground beef and then it goes on from there. The meat is often seasoned with oregano and garlic powder. I've fried pepperoni salami and topped the burger with that. Often served with cole slaw and fries, sometimes baked beans...

Tuna quesadilla - canned tuna, drained, mixed with salsa. Smear on a flour tortilla, top with shredded cheddar. For extra heat, add pickled hot peppers. Top with a second tortilla and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the tortilla is slightly crispy and the cheese is melted.

So readers, what kind of grown up sandwiches do you make?

EN's 6 1/2 month WBV

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:12:09 GMT

Birth weight: 3 kilo 362 grams (almost 7 1/2 lbs). Weight at discharge 4 days later: 3 kilo 200 grams (tad over 7 lbs). Weight at almost 5 weeks: 4 kilo 490 grams (almost 10 lbs). Weight at 2 months: 5 kilo 20 grams (just over 11 lbs). Weight at 4 months: 6 kilo 260 grams (almost 14 lbs).

Weight at 6 1/2 months: 7 kilo 390 grams (16.3 lbs)

Length at birth: 53 cm (almost 21 inches). Length at almost 5 weeks: 56.5 cm (almost 22 1/4 inches). Length at 2 months: 58 cm (just under 23 inches). Length at 4 months: 64.2 cm (25.27 inches).

Length at 6 1/2 months: 67.5 cm (26.6 inches)

Head circumference at birth: 36 cm (bit over 14 inches). Almost 5 weeks: 39.4 cm (15 1/2 inches). 2 month: 40 cm (15.7 inches). Head circumference at 4 months: 42.5 cm (16.7 inches).

HC at 6 1/2 months: 44.3 cm (17.5 inches)

More tea, Madame?