Any Plans for The New Year?

As I wrote the other day, אחרי הגים after the Holidays is when we have no more excuses. It's time to do all sorts of things we've been postponing.

What are your plans?

Any doctors appointments or similar things you should have done but put them off?

Anyone you want to see, or should see but haven't made the time?

Is there anything you need to buy or order?

Is there something you need to do for your home?

When was the last time you went through things to see what can be thrown out? or given away? or fixed? Go through your clothes, books...

And what about that diet?

Now should be the time to start a walking/swimming/fitness routine, find exercise partners.

Sign up for an interesting or challenging class.

Make more time for your kids, grandkids, other family members and friends.

Make time for yourself.

And what about your bucket list? Do something you've always wanted to do.

Nobody lives forever.

המבוך הקסום Labyrinth, "Magic Maze," Playing Games

After my friends and I had our little "road trip" admiring the local vineyards, we continued "partying" and decided to play a board game. In Hebrew it's called המבוך הקסוםHaMevoch HaKassum , which which would be translated as the Magic Maze or "Labyrinth," as it's officially called in English.

Most of us had not only never played it before, but we hadn't even heard of it. Our hostess once started playing it but her grandchildren decided to quit before anyone had won. So, it was new and a challenge for all of us.

You need strategy, luck and quick thinking. I wonder if it's like coaching and/or playing football.

Yes, we did have fun!

Cooking Up a Storm for The Kiddies

We set up a second table in order to accommodate the clan yesterday. There were chairs out for all but the youngest, who's under a month old. Just because I'm no longer in the Passover Seder business doesn't mean that I'm neither hosting nor cooking for them. Not only did I have everyone over for our traditional family Pesach food, but I served on real plates. And I even washed up all the dishes, pots and pans afterwards.

Photo by Yisrael Medad,
Yes, the husband

The highlight of the menu was Savta Brei, a calorie laden dish that can be described as "latke-coated matzah" fried in olive oil. Basically, it's just a matter of taking onions and potatoes, grating (you can use a blender or food-processor) them together, mix with eggs, matzah meal, salt and pepper. Yes, just like classic raw potato latkes. Heat some oil in the frying pan, then take matzah, coat with the mush and fry well on both sides. Serve it with applesauce and/or sour cream, just like you'd do with potato latkes.

I'm not quite sure that anyone ate them besides my children. Since the frying went really slowly due to the lack of a good gas stove, I baked up some of the mush as oven latkes. But my husband was overjoyed to have the traditional holiday food of his family. The latkes were more popular with the younger generation and the in-laws.

For my children, I decided to serve one of their childhood Passover treats,  Instant Chocolate Pudding. It had been decades since such a dish had graced our table. As an extra adventure, the grandkids were introduced to what was once the most necessary Passover kitchen tool, the eggbeater. Some of the older ones took turns trying to mix the chocolate pudding with it.

I think everyone had a good time. There was just one almost disaster. The folding table began spontaneously folding mid-meal. Luckily I was sitting at the end and held it up until my son-in-law reopened it. Nothing was lost, especially not weight. We will have to resume our diets after Pesach.

The farewell blessing was:

"Next year in a new kitchen."

Gd willing, speedily in our days...

Easy and Fun Home "Chocolate Workshop"

As I had quickly blogged last night, now you'll see and hear about the chocolate workshop I made for my older grandchildren. Last week, when I asked my daughter what to bring for Shabbat, she replied that I should get some treats-sweets for the kids. That's not my specialty at all, as most people may know. For me personally, fruits, nuts and dried fruit would be the perfect treat, but I know that younger generation. They would not appreciate that food genre at all. So, I asked my daughter for a more specific suggestion, and she said "chocolate." Now, that wasn't helpful enough for me. They have chocolate in the house all the time, and there isn't much in cute children's parve (non-dairy) to get as a treat.

So as I was trying to figure out what to do, I noticed something new at the entrance to Rami Levy on display with the silicone cupcake and muffin pans, silicone pans/molds with tiny shapes for making chocolates. I picked up two of different types of shapes and then in the supermarket I got some 60% chocolate bars (parve of course,) and in my local grocery store I bought colored sprinkles and white chocolate chips. I figured that the kids could first put the sprinkles or white chocolate chips in the molds and then pour the melted chocolate over it, and the resulting chocolates would have fillings and toppings and whatever.

To keep the kitchen table from getting dirty full of chocolate, my daughter covered it with clear plastic, which could be easily gathered and dumped afterwards.

There are two basic ways to melt the chocolate, and you're best with a plain bittersweet which will give a little contrast to the "trimmings," whether sprinkles, fruit or nuts.

1. We made a  double-boiler of sorts by putting two metal jar lids in a pan of boiling water and then on top of them a heat resistant bowl which had the chocolate to melt. I added a bit of oil to make it easier to pour and guarantee that it would easily fill the molds. As you stir, you'll get the feel for it. 
2. Melt in a microwave on a very low short setting, stopping periodically to stir and add the oil. My daughter felt that we'd have more control by using the stove, which we did.

The kids aged 13 down to 5 1/2 all had great fun. They took turns waiting until a batch was ready and the mold emptied. They even asked to melt some white chocolate chips to make a black/white chocolate. To speed up the hardening, we placed the molds in the freezer. When each batch hardened, we took out the fancy chocolates by turning over the molds and pushing the pretty candies onto a plate covered with "baking paper." Then each child put his/hers into a container and in the fridge.

For a more taste-sophisticated Home "Chocolate Workshop" you can add mint extract or liquor to the chocolate or even a bit of strong concentrated orange juice or coffee. And of course, instead of the sprinkles and white chips, you can use fruit, nuts and/or seeds.

Here are some photos from our workshop: 

If you try it, please tell me how it turns out, thanks.