Esther's Parve Flan

During the Temple Emanuel Sisterhood retreat, two of the women led a mini cooking class (can't actually cook on Shabbat).  Here is one of the recipes, that I tried:

Orange Flan
(Parve - can be used for Pesach)

Caramel Sauce
1 cup sugar
1/4 c water

In a medium saucepan, cook the sugar and water on medium-high heat.  Do not stir.  Let it boil until the mixture gets brownish (caramel) color.  Carefully take the handle and stir the pan gentle.  Continue to heat until the caramel is the color you want.  Remove from heat and pour carefully into six ramekins.

(You can store an extra in the fridge.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  AND prepare a large pan for a water bath.

Flan
7 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice

In a bowl, whisk the eggs well.  Beat in the sugar and orange juice.  Pour mixture into the ramekins.  Put ramekins into hot water bath, and bake for 45-60 minutes, uncovered until center part of the flan is more firm, than not.

Remove the water bath and ramekins from the oven.  Let ramekins cool on a rack and then wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.  Bake the night before.  Right before serving unmold from ramekins on serving plates.

An office favorite

Sometimes, I just want to bake, but I don't want to eat it all.  The other day I made two batches of Ruth Wakefield's Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.  I made some for my contractor, Ryan, of New England Design and Construction, and while I was at it, I made some for my co-workers and some for my husband's co-workers.  I had people asking me for the recipe.  Luckily it is very easy.

2 1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
5 1/4 oz unsalted butter,  (1 1/3 sticks)
3 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 t baking powder
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan with tinfoil, and spray with PAM.

In large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a large pot, melt the butter and then stir in the brown sugar.  Once smooth, allow to cool for five minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, and stir.  Add vanilla and stir.  Then stir in flour, and then stir in chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the pan.  Bake the bars for 24-27 minutes, until the top is shiny and golden.  DO NOT OVER BAKE!  Remove bars from oven and let cool to room temperature before cutting.

More Balls in the Air

So, I have been writing alot about the upcoming Mitzvah.  Of course, there are lots of things to plan, and schedule.  And this has been three years in the waiting.

Today, we have contractors coming (in fact our favorite contractor, Dave Supple and his crew from New England Design and Construction) are coming to remove our water stains from the ice dam.  I can't believe we managed to squeeze in the BEST crew to come over and fix the wall, the ceiling and the interior of the wall and the back gutter.  We are very excited to have them back. Here is a link to our kitchen on their website!

 In addition, we still need to having our roofing company back and fix the roof.  We used a great company years back to install the roof, and we had that company remove snow from our roof.  Their crew damaged our shingles, and the company plans on making it right.  I am so relieved we used a good, reputable company, and that the general manager came to the house to see the shingles himself. 

In addition, I haven't shared much of this, but my parents separated last year, and it appears as though the divorce will be final next month.  It has been a rough time for both of my parents, and for our family in general.  The kids know that each grandparent loves them, but it is different to see them alone.  What really got my emotions, was that Naomi wrote a beautiful story about how the Buchanan Road house was one of her favorite places to visit, and she described my pink room, and my old doll house. 

In addition, still driving the kids around, especially to Bar Mitzvah tutoring, religious school, and other activities.

Looking forward to the day that the water stain is gone!  Thanks Dan and Dave, and your amazing crew.

Weekend Wrap Up

The weekend was great!  No big parties, no big plans.

On Friday night we went to Shabbat Alive at our synagogue, and while we were there a candidate for the open rabbi position was there to meet with our teenagers.  Mark wanted to go, but I hadn't know about it or signed him up.  I told him to ask the rabbi, and Rabbi Robinson was thrilled that he wanted to attend and that he should go up to the youth lounge.  Mark's friend also joined the group.  After an hour long dinner, Mark came home and he said that he had liked him.  Our synagogue is looking to hire a third rabbi, whose primary job would be to engage teenagers of the community, but also to perform life cycle events for the members.

On Saturday night, I started to watch Food, Inc. and I have some new ideas, but I will wait til June for implementation.

On Sunday, Mark, Adam and I met with Rabbi Robinson to jump start his Bar Mitzvah speech (called a dvar torah, when the guest of honor talks about how the weekly chapter has ties to modern times and himself).  I won't give anything away, but Mark has some great ideas and a good start.  Next up - type up an outline.

On Sunday afternoon and evening both of our kids went snow tubing with the temple youth group, which meant we could have date night.  We started to watch the movie Chef, and then we headed to COOK in Newton for dinner.

We had a good weekend, and it always nice to have a date night with my guy.

One Step at a Time

Back in 2002, and my belly was growing because my son was getting ready to debut in April, 2002 (three weeks early), I had many things to worry about, such as who would do the bris, and which crib to buy and which stroller was the best for our family.

Back in 2012, when we got the Bar Mitzvah date I knew I would have a zillion things to think about before the Bar Mitzvah.

In 2015, when I flipped the calendar from February to March, I knew I had calls and emails to make.  I need to contact the caterer, the photographer, the DJ, the venue location, the flip book contractor and the synagogue.

Today, I received my first piece of homework - from the DJ.  I have six page form to complete (not all now, but will be needed two weeks before the date).  The easy questions - guest of honor full name, father's name, mother's name and siblings names.  Easy.  Venue information, caterer information.  How many adults will be there and how many kids will be there.

Does the guest of honor want to be escorted by a dancer?  Ummmm, does my baby boy want to be escorted into the room with a dancer?  Note to self - ask guest of honor at dinner.

Who is saying Kiddush?

Who is saying Motzie?

Who is giving a speech?  Us, but I know I will be crying tears of joy, so I hope Adam can hold it together.

Candle Lighting Ceremony?  Yes, guest of honor wants it with 13 people, however the document says 14 is typical.  Great, get back to you on the groups of 13/14.

Hora - yes!!!!!!!!  Who will go up on chairs and in what order?  All of us. . . .  and if you were at my Bat Mitzvah, you would know I hated it.  I hated being lifted into the air by my friends and family and I was terrified of being dropped.  Not ONE photo of the moment, especially since I ran OUT OF THE ROOM.  Adam convinced me to go up on the chair at the hora at the wedding, and the photographer gave me the cue when he had "the" photo, and I was put down.  I survived.  I am dreading this moment.  The guest of honor wants all of us on chairs.  Does the chair come with a seat belt?

Do we want a video montage - YES, the guest of honor wants one.  How long is the montage?  Enough to make me cry like a baby.  NOTE TO SELF - start putting together the video. 

Guests - how many kids, and where are they from (relatives, friends, school, synagogue, camp).

How many bar and bat mitzvah have your guests attended?  Some friends go to one a month (or a week).  We have a few guests that this is their first one!

Do I want a parent/child dance?  Really?  I thought I had til the wedding, because I know I am going to cry at this one too.  NOTE TO SELF - ask guest of honor what he thinks and honor his request.

Friendship Circle?  Family and friends create a circle at the end of the night to tie the whole party together.  Have to ask guest of honor what he thinks.

Music preference and specific songs:  Need to ask guest of honor.

Game requests - Ask the guest of honor.  I better bring the form with me to dinner, so I ask all of the questions, because I have already forgotten the first question I was to ask.  Maybe I better have a three course meal so I can have enough time to ask all these questions.

Who is the photographer and the contact information.

What is the MOST important thing for us to remember?  I want this day about my boy, who is becoming a Jewish adult.  I want the guests to know that he has studied for a year to read Torah but he has spent his life as a Jewish person.  I want everyone to know he studied hard, and I expect him to be a mensch.

What was the first question again?

Can't wait for the caterer to send me his list of questions.

Done With Winter

Winter - it is time for you to say good bye to us.  Winter wasn't bad in December and early January, and then the snow started in late January, and it kept falling weekly in batches of one to two feet.  And then the cold set in.  Boston spent 40+ days in a row, under 40 degrees.  Our snow piles grew, and our streets grew narrower.  Our snow piles turned into frozen piles of ice-snow.  Our roofs had ice dams with long pointy icicles hanging.  Our area looks like a scene from Frozen, and Elsa should be living with us.

Our streets are so narrow, that when we back out of our driveway, we hit the snowbank.  All of our bumpers have dents and bumps.  We are forced to drive into snowbanks so that oncoming traffic can pass us.

And then on the first day above 32 degrees, many people started having leaks in the house - on ceilings and walls and windows. 

This is after spending hours shoveling and dollars spent on plowing.  And then money spent on raking the roof and removing ice dams.

Now many of us are trying to find reputable contractors to fix the leaks and the damage.

Many of us are concerned about the snow.  When it melts.  Where will it go?  How much can the ground absorb?  How much will run into the storm drains?  How much will run into my basement?

We have had enough snow. 

We have had enough NO SCHOOL - SNOW DAYS.

We have had enough ice dams.

We have had enough leaks.

We have had enough bumps on our cars.

Our backs hurt and our shoulders hurt.  Our wallets are slimmer.  Enough is enough and I am done with winter.

Busy as a Bee

Life here has been busy.  Before school vacation we got the Bar Mitzvah invitations - all printed up and addressed.  I ordered the special stamps.

And then we went on vacation - we managed to fly out of Boston between blizzards and land in Chicago.  We were able to make it to Evan's Bar Mitzvah - he did a fabulous job and we all enjoyed the party.

On Sunday we went as a family and saw the PADDINGTON movie, which we all thought was great.

On Monday we went to the Chicago Auto Show, which is HUGE - we spent a few hours looking at really expensive cars, exploring the new versions of every day cars, gawking at the new concept cars and getting a test ride.  Naomi and I got a test ride in a FIAT, which is cute, but not practical for our family. 

On Tuesday we went to the Art Institute of Chicago, and we saw the Miniatures, which Naomi really liked.  We saw the Chagall windows and spent time in the contemporary wing and the special puppet exhibit.  The kids really like contemporary art, while I love Impressionist Art.  But we all enjoy going to the art museum!

Did I tell you that Chicago was very cold?  Boston was breaking records with snow falls, and Chicago was breaking records with COLD weather.  Chicago Public Schools were closed on Thursday due to cold (-20 F to catch the bus).

One day we went bowling, and another day I got to visit my Spice Store in Evanston.  We went to the original Pancake House and Adam and I had a date night at FOUND, and then we got to see a movie, American Sniper.  I really enjoyed American Sniper.  It did NOT glorify war, and you left thinking about how war really affects soldiers and families.  And of course the end. . . .

And we managed to fly into Boston before another snow storm.

The week of February 23 was the time in six weeks that the kids attended a full week of school.  I am hoping to repeat the same thing this week.

Less than 90 days until the EVENT of the year!