Thanksgiving - Menu Planning

This is the second time that I am hosting Thanksgiving, and I am really excited.  I have been thinking about the menu and the different components for a while now.  We are hosting some friends also, so this will be very exciting. 

So, first we will start off with hot dogs in a blanket and some tomato-pepper dip.  The dip is the one from the Persian Bride cookbook, which I really like.  It is really easy and dairy free and meat free.

Then we move to knishes from the Butcherie, two kinds of cranberry sauce (cranberry orange sauce that my mom will make, and then the canned jelly stuff for me), homemade bread, pickles and olives.

Then we get down to TURKEY!  I love turkey.  My mom will be bringing the turkey.  I haven't made one myself yet, and Adam doesn't like the smell of it.  Although one of these years he is going to get used to it.  I will be making Adam a curry tofu dish, which is really easy (and much less expensive than the wild mushroom casserole that I made last year).  We will also have sweet potatoes with marshmallows, because I totally love it (sooo not gourmet, but who cares).  Then my mom will make a chestnut stuffing, and I will make a vegetarian stuffing.  And I am also going to have peas.  Maybe another vegetable.

Then, my favorite part - dessert.  We will have fruit, chocolate pie (Mae's recipe from the 1970s that my kids love, love, love), maple cream pie, pumpkin pie (because Naomi is insisting on trying one piece) and candied cranberry chocolate tart.

Time to start my grocery list.

Full Day Kindergarten

It is hard to believe that Newton Public Schools does not offer full day kindergarten. Somehow, our model is that kindergartens attend school until 12:30 every day in September. Starting in October, the kids are divided in half (Team A and Team B). Team A attends kindergarten on Mondays and Wednesdays until 3 PM and Team B attends school on Thursdays and Fridays until 3 PM. Of course the entire Newton Elementary School system is released early on Tuesdays (which is great so teachers can work together, and learn together); and again on 7 Thursdays (not so great).

While some of Newton's officials think that this is a great model, I do not. First, logistically, it is a nightmare, especially for households that having only working parents. Second, and more importantly, we are short changing our children. Study after study say that our early learning years are very important, and even more important for children who have difficulties learning. We need to invest in our youngest learners. By allowing our children more classroom time, we are giving them the support in reading, writing and math. For those who need specialists, the specialists are there, and can offer more support.

Of course this takes money, but if we don't invest in our future, who will? Today's kindergarten students will be tomorrow's leaders, and will be taking care of the world and the older generation. Give them the most that we can offer.

If you live in Newton, write to the school committee, and ask for their SUPPORT FOR FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN.

Zucchini Bread

This recipe was given to me by my mom. When I was little we grew zucchini's in the garden, and they looked like baseball bats. Here is one way to use alot of zucchini (especially if you make two or three batches).

It is dairy free!

3 cups zucchini (NOT peeled, ends cut off)
1 1/2 cups canola oil
3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
4 t vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 /2 t. baking powder
4 1/2 t cinnamon
3/4 c nuts (walnuts or pecans) (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Don't over mix. Bake at 350 for 70 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick.

It can be made into muffins - bake for 20 minutes.

The House

Let me give you some history. . . we have lived in our current house since 1998. It is a small house, and an especially small house for Newton. However, we have an amazing neighborhood, and the kids attend a school with wonderful teachers.

But the house is small.

It is also outdated.

Don't get me wrong, we have done work on the house . . . we have a new chimney, a new boiler, a new roof, 8 new windows, painted. . . . insulation. We have painted the dining room, the living room, and the kids rooms. I have a new fridge and stove, and a relatively new dishwasher (2004).

We have the original bathrooms that came with the house.

We also have the same kitchen. I hate the kitchen. I spend ALOT of time in the kitchen. But I hate it. From one spot in the kitchen, I do my prep. . . . and when I want to turn on the stove, I turn to the right. If I want to go to the fridge, I step back one step. If I want to wash a dish, I step to the left. I hover in one spot in the kitchen.

AND, if anyone wants to be in the kitchen to keep me company, they are in the way. Doesn't matter where they stand. They are in the way.

And whoever designed this kitchen, put the bathroom in the kitchen, and the door to the bathroom in the back corner of the bathroom. Which means if ANYONE needs to use the bathroom, I have to move out of the way, so they can pass by. On top of that, my poor husband's spot at the kitchen table is next to the bathroom door. I don't need to say any more than that.

So just move.

I don't want to give up the neighborhood. We have block parties. . . . the kids play outside with others. At a certain age, the kids go outside by themselves. No one drives THROUGH the neighborhood. It is not connected to anything else.

I don't want to leave the Angier school. . . . . and we can't afford anything else in this district.

So just add on . . . .

Hmmmm, now if we had a HUGE plot, that would be easy. But because our house is "cottage-craftman" style, we can't add a block to the back . . . it would be ugly. We can't add to the right, because we are seven feet from the property line.

Which brings us to a Design Build Company.

One company is very willing to work with us. . . . and help us. The other said, you need to dump $250K into the addition, you still won't be happy, but you can think about it. . . . .

What can we do?

So, now I am pondering. Adam is pondering. We want to live here. . . . Our daughter needs a larger room (which is a closet right now), and I need a new kitchen (the cabinet doors are already helping me, by falling off all the time).

Does anyone have any ideas?

Sisterhood Cookbook

Many of you know that Esther M. and I are co-chairing the Sisterhood cookbook. It has been a labor of love. Of course, if the project was a child, it would be walking and talking by now.

I am really excited to see the final product soon. We have reviewed and reviewed the book. This is after we have tested, tested, tested and retested.

As soon as it is out all of you will know!

Will also let you know so you can BUY your own copy, or two or three!

Cooking Up a Storm

This year, not only am I doing Erev Rosh Hashana, but I am also doing the Second Day! Lots of cooking for me.

Erev will be dinner for 8! Second Day will be dinner for 10!

Menu:
2 Homemade Challahs made by me
Knishes
Hummus
Moroccan Tomato Dip - made by me
Mushroom Soup - made by me
Chicken with Tomatoes - made by me
BBQ Tofu - made by me
Basmati Rice
Carrots with honey
Fruit
Homemade apple crisp
Cookie Plate - zucchini bread, brownies and Mandelbrot

Second Day
2 Homemade Challahs - made by me
Pigs in a Blanket
Hummus
Tomato Dip
Chicken Soup - Mady's recipe made by me - will be in the SISTERHOOD COOKBOOK
Roast Chicken
Cranbery Rice Bake - Made by me - will be in the SISTERHOOD COOKBOOK
Roasted Potatoes
Broccoli
Fruit Honey Cake Made by me
Cookie Plate - zucchini bread, brownies and Mandelbrot

Snacks and Lunches

So this year, I now pack a lunch and a snack for Mark; and a lunch and a snack for Naomi. After years of packing lunches, you would think I have this down. But I don't. Naomi is not a big fan of sandwiches. I mean ALL sandwiches. She doesn't mind the stuffings, but she can leave the bread. And she does.

Mark for the most part of his career has eaten either peanut butter and fluff sandwiches or turkey sandwiches. He isn't that picky.

One sandwich that Naomi will eat (and of course Mark) is pastrami. So, I buy a pound of Kosher Pastrami at the supermarket, which both kids are loving. Of course they are getting protein (and more fat that I want), but they are eating it.

However, I like variety. So today's lunch is roasted chicken on the bone. Because they are going to afterschool, where there is a microwave, I am able to do this. I take the chicken off the bone, cut it up and put it in a microwave safe container. Mark likes to take vegetables with his lunch, so today he has some cucumber slices. Naomi, prefers fruit, so she has a big bunch of juicy red grapes.

Snack has gotten easier. The following items are okay for either kid: yogurt and or granola bars. Each one gets either a fruit or a vegetable with the yogurt or granola bar. But again, I like variety. This weekend I made zucchini muffins. Each one has a zucchini muffin, and loves it. Sometimes there a pretzels. Sometimes Pirates Booty.

Mark and Naomi prefer homemade baked goods, so each one for lunch has a chocolate chip brownie.

I hope when they pack snacks for their children, they put in as much thought and love as I do.