January 20, 2017

The day that I vowed to be a more active participant in this country.

Post election, I have gotten more active in my country and learning how I can help Planned Parenthood, the ACLU and other organizations that help this country.

Since January 20, I have learned that President Trump is STILL complaining about the election.  He has offered no proof of voter fraud, but harps on the topic.  I am willing to open my mind to the dialog, if I had some proof.  But right now, I have no proof.

He built his campaign on building a wall on our southern border, and he repeated that Mexico would foot the bill.  Guess what.  I am footing the bill.  If you pay Federal taxes you are paying the bill.  He claims that Mexico will pay us back, but I am not holding my breathe.  Because if Mexico was going to pay for it, they should pay for it now.  I don't want my tax dollars used for that wall.

His pick for top teacher in the country is a joke!  She wants guns in schools to defend against bears.  I will admit that I don't have to worry about bears attacking my kids in school, and there are a few schools that have that concern.  My concerns are about class size, kids having the best education and the best teachers, class size and funding special educations.  Keep guns out of the schools.

The free press is part of what makes our country amazing.  We the American people pay for great reporters to dig and find the news - the real news.  The Globe Spotlight team uncovered sexual abuse within the Boston Catholic Church - and the light that was shed on this turned out to be worldwide.  We need reporters to dig deep and find the truth.  We do not need the President declaring war on the media.  We do not need "alternative facts."  We need the truth.  I will continue to pay for news so I can make my own decisions.

I am a more active participant in this country.  I want to learn more and learn how to support the organizations and the people that I want to succeed in this country.  And I am allowed to do this because I am an American citizen living in America.  I have the right and the ability to support Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.  Use your rights and your abilities to support what you believe is important.

Vote in every election - local, state and Federal.  Make your voice heard.

Why am I marching

Why am I marching?

I am marching because I am equal to a man and I should get paid equally.

I am marching because women didn't always have the right to vote in the US and some women in this world still can't vote.

I am marching because I support women's right to choice for their bodies.

I am marching to support Planned Parenthood.

I am marching to support diversity. We are all equal. Diversity is skin color, religion, sexual orientation and gender.

I am marching to have affordable health care for all. We should all be able to obtain good health care and we should be able to have good and affordable health care. Not just the wealthy.

I am marching to keep all public schools great and without guns.

I am marching because there are countries in this world that people can not gather as a group and support an opinion that is different from the leaders of that country.

I am marching for all those who can't.

I am marching because my son wants to.

We are all human. We all deserve safety, health, clean water, safe housing, jobs and clean air. We are all human.

I am marching because I can!

On the Way to the Promised Land

Our synagogue is taking the 9th graders to Israel . . . . . . and the trip has started.  There was a nearly three hour delay of the flight, but the kids have taken off and are on their way to the trip of a lifetime.

Chicken Piccata - My kids loved it

Thought I would share the Barefoot Contesa's recipe!

4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts (I purchased the cutlets so they were thin)
salt
pepper
1 cup flour
2 large eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs - unflavored
olive oil
3 T unsalted butter
1/3 c lemon juice
1/2 c white wine

Preheat oven to 275 - line a cookie sheet with tin foil and sprayed with Pam

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Mix flour, 1 t salt and pepper in a pie plate.  In a second pie plate, beat the eggs with 1 T water.  On a third plate, pour out the breadcrumbs.

Dip each piece of chicken in flour, then egg then bread crumbs.

Heat 2 T olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat.  Add 2 chicken breasts.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Turn over and cook for 2 more minutes.  Put chicken on cookie sheet.  Continue with the next two chicken breasts.

Place chicken in oven for 5-10 minutes.

Wipe out saute pan, and on medium heat melt 1 T of butter and add lemon juice and white wine and salt and pepper.

Boil over high heat for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add 2 T of butter and stir to combine.

Service one chicken breast on each plate and spoon on sauce.

I served with cous cous and asparagus.

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem

Last night I attended a Hadassah event in Newton, MA that featured the author of the Beauty Queen of Jerusalem, Sarit Yishai-Levi.  I read the book earlier in the year, and found the book fascinating.  One of the reasons is that I had not read a book that took place over three generations in Israel (and pre-Israel), and I found it intriguing.  The other reason is that when I think of Israeli women I don't think of Beauty Queens.  Nonetheless, it was a fabulous book that hooked me in from the first few pages.

Before Sarit spoke about the book, she gave us some personal history.  Born in 1947 in Israel, her family is has been in Jerusalem for 8 generations.  She is of Sephardic decent, and gave us insight that Sephardic and Ashkenazai Jewish families did NOT intermarry!  She served in the Israel army and moved to Tel Aviv.  She became a journalist and reported for Montir, HaOlam and Hadashot.  One of the most fascinating facts was that she was the first Israeli reporter to interview Yasser Arafat, and she was a female reporter!

She described the research that went behind the novel.  She researched ads about what life was like in Israel and pre-Israel by reading newspapers, and interviewing her father.  It shows in the book.  She described a furniture ad that she saw in an old newspaper, and I instantly recalled Luna's parents heavy furniture!

She described the photo of the Israeli version of the book, and showed us how different it was from the American version.  She fought for this book to be released near Rosh Hashana because in Israel book sales explode during that time since nothing is open on Yom Kippur and Israeli's either read or go to synagogue on Yom Kipuur!

She is writing her second novel and the Beauty Queen of Jerusalem will be made into an Israeli film!  If you get the chance to hear Sarit speak, please attend.  She is a wonderful speaker and engages the audience, and even better if you have a few Hebrew speaking audience members.

You can purchase the book at Barnes and Nobles or Amazon.

Broccoli, Red Pepper and Tofu Stir Fry with Balsamic Vinegar

A hit!  I made one batch with tofu and one batch with chicken!

Ingredients

• 14 ounces extra firm tofu , water-packed, drained (I used a pound of thin chicken breasts cut into cubes for the chicken based version)
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey or 1 tablespoon agave syrup
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil , for broccoli
• ½ lb broccoli floret
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil , for red pepper
• 1 red pepper , thinly sliced (I use red bell pepper)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil , for tofu
• 4 scallions , sliced, for garnish 

Directions

1.  Cut the tofu across the width into 6 slabs. Cut each slab in half to make 12 squares. Blot the tofu to remove some of the moisture and set aside.

2.  Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl and set aside.

3.  Saute the broccoli in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until bright green and starting to brown in places, about 5 minutes. Remove broccoli from the pan.

4.  Saute the red pepper in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until it starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the red pepper from the pan.

5.  Saute the tofu in the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until browned, 2 minutes per side or until crispy.

6.  Add the vinegar mixture to the tofu and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

7.  Return the broccoli and peppers to the pan and gently toss to coat with the sauce.

8.  Garnish with the scallions and serve with brown rice or another whole grain.

Shiitake Pot Pie with Polenta

Ingredients

1 T Oil

1 lb Shiitake mushrooms,  stems removed and sliced

1 t dried thyme

3/4 c Hot water

1 c peas

3 c Water

2 lb New potatoes; cubed

¼ t salt

1 1/2 tb flour

1/8 ts Ground cayenne

4 cloves of garlic - crushed

3/4 c yellow cornmeal

1 medium onion diced

1/2 oz Dried porcini

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Preparation

Soak porcinis in hot water for at least an hour. Remove mushrooms from water and, depending on their quality, either discard or reserve for another use. Strain soaking water through cheesecloth, fine sieve or coffee filter. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil roasting pan large enough to hold potatoes in one layer. Roast potatoes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking and to brown evenly, until tender, about 35 minutes. While potatoes are roasting, heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in nonstick skillet. Add onions and garlic; saute until the onions are soft. Add fresh mushrooms, thyme and cayenne; cook until mushrooms soften and shrink to about half their original size, about 15 minutes. In separate skillet, heat remaining oil. Make a roux by adding flour and stirring until flour begins to brown. Add porcini water and mushroom mixture to the roux; cook until liquid reduces by about a third, about 5 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Combine mushroom mixture, potatoes and peas in 9x9 inch lightly oiled baking pan. Set aside. For crust, bring water and salt to rolling boil. Add polenta slowly, stirring constantly. Turn heat down to medium; stir constantly until mixture thickens and begins to pull away from sides of the pot, about 10 minutes. Spread polenta over potato and mushroom mixture; bake about 15 minutes. Remove from oven; let sit 15 minutes before cutting. Makes 4-6 servings of about 1 cup each. 5 grams of fat per serving. |