Grilled Chicken Wraps

Sometimes as parents we do truly wacky things. This past Sunday we spent the day in Busch Gardens as per Mushky's request before she headed off to school in Coral Springs, Florida. Normally a Busch Gardens day translates into leftovers for dinner - of which we had plenty from Shabbat. But not this day. Realizing it would be some time before Mushky got a meal cooked by her mom, I asked her what she would like to eat for dinner. She requested grilled shnitzel and I agreed.  It felt almost crazy to come home from a day in the sun and start cooking dinner when I had perfectly good food in the fridge..but this is what we do for our kids. We returned from our day out and I got to work on those grilled shnitzel wraps! (Recipe at the bottom)

It has surely been a few strange days as we prepared to send Mushky off to school. While getting Mushky ready to embark on her new adventure, I had ample opportunity to revisit my own journey off to school. It's so strange...23 years later and so much has remained the same - while at the same time she goes off to school with luxuries I couldn't even dream up.

So as I helped Mushky pack I watched her iPhone, iPod and iPod touch get loaded into her bag. Couldn't help but let her know that I traveled with just a walk man - lol! At some point I mentioned that she is lucky because she can FaceTime us but that I didn't have that option - and she replied with "oh, you only had Skype" Hahaha! If only I had Skype! I look back at my 14 year old self and I still can see the tears at leaving home, still can feel the uneasiness as I took a bus to Montreal without knowing a soul. I can still remember the moment I walked into my aunt and uncle's house (thank you Berel and Breindy for three great years with your family!) and eating and then going to my new school for the first time.

I have spent so much time wondering how Mushky will adjust. Wondering how she will navigate an airport all on her own. How she will grow up with out her parents standing right by her side..and then I remember...I remember that I did ALL of that! Sometimes I even wonder how I managed to do the things I did all on my own - but knowing I did tells me that Mushky will do the same, albeit with the help of a cellphone, Uber and who knows what else.

So as I get ready to hear about her first day of school, I remind myself that this too will be ok and that soon enough I will be asking her what she wants for dinner on her first visit back!! Good luck Mushky! I know you will make us all proud!

Grilled Shnitzel Wraps

Chicken breast strips
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt
Black pepper
Garlic
Paprika
Oregano

Tortilla wraps
Sliced avocado
Coleslaw
Chopped lettuce

Season chicken breast with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and oregano. Mix well. Heat grill to approximately 450. Grill for about 4 minutes on each side. 

Toast tortillas. Fill center with sliced up chicken, cole slaw, lettuce and avocado. (Some of us add ketchup and mayo.) Roll up and enjoy!

Have A Nice Day!

My trip to the grocery store this morning got me thinking. I ran in in giant hurry, with 20 people coming for the Seudah HaMafseket (meal before Yom Kippur) and not having shopped for food - I was in a time crunch. When I arrived at the checkout to pay for my items I was already in a tizzy. I was rushing (which isn't helpful), had to rearrange my menu due to a produce department that was missing all sorts of things (thanks Hurricane Matthew) and had even managed to drop my keys in my cart - which the cashier found and kindly handed to me. While waiting to pay, the fellow who was bagging groceries asked me if I wanted paper or plastic. I replied that I would like plastic - and then he proceeded to use paper while asking me again. I quickly realized from his demeanor  that this nice young man was dealing with some cognitive difficulties. I smiled and said plastic again. When I finished paying the young man looked at me with a giant smile and said, "thank you, have a nice day, come see us again soon". 

As I headed to my car I realized that the cheerful have a nice day and come see us again soon left me in a better mood than I had been when I arrived at the checkout counter. With Yom Kippur just hours away this wasn't lost on me. It occurred to me that in life we many times walk around rushed, harried and frazzled - and as such, we can find ourselves interacting with others in a hurried, unkind and possibly rough around the edges type of fashion. This young fellow taught me the importance of kindness. 

In just a few hours we will begin Yom Kippur. We will spend 25 hours praying to Hashem. Telling Him we are sorry for what we have done, we will resolve to do better in the future. We will also cry out to Hashem and ask Him to treat all of us with love and kindess and grant each of us a year filled with only sweetness. 

In that moment at the grocery store, I was reminded of the importance of kindness. Just one tiny act of kindness can really go a long way. Let us all resolve (and act upon!!) to be more kind in this shiny, brand new year. When G-d looks at His people, and sees our kindness towards one another, He will know that we are truly deserving of the wonderful year we will surely be sealed for! 

G'mar Chatima Tova! May each and every one of us be sealed in the book of life - for a good year filled only with good and joyous days! 

Here is a recipe for the sweet potato soup we had for our first pre Yom Kippur meal today. 

Sweet Potato Soup

Olive oil

3 onions

1 container cubed sweet potatoes

Water

Salt

Pepper

Garlic

Oregano

Sage

Fresh dill 

Chop 3 onions and sautee in some olive oil. When they start to get soft, add in the sweet potatoes and continue to stir until they get a little soft. Cover with water and sprinkle in salt, pepper, garlic, oregano and the sage. Bring to a boil and then lower. Cook until sweet potatoes are soft. Sprinkle a handful of fresh dill and then puree the soup using an immersion blender. 

Waffles & Ice Cream For Dinner

Today we had waffles for dinner. Waffles and ice cream.

In December I learned that a friend of Shaya's was diagnosed with brain cancer. Little Caleb was a fighter and his story taught me so much through the duration of his six month battle. Sadly, Caleb was called back to his maker yesterday afternoon. 

I followed Caleb's journey closely. I cried on the bad days, smiled when I saw his radiant smile on my computer screen and marveled at the incredible strength his family has displayed through it all. 

Amidst my tears this morning I decided we would have waffles for dinner- with ice cream, and syrup. It occurred to me that life needs to be filled with fun, happy moments. We need to fill our days with happy, loving times with our families. It's ok to eat dessert for dinner- my kids loved this idea :-) It is time to embrace the messy playroom, it's a sign of life, fun and laughter. It is time to take spontaneous trips to do fun things, for one never knows for how long the opportunity will be there.

Hug the ones you love, and let them know you love them. Be kind and soften the edges that sometimes cause us to be aggravated with the ones we love. And eat waffles for dinner. With ice cream. 

Waffle Recipe

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 3/4 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together. Ladle the batter into your waffle iron and proceed to follow your waffle iron instructions. Enjoy with ice cream and syrup. 

Shakshuka

Israel is my favorite place on earth! Which means I was double (triple?) excited when my brother (who lives in Israel) announced his engagement to a wonderful girl from Jerusalem! We are SO excited to go celebrate their wedding in the beautiful land of Israel - and my kids are over the top excited for their very first visit!

A few weeks back, my brother Levi and his bride Aidel came for a visit! We enjoyed spending time with them - and then we were in for a treat when Levi created an Israeli breakfast for all of us. We arrived at my parents' house and watched as Levi created "shakshuka". He dropped some of this and some of that in the pan and a short time later presented us with a beautiful and super tasty dish.

Mushky loved the shakshuka so much that she asked me to make it for her just as soon as I got my new kitchen loaded with pots and pans from our old house - so today (with some help from my brothers Levi and Yossi)  I made her shakshuka for dinner and it was delicious!

(Note - This is not an exact recipe - and you can put whatever you want in yours. I made it based on what i had in my house today.)


Shakshuka

Olive oil
1 small onion, diced
5 small mushrooms, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 red baby peppers, diced
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
4 eggs
Salt
Pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped
Scallions, sliced

In a large skillet, heat some olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and peppers (and any other veggies you want to throw in). When the veggies are soft, add in the crushed tomatoes and let it cook together with the vegetables. Then gently pour in each egg one at a time so it has its own space to cook. Sprinkle with salt and pepper - and any other spices such as cumin or turmeric. I cooked it uncovered on medium-high for a few minutes and then covered it and cooked it on low. Cook until the eggs have reached the desired level of doneness. Remove from the pan and sprinkle with parsley and scallions. 

From The Mouths of Babes

A few days ago I parked in the driveway after picking my kids up from school. As we pulled in we heard the sound of the Shofar, and one of my older kids asked "is that a neighbor's kid playing with their Shofar - or did Moshiach come?" To which my two year old starting clapping his hands and saying, "I want to go see Moshiach!!!" As you are aware, Moshiach had not yet arrived, and it was just the neighbors playing around. That said, this little story made me pause, as I thought about just how excited my baby was to see Moshiach. I was amazed that even at his young age he knew that it would be an incredibly exciting moment. It was a good reminder that our work is still not done and we need to continue to flood the world with Mitzvot! May it be the will of Hashem that we hear the sound of the Shofar announcing the arrival of Moshiach in the very, very near future! As we get ready to celebrate Yom Kippur and stand before Hashem as His gates are open before us, let us make sure to cry out together and ask for a time where we will know only peace and harmony and health and happiness!! 

I am in the midst of baking cinnamon buns for dessert, so I will share the recipe with you. (Thanks to my cousin Malkie for this awesome recipe!!)

Gmar Chatima Tova! May you be sealed for only good!

-Rashi

Cinnamon Buns

1 3/4 cups warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

3 tablespoons yeast

1/2 tablespoon salt

2 eggs

5 1/4 cups flour

cinnamon and sugar mixture

Mix warm water, sugar, oil and yeast and let sit for 15 minutes. Add in the salt, eggs and flour. Mix well. Roll out dough and brush with oil. Then rub on cinnamon and sugar mixture. Then roll dough up from the edge...as you roll up one layer, brush with oil and rub with cinnamon and sugar. Continue roll up until the whole thing is rolled up into a log. Then use a sharp knife to cut into slices. Place on a greased baking sheet. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes. Bake on 400 for 12-15 minutes. Top with your favorite glaze. Enjoy!

Lasting Sweetness

Mom, can I have some ice cream? Mommy can I have more brownies? Can we go to Israel for winter break? Can I have a sleepover tonight? As a parent I field questions all day long. Some reasonable. Some not so reasonable. Fielding all of these questions - and responding to them - is just part of the territory of being a parent. Children are not shy, and they will happily ask and ask and then ask again. Children are persistent - and you know what, sometimes it pays off. If you are like me, then your kids have certainly been successful at acquiring more toys than needed, extra desserts and so on. Some people might call that spoiling your kids but my theory is that they are my children and I have the right to give in to their requests. While it is quiet in my house at the moment (the question askers are still sleeping!) soon my house will be abuzz as we race around and get ready for Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish New Year. Tonight we will dip an apple in honey, tomorrow we will sing Avinu Malkeinu. We will call out to Hashem as our Father and  King and ask for a good and sweet year. My dear friends, let us each remember that Hashem is our Father, and cares deeply about each and every one of us! I am going to take my cue from my children and ask and then ask for some more. While we are contemplating our choices that may have not been the greatest and while we are promising to change our ways, let us also beg Hashem to open His treasure trove of blessings and shower them upon us. My children are not too shy to ask for what they want and in turn I am not too shy to ask of Hashem to bestow us with a wonderful year filled with health and happiness. When dipping the apple in the honey we can note that honey is a type of preservative. We are asking that Hashem give us happiness that is coated in honey so that we may have lasting sweetness. As we wave goodbye to the year 5775 and welcome in 5776 please join me in asking Hashem for health, wealth and happines - and time to enjoy it! Let us also ask Him, as His children, to put an end to all pain and suffering and send us the ultimate, lasting sweetness with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days! Shana Tova!

In keeping with the theme of sweetness, here is a new chicken recipe I tried out recently - my kids loved it! (Thanks to my cousin Bluma for the inspiration for this one.) My apologies that  I don't have any measurements for this one. 

Apricot Brown Sugar Chicken 

Bone in chicken

Salt

Pepper

Garlic

Dried chopped onion flakes

Paprika

Olive Oil

Apricot preserves

Brown sugar

Soy sauce

Set your oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in a pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, chopped onion and paprika. Then drizzle olive oil on the chicken. In a bowl, mix the apricot preserves, brown sugar and soy sauce together well. Spread the sauce over the chicken and then turn chicken over to bake skin side down and covered. When chicken has almost reached your desired level of doneness, turn chicken back over and bake uncovered until it is nicely crisped and colored. Enjoy!! 

Blueberry Pancakes

With just a tiny bit of summer vacation left yesterday afternoon, I made the spur of the moment decision that we should go blueberry picking. My big kids had been at camp for 8 weeks and I wanted to do something fun with them before heading back to school. We had SO much fun! To begin with, Mushky and Shalom spotted some wagons and decided that they wanted to be passengers - we all had some good laughs as we pulled our 10 and 12 year old along in a wagon :) Shaya LOVED having his own wagon all to himself. Everyone enjoyed looking for good looking blueberries and Shaya's eyes were wide with wonder at the sight of one of his favorite foods growing on a bush! It was a perfect ending to a wonderful summer break.

On the way home we discussed what we would do with our big bag of blueberries - and it was decided that we would have blueberry pancakes for breakfast for the first day of school. I am not quite sure what I was thinking when I agreed to make pancakes, while knowing that I had to be at work early. But, a promise is a promise! I got up bright and early, got in a small workout and then headed home to make the pancakes! It was a great start to the school year!

Here is the pancake recipe! In reality it is the regular pancake recipe I use..but with the fun addition of blueberries!

Blueberry Pancakes

2 cups flour
4 tsps. baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 1/2 tbsps oil
A sprinkle of vanilla extract
A few handfuls of fresh blueberries. 


Add all of the ingredients into a bowl - except for the blueberries - and mix well. I find that a whisk does a nice job of mixing pancake batter. Then gently fold in the blueberries. I make my pancakes on my Cuisinart Griddler. I spray the griddler plates with some Pam before I start. I set the griddle to to about 350 degrees. Using a small ladle, pour pancake batter onto the griddle. Wait for the pancakes to bubble - this is your cue that it is time to flip them! Happy pancake eating!