Happy Little Home-Maker

I am so impressed by my youngest daughter.

A few months ago, one of her good friends from school gave my daughter a really nice cookbook for her Bat Mitzvah.

My daughter decided she wanted to prepare our meals for the holiday. She carefully went through her cookbook and chose the recipes she wished to prepare.  With a little teamwork, Moshe and I convinced her to settle on two main dishes and two appetizers.

On Sunday, I helped her prepare a shopping list.  On Monday, our friend who shops for us, took her shopping to pick up the ingredients she needs.  Today, Tuesday, she started cooking.

Since I was too tired to help much today, my daughter chose to start with a simple, but very time consuming, recipe; we both felt she could probably make it on her own.

She made Sambusas -- dough filled pastries.

The filling came out amazing and the Sambusas look great.  They do not seem to have puffed up as we expected, and we are not quite sure why.  Nevertheless, my daughter tasted one and they taste good.

Pretty impressive for her first dish!



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

God Bless My Friends

Wednesday night, after resting all day, I still felt exhausted!  I could feel a cold coming on: my nose was stuffy, I had post nasal drip and the accompanying cough, I had a sinus headache, and my muscles, especially my thighs muscles, hurt so much!

Since it is only the second day after chag (the holiday), and the first day after vacation, it sort of feels like a Sunday or Monday.  As I rested in bed this evening, all of a sudden, I realized Shabbat was only two days away!

Our vacation bags are still strewn all over the house, and I haven't even begun to attack the laundry.  How was I going to manage Shabbat if I was sick and tired??

I called a friend and neighbor who had told me several times that she likes it when people call to invite themselves.  I really enjoy hanging out with her and we have not had so many opportunities since she returned to work full-(+)-time.  I actually would have preferred to host her and her family, since we have been their guests several times, but that was not a viable option.  So, I called her and asked if she would like guests for lunch.  Not only did she invite us, she THANKED ME! 

Imagine that! 

She thanked me!

She made me feel so welcome!!

I really wanted to be home at night, so I could go to sleep early!  So, I called another friend who had also told me several times that she is happy to cook a meal for us on Shabbat (weekday cooking is extremely difficult for her).  She jumped at the opportunity, and she also THANKED ME!!

Cooking is such a burden for me.  It is difficult for me to fathom that other people do not dread it as much as I do.

The only reason I ever started cooking is because I like food.

Now, I do not even eat.  Not to mention that many smells, especially of cooked food, make me nauseus.

Still, for Shabbt, I cook for my family, and for guests, when I have them. 

I love having guests on Shabbat.  These days, since I never know how tired I will be, I often am afraid to invite people I do not know so well, lest I not be up for hosting.

Occasionally, I have even gone to sleep and skipped dinner.  I try not to, because Moshe and my kids really miss me.  So, usually, I push myself to at least sit at the table through the main part of the meal.  But, there is a good chance that this Shabbat I will not last the whole meal.

It took me only a few minutes, and just two phone calls, to pull together Shabbat for my family.

I feel so blessed!!



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

My Little Homemaker

Two weeks ago, my younger daughter announced that she wants to make supper.

Her class put together a recipe book and she was excited about cooking.

So, she added the ingredients she wanted to our shopping list and we got what she needed.

She made an orange soup and homemade pizza.

Very impressive.

Also, a bit funny.

I left her in the kitchen, on her own, since she seemed so confident.  After a few minutes, she asked if she should add eggs to make the dough.  I asked what it said in the recipe. 

It turns out, her pizza recipe calls for dough, but did not include instructions on how to make it.   She knew she needed flour and water....

I went into the kitchen, and saw her stirring a liquidy mixture. 

"How much flour and water did you put in?" I asked.

With an innocent smile, she answered "the rest of the whole wheat flour and about two cups of water."  Then she showed me the drinking cup that she used to "measure" the water.

"OK," I said, taking a deep breath.

Then I did what any person who has no idea how to bake should do.  I called LF.

My sister likes to say "if you took LF and dropped her in the 18th century, she'd be fine."  LF knows how to cook, bake, sew, grow things, etc.

Sure enough, she guided me and my daughter, step by step, until we had a decent dough and a good laugh.

I stayed in the kitchen after that, to help where I could.  My daughter really wanted to make dinner herself. 

It was fun cooking with her. 

She did a fantastic job!!




Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA