I know what you’re thinking: zucchini latke’s in … January? Well, truth be told, I made those as a healthy option in early December for Hanukkah. I just didn’t have enough time to blog about the culinary delight with Sophia’s cold and everything else that was going on.
Everyone (whether you’re Jewish or not loves latkes). What’s not to like? Fried, made of starch, crispy, savory… delicious. However, even the most enthusiastic latke eaters tire of the same old by day five of the festive holiday. Besides being a change of pace, they’re also very healthy and very light. Enjoy with a dollop of sour cream or creme fresh and garlic if you’re going all out.
And Goodnight to all the yummy rich indulgences everywhere…
Alas… as Sophia nears her first birthday, I can divert my focus from making sure she has ample milk to making sure I transition to eating for one and not two. I have indulged for the last 11 months in eating pretty much anything I wanted and sometimes overindulging too. People are always so understanding when you’re a new mom. I realize that the “new” tag can only stick for so long; and something tells me that you’re not a “new” anything once your baby is 12+ months. I cannot say that I was a huge health fanatic before I had Sophia, but having her made me realize how I would want her to lead a healthy lifestyle and as such, will have to live to be an example.
A certain chill in the air has appeared and we crave bold, warm flavors. Last Friday night, I cooked up a chicken fricassee and warm, oozing polenta. So good… so so good. A part of me wants the summer to stay, but on some level, I can’t wait until the fall; Until the trees in our neighborhood turn to an array of burgundies, oranges and sunny yellows and I can make spiced cakes and rich stews, drink spiced apple cider and mulled wine.
This was Sophia’s first Rosh Hashanah. Unfortunately, the holiday fell on a Sunday night and we celebrated just the three of us. We did however partake in a traditional feast of strudel — a pastry shallow baked in oil filled with nuts, fruits and jams. It is delicious and something my family has baked for well over 100 years. I haven’t learned the recipe, but I know it is involved… so hopefully soon.
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Once in a while, hubby, Sophia and I embark on the 2.5 hour journey to visit my in-laws. I jokingly call it the spa because much like my parents’ house, the experience is so relaxing. Good food is always on hand, there is ample help with Sophia and the very fact of being back in the Philadelphia area has such a relaxing effect.
Despite Sophia’s first cold, our spirits were instantly lifted by this delicious chocolate chip cake. Mmmm, so good!
A few weeks ago, we decided to nightwean Sophia. She was 9.5 months at the time and did well (all things considering). We decided that the breastaurant was going to be closed from 8:30-5:30 and so every time Sophia would wake up, hubby went in to console her. The whole process took about 5 days. Much to our surprise, she was sleeping through the night after the 5 days for a few days. She also cut her first two teeth. We couldn’t believe ourselves; Until then, Sophia was feasting or rather snacking every 2-3 hrs. After two nights of relatively peaceful sleep, I felt like I’d not felt in a LONG time. In fact, looking back (at the time), I couldn’t believe how I survived the 9 months working full time and being up for 15-20 minutes every 2-3 hrs.
Our celebrations were shortlived as 5 days into the new sleepcycle, Sophia started waking up hourly. After some googling, we realized she had acid reflux. A call to the doctor was followed by a run to the pharmacy to get adult Mylanta. I personally have never had acid reflux or at least not severe enough to warrant an antiacid. That stuff is pretty vile. Tastes like flavored chalk. We tried giving it to Sophia who promptly spit it out. Fast forward 3 hours during her bath and equipped with a zillion little tchachkas, we finally were able to stuff 1 teaspoon into her and 2 teaspoons on her (for good measure of course). We’ve done this for the past few nights and I hope to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
But we’re so good at distracting and dispensing medicine now that we may as well moonlight as childnen’s remedy dispensers for all the houses with little ones in need.
Although I am well acquainted with many Russian dishes, I don’t [often] cook them at home and never really have. Sometimes, however, I crave the flavors and I know that I can make a simple meal in a few minutes. When discussing what hubby should get at the store, I offered to make “kotleti” which are cutlets made from minced meat. They’re a staple in Russian cooking and can be quite good if you know what you’re doing.
Hubby paused momentarily, intrigued by the offer and then valiantly declared: “I’ll make it Japanese!”. He dug up a no kidding Japanese recipe and ran off to the grocery mart. An initial inspection of this recipe suggested that it was nothing more than a beef kotleti recipe with minced celery and onion. Of course the recipe came with a sauce made of sake, Mirin and soy sauce (what Japanese sauce doesn’t contain all of those?)
Making the Japanese version was just as easy and when all was said and done, it was very delicious. But honestly, you could make shoe leather delicious with that sauce. I am however not convinced that I can eat kotleti with rice (the suggested Japanese way). In my book, kotleti are best eaten with fresh, home-made mashed potatoes!
Sophia is now highly mobile and still not very independent which means she walks while holding both your hands and cannot stand or walk on her own. With time at a premium, we’ve turned into making easy, scalable dishes. This past Saturday I made stuffed peppers.
The stuffed peppers I grew up with were low fat, low flavor (SORRY MOM), high health factor, chicken and rice stuffed peppers. The ones I reminisce about and the ones I made share only one thing in common: the pepper I use a delivery vehicle for the spicy chorizo and cous cous stuffing. I also use diced tomatoes and cheese to up the moisture and flavor contents. All in all, 9 peppers took 1 hr from start to finish including clean-up. Another 45 minutes in the oven (inactive cooking). I don’t know anyone who can eat more than 1.5 peppers… so these tend to last a while.
Being at the shore with my family was rejuvenating and I was able to indulge in one of my favorite things: knitting. I find it very relaxing and gratifying. Here is a cardigan I knitted for Sophia. While I do love knitting, I still need to practice and learn new techniques.
