Monday, March 17, 2014
52 Frames and to London, to London
In a few hours from now, my daughter and I are off for a week-long London vacation. It was prompted mostly by the fact that there will be a 52 Frames exhibit at a London gallery and we're having photos featured there/for sale.
This is our first time going to London and we're really excited.
Here is my submission for the theme "Home":
This is our first time going to London and we're really excited.
Here is my submission for the theme "Home":
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
52 Frames
Here is my submission for the theme of "reflection":
And here is my submission for the theme of "action". The game is Settlers of Catan.
And here is my submission for the theme of "action". The game is Settlers of Catan.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Thursday, February 06, 2014
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Another Fifty-Two Frames post
These were several submissions of mine that I made over the past year. Gearing up for the new year!
Pigeons in Petach Tikvah
Nesher cement factory at sunset
Fish pond in Ariel
Bread at Shuk Machaneh Yehuda, Jerusalem
Fighting a wildfire in Ariel
Building new homes in Ariel
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Non-potato latkes
Here are some alternative recipes to try for Chanukah! (And these are all tried-and-true. One year I made a Greek-themed medieval Chanukah feast for our SCA group.)
Onion Fritters
1/2 kg (aprox. 1 lb) onions finely diced
1/2 kg flour
Fresh spearmint
Oil for frying
Salt
Pepper
In a bowl, mix well the onions, spearmint, flour, salt and pepper. Add enough water to make a thick batter. Heat oil in a frying pan. Drop teaspoons of batter into the oil. Fry until golden brown. Drain the fritters well and serve hot.
Aubergine croquettes (Eggplant)
aubergines (enough to make at least 2 cups of aubergine pulp)
2 eggs
Bread crumb
1/2 cup grated cheese (kefalograviera or parmesan)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Flour for coating
1 tspn baking powder
Salt
Pepper
Wash the aubergines and pierce them in several places. Boil them in salted water until tender. Drain them well, peel of their skin, remove seeds and mash them well until they become a pulp. Place in a bowl. Beat the eggs with a fork and mix with the pulp. Add the bread crumb, 1 tspn baking powder, chopped onion and parsley. Work the mixture until all ingredients are unified. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. If the mixture is very soft and not thick enough add more bread crumb or some flour. Shape the mixture into croquettes or balls, dredge flour over them and fry until brown.
Tip: To soften the aubergines you can bake them for an hour in 190 C, if you prefer
Courgette balls (Zucchini)
1 kg (2.2 lbs) courgettes
1/2 tea cup grated cheese
200 gr grated feta cheese
3 eggs
spearmint
salt
pepper
flour for dredging
Olive oil for frying
Wash the courgettes and cut off their ends. Grate them and squeeze them to remove their liquid. Soak the bread crumbs and drain them. Beat the eggs. In a bowl mix the grated courgettes with the grated cheese, the grated feta cheese, the bread crumbs and the beaten eggs. Add salt, pepper and spearmint. Shape the mixture into balls. Flour the balls and fry them in olive oil until they take brown color.
Santorinian Tomato Rissoles
* 500 gr. tomatoes, rinsed and dried
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped (not grated)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and black pepper
1 teacup fresh spearmint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil 150 grams self-raising flour
sunflower oil, for frying
Put the rinsed and dried tomatoes whole into a large bowl. Squeeze and manipulate them with the hands, until they turn into a pulpy substance. This is the only way to do it as you need the skins to give some substance. Next, mix all the ingredients together, apart from the flour. Add enough flour gradually to make a thickish but moist paste. You will probably not need all the flour. The mixture can now wait until it is time to be cooked and eaten. Put about 2.5 cm oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, drop in tablespoons of the mixture and fry, turning the rissoles over once, until lightly golden all over. Serve immediately.
*(I use peeled, whole, canned tomatoes and crush them between my fingers and just use more flour. I don't like the texture of the peel once the tomatoes are smashed).
Delicious yogurt dip to go with the above latkes
1/2 kilo (1 lb) strained yoghurt (I use a good quality goat yogurt)
1 cucumber
4 garlic cloves (more makes it with stronger taste)
salt
oil
vinegar
Grate the garlic and mix it with salt and vinegar. Peel the cucumber, grate it and squeeze it until all its water is removed. Put the yoghurt into a bowl and add the cucumber into it. Then mix the yoghurt with the mixture of grated garlic. Whiz the content until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add some oil. Yoghurt dip can be served in a normal temperature but it is rather preferred cold.
Variation: substitute chopped dill for the cucumber or garlic.
Onion Fritters
1/2 kg (aprox. 1 lb) onions finely diced
1/2 kg flour
Fresh spearmint
Oil for frying
Salt
Pepper
In a bowl, mix well the onions, spearmint, flour, salt and pepper. Add enough water to make a thick batter. Heat oil in a frying pan. Drop teaspoons of batter into the oil. Fry until golden brown. Drain the fritters well and serve hot.
Aubergine croquettes (Eggplant)
aubergines (enough to make at least 2 cups of aubergine pulp)
2 eggs
Bread crumb
1/2 cup grated cheese (kefalograviera or parmesan)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Flour for coating
1 tspn baking powder
Salt
Pepper
Wash the aubergines and pierce them in several places. Boil them in salted water until tender. Drain them well, peel of their skin, remove seeds and mash them well until they become a pulp. Place in a bowl. Beat the eggs with a fork and mix with the pulp. Add the bread crumb, 1 tspn baking powder, chopped onion and parsley. Work the mixture until all ingredients are unified. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. If the mixture is very soft and not thick enough add more bread crumb or some flour. Shape the mixture into croquettes or balls, dredge flour over them and fry until brown.
Tip: To soften the aubergines you can bake them for an hour in 190 C, if you prefer
Courgette balls (Zucchini)
1 kg (2.2 lbs) courgettes
1/2 tea cup grated cheese
200 gr grated feta cheese
3 eggs
spearmint
salt
pepper
flour for dredging
Olive oil for frying
Wash the courgettes and cut off their ends. Grate them and squeeze them to remove their liquid. Soak the bread crumbs and drain them. Beat the eggs. In a bowl mix the grated courgettes with the grated cheese, the grated feta cheese, the bread crumbs and the beaten eggs. Add salt, pepper and spearmint. Shape the mixture into balls. Flour the balls and fry them in olive oil until they take brown color.
Santorinian Tomato Rissoles
* 500 gr. tomatoes, rinsed and dried
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped (not grated)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and black pepper
1 teacup fresh spearmint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil 150 grams self-raising flour
sunflower oil, for frying
Put the rinsed and dried tomatoes whole into a large bowl. Squeeze and manipulate them with the hands, until they turn into a pulpy substance. This is the only way to do it as you need the skins to give some substance. Next, mix all the ingredients together, apart from the flour. Add enough flour gradually to make a thickish but moist paste. You will probably not need all the flour. The mixture can now wait until it is time to be cooked and eaten. Put about 2.5 cm oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, drop in tablespoons of the mixture and fry, turning the rissoles over once, until lightly golden all over. Serve immediately.
*(I use peeled, whole, canned tomatoes and crush them between my fingers and just use more flour. I don't like the texture of the peel once the tomatoes are smashed).
Delicious yogurt dip to go with the above latkes
1/2 kilo (1 lb) strained yoghurt (I use a good quality goat yogurt)
1 cucumber
4 garlic cloves (more makes it with stronger taste)
salt
oil
vinegar
Grate the garlic and mix it with salt and vinegar. Peel the cucumber, grate it and squeeze it until all its water is removed. Put the yoghurt into a bowl and add the cucumber into it. Then mix the yoghurt with the mixture of grated garlic. Whiz the content until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add some oil. Yoghurt dip can be served in a normal temperature but it is rather preferred cold.
Variation: substitute chopped dill for the cucumber or garlic.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Family Sukkah Project
Bli Ayin Harah, we're now in our fourth year :)
This year we did orange flower hand prints to add to the mosaic.
This year we did orange flower hand prints to add to the mosaic.
And to see the previous years, go
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Rosh Hashana roses
This is a recipe in progress...
For the time being, all I did was thinly slice apples with my mandolin and cook them in a bit of water, cinnamon, and sugar. Unfortunately cooking them muted the red peel of the apples, so I'm going to have to rethink that. Also, working with wet apple slices was kind of hit and miss.
I cut thin strips of ready-made puff pastry dough I defrosted (French pastry dough will work too) and then layered the slices of apple along the dough, with the peel on top, sticking over the dough. You want to make sure to overlap the slices.
You'll also want to make sure the dough is really cold. I kept it in the freezer while a assembled each rose.
Once they've been rolled, I put them on a cookie sheet covered in baking parchment, sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on top and baked it for about 10 minutes.
I think my next try, I'll bake it in a pie tin and put a simple syrup of honey, cinnamon and walnuts between the pieces...
For the time being, all I did was thinly slice apples with my mandolin and cook them in a bit of water, cinnamon, and sugar. Unfortunately cooking them muted the red peel of the apples, so I'm going to have to rethink that. Also, working with wet apple slices was kind of hit and miss.
I cut thin strips of ready-made puff pastry dough I defrosted (French pastry dough will work too) and then layered the slices of apple along the dough, with the peel on top, sticking over the dough. You want to make sure to overlap the slices.
You'll also want to make sure the dough is really cold. I kept it in the freezer while a assembled each rose.
Once they've been rolled, I put them on a cookie sheet covered in baking parchment, sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on top and baked it for about 10 minutes.
I think my next try, I'll bake it in a pie tin and put a simple syrup of honey, cinnamon and walnuts between the pieces...
Monday, July 29, 2013
Meatball-stuffed garlic monkey bread
It's a bit of a to-do because you have to make the dough, season the chopped meat, make the meatballs, wrap them in dough and make the marinara sauce.
Of course if you don't particularly care about buying processed foods and ready-made foods straight out of the freezer, I've seen the quick and easy version of this on Pinterest with: Buy some kind of frozen Pillsbury dough, buy frozen cocktail meatballs at Costco, and pop open a jar of your favorite sauce.
The dough I made for this is the onion rolls recipe from The Secret of Challah. Obviously the filling are meatballs instead of onions.
Dough:
7 cups sifted flour (1 kilo)
2 tablespoons dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons sugar
2 cups warm water
2 eggs
2 tablespoons oil
Mix together the dry ingredients. Then add the wet and knead for about 5 minutes, until all the ingredients are incorporated. Then cover the bowl and let it rise for about an hour or until it's doubled in size.
Meatballs:
1/2 kilo (about 1 pound) of chopped meat (chicken, turkey, and lamb will do as well)
Spices - I used garlic powder, black pepper, and oregano
Mix and make into golfball-sized meatballs.
Garlic bread mix:
About 4 generous tablespoons of minced garlic
1/3 cup oil
oregano
Take a piece of dough (a little bigger than a golfball size) and flatten it like you're making pizza. Wrap it around the meatball and pinch the ends closed. Place in a 9x13 baking dish.
Once the bottom is loosely filled (you want the dough to barely be touching), spoon some of the garlic mixture on top. Then add the next layer of dough balls. Pour the remaining garlic mixture over the top.
Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake at 350 degrees F (about 180 degrees C) for about 45 minutes. Serve with sauce.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Some humor
I'm part of a Facebook project called Fifty-two Frames which is a year-long photography project. Each week is a different theme and you have to take the submitted photo within that week.
This past week's theme was anthropomorphism/personification. For those not familiar with the terms (and are too lazy to Google it), anthropomorphism is basically seeing humanity in objects or animals. If you click on the link for the Fifty-two Frames FB group, you'll be able to see the whole album and get a pretty good idea of what I mean.
My submission was a bit of a spoof on the home birth/water birth photos that tend to be popular these days. This is the photo I submitted:
And here are the rest of the photos in the 'home birth' series:
This past week's theme was anthropomorphism/personification. For those not familiar with the terms (and are too lazy to Google it), anthropomorphism is basically seeing humanity in objects or animals. If you click on the link for the Fifty-two Frames FB group, you'll be able to see the whole album and get a pretty good idea of what I mean.
My submission was a bit of a spoof on the home birth/water birth photos that tend to be popular these days. This is the photo I submitted:
And here are the rest of the photos in the 'home birth' series:
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
Politics at prayer
So this whole Women of the Wall (WOW), Women for the Wall (W4W) bruhaha... the vitriol going back and forth is an embarrassing chillul Hashem in my opinion.
I don't completely agree with WOW, but I agree with W4W even less. Their 'my way is the only way' is arrogant to say the least.
One of the things that annoys me about W4W is they seem to be ignoring what they claim to be the main goal of their mission statement. (I underlined it for emphasis)
If their ultimate goal is to make a woman's experience to be as meaningful as possible and they will do 'whatever possible' to achieve experiencing this profound connection to God, then why does it seem the only thing they manage to do is try to prevent women from that experience?
The group will be protesting at their third Rosh Chodesh davening at the Kotel in a few days. I have yet to read anything about W4W talking to the various Kotel 'authorities' to advocate say, enlarging the women's section. Or finally moving that unsightly ramp up to Har haBayit. Or any number of things.. BEYOND trying to get WOW banned from the Kotel proper.
I don't completely agree with WOW, but I agree with W4W even less. Their 'my way is the only way' is arrogant to say the least.
One of the things that annoys me about W4W is they seem to be ignoring what they claim to be the main goal of their mission statement. (I underlined it for emphasis)
If their ultimate goal is to make a woman's experience to be as meaningful as possible and they will do 'whatever possible' to achieve experiencing this profound connection to God, then why does it seem the only thing they manage to do is try to prevent women from that experience?
The group will be protesting at their third Rosh Chodesh davening at the Kotel in a few days. I have yet to read anything about W4W talking to the various Kotel 'authorities' to advocate say, enlarging the women's section. Or finally moving that unsightly ramp up to Har haBayit. Or any number of things.. BEYOND trying to get WOW banned from the Kotel proper.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Spiritual baking
This was something I had written 5 years ago. Not sure what was stressing me out so badly around then though...
"This might sound silly to some of you, but I actually had a
rather meaningful, therapeutic Challah baking session today.
Since getting the book The Secret of Challah I've really been trying to put
more meaning into each step of the process of Challah making.
The sifting of the flour, adding the ingredients (although I don't take it as
far as some I've read about who sing and dance as they go, reciting Tehillim
and such), the mixing... I use this time to.. well, as Lt. Lenina Huxley said,
"enhance my calm".
And after this week, I really needed it.
Apparently more than I thought because as I looked down into this huge bowl of
dough I totally lost it. For about 5 minutes I stood there bawling my eyes out
as I released the stress of the past few weeks. When I finally calmed down
enough, I said the Bracha for Hafrashat Challah, pulled off a piece and began
punching the dough down.
I divided the dough into 6 parts, each one to be divided into strands for
braiding. The first one, as I rolled the strands, was dedicated to just
thanking HaKadosh Baruch Hu for everything.
The second was dedicated to asking Hashem to help people I know realize their
dream of becoming parents either for the first time or again. Two strands were
dedicated to two specific couples I know and the other two were dedicated to
the anonymous members of the various boards and forums.
The third and fourth were dedicated to those who needed healing - physical,
mental, emotional.
The fifth was dedicated to my children.
And the final one was for my husband and myself.
I wonder if it will taste different this week..."
This week instead of making six loaves, I made 4, and a batch of garlic knot monkey bread.
This week instead of making six loaves, I made 4, and a batch of garlic knot monkey bread.
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Going back
In December, a couple with four children moved to Ariel from Australia. The children were 9, 7, 4, and 3 (or thereabouts) and they moved just a few houses down from us. The 4-year old was placed in my 4-year old's pre-school class and we all became very fast, very good friends. We would often see one another at drop-off and more often than not, we'd meet at pick-up and lately, since the weather got nicer, we'd hang out at the nearby playground to let the kids let off steam.
The two 4-year olds, the 3-year old and another 3-year old Anglo have become near inseparable.
Which is why, when they told us of their decision to return to Australia, I was heartbroken. And I know my 4-year old is going to miss his best mates terribly.
I came up with this idea for a going away present for them: a t-shirt with the Ariel logo on it (readily available since kids need it for assembly) and then I had the Anglo kids who were closest friends with the Australian kids put their hand prints on the t-shirt in paint. Then I wrote their names in permanent marker. The plan is, once they get settled back in Australia, they'll frame it and hang it.
The two 4-year olds, the 3-year old and another 3-year old Anglo have become near inseparable.
Which is why, when they told us of their decision to return to Australia, I was heartbroken. And I know my 4-year old is going to miss his best mates terribly.
I came up with this idea for a going away present for them: a t-shirt with the Ariel logo on it (readily available since kids need it for assembly) and then I had the Anglo kids who were closest friends with the Australian kids put their hand prints on the t-shirt in paint. Then I wrote their names in permanent marker. The plan is, once they get settled back in Australia, they'll frame it and hang it.
To the Chelom Family,
while you were only here for a little while, your leaving puts a big hole in our lives and in our hearts.
We hope you'll return one day soon, and until then, we wish you the best in Mazal, Simcha, and Bri'ut.
(And you'd better get a Skype account!)
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Chinuch vs. Shalom Bayit
This past Shabbat we had my daughter, son-in-law (SIL) and grandson over. When it came time to prepare the chanukoyot for lighting on Friday, my unmarried daughter and I saw that my SIL had prepared his incorrectly, so my daughter switched things around. When it came time to light, my SIL switched it back the way he had it and lit and then proceeded to tell up for the next 15 minutes that HIS way is correct, our's is wrong and that he had 4 different rabbis tell him his way is the way to do it.
Apparently he did the same thing last year when they spent Shabbat Chanukah with us and slept (and lit chanukiyah) by friends' of ours. And he did the same thing when he was over at my ex-husband's house.
My married daughter, I assume in an effort to keep the peace in her house, simply says that there are different ways to do it. And despite MULTIPLE people (and different people on different occasions) telling my SIL HE is doing it incorrectly, he insists he's doing it the right way and everyone else is wrong.
For the record, the proper way to set up and light a chanukiyah is facing you, start at the extreme right for day one. On day two, you prepare the two candles from extreme right to the left, but light from the left to the right. And you carry that pattern through the 8 days. My SIL does the exact opposite - starts preparing from the extreme left and goes to the right (I didn't see which direction he lights from).
So... where do I go from here? Their son is going to learn the right way and then get 'corrected' by his father... and we're talking fulfilling a Halachic obligation here. It's like putting Tefillin on wrong or hanging a mezzuzah wrong... if the execution isn't right, it's like you've never done it.
Apparently he did the same thing last year when they spent Shabbat Chanukah with us and slept (and lit chanukiyah) by friends' of ours. And he did the same thing when he was over at my ex-husband's house.
My married daughter, I assume in an effort to keep the peace in her house, simply says that there are different ways to do it. And despite MULTIPLE people (and different people on different occasions) telling my SIL HE is doing it incorrectly, he insists he's doing it the right way and everyone else is wrong.
For the record, the proper way to set up and light a chanukiyah is facing you, start at the extreme right for day one. On day two, you prepare the two candles from extreme right to the left, but light from the left to the right. And you carry that pattern through the 8 days. My SIL does the exact opposite - starts preparing from the extreme left and goes to the right (I didn't see which direction he lights from).
So... where do I go from here? Their son is going to learn the right way and then get 'corrected' by his father... and we're talking fulfilling a Halachic obligation here. It's like putting Tefillin on wrong or hanging a mezzuzah wrong... if the execution isn't right, it's like you've never done it.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Chewy granola bars
Here's a delicious somewhat healthy snack...
Chewy granola bars
Chewy granola bars
1/2 cup butter or margarine (oil also works quite well)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 T. honey
1/2 tsp PURE vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup oats
1 1/4 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup chopped nuts*
1 cup chocolate chips or raisins*
In a mixing bowl, cream margarine and sugars.
Add honey, vanilla, and egg. Mix well.
Combine flour,cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture.
Stir in oats, cereal, nuts, an chocolate chips.
Press into a greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
Yield: 2 dozen bars
* I use 2/3 cups chocolate chips, 2/3 cups chopped craisins and 2/3 cups almond slivers. Feel free to use whatever you want.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Family Sukkah Project, 2012
That smudge of green, third from the left is my grandson's 'hand print'.
Wonder what next year will bring?
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Five Generations
We got back from our 3 week long US vacation. It was the first time my husband, older son and I were back State-side in 5 years. My younger son, obviously, had never been.
About 2 months before our trip, a cousin of mine sent me a link to a photo a professional portrait photographer had done of 4 generations of women (the youngest photo was of the three year old daughter). It was an amazing idea and I immediately set out to do the same for our FIVE generations.
I took the photos of my grandson, daughter, and myself here at home and then when I was in NY took the photos of my mother and grandmother. Then using Photoshop I layered the photos one into the other, did a bit of additional photo editing on the background and here is the final product:
About 2 months before our trip, a cousin of mine sent me a link to a photo a professional portrait photographer had done of 4 generations of women (the youngest photo was of the three year old daughter). It was an amazing idea and I immediately set out to do the same for our FIVE generations.
I took the photos of my grandson, daughter, and myself here at home and then when I was in NY took the photos of my mother and grandmother. Then using Photoshop I layered the photos one into the other, did a bit of additional photo editing on the background and here is the final product:
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