Hamantaschen - A Cookie for Purim

If you were a Jewish family, you were probably celebrating Purim this past week.  We're not, but I still celebrated.  I have this thing about Jewish feasts and festivals.  Actually, I have a strong interest in everything Jewish.  Don't ask me why.  I have no idea where this comes from.  I do love learning about the culture though and have always wished for a Jewish neighbor.  It would be so interesting.

When I was on my "trip of a lifetime" to the Holy Land, I was as fascinated by the people as I was by the geography and the holy sites we visited.  Here, I was able to see for myself how the people of three major religions live their lives, if not always peacefully, in close proximity to one another.

I asked our tour guide a lot of questions about the people and their customs.  Thankfully, he indulged my interest.  There just wasn't enough time to see and do all I wanted.  If I ever had the chance, I would go back in a heartbeat.  I love Israel.

Now, back to Purim.  This is the celebration of Esther, that beloved queen from the Old Testament.  We all love this story, and the oft quoted verse, "Who knoweth whether though art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?", don't we?  Esther, the beautiful queen who showed great courage, thus helping to save her people from genocide.  In the ninth chapter of the book of Esther, we can read how the Feast of Purim was instituted as a celebration of this occasion, when God answered the prayers of his faithful people, turning their hearts from sorrow to joy.  To celebrate, the people would feast (maybe this is why I love Jewish culture, they do a lot of feasting!) and send portions of food and gifts to the poor.  

Today, Jewish people celebrate Purim in much the same way.   It is a joyous occasion for families, when they gather together to retell the story of Esther and enjoy delicious food.  They also fast the day before Purim, in remembrance of the fasting and prayer by Queen Esther and her people before their victory.  On the day of Purim,  families listen to the Megillah reading in the morning and the evening.  They give food and other acts of charity to those in need. The children dress up as characters in the Esther narrative and as the story is told, the people hiss, boo, stomp their feet and make noise with groggers whenever the name of Haman is mentioned.  If you're not familiar with the story, just know that Haman was the "bad guy".  Sounds like a Primary sharing time activity, doesn't it? A wonderful feast is held with special foods, including a cookie called Hamantaschen.  These are triangular shaped buttery delights, that are supposed to represent the shape of Haman's hat.  The name actually means Haman's pocket. 

The recipe for this cookie is easy, even if the name isn't.  If you know how to pronounce it, let me know!  This is the recipe I used. After mixing up the dough, I formed it into a disc, wrapped in plastic wrap and placed it in the refrigerator.  Then I got really busy and didn't get back to it for four days!  

Turns out that Hamantaschen dough is forgiving and waited patiently for me to return.  After letting it set at room temperature for a few minutes, I rolled it out and cut it into circles. 

Then in the center of each circle, I placed about a half teaspoon of fruit filling.  I used apricot and strawberry rhubarb preserves. The traditional fruit fillings are prune and poppy seed and the recipe for both are in the body of this post.  The filling needs to be nice and thick and even though the temptation to place a nice big drop of fruit on each disc is real, don't do it!  More is not better.

There is a method to the folding.  Go here and scroll to the bottom for a step by step tutorial.  This blogger did such a great job with this, I saw no need to set up the tripod and take the pictures myself.  Assembling the cookies would be a great two person job, because the dough softens up quickly and becomes more difficult to work with.  I ended up having to put some of the dough back into the fridge to firm up before I could fold the last of the cookies.

Aren't they pretty?  And man are they tasty.  They didn't last long around here.  Next time, I think I will double the recipe, so I can share with others.  That is part of the Purim tradition, after all.

Doesn't this sound like a great family home evening activity?  You could read and tell the story of Esther, acting out the parts and then have Hamantaschen for dessert.  Or maybe even watch this movie (it's free).  I'm not sure of the historical accuracy though, because I haven't seen it myself.  I'll be doing that soon.  In fact, since I don't have little children around my house right now, to act out the story, I think reading the account from the scriptures and watching this movie is a nice way for me to celebrate Purim.  And of course, enjoying Hamantaschen. 

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

My affection for this little green vegetable has grown tremendously over the past years.  I don't think I'd ever tasted a brussels sprout until about five years ago.  My mom must not have liked them, because we never had them growing up.   I'm not sure what took me so long to give them a try, but now I know I've been missing out. These baby cabbages are delicious, especially when covered with a balsamic glaze and little pieces of pancetta.   Rumor has it that sometimes they can be bitter, but I haven't had that problem in the recipes I've used.  This is my favorite way to cook these little guys up, but I've found them to also be tasty when oven roasted with a  blend of other  vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and onions.

I begin this recipe by slowly browning a couple of slices of diced pancetta in a skillet.  Pancetta is an Italian bacon that is, oh so good.  I keep some in my freezer for this recipe and my butternut squash soup.  If you don't have it, you can use a nice thick cut bacon.  Don't be tempted to rush this step, because you don't want the bacon to burn.  What a waste that would be and these little cubes cook faster than you would imagine.  Once they are browned, remove to a paper towel lined bowl and set aside. Go ahead and cook more than you think you'll need, because it's near impossible not to nibble on this while the rest of the dish comes together.  This is especially true if you have family members who will be walking through the kitchen while you work!

Don't pour any of that rendered fat out of the pan.  Trust me, you want all of it.  Place the brussels sprouts cut side down in the hot pan with the bacon fat.  Cook them, undisturbed, until they are nicely browned. It's tempting to mess with them, but you really need to leave them alone or they won't brown.

This is what you're going for.  

Once the sprouts have browned, add 1 cup of water to the pan and cover. 

Simmer until sprouts are fork tender.  I usually end up adding more water, about half way through the cooking time.  Keep an eye on them so they don't get too dry.   Then remove them to a bowl and cook off any additional water that might be in the pan.

To the dry pan, I add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar.  Then I cook for a few minutes until the vinegar begins to thicken.

Add a couple of tablespoons of butter to the syrupy balsamic glaze and swirl it in the pan to melt.  Then add the sprouts and pancetta back to the pan and stir to coat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

I could eat a entire bowl of these by myself, they're soooo good. 

They were also pretty tasty with oven roasted sweet potatoes and chicken piccata. I'm so proud of the fact that we are still enjoying the sweet potatoes that I grew last year in my garden.   

So, how do you feel about brussels sprouts?

Spring Fever: Daybook Entry

Outside my window: Sunshine and blue skies!  Still a trace of white fluffy spots in the back yard.  For the longest time we thought these were patches of snow that hadn't melted.  But after a number of warm days, we noticed they weren't disappearing.  Upon investigation, I realized my "snowy patches" were really the contents of a pillow that the dogs had pulled off the deck.  I'm sure they had a heck of a time dismantling it and spreading the stuffing all over the back yard.  Of course, they did this some time when I wasn't watching.  Sneaky dogs.  Anyway, it's taken me a while to get it cleaned up.  All that bending over is hard on the back.

I am wearing:  jeans, light blue henley shirt and tennis shoes.

I am listening to: Other than the background noise of running appliances, silence.  I love it.

I am thankful for: warmer days, walks with the dogs, riding through the mountains with the sun roof opened, buds on the trees, green shoots of spring bulbs and the sounds of spring peepers at the pond. Yes, I'm so thankful for spring.  It's been a long, hard winter.

Around the house: spring cleaning has begun.  I'm decluttering in a big way.  Each week during Lent, I'm filling bags (plastic grocery size bags), to give or throw away.  So far, I've filled seven bags.  It's amazing to me that I can take out a bag, walk through my house and within minutes find "stuff" that I no longer need or want.  And I haven't even started in the basement yet!  I'm a purger, not a hoarder, so I do this on a regular basis, and somehow I can always find more.  Where does all our "stuff" come from?

In the garden: today I will order the berries for planting.  At the end of last year, I had all my raspberries and blackberries ripped out.  They weren't doing so well and I wasn't crazy about the varieties that I  had.  This year, I'm planting thornless blackberries and large red raspberries.  That's it.  The fruit trees need pruning and I'm hoping that will happen this week.  I have raised beds that need to be worked and prepared for planting, asparagus and garlic to check on.  Soon I can plant onions and potatoes.  And maybe even some lettuce...  This warm weather has me thinking about digging in the dirt.

I'm not a fan: of daylight savings time.  As I get older, my body doesn't adapt as well.  What's with that?

I'm loving:  Mrs. Meyer's Lemon Verbena Laundry Detergent and Dryer Sheets.  I've grown tired of making my own detergent and happened to pick this up last week.  Oh my goodness.  It smells so wonderful it makes me want to do laundry.  I still have all the supplies in my basement to whip up some detergent if I need it, but for now, I'm enjoying Mrs. Meyers.  

I am reading:  Simplifying the Soul, The Lessons of St Fancis, Act in Doctrine and Walden - all my Lenten reading.  I have a few others things going, but these are the ones I'm spending the most time in lately.  Whenever I open one of these books and start reading, it's like taking a deep, relaxing breath.  Very calming.

I am creating:  Almost finished with a lovely scarf I started a month ago.  This is record time for me. My new Caspian needles and the color and feel of this yarn have encouraged me to spend more time knitting.  

I am learning:  about wedding planning.  I'm trying to be as much help as I can to Travis and Rebecca, and really, I know nothing about this.  They have chosen a lovely place in the mountains for their ceremony and I walked over the property with them yesterday.  But there is so much to think about- details, details.  Whew!

From the kitchen:  This week I'm not grocery shopping.  We're eating what we have and being grateful for it.  I'm digging into the freezer and trying to eat food in storage.   The decluttering project has found its way to my cabinets and pantry too.  

30 Day Challenge:  My challenge for February was to join the YMCA in town and begin taking some group exercise classes.  I've been a solo exerciser for years, but recently have decided it might be fun to join in with others.  I try to attend two pilates classes a week and then I take Yin Yoga on Friday.  It's my reward for making it through pilates.  I love, love, love the yoga class!  We won't talk about pilates.   I've been on the weight machines and the elliptical a little too.  I'm enjoying being a member of the Y.    My challenge for March is making and drinking healthy smoothies.   Doesn't sound like too much of a challenge, does it?

Family News:  Did I mention we're working on wedding plans?

I am pondering: This right here.  So many wonderful thoughts here.  And I agree with them.  But how to make it happen?   Simplifying and slowing down...

I am hoping: to take an excursion to the beach for my birthday.  It's in the planning stages- somewhere I've never been before.  I need to explore a new place and have an adventure.   It's been too long.  I feel stagnant.

Living my faith:  This is the season of Lent.  You can go here to read how I feel about this time of year and why I choose to observe it, even though my church community does not.  I look forward to this time as a spring cleaning for the soul.  It's not just about giving something up, it's also about giving more to spiritual disciplines that help draw you closer to Christ.  I've been fighting to shake a period of depression that's been hanging on too long.  It could be the winter blues, but I'm not sure.  I'm seeking peace and answers to nagging questions.  I know there's something I'm supposed to be learning through this experience and I feel as though I'm starting to work through some of it.  Making the time for more prayer and solitude helps.  

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Hair day tomorrow (oh boy!), planning a day to the temple on Thursday, Stake Conference on Saturday evening and Sunday, and lots of outdoor work, weather permitting.  Some nice things to look forward to.

Ordinary Life

First week counting... 
       when I share entries from my gratitude journal.

"If our enlightenment is genuine, it will express itself in the way we act in ordinary life."

Bernard Glassman

76- a car that can make it up my snowy driveway

77-earning a nice laundry "tip"

78- having time to really listen

79- a motivating training meeting

80- singing along to music of days gone by

81- a new band with a great sound

82- a sense of accomplishment

83- discipline to make healthier choices

84- a pedicure

85- sugar free chocolate that actually tastes good

86- oatmeal with peaches and toasted coconut

87- feeling God's love

88- shared excitement over an upcoming vacation

89- teaching an Article of a Faith to a Valiant class, and watching

their excitement when they have it committed to memory

90- new knitting needles

91- having dinner with Mark

92- a glass of cold milk

93- a day to rest

94- relaxing by the fireplace, with a good book

95- a lunch of exotic flavors

96- celebrating a milestone with Kenzie

97- two truffles cut in half and shared

98- a cardinal peeking in my window

99- pretty new bud vases

100- buying  fun gifts for people you love

101- enjoying blackberries from the freezer, while thinking

about purple fingers on warmer days

102- watching the father in the son

103- yin yoga

104- a clean refrigerator

105- a celebration cake

106- the Sabbath

107- gospel discussions around the kitchen counter

108- successful attempt at baking a new bread

109- fresh flowers on the dinner table

110- a pink medallion representing a year of very hard work

111- snow, snow and more snow

112- taking a snow walk in the dark, with a big flashlight and happy dogs

113- cheesy vegetable potato soup

114- a peaceful, quiet world

115- snow removal

116- a movie and dinner date

117- Valentine messages

118-ooey, gooey, dark chocolate cake

119- fresh bread from the oven

120- strength to do the work given

121- pink stitches

122- a little girl's bouncy curls

123- standing side by side at the sink washing dishes

124- the indulgence of a fragrant bath, in the middle of the day!

125- soft and chewy molasses cookies from a friend

126- sharing your blessings

127- a yearning for deeper spirituality

128- sitting in the dark, watching a thunderstorm

129- restful sleep

130-bargain shopping

'If we want a joy that no man can take from us, we must find it in something no

man can disturb.  No element of joy that is subject to human fluctuations can be in

the least depended on.  The only lasting joy is to be found in the everlasting God."

Hannah Whitall Smith

        

                  

Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana (which means Tuscan soup), is one of the heartiest and most delicious soups I make.  It's definitely a cold weather entree that will warm you from head to toe.   This is a copycat recipe from the soup of the same name served at Olive Garden.  I've changed it up some, to make it a tad bit healthier than the original, but just remember, it does have sausage (and bacon), potatoes and a little something to make it creamy, so, well, what can I say?  It's one of Mark's favorites, so, I make it and we enjoy it.  It's essential that you have some bread to go with this.  Trust me, you're not going to want to waste a single drop and good bread can help with that.

Making soup is therapeutic for me.  I love starting out with a big pot and then chopping and adding ingredients one by one, until I have put together something that is so much better than the individual parts.  The sound of a slow simmer and the fragrance that fills my house as it cooks puts me into relaxation mode.  I make a pot of soup every week.  Yes, even in the summer.  I love it. And because soup seems to grow in the pot, I always have plenty for lunches or the freezer, or maybe to share with someone who needs a little love.

This soup begins with bacon, and really, is there a better way to begin?  I chopped a couple of thick slices into small dices and let it cook over a low heat, nice and slow, until it's golden brown.  In fact, as a general rule, soup shouldn't be rushed, so take your time with each step.  

While the bacon is cooking (stir often and keep a close eye on it), I took two links of hot Italian sausage and removed the outer casing.

Next, I broke it apart with my hands.  I removed the bacon from the soup pot onto a paper towel lined plate.  I drained most of the fat from the pan.  Then I added the sausage to the pot, stirring to break apart the meat, and cooked until it was nice and browned.

At this point I like to taste the sausage to see how spicy it really is.  I usually end up adding red pepper flakes to up the heat level a little more.  We like it spicy!

When the sausage has browned, I remove it from the pan and add it to the plate with the bacon.  Depending on the amount of fat in the pan, I might drain some of that off, making sure I leave enough to sauté the onions and garlic.  I chop a medium sized onion and add that to the soup pot, stirring often, because I don't want the onion to brown, just soften up nicely. 

I add a couple of cloves of minced garlic when the onion is almost finished. 

Now it's time to add the potatoes.  I usually use four of five medium sized potatoes and leave them in nice sized cubes.  I will cook the soup until they're tender, but I like to bite into a potato, rather than have them cook to mush.

I add the potatoes to the onions and garlic in the pot, covering all of that with a mixture of chicken broth and water.  I like to cut the broth with water because the soup is so rich.  Then I cover the pot and let it simmer until the potatoes are tender.  Stir from time to time to keep things from sticking to the bottom. You can always add more broth or water if the soup starts to become too dry. I add the meats back to the pot, about half way through the cooking time. 

Right before serving, I stir in some chopped kale and milk.  The recipe calls for cream, but I think half and half does the job just fine.  It only takes about a half a cup to make the soup creamy, but you can add as much as you need to bring the soup to the consistency that you like.  

Yum!  Looks pretty good, huh?