Purim Panic!

With under 4 weeks to Purim, now is the time to panic. Costumes, Mishloach Manos, Matonos L’evyonim, & Seudah! What? Who? Where? I don’t know about all you guys, but I will NOT spend $15 on a costume my child will wear for one day. It is simply outrageous! My husband thinks we should take something they have and turn it into a costume, if men were coordinating Purim plans, life would be so much simpler, wouldn’t it?! Maybe next year... At this point, I have three costumes to sew. Somehow “theme” it to my mishloach manos…. OMG! And coordinate who is making what for the Seudah!

To put it mildly, I am slightly overwhelmed.

The bottom line it is a self inflicted pressure. My husband comes from an out of town area where people literally leave a paper plate, a few jelly beans and if they’re really fancy a can of coke! That is no exaggeration. I thought they were kidding at first but after extensive research Ive learned it to be 100% real .

If we would all cut out themes, keep things simpler, would we be happier?

In all honesty, most likely; NO! We are a bunch of overachieving, creative wannabes, and nothing makes us happier than when we receive that compliment of how adorable our children look, how incredibly innovative our mishloach manos is, and our creativity is above the max in how we tied our theme, poem and what not into it all!

I’ll be the first to admit it, now it’s your turn!

Visit our Sweets/Specialty Section to see which stores to visit to purchase your mishloach manos products. Also carrying a great selection at a great price is NPGS, Amazing Savings (many food items are cholov stam) & Dollar Tree.

Ambitious 6 Plait Challah Braiding

Maybe I should try the 4 braid method first, but I am feeling really ambitious. Besides I love to impress, let's be honest who of us doesn’t. I am going to follow the first diagram posted - seems clearer and therefore easier to me, although I figured I would post both. Maybe for others the other one will be clearer.  

I'll get back to you and let you know if it worked or if it was a flopping failure... or if I cheated and looked up how to do a four braided challah...lolL.

This is something I have always wanted to do. With so many doing it, as it is one of Jewish woman's mitzvos.... I don't see why I should not be able to learn how!

I proceed to build confidence and will be in touch later in the week!

Spotlight: Featuring Café Clifton

Café Clifton is the place to go for a delicious, affordable, family lunch! $35 can a feed a small family a HUGE lunch! We spent a little less than that and we got drinks, coffee,  fries, bagels,  cheese blintzes, omelets, a Caesar salad and Fettuccine Alfredo.   With seating for about approximately 40-50 people, it is always comfortable, not crowded and has a wonderful family atmosphere.

 

The food comes out super fast and piping hot! Fettuccine Alfredo was creamy (not stingy on the Alfredo sauce)!

We left feeling like we did not spend a lot of money and had a wonderful tasty lunch - will definitely come again!

Am I the only FFB that never heard of a Tu B'shvat Seder? With wine and all?

Tu B'shvat is this Friday Night and Shabbos day... Am I the only FFB that never heard of a Tu B'shvat Seder? With wine and all?

 

I NEVER miss an oppurtunity for some nice wine!

 

View the complete Tu B'shvat Seder at Aish.com:

Click link: Kabbalistic Tu B'shvat Seder

 

(6) WINE:

At the Tu B'Shvat seder, it is traditional to drink four cups of wine, similar to the Passover seder.

First Cup – pure white
Second Cup – pale pink (white with a drop of red wine)
Third Cup – darker pink (with more red added)
Fourth Cup – almost totally red (with only a drop of white)

A participant says:

White wine represents nature in potential. Red wine represents nature in full bloom. On this day, we begin to leave the winter behind and move into a period of renewal and life.

It is stated in the Zohar: Wine has two colors -- white and red. White is from the right side [of kindness]; red from the left side [of strength and judgment].

As we progress from white to red, we move from potential to actuality. We are able to appreciate God's judgment as well as His kindness. We see God's design and goodness in the world with increasing clarity.

Midwinter Vacation Eating You?

These days kids think you need to take them to places and more places, or they are “SO” deprived. What did we do midwinter vacation when we were kids? Get together with friends, hang out, play games, but I know, I know nobody plays board games anymore. Let’s go skiing, snow tubing & ice skating or somewhere else really expensive! With more than several kids, these trips really add up. But I don’t need to tell you… you already know.

I heard this concept a couple of years ago, and really liked it. What about a “STAY”cation? Where you load your home with lots of fun activities, from popcorn making, decorating cookies, arts ‘n crafts for every age let each of your children have over a friend or two and make it smashing fun.

Something that can really up the ante; is purchasing your very own family cotton candy machine. They can be bought for under $35 and offer the opportunity to get loaded up with sugar and have the time of your life.

I know I am supposed to be an adult, but in truth I am the perpetual child. I am the mother that buys all the art supplies “for the kids” so asking my husband for our anniversary to get me a cotton candy machine is totally the norm. Which of course I’ll use when the kids are asleep, so I don’t have dental bills up to kazoo!  

But once in a while, the kids can have their sugar too, and midwinter is the perfect time to do it. A great activity at an affordable price… what do you think?

#1 Most Unhealthy Food!

... is processed meat!?! But, it tastes SO good!

The research is in and according to webmd.com (which is basically my other doctor;-)) meat preserved by smoking, salting and containing chemical preservatives are linked to larger risks of colon cancer.

Aside for the fact that these foods are loaded with salt, fat & cholesterol.

They may be conveneint, but at what price?

It's horrible, but I would never give my kids hot dogs, but I will feed them to my husband and I. If I think they are so unhealthy to give my kids, why would I eat them?!?

Eating healthily gives your boundless energy, and longer high quality life!

What suggestions for small food habit changes you can make, that you feel make a tremendous difference?

Gourmet Genie

One of my favorite past times is spending countless hours watching cooking shows. Something that always struck my fancy was how incredibly gourmet the rice looked just by utilizing the rice pyramid stuffer thingy. I searched online and found this little gadget. I have been proudly impressing my guests with my culinary “abilities”since.

 

This item has never failed to impress my guests!

 

 

Pizza People

Pizza is totally underrated. IN retrospect, instead of spending an obscene amount of money on my wedding almost seven years ago, we should have had a massive pizza/pajama party.

I know that people would’ve deemed it as unacceptable and strange, but it is only recently people are seeing me as mainstream. I am not sure if it is because I am married or some other reason. Nonetheless, I will be off the beaten track for eternity.

Either way, I still owe you my opinion in my professional opinion, which pizza shop in Lakewood has the best Pizza, (French fries is another saga unto itself). I give J2 5 stars for their Sicilian Pizza… it’s perfectly seasoned sauce and amazing texture is really up there and I have not had another Sicilian slice like that in this town and perhaps any other. On the other hand Pizza Place in West Gate gets 5 plus stars for its white pizza WITH pesto- that is beyond heaven! You have never had anything like it.

You will eat it once and remained hooked. It will transport you to Sicily, Italy!

Food Evolution or Food Revolution?

I have been living in Lakewood for over thirty years now. I have watched the town’s population grow to exploding at the seams, and I have seen the food options go from very limited to really having some decent options. I remember as a little girl there was not even one pizza shop, then someone opened a Kosher Pizza Truck and we all felt “spoiled” and lucky.

Today, Lakewood has as many as 7? Capital, J2, Kosher Village, The one near spruce, Pizza plus, Pizza Place in Westgate, Circa and probably another one or two I am forgetting. May not be worth remembering ;-). I don’t want to come across as overly critic, however as a professional kosher foodie I am intitled to my opinion in this area. Just because a pizza shop services a clientle in a specific area doesn’t mean you can go lax on quality. I have two personal favorites. I guess they really apply more to the pizza itself and less to the place… but just for curiousity sake what’s yours?