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Posts Tagged ‘Israel’

Sometimes I get a bunch of photos from Murray and Fab Foto Friday just doesn’t give me enough space to put a lot up.  So today because I also have an ulterior motive, I’m going to post some of the photos of the Who and What hang out in the park.  Oh so you want to know the ulterior motive?  Well the last few days and all the rest of this week is filled to the top with what is known in Yiddish as tsuris.  

There are ISSUES and more ISSUES with work, with the adult kids, with health, with timing, with trying to be in two places at once and God how I wish I had the power of bi-location!  Anyway, all that stuff is really personal and since I don’t want to put that stuff up on the blog because that I will have to bite my tongue a lot more than in chic!

Blue Jay On A Dead Tree

Blue Jay On A Dead Tree

Wood Duck Hanging Out in the Pond

Wood Duck Hanging Out in the Pond

Who Knows?

Who Knows?

Two Dogs Frolicking

Two Dogs Frolicking

Do Pigeons Really Kiss?

Do Pigeons Really Kiss?

2 Shades of Gray-Look Closely

2 Shades of Gray-Look Closely

A Cat in a Collar

A Cat in a Collar

Look At That Snout!

Look At That Snout!

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

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Burning Chametz in Ofra, Passover eve

Burning Chametz in Ofra, Passover eve (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do you know what chametz is?  I’m not even sure myself – my sister-in-law, Stacey told me it is the stuff you rid your house of before Passover.  She mentioned something about food stuffs that are not part of the Passover meal or week-long celebration, are thrown out.

Well today was ONE of those days! It’s the day when you open the refrigerator and with newly-opened eyes (in my case I had on glasses) and you SEE!  I mean you really see-the crud in the grooves of the bottom shelf, the jar of mustard that is for all intents and purposes empty and you discover not one, not two but at least 3 jars of capers.  Capers, for God’s sake!!!  Delving deeper into the recesses of the Frigidaire, I found a small container of dried-up cream cheese, a jar of jam that had grown a furry winter coat (it must be really cold in there).  Out with it all!  I threw out a jar of some mysterious brown sauce, I threw out salsa before it had a birthday on Cinco de Mayo and some expired bottles of indeterminate substance!  Out with it all!!

When I had filled up my recycle bin and my trash can, I sprayed the shelves with Simple Green.  I LOVE Simple Green, it cleans everything which means it probably shouldn’t be used in a refrigerator.  Now onto the next project.  Hey this is beginning to sound like Spring Cleaning,

I put the summer slipcover on the antique stuffed chair, changed the pillow covers to colorful awning-stripes and had Peter switch the foyer rug from the dark wine-red Oriental to our seasonal beige patterned rug.  He even took down the winter drapes in our bedroom and put up very light-weight airy beige curtains.  Out with the winter dark colors and in with the spring pastels.

I think what really got me going this morning was the fact that by some inner-maniacal drive force, I completed my income taxes early today.  I was up till 2AM working on the world’s most heinous task – assembling a year’s worth of information, collating it, copying it and preparing a statement for the accountant.  I had almost finished last night, uh, rather early this morning and then got up and finished it up.  I HATE doing the taxes!  BUT, when it’s done, I feel so good!

Spring is the time of renewal and rebirth; what was gray, brown and barren bursts forth into bright green life.  Flowers re-appear out of virtually nowhere since the ground looked like just ground to me and along with new tufts of grass, I noticed the lawn was also sprouting bunches of wild onions and even a few dandelions.  AND I get the urge to clean.  My mother always did spring cleaning and so do I.  My mother changed the carpets, drapes and slipcovers to reflect the new season and so do I.  Old habits or genetic programming?  The windows will be washed inside and out-here in NYC, we hire a man to do them but at the cottage, we’ll do them.  This year the carpeting and the couches in the apartment need steam-cleaning.  OUT with it ALL; dirt, dust, grime and most of all, the Chametz!

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Pączki III

Ponchik

I thought I’d post a Hanukkah recipe but it was really difficult to find one I dared to print.  After all, I know every family has their own version of Matzah Ball soup and Latkes.  I might try for a Brisket recipe but for today, I’m sticking with Raspberry Ponchik.  mouth-watering fried doughnuts filled with raspberry jelly. 

Polish ponchik are fried doughnuts stuffed with jelly; Eastern European Jews brought these with them as they moved to Israel. This quick and easy recipe allows anyone to celebrate Hanukkah with homemade jelly doughnuts.

Serves 5

Ingredients

1 (10 count) package of pre-made refrigerated biscuits
24 oz canola oil (for frying)
¼ cup raspberry jelly or jam (or feel free to use your favorite flavor)
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

  1. Separate biscuits and flatten them so diameter is about 4 inches.
  2. Place about a teaspoon of jelly or jam in the center of each biscuit. Bring the edges together to form a ball. Pinch it closed at the top to seal in the filling.
  3. When all 10 ponchik are ready, pour the oil in a saucepan and bring to 350 degrees F. While waiting for the oil to reach temperature, pour sugar and cinnamon onto a plate.
  4. When oil is ready, use a slotted spoon to lower ponchik into oil. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until the dough is cooked through and golden brown.
  5. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and place on plate with cinnamon sugar. Gently roll the ponchik to coat. Be careful, ponchik will be hot.

Recipe from Jewish Holidays Cookbook by Jill Bloomfield

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