Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

I love all the feedback that I have been getting to this blog. This weekend I attended a friday night get together for women in Aunt E.'s neighbourhood and women who I had never met before came up to me said they had been reading this blog. Keep all the comments coming and I hope I don't disappoint. Knowing that people are reading keeps me motivated to keep cooking through.

The perfect opportunity came up to try some more recipes. My wonderful MIL was coming up for a visit. Still 12 years later always trying to impress her with my cooking - convincing her that my hubby made the right choice about not going back to camp that summer to meet some nice girls.

I decided to do a winter vegetable soup. One of the ingredients was to use Chestnuts. Now, I know 'tis the season, but I have never eaten a chestnut, although tempted many times while walking the streets of NYC. Here I was unsure of how to even include them in the soup. My hubby suggested watching the squirrels outside to learn a few tricks. I basically just threw them in the pot and then fished them out before using the immersion blender. No idea if flavor even got into the soup. Luckily the chestnuts were optional.

I also did a beer braised brisket and a lemon herb chicken. This time I cooked with no kids around so the whole process took a little quicker. Somehow only desserts are fun to do with kids.

Tastings to be done this weekend with family. Hope its good otherwise it will be cereal and milk for shabbat lunch.
Follow up- Sorry no pics of the food as we served it on shabbat, but I will try to actually cook something for during the week. Soup, brisket, chicken and lemon freezes - definitely "delish" as Morah L. put it. I know its true because we had an 8 yro guest at our table and he pretty much polished off the brisket before my hungry husband even got a piece. Sorry R. - next time I'll put some on the side for you.

1 Bowl, 2 Bowl, 3 Bowl, More...

Wow - I really miss my dishwasher.

Tonight I actually started my project, and remembered how much I enjoy cooking and baking - and how much I hate to do dishes.
D. and I worked on the Lemon Freeze tonight. First step melt the margarine. Total margarine explosion all over the microwave. Guess I didn't realize how powerful our 12 year old microwave was. Haven't really used it much since our apartment in Queens. Next step crush the graham crackers. Here is where I decided to get my 2 year old involved in this activity. We put the graham crackers in a ziploc bag and then he began to crumble them up. Little E. rose to the occasion and not only used his hands to crush them, he proceeded to jump up and down on the ziploc with his feet - and then swung the bag all around the kitchen banging into every cabinet in his reach! Mission accomplished E. -1, graham crackers- 0.

Shout out to Ziploc - that bag stayed closed the entire time. I could probably write a whole blog on the wonders of Ziploc bags.

This recipe needs multiple bowls - one for the whipped cream, one for the egg whites and one to mix up the crust. Loved the opportunity to show my 8 yro how the liquid whipped cream and the egg whites transform like magic under the powerful electric mixer. Loved that he was actually interested in it. Loved that my hubby came running in like a madman when he heard Little E. screaming his head off. Hubby thought fingers got caught, but really Little E. just wanted to "my do it" and hold mixer by himself.

All in all a successful night. Lemon freeze in freezer - taste results to come tomorrow.

Follow up on the tasting- Uncle S. and Aunt E. came over to taste test. Cut them each a nice square. Uncle S. took the first bite, and there was a moment of silence. My heart dropped- oh no what if my first attempt didn't even taste good.
But then, Uncle S. handed out his verdict - AWESOME -

I know, I know

"There was a movie about that"
That has been the most common response to my blog so far. I know about the movie - Julie and Julia. Haven't seen it yet - but just for the record cooking through a cookbook was on my bucket list way before I ever heard of the movie. Now I will have to rent it just to see it.

Some of the other responses I got were ( and you know who you are) :
- I thought that it was SPAM (I responded - this is a kosher cookbook - no Spam included)
- You had some grammatical errors
- Better to do that cookbook than a Hersheys one
- In all this time you never mentioned that
- Good luck (you'll need it)

Thanks for all the support guys.

I am using the cookbook called Temptations. To be fair as I looked through the cookbook more I found some recipes that my sister and my mom had also submitted. Recipes that I have been making for many years, with some of my own alterations.

So I am happy to hear feedback - should I make sure to include these again in order for me to complete my project or does it count that I have made them in the past?

Now that I am getting ready to start, I need a strategy on how to proceed. Do I go in order? Random? One Item from each section? When unsure about which way to go - ask the eating experts.
My kids. For once they agree on something- dessert comes first. D. picked lemon freeze and A. picked hamentashen. hmmm. I think we will go with the lemon freeze.

Let the hungry games begin.

Drop in the Bucket

Visiting all 50 states, White water rafting (not the Delaware river), Ride on a motorcycle, Learn how to surf, Write a children's book with my son, Travel to Europe.

These are some of the things on my personal Bucket List, the things I want to do before I "kick the bucket." I add to my bucket list all the time. One item on the list, I have been talking about for a while, my own personal take on "cooking the books".
I will cook my way through an entire cookbook.
Trying every recipe from appetizer to dessert. I recently purchased a new cookbook. It is a cookbook put out by a local Shul as a fundraiser. This cookbook has been in the works for about 10 years. I know this because I personally submitted recipes 10 years ago! The fact that the release of this cookbook coincided with my move to NJ, must be a sign that my time has come to begin this project.

I am not an extraordinary chef, I am not a talented baker, I am not great at making up my own recipes, I am not great at substituting ingredients.

I am great at following directions, I am great at watching Top Chef, I am great at trying to prove I can follow through with something.

I figured if I write my goal down it will hold me more accountable to finishing.
If not know, then when!