Holiday Mash Up, Secret Subject Swap

 

Welcome to a Secret Subject Swap. This month 5 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. Read through mine and at the bottom you’ll find links to all of today’s other Secret Subject participants.

 

 

My subject is: When will you start decorating for the holidays this year?
It was submitted by: Tamara of Part-time Working Hockey Mom.
 

Well thanks Tamara, for freaking me out.

 

I'm sure this prompt would be better served had it landed in the in-box of someone who celebrates Christmas, as that was probably the intent. Jews don't do the whole decoration thing like Christians do at this time of year. I love viewing the lights and the wreaths and the beautifully decorated trees. All of those sights and smells create a holiday feast for the senses that I fully appreciate. I actually consider myself lucky, though, I get to benefit from the sights and smells and sounds without doing any of the work.

 

So I don't do quite as much decorating, but I also do it on a different schedule. I have a few things I pull out for Thanksgiving: pine cones and candles, and some wooden pilgrim and snowman decorations I love that I made years ago (with Mormon friends at their temple, btw), but that's pretty much it. The Hanukkah menorah, candles, chocolate gelt, and dreidels really don't come out until the first night of Hanukkah.

 

 

 

 

The thing about Hanukkah, and why you've freaked me out Tamara, is that Hanukkah falls on different dates each year. Usually it's in the month of December, and most often later in the month. I do love when it coincides with Christmas. The reason it's celebrated on different dates is because Hanukkah falls on the 25th day of the month Kislev in the Hebrew calendar. And I just took a look at where that falls on our calendar. 

 

Bad luck apparently isn't the only thing that comes in threes, this year it's celebrations. Hanukkah is very, very early this year.

 

So in one week's time, from Sunday, November 21st through Sunday, November 28th, we will celebrate a family birthday, Thanksgiving, and Hanukkah. All mashed up together. 

 

Bad news, good news.

I'm not saying that's bad news exactly, but as each celebration takes time and planning and preparation, and shopping, and cooking, and baking, I wouldn't mind if those dates were spread out a little more. Just sayin'.

The good news is that, with us still uncertain about the safety of being in airports and flying, if the weather cooperates (cross your fingers, please, toes too), PurDude will be coming home for a week (I'm actually pushing for two). That means he could actually be here for all three. 

The decorations may be easy, but the meal planning will be a challenge. Not only will we have the special birthday dinner, the turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, and the prime rib dinner (and latkes) for Hanukkah, but I get PurDude here so infrequently, I try to make his favorite meals every night he's here.

Parmesan Ranch Skillet Chicken

As I do every year, I'll decorate our pantry door with all of the holiday cards we receive. And this year, each night for an entire week, we'll sit in the den by the fire with cocktails in our hands, appetizers lining the counter, and the tempting smells of holiday dinner starting to permeate the house. 

 

And I can guarantee you that I will fully appreciate the rarity of us all being home together again. 

 

Turns out the best decorations aren't the ones that are displayed, they're the ones who arrive.

 

So for however long he can be here, looking around at faces of my family will be all the holiday decoration I could ever want.

 

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts. Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

Wandering Web Designer

Climaxed

What TF Sarah 

Part-time Working Hockey Mom

Parmesan Ranch Skillet Chicken        

                                                                                      ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt, pepper, garlic powder

2 TBSP butter

4 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves minced garlic

1 cup parmesan ranch salad dressing

1/4 cup white wine (can substitute chicken broth)
1 TBSP dried chives

5 oz grape tomatoes

2 TBSP grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
*Coat a large skillet with non-stick spray and place on the stove over medium heat. 

*Once the skillet starts to get hot, add the chicken and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook until the bottom is browned, turn over, sprinkle the other side with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from pan and keep warm.

*Melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook and stir until the mushrooms soften.

*Add the parmesan ranch salad dressing, white wine, and chives to the pan. Bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, spooning sauce over the chicken now and then. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan cheese and serve.

Never Have I Ever

You've seen them, haven't you? Even played along? I know I have. They're all over facebook, those lists of daring activities and life experiences turned into a game. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Been arrested? You give yourself a point for each one you've never done. Add up your points then do the comparison to your friends. Who's more daring? More interesting? 

More honest?

Been sky diving? Have tatoos? Forget all that, lets play "never have I ever", mom style. Give yourself a point for any situation you have not been in. No cheating.

Never have I ever:

* Cleaned food off the ceiling.
* Pushed the clock an hour ahead to bedtime.
* Pretended to listen.
* Repeated "I will not cringe, I will not cringe" to yourself while your child was singing.
* Said if they didn't stop  --> insert behavior here <--  the police would arrest them.

* Faked being on the phone.
* Taken credit for something that dad actually did.
* Hidden snacks.
* Secretly stolen candy from one kid's Halloween bag to give to the other because you know they're going to count, and they damn well better be even.
* Lied about whether they were going to get a shot so they wouldn't scream and cry until we actually got to the doctor's office. 
* Tried to sell cleaning up as a fun game.
* Gagged while changing a diaper.
* Blamed the dog (even when you don't have one).
* "Lost" a loud toy.
* Threatened to kill Barney.
* Told the kids that McDonald's is closed on Tuesdays. 
* Hidden vegetables in a favorite meal.
* Refused to go back home until calling the babysitter to be sure the kids were asleep.
* Claimed to have made something that was bought.
* Drank alone during their nap time.

Holiday Snowflake Cocktail

Zero? You too? I'm shocked. Just shocked (not!).

Moms rule.

Holiday Snowflake Cocktail       
                                    ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients (makes 4 - 6):
1 1/2 quarts vanilla bean ice cream
2 TBSP white chocolate cocoa powder
1/4 cup whipped cream flavored rum
1/4 cup vanilla flavored rum
3/4 cup white chocolate liqueur

Directions:
*Place the ice cream, white chocolate cocoa powder, rums and liqueur in a blender. Whip until smooth. 
*Place the blender in the freezer for at least an hour. Scoop the drink into 4 to 6 glasses.

 

The Essence of Giving: December Poetry

Here we are again, another monthly poetry group post and this time I'm furious. Furious, I tell you.

If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you know that I've asked my boys to write me a guest post many times. Especially College Boy. He's amazingly thoughtful and articulate, truly passionate about certain subjects that interest him, I would love to share his point of view. But it hasn't happened. Well, I wrote one for them, a joke which, sadly, no one got. It's tough to have my sense of humor. {{sigh}}. 

Anyway, when College Boy came down to the kitchen last week, saw me looking at this blank page and asked what I was doing, I told him I was trying to write a poem using the theme "Giving." "Oh, I could do that," he said. My face lit up. I mean really, my face lit up. "You could?" I asked. "Sure," he said.

And he did. He stood in my kitchen and out of his mouth, in rap form, came an amazing piece of prose. I kept saying "type this out, don't just stand here, get this down." 

Did he?

No.

I've asked him a number of times to recreate it, but he says he doesn't remember. 

So you're stuck with me again this month. 

Sorry.

The Essence of Giving

 Mesmerized
by the dancing fire
the warmth,
colorful displays.
Thoughts wander.

December
packed stores,
long lines,
longer bills. 
To show we care.

Gifts
large and small,
meaningful,
and obligatory.
What for whom?

Food
prepared together,
you chop,
I'll stir.
Group effort.

 Holiday Leftovers Wontons

Family
'round the table,
talking at once,
laughing in unison.
The essence of giving
thrives.

Before you go, click on these links to more poetry by some of my friends: 

Diane of On the Border shares Giving, Wrapped. 

Lydia of Cluttered Genius shares Giving . . . and more giving. 

Dawn of Spatulas on Parade shares Tis the Season For Giving.

Holiday Leftovers Wontons

                                                                          ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cooked leftover mashed potato, room temperature
1/2 cup cooked leftover stuffing, room temperature
3/4 cup cooked turkey, chopped, room temperature
2 TBSP cranraisins
1 cup oil
12 wonton wrappers

OPT: cranberry sauce for serving.

Directions:
*Mix together the mashed potato, stuffing, turkey and cranraisins.
*Place some water in a bowl.
*Lay out half of the wonton wrappers. Place a TBSP of the turkey mixture into the center of each wrapper.
*Dip your finger into the water bowl and wet all edges of the wonton. Fold the wonton into a triangle and press all the sides to completely seal the filling inside. Cover with a damp towel.
*Repeat with the rest of the wontons.
*Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet until hot. As it heats, put a tiny piece of stuffing into the pan, when it sizzles it's ready.
*Place half of the wontons into the hot oil. Cook for about 2 minutes until the bottom is brown and the wontons are floating. Carefully turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. *Remove to paper towel to drain. 
*Repeat with the rest of the wontons.
*Opt: Serve with cranberry sauce.

Menorah on the Door-ah

Elf on the Shelf.

If you’re on the interwebs at all; facebook, blogs, anywhere or everywhere, those words most likely bring up your dinner make you shudder.

Being Jewish, I’ve never had an Elf on the Shelf (or anyplace else for that matter). Never woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, jumped out of bed searching for a doll that I forgot to move. Works for me.

But, I’m told, those elves also have an enormously useful purpose. Each night they go off to Santa to report who’s been naughty or nice, then return to stalk spy on keep those little buggers in line for yet another day. This goes on all the way from Thanksgiving until Christmas.

Now wait a minute. A doll that makes your kids behave? For a month? Genius. We may just need in on this scam scheme lovely tradition.

So lets see what I’ve got to work with. Crap, not much. I’ve got a menorah, a dreidel and gelt . . . oy vey.

But hey, I’m resourceful. I am, after all, a descendant of the people who not only crossed the dessert to freedom, but invented inedible crackers along the way.

So screw the Elf on the Shelf, you’re not gonna find any shiksa outdoing me in the manipulating-your-kids category. Just watch me make this work:

Sleep well, little darlings. Don’t even think of bothering your parents in the middle of the night. Look up, there’s a menorah on the door-ah, just waiting to report back to Santa the household money manager:

 

And remember to eat a good breakfast. Just to be sure, there’s a dreidel on the table, planning to save a little money for the family gift buyer.

 

Need a little reminder while getting dressed? There’s gelt on the belt, soon to tattle tale tell all to the resident baker.

Have a fun day. Go play with your friends. But play fair, you’re being watched, now the menorah’s on the score-ah.

Make sure you remember to stay out of Mom’s belongings. You never know what you’ll find. See, there’s the dreidel on the jade-el.

 

And stay out of Dad’s toys too. Right there, the gelt’s on the dealt.

It’s dinner time, be sure to eat without complaints.

Latke for Two

And just to be sure-ah, there’s a menorah on the floor- ah.

 

And what’s that hiding in the drawer? It’s gelt on the felt.

Tonight before you go back to bed, don’t forget to put your laundry away. And do it neatly, there’s that dreidel, on the label. . .

 

I could SO keep this up for a month. Now who’s going to come up with something for January? And February. And March . . .

Whatever you celebrate, I hope it’s happy

 

 

 

 

Latke for Two

                                                                        ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
1 medium potato
¼ cup chopped onion
1 egg
2 TBSP flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
 
Vegetable oil for frying
 
¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 scallion, sliced
¼ cup of sour cream
Snipped chives
 
Directions:
*Skin potato and grate onto paper towels or grate in food processor and place on paper towels. Pat dry.
*Place potato, onion, egg, flour, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.
*Spray a small skillet with no-stick spray. Just cover bottom with vegetable oil and heat on medium high until hot.
*Carefully add the potato mixture to the oil and spread it into the pan. Manipulate it with your spatula so it's thicker around the edges, which brown faster.
*Cook until the bottom is well browned. While cooking, gently press the center down with your spatula to help the center cook.
*Place a large spatula under the latke and use a second spatula to hold the top together. Manipulating the latke with both spatulas, gently flip it over. Blot the top with a paper towel.
*Sprinkle cheddar over the center of the latke, top with scallion. Cook until the bottom is brown, then slide onto a plate.
*Mix together the sour cream and chives and serve on top of the latke.