Tuesday, April 19, 2011

A Perfect Meal ... or not according to my brother!

Yesterday I was wonder woman/sister/wife.  Allow me to explain.

For those who didn't know/don't observe so why would you know, last night started Passover.  A holiday remembering the exodus from Egypt and when the Israelites were freed from slavery.  Each year to commemorate, we have two seders.  Last night was the first.

Now backing up for a minute.  During past holidays that I've hosted, I usually cook food early, freeze it and then reheat/thaw it for the meal.  In hindsight, this allows me to break up the cooking so I'm not quite as zombie-ish at the end of the day.  But I digress.

What usually happens though is all that perfectly cooked and super yummy food doesn't taste as good reheated AND nothing is every warm on time.  Ever.  So this year I decided to try something new.  To cook everything so that it was all ready for dinner time.

I made a few things before hand, but only things that could be served cold (like the salmon, gefilte fish and cole slaw).  I also made the matza balls on Sunday but those get reheated in the soup so no biggie.

Since I only have one oven (serious dream here is in the future a home with TWO ovens, correction, two SELF-CLEANING ovens since my current oven isn't self-cleaning either) I had to figure out a way to cook the brisket in the slow cooker.  And I did! (If you want any recipes for food I mention here just let me know, I'm not going to post any).

So all day Sunday I prepped a few items (mainly the roasted veggies) and cooked the few things.  Yesterday was a marathon day where I was cooking, prepping the potatoes, realizing my boxed potato kugel wouldn't be big enough and winging a full size kugel, all the while setting the table.  Yes, just any other day.

(Now I have to add or he'll be upset that D did help with the cleaning yesterday, all the while complaining he gets the crappy jobs.  It's true.  But I can't cook and clean simultaneously.  The apartment still isn't clean enough in my opinion but too bad at this point.)

Also, yesterday is what is called the fast of the firstborn.  D and I are both firstborns meaning we are supposed to fast.  However, if you do some Jewish studying, you can be exempted.  So that meant getting our tushes to synagogue at 7am so that we wouldn't have to fast yesterday.

AND, for those who also follow me on twitter, my sister had surgery last week.  She's home and slowly recuperating, but it will take a few weeks.  Her fiance had to work (he'd taken time off last week) so he couldn't be at home all day with her.  My mother would have been willing but she has MS and doesn't have the strength to lift my sister.  So I naturally volunteered.  I was pleasantly surprised how well it went.  My sister was a very thoughtful guest and there was no fighting between us.  (Today she is going to the doctor's office to remove some of the bandages and then her fiance is bringing her here again for the afternoon).

So my yesterday was cooking, some cleaning (thanks D!), setting the table, praying/studying early EARLY am, prepping some dishes, washing and rewashing the same kitchen tools, all to have a perfectly timed out meal.

And you know what, it all worked out.  All of the food was ready at the same time (even if there was a slight delay for someone running a bit tardy ;)) and everyone kept assuring me it all tasted great.  Someone (for his safety I won't even identify the first letter of his name!) said my brisket was better than his grandmother's brisket.  You have to understand ... that's almost like blasphemy!

[I say not according to my brother because as usual, he had to complain about something. He can't ever just compliment me!  This time the first complaint is that the charoset is dry.  D was very sweet and made some kind of comment standing up for me.  I love him!]

The only thing I didn't do was make any dessert.  I am more of a cook than a baker and on Passover what you can bake gets very interesting.  In years past I haven't asked my siblings to bring anything but they are almost 25, it's time to start contributing! Now before you get upset that I made my sister post-surgery bring something, I did discuss it with her before surgery and it was her fiance who brought something.

All in all it was a delicious meal.  That I am now going to go replicate.  Wish me luck!

What cooking/hosting tips do you use?

27 comments:

  1. Hi there,

    I have a question about your site, would you mind emailing me back @ kthomas@primroseschools.com?

    Thanks,
    Kathleen

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  2. @Kathleen: just as a security measure, can you email me directly? You can find my email address in my contact page at the top of the site.

    Thanks!

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  3. Hi new follower here...we liked each other on FB first...but find your blog interesting...know what you are talking about but somehow with all the work we do, it does get done. We all kvetch about it...but it does get done. I dont have any help...little from hubby...and cooked for two days...of course I have vein problems and was in agony by the time I fell asleep in my matzah ball soup (lol)...but working in a school has its perks and I am off this whole week to recuperate...now, when is the next holiday?LOL

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  4. @Beader: Thanks I'm following back! I know what you mean. My hubby is good about helping with cleaning but the cooking is 100% me! I'm relieved it all turned out ... but exhausted! I took today off from work as well but a presentation popped up this afternoon (which I have to leave for soon!).

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  5. Good for D standing up for you. I'm sure it was great. In fact now I'm hungry. Thanks for dropping by my blog. I follow you on Twitter. Hope your sister is recovering well? I also follow you on here and FB, if you care. LOL. Have a great night!

    -Michael

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  6. @Michael: yea I was really glad he did (and he usually does unless I've asked him not to!). Too bad you weren't here, everyone who wanted to went home with leftovers!!

    I follow your blog/twitter as well (stalking each other). Not sure about FB--will have to check! :)

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  7. So great that it all worked out!

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  8. I am impressed that you did this much work for a meal.

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  9. YOu made the list! we are new twitter friends just today! Congrats!!!

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  10. It is SO HARD to time everything perfectly, it's quite a feat when you get it right! I've hosted Thanksgiving several times and I could use your mojo. ;-)

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  11. Hi, stoppping in from #CommentHour. Looking forward to reading your Passover post!

    http://alittlenosh.blogspot.com

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  12. I'm sure it was apprecited by all my dear.

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  13. That's awesome that you worked so hard and the meal turned out great. Isn't that a wonderful feeling?!!

    Stopping by from comment hour!

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  14. Wow, I'm tired just reading about all that prep. It sounds like a beautiful family event!

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  15. Wow! If only I could accomplish as much in twice the time as you did. lol... Even when I'm not 30 weeks pregnant I am far from 'super multitasking woman' lol. Glad everything turned out well!

    -Jessica
    http://mommiesblog2011.blogspot.com/

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  16. yay for cooking & having everything go so smooth! #commenthour

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  17. Good for you that it went smoothly. I ate leftover kugel all day today....

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  18. Gosh. You totally have it under control. I can't even time burnt toast. Yikes!! Stopping by for #commenthour !!

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  19. Thanks for dropping by at #commenthour your blog is adorable!
    You are a very busy and good wife!!

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  20. Sounds like a good meal. It's hard to get everything ready at the same time when you're cooking a big meal. Happy Pesach!

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  21. Good job on pulling off this meal not once, but twice! I'm very impressed! Happy Passover!

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  22. Ah yes, the joys of being a woman and 5,000 other things at the same time. Stopping by from #commenthour

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  23. He there! Thanks for dropping by! Cute blog! Your meal sounds like it was a real hit, I'm sure your brother loved it to, he's just being a brother lol

    Kimberley

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  24. Gosh, why do we have so many things to do at once? Congratulations on a great Passover meal!


    Stopping by from #commenthour! -Meg

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  25. Hi - thanks for dropping by during last evening's #commenthour! Enjoyed visiting your blog as well!

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  26. Congrats! Nothing makes me happier when preparing a meal than having the timing work out right! I'm not so good at that :)

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  27. It sounds like you had a lot of fun cooking and that is the most important thing.

    Here from #commenthour

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