♦ Family, Food and Love

Posted on November 23, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

I was just about to send when I got your letter. You have no idea how busy the life of a retired person can be! This letter is way too long, but I am sending it anyway.

Three weeks ago I was packing chocolate chips and toothpaste to bring to you in Israel. Now I am buying Chanukah gifts and getting ready to cook up a Thanksgivukah feast! My brain is on jet lag trying to absorb all the experiences and feelings and foods that I eagerly swallowed up in Israel. And this living room I am sitting in is so big…and so empty.

It wasn’t this color when I left for Israel!

In Israel we were surrounded by family. The homes and apartments in Israel are smaller than ours, but there was more than enough room as we were welcomed and entertained with food, comfort and unconditional love. It didn’t matter if I didn’t remember all the names and which kids belonged to which grandparents or who was married to who…or how many times I asked. We were one family, with the same eyebrows and similar cooking and eating habits and beautiful children and loud voices and welcoming homes and open hearts…no matter the distance between countries and visits…or the size of the rooms. And why do I think I need so much space in my house?

Amit and Nimrod’s wedding was a grand event celebrating life and love and family and friends in true Schuster style…a spectacular venue, an Israeli gourmet food extravaganza, drink bars, coffee bars, paparazzi style photography (mini-cameras attached to liquor bottles as they were passed around the dance floor and shots were poured), music, dancing and a bride and groom whose love and joy were evident! The invitation said it all…I eat…I do…I dance! And we did until the early hours of the morning. Dad’s knee is better, but I don’t know if he’ll ever dance with me again.

Every day offered up another celebratory event, shabbat dinners and lunches, an afternoon at the beach, a tour of Jerusalem and more large and small family reunions as we reconnected and caught up with the lives of our Israeli and Ukrainian family.

We caught our breath and settled into a fabulous apartment in Jerusalem thanks to the generosity of our cousin and her boyfriend. What a gift…a real kitchen with an oven, speedy wifi, a washing machine and a real Jerusalem neighborhood. Shaina, I loved sharing all of the events with you, but our time together in Jerusalem was a special treat. We shopped. We cooked. We talked.

I loved walking the streets with you in search of breakfast or coffee or some exotic fruit or vegetable. I loved watching you navigate Mahane Yehuda and meeting your spice guy and your tehini vendor.

Israel Market Shaina 2013

We toured your school and got a small glimpse of your life and its challenges. I tempered my worry with my admiration of you, knowing that you will create a place of comfort and success for yourself out of these less than ideal circumstances.

So much of Israel has taken on the habits of America…the skyscrapers, the billboards, the fancy mall near The Wall, Mamila…yet so much in Israel seems so smart…the lights in the apartment hallways that turn off after a few minutes, the large receptacle cages on the street for recycling plastic drink bottles, the drains in every kitchen and bathroom floor and those amazing multi-purpose thick yellow disposable cleaning cloths that are a staple in every Israeli kitchen!

I love the open markets and cafes, the vast tubs of exotic spices and the huge pomegranates that are pressed into glasses of juice right on the street.

I don’t love the brusqueness of everyday Israeli interactions, but I am not exactly comfortable with how accustomed I have become to the sweet smiles and slow talkin’ down here in the deep south either. Israel’s ever-changing landscape and ability to transform a street, a neighborhood, a city…practically overnight…thrust me back into the reality of how painfully imperceptibly slow change is here in Alabama.

I did manage to transport a half-gallon of olive oil, multiple bags of spices and jars of tehini from Israel to my kitchen without spilling a drop…a feat that caused me no small amount of anxiety.

With my new Israeli cookbook in hand (a beautiful gift from family), I am ready to start bringing a little Israeli flavor into these big empty rooms.

Happy Chanukah and Happy Thanksgiving! And I would never think of actually frying a turkey, although you have to admit, it is the perfect blend of the two holidays; one that traditionally celebrates with a turkey and one that celebrates burning oil!

You will be so missed at the table..in the kitchen…and throughout this big old house.

Love,

Mom

xooxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxo

Gali’s Classic Tahini Cookies
I gathered lots of family recipes from Israel. Everyone brought a dish to our Israeli Family Reunion Shabbat dinner and I will share them as I make them. If you haven’t already sent me your favorite recipes, do it now! I want to be prepared to cook all your favorite foods when you visit.

Ready to Eat!!

I love all the flavors and will start with Gali’s classic Tahini Cookies which are very easy to make, very Israeli and a favorite in our family. I think they will make a great Thanksgiving-Chanukah dessert. Might as well start with dessert! Thanks Gali!

350g (3 cups) of self-rising flour*
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of raw tahini
200g (1 3/4 stick) butter or margarine, softened
2 bags of vanilla sugar**
Ready to Bake

*Regular flour can be substituted by adding 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon of salt

**Small bags of vanilla sugar are an Israeli staple.
2 teaspoons of vanilla and 2 tablespoons of sugar can be substituted for two bags of vanilla sugar

Heat the oven to 180° (Celsius) or 350° (Fahrenheit)

Place parchment paper or cooking spray on baking sheet.

Mix together in a large bowl flour, sugar, tahini, butter, vanilla sugar until it forms a homogenous dough.

Right Out of the Oven

Roll the dough in your hands and mold into 40-50 small balls. Flatten them as you place them on the baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart from each other.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until they turn a light golden color.
Take out the baking sheet and let the cookies cool down before picking them up; otherwise they might crumble in your hand.

Be careful not to let the cookies burn. Enjoy!

Ready to Eat!!

Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
Israeli Style
This very easy soup was inspired by the beautiful squash we saw in Israel, the Israeli spices I brought back home and the need to make another soup for Thanksgiving. I always serve two different hot soups as appetizers as people are coming in from the cold and arriving at different times. This soup is very easy, flexible (Israeli code word for anything goes) and hard to mess up.

Soup’s Done!

3 pounds Butternut or any winter squash (amount can vary depending on how much soup you want to make)
1 Large yellow onion cutup
1 pound Sweet potatoes (or carrots or any other vegetables you like)
2 – 3 cups of water
1 tsp salt
Fresh minced Garlic to taste

*Israeli spice mix or a combination of cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, pepper

Garnish with cilantro and sour cream or yogurt if desired

* I used a fabulous pre-mixed spice combination that I got at the market. It contained dried onions and peas (as far as I could tell) and a blend of fragrant Israeli spices.

Options
Raisins, carrots, cinnamon and even a little sugar can be added if you like a sweeter soup. The soup should be a savory-sweet blend of the salty tangy spices with the sweetness of the vegetables.

Bake whole unpeeled squash and sweet potatoes in the oven at 350 on convection bake until they are tender and the skin peels off easily. Baking and peeling is much easier than cutting and peeling raw winter squash. But if you prefer, the raw peeled squash can be cooked in a large pot with the water until tender.

Remove skins and put vegetables into a large pot with water and onion and spices. Add enough water to just cover the squash and sweet potatoes.

Bring water to a boil and then turn down heat and simmer. When onions are cooked, blend soup mixture with a stick blender. Adjust spices to taste. Add water if mixture is too thick. Continue to simmer soup, adding water as needed for desired consistency.

Taste frequently and adjust seasonings to taste. Soup is done when you are satisfied with the flavor and consistency of the soup.

This hardy soup can be frozen for later use and can be modified by adding other vegetables or more squash and cooking and blending. Don’t be afraid to try new spices to vary the flavor.

Savory Corn and Squash Fritters (Thanksgivukah Latkes)
I made up this Thanksgivukah latke in an attempt to combine two dishes, Corn Casserole and Squash Casserole, traditionally served at our Thanksgiving feast with the classic latke always enjoyed at Chanukah. I was surprised at how good they turned out. Lighter than potato latkes, they aren’t quite as bad for you as you might think. Who knows…a new tradition may have been born! The only problem now is, which holiday do I make them for next year…Thanksgiving or Chanukah?

2 pounds raw yellow crookneck squash chopped and drained*
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (defrosted and drained)
2 leeks, the white and light green parts only, chopped
1 cup corn meal or corn bread mix**
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 clove fresh minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
Peanut or vegetable oil for frying

* Liquid from drained squash and leeks can be reserved for veggie broth for soups; it freezes well.

**If you use corn bread mix, reduce salt and baking powder by half

Squash Corn latkes 2013

For a spicier option, you can add chopped chile peppers to the fritter batter or experiment with different spices…dill, basil, tarragon

Wash yellow squash and leeks and chop in a food processor until pretty finely chopped. Place in a strainer and thoroughly drain excess water for about 30 minutes. Mix corn and chopped squash and leeks together .

In a large bowl, stir together corn meal, baking powder, spices, salt, and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and whisk into corn meal mixture. Combine squash, corn, and leek mixture with the corn meal and egg mixture and blend thoroughly.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drop batter by spoonful into hot oil. Fry on both sides until crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with traditional latke toppings…sour cream and apple sauce or…

Top with your favorite salsa to spice things up a bit. Or add a little salsa to sour cream.

Sauté some leeks and mix with sour cream, salt and pepper and a little fresh dill for a garden fresh accompaniment.

Try adding some cranraisins or fresh chopped cranberries to your applesauce this year in honor of Thanksgivukah

Plain Greek yogurt can be substituted for sour cream.

♦ Bringing A Bit Of Home

Posted on October 27, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

Reading your letter tugged at my heart a bit. I know that you’ll be fine, but I could feel that familiar trepidation that accompanies new beginnings. You’ve done this many, many times…and by now, you know what to expect and how to get through it.

When you went off to overnight camp for the first time at age nine, your letters proclaiming your homesickness and pleading with us to rescue you (if you love me, you will come get me, RIGHT NOW!) nearly did us in. By the time we came to retrieve you from your suffering, you were sitting on your bed getting a last game in with a new camp friend and told us that you would be finished in a few minutes…as if your trauma were some figment of our overly enmeshed parental imagination.

It is your way…to acknowledge your discomfort, to endure it, to master it…and to reap the rewards of your choices, as challenging as they may be. Most people are unable or unwilling to tolerate the discomfort of the unknown and unfamiliar. Their fears, the fears that come with being in this world, become the all too narrow parameters that define their lives. You learned, at a very young age, that you can be afraid and still engage with the scary…and survive…and thrive. You came to trust the power and capacity of your internal resources.

So, now is the time for sitting and listening, you say…

I spent much of my twenties moving too fast, doing too much and obsessing about reaching the finish line…whatever that meant. I was older than you when I first began to understand the importance of sitting and listening…to my self and to others. It was a life lesson…and life lessons are ongoing. You already know…sitting and listening can be a really good thing, although not as easy as it seems.

Dad and I are at the beach…one week before we leave for Israel. I am beginning to gather your list of random items…Yogi teas, Ghiradelli cocoa, the nalgene water bottle with the happy face, a mesh laundry bag like the one you took to camp…eagerly looking forward to bringing you a little bit of home.

I am not yet back into any routine with all this coming and going. Thanksgiving and Chanukah have converged and will arrive on the heels of our return from Israel. I am already thinking menus and guests..mostly the usual…with a few Thanksgivukah tweaks. Got some Mushroom-Barley soup (with shiitakes) in the freezer and made a squash casserole last week. I am already missing your presence at the table…and your food innovations.

I will try to get my fill of you while in Israel, but I don’t expect to succeed. At best, I will get a glimpse of the subtle changes that new experiences inspire and the adaptations that you have made to your new life…one refrigerator and no oven?! You do have amazing adaptive resources!

Love,

Mom

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

SUMMER SQUASH CASSEROLE

Prep time: 45 minutes-1hour
Cook time: 1 hour
Serves 8-10 as a side dish

May be prepared ahead of time and baked or reheated before serving.

Can be frozen and served later for a winter supper with soup and salad or for brunch alongside lox and bagels.

This recipe is a compilation of several recipes that I have modified over the years in search of the perfect squash casserole. It comes out different every time based on the quantities and types of ingredients I have in the house. I have made a variety of substitutions to make it a little healthier, but I love it best when it has lots of butter and aged cheddar cheese topped with seasoned bread crumbs. For a gluten free casserole, leave off the bread crumbs and top with extra cheese or make a topping with your favorite nuts and cheese.

Wash and cut squash, onion and carrots into chunks and cook in salted water until vegetables are cooked through and soft. Drain vegetables well (broth from cooked veggies can be saved and used for a soup base) and put in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or stick blender.4-5 pounds yellow crookneck squash

1 large onion
2-3 carrots
Salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ -2 cups grated aged cheddar cheese
½ cup sour cream (Greek yogurt may be substituted)
1 clove fresh garlic minced or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
2 eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs or crushed crackers
2 tablespoons melted butter

While mashed vegetables are still hot, add butter and grated cheese and mix thoroughly into hot squash mixture. Add sour cream and garlic and salt and pepper. Add 1 cup (more if you like) grated aged cheddar. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Set aside remaining ½ cup cheese for topping.

Lightly beat 2 eggs and blend into squash mixture.

Preheat a 9” x13” glass baking dish with one tablespoon of butter in the oven.

Mix bread crumbs with a tablespoon of melted butter.

Pour squash mixture into the preheated, greased 9×13 glass baking dish.

Top with breadcrumbs and remaining cheese.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to an hour until top browns and casserole is bubbly and slightly browned on sides.

Allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.

♦ Shaina Moves Out…Shiitakes Move In

Posted on October 10, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

I am having a hard time cooking for two these days. It’s not about the quantity or finding recipes for two. I have always defied portion controlled cooking, opting instead for cooking massive amounts, thereby creating opportunities for drop-in company, future freezer meals, leftovers and creative repurposed new delicacies.

It’s more about having the will to cook for two. It hardly seems worth it. When you were home (or even not always at home) it seemed more compelling to have a meal on the table with all the essential elements…protein, vegetable, grain, fruit. I am perplexed at how even one additional person at the table can make such a difference to my efforts in the kitchen. I haven’t done any serious cooking since you left.

Shaina off to Israel 100213.

I throw a salad together and add some tuna. I make an omelet…with a lettuce and tomato salad…and call it a meal. I take a veggie burger out of the freezer and sauté some onions, add some cheese and…a salad…and that’s dinner. No exotic nuts and spices and healthy grains, no unnameable vegetable curries or pates, no roasted garlic infused vegetables scorching my oven…and not one single leftover. Everyday is a blank food slate to be filled and I just can’t seem to rise to the occasion.

The mushroom log is my only saving grace. I am so glad you have a picture of the log when it was still…well, just a log! It was definitely the best buy of the summer…and the best food(?) purchase ever! I check on my little log every day (more like 3 or 4 times a day) and forward pictures to you of its daily growth spurts.

Shiitakes Are Born!
Day 1 to 5

It makes me feel like a part of you is here sharing this fungal birth experience with me. I tell my log story to anyone who will listen and whip out my iPhone to proudly display its progress. I feel like a new parent. Not quite overbearing and hysterical (your words), but a little like a nutcase!

I have to admit…I miss you…and haven’t quite gotten used to your absence.

The mushroom log is a fine distraction and my sole source of cooking inspiration…for the time being. How much can you do with 15 shiitake mushrooms anyway?

Ready for Harvest

I know I’ll start cooking again…at some point. Thanksgiving/Chanukah will force the issue, if nothing else. In the meantime, it’s a good thing your Dad is so easy to please when it comes to food.

My shiitake mushroom omelet with English Cheddar and fresh basil served with tomatoes and farmer’s market bread made the perfect Sunday brunch.

The garden fresh arugula and mustard greens that I tossed together were the ideal platform for the Persian cucumbers, purple onion, pine nuts and the last of the okra roasted… topped with, of course, sautéed shiitake mushrooms .

The last of the summer okra

I threw on some home-made herb dressing and a little fresh grated parmesan and actually produced a recipe worthy salad! Maybe I am inching my way back into the cooking world…or maybe I just need more than one other person to cook for.

By the time we see you in Israel, you will be settled into student life, babbling in four different languages, friends with every fruit and vegetable vendor in the market and have a collection of strangely filled jars. I can’t wait!!

Love,

Mom

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Arugula and Mustard Greens Salad
Garnished with Sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms

Serves 4-6

These are approximate amounts. Modify to your tastes and appetite. Arugula and mustard greens have a little bite and make for a very interesting salad. Other lettuces can be substituted or added.

Herb Dressing

1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons olive oil
fresh minced garlic to taste (1/2 tsp or more)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Salad

5 ounces of Arugula
5 ounces of Mustard greens
2 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
1/4 red onion thinly sliced
1/2 pound fresh okra sliced in rounds (optional)
5-7 shiitake mushrooms, destemmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
olive oil, salt and pepper

Blend all dressing ingredients together and let sit for at least 30 minutes to absorb all the flavors. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Toss lettuce, cucumbers and onion together in a large bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.

Place cut up okra in a bowl and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Arrange in one layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400º on bake or 375º on convection bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. They can be turned once for even browning. When done, set aside to cool at room temperature.

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan and add sliced shiitake mushrooms. Sauté on one side until they release moisture. Then move them around and turn over until they are seared on both sides , but still tender. Salt and pepper to taste. set aside at room temperature.

Right before serving the salad , assemble all ingredients. Sprinkle the roasted okra over the lettuce mixture. Add the mushrooms and pine nuts. Drizzle with salad dressing and toss. Add parmesan cheese if desired and serve immediately.

Really Yummy!

♦ Schuster Shealy

Posted on September 22, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

I laughed out loud, while shedding a few tears, when I read your response to Dad’s guest post. As if I didn’t know that the predominant gene pool stamped on your DNA had SHEALY all over it…

The minute you were born, after they slapped you to make you cry (Schusters don’t have to be prompted to wail loudly), they laid you down next to me for the first time. I looked into your eyes as you quietly eyeballed me…and there you lay…clearly a mini Allen Shealy replica! As you got older, the comments veered more toward, “We never knew Allen was so pretty.” I was grateful that at least you got my eyebrows!

The Shealy genes penetrated far beyond appearance. By the time you were two, I understood that the die was cast and that I should give up any attempts at trying to mold you in my image, or any other…you were hard-wired. So much for nature versus nurture!

You were quietly cautious and took your time…with everything. You were shy with strangers, easily manipulated by your more Schusterly cousins and adored by everyone! Even as a small child you emitted a sense of calm, loving acceptance and tolerance.

Lest anyone think that you were simply a sweet, adorable child, easily malleable by the prevailing players in your life, that was not the case. The strength of your core, the individuality of your spirit and the stubbornness of your will were apparent and readily available to you when needed.

Your pre-school teachers would place your cubby next to the most out-of-control boy… every year. They knew you would ignore the bad behavior while promoting a sense of calm around you. When you decided that ballet classes and soccer games involved too much public performance for your comfort, you simply stopped, literally in your tracks. I had no choice but to take you home and hope the next activity might be a better fit. Even at the age of three, you would modify the teacher’s model of an art project, creating your own version from some vision in your head…and then other children would copy yours. You were/are a leader, quiet and non-dogmatic, but clearly present.

You are so like your father! Your signature, Shaina Shealy, speaks to your comfort in your genes. However, the impact of nurture has not been totally undercover. I would like to think that some of your creative skills have come from the hands of your Schuster relatives…along with the importance of family, friends and tradition, your love of food and cooking for large hoards of people and, of course, your keen bargaining skills. Perhaps, someday, the Schuster may find its way back into your given name, Shaina Schuster Shealy, no hyphens necessary.

Maybe the biggest challenge for an only child overdosed with love and attention and privilege from two doting parents is to find her own voice. You took that on from an early age. I know you often feel that your path eludes you, yet the thing I am most proud of for you, is that you have the courage to pursue that search. You have learned to trust and follow your voice…wherever it may lead you. Your voice…and your path…may change over time, but you have mastered the process of paying attention to who you are. Despite all the Shealy and Schuster chatter, the Shaina murmurs ring strong.

I sit here in the living room wearing the soft cotton housedress, a gift direct from India from you (it’s what all the Indian mothers wear around the house). You putter around your room identifying the things you will need as you set out for a year of study and exploration amidst the Schuster family ambiance in Israel.

I sit with my own meld of mother worry and pride, an all too familiar feeling. It has been a lightning quick summer filled with kitchen mess, stuffed refrigerators, endless trips to multiple grocery stores…and friends and family…sharing old traditions, trying on new ones…tashlich (casting away of sins) at the farm, new tastes at the holiday table, escaping from temple during Yiskor…the Schusters and the Shealys, together.

Rosh Hashana was an extravaganza of tastes and blessings. You requested Pomegranate Tabouli, a sweet and savory salad that has become a new Rosh Hashanah tradition. As you leave Birmingham for the land of milk and honey…and pomegranates…I hope this dish is a reminder to you of how two seemingly disparate flavors can produce something beautiful, sweet and uniquely flavorful and captivating. This is your dish!

We cooked together, we prayed together and we gave thanks. We looked to the new year with hope and promise. You bring so much that is fresh and honest and spiritual into our lives…making us better than we ever thought we could be. I will miss this time with you…even as I reclaim my kitchen.

I wish you safe travels, new friends, enlightening adventures…and an ever stronger voice!

Love,
Mom
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Pomegranate Tabouli
With apples, walnuts and Pomegranates

2 cups flat leafed parsley, finely chopped
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup crisp sweet apples, diced unpeeled
½ cup red onion, diced
1 ½ – 2 teaspoons ground smoked paprika or chipotle chile pepper
½ cup raisins or currants
¼ cup fresh lemon juice and zest from one lemon
⅓ cup olive oil
Coarse kosher salt
Honey (optional)
1 cup walnuts

Mix first six ingredients together in a bowl. Stir in pepper, lemon juice and zest and oil. Season to taste with salt and a little honey if you like a little more sweetness. At this point, the mixture can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days.

In a dry skillet, over medium heat, stir walnuts until toasted, about three minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Crush with the side of a knife or in a mortar with pestle until they are in coarse pieces.

Stir crushed walnuts into pomegranate mixture. If mixture has been refrigerated, set it out at room temperature for about an hour before adding walnuts.

6-8 servings

♦ Tzereis Gezundereit…or Carpe Diem

Posted on August 23, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

What a role reversal for you to be driving us to the airport to send us off on an adventure! No guilt or fear…maybe a little worry…worry that you might get lonely or scared, especially since you’re still afraid to go into the basement alone! But you sound good and I am thrilled for you…not even the slightest bit concerned about the state of the kitchen. Out of sight, out of mind!

I am happy for your comfort in cooking and sharing with friends and using the house for what it is meant for: a place to enjoy, to eat and drink and be with friends and family. As Bubbe used to say, Tzereis Gezundereit: tear it up in good health! Not literally, of course.

She meant that the things we have shouldn’t be saved and preserved for some later pleasure…use what you have, enjoy it today and share it with the people in your life. It was the Bubbe version of Carpe Diem, plus the acknowledgement that most of our stuff will outlast us, hence, tear it up while you can.

picking peaches on the streets of our neighborhood

We all seem to have taken that message to heart. Here we are in Portland indulging in food, wine, and the distinctive sights and sounds that live in an environment that seems to be fearless when it comes to the expression of individual style, creativity and preference for just about anything…as long as it doesn’t hurt your neighbor or the environment. We are drinking ( we are tasting a lot of wine) this city in like parched nomads emerging from the desert…and it is delicious!

There are hundreds of neighborhoods (and we have hit many of them on this trip) each boasting unique flavors and personalities. The walkable streets, lined with bike lanes and crosswalks and closely packed craftsman style homes are lushly adorned with Portland greenery and fruit trees… small independently owned coffee shops, French bakeries and taquerias, bars and ice cream parlors, vintage stores and shops displaying the work of artisans of every talent and skill (dress shops complete with sewing machine and seamstress, old fashioned barber shops, weavers, painters and jewelers) are everywhere. The costumes on the street are wide open…from biking shorts to hiking boots to retro flowered dresses to…well, anything goes in this town, really. The tattoos are bold and sported by people of all ages and lifestyles. Freedom and independence feeds the creative spirit…and the entrepreneur.

We followed a llama into a jewellery boutique

We have shared good wine, food and conversation with our new dear friends from Portland and look forward to showing them Portland’s polar opposite twin city in the South when they visit us. We’ll try to break them in slowly.

Today we drove to Ashland, home of the Oregon Shakespeare Theater and saw a production of Midsummer Night’s Dream set in 1964 at a Catholic Parochial School. Tomorrow on to Napa.

The luxury of our trip reminds me that now is our time. Even old couples need some time alone in a fresh space every now and then to remind them of who they are…separately and together. We are seizing the day…and hope to continue to do so together for a very long time.

Breakfast on our porch

Soon it will be the holidays. I saw your post for the cleanse. Although I haven’t done much cooking (not that I haven’t been eating), the one thing I did make is cleanse-friendly. I tried to replicate a beet dish that we had at a Peruvian restaurant in Portland. I thought mine tasted good, but definitely didn’t have quite the same visual appeal.

Everyday there are new places and sites and experiences I want to share, but enough is enough! I am looking forward to coming home and returning to the normal order of things…me doting on you for the last few weeks of your home-stay…you preparing to leave and being annoyed with my stickiness.

I miss you already. Even though I know its not easy for us to live in the same house. I still miss being around you…being a part of the moments of your every day. I know these days are short-lived and that soon, I will be hearing about your life through the wonders of technology, again.

We’re off for a wine tour in Napa, so I better send this now because I am sure I won’t feel much like focusing after we return.

Love,
Mom
xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxo

Beet Salad with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce

2 Red Beets, medium sized
2 Golden Beets, medium sized

Wrap beets in aluminum foil and roast in a 375° oven for 30 -45 minutes or until done (able to be pierced easily with a knife)
Slice thinly, keeping red and yellow beets in separate bowls

Beet Dressing

2 limes, juice and zest
1 Tblsp olive oil
A few drops of sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and adjust to taste.

Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce

1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Jalapeno or habanero pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt

Process all ingredients in a food processor. Adjust seasonings to taste.

The restaurant version

Arrange thinly sliced beets in alternating layers of red, golden, red beets on a platter. Pour lime sesame dressing over beets.
Drip Cilantro Chimichurri sauce along edges or center of beets.

Garnish with fresh cucumber , cut in thin julienne strips and fresh chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve cold or at room temperature as an appetizer with a fresh baguette or on a bed of arugula as a salad with dinner.

♦ From Down the Hall

Posted on July 24, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

It is really odd to be writing a letter to you when you are just down the hall and we are crossing paths in the kitchen, preparing lists for almost daily grocery store excursions, merging dirty clothes in the washing machine and…exchanging words (not always so nicely) face to face.

So here I sit struggling to do my assignment, “mom, do ur blog” instructions in a text from you, following a text that said, “having din w friends, will b home later.”

Parenting is not an easy business at any age…of any aged child. It is perplexing and daunting and evokes anxieties and insecurities from the depths of your core. Shaina, lest you think this is about you, believe me, it is not! You are, and have been, a relatively easy child. I do know how fortunate I am to have the privilege of being your parent.

I am immensely proud of your accomplishments, your bravery and self-awareness, your independence and your many ever-emerging talents. Not to mention the bonuses of having a child who travels to exotic places, always has another exciting option up her sleeve and provides us with never-ending tales to share with family and friends.

The challenges of parenting are not about you, or any kid, I suspect. It’s about what and who we bring to the game. You think you’ve escaped the ghosts you tried so hard to release in your own life…and all of a sudden, you have become your mother…and those shreds of familiarity are chilling.

There were so many things that Bubbe and Zayde did intuitively, as parents, that were right. They had no expectations of who we should become. They only wanted us to be healthy and happy and able to take care of ourselves. They insisted on the absolute importance of love and family. I think that was it…and all that flowed from that. Any screaming and arguing was just another tactic to ensure those principles.

I think it worked, but with it came the whole package…the sense of obligation, the persistent quest for happiness, the need to leave home and find my place in the world. I did that in my own way.

I know some parents who think their job is to control their children in an attempt to produce the desired product.

My understanding of parenting is more about powerlessness and staying out of the way of the inevitable. Neither approach is easy or foolproof…and I have made errors on both ends of the spectrum.

Having you home brings all the players out of the closet…yours and mine. All in all, I think we are okay. You are a child any mother would be proud to claim…as I am. We are just both doing what we both need to do…hanging on and getting away!

Thank God for food…the grains that bind us! I have learned so much from you, although I am not sure I will ever be able to replicate your style. You prepared an amazing Indian feast for Shabbat dinner…dishes that even our Indian guests loved!

Watching you create recipes for a friend who is undergoing chemo has made me appreciate what a unique gift you have.

sss & es in kitchen 072313

Your food is creative and delicious, elaborate and healing…and remarkably beautiful and awe-inspiring.

I am also impressed at how much your kitchen maintenance has improved! Thank you!

I don’t know how long you’ll be here, but I am glad to be in these moments with you. My wishes for you are simple…to be healthy and happy…to remember the importance of family…to find your place in the world and…to be safe.

Love,

Mom

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Browned Butter Halibut
Although I am intimidated by your creations. I still have to cook dinner occasionally,at least when I am not throwing together all your tasty leftover morsels into a humongous salad. This is a very simple fish recipe that Dad really enjoyed.

Add a simple green summer salad and baked sweet potatoes, plus the dessert below, and you have a satisfying quick and easy dinner.

Yield: 4 servings

1 – 1½ pounds of fresh wild caught halibut (4-6 ounces per person)
1-2 tablespoons butter
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt, pepper, garlic to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and zest from one lemon (or lime juice and zest)
Garnish with fresh chopped dill, parsley or tarragon and lemon wedges if desired

Salt and pepper fish generously on both sides. Add fresh finely chopped or thinly sliced garlic.

Lime Juice and zest…a great substitute for lemon.

Marinate in lemon juice with zest plus 1 teaspoon olive oil for a half hour.

Heat a sauté pan large enough to hold all the fish over medium heat.

Put oil and butter in the pan and heat until lightly browned. Add fish immediately to browned butter and cook 3 – 5 minutes (depending on thickness of fish) on each side. Fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Serve with lemon wedges. Add salt, pepper and fresh herbs to taste. Serve immediately.

Blueberry Oatmeal-Buckwheat Crumble

This lightly sweetened blueberry crumble recipe is inspired by your healthy crunchy-grainy approach to food…and all those gallons of late summer blueberries we picked.

Blueberry Filling

5-6 cups fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon potato starch or corn starch
Zest and lemon juice from small lemon
¾ cup chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs, raisins or any dried fruit)
2 tablespoons raw sugar or to taste (agave or honey can be substituted)
1 teaspoon almond extract

Wash blueberries and place them in a pot with the next four ingredients for the blueberry filling. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally throughout the cooking process. Turn the heat down and simmer for about forty-five more minutes or until blueberry mixture is slightly thickened and reduced by half, but still liquidy. Add the almond extract and stir. Cool slightly.

Oatmeal-Buckwheat Crust and Topping

1¼ cup uncooked rolled oats
½ cup almond flour
½ cup buckwheat flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup butter, melted (margarine or coconut oil can be substituted)
¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 T raw sugar or agave

While berries are cooking, prepare crust by whisking together the oats, flour and salt in a bowl. Add the melted butter or margarine to the oat mixture and stir until crumbly. Reserve ¾ cup of this mixture in a separate bowl for the topping.

Preheat oven to 350°

Grease an 8” x 10” baking dish and pat the remaining oat crumb crust mixture onto the bottom of the baking dish.

Prepare the topping by adding ¾ cup of chopped nuts and 1 tablespoon of raw sugar to the reserved oat mixture. More sugar can be added if you like a sweeter topping. Mix thoroughly.

Bake at 350° for 35 – 45 minutes or until oats and nuts are lightly browned and blueberries are bubbling.Pour the slightly cooled blueberry filling over the crust in the baking dish. Sprinkle the oat-nut topping mixture evenly over the berries.

Eat warm with ice cream or serve cold as a fruit snack or breakfast treat.

♦ Commingling

Posted on July 3, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

It seems that the airports have been very busy this week flying Schuster and Shealy kids around. Naomi left for Israel Saturday morning and Rebecca arrived in B’ham in the evening. Now you are on a plane from Israel ending/continuing/beginning your journey.

Gail and Abe were at a wedding Saturday night so I picked Rebecca up from the airport and invited her and a fourth for mahjong and dinner. I made a simple dinner of pesto pasta with roasted vegetables, pan-seared flounder and tomato-cucumber-basil salad with garlic bread toast…and both Dad and Rebecca were thrilled to have the opportunity to play mahjong. As always, there were plenty of leftovers.

It was the leftovers…and Bubbe, who never threw away any left over food…that inspired the morning-after brunch I prepared for Dad and me. Sunday morning was one of the first in a long time that both Dad and I were at home together…a cause for celebration…and breakfast. I didn’t really have any specific menu in mind, but as I started rooting around the refrigerator and saw those leftovers, I knew what I had to do. The result was a breakfast casserole that turned out good enough to serve to company. Dad said it reminded him of a New Orleans brunch (without the heavy sauces)…and I used up all the leftovers!

I have been preparing for your homecoming this week. I removed all of our junk from your room and left your junk pretty much intact. It is daunting how much space our lives take up even when we don’t really live there. Our commingled stuff has been separated, at least for now…at least in your room.

We seem to have crossed thresholds in our lives almost simultaneously. Just because I continue to remind you to wear a raincoat in the rain doesn’t mean that I don’t recognize the capable young adult you have become. And just because I want to know your plans doesn’t mean I don’t have a life of my own filled with my own activities and schedules. It is precisely because we are two separate adults traveling on our own ever-evolving life paths, that I want to ensure our commingling during these brief moments that you will be spending in a place that was at one time the only place you knew as home.

Our relationship, at this point in both of our lives, is more a choice and less a given. I think often about my relationship with my mother, your Bubbe. It seemed that it was always a given. Maybe it was the nature of that generation or maybe it was just that we both needed so much from each other that we didn’t know how to be anything other than mother and daughter and daughter and mother…needing and wanting…without ever really knowing each other.

Although our relationship naturally has some of the strains and issues that exist between most mothers and daughters, it is my hope that we will choose to be in each others lives…to share our stories and our hearts and our interests…even if that means you might have to learn to play mahjong!

I can’t wait to see you, to cook with you and to commingle our lives again in this place that we still call home.

Love,

Mom

xoxooxoxoxxoxoxoo

P.S. I love my new Prius!

Egg and Veggie Breakfast Casserole

This easy casserole was made from leftovers from dinner the night before. Whole wheat and sour dough rolls had been sliced and made into garlic toast rounds with roasted garlic paste and olive oil and the veggies were oven-roasted with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. You can vary this recipe with different vegetables, cheeses and breads…depending on what’s leftover in your refrigerator.

I served it with tomato-cucumber-basil salad, flounder seared in a little butter and garlic and some fresh fruit. Mimosas and good coffee topped off this great Sunday brunch menu.

Yield: 4-6 depending on what else is served

6-8 small round garlic toasts
2-3 cups of cubed roasted vegetables
4-6 ounces of grated cheddar or Jarlsburg cheese (I used equal parts of both)
6 eggs (Egg whites can be substituted – 2 egg whites for 1 whole egg)
¾ cup milk (skim can be used)
1 tsp pesto ( finely ground basil, olive oil, salt and pepper)
Dash of freshly ground nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste
Pine nuts and parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Lightly grease a deep 10” round casserole dish with butter or spray. Layer garlic toasts on bottom of dish. Top with a layer of roasted veggies and then a layer of grated cheese. Continue layering…bread, veggies, cheese…until casserole dish is filled to about ¾” from the top or until you run out of veggies.

Whisk together eggs, milk, pesto, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Pour over layered ingredients in the casserole. Top with more grated cheese and pine nuts and parmesan cheese if desired.

Bake in a 350° oven for about 45 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and top of casserole puffs up and is lightly browned. Let dish rest for five minutes before cutting and serving.

Tomato-Cucumber-Basil Salad

6-8 small Campari tomatoes (or your favorite variety of tomato), thinly sliced
4 small Persian cucumbers (or your favorite variety of cucumber), thinly sliced
6-8 fresh basil leaves, washed and cut into strips
½ cup of green onions or Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
Black Greek olives, pitted (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar

Cut and mix all vegetables in a bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Add a few splashes of Balsamic vinegar and toss. Season to taste.

♦ Counting the Hours

Posted on June 9, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

This will be a short letter since we will be seeing you very soon and I have a few things to do to get ready…laundry, packing and pesto harvesting.

It rained all day and night and I swear the basil grew an extra crop of leaves overnight. It is prime for picking and I am afraid if I wait until we return, it will be past the point of perfection.

Armed with my kitchen scissors and grocery bag, I chopped all the Basil down and am settling into the kitchen for a morning of trimming, washing and prepping to the background of TED talks and CNN news.

The kitchen smells like fresh cut basil and garlic (my favorite odors)… and I am so happy…mostly because I will be seeing you in a few days! I will be bringing plenty of fresh pesto in case you want to sample some and there will be even more in the freezer waiting for you when you return from your travels…ready to be taken wherever you decide to call home thereafter.

I am cleaning out the fridge before we leave, so this letter, as far as food goes, is about using up stuff that is about to go bad or just can’t be finished by the time you go on a trip. I took the Campari tomatoes that were getting a little wrinkly and roasted them (with a little salt) in the oven for a batch of tomato pesto.

My excessive stash of garlic also needed to be used up pronto so I left some raw…perfect for my pesto and my newest favorite home-made half sour pickles…and roasted the rest for roasted garlic (with a little olive oil and salt) paste/pesto.

I used the mini cucumbers that I love so much,but just couldn’t finish, for the pickles which are simple to make.

Just for fun, I made a batch of one bowl brownies with chocolate and peanut butter chips (Dad’s favorites) to bring to New Jersey. There is nothing like a classic brownie to bring you back to the reality of being back in America.

Dad and I have been playing a lot of mahjong with another couple.
It just goes to show that there is no end to the fun you can have with the person you marry…even after all these years! I won a super hard hand the other night..all pairs. I know that doesn’t mean anything to you, but it’s a big deal in the mahjong world. Maybe we’ll teach you while we’re in New Jersey…and make it a family game!

I really am counting the hours until I see you. The sporadic emails and calls and brief conversations just aren’t enough for me to get the real feel for what is going on in your life and your heart. So if I stare at you and sit real close and want to be near you for an annoyingly long time…just put up with it!

It’s the least I deserve for all that packing and schlepping …and letting you go so far away from home…with my blessings.

Love,

Mom

oooxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxo

Pesto Tips

Although I have already posted my pesto recipe, here it is again with a few variations. It is very forgiving and the amounts of basil and garlic vary every time I make it.

Basic Basil Pesto

4 packed cups of washed and dried fresh pesto leaves
4-6 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil (EVOO)
1 tsp salt

Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until chopped finely and well blended. This Basic Basil Pesto may be frozen, as is, in airtight containers for future use.

If you like to add nuts to your pesto, roast 1/3 -1/2 cup of pine nuts or walnuts and add them to the processor with the other ingredients and process.

Parmesan cheese can also be added if desired. I leave the cheese out and add it later if my recipe calls for it. Pesto made with nuts or cheese can also be frozen for later use.

I also added the roasted tomatoes to a small batch of my pesto in the processor for a Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto. Sun dried tomatoes can be substituted if you don’t have any fresh tomatoes that you need to use.

My freezer now contains three variations of the Basic Basil Pesto. For a dairy-free, nut-free option to use in any recipe calling for basil and garlic, I have plenty of Basic Basil Pesto. I also have some Basic Basil Pesto with Pine Nuts for pastas and sauces. I always add more pine nuts when preparing those dishes. I made a small batch of Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto just for a little variety. All can be used for sauces and soups and to make dips and cheese spreads. Any variety of Basil Pesto makes a delicious savory topping for Brie as an alternative to some of the sweet toppings on baked Brie. This basic Basil Pesto can be diluted with olive oil and flavorful vinegars for pastas and salads.

Don’t forget the roasted garlic. It is delicious as a spread for garlic bread mixed with a little butter, as a dip for fresh bread mixed with olive oil and a little basil pesto. Squeeze fresh from the clove onto an arugula salad with pine nuts and parmesan cheeses and a little oil and balsamic vinaigrette dressing for a sweet garlicky treat.

One Bowl Brownies (with a little extra)

Yield: About 3 dozen

½ cup butter or margarine (1 stick)
2 cups (12 oz package) Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, divided
½ cup white chocolate chips
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts or 1 cup peanut butter chips

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 13” x 9” x 2” baking pan.

Place butter and 1 cup chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 to 1 ½ minutes or until chips are melted when stirred.

Add sugar, flour, vanilla, baking powder, salt and eggs and stir until batter is smooth.

Stir in remaining 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.

Spread batter into prepared baking pan.

Sprinkle walnuts or peanut butter chips over top. If you would like to use both, cut the amount of each by ⅓ and sprinkle evenly over the top.

Bake 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely and cut into bars.

♦ Love Endures…Time Flies

Posted on June 1, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

I am so sorry that I haven’t written in a while. With two back-to-back out-of town weekend weddings and a camping trip to a music festival over Memorial Day weekend, and lots of mahjong (your Dad has become a mahjong fiend) in between, my head has just not been into the computer or the kitchen. But it has been fun!

I reread your last letter and love your take on collecting (hoarding). I am working on acceptance while also trying to purge my life of the burden of too much stuff. Dad and I had a few extra days at the beach where I am always reminded of how little stuff I actually need…and how good that feels.

We spent time with friends at the wedding and celebrated Mother’s Day and our 29^th anniversary at a fabulous restaurant at the beach. It’s hard to believe that we have been married for 29 years! The number of years doesn’t do any justice to the reality of time flying by. I want to put the brakes on, slow it down a bit…make it last a little longer…but life just keeps on zipping by.

When you get to our age (not old, just beyond middle age) you really get it…the time issue…how brief even a long life is. It propels you to enjoy it all, do it now and not sweat the small stuff. Dad and I are embracing this understanding.

Camping out at a Music Fest…A first for us!

I just bought a new car…a Prius! The color is Sea Glass Pearl and it reminds me of the ocean at the beach…and you know how much I love the beach! I also met with two architects to talk about redoing our master bathroom. If not now, when? Besides, it will force me to empty out our bedroom and only keep the things we really need. That’s one way to deal with my stuff issues.

The wedding in South Carolina went off without a hitch. Everyone pitched in to help with food and decor. It was at a beautiful farm overlooking a lake. Although there was a threat of rain, the sun came out in the end and provided a beautiful backdrop for the event. Julie and Megan were neck in neck when it came to catching the bouquet, validating that the hope and desire for lasting love endures beyond all obstacles, barriers or circumstances. Megan won out on this one!

Summer has arrived in Birmingham, although it hasn’t gotten brutal yet. I have been enjoying some old …and new…summer salad recipes. I am sending a potato salad recipe that a friend made for the wedding shower. It was delicious and a little lighter than my usual mayonnaise based one. I am also including my new salad favorites…an edamame and corn salad (from the same friend) and a fennel salad. Both are easy to make, healthy and delicious.

I am counting the days until we see you in NYC. I have to admit that I am feeling a little anxious about this last leg of your travel. I will just be glad to see you and be with you for more than a brief email or intermittent Skype call. I try not to worry…but I am, after all, your mother.

I am even looking forward to the unpacking, washing and repacking process that is sure to unfold a multitude of tales.

Love,

Mom

xoxooxoxooxoxxoo

French Potato Salad

I used purple and golden potatoes.

2 1/2 pounds fingerling or small red potatoes (or any good potato)
coarse salt and pepper
1/4 c olive oil
3 T Dijon mustard
2 T sherry vinegar
1 small shallot minced (2 Tblsp)
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 Tblsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 small red onion sliced

I added some chopped fresh basil and green onions from the garden.

Boil washed whole potatoes in water with a little salt until just done. Rinse and cool cooked potatoes. I rinse them with cold water and cover them with ice so they don’t continue cooking and get mushy.

Cut potatoes in small bite-sized pieces and put in a large mixing bowl.

Blend together oil, mustard, vinegar, chopped shallots and thyme for the dressing.

Pour over the potatoes. Add chopped parsley, sliced red onions and salt and pepper . Mix together thoroughly.

To vary, add other fresh herbs and green onions. I like basil or tarragon for a little different flavor.

Edamame Salad

16 oz bag of frozen shelled edamame (cook according to directions on bag)
16 oz bag of frozen sweet corn
4-6 radishes (thinly sliced)
1/4 c cilantro cut up (or more if you like a lot of cilantro)
1/4 c scallions cut up
1/2 c rice wine vinegar
1 Tblsp veg oil (I used olive oil)
1 Tblsp wasabi powder
1 tsp garlic (I used fresh)
Salt to taste

Cook edamame according to the directions on the bag. Rinse and cool.

Place cooked edamame in a bowl with corn and mix together.

Add sliced radishes and cut up cilantro and scallions to corn edamame mixture.

Blend oil and vinegar and seasonings together and pour over combined veggies and mix thoroughly.

Adjust seasonings to taste.

This dish can be eaten immediately or made the day before for an even better flavor.

Israeli Fennel Salad

As simple as this recipe is, it is amazingly tasty and refreshing!

2 Fennel Bulbs thinly sliced (the thinner the better)
2 fresh lemons juiced (you can add a little lemon zest if you like)
1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil
4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley (I like Italian flat leafed parsley)
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Wash the fennel and remove all stalks. Use fennel bulb only and slice crosswise thinly.

Pour juice from 2 fresh lemons over the sliced fennel. If you like, add a little lemon zest from one of the lemons.

Add the olive oil.

Chop the parsley and mix into the salad.

Add salt and pepper to taste and it’s ready to eat!

♦ Letting Go…I’m Working On It!

Posted on May 7, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

I just reread your letter and am again reminded of why I am so intimidated. Your pictures are transporting, your recipes mouthwatering and I have to restrain myself from kissing the computer screen when you treat me to a rare photo of your oh-so-happy-in-this-precise-moment face. I know you torture yourself with life’s unending questions…while you are fully engaging with every bit of life around you…but I am so proud and happy that you pursued this crazy dream. Even if it changes you…and takes you to places out of my daily reach.

In the meantime, here I am in Birmingham, struggling with my own particular brand of self-torture. In the past 4 months, I have gotten down and dirty in the process of packing and unpacking other people’s lives (yours included) as they let go of the old to forge new lifestyles and pursue yet unfulfilled dreams.

Unpacking at Abe and Gail’s

It’s easy for me to help other people clear their closets of outdated ill-fitting clothing and give away the precious junk they thought they couldn’t live without. I support, encourage and reassure anyone with the guts to try on a new life. And I get paralyzed just thinking about throwing out clothes I haven’t worn in ten years!

Immersing myself in the messiness of other peoples’ moves has made me take a hard look at all the mess and stuff in my life…how burdened I feel by it all…and how difficult it is for me to let go.

I’m Getting Good at This!

Your bedroom has been sitting in limbo for two years…part shrine, part overflow storage, part crash pad. The bedroom of your childhood is obsolete. I have been talking about a master bath retreat for years. There aren’t many years left. It is time for me to just do it. I want to behave as if we are moving…culling, throwing, giving away…leaving only the essentials. I have been practicing on everyone else and now I am ready to let go! Maybe…

Cooking offers a convenient distraction.

A whole lotta cooking!

Wedding showers, shabbat luncheons at temple…friends for dinner Saturday night and more family and friends for brunch Sunday morning…then an afternoon spent trying to replicate the Bubbe Blintz. I needed to use that Farmers Cheese that has been in my freezer for…I can’t even tell you how long. The pull of the kitchen is obviously stronger than a pared down closet. At least I am cleaning out my freezer!

We leave for a week at the beach this Wednesday and come back only to turn around and go to South Carolina for Karen’s wedding the next weekend. Then it’s Memorial Day and Dad and I are going to an Acoustic Cafe Music Festival in some small town in Alabama. We’ll be camping out and practicing yoga and sitting on our old-people’s-outdoor-concert-folding-chairs-in-the-bags. Our trip to NYC to meet you is right on the heels of that corner. There is no end to the diversions and attractions that keep me away from those closets!

Maybe next month…when I run out of things to do that I really want to do.

Love,

Mom

Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

P.S. Can’t wait to see you in NYC…even if it is only for a few days. I promise…I’m working on letting you go!

Bubbe’s Blintzes*

I did it!

Bubbe’s Blintzes were a family delicacy. Her freezer was not complete without a reserve stash of blintzes waiting for a surprise visit from the out-of-town relatives or a local grandchild dropping in for lunch or a snack. Eating only one was practically an insult. She would defrost 6 and make you eat at least 5 before you even had a chance to protest. Bubbe could whip up 100 blintzes in an afternoon, seemingly effortlessly.

These are not the typical sweet blintz that you might find at a deli or in the freezer section at the grocery store. They aren’t savory either. They are just the perfect combination of a buttery crepe wrapped around a smooth creamy cheese filling with the faintest hint of vanilla. Bubbe served them with sour cream, strawberry jam or apple sauce. I love them plain with nothing extra!

*(Special thanks to Ruth who watched Bubbe make hundreds of Blintzes in her kitchen in NJ. Ruth learned the art from Bubbe and passed it on to me.)

Cheese Blintzes

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. This recipe makes 3 to 4 dozen depending on how much cheese you use and how thick your blintz skins are.

Blintz Crepe Batter

3 Cups flour
6 – 7 Cups skim milk
7 Eggs
Pinch salt

Mix ingredients in a blender or in a large deep bowl using an immersion stick blender until there are no visible lumps. Let batter rest for about 30 minutes.

Use a non-stick or stainless steel crepe pan or small frying pan. Heat pan over medium heat before smearing butter lightly on pan. I use wax paper to hold the butter and lightly spread it on the pan.

Pour about ¼ to ⅓ cup of batter into the pan and swirl it around the bottom of the heated pan to cover the pan with a thin layer of batter. It may take a few times to get the pan to the right temperature and the right amount of batter to cover the bottom of the pan with a thin coating of batter.

Cook on one side only until you can see little holes popping through and the edges come away from the sides of the pan.

Flip the crepe out of the pan onto parchment paper or brown paper sacks uncooked side face-down.

Repeat process until all the batter is gone. Don’t be discouraged if you mess up the first few crepes. They are delicious plain, so enjoy your mistakes.

Blintz Filling

3 pounds Farmer Cheese* (it looks like very small curd dried cottage cheese) *It can be stored in the freezer for a very long time if it is vacuum packed…and it is as good as new when defrosted!
3 Eggs
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Mix all ingredients together by hand or with a stick blender or electric beater.Once the crepe is cooled.

Place a couple tablespoons of the cheese mixture at the bottom of the circle of dough on the cooked side of the dough.

Roll the dough over the cheese to form a tube about the size of a roll of quarters. Roll the dough over once and fold the sides in.

Then continue to roll the dough until the blintz is formed. The uncooked side of the dough should form the outside of the blintz. Place the completed blintz with the seam down on a fresh piece of wax paper on a metal baking sheet. You can use more or less cheese filling based on your preference, but don’t overfill.

At this stage, the Blintzes are ready to be sautéed in a small amount of butter until both sides of the Blintz are lightly browned.

Blintzes may also be flash frozen prior to sautéing and placed in freezer bags to be prepared and served at another time.

They’ll be waiting in the freezer for you…whenever you get here! xo Mom

cross counter exchange

Author Archives: estherschuster

♦ Family, Food and Love

♦ Bringing A Bit Of Home

♦ Shaina Moves Out…Shiitakes Move In

♦ Schuster Shealy

♦ Tzereis Gezundereit…or Carpe Diem

♦ From Down the Hall

♦ Commingling

♦ Counting the Hours

♦ Love Endures…Time Flies

♦ Letting Go…I’m Working On It!