I’ll take mine…
my family
my life
all the pain
all the issues
all the divorce
and the daily trials and tribulations
I’ll take mine…
why?
because yours is yours
and no one has it easy
we all have our “things”…
we go through…
we have to survive.
just because yours might look better to me
from this side of the room
it’s not.
learnt a lesson the other day (2 times)
first from a good friend …going through her own bitter divorce
i’ll take mine.
sure she had 5 gorgeous, talented, terrific kids
22 years
and it all looked “good” (from my seat)
but now
even then….
it was her life
if I want her “good”
then I am going to have to take her “bad”
and…
I’ll take mine.
2nd from watching a family
that I was always admittedly sorta envious of
the “perfect” siblings, the generous in-laws, the family camaraderie, the rich parents…
the endless vacations, clothing shopping, family simchot & get togethers
but…
i’ll take mine
because the pressure of living in that “perfect” family
well… I would never survive.
and really….is it perfect?
nah….i highly doubt it
why?
because life is not perfect
for anyone…
because life is about being HAPPY with what you HAVE
not being SAD about what you HAVE NOT
we all have our “things”
there is no picking & choosing from the..
GOOD & bad
so…
I’ll take mine!
Me & Rivky Eisenberg (www.yumkosher.com & the Viennese Table) in her Kitchen. I walked in on her cooking & baking out of her favorite Julia Child cookbook & my first cookbook The Dairy Gourmet! (I had to get that pic – me & Julia Child..Woohoo! & NO we did not purposely dress alike!)
I don’t know how this tradition started so many summers ago, where the Eisenberg’s hosted the end of fast feast we have had for the last 10 years . This Break-Fast meal is created mainly by, Rivky, who spends the last few hours of the fast day, creating a meal that if it wasn’t a fast day – you would fast for, just so you can have this meal! I got involved when my cravings and need to be occupied combined themselves. And instead of looking at the cooking magazines salivating while fasting, I get into the kitchen and cook or bake the odds and ends that I was drooling over.
We make a good team, Rivky and I. This Break-fast feast has become an urban legend, and occasionally, if your lucky, we set another seat at the already filled 20+ people table….but you gotta bring the ice-cream! (Hagan-dazz & Cholov Yisroel & we are particular about our flavors 
– so be warned! )
This past Sunday’s fast had me drooling over Ina Gartens Cheddar Dill Scones…I have no idea why. But there was something about a buttery light biscuit that had cheese and herbs, served hot with butter and soup…that just made me say…I gotsta make these NOW!
And because I spent my Sunday morning, cleaning out my freezers (so overdue) in my pjs, I used up all the half open bags of broccoli & corn that were floating around for my favorite cream of broccoli soup.
If you don’t want to patchke with the scones..I insist you make the soup. It is super easy and really the perfect light dinner served with homemade garlic bread for those summer nights, where you just want to take it easy.
Cheddar Scones
recipe adapted from Ina Gartens The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Ingredients
- 4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
- 4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 1/2 pound extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, small-diced
- 1 cup minced fresh dill
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine 4 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended.
Toss together the Cheddar, dill, and 1 tablespoon of flour and add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed. (add flour as needed to make less sticky and workable)
Roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch pieces and then roll and pat into patties.
Brush the tops with egg wash.
Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick spray for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked.
Cream of Broccoli & Corn Soup
Ingredients
1 large onion, diced
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. curry
2 tsp. garlic powder
Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
3 lbs frozen broccoli
1 lb frozen corn niblets
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded mixed cheddar & mozzarella blend
Directions:
In a large soup pot, sauté the onions in olive oil on medium high heat for about 8-10 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized.
Add all the spices and mix well, cook for about 45 seconds more. Then add the broccoli, and corn, and mix well with the onions.
Add the broth and water, cover pot and bring the soup to a boil.
Remove from flame.
Using a hand blender, puree soup until smooth. Add the cream and cheese and mix well.
Serve hot.
Here is a little taste of our Menu that night – For the Home-Made Onion Bialy’s that Rivky made – go to www.yumkosher.com for recipe.
onion bialy’s that were served with egg & fried onion omelets
my famous Tastebuds Nachos & Cheese
The Viennese Table Cheese Braid & Chocolate Babka
My The Dairy Gourmet Greek Salad (we also had Ceaser Salad & potato Lecho)
5. then fold in both of the edges to meet in the middle
8. In a separate small frying pan, heat on medium flame the honey and vanilla for about 2 minutes. Pour over the Ricotta Wonton Blintzes and serve immediately.
