Friday, November 18, 2011
Chayei Sarah menu
Echad
Sunday, November 13, 2011
A wonderful Fish Appetizer recipe
I needed an easy appetizer that included fish and honey for last week's Shabbat meal. While using Google, I stumbled across A Taste of Persia, (I am soooo gonna buy this cookbook!) and was able to modify the recipe to suit my needs and the family's taste prefrences. What a wonderful dish! Everyone loved it, even the little ones. I wish I had taken pictures, it was as beautiful as it was yummy! I will certainly cook this one again!
~Pomegranate Fish with Honey~
4 firm-fleshed, Biblically-clean fish fillets,( halibut, salmon, sea bass...)
butter or olive oil
pomegranate seeds for garnish
chopped walnuts for garnish
candied orange peel for garnish
squeezed lemon juice
fresh cilantro
~sauce~
1 onion, sliced very thinly
3 cloves garlic, pressed
small palmful walnuts, chopped
cayenne pepper to taste
squeeze of juice from an orange, or a bit of candied orange peel
4 TBLS pomegranate paste diluted in water to make 1 cup, or 1 cup pomegranate juice
1 TBLS honey
1 pinch of saffron threads
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400F. Wash and pat dry fillets, rub both sides of fish with salt and oil. Place on foil lined, oiled baking sheet.
Saute onions and garlic in sauce pan with butter and olive oil until nicely browned. Add remaining ingredients and saute until nuts are softened.
Spread over fish. Either roll fish and secure with toothpicks, or leave flat to bake. Pop into oven bake until done, about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.
Arrange on platter, pour remaining sauce over fish, garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped walnuts. Add chopped, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.
Serve with saffron rice and Tziki.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Shabbat menu, Vayera!
What Shabbat Looks Like at our House...
I was recently asked this question:
“Lynn, when you prepare the meals for Shabbat the day before, how do you serve them warm on the Sabbath day? I have never quite gotten my brain wrapped around that concept. I would love to see a blow-by-blow description of a "composite" Shabbat for your family sometime, when/if you have some time to type it out, please. Like how you prepare and what the actual day actually LOOKS like in your family.”
I’ve answered this before in earlier posts, complete with scripture. Now that we’ve kept Shabbat for a few years, we have changed a few things, streamed lined a few things, and Shabbat has become even more blessed and a much anticipated rest at the end of the week.
Please remember, I have older children who are a wonderful help and we enjoy having a big, festive meal. This was much more difficult when they were all younger and we didn’t really know what we were doing…
~Sunday through Wednesday We actually begin preparations for Shabbat on Sunday by reading the new Parasha, (the scripture reading set up by Ezra to keep the Hebrews learning scripture) the Haftarah, (the portion of the prophets that corresponds to the Parahsa) and the Brit Chadasha, (the corresponding New Testament portion.) During the week, we study these and several extra biblical texts, Biblical and Modern Hebrew, history, geography, ancient sociology, nutrition, climate, archeology, cultural anthropology, etc... anything that helps us further understand the text.
I try to plan my menu around the things we’ve studied but I don’t always achieve this. Dietary needs, taste preferences, ingredient availability, budget, and whim is sometimes limiting…
The menu encompasses the Shabbat evening meal on Friday evening, a Shabbat breakfast & lunch on Saturday, and leftovers for Saturday night supper, and even several more meals. I also try to plan the menu to be hot for Shabbat evening and either a cold lunch or to stay warm in the crock pot for lunch. Many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern meals are ideal for this.
~Thursdays are usually reserved for school, shopping, and cleaning.
~Fridays are devoted to cooking and last minute prep. I have older children who are great workers so I can devote myself to this. I make sure to employ crock pots, rice cookers, (they’re not just for rice) hot water pots, warmers to make this easier. I would someday like some nice serving pieces to really make the food look as good as it tastes, and maybe even a Blech keep it all warm.
~
~Shabbat is sundown Friday until sundown Saturday~
Here’s what our Shabbat looks like:
~Sundown Friday~ Shabbat begins. I cover my hair, we gather around the food for Kiddush, blessings, prayers, a little singing, an explanation of the menu to the Parasha. Then we Eat, talk, discuss, laugh… Then, clear the table, food left in crock pots or put in ‘fridge, dishes to soak (Clint has everything washed up before Shabbat begins as a kindness to me so there really aren’t many dirty dishes)
After Dinner, we might have a quick summary of the Parasha, watch an online Parasha study, or we might watch a “Sabbathy” movie, or go visit someone. Usually, I’m just ready for bed!
~Saturday morning~ Sleep late! Stay in our special Shabbat PJ’s all day!!! Shabbat is all about resting and remembering. We don’t have to work, or shop, or cook; we only need to rest. All meals are ready so I don’t have to do anything, just set out the breakfast and maybe some items to come to room temp in time for lunch. I am a total Lady of Leisure on Shabbat!!!
Clint might go to synagogue or a Bible study but I usually stay home, that’s what I love. About once a month we’ll all travel to a meeting with like-minded people for fellowship.
~Saturday midday~ We will eat our lunch, dishes in the sink and then begin our Bible study. We might have some folks over or it might be just us.
Now THIS can get fierce. My older children are very good at bringing what they’ve learned during the week to the table and we’ll discuss, debate, argue, listen, compare, read, consider… It can be intense and once, my 19 son actually yelled out:
“The Marquis of Queensbury Rules will be observed at all times!”
Our Bible study can last hours and sometimes, it is very short. A few times, we don’t have Bible study at all but instead there may be a need in the community and we will go help. One time, we had a tornado hit the adjacent town and the guys were able to get there quickly, before emergency services and help out.
~Saturday afternoon~ Clint joins a Jerusalem-based online Torah study and I have my Hebrew studies. We are free to play, read, nap… We love to go to the state parks and hike. Sometimes we’ll go visit people and sometimes we’ll continue our Torah study.
~Saturday sundown~ supper and Havdalah, when we mark the end Shabbat and the beginning of the work week with prayers of thankfulness and blessing. I dearly love the Havdalah prayer…
~Saturday night~ Shabbat is over and our work week begins again. We clean up, wash the dishes, and then it’s off to Broomball. Or we’ll watch a movie and eat freshly popped popcorn, since we can cook again!!!
It is a wonderful time with our family and The Father. I only wish that we had always kept Shabbat.
~
Shabbat Shalom v'Shavua Tov!
~WOW~
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Chukat and menu
This week's Bible Study, Chukat, contains the sacrifice and use of the ashes of the Red Heifer, the Water of Purification, the death of Miriam, the grumbling of the people, (again!) Moses' and Aaron's sin, water from the Rock, death of Aaron, the bronze serpent, and various battles. Figs, Dates, Pomegranates are mentioned... and of course the Red Heifer. I again relied on table settings to help Clint tell the story...
I sat the table with a red felt table runner which I attached tassles to the corners, a large vase containing Rosemary branches, sprigs of marjoram, oregano and thyme, (the closest things I had to hyssop) all seated on a plank of cedar. I also sat out glasses of water, pitchers of water, bowls of water and even some lye water.
For our Torah study, we discussed the medicinal side of the ashes of the Red Heifer, how lye water was made by pouring clean water through the ashes, how it cleansed after exposure to the dead, various forms of "leprosy" and cleansing of sin, and how it is used today. We explored the various forms of water... water for cleansing, water for sustaining, living water, stagnate water... and the danger of too little water. One of the songs we sang was, "I've Got a River of Life"
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7)For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. (Hebrews 9:19-20)
He is the unblemished sacrifice! (Hebrews 9:14)He is the living water that is poured through the ashes! (John 7:37-38)He is the Water of Purification that cleanses us from all unrighteousness! (1John 1:9)He is our Seventh Day! (Matthew 11:28)He is the Rock that gives us water! (1 Corinthians 10:4)He is the serpent on the staff! (John 3:14)He is the High Priest who became unclean for us so that we might be clean! (Hebrews 9:11-28)
~Halleluyah!~
Friday, September 11, 2009
Shabbat on our knees... Teshuvah!
We are not having a special meeting tonight but a time of prayer. Husband and I are grieved to see America has slipped back into complacency, back away from The Almighty. This is the season of Teshuvah, of returning back to the laws of The Father in preparation of the Fall Feasts and the Messiah's return.
How very fitting that tonight's Parashah is Ki Tavo, "when you enter." In this Parashah, the children of Israel are getting ready to enter the land and Moses is exhorting them to keep the law, the Torah. It is in this reading where the Moses gives them the charge for the "Blessings and Curses." Blessings if you follow the commandments, the Torah, and Curses if you don't. This is reflected in 2 Ch 7:14
Quote: |
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. |
Ki Tavo is read during the season of Teshuva, or returning, the time when we are to perform cheshbon ha-nefesh and teshuvah, (soul searching and return [to the laws of the Almighty]) in the days leading to Yom Kippur. In other words, "Repent before you die." This is interesting because Husband and I feel today, the eighth anniversay of 9/11, America needs Chesbon ha-nefesh and Teshuvah!
Parashah: Deut. 26:1 - 29:9
Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22
Brit Chadashah: Acts 7:30-36, Eph. 1:3-6 , Rev. 21:10-27