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Family, Friends and Guests

Another week, and this Shabbat is going to be busy.  We have four guests from NCSY who are in Israel for a summer program.  They will be eating dinner with us, but eating lunch with the rest of their group.  My sister and her family are coming over from Alon Shvut.  Her husband works with groups from the states during the summers and is almost never home for summer Shabbatot.  To top it off, we have a few friends who are temporarily alone. Their wife or husband is away for Shabbat.  They will add some flavor to tomorrow's lunch.

Menus are pretty simple this week.  All stuff I've made before.  I'm in a bit of a rut, partially because the vegetables this year are less plentiful than last year.  Its a shmita year and even though we hold heter mechira, there is just less good produce.  Partially, its because I need some ideas.  I havn't read a new cookbook in while.  I'll try and review some old ones this weekend.  I've talked to professional chef's who go through phases.  One chef had spend the last year working with chives.  I certainly have times that I want comfort food or spice food, but for the most part, I don't seem to get hung up on ingredients.

My sister is bringing thanksgiving food; turkey and cranberry sauce.  So I made corn and mushroom barley soup.  That's comfort food.  If the temperature outside wasn't so hot, I would be a happy man.

Dinner - 16
Mushroom Barley soup
Chicken Meatballs and Pepper sauce
Turkey
Corn
Cranberry Sauce
Cabbage and Ginger
Quinoa

Lunch - 15
Kol Dulce Con Carne (Beef and Cabbage)
Prepared Shnitzel (I'm lazy)
Restaurant Wings
Cold Cuts
Rice
Cucumber Mint Salad
Israeli Salad

Recipe:  Cucumber Mint Salad

2 large cucumber
1 large onion finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh mint -- chopped
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice

Peel cucumber and chop into 1/4-inch cubes. Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix. Serve at room temperature. This recipe does not last overnight. Mix cucumber and onion in a sealed container and add the rest of the ingredients about 15 minutes before service.
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Comments

Talia said…
Hi Elliot!
You're welcome to borrow cookbooks or exchange ideas! you know I can talk at length about food...
Take care
Talia
July 11, 2008 at 9:37 AM
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