Shekem Dough and Disco in the Sukkah or Mushroom Onion Roulade

I've been simultaneously working on few posts, couple Holiday posts that are way overdue but we are still in the midst of the High Holidays with Sukkot a week long. At the same time my mind is running in different directions and ideas abundant bouncing around. I have so many recipes I would like to share with you, but at the same time how do I tie them to the Holiday season and cooking for two. I am sorting out through all that and it seems the picture is getting crisper and clearer which at this junction and hazy crossroads is a glimmer of excitement for what lays ahead around the curb. Sukkot, is the Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles. The tabernacles, the dwellings of the Israelites after the exodus from Egypt while wandering through desert for forty years. My memories of Sukkot are, in our relatively small dwelling with an disproportionately large porch, of my dad, with our help, building a sukkah every year in our, did I mention, disproportionately large porch.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes - My Lunch Today

Quiet a bit of discussion about healthy eating habits and really it is simple. Something I religiously do is roast vegetables on Thursday so we have it for Friday night as starters for a big meal and over the weekend on the sandwiches on the go, picnics or if having few people over then appetizers. If you put a bit of time in this simply prepared roasted vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants or bell peppers, the reward is not only in the intensity of the flavor but the versatility of the roasted ingredients. Slow roasting tomatoes is very straight forward not much to it but programming the oven timer on for three hours If you follow these few simple steps your healthy eating won't be a chore, only a pleasure. As appetizers you toast slices of baguettes and layer with a spread such as pesto, avocado, and layer with roasted vegetables. You can also use this Moroccan Lemon preserves as first layer and top with avocado and anchovy. Endless possibilities!

Fig Gelato - two ways!

Rosh Hashana brings with it a time for self reflection, soul searching and introspection. This year is not only a crossroad, a right of passage for our son who we just dropped off in college but also for us, now empty nesters. There are so many thoughts crossing my mind about growth, maturity, independence, self fulfillment and being a better person and giving to others, even in small gestures.  Some thoughts as I am sure cross my child's mind.  His adjustment started with a rocky start and mine with the Holidays sneaking in a bit too quickly, staring at me blankly, now what?! Our son, Sagie, went to a reality, hopefully temporary, of shattered dreams of playing college soccer due to a tough leg injury and surgery. He worked very hard and sacrificed a lot the majority of his 18 years of life so that he can play soccer in college. Me, I made celebrations of Jewish and American Holidays mostly in our home for the last eighteen years and all for this lone child of mine. Celebration with much cooking and commotion, big loud laughter mostly mine, and sometimes Sagie will join in laughing at my jokes until our stomachs hurt. Some smaller devilish smirks with a tingle in of both Jonathan's and Sagie's eyes at Jonathan's dry humor loving arrows of sarcasm targeted at me, which are so smart I even have to laugh. All this commotion for a larger life for this small family of mine!! now, what?! ...but then, we get an inspired text from Sagie recently around midnight, 'that he always wished for a humbled life, and maybe this battering of his spirit is some sort the humbling life he always yearned for, a test for him to persevere and grow stronger.' Sometimes I feel this child of mine is raising me, and when we get a text such as this, we are speechless and at awe. I MUST think for a happy sweet New Year to focus my energies on self growth and do good, and if not a big family, friends, cooking, commotion and celebration this Rosh Hashana then there is always Thanksgiving!!