(One Day After) Thanksgiving Day Bliss

What began as a Freak-Out Thanksgiving, ended up a Fantastic one!  While there were a couple moments of doubt, skepticism and “There’s a bubble!” the moments of eating delicious turkey, stuffing (from scratch) mashed taters, sweet potatoes, cranberries (we actually had some, and fresh ones at that), and both pumpkin pie and apple crisp for desert erased all else.

I honestly think that getting the turkey fresh from the market is the key, cuz it was the best turkey I’ve ever had!!! (and I’m not just saying that because I cooked it).

Turns out that Becca makes the most amazing, incredible, mouth savoring Apple Crisp IN THE WORLD! We taught our friends from Finland/Holland/Israel all about Thanksgiving Day Traditions (including American Football, Chia Pets, and Aluminum Trees w/rotating light discs….don’t ask!) We played a bit of Texas Hold-Um using 10 Cent Shekels, and all in all, it was a wonderful day!  You wanted to see some pics, so here you go….

The infamous “tweezing” of the quills and feathers left on the turkey (I finally got smart and starting using my tweezer instead of killing my fingers):

Our guy Before and After:

(To see the entire Thanksgiving collection, click here)

Hope Everyone had as wonderful a day as I did!!! Now….on to Christmas/Chanukah!

and the winner is……kosher (ummm, not so much)!

I had originally wrote this post back in April of this year, when swine flu peeked its nasty head into the world.  Well, 7 months later, and I’m singing a new tune.  I guess I wrote a little hastely about the outbreak (now called H1N1), cuz here’s the thing:

I GOT IT (and its spreading through Israel, like the States too)

Yep.  I got hit by the little pig-snorting flu, and let me just say its not fun at all! Those pigs know how to take vengence on the human race.  I’m spending lots of time in bed, drinking lots of OJ and cough syrup, and feeling pretty miserable.

This isn’t over PIG!  I will survive you’re evil plan…..

(Here’s the original post:)

This is one good thing about living in Israel ……. I don’t think we will be seeing any of those Swine Flu Outbreaks over here.

(Finally, a good reason to eat kosher)

hehehehee.

…and that baby pig is way too cute to eat….doesn’t anyone remember the movie, Babe?

Update:  Oh no!  It looks like we have a case.  Someone came back from Mexico, but luckily he’s been detained and treated….whew!  We won’t stand for any type of flu that is NOT kosher!!!

Update #2: 2nd case in Kfar Saba has been confirmed.  Another man returning from Mexico, expected to make a full-recovery.  Why r Israeli’s going to Mexico???????

Update 3#: WE NOW HAVE A CONFIRMED CASE RIGHT HERE IN TEL AVIV! ISH!!!

Fly Me To The Moon

There’s a Japanese restaurant in Tel Aviv that I completely adore called Moon.  If it weren’t so expensive, I’d eat there all the time!  I love Sushi!  It’s a fact!

If I were called to Japan, other than the language, I really wouldn’t mind at all.  I could totally live off of rice, sushi, tea, and noodles (ohhhh, not to forget the miso soup).  This past weekend a friend treated me to dinner at Moon, so I took a couple pics on my Iphone.  My Cherry Blossom Tea came in the most adorable teapot and cup, and I really wanted to take it home with me.

Volcano Taco Eating Contest: The Rematch!

I know you have all been dying to find out what happened with our annual Volcano Eating Contest while I was in the States.  Well, wait no more….here are the pics and results of the rematch (the 1st contest I won hands down, here is the recap in case you missed it) We started with one taco, and moved on to the Ultimate Volcano Nachos.  The jalapeno peppers they put on there were a killer, plus we added lots of HOT sauce to spicen-up the contest.

But in the end, after the last nacho chip was eaten, we had to declare it a tie!  We both lasted without water for quite a while after.  I guess my little Micheal (who isn’t so little any more) has managed to catch up with me FOR NOW!  I’m determined to win back my SOLO TITLE of CHAMPION… I guess we will just really have to add some super spicy extras next round!

The Final Countdown

The wait is over.

My bags are packed.

I’m on my way.

I’ve been waiting for this day for over a month now… as the anticipation has grown, so has the list of things I am looking forward to during my visit.  My flight leaves today, and after 12 hours in Paris, I will continue my journey back home.  Here is my Top 10 List for What I’m Looking Forward To Most:

10. Fall! The colors of the leaves, smell of the night, and a bit cooler weather (though not too cool, I hope!)

9. American Football! There’s nothing like college football games on a Saturday afternoon.

8. Mexican food! Enough said.

7. Speaking of food….The sequel of The Volcano Taco Eating Contest with Micheal, my nephew!  I’m giving him another chance to redeem his loss from last year. (in case you missed it the first time around)

6. Riding my mom’s horses with her!

5. Not having ANY Hebrew classes for 3 weeks!

4. Taking LOOOOOONG, Hot showers! Not having to worry about the water crises and going beyond our limit.

3. Caribou Coffee! (or Starbucks as my backup)

2. Pumpkin Spice Latte’s! (or anything Pumpkin for that matter)

1. Spending time with my FAMILY! This is what I want MOST!

God has such a sense of humor!

I stumbled across a piece of paper I had tucked away from many years ago.  On this piece of paper was listed 5 things. It was an assignment for my missions class; we had to do one new thing each day for the week.  I remember that day, thinking “what the heck can I do?”  …..

….. Years  later, here I am writing from my host family’s home, in the Arab community of Nazareth.  So what was on that list you might be wondering???

#5: EAT ARAB FOOD

You see, at that time I had NEVER eaten Arabic food!  Yet, here I am today…living in Israel, eating Arabic food practically everyday!!!  Who would have thunk it??? Not me!  

God has such a sense of humor!!

Mediterranean Monday: Israeli Salad

It’s back! I haven’t done a Med. Monday in quite some time and I’ve been missing it. As a special come-back post, I made a short video of me making Israeli Salad.  Yes, you heard correctly…. I am going to actually prepare it myself!!!  Take a look….

(Don’t worry, its not actually that long…after the credits the song goes on for a bit)

A basket-full of Pita’s!

Any Survivor fans out there?  My parents are big fans, so I’ve watched a couple of seasons.  I like it (not as much as Amazing Race, but still). I was watching Survivor Israel (we also have Amazing Race Israel, whoo-hoo), when something awesome happened.  One of the contestants won a challenge and had to choose between spending the night with his family members or receiving immunity, which meant being sent to exile island.  He choose the immunity, so off he went.  

While he was there he received a basket of food as the gift.  He opened up the basket and was estatic!  He pulled out a pita and immediately began rejoicing.  He smelled it, held it, hugged it etc.  He was sooooo excited for that basket-full of pita (and humus too).  

Its funny how on American Survivor they get soooo excited about chocolate cake, sweets, hamburgers, fries etc.  Here they are most excited about pita and humus.  I love it!  I love getting excited about pita and humus, cuz I can totally understand, now that I live here. 

I wanna know:  If you were on Survivor, what is the one food that you would be most excited to see in that basket??? Come on all you readers/no commenters….time to cast your vote!

Matza, Matza, Matza

And here I was wondering what I would do with all my extra matza from Pesach…..

Pesach is here

No more pita and hummus.  Pesach (passover) calls for no bread or pita (yeast) for 8 more days.  I think its a good thing, though…my hips and thighs are proving to need the break as well :{

Chanukah, Day 6: Latkes

Ok, more food!  But come on…holidays are about the eating, right?!? Potato latkes are another common food eaten during Chanukah, and what a surprise….a fried one!

To add something different I thought I would give you the receipe on how to make them….

 

 

 

 

What you’ll need:

• 2 peeled potatoes
• 1 peeled onion
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 2 tbsp. melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• black pepper
• sour cream

Directions:

1. Grate potatoes and onions into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. In another bowl add the eggs, milk, butter and blend.

3. Then add the flour, salt, and pepper and mix.

4. Drop spoon-sized amounts on the skillet.

5. Spread out to make a pancake-type shape.

6. Flip over until both sides are nice and golden-brown.

7. Serve with sour cream.

ENJOY!!!!!

Tomorrow: African Chanukah

Chanukah, Day 3: Sufganiyot

No holiday would be complete without the traditional fatening foods that accompany it.  Here in Israel we also have this very thing, called sufganiyot.  Sufganiyot are like American-style donuts, except without the hole in the middle.  They are deep-fried (all Chanukah food is, going along with the theme of the miracle oil) and filled with strawberry or raspberry jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Sufganiyot carry the added pleasure of around 500-700 caleries each, so its been said if you eat too many sufganiyot during Chanukah, you end up looking like one!  I say, you always seem to put on a few kilos during the holiday season, so go ahead and indulge in this once a year holiday treat! (Even though the sufganiyot in these pics were ‘mini’ and about half the size of a real one.)

Tomorrow: Chanukah and Christmas, Biblically

Only one of many

She is only one of many.  She has a past.  She has a family.  She has a story.  Yet, here she is living on the streets of Tel Aviv. Homeless. Desolate.  

She was a Jew living in Iran, experiencing the hatred thrown her way every day. (Can you only imagine that scenario?)  She wanted a better life.  She came back home to Israel, hoping to receive it, but it wasn’t there. She is one of the people we serve each Friday night as we take food out to the streets.  She is a regular. Most volunteers know her.  

Tonight we cannot go out to feed them.  I wonder what she will do.  I wonder what she will eat.  I wonder if she asks herself why we aren’t there to help.  I wonder if she’ll even notice.

She is only one of many.  

Mediterranean Monday: Hummus

As George Clooney so elequently stated in an early Friends episode, “God Bless the Chick Pea.” Hummus (or hommos, like its pronounced here) is a staple in the Middle Eastern diet.  It is a common part of meals for Israeli’s, used as an appetizer, dip, or the main dish.  I have discovered there are many different brands and flavors of hummus found in the grocery stores, depending on your taste…(there’s even a hummus light, for those dieting fanatics who just can’t give it up).  

My favorite way to eat hummus is spread across warm flatbread (a type of pita), the key being warm. Ohhhh, its just soooo wonderfully good!  I’ve also seen people use it with plain old bread, crackers, hard-boiled eggs, or with chicken.  

It’s been said that hummus is an ‘adopted’ Israeli Jewish dish, since it is traditionally an Arab food.  I really don’t care where its origins are, I’m just happy its here in Israel and its here to stay!!!

Yummy, yummy in my tummy

I have to pat myself on the back for a first in my life.  Yesterday I made blueberry muffins for the FIRST TIME!  I’m not a cook, nor do I aspire to be, but I must say… those muffins were good!  Maybe I’ll branch out and try this cooking thing more often.  I know my nephew would sure love to hear that news (he had 3 of them when he got home from school, and wanted more).  Go Blueberry’s!!!