Nov. '05 Mamas, Marching into Spring! - Page 12

[MelW]

I'm sorry, Amy.

I'm totally guilty of drive-by posting, since with our trip to San Fransisco/Sequoia (skipped Yosemite because more driving seemed ridiculous at the time) I've been working like a maniac. I traded shifts to get the time off, and now I'm paying everyone back by working four days, one off, three days, one off, two days and then finally a break next weekend. But the "break" coincides with my DH writing his five day MFA exam, so I'm sure we'll be totally wiped by the end of it all.

But I'm looking to you wise mamas for suggestions for baking a cake (?) for a combined passover/birthday celebration that needs to be: dairy-free, egg-free, flour-free and "kosherish". Can it be done? Matzo applesauce cake? Ideas, please? (For the record, the baking challenge is a bit of a joke- I will be making a small cake that meets all of the criteria, then probably an egg-free, dairy-free carrot cake for the real birthday cake).

[Kavita]

Originally Posted by MelW

I'm sorry, Amy.

I'm totally guilty of drive-by posting, since with our trip to San Fransisco/Sequoia (skipped Yosemite because more driving seemed ridiculous at the time) I've been working like a maniac. I traded shifts to get the time off, and now I'm paying everyone back by working four days, one off, three days, one off, two days and then finally a break next weekend. But the "break" coincides with my DH writing his five day MFA exam, so I'm sure we'll be totally wiped by the end of it all.

But I'm looking to you wise mamas for suggestions for baking a cake (?) for a combined passover/birthday celebration that needs to be: dairy-free, egg-free, flour-free and "kosherish". Can it be done? Matzo applesauce cake? Ideas, please? (For the record, the baking challenge is a bit of a joke- I will be making a small cake that meets all of the criteria, then probably an egg-free, dairy-free carrot cake for the real birthday cake).

Amy--I'm sorry to hear about your grandma but I'm really glad that your mom came through for her in the end to the extent she was able.

Mel. My initial first reaction about the cake as a person who is Jewish and who bakes is--no way! That is waaaayyy harder than the Iron Chef thing! but then I thought about it for a few minutes and came up with a few ideas and decided that I may even join you in trying to create something, as I love a challenge in the kitchen. You might be best off to try something that involves NOT actually baking but is more of a variation on a like a cake. More of like a torte or tart or cheesecake or parfait-type situation. You could probably make a halfway decent crust by crushing matzo (unsalted is probably best) into fine crumbs and then mix it with a bit of sugar and some melted coconut oil (or margarine but I vote for the coconut oil) and mix that up and press that firmly onto the bottom and slightly up the sides of a pan the same way you would make a graham cracker crust. I am not sure if soy is kosher for passover--if it is that would be awesome, because that would give you a whole lot more options for putting some sort of creamy pudding/ice cream-y filling of some sort as a layer. There are also some dairy free kosher cheesecake recipes out there somewhere. Fruit is totally kosher for passover, and you could do a layer of slices of fruit, and you could melt some apricot jelly and brush it over the top of the fruit as a glaze, the way they do with a fruit tart. Chocolate/candy is not inherently un-kosher for passover, unless there are grain-y ingredients in it, and they sell special candy/chocolates that are kosher for passover, although they probably have some dairy. I am sure that plain cocoa powder that is just cocoa with no dairy is kosher for passover, so that's another possible ingredient--that can be used to dust something or again mixed with a bit of water and maybe coconut oil or margarine to drizzle over the top of something if necessary. I guess the good news about this project is that due to the rules of kashrut, things of this sort (candy, passover foods, etc.) will be totally clearly marked as to whether they contain any dairy ingredients or whether they contain any flour or grain ingredients that are not kosher for passover. Keep in mind that coconut is both kosher and totally traditional for passover use (macaroons, anyone?) and it's a pretty yummy ingredient for desert use. Although I think that macaroons have egg ingredients in them, if I'm not mistaken . . . still, you could use that as an inspiration, say, a chocolate macaroon cake, or something like that. I think that flaxseed is a vegan substitute for egg sometimes--but I don't know if it's kosher for passover or not. I think almonds are also kosher for passover, so that is another possible ingredient to use, either sliced as an accent or ground up into a meal OR possibly marzipan?

So there are a few ideas for you to start out with!!

This reminds me, there was a big event here a few months back (which I didn't attend) but it involved the fine chefs of the area creating exotic gourmet desserts using Girl Scout cookies as a basic ingredient. But that too sounds easier than your project!

[MelW]

Kavita, you rock! I'm actually starting to get excited about this challenge

[flapjack]

Macaroons are basically beaten eggs and coconut
Isaac's first birthday cake (bearing in mind that his allergy were wheat, eggs and dairy, amongst others) was a chocolate fudge cake made with tofu and cocoa. I'll try one last time to google the recipe because I can't remember where I got it from.

[Kavita]

Originally Posted by flapjack

Macaroons are basically beaten eggs and coconut
Isaac's first birthday cake (bearing in mind that his allergy were wheat, eggs and dairy, amongst others) was a chocolate fudge cake made with tofu and cocoa. I'll try one last time to google the recipe because I can't remember where I got it from.

I was afraid of that. (the eggs.)

And Mel, thank you for thinking I rock!

I am really rooting for tofu to be able to be used in this confection we are creating. It seems that there is a bit of controversy about soybeans--they are part of a category of food called Kitniyos which is roughly translated as "lentils" and encompasses lentils, beans, rice, etc. that aren't really grains, but that are sort of on the borderline. Apparently these are prohibited more by a later developing custom than by Halacha aka Jewish Law. According to this article http://www.kashrut.com/Passover/KnowThyBeans/ " . . . the custom of the Jews in Europe (Ashkenazim) developed to avoid eating Kitniyos, and this custom was codified by the Ramah (ibid.). The Jews of Spain, Northern Europe, and the Middle East (Sefardim), however, follow the opinion of Rav Yosef Karo, and never accepted this custom. To this day, most Sefardim partake of rice, beans, maize, and other forms of Kitniyos without compunction."

So while soybeans are typically considered not kosher for passover, if you're dealing with Jews who are more laid-back about the rules and don't really honestly keep absolutely strictly kosher for passover (which I assume is the case based on your use of the term "kosher-ish"!) and this is a bit more of a tongue-in-cheek endeavor anyway, you could make a good case for tofu not being actually prohibited by Jewish law per se and say that you are following the Sephardic custom.

For more ideas on what is and is not kosher for passover, the above site has a lot of helpful information. And it also will give you a very good idea of why I am not a religiously practicing Jew. Just reading all this makes my head spin and brings out a nasty OCD streak in me that leaves me feeling mentally exhausted and wanting to curl up into a fetal ball!

Here's some more ideas for substitutions: http://www.gourmania.com/articles/passover_tips.htm

It also occured to me that there is a Jewish mamas tribe in the FYT section here, you could pose a question for them and see if they have any ideas for you. I just wouldn't mention the soybeans or the accompanying carrot cake . . . .

[flapjack]

Still can't find that recipe, but the stuff Kavita is posting is fascinating.

Haven't we all gone quiet? Where is everyone? Is anyone doing anything fun this weekend?

[*Amy*]

I've just been reading a really interesting book, which has made me really introspective. It's called Anatomy of the Spirit. It's one of the most interesting books on health that I've ever read.

This weekend we're going to try to get outside today if possible. Tomorrow it's supposed to rain. Again. :

[gingerstar]

I hear you, Amy - we had snow Thursday, that stuck. : Today it is supposed to be in the 40's, though, so it should be gone. But this is our spring break! Bleh. I've a house full of sickies, 102 fevers, snotty noses, and one puking last night.... Joy.
Trying to think of a bright note to end on... Um, my daffodils are sprouting? That did encourage me. Also, my DH may be getting a job on Monday, so that is a good thing!

[spughy]

Well, I have a sick husband and a child who is suddenly addicted to Wallace & Grommit (Curse of the Were-Rabbit), and who thinks the name of the theme song is "Stuck in Mummy's Head" .

But yesterday I took the dog for a good hike up the peninsula (Mackenzie Bight) and there was SNOW everywhere!!! So today I am going to leave the husband in bed and take Rowan and Daisy up there again. Rowan is extremely snow-deficient for a Canadian child, she needs a good dose. Down here there is no snow, but we had hail on Thursday - which Rowan thought was the best thing EVER because she could collect it from the stroller cover and munch it all up. "I like to eat hail!!!"

[barcelona]

we are having a nice, relaxing weekend. i am diving into my writing project in a moment, which i am thrilled to do, and which my spirit really needs. am gonna stock up on food later and get the house all clean and all that good stuff, and i'm sure finley will help lots

no big plans, though. the hubby and i are gonna have a saturday night "party" watching monty python, after finley sleeps.
we are quiet around here, aren't we?

it is not snowing here, but it is chilly, and i have to say, i enjoy it. it's a cozy day.

hope you are all getting healthy and having sweet weekends together.

[*Amy*]

Originally Posted by spughy

Down here there is no snow, but we had hail on Thursday - which Rowan thought was the best thing EVER because she could collect it from the stroller cover and munch it all up. "I like to eat hail!!!"

Hee hee! That is cute.


Poor Gingerstar & Spughy with the sick babes and hubbies! Is this sick season ever going to end?!

So Jason totally dropped a bombshell on me today and said that he would really like to have another baby but he doesn't think our current situation is ideal, what with living so far away from family/support and me JUST having gotten back to work on my PhD. But this is the first time he's ever brought it up and has actually talked through what changes we might need to make. I think we're both kind of terrified, though, because things have just started to get easier with Brynn overall. It's crazy to think about going back and starting all over again. But ya know, I would do it if he wanted to as well, despite the circumstances. So, we'll see. Who knows, Kavita, I might end up owing you $20 after all!

[flapjack]

Not saying a word, Amy, I don't want to jinx it...

Spughy, did we show you Shaun the Sheep? The theme tune is twenty times as annoying, and it comes in tidy short episodes so you can hear the theme tune 6 times as often.

Sharon May the washing machine be swift and efficient, and may someone find time to pamper you when all of this is over.

Barcelona good to hear from you.

We had a good day- despite the weather, I dragged my family down to the seaside and we froze our bottoms off walking along Weston-Super-Mare pier eating chips and watching punch and judy and generally being tacky tourists. It were right grand, but a wee bit nippy, like

[barcelona]

Amy, WOW. That is huge! And exciting. And I don't want to jinx it either. But I hope you can both find peace in the situation and figure out what is best for your family.

Helen, sounds like a right grand day. I fantasize about life in England all the time, so I love hearing little snippets of daily life (and your language), that bring it to life for me. How is little River? Is his name finalized?

Forgot to say, Gingerstar...great about your DH getting a job!!! And again, I hope you all feel better right away, and that you can relax when it's all over, like Helen said.

Spughy, hope Rowan is enjoying her dose of Canadian snow.

I am sitting here, going between crying and laughing along with my writing project. The man at the table next to me must think I'm insane.

And is anyone else just overwhelmed by how adorable your kids are? I am...I can't believe how sweet he is! What a precious time. And when I'm away (like now), or he's asleep, I've forgotten all about his tantrums...

Off to cry and laugh and write some more, and then domestic family time.

I love Saturdays!

[spughy]

Well our snow wasn't all that fabulous - it had melted a lot since yesterday. Rowan crunched around in it a bit, then wanted to be carried. So I got some exercise in. Then she had a meltdown in the car, probably because she woke up too early this morning. I think it was because she was hungry, and I don't have anywhere near enough milk to tide her over til breakfast when she wakes up at 6:30. So she wanted boobies in the car, fell asleep, then when I tried to move her into the car seat she predictably woke up and had a fit that we weren't going to have more boobies. Fun drive home.

DH is still in bed. It's raining now, and Rowan has rebounded from this morning's sleepies and is resolutely refusing to go for a nap, but she's playing quietly with her books so whatever. I have rhubarb I want to plant, and some woodchopping to do, but the weather isn't making me REALLY want to do any of that.

Amy - whoa dude. That's all I have to say on that. I think I'm heading to a headspace where I'm not wanting any more kids. I have to get past the whole "genetic eggs in one basket" thing, which may or may not happen. And I never really know where DH is on stuff like that. His concept of time is odd, to say the least.

Helen, no I think I successfully avoided Shaun the Sheep - or maybe saw a little of it? I am trying to limit the TV... we got the cable cut off, all good, and we're left with a few DVDs - Dora, Diego, Toopy, Backyardigans, Wonderpets and bloody Wallace & Grommit, which actually belongs to friends and I *wish* I could give it back right now, but they left for Australia on the day Rowan's W&G obsession started and they won't be back for several weeks. Figures. Why won't she go all obsessive over the Wonderpets??? I LIKE the Wonderpets.

I would like to ditch the TV altogether, but I must admit that it is sanity-saving at times. :

barcelona - have fun with your writing! I need to do a bit of that today too.

[Kavita]

Originally Posted by *Amy*

So Jason totally dropped a bombshell on me today and said that he would really like to have another baby but he doesn't think our current situation is ideal, what with living so far away from family/support and me JUST having gotten back to work on my PhD. But this is the first time he's ever brought it up and has actually talked through what changes we might need to make. I think we're both kind of terrified, though, because things have just started to get easier with Brynn overall. It's crazy to think about going back and starting all over again. But ya know, I would do it if he wanted to as well, despite the circumstances. So, we'll see. Who knows, Kavita, I might end up owing you $20 after all!

I was that Q of C didn't try grapefruit until college.

This news, on the other hand . . . on my shock-meter it registers as: :yawning:



I am over here just snickering wickedly. And wondering what I'm going to buy with my $20!

(In case the rest of you are wondering what the heck we are talking about, Amy and I were talking on the phone one day not too long ago about the probability that they would have another baby. She maintained that it was close to zero. I have consistently maintained that somehow intuitively I definitely believe that they will in fact end up having another baby. And that I was willing to bet money on it.)

At this point I am almost even willing to up the ante--an extra five bucks says that Amy (aka Ms. "We want our kid to be an only child") will be knocked up before Ms. "I want to have at least one more, and possibly three if my ovaries and sanity hold out" ie, me!!

[*Amy*]

Originally Posted by Kavita

This news, on the other hand . . . on my shock-meter it registers as: :yawning:

At this point I am almost even willing to up the ante--an extra five bucks says that Amy (aka Ms. "We want our kid to be an only child") will be knocked up before Ms. "I want to have at least one more, and possibly three if my ovaries and sanity hold out" ie, me!!

: Totally. $25 it is! You're right - I do need to open up a betting window on my blog. :nana:

Originally Posted by spughy

I have to get past the whole "genetic eggs in one basket" thing, which may or may not happen.

You mean that compels you to want to have another child, right? Just wanted to make sure I'm reading that right.

[Kavita]

And now back to my previously scheduled post . . .

I also thought it was quiet around here--and since I was the last one who posted (about the passover cake ideas) I was like, um, is it something I said?!

barcelona--you always seem so mellow and positive! I wish I felt like you sound! I envy that you really are committed to your creative side. I feel like I don't really place enough importance on nurturing my own creativity and really following through with various artistic or expressive pursuits. Right now most of my creativity is spent on writing in online forums, which certainly isn't exactly always recognized as a legitimate artistic format. How do you manage with a toddler underfoot?

spughy--I've said it before, but you are seriously hardcore! Maybe it's a Canadian thing and you're just better suited for surviving on the frozen tundra and surviving off elk jerkey and melted snow! lol! When it hails I go hide inside and worry that a big hunk of ice is going to put a hole in my roof or one of my windows! I certainly don't go pushing a stroller in it--heck, I don't even like to go outside at all even in the car when the weather is bad! Which, as Amy mentioned, it seems like it always is around here. :

gingerstar--I hope that all your sickies feel better soon! And : about your DH's potential job!!

Here I am sick. Yesterday I felt better, even though I only slept 4 hours the night before, but today all the emotional stress of the debacle with our fence and then just not getting enough sleep this week, and then being up too late yesterday night, I have gotten way worse. I have mostly lost my voice, I am coughing, I am congested both sinus, nose and chest. (Luckily DH is being very nice and is watching Ella so that I can sleep and rest and recover today.) I think that ella's bedtime is so stressful for me oftentimes that unless she falls asleep very quickly and peacefully and I can fall asleep too, I end up getting very tense when I'm already too exhausted, and then have trouble feeling relaxed and falling asleep myself. Sometimes bedtime is fine and peaceful and I get good sleep. But probably more time than not it's very frustrating and difficult, and just trying to keep my patience requires a lot of effort. First there is with trying to wrangle her through my portion of her bedtime routine and then deal with all the pinching and pulling and groping and moving and kicking and twisting around of the pre-sleep nurse-a-thon, all of which is really uncomfortable and requires me to stay on high alert to not get bitten or twiddled on the other side in a way that makes me jump out of my skin and want to just angrily swat at her like a fly. Then even the nursing is frequently interrupted to popping off to talk or jump on the bed or jump out of the bed and run around at intervals, or ask for water or cowmilk or go to the potty or whatever. Then if I finally get her to let go and lay down, and she doesn't go into a complete meltdown and scream and cry or get furious and hit and try to yank my shirt up and attack my boobs, I have to rub her back endlessly. And not just any old way--she issues orders like "tickle back!" when she wants to be sort of lightly scratched with fingers, or "up and down!" or "rub neck!" and she'll even grab my hand and move it to demonstrate. (She's definitely mama's girl in that way, so I guess that's my revenge for making DH rub me on a frequent basis and to my exacting specifications! ) Anyway, I seriously told DH last night that our next kid is getting a crib and learning to sleep on his/her own a lot earlier than this one--this just is getting really old. Not that I'd ever go with a CIO approach, but more of a No-cry-sleep solution approach. I was too lazy about this when Ella was little and I feel like now I'm paying the price! She's really a sweet and wonderful child and is mostly nice to be around, so I don't want to make her sound like a little monster, but the night-time stuff is just really hard for me. Especially because it makes it so late that I don't get any adult time with DH or time for myself either.

Anyway, that's what's news here. Nothing too major. It seems like the fence dispute is close to a resolution so that is positive. And then we're just going to plant some creeping vines on it and/or sunflowers in front of it to hide the darn thing!! I wish I had felt better, I had a whole list of little projects that I wanted to do but I just couldn't talk because I'm so hoarse that I've mostly lost my voice, and I couldn't do much besides just lay in bed. Now I'm up, but pretty much the whole day is gone now. Oh well, it's the weekend. There will be another day.

[MelW]

Taking advantage of a "no, my daddy's going to do it" evening to post. It's about time, after almost two and a half years to not need to be the parent to has to do everything.

I'm in the "hopefully getting ready to have another baby soon" camp- I feel ready right now, but things in our lives (the impending major move and no jobs yet) are putting TTC on the shelf for at least a few months. We'll see...

And our weather is insane the last couple of days- intermittent shining sun, frost overnight and we were caught out in a hailstorm on our morning run.

Neela is having a growth spurt or something with loooong naps and sleeping better than she ever has in her life She slept in until 8:30 earlier this week, and has been going to bed sooo much easier than usual! We've been doing a progressive relaxation with her that seems to be her new favourite thing, and is saving our sanity from the annoying lullaby CD that we've listened to every night for months on end now. I'll tell Neela to send some tired vibes your DD's way, Kavita.

gingerstar, good luck to your DH with the job

barcelona, I'm amazed by sweetness right now, too. She's so terrific I can barely believe by luck.

[flapjack]

Sharon, River's name is finalised, legalised, we've told Inland Revenue and are claiming his child benefit and whatnot, but some people (my aunt) are being downright rude about it I talked to the minister at the church where I run BBT about it, and her suggestion is that we tell people WHY we named him as we did: so this is what we're going to do.

Kavita I'm sending you a mug of virtual honey and lemon right now, and there's a great big slug of whisky in it. Don't give up on the bedtime routine: there is no bad habit that can't be broken, if you want to.

[HoneyTree]

Big hugs to the sick mamas and families. We had a wretched run with that a few weeks back, and are just now waking without gunky eyes and coughs.

But it sounds like many of us had splendid Saturdays! We celebrated Dh's birthday. I had tried to knit him a pair of camping socks, but only managed to finish one, so it ended up being kind of a gag gift. And the baby and I made him pizza and a lemon cake. I experimented with using beet juice to dye the icing pink. It didn't work too well. Despite the fact that I only used about two tablespoons of the room-temperature, concentrated beet juice, it somehow separated the sugar and the butter. The taste and color were good but the texture was kind of...crystally.

Today we're doing some replanting at the shoreline of an unhealthy lake in our area with one of the parents from my school who does this kind of environmental work. I'm hoping it stays overcast--we've gotten entirely too much sun for my pale little boy these past few days! But it kills me--this lake is in the white flight part of town, the ritzy suburbs--and the developers have just tortured this lake for years, letting construction silt fill it, bulldozing the grasses and plants to make it "accessible" to residents. I just don't get it; it's like people still don't realize that we're all in this together, the alligators, the bream, the herons, the apple snails, the irises, the people who live forty yards from them, the people who live forty miles from them... Speaking of which, I forgot to turn my lights out last night for Earth Hour.

OK, moving on.

Sarah, the park where you hiked with Rowan looks gorgeous! I'm sorry she got over-tired and had a rough time on the ride home. We've had many such moments in coming and going to school lately.

Mel, Woody is going through a growing spurt, too; marathon nursing, whining, throwing things, red-faced crying fits. We've had quite a few "daddy days" in the past week!

Barcelona, I loved the mental image of you sitting in a cafe getting a kick out of your writing! What a splendid day. And Kavita, I'm just guessing, but I bet that the fact that she was at the cafe instead of at home had something to do with being able to concentrate on writing!

Amy, Awwww! Did Jason just kind of pull that desire out of the blue? I'd say it's a good sign for your relationship, too, if your partner feels like it's time to consider another child. I know that when Dh brings it up, it's when he feels really secure in us as a couple, in what we can manage together, in how we approach the world, etc. And I wrote down that book title. Did I tell y'all I've been reading Krishnamurti lately? I don't know what has come over me, but I'm shopping around for blow-your-mind kind of books. Apparently I need a little philosophical shake-up in my life.

AND IT'S MY SPRING BREAK!!!! YAY!!!!!