tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389577238129687889.post6364885120302399386..comments2024-01-27T22:25:47.337+02:00Comments on Israel Chronicles: Erev Shabbos #25- Short Fridaynmf #7http://www.blogger.com/profile/02930286227301917330noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389577238129687889.post-11318205667684142792011-01-03T04:49:09.451+02:002011-01-03T04:49:09.451+02:00p.s. Another thing is that when I cook the freezab...p.s. Another thing is that when I cook the freezable items (soups, meats, baked goods) I double or triple the recipe and freeze the extra. <br /><br />So, almost every week, part of my Shabbos meal will come from the freezer and that's one less thing for me to cook. :-) <br /><br />Why don't you try my way for a week or 2 just to see how it goes? If you give it a chance you may be thrilled with it, and if not, you can just go back to the old way. :-)<br /><br />Let me know how it goes!happywifenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389577238129687889.post-89566947145532341002011-01-03T04:42:47.061+02:002011-01-03T04:42:47.061+02:00I don't work at the moment.
Some shopping is...I don't work at the moment. <br /><br />Some shopping is done in the afternoon, and I phone in my produce to be delivered.<br /><br />Shabbos cooking gets done once the baby is down for the night (ie, some time after 7:30pm). I usually spend no more than 1 hour on it each night.<br /><br />Again, I have learned to pare down my menus to only the most basic elements.<br /><br />Dinner:<br /><br />-fish OR soup<br />-one meat<br />-one side<br />-one salad<br />-one dessert<br /><br />Lunch:<br /><br />-one (big) salad<br />-one chollent<br />-one dessert (same as night before)<br /><br />My chollent recipe is no-fuss: no chopping, no browning, no thawing. All in the pot at once and that's it! 10 minutes!<br /><br />I try to pick recipes that are simple to make but seem gourmet and impressive. <br /><br />For example, the meat will be roasted lamb shanks with garlic and rosemary (no more effort than roast chicken) and the side will be a white bean puree (no more effort than mashed potatoes). Add some coffee, cinnamon and chili to your basic brownines (from a mix!) and voila, you have Mayan chocolate brownies! You get where I'm going with this?<br /><br />This way there is still the kavod Shabbos and noone can accuse me of slacking off, when the truth is I take it pretty easy. ;-)happywifenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389577238129687889.post-31783715083618248862010-12-09T14:27:32.949+02:002010-12-09T14:27:32.949+02:00Devorah- As I mentioned in my post- I don't se...Devorah- As I mentioned in my post- I don't seem to be able to make doing things before Friday work for me. I find that doubling/tripling on Friday itself is basically the same.<br /><br />Although I do admit that it is much better for me and my sanity, as well as my family, if I do less on Friday and we have more time to relax.<br /><br />HappyWife- Wow. Do you mind if I ask- do you work (besides as a mom and wife)?<br />If so, how many hours?<br /><br />I find that with my full time work day, I don't really have so many hours outside of my days off. <br /><br />Mind if I ask what time in the day you do all the errands and cooking- in the morning, or afternoon?nmf #7https://www.blogger.com/profile/02930286227301917330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389577238129687889.post-3879742162067473462010-12-06T20:51:35.000+02:002010-12-06T20:51:35.000+02:00I used to make Shabbos this way too, until I had o...I used to make Shabbos this way too, until I had our first baby. It forced me to finally get organized and learn to get it all done in time, without stress.<br /><br />I made up a timeline and committed to stick to it for 6 Shabbosim. After that it became ingrained, and I got used to the satisfaction and relaxed joy of being ready early, and I'll never go back to my old ways!<br /><br />Here is generally my timeline, maybe it can help you.<br /><br />On Tuesday I make "the plan"... I just write down my menu for the coming Shabbos meals, and how many portions I'm planning to make (whether or not guests are confirmed yet, I usually figure out roughly how many guests I want). If I'm making challah I do it Tuesday night and put it in the freezer to stay fresh.<br /><br />On Wednesday I grocery shop for everything I will need to cook, with the exception of salad stuff, fresh fruit and challah (if I'm buying). In the evening I cook one or two of my menu items. Usually its something that keeps/freezes well, e.g. potatoes and a baked dessert, or a soup and a meat dish.<br /><br />On Thursday evening I cook everything else on the list, except for the salads. Mind you my menus are elegant but SIMPLE... I stick to ONE meat dish, 2 side dishes MAX, 1 salad, 1 dessert and some fruit. And either a fish or a soup to start, not both. My guests really appreciate that they leave feeling satisfied, not sick from overeating. :-)<br /><br />If I'm making chollent I also try to put the ingredients together in the pot on Thursday night and stick it in the fridge. <br /><br />I also set the table on Thursday night. This is a big one! Usually my husband will be happy to lend a hand with this because I'm not a nagging stress case. And yes we only have one table so I just move 2 of the place settings over and put down dairy placemats for breakfast on Friday. This one step really sets the tone of peacefulness and Shabbos kedusha for all of Friday. I never skip this now that I've gotten used to doing it. <br /><br />On Friday I pick up the salad ingredients, fresh fruit and challah from the store. All I have to do now is assemble the salad, cut and plate the fruit, and put my food on the heat. A quick cleanup of the dishes and a quick mop of the floor and I'm DONE! No stress! And my kitchen is clean when Shabbos comes in, so once I light candles I have really NOTHING left to do and I can relax and read to my daughter and daven. <br /><br />It's awesome. I recommend you try it a few times, it can change the whole Shabbos experience, for your entire household. :-)<br /><br /><br />p.s. "I like to have everything super-fresh and therefore I cook on Friday" used to be my favourite excuse for not being organized. But I had to ditch that because my Fridays were so stressful and unpleasant for everyone in my family. If I can change, really ANYONE can.happywifenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6389577238129687889.post-91317233091232801462010-11-26T18:44:43.722+02:002010-11-26T18:44:43.722+02:00Here's a suggestion: try to do as much as poss...Here's a suggestion: try to do as much as possible before Friday. I make sure all the cooking is done on Thursday night, sometimes I even start <i>some</i> of my cleaning on Wednesday night in anticipation of the nerves that can come along on the short Fridays.<br /><br />This way, all that's left on Friday is the rest of the cleaning up, (oops, forgot one one more food item! either eggs, matzoh balls/noodles for soup...there's almost always something!) showering and bathing for Shabbos and putting on makeup :-D! It makes erev shabbos so much more enjoyable when you start preparing in advance!Devorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09467731180285925143noreply@blogger.com