As 2016 rolls in, Esther reminisces about the New Year’s Eves of her childhood and celebrates the technology that has made the world so small that she can be in touch with Shaina in Israel.
At Home Today, in Israel Tomorrow
About the Author
Esther Schuster (mom) is a recently retired social worker and the former executive director of Collat Jewish Family Services in Birmingham, AL. She now enjoys having time for grocery shopping and cooking in daylight hours, mahjong and other new pursuits. Esther thrives on throwing dinner parties for 40 + people, which “ain’t no thang” in Alabama. She is the mother of one daughter, three refrigerators and four freezers. Crucial in-stock food items for her include canned tomatoes, shelled walnuts and pine nuts, Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips (she has over 30 pounds in the laundry room freezer right now…seriously), EVOO, black beans and Jarlsberg cheese. She loves Costco and olives.
Fresh Fish in Browned Butter
I have been shopping, cooking and eating in multiple cycles since Thanksgiving. For a break from the heavy, labor-intensive meals, I go to the fresh fish market and buy the wildest freshest fish they have that day. I have made this recipe with a variety of different white fishes, and they all taste delicious. Throw…
Tick, Tock…Chop, Chop, Chop
Even when life is speeding forward, peeling and chopping helps Esther remain in the present moment. That’s one of the things she’s grateful for when it comes to Thanksgiving and preparing for it.
Butter Lettuce Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Pomegranate Seeds
Rosh Hashanah is the usual holiday for pomegranates, but the pomegranates, apparently, weren’t prepared for an early Rosh Hashanah. They appeared in the store last week looking hardier and larger than I have ever seen. I had to have them and created this salad with them in mind. This side dish meets all my Thanksgiving…
Sustenance, Both Spiritual and Edible
How do you best prepare for the 25-hour-long Yom Kippur fast? For Esther, it now means a pre-fast meal of satisfying dairy dishes and comfort foods, fresh salads and lots of vegetables.
Purple Hull Peas and Sweet Corn
After picking, shelling, sifting and washing bushels of purple hull peas, I thought I would never want to see them again. The freezer was more than full of quart bags of shelled peas and corn cut off the cob. I had to do something! I put everything in a big pot and ended up with…
Pedicures and Potato Salad
Shaina is off to Israel once again, leaving Esther to reflect on her whirlwind visit (including some pedicure pampering!) and enjoy summer—no-mayo potato salad, bluebirds in the front yard and all.
Savory Herbed Potato Salad
This is my go-to summer potato salad. It has no mayonnaise, which makes it a little less scary to take on a summer picnic, and takes full advantage of all the herbs growing in our garden. It is very flavorful, and everyone seems to love it. Make it a day ahead of time, and it…
Time Traveling with Bubbe’s Blintzes
After much trial and error and memories of waiting by the stove for her mother to mess up a blintz skin, Esther has finally mastered Bubbe’s famous blintzes, perfect for Shavuot.
Shaina’s Smoked Cheddar Cheese Grits
These grits make a perfect accompaniment to a Shavuot or weeknight dairy dinner. They can be baked or reheated in a casserole topped with grated cheese when serving a crowd for brunch or dinner. They go well with fresh fish, a crustless quiche or a veggie omelet and a fresh green salad.
