Giving Thanks

it is 8:30 p.m. in the holy city of safed.  I just got home from work a little while ago.  I spent about 9 hours at work today.  it is a chabad holiday and I needed to make a feast for about 25-30 people.  I made sweet and sour meatballs, carrot and sweet potato tzimmes, white rice, sweet noodle kugel with pineapple and craisins, noodle kugel with zucchini and onion, string beans teriyaki, coleslaw, kasha, a large chocolate cake with genache frosting and a small non gluten and vegan chocolate cake for the two vegetarian students.  I thoroughly trashed the kitchen and couldn't leave it like that even though the manager told me to go home. I put all of the food on the electric platter and washed all of the pots and pans and plastic bowls and serving utensils and then I did the stovetop and counter tops.  I stayed long enough to wash the floor.  I walked back to town to get a taxi.

I started cooking yesterday.  I made the sweet and sour sauce and the sweet kugel before I left yesterday.  it took forever to make the meatballs today.  I used 5 pounds of chopped beef.  I ended up burning the bottom of the pan of meatballs and most of the pineapple pieces were stuck to the bottom of the pan.  I forgot how to cook them.  I didn't really follow the instructions all the way.  I tasted the meatballs and they didn't taste burnt.  the vegan cake came out pretty good but the genache wasn't the best.  I used baker's chocolate and perhaps I should have bought the 70 percent good dark chocolate.   that was what I had in the pantry and I couldn't leave to go to the grocery store.  I used rich's non dairy whipping cream. it looks like frosting and the guys got excited when they saw it.

the large chocolate cake didn't come out that good.  I baked it on a temperature that was too high and the turbo was on, to make things worse. I also used a pan that was too large and the cake didn't rise very high.  it looked dry but I'm sure that all that fluffy icing will help moisten it.  I wasn't in pain all day long.  I was able to walk through town and move my head sideways without wincing.  the hip pain just started and I am struggling to remain seated and type.  the neck pain is kicking in too.  I guess I overdid it today.  I hope that they all enjoy the meal and that I made enough.

I didn't get a chance to eat or drink today.  I stopped off at the health food store before work to buy chickpea flour to make a non gluten cake. I made a huge pot of vegetables to go with couscous for lunch.  I don't make it from scratch.  I use a box.  I cut up tons of zucchini, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes, red peppers and onions to make a spicy sauce and added tons of freshly cooked chickpeas.  I cut up tons of fresh veggies and made a tahini dressing.  I made an eggless non gluten corn bread and threw in craisins. I tasted it before I went home.  it was lovely.  I made a non gluten low carb corn bread for Shabbat.  it tasted like cake.  it only had a third of a cup of cornmeal.  I used coconut oil and flour and six eggs.  coconut flour needs a lot of liquid. it looks like cornbread but doesn't really taste like it.

it is an out Shabbat for the yeshiva.  it means that I may not have to work on Thursday.  I am looking forward to a rest.  I thought about going to Jerusalem for Shabbat before chanukah.  my son didn't sound too interested in my visiting so I think I will shelve my plan.  I could go and visit my friend in efrat but maybe I should rest.  my friends are supposed to be returning on Thursday but they may be stranded in New York due to weather.  I will shop tomorrow to fill up their fridge anyway.  I was planning on making soup for them.  I did freeze my turkey neck soup from last Shabbat.  I can buy some cold cuts for them or make chicken wings on Thursday.  right now I need to eat and have some tea.