It's Almost Shavuot

it's almost midnite in the holy city of zefat. i've been on the computer for hours searching for new dairy recipes. i invited a few guests for wednesday afternoon to dine on lasagna and cheesecake. i splurged and bought cherries and grapes. i'm planning on making melon balls out of the honeydo melon.

i was supposed to go out on tuesday nite to the in-laws. i've decided to stay home, instead. a few friends called to ask if they could come over, so i am now, officially, cooking a fleishig meal.

i have a few small tuna steaks in the freezer so i'll be making them for my friend who is a vegetarian. i bought a really small pot roast to make for my other friend, who is, most definately, not a veggie, and very much, a meat lover. i hope that i will be able to cook some things tomorrow. i have sahar with me for the morning, but i will try to get things going when he naps.

i took sahar out for a morning stroll to the large supermarket around 11:00 a.m. he fell asleep in the stroller and i hoped that he would sleep for a while. he woke up as soon as we hit the super, a mere 20 minutes later. i left the stroller in the first aisle and put him in the shopping cart. he was pointing and asking for everything. first, i bought a package of sliced cheese for him to munch on. then, i bought him a sugary pita. after that, it was a small chocolate bar.

finally, i put sahar back into his stroller and managed to pack up all the groceries and get them into the shopping cart. sahar sat in his stroller, singing, quite gleefully. someone helped me fold up the stroller and we took a cab home. the driver helped me with the packages as i got sahar back into the courtyard. sahar, happily played outside, while i put away the groceries.

a little while later, i put on the sprinklers for the first time this season. the grass was already brownish. the gardner checked out the system today and it was really, time to water the poor grass. sahar ran around the wet grass and played in the water. he was having a ball! his mom came home and took him to town. i went to the little super to buy more cheese.

i was really psyched to start the lasagna when i got back. when i reached for the box of lasagna noodles on the top shelf of the pantry, i discovered that, what i had thought was a box of lasagna noodles, was really a box of canneloni. i should just change the menu, right? i don't think so. everyone is really expecting lasagna.

there was no way that i was going to shlepp back to the large supermarket to buy lasagna noodles tonite. earlier on, i bought a box of prepared sweet potato ravioli. i'm planning on making a creamy sauce. i think that will have to be done on wednesday, just before i serve it. i can't imagine putting it on the hotplate for a while. it would probably become rubbery.

i also, have my heart set on making a mushroom and swiss chard pie. i know it is probably, way too much food, but it can all be frozen, afterwards. i was toying with the idea of making the canneloni too, but that would really be over kill. if i had a larger group, maybe. but i think it's just 7 of us.

gal is planning on making an icebox cheesecake. i am planning on making an individual, teeny tiny, yogurt pie, for the friend who is sugar and gluten free. i'm planning on using crushed pecans for the crust and a custard made with goat yogurt and a splash of honey. she doesn't really do dairy, either. the recipe calls for berries but i couldn't find any. besides, i don't know if she even eats fresh fruit.

it's always a challenge to cook for her. i like to set the bar high. i'm thinking about making a sticky coconut brown rice for dinner. i might make a small, sweet noodle kugel for my other friend. i don't think she likes coconut so much. i also want to bake some banana cake muffins to have on hand. the carrot muffins were a big hit the last holday, but i didn't buy any carrots today.

i haven't been feeling that well, lately. i really am way too heavy. i tried to go back on a diet but i just didn't have the strength to endure one. i ate a bit of everything today ; bananas, yogurt, whole wheat bread, sardines, pecans, tuna and cheese. i couldn't commit to either, the south beach or the fruit fast. i figured, that as long as i didn't binge, i was okay. oh no, the new really tastey icecreams that i bought for shavuos, are beckoning me to taste them. give me the strength to not indulge myself!