Whew, Rosh Hashanah is coming – a time for reflection, a time for excitement. The Days of Awe they are called, meaning reverential respect mixed with wonder. That’s the way I like to think about Hashem, One Who is so much more than I can imagine, Who loves me unconditionally and totally, no matter what I do, and is there for me whenever I ask. And although I do not always get exactly what I want, I do always find a listening ear.

My father (may his neshama have an aliya) was also there for me. He always had time for me. He enjoyed my company, and gave me some advice and maybe a funny story to make my life just a little bit sweeter.

Oh, summer, you flew by, and school is starting soon. I know because I got my huge list of supplies, and I’m hoping to find all the required colored binders and composition books (and maybe some fun #2 pencils)! As the mother, though, I’d like to add to the list what to feed the kids when they come home from school “starving.” There are two “schools” of thought on that one: serve healthy snacks until a later dinner time or feed them supper the minute they walk in the door. Let’s try out both options.

Grazing Boards

Having a healthy snack ready when the kids walk in that door has been a game changer for us. Some days, I just put out hummus with carrots and peppers. Some days, I do a larger spread. I have been doing a host of “grazing” boards lately, like the charcuterie boards I described in my last column, as well as shalashudes and dessert boards. I’ve found these grazing boards perfect for after-school snacks as well. After the huge amount of energy children expend at school – including trying not to fidget during class or run in the hallways – when they come home, it’s as though their bodies and minds take a huge cleansing breath that says, “Hooray, I’m home.” And the very first thing their bodies are telling them (whether they know it or not) is that they’re hungry. A healthy, delicious snack recharges their energy before homework, playtime, or chores begin.

Never heard of a charcuterie board? Well, the trend hit Europe, Australia, and Canada by storm years ago, and the boards are just now starting to become popular here. Okay, Bracha, you say. I still don’t know what they are! A charcuterie board is a super-fun first course for a special Friday night or an absolutely amazing showstopper of a Shabbos day meal, especially in the summer.

Anyway, charcuterie boards are gaining a lot of traction. Basically, you put a variety of delicious tidbits on a board. (A wooden board is cool.) Just as everyone has his or her favorite recipe for cholent, the board can comprise many different ingredients and still qualify for the name. We fill ours with meats; pickled, roasted, and fresh vegetables; and fruits. (I really like the combination of mango and candied meat.)

Spinach and Butternut Squash Calzone

I like anything surrounded by dough, and with dairy dishes on the agenda for Shavuos, it’s hard to go wrong with a calzone. Calzones are a pizza turned into a pocket. The fillings can vary as far as your imagination takes you. Cheese and spinach makes a great combination. You can add broccoli, red sauce, and more to this delicious dish. You can make them small (cut the dough into 8) and use them as appetizers, or make them medium for individual main courses, or make them big (use the whole dough), to slice and serve at the meal.  

1/2 c. ricotta cheese

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. sautéed onions

1/2 c. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1/2 c. butternut squash, diced and cooked

1 T. fresh basil, minced

1 T. fresh parsley, minced

1 lb. raw pizza dough

1 egg

1/2 T. sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix cheeses, spinach, basil, and parsley. Divide dough into 4 equal parts and roll out on a floured board to about 6 inches in diameter. Spoon equal amounts of filling onto each piece of pizza dough. Fold over and seal edges, pinching closed with fingers or tines of a fork. Place calzones on prepared cookie sheet. Beat egg and brush tops. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30 minutes or until dough is golden. Makes 4.

We have two Adars this year, so we need two Purim issues, right? Of course! So this column will continue the Purim surprise dishes we presented last month. The theme? All is not as it seems, just as the Megillah teaches us! If my readers remember, each dish, last month, had some element of concealment; it was more than it appeared to be. I love this theme. It’s like people. Each of us has so much potential. When called upon to do so, we somehow find ourselves able to tap into resources we did not even know we had. We all have hidden depths that we just need to mine and – voila! – the world becomes a better place through our efforts.  

So, too, do these foods contain more culinary potential than was expected. (Watch out. I might have to start singing the Transformers song: “Transformers, more than meets the eye...” What? You do not have five- to nine-year-old boys? Hmmm... You’re missing out.) Speaking of children, as my children decide which costumes they want – the latest idea is Black Flash. Is Black Flash even a thing? Where am I going to find a Black Flash? They were Red Flash last year, but that’s “so last year, Mom.” Ninjas, astronauts, and more are being suggested. What will they be in the end? I guess we’ll all find out when Purim rolls around. 

Purim is coming twice this year! There are so many things to love about Purim: I love reconnecting with people, even if it’s for only a few moments or just leaving a mishloach manos at their door to let them know I am thinking about them.

I love the whole concept of Purim – that nothing is as it seems. It is a reminder that Hashem is here and that He loves us. It looked like the Jews were going to be destroyed, but HA HA, Hashem put Esther in place, and all turned out not only okay but great. Purim reminds us that Hashem is running this world, and when things do not seem to be going the way we want them to, we can redouble our emuna and truly search for the good He is sending, even if it is not readily obvious to us. 

Everyone has challenges; that we know for sure. No one has a free ride in this world. What exactly someone else’s challenges are I do not know, but I know that, just as I have challenges, so do others. And I know with perfect clarity that, thus far, Hashem has sent me exactly what I needed. Thank G-d, we have never gone to bed hungry (except when I was trying to stay within my 1300 limit!). We have a roof over our heads every night. And, most thankfully, Hashem has always given me a chance to help others. In my bleakest times (and there have been a few), the one thing that has always made me feel better has been the ability to help someone else – with a smile, a meal, a phone call…. 

Purim is another one of those times. It’s all about building our community by sharing food, sharing money with the less fortunate, and sharing our time and our tables. You can even go further and share your joy and laughter with those who see the children in their costumes. This is the time to invite someone who does not have a place for the seuda and to take one of your two required mishloach manos to someone who will not be getting 100 of them. Be the unexpected light that shines this Purim. 

In that vein, since nothing is what it seems on Purim, here is a seuda menu of unexpected dishes that are not what they seem at first glance. Look for the rest of the seuda recipes in the next issue.