HOLIDAY AND SUMMER TIME

HOLIDAY TIME FOR THE KIDS.

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Summer holidays are fun, lots of quality time, and heaps of cooking and foods to have on hand for  constantly hungry folks at home.  Moms need energy to cope with the meals, entertaining all day and keeping cool.

So take paper and pen and start thinking. You need a shopping list. You must have a diary with all the names of friends where the kids visit. Phone numbers and cell phones and the number where you can reach parents and grand parents.

 Have a picnic  box ready for trips.  Plates, cutlery, glasses and serviettes. Some wet wipes and a few paper towels  Have dishes that can hold ice cubes, fresh fruit and peeled vegetables. Bottles of water are vital.

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First aid box. 

  A must. Have vinegar for stings and bites. Prepare a sun tan aloe lotion. Have alcohol wipes, bandages   and plasters. Keep a scissors and tweezers for splinters.  Keep a few tablets for head aches, runny tummies, constipation, muscle cramps and tooth ache. I like to have  an anti histamine cream and  allergy tablets.  

Keep bottled water in the car and a few towels. Always be prepared , like the boy scouts. Have string, a flash light and matches. Keep    distilled water for the car and extra oil for the engine. I like to keep a cushion and blanket in case one of the kiddies does not feel well. Have the numbers

of the pick up truck in case you are stuck and numbers of the service you use for a flat tire.

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HOLIDAY KIT FOR THE HOUSE 

 You need paper and crayons, clay for little kids, wools and needles, beads and  wire to thread them. Model planes and wood crafts for the guys. Lego and games to build are great. Boxed games are terrific. Have crafts like making gift cards, painting wooden spoons, frames and doing decorative pots for plants.  Kids like to bake and cook and that is useful and teaches them something they always participate in.  

]Be brave , allow them to paint a wall or two in their bedroom. This will cause a general clean up and moving all the stuff in there. They will enjoy the activity and do it well as they will want to show it of afterwards to friends.

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Outings.

Plan well in advance The best tickets, and good values are caught by early birds. Arrange with mothers to travel together. While one parks the other sees to the kids, re drinks and seating arrangements and visits to the rest rooms in cinemas and theatres.  Also remember that two Moms together can cope better.

Dads and Moms love to have an evening out without the kids on their heads, a break from hectic daily schedules. Make sure they do this. They too need quality time to be with each other.

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 COMMUNITY WORK

   The kids need to know that they can be socially involved with   

 giving back to the community. Let them volunteer once a week, help older folds, baby sit for a friend, paint the fence for an older couple. or simply do the shopping for some one who cannot cope with this chore any more. Helping should be unconditional and a natural act  The people who give,have better values of what matters in life

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Extra studies.

 If the kids need extra tuition, arrange this that it happens and allows the kids to still enjoy the day. Learning should be a privilege and they must appreciate the extra chances they receive.

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LET DREAMS HAPPEN.

If a kid wants to learn to ride a horse, play the guitar or piano, study science and chess, let him have a chance. Doing one thing that scares you, might make the holiday and change your life. I had a friend who wanted to sing and dance. She was six and did just that

 Learning a new language, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew  French or Spanish, could be fun too.

 So to all of you  have fun. Take time to share and time to be a friend.

LOVE and LIGHT   RONA 

VALUE OF LIFE

"I have three precious things that I hold dear and prize. The first is gentleness, the second frugality and the third is humility which keeps me from putting myself before others.

 Be gentle and you can be firm.

Be frugal and you can be generous

 Avoid putting yourself before others and you can be a leader among men" 

Chinese sage  LAO TZU.

SUPER SUMMER SALADS

SUPER SUMMER SALADS

 Here are a few lovely ideas to serve in summer. You can create then a day or two ahead of time. The variety of  vegetables, color and tastes, ensure that everyone has  something they enjoy.

SPICY POTATO SALAD.

Wash and scrub eight to ten potatoes. Cook them in salted water for ten minutes. When they are soft to the touch, slice into cubes .

Mix two teaspoons of mustard, half a cup of diced parsley, half a cup of  spring onions, a little chopped onion and two crushed  cloves of garlic.

Add vegetables salt and pepper. Mix all of this with half a cup of techina [or mayonnaise]  and two teaspoons of olive oil. Pour over the potatoes and toss gently.  At the end sprinkle mustard seeds.

PICCALLILI

I kilo each of cauliflower, onions and cucumbers

1 liter vinegar.

1 Tablespoon Turmeric

2Tablespoons of salt

 2 cups water

2 Tablespoons of dry mustard

Sugar to taste.

Wash and cut vegetables and sprinkle with salt.

Leave in the refrigerator  for 2 days Mix the dry ingredients to a paste with a little vinegar. Add the  rest of the vinegar . Pour mixture into a large pot and bring to the boil. Add cut vegetables Cover the pot and boil for ten minutes Add sugar to taste. Cool and pack into jars Makes ten jars.

 This was made by a lady, Hilary in our book club and  was a great favorite of all the family.

GREEN SALAD WITH SWEETNESS.

Wash and spin a lettuce dry. Tear up lettuce leaves, a cut red onion, thinly diced radish. Half a cup of cranberries. Soak the cranberries in a little apple juice or orange juice. Slice a kohlrabi very thinly.  Mix all and add a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, vegetable salt and a little pepper. Pour over the tossed salad.

CHEESES, CUT UP VEGETABLES. GOOD BREADS ,SPICY BUTTERS. AND WINE........ ENJOY

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER

LOVE AND LIGHT  RONA

 

SHAVUOT DAIRY DELIGHTS

SHAVUOT ….FESTIVAL OF FRUITS AND CHEESES, SUMMER BOUNTY

Cheeses  come in a large variety of local and imported kinds. I like to use local cheeses. The variety is enormous and the amazing goats cheese are simply are the best.

Create a few simple dishes with cheese. Cheese cake, scones a pasta dish and a quiche

Just add a bowl of fruit, ice cream  a bottle of wine ,a few wholesome breads and you have a wonderful meal.

CHEESE CAKE RECIPE BY MY FRIEND HANAH.

The Pastry base.

1 cup flour. 1 level teaspoon baking powder.

2 0zs butter/ ¼ cup sugar

I beaten egg.

Rub the butter and flour together, add the butter and sugar and egg.

Roll and place in a baking tin and refrigerate for an hour or two.

The Filling.

500grams 5% Cream cheese

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

¼ pint cream

 I dessertspoon vanilla custard powder, mixed with the cream.

 Mix all well and pour into the base. Bake in a 325 oven for 40 minutes.

Serve with a diced fruit salad, or cut up strawberries or a coulis of granadilla pips.  Enjoy

MOM’S SCONES

. 2 cups flour 4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons of sugar .1/2 teaspoon of salt.

4 tablespoons butter. 2 eggs

 1/3 cup of cream or milk. You can use soya milk.

Mix the dry ingredients. Work in the butter. Add the beaten eggs. Toss the dough onto a floured board and roll quarter of an inch  in thickness. Cut into squares  or rounds. You can grate in a few teaspoons of cheddar or parmesan cheese.  Bake at 180 degrees or 450,  for fifteen minutes. Serve with butter and ja, whipped cream and blackberries or strawberries.

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QUICK DOUGH FOR PIZZA, QUICHE OR BASE FOR SAVOURY PIES.

1 cup of Self Raising flour

2 tablespoons of butter. A pinch of salt

1 beaten egg  with a little cold water.

Rub the butter with the flour and salt.

 You can add ½ a teaspoon baking powder.

Mix in the water and egg . Roll into a dough on a floured board. Chill the dough for an hour in the fridge.

 Use a lightly oiled baking dish or pizza tray

 And press the dough in. Fill with your choice and bake in an oven of 180 until the dough looks firm and light brown.

SHAVUOT IDEAS THAT ARE QUICK AND EASY.

Serve a cut up fruit salad with ice cream balls and fresh bread and butter.

Yogurt in a bowl, with cut uo fruit of the season, a tablespoon of granola and silan, date mixture or honey. People love this.

For kids. Make a platter of diced cheeses with toothpicks, cut up cucumbers  and cherry tomatoes. Cut thin strips of peeled carrots and leave in iced water for an hour. Serve cut up watermelon and grapes. They love to choose and create their own plate. Have a lovely fruit drink with dizzy looking straws and colorful serviettes

Serve a slice of quiche with grated carrots, diced cucumbers, sliced radishes and kohlrabi. Use cherry tomatoes that have been in a marinade of olive oil, chopped basil and mint leaves. You wash and prick the tomatoes and simply leave them in a marinade for a few hours. Adds color and style to the plate.

Have a relaxed week, enjoy the fun and trips around our glorious land.

LOVE AND LIGHT 

RONA