Purim Treats!

Jewish life is all about family, Torah and food! Lots of yummy, lick your fingers, delicious food. So today I'm posting one of my favourites. With Purim fast approaching this hamantaschen recipe is the same one I made with my mom as a kid. Last week I made it with Sari. Note: If making with a 2 year old it will likely take double the time to make the dough, place the filling and fold them into shape. Also while poppy seed filling is more traditional, try fruit pie filling as well. It's convenient and tasty.  Let me know if you try them and what you think. Also feel free to send me your favourite hamantaschen recipe Here's the recipe everyone..

Dough

3 Eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1/8 tsp. salt
5 or 6 cups Plain Flour

Poppy seed Filling

1 cup Poppy seeds
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 Sultanas (roughly chopped)
1-2 tsp. grated Lemon Rind
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract


Dough:
Combine ingredients in order given, using enough flour to make a soft dough which is not sticky. Let stand for 15 mins. Divide into 4 parts. Roll to 1/4" thickness of floured board. Cut in4"circles. Place a spoonful of desired filling in the middle. Brush with egg-wash. Bake on lightly greased baking sheet at 350 for 20-25min or until golden brown.

Poppy seed Filling:
Combine the first 4 ingredients into a pot, bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 mins. Take off heat and add the vanilla extract. Let cool.

Over The Hill

This post is certainly about age but not the old age the title suggests. Instead it's about the hill you climb with your toddler as they head towards pre-school age.

Three seems to be the magic number. Or at least that's what I've read in parenting books and on several websites. About three months ago while going through a rough patch with Sari I sought advice on the Dr. Sears website. Dr. Sears if you haven't heard of him is a promoter of Attachment parenting. This is a philosophy on raising children. It's includes things like baby wearing, long term breastfeeding, co sleeping and the like. While I couldn't call myself an AP parent in all senses, I do like many of the ideals and have use many in raising my own kids. discipline is most definitely an area in which I agree with the AP approach (or at least Dr. Sears AP approach.) I don't think it's helpful in any way shape or form to hit your kids. Sometimes though I need find it helps when things are not going so smoothly to re-read, talk to friends and reassure myself that my approach is indeed the right one for us.

So, as I was saying three months ago, I'm having a terrible time with Sari's behaviour. She just didn't seem to be listening and when she did listen if she didn't like it there was screaming and crying and a whole number of other 'terrible two' behaviour. In my reading I was reassured I was doing the right things and this too would pass, I just needed to be consistent. This turned out to be true and things are improved, in very improved. Which brings me to why I'm writing this post.

While on the site I read that 3 year olds are easier than 2 year olds. This gave me a little something extra to look forward to. Could it be true? Could a 3 year old Sari be much easier than her as a 2 year old? Turns out, in our case anyways, it could! In those 3 months I have seen a huge overhaul in her attitude. it wasn't an over night thing but as we close in on her third birthday I find a have a much more agreeable child. One who not just can but chooses to communicate with me when she's upset and who will generally listen as I explain things to her. I wonder, is this the magic of getting closer to the top of the toddler hill? Have any of you have the same experience?

 Here's to entire tear-free weeks!