No-Potato Chive Latke

For those who may not be able to eat other Hannakuh treats, these allergy-friendly latkes are a perfect alternative that everyone can enjoy.   It is a perfect appetizer, breakfast, or side dish.  No one will ever know that you made them without potato.  The secret to their success is rest.  Once the batter is mixed, it must rest for at least 30 minutes before frying to a light, crispy brown.   A plate of these latke with a side of honey is a sweet treat for the soul.

No-Potato Chive Latke

1 C cooked short grain rice
1/2 C rice flour
2 T chive or green onion, finely chopped
1 T rice oil
1 t salt
1 t dill
1 C water
rice oil for frying

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir until just mixed.  Do not over-mix.
2. Allow batter to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Pour enough oil in a skillet to cover the bottom.  Turn heat to medium or medium-high.
4. When the oil is thoroughly heated, ladle batter into the pan and gently press to flatten.  Keep your ladle in a bowl of water to prevent the batter from sticking.  If the batter begins to stick to the ladle, just dip the it in the water again.
5. Cook the latke until light brown on one side.  Watch your heat and only turn them one time.  If the latke cook too slow, they will be hard on the inside or too fast and they will be mushy. 
6. Once the latke have cooked on each side, place them on plate with a paper towel to cool.
7. Serve with honey or my Pear Sauce.

NOTE:  Rice flour doesn't perform well on iron skillets.  I find that this batter does best in a non-stick skillet.

Snack Match: Fruit or Veggie Puffs

A snack match is an allergy-friendly snack that nutritionally and/or visually resembles a popular children's snack.

This week's snack is:  Fruit or Veggie Puffs

Snack Match substitute: "Dusted" Fruit and Veggie Bites

This Snack Match is for the newer babies in the bunch! I used to make these for my little angel when she was just starting on finger foods.  Many moms use the puffed fruits or veggies but that wasn't an option for us.  The inspiration came from WholesomeBabyFood.com to "dust" chopped fruits and veggies with cereal so the little ones can pick it up easier. 


"Dusted" Fruit and Veggie Bites

1 banana, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 avocado, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 C Rice Chex cereal

1. Steam carrots until soft enough for baby to eat without easily falling apart when picked up.
2. Grind cereal into a fine powder or "dust".
3. Toss fruits and veggies in the cereal powder.
4. Place in small bowl that is easy for the little one to manage.
5. Refrigerate to preserve freshness.
6. Best eaten immediately but the babies don't seem to mind eating the brown fruit.  My angel happily eat it even after it had been in the diaper bag for hours!

Cleaning House: Part 1

This week is a busy one.  I am getting ready for my MIL and nephews to visit.  They will be here for six (6) weeks, so, my mind is spinning with all that needs to be done.  Aside from the usual dusting and laundry, I have set my eyes on cleaning out my office.  My office is the "dump" room.  You know, that room where everyonemakes crafts, repairs toys, shelves books, wraps gifts, and stores all other things that have no home.  Pair that with the reminants of this morning's scissor practice and it looks like Broadway after the Yankees won the penant.

I am sharing this with you in hopes that I am not alone.  We all have our dirty "dump" room, closet, or drawer....don't we?  We all have that one place which we hope our guests never see.  We just close the area off and pretend that no one notices.

For 3 years, I have overlooked the condition of this room, whittling away at the mess whenever possible.  But, in the house of an allergic angel, this will not do!  As you probably know, allergy rule #1: The house should be clean and clutter free.  I need floors that are clear enough to sweep and desks that aren't piled too high to dust.  Rooms like my office harbor dust mites, cockroach feces and mold even though you can't see it.  This pile of papers and  unnecessary clutter is like a breeding ground for environmental allergies and it needs to be cleaned. 

So, before my dirty little secret room is revealed to my MIL (since she doesn't speak English, I am hoping she won't discover my secret here), I am cleaning up this room.  My plan is to separate the work into little jobs that take an hour or so to complete.  By devoting an hour here and an hour there to this task, I hope that the room will be cleaned by the time my guests of honor arrive.

the Plan

Hour 1:  Put teaching manipulatives into their files

Hour 2:  Store baby clothes   DONE

Hour 3:  Remove the old computer. DONE

Hour 4: Shred  DONE

Hour 5: Clean the floor.  DONE

Hour 6: Organize the angel's desk.

Hour 7:  Put away unfinished sewing projects.  DONE

Hour 8:  Sort paperwork.

Hour 9:  File papers "temporarily" stored in boxes and on shelves

Hour 10: Dust, sweep and make sure that everything is back in its place

I have 4 days.  Can I finish?

I'll keep you posted!