Matzo Balls, Gifts and Bread, OH MY

Thanks for the positive feedback on my new look.  I am still playing around with the new template, so if anyone has any pointers or suggestions, let me know.

Today's post contains a few of the things I have been up to during the early days of Hanukkah.  First off I made some matzo ball soup.  If you have never ever tried matzo ball soup, you are totally missing out.  As with the latkes, I do it from a box!


Ryan was kind enough to take a few pics of me getting down and dirty with my matzo balls...

Here they are after they have boiled and gotten fluffy...

For my bridal shower I received one of these little guys.  There is a nice story to go with why I was given this, but ling story short, this is now known as a matzo ball fisher.  That's right, if you need to fish one out, this is the kitchen tool to do it with.

Here is the finished product.

On to some more of the cool gifts I have received this year.  These cool fingerless mittens are from Ryan.  I had mentioned that since the house if so cold and I work from home that I thought fingerless mittens would keep my hands warm but still allow me to type on the computer.  No, not wearing them now, but maybe for my next post!

Some Jelly Belly's from my mom.  If you have never been to the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, CA you must go.  Better idea...go to the Budweiser brewery first and then drive across the street to the Jelly Belly factory.  While you are there pick up some bellyflops, which are the beans that weren't pretty enough to make the final cut.

A tin of Mrs. Field's mini cookies from my mom.

On to the biggest score of the year.  Thanks so much to my wonderful husband Ryan.  He has seen my struggles with food photography and purchased me this amazing digital camera.  This camera has a setting for taking gourmet food pics and a nice 3" LCD screen.  Ok, it has a lot of things other than that, but those are my favorite so far.  Oh, ok, I guess there is one more cool thing.  If you push the smiley face button, the camera will automatically take the picture of someone when they smile, so you always get happy looking people in your pics!

While I was at it with the soup, I also got down and dirty with my fave kitchen toy...the bread machine.  I was so excited to use the new bread maker cookbook from Ryan.  Here is what I decided to create.

The goods...

Cheese Please

Picture perfect every time...

Haha, an action shot of Ryan slicing it up.

This bread was super tasty and I would totally make it again.

Oh, and I tried something new...I actually ran.  I went to the track yesterday since it was really nice out.  I walked for 2 miles and I ran one mile.  I don't like running, but it wasn't that bad.  It is nice that the track overlooks the ocean.

QUESTION:  Where is your favorite place to run?

12 comments:

Gina; The Candid RD said...

I'm so jealous. If I had an ocean view to run with, I would run everyday. As for my "real life" i don't run. Over the summer there have been some days when I've had an urge to run, and I just run around our neighborhood or go to the local park that goes around a large pond, but that's as cool as it gets.

Love the matzo balls. I've had them before and yes they ARE fantastic! I'm a huge fan.

Great looking new camera. It's so cool that it only takes pics when people are smiling! What the heck will they come up with next?!

Anonymous said...

Wow, you're a baking MACHINE.. everything looks awesome! I hope you enjoy your camera... I have the same exact one! I like it :)

Anonymous said...

It's so great that you use your bread machine so much!!!

Your new camera sounds great. I'm still in desperate need of a new camera... Soon, I hope...

I like running on a trail in the woods. But I don't do it very often... Running/walking while looking at the ocean sounds simply wonderful... :)

Simply Life said...

oh my, there's not much better than homemade bread! And wow, those matzo balls are impressive!...I wouldn't even know where to begin!

Beth said...

LOL at the fingerless gloves! I have a pair that I wear at work, and they really do help!

I'm not so much of a runner (bad knees) but I do a lot of elipitcal training and biking.

Unknown said...

on the treadmill so I can watch TV :)

Naomi(Onefitfoodie) said...

first, congrats on the run, girl! thast so awesome!! my fav place to run is acutally in FL! I love it esp right by the ocean so you have the cool breeeze...LOVE me some matzah balls! I love making them too, I certainly don't have them just on Passover, year round for sure!!

my g-parents live in Broken sound in Boca...there are so many different complexes around that area its crazy!

happy tuesday!

Anonymous said...

mmm homemade bread! I love to run outside, anywhere outside!

Mom on the Run said...

My bread machine is sitting in a closet collecting dust. I must get it out and start using it again. I love the smell it creates when it starts baking.

Anonymous said...

My mission in life is to try those matzo balls. I've never tried them before...do they taste like dumplings?
I love to run outside. Wherever the air is fresh and as long as I'm not running in circles!!

Ruth said...

I just a bread machine and I'm obsessed with it. I probably make bread several times a week just to bring to class or into work. I will have to try out this recipe. I love to run through the hills in my hometown whenever I go to visit. I live in a sketchy place outside of campus so I don't tend to run outside my campus :)

kristen :) said...

I love the new look!! So fresh and clean :) What kind of bread machine to you have again? I have one, but it always darkens the outside too much. mmm everything looks great! I'm not much of a runner, but recently started and prefer the outside. It's been so cold though!
Hope you have a great Hanukkah and Christmas!!

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