Why do you make what you make?

Posted: Fri, Nov 06 2009, 10:55 am Post subject:

We ALWAYS have guests (I can't remember the last time we didn't) so I always make a full Shabbos meal. It usually goes like this:

fish (sometimes 2 kinds, if lots of people come)
2 different salads (taco, nish nosh, etc)
a pasta or potato salad
a few dips (some I make, some I buy)
soup w/ matza balls (my dh MUST have soup!)
chicken and/or meat (sometimes I make only chicken or a roast, sometimes I make chicken and add something like meatballs)
some kind or potato (kugel, roasted, or scalloped)
a veg. or quiche
a dessert, usually an ice cream pie or something like that
brownies

On Shabbos day, I used to make chulent, but now I make fleishig chamin, everyone seems to like that a lot. I got the recipe from my friend, it's delicious. I also add wraps or subs on Shabbos day.

I make what I make because my dh and guests like it all, especially the salads! My kids couldn't care less as long as they have challah and dips. I dream about making my own challah, but I'm working full time and go to sleep late enough as it is on Thurs. nights!
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Senior Member Joined: Jul 01 2008 Posts: 154

Senior Member Joined: Dec 15 2008 Posts: 179

When I got married I started off cooking everything that we'd eaten at home, but we quickly realized that DH and I could not eat all of the food and I was finished after fish. Now we just have Challah and soup, and DH has chicken too. On shabbos day we have chulent and a medium Sh'Sh and leftovers for Melavah Malka. I do like to cook/bake but it doesn't get eaten, so I save that stuff for when we have guests and make a couple extra sides/kugels.
In direct answer to your question I make what I make cuz it makes sense for us.
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Chava G.

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 07 2007 Posts: 10429

wow, I envy you ladies who are satisifed with challah and soup. I'm betting you're all slim as young trees. We're just getting started when we have soup.

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48155

I work on Friday and we don't usually host guests anyway. We like to eatin shul by day so it's rerally just Friday nights for the 2 of us, and as we age, we can't eat like we used to.

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 07 2007 Posts: 10429

Gold Member Joined: May 05 2009 Posts: 1204

its just me and DH, no guests or kids yet.

I bake challah b/c dh likes it and I like mitzva of taking challah
we always have a few "lighter salads" and dips.
coleslaw, carrot, garlic w/ olive oil etc. we change them up. DH loves these salads, but we really fill up on them and eat a lot of bread.
we usually have fish, either salmon or gefilte, also per dh's request.

soup is either chicken or butternut squash. its just not shabbos w/ out the soup

the main meal is always a chicken, and one or two sides, something like roasted potatoes, green beans... nothing heavy. DH isnt into very many kuggles and doesnt like sweet.
I used to make kuggles, and starchy sides but they never get eaten. so I learned to make one or two vegi type things.

dessert I try to do sometihng on the lighter side... we are usually to full to eat cakes and cookies even though I like baking and trying new thigns so I always make them... we usually end up having that during the week, or snack on it during a long shabbos day anyway...

I still havent gotten it all figured out. I need some lighter but more interesting side dishes... besides for the same old vegi dishes.

also we always tend to be able to eat more at other peoples houses!! Im not sure why, but I think its because we eat less challah there...

Tradition, thats why. It's not shabbos without fish, kugel, soup, cholent etc. I like to cook and we all love to eat so I satisfy both needs (theirs and mine) Even though I work full time shabbos gets its special foods but with variations. I begin planning on Tuesday shop on Wednesday and cook Thursday (work late on Friday) Each week I make the basic menu but vary the type ie; gefilte fish, spicy fish etc, The same with chicken and kugels and vegt. I only make dessert when we have guests and I make one or two dips and buy the rest,

Because we usually end up having guests (whether intended or unintended).
Because shabbat is the only day (well almost) when my family can enjoy freshly prepared multicourse meals. I also don't cook meat/poultry during the week (except for heating up leftovers), so that's the only time to enjoy them.
Because we may have vegetarians/non-red meat eaters.
Because the leftovers won't be wasted and served during the week.

Many people think what I do is potchke but I actually can do these fairly quickly as I've been used to preparing for years.