Many years ago when, my boys were
small, when we wanted to teach certain lessons we would look for books in the
Jewish Bookstore that would reinforce the messages we were trying to
convey. We have collected a number of
wonderful books over the years and have read them to each of our children. We still periodically read those stories to
our girls, although they are getting big themselves. One of my favorite all time stories is “The
Happiness Box” by Bracha Goetz. The
story begins with a school age boy who is never happy with what he
has. He is constantly grumbling and
complaining. One day his parents get a
new washing machine and his father gives him the huge box the machine came in
as a gift, with the following message:
“This is a happiness box. You may
only think happy thoughts when you play in it.
Negative thoughts are not allowed.”
The boy goes in the box and forces himself to only think happy
thoughts. As time goes on, he comes to
rely upon the happiness box and his whole negative outlook on life becomes a
positive one. (Spoiler alert!) One day,
when he is going off to camp he worried that he wouldn’t be able to take his
huge Happiness Box with him. What would
he do when he got sad or became worried.
He then had an epiphany…the Happiness Box was really his head, and
realized he had the ability to be happy all along. I love that story!!! Even as a grown-up it spoke to me about the
power we have over our thoughts and feelings.
However, that being said,
sometimes life is a little harder and more challenging and the solution doesn’t
come in the shape of a washing machine box.
The consolation however might come in a much bigger box…in
the shape of say…a kitchen! It’s
true. I love my kitchen. Many
years ago, when we literally ran out of bedroom space for our children we ended
up adding on to our house. The bonus was
that I ended up with an incredible kitchen.
My father (z”l) and I spent years designing and re-working the plans for
the kitchen so that it would be incredibly functional and efficient, and one
that I would love spending hours in. It
was an incredibly special gift he gave me – the gift of working with him to
create something long lasting. I really
spend more time in the kitchen than any other room in the house! Even before my father passed away a few weeks
ago, the kitchen was really my favorite room in the house. So much so that we all lovingly call it my
“Happiness Box”. I have found that on
some of my hardest days, there is nothing better than losing myself in a recipe
or baking great volumes of cakes, cupcakes & treats. It’s incredibly cathartic.
 |
| Creamy and delicious!!! |
I also have found that I love my
friends in my online community. I
routinely check and comment on several Kosher and general cooking sites and feel like I’m
part of an extended family. If I need
help with a recipe, I’ll often post it on one of the facebook groups and will
likely get back excellent advice in a relatively short time. I recently noticed someone asking for a
recipe for Scalloped Potatoes. I
actually was pretty excited about it because I have had a fabulous one that I
have used for years. It can be made
dairy or pareve (both are equally good), it’s fairly low in fat (healthy
bonus!), and with Shavuot around the corner it’s a perfect dish to serve with
your dairy meal. It’s fairly fast to
make too – especially if you use a food processor or mandolin. I prefer the mandolin, I find that it allows
for more uniform potato slices, but either would work to make this a quick recipe. When the potatoes come out of the oven they
are wonderfully creamy with a beautifully browned top. They are also excellent reheated, which bodes
well for making them in advance – always good when having to make a lot
of Yom Tov and Shabbat food.
I love preparing food in
my personal “Happiness Box” kitchen. I
wouldn’t change a single thing about it, except for wishing that my dear father
(z”l) were still here with me in it, laughing as he shnookered food out of pans
on the island.
The Happiness Box By: Bracha
Goetz
I must have laughed right out
loud
The moment it was clear.
The Box was right there with
me
There was no need to fear!
The Box is never far away.
That Box is here with me to
stay.
………
Where was my Box? Can you guess where?
Above my eyes! Below my hair!
There’s a Happiness Box in
your head, you see.
It’s a Happiness Box if you
let it be!
But if it’s hard to use your
head,
Just get a cardboard box
instead!
For more of my Shavuot recipes go to:
- Lighter Delicious Shavuot Recipes on aish.com
- Blintzes for Everyone on aish.com
- Shavuot Blintzes - The Sequil
- Greek Yogurt Blintzes
Scalloped Potatoes (Pareve or
Dairy)
- 5 large
potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 large
onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup
all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons
salt
- ½ teaspoon
black pepper
- 1 ½ cups
soy milk or dairy milk
- 1 ½ cups
water
- 4
tablespoons margarine (I used Earths Balance), or butter
- non-stick
vegetable spray
Preheat oven to 375° F.
In a small bowl, combine the
flour, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Spray a large 9x13 inch casserole
dish with non-stick vegetable spray.
Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the casserole, completely
covering the bottom of the pan. Evenly
distribute some of the onions over the potatoes. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon of the flour mixture
over the potatoes and onions. Evenly
place another layer of potatoes, onions, and flour over the previous layer, repeating
until no ingredients remain, ending with flour mixture. Dot the top of the potatoes with the
margarine. Pour the milk and water over
the potatoes. Cover the casserole
tightly with aluminum foil and bake for one hour. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes
until lightly browned on the top. Serve
warm.
Note the evenly sliced potatoes!
Thinly sliced onions and flour mixture...
Place an even layer of potatoes in the pan.
They can even overlap slightly.
Distribute some of the onions...
Sprinkle with some of the flour mixture...
Dot with margarine, add the liquids...
Cover tightly and into the oven it goes.
One hour later...
Uncover and put back into the oven for another hour.
Out of the oven it comes!
Creamy, savory, deliciousness!!
Even better close up!
Kosher
Everyday is dedicated to the memory of my father
Dr.
Theodore Saltzberg - Tuvia Ben Nachum Z”L
May
his memory be for a blessing - Yihi zichro baruch.
Look for additional information about Edible Experience
Kosher Everyday at www.koshereveryday.com,
aish.com, Mishpacha Magazine’s Kosher Inspired Magazine,
The Chicago Tribune Syndication,
or on Facebook at Edible
Experience by Sharon
These recipes are for sole, personal use of visitors to Sharon
Matten -Edible Experience Kosher Everyday. Edible Experience Kosher
Everyday recipes are for your enjoyment but are not to be posted or reprinted
without express permission from Sharon Matten. Thank you!!
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