What I've Learned......

What I've learned is that you Don't do blogging or Facebook when your 3 grandbabies are in town!!! Obviously!!! We were so blessed to have Amy, and her babies here for a whole week! It was a blast. We all had fun at James Avery's Football Party, went to the pumpkin patch, the park, the zoo, Pancake Pantry, played in the back yard, all over the house.....Fun, Fun, Fun!!

I loved cooking for them and having 10 people around the table. Of course, adding 3 little ones to our 4 and their already hectic schedules was a little wild, but I have to say that the house was more orderly having Amy here with her three, than when she isn't here. She's amazing! I learn a little something more from here each time I'm with her. What a treat to have inherited her as a daughter. One night she cooked this delicious Israeli recipe. She's been telling me about these for years, and they are wonderful. I'll definitely be making them often. Enjoy!! J....more pics from the week to come

SEAN'S FALAFEL AND CUCUMBER SAUCE

1 15-oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 egg

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

1 dash pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp baking powder

1 TBLS olive oil

1 cup dry Italian bread crumbs

oil for frying

1 (6-oz) container plain yogurt

1/2 cucumber-peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

1 tsp dried dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

1 TBLS mayonnaise

1. In a large bowl, mash chickpeas until thick and pasty; don't use a blender, as the consistency will be too thin. In a blender, process onion, parsley and garlic until smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas. (Amy did this all in the food processer)

2. In a small bowl combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is not sticky but will hold together; add more or less bread crumbs, as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten into patties.

3. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides. (Amy baked hers at 400 for about 10 minutes per side)

4. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, pepper and mayo. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

She put a flatbread on the plate, topped with lettuce, the falafels, red onion then covered with cucumber sauce! Sometimes she serves them in pitas with hummis, potatoes, etc. YUMMY!!!