Sheva Brachot Breakfast for Gingy

My youngest son Netanel has many many friends, thank G-d, but he has a very tight inner circle who have been hanging around my house since they are in 9th grade (and younger)!   I’ve watched them grow up from little boys to men who tower over me and whose voices went down many octaves.  It’s both cute and scary at the same time.  Inevitably, the boys have now noticed that there are girls out there and are slowly but surely getting married (thank G-d for that too!!)  Finally, one of his besties bit the dust and I said I’d make 7 brachot for him with DH of course, as an act of love for “one of my boys”.  I don’t know who had more fun, me or the boys who came.  I look forward to making 7 brachot for all “my boys” and of course, for my own boy PG!!

They ran out of evenings to give me and asked if I could do a Friday morning.  I was delighted since I’ve done breakfasts before and when Shabbat comes in later, it works wonderfully.

When chagim roll around, I make pretty much all the food served (other than what my kids contribute) but for breakfast, I want to have fun and not be too pressured.  So, while I might do pancakes or eggs for a smaller crowd, for a bigger crowd I’ve learned to buy more of the things I serve.  So, when I have the kids I buy milky and puddings, for the guys I skipped that and went with cheeses, freshly baked bakery Berman bread, focaccia with olives, mushrooms and onions, onion rolls, whipped butter, cream cheese.  Also, hummus, eggplant salad and roast peppers.  I make my own tuna and egg salad in the food processor which gives it a pate-like consistency and practically melts on the tongue, needing less mayo when made in the processor.  I baked a big side of salmon in barbecue sauce and served it room temp (and even my Israeli guests who much prefer hot salmon ate it!).  Then, cuz I’m always worried there won’t be enough food, we bought some excellent frozen (from Italy) pizzas and served those too, piping hot from the oven.  For this particular breakfast, I tried scrambled eggs in the oven, a technique that allows you to make a large batch of scrambled eggs without standing over the stove (which worked beautifully, but there is some liquid left in the dish, you need to spoon it out) but since we had so much food, only half got eaten.  I skip it now since it’s not necessary, but I thought it was absolutely yum, a post for another time.

Then, I served watermelon, fruit and croissants for dessert and baked cheesecake and dairy streusel cake.  I even spoke (I’m truly fond of the young man) and we had a big hit.  The rest of the boys said they are reserving dates for 7 brachot for their weddings.  Worth the effort 😍

tuna pate

Tuna Pate

6 cans of chunk light tuna in water

1/2 cup of Hellman’s real mayo

one thin slice of onion (or more to taste, we like just a hint of it)

a handful of parsley (optional)

4-5 pickles in brine (optional)

Take out your food processor.  Open and drain the cans of tuna leaving a little liquid so that it will whirl better in the processor.  Put in the onion, pickles and parsley (if using) and the mayo.  Chop very fine.  Add the tuna and watch like a hawk as it turns into a smooth texture almost like a pate.  You may add extra mayo as needed but always start with less so it isn’t gloppy with mayo.  Turn into bowl and refrigerate.  Unmold on a pretty dish to serve with lettuce leaves or cherry tomatoes or thinly sliced cucumbers.

Egg Salad Pate

15 large eggs

1/3 -1/2 cup of Hellman’s mayo

one thin slice of onion Or 1/2 a small chopped onion sauteed till golden in a tablespoon of oil

1/2 a teaspoon paprika

1 flat teaspoon salt

pepper as desired (we don’t like it but if you do, go for it!)

Put the eggs in a deep saucepan with a lid and cover  an inch over with cold water, salt the water liberally.  Bring to boil, lower to simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and and remove cover.  As eggs cool, get food processor ready and if sauteeing onions, do so now.  Peel the eggs when cool enough to handle and they should practically jump right off the egg.  Put onions, mayo, paprika and salt into food processor and whirl together.  Then add eggs (if you have a smaller processor than I, chop half and then add other half, keeping an eye on the chopping.  You don’t want watery, so watch it till smooth and a pretty yellow color and it will taste like professional egg salad with wonderful mouthfeel.  As with tuna pate, turn into bowl and refrigerate.  Unmold on a pretty dish  with olives etc. etc.  DH saw it the next day as leftovers, I had at least 6 eggs worth of salad left and before I knew it, he polished off the whole thing!

egg salad pate