Friday, March 27, 2015

Two Certain Things in Life

Yesterday Youngest Daughter pointed out that I haven’t posted on the blog for a “really long time.”   In her view, photos of snow, as populated my last post, are not real posts.

“I’ve been very busy!” I protested.  “I have to do the taxes!”

When one is self-employed, one always has to do taxes.  I don’t necessarily object to paying the taxes, but to the filling out and sending of forms that is ever hanging over my head.  These days I am responsible for more people’s tax documents than my own.

I added, “But you know, I have five or six blog posts floating around in my head all the time.  I don’t get to write them down, and eventually they float away and disappear.”

YD:  “Mom, that’s so sad.  You should put off the taxes and write on your blog.”

Me: “But the punishment for not filing your taxes on time is pretty severe.” 

YD:  “It couldn’t possibly be as bad as a disappearing blog post.”

That’s the spirit.  Accountants, make way for the writers!  (I hope accountants do not take offense.  We are extremely grateful to the accountants who prepare the tax returns for all our elderly relatives.)

The truth is, there is way more to do around here than tax returns.  There are two sure things in the life of the Common Household:  taxes and Passover food.  Folks, Passover is almost upon us.  It’s time to pull out the special recipes and baking materials. 



I didn't have a gold medal, so the
matzo meal has won the Celtic art medal instead.

In the Great Baking Race that is the Common Household preparation for Passover, the three top contenders are matzo meal, cake meal, and potato starch.   Matzo meal gets the gold medal: while most Passover desserts require cake meal and/or potato starch, traditional Passover meal recipes usually call for matzo meal.  You cannot make matzo balls of any size without matzo meal.

For some reason, these matzo balls remind me of
alligators lurking below the surface of the water.

In Passover cooking, eggs get their own category.  They are the heavy-weight champs.  It would be nearly impossible to have the expected Passover without eggs.
 
For some reason, egg whites at stiff peak do not
count as leavening.  Good thing!

A successful Passover cake, but, according to my husband,
 never as good as my mother-in-law's cake


Passover will be different this year, because we are not having a seder at our house at all.  No cooking of brisket will occur here.  But still, I should get busy baking our family’s three favorites:  Passover lemon squares, Passover brownies, and Passover bagels.


So if you are looking for me, you can find me either at www.irs.gov or in the kitchen.  Because it would just be wrong to lie around all day reading Barbara Pym novels and eating bonbons.

12 comments:

Cassi said...

I have to do our taxes too. Turbo Tax keeps reminding me. And I keep ignoring it. I'm so glad I don't have to do any holiday prep, though. Life just seems too busy these days for holidays. I hope all your food turns out great and that you enjoy your Passover meal wherever you're having it, with relaxation :-)

Angie said...

Thanks for the reminder to remind Bob to do our taxes. We're going to Dallas to visit Eric for Easter. Enjoy the holiday!

JJ said...

Love your blog; hate doing taxes. But on the bright side, in socialist countries, they ask only one question on their tax forms:

How much did you make?

And then they say: Send it in.

The Crislers said...

I had so many things to say, but now all I can think is: A cake you made with your own hands is never as good as MIL's cake according to your husband? And yet Husband is still a husband and is still breathing? Two Passover miracles!

Alison said...

Time for the Common Household Husband to make the cake.

smalltownme said...

I have an accountant do my taxes. For me, it's worth the price. I started off my married cooking life with some of my MILs recipes but over time they have changed. I get no complaints.

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

According to my husband, I cannot duplicate some of his mother's recipes; however, I am pretty sure I am merely competing with his childhood memories and those are impossible competitors. Mostly I solved the problem by not cooking. :)

The rest of this comment is powered by stream of consciousness:
Your Passover Cake looks delicious (poppy seed?) and when I see the phrase "Cake Meal" I am convinced that really means we should make an entire meal out of cake. Coincidence?
I've only done our taxes (with Turbo Tax) once in the past 28 years and only because SuperDad was deployed.
I miss having Seder Meals at church. I also miss those fly-away-into-nothingness blog posts by all of us.
Now I'm hungry for Matzo ball soup!

Suburban Correspondent said...

You CAN make matzoh balls without buying matzoh meal - just use the mix instead. Which I guess is mostly matzoh meal, only more expensive, huh?

Anonymous said...

I've never associated Passover with taxes, but you're so right! Now I get to associate it with snow as well, as preparations are coinciding with a high of 14 right now. So wrong. Write on Carolyn!

Anonymous said...

UGH! Taxes are so TAXING. Even when you pay someone to do it.
I vote for blogging and Pym and bonbons. Your daughter has the right idea.
Happy Passover Prep!

Patience_Crabstick said...

Why CAN'T we just read Pym and eat bonbons. Easter dinner stresses me out. It's my least-favorite meal to plan and cook. I finally finished our taxes last night, but now I have to nag my kids until they do theirs.

slow panic said...

so tired of taxes!!! i've been baking instead as well.