for millie-mom

heritage is a funny thing, isn't it?

some people are strongly tied to their cultural roots. it permeates everything they do, the way they think, the way they speak.

others (like me) are a mishmash--so completely mixed up in a cultural "melting pot" that it's almost a blender.

but every once in a while, something springs out--something that brings you back. the way you say a word, a phrase you use...a meal you enjoy...

when i was young, a highlight of visiting grandma & grandpa (on my mom's side)--you could always be guaranteed grandma would spend time standing in front of the stove--churning out thick, salty, buttery matzo brei.

she'd keep making and making...we'd keep eating and eating.

i have no idea how many boxes she'd go through when there was a bunch of us there.

i know some of my cousins read this...and i know you're all drooling now thinking about it :o)

now, i make it for my family...

and they love it.

i wish i could explain to you how good it is. i'm not a sweet breakfast kind of gal. i prefer my french toast with salt and butter, my bagels with cream cheese, and my cheerios plain.
so matzo...perfection.

want to make some for yourself? trust me, it's worth it.

(matzo is easy to find anymore. most major food stores have it in the kosher/ethnic section. and around passover you can usually get the 5 lb package for free with a coupon! woo-hoo!)

millie's matzo

take your matzo crackers, and break them up in a bowl. 

add some water to cover, and let it sit for a few minutes to soften. you don't want cracker mush--but you don't want any hard edges.

drain the water, and add beaten eggs and salt. some recipes call for 1 egg to every 1 cracker. i go with 1 egg for every 2 crackers. it's really about preference.

heat a fry pan over medium heat and coat with butter.

add your matzo/egg mix and flatten into a big patty. not too thin, not too thick :0)

cook until lightly browned on the bottom. flip and cook until the other side is lightly browned also.

cut in wedges, top with more butter, and enjoy.

you can also try this recipe.

yup, heritage is a funny thing. my grandmother was jewish, so i guess that makes me a quarter jew (ya know, like harrison ford)...but it still comes out sometimes.

although, not completely...because with the matzo we had...

:o)

winner winner...turkey dinner?

i promised.
and what googiemomma promises, googiemomma does.

sometimes it just takes me a while :)

you want random? oh, we'll get random. there's all sorts of randomness up in he-yah.

the numbers, 1-7:

the first pick, eyes tightly closed:

the choice:

but wait! let's add some randomness to our random!

another picker:

and a third:

(never fear, our impartial judge was nearby to ensure complete blindness)

and a fourth:
  

and now, harnessing my spectacular math skillzzzzz....
i present to you the AVERAGE of the four chosen numbers:

7 + 2 + 4 + 2 = 15
15/4 = 3.75...

oh shoot.

ummm....this didn't go as planned.
plan b...

random.org picked #7!

so yay #7, aka tara benwell, who said:

Awesome! I arrived here via ana. She was my locker partner in high school. I always have to mention that because I just get the feeling ms. imadeitso will be famous one day and I'll be able to say we were always in the same homeroom. Anyway, those clutches are amazing and I've recently dumped diaper bags and am ready to move on to purses even though my husband says they don't suit me. I'd pay $25!



oh shoot.
i swear, it was TOTALLY RANDOM. nothing AT ALL WHATSOEVER to do with ana.

tara, drop me a line and we'll work out the details on which clutch you'd like!

what's in a name?

i read a lot of blogs.
a LOT.

some of the ladies i read use pseudonyms...for themselves, for their children...
some use their first names.
some are just all out in the open--first and last names, where they live...
and to be honest, the blogs i seem to enjoy more are the ones where i know their names, i've seen their faces. let's face it--blogging is letting someone in on a slice of your life. it's creating a virtual "friendship" (even if it's one-sided. i'm fairly certain some of the "bigger" bloggers i read don't know i exist...but we're still bff's in my head) and knowing their names makes it somehow more real...in my delusional fantasies.

wait--am i one of the freaky stalkers?

:o)

here, obviously, i use my name (occasionally), but that's it. for the kiddos i use their nicknames (yes, they do really get called those things).

so i got to wondering...
in this day and age, is it necessary? i want to be a cautious momma, but at the same time--is the internet and blogging the future? is the concept of 'online privacy' really a myth?

a concerned friend sent me a message a couple weeks ago, pointing out that from a few miscellaneous clues in some of my posts/photos she was able to google more info about me.

i was thankful for the heads-up. (even though i've been too lazy thus far to go back and fix those things...:)

then i posted my ultrasound photo, and got a comment from someone about when my birthday was. i was careful to block out the hospital name and my last name, but didn't even notice my birthdate on the picture.

does it matter?

i googled my name and birthdate...and didn't come up with anything. well, i came up with some things--other gals born around me with the name shannon. but not me.

i can't help but think that it's not like i'm hiding myself. i'm listed in the phone book: name, address, telephone number. if you search for me, i can be found. i know people request not to have their name or number in the yellow pages--but for the most part, does anyone think twice about it?

is this the yellow pages of the future?

then i read things like this over at the Spohrs are Multiplying. if that doesn't freak you out nothing will. or another blog i read and enjoyed--blog baby--just recently was taken down because the mom discovered some rather nasty people were looking at her children's photos.

i post my children's photos....can't help but make you think....

so tell me--what do you think? if you hide or, vice-versa, reveal personal info about yourself on your blog--WHY? have you had any positive or negative results from this?
even if you don't blog, what are your thoughts?