How I simultaneously helped my wife and had a great time in the kitchen

The Man

Avi Krawiec

Age 27

1 child

Learns part time and does electric work Lakewood, NJ

The Plan

Friday Night: Challah with Homemade Chummus, No-fish Sushi, Chicken Soup, with Super-Fluffy Kneidlach, Sous Vide, Lemon Chicken, Steamed String Beans, Potato Kugel, Chocolate Chip Cookies with Ice Cream

Shabbos Lunch: Liver, Deli Salad, Pickles, Cholent, Potato Kugel, Brownie Ice Cream Crumble

Shalosh Seudos: Chummus Sesame Noodles Fruit and Frozen Grapes

When the idea came up of being a Man with a Pan for Mishpacha, it sounded like it could be a lot of fun — besides giving me a chance to prove my mettle in the kitchen. I began by writing up a menu and a shopping list, and was surprised at how much planning was needed for each meal.

After spending a while looking up recipes online and in cookbooks (including one I like to call Table for Two: A Chassan’s Cookbook), I came up with the following menu:

Friday night: Challah with homemade chummus, sushi, chicken soup with kneidlach, sous vide lemon chicken, steamed string beans, potato kugel, chocolate chip cookies, and storebought ice cream.

Shabbos day: Store-bought liver, deli salad, pickles, cholent, potato kugel, and brownie ice cream crumble.

Shalosh Seudos: Chummus, sesame noodles, frozen grapes and other fruit.

By Thursday night, my wife, Brochi, was getting worried that my nose was still buried in a cookbook and she couldn’t offer any input. To calm her down, I made the chummus and the kneidlach. I was surprised when the kneidlach more than doubled in size, although I probably should have expected that from a recipe titled “Super-Fluffy Kneidlach.”

Luckily, I remembered right before I went to sleep to soak the cholent beans, much to Brochi’s relief.