Here’s an analogy from the editorial calendar to help put our yearly cycle into perspective. More than half of the 50 issues we put out a year contain Yom Tov content. That means that, as women, we’re spending more than half of our yearly mindset planning for Yom Tov, one way or another.

We’re about to enter the longest and coziest stretch of the year between Yamim Tovim, before Purim approaches. We’re in this productive zone. We have this chunk of time that lends itself to getting things done.

It’s kind of like one long, rainy Sunday.

Recently, two events happened at the same time that made me rethink this approach.

I had the opportunity to pick the brains of a mother who is far more senior than I am, and whose kids I respect and admire, and I asked her, “What’s the secret to your amazing kids?” She said something so simple, yet so spot on: “I just had fun with them.” Nothing thesis-worthy, just a simple, sincere approach to raising healthy kids.

Almost simultaneously, my own mother mentioned to me that my kids complain to her at the end of a Sunday that they didn’t do anything “because Mommy was cleaning.” So as much as I want to hold on to these precious consecutive Sundays, these conversations made me realize that I would rather give my kids a fun time.

During these winter weeks, the kids seem to linger more. It’s colder and darker out, no one’s rushing anywhere, and somehow, surprisingly, there may be a pocket of time on a school night for a random card game. It’s worth their childhood for us to grab it. We have the time now, and what better way to use it?

We’ll be back with Purim content before you know it.

CHANIE NAYMAN
Food Editor, Family Table
Editor in Chief, Kosher.com

The 16-Ounce Pasta

• 16 oz (450 g) shredded cheese
• 16 oz (450 g) cottage cheese
• 16 oz (450 g) marinara sauce or tomato sauce
• 16 oz (450 g) pasta of your choice, cooked according to pkg instructions
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup heavy cream (optional but recommended)
• Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Combine all the ingredients except the Parmesan in a 9x13-inch (23x22-cm) pan. Cover tightly and bake for about an hour. Uncover and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. When done, sprinkle with Parmesan.

One-Step Pasta

Did you know that you can put raw pasta into a pot of cold water and then bring it to a boil? Every flame + pot + pasta combo will require a slightly different amount of cook time, but I usually set the timer to 15 minutes when I start, and I get perfect al dente pasta when I’m done.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 824)