April 22, 2014

Not for faint of heart: skin mets

If you ever wondered what skin mets look like.... I have three on my scalp. They itch a bit when forming and then scab over. This scab came off the other day. Actually it softened so much in the shower the scab came unhinged and I had to cut it off.

According to Dermatology Education:
About 70% of all cutaneous metastases in women are related to breast cancer. Skin involvement occurs in 24% of breast cancer cases. It is the presenting sign 3.5% of the time. 

Another cancer blogger award

I received this in my email today:

I hope this email finds you all in good health and having had a good holiday!  I am happy to announce that we have released our 2014 Top Cancer Blog Awards and if you are receiving this email, you have been chosen!  Attached is an updated badge for you to post on your blog (if you already have an older version, either Top Cancer Blog or Empowered Blogger, you can replace them both with this single badge).  We are in the process of updating our website with the new list, as well as publishing a story about the winners, so I will let everyone know when the story is posted.  Congratulations to you all!

I'm pretty sure the holiday he means is Easter, even if I celebrate Passover. Still, it's lovely to be recognized again as a good blogger.


April 16, 2014

OK, I invented a dessert

As a riff on both Marcy Goldman's recipe for Matzoh Buttercrunch, and on Hershey's Almond Joys and Mounds Bars, favorite candies of my childhood, I invented a Passover version. Of course, you could make it any time of year; it's gluten-free and totally yummy (I think). Try it and let me know you opinion!


NOTE: The bars fell apart after I tried to cut them. I think next time I'll make individual ones in muffin tins lined with paper cupcake liners. But they still taste amazingly good, if I say so myself!

Passover “Almond Joy” Bars

Crust:
1 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar

Heat oven to 375° F.
Line an 8-inch square pan with baking parchment.
Combine ingredients for crust, and press into the bottom of pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown.

Center:
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Put oven rack in middle position and reduce oven heat to 300° F.
Whip together egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until peaks form. Stir in coconut. Spread coconut layer over almond crumb layer. Bake until top is pale golden in spots, 15 to 20 minutes.

Topping:
½ bag of chocolate chips
12 or more whole almonds

Spread chocolate chips over coconut layer. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Decorate with whole almonds. Chill in refrigerator. Cut into bars to serve.

I think if you change three ingredients, you can call a recipe your own. I did adapt the almond crust and macaroon middle layer from:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Coconut-Macaroons-232018




Matzoh Buttercrunch, to give it the proper name

Here in Seattle, about 20 years ago, a recipe began circulating among Jewish mothers of pre-school-aged children while I was working at the JCC as the Jewish educator. Someone called it Matzah Roca, after the famous candy, and it began to appear on almost every seder table as "the" dessert.

On my hunt for the original author, I found Marcy Goldman, who "created Matzoh Buttercrunch when my eldest son, now 29, was about 18 months old and of course, disliked all Passover offerings, especially the desserts. I thought about something that would be easy to make and that a toddler might eat. That was the inspiration."

I asked Marcy if I could share her original recipe on my blog, and she gracefully said yes. Marcy also writes: "I feature this recipe ‘always free’ on my website… Usually I’m not given credit for this recipe, one of my most iconic ones. But in the big scheme of life, as you must know more than most people, it’s not one of the ‘big things’.  I am just pleased that so many people get such pleasure out of the recipe. But given you have no doubt, lots to handle, it’s particular kind that you sought me out and asked for copyright permission."

So for all of you who would love the original Matzoh Buttercrunch, click away!

April 15, 2014

Cooking and cleaning and so many dishes

I love Passover. Even though over recent years I have given up changing the dishes, cleaning all the cupboards, buying new foodstuffs in unopened packages, etc. I still love Pesach. It may be favorite holiday ever.

Yesterday I spent my four good hours on my feet cooking. I made my father's recipe for chopped liver. Thanks to my in-laws' generosity, I don't grind by hand but instead use the grinder attachment for the stand mixer. (Two of the best presents I have ever received!) Then I made some matzah farfel "granola" for Rik to enjoy at breakfast and for late night snacking. I did something different this year; maybe I added a little more salt? But we both agree it's spectacular this time. And I whipped up a new cake with almonds, pears, dried cherries (and a few of the fresh ones I found in the freezer left from our little trees this summer). I haven't tasted yet since it's for tonight's seder, but if it's good I'll share the recipe I found on line.

Last night's seder was fun, maybe a little short for me, but we still finished the whole thing and didn't leave until 10:30 pm. Our hosts always include his 93-year-old father who is a Shoah survivor. What a treat to listen to his Polish Hebrew, his melodies, and to watch him pound the table during Adir Hu and shout in a call and response El! B'nai! El! B'nai! I think I will incorporate this into my next seder.

Breakfast this morning was the first taste of matzah with butter and salt -- the best! I wait all year for that delicious taste. Today I baked matzah rolls (like popovers but with matzah meal, so yummy fresh from the oven!), and a batch of matzah "roca" (as we call it in Seattle), made with chopped pecans instead of almonds this time. This recipe has floated around the world and now the internet for maybe 20 years, and is the best Passover dessert ever. I've asked the original author for permission to link to her site. We'll see what happens.

Our hostess's version of the 10 plagues. Look who came to dinner!

April 08, 2014

Back on Xeloda

I am back on another cycle of Xeloda (round 15) and have one more dose of Methotrexate before I see Dr G this week. My tumor markers drawn last week are about the same as the previous time; we'll see how much they change this week after the fourth dose of Methotrexate.

Meanwhile I am still easily fatigued but trying to keep accomplishing what I need to do. I had a busy weekend: I lead musaf services at synagogue (and someone told me my voice was "ethereal" -- that was really nice to hear!); we joined friends for smoked meat i.e. pastrami sandwiches and a to watch basketball game on TV; there was a congregational meeting Sunday morning; and our Food and Friends group met for the last time Sunday night. I did make an excellent Anarchy Cake thanks to G loaning me the recipe, but forgot to take a photo. Of course I made a few changes to incorporate some chocolate. I really recommend this recipe.

Yesterday I hacked at the ivy and trimmed back some ferns, then visited a friend in the hospital. Rik and I watched the very funny "Lone Ranger" movie starring Johnny Depp. This morning, however, it all caught up with me and I stayed in bed until noon. Now I am going to try to get the ironing done. I haven't even thought yet about what new tricks to include in Passover seder. Thank goodness friends are hosting us both nights!

Anarchy Cake (6-8 servings)

8 ounces / about 1 ½ cups sliced fresh strawberries
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
¾ cup cake flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 egg
¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup milk
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon turbinado or granulated sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line the bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan with parchment paper, brush with oil and lightly dust with flour.

In a medium bowl, gently toss the fruit with 1 tbsp of the sugar and set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg with ½ cup sugar and lemon zest until light, fluffy and pale. (This could take as long as 3 minutes.) Add the oil, then the milk and the balsamic vinegar, beating until fully combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and drop the strawberries over the top. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar.

Bake for 50 minutes or until the top is a beautiful golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then remove sides of pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious with whipped cream!

Note from Seattle Times: I’ve found that when you use fruit, the cake comes out like a cross between a torte and a cobbler. It’s a tender, low profile cake that’s not too sweet. A great emergency dessert that also works for tea time.

From Faith Willinger, "The Best American Recipes 2002-2003," edited by Fran McCullough


My Substitutions:
Sub ¼ cup cocoa for ¼ cup flour
Sub ¼ cup coffee for ¼ cup milk (to make it parve)

Okay to omit lemon zest
Sprinkle a handful of cocoa nibs over the batter
Top with coffee-flavored whipped cream
To make it for Passover, you could even sub some matzo meal cake flour for the pastry flour and use the 1/4 cup of cocoa.

April 02, 2014

Fatigue hitting me hard

The reason for the lack of posting is that fatigue has struck. Between the Xeloda and the Methotrexate, I am getting the full double whammy. I usually have about three good hours per day. If I split them up and nap between, I cope a little better, but if I use my time all at once, I hit the "wall" hard and really crash.

For instance, yesterday it was sunny and warm. I decided to walk the dogs to the drugstore and back, about 20 blocks round trip. I was dragging so by the time I got home, I could barely move. My feet hurt from the neuropathy and Hand-Foot Syndrome. My energy had completely dissipated. I was hot (it really was warm out). All I could manage was to get myself onto the sofa for a couple of hours. Then I felt better, hungry even, but those two hours were in complete fatigue. And all that from just walking the dogs!

Now I have to sign off to crash and later deal with some medical papers (bills, etc.)

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