Walkers Mini-Festive Stars

by | Mar 22, 2016 | Hanukkah, Kosher, Purim

starshortbread[1]Recently, I received a sample of Walkers Mini-Festive Stars shortbread cookies. Walkers cookies are certified kosher, dairy. My kids had a play date last week and I put the cookies out for a snack and they devoured them instantly. They kept asking for more of the star cookies. The nice thing about them is that they are really small, so I didn’t feel like they would ruin their appetite.  You could use them to decorate or dip them in jam. You could also use them to for Purim Mishloah Manot. They also offer Gluten Free Options.

Ideas for Mishloah Manot Containers

by | Feb 29, 2016 | Amazon, Deals, Purim

The links in the post may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.



Purim is less than a month a way and I have been searching for different kinds of containers and ideas for Mishloah Manot. Here are some of the ideas I have come across for containers on Amazon. There are tons of deals. And Amazon can change their prices at any time, so the widget will provide the current pricing available.

 Containers

  • 100 16 oz. Clear PET Plastic Cold Cups & 100 Straw Slot Flat Lids.
  • Great for Iced Coffee, Smoothies, Bubble/Boba Tea, Milkshakes & Frozen Cocktails.
  • Approximate Dimensions : Top Diameter : 3 7/8″ , Bottom Diameter : 2 1/4″ , Height : 4 5/8″
  • Proudly made in the USA with a BPA free plastic.
Total Price: $17.40 for 100, 17 cents a cup set



  • 24 Gift Boxes
  • Measures: 2″
  • Cardboard
  • Hot Pink

Total Price: $5.79 for 24,  24 cents a box.
You could have your kids decorate it with stickers.

  • Package of 50 – 5oz. Plastic dessert cups with lids
  • Great for all occasions
  • Perfect for parties and everyday use
  • Disposable – reusable – easy clean up quality plastic cups with lids
  • Polar ice brand quality
Total Price: $13.35 for 50, 27 cents a cup


  • Paper Black And White Gift Boxes
  • Package contains 24 2″ square boxes
  • Simple assembly required


Total Price: $8.95 for 24, 37 cents a box
 

  • Paper gable boxes in stripe, chevron and polka dot patterns
  • Measure 4 x 2.5 x 4.75 inches
  • Ship flat for easy assembly
  • 36 per package; 12 of each pattern
  • Perfect touch for birthdays, weddings, baby or bridal showers, candy buffets and gift wrap
Total Price: $19.98 for 36, 56 cents a box

  • Cardstock favor box decorated with light blue watercolor and white stripes with rope pull
  • Personalization available at additional cost
  • Measures 3.25 h x 2.25 w
Total Price: $14.99 for 24, 62 cents a box

  • 1 Dozen Oriental Clear Frosted Takeout Boxes.
  • Boxes Measure 2 1/4 Inches x 2 1/2 Inches x 2 1/4 Inches.
  • Metal Handles Measure 2 1/4 Inches.
  • Plastic.
  • Simple Assembly Required.
Total Price: $9.07 for 12, 76 cents a container

Make Your Own Mishloah Manot


Check out Tori Avery’s Woven Baskets.

Check out these cute Cookie Baskets or this Paper Plate Crown.

Some interesting ways to contribute this Purim

Some interesting ways to contribute this Purim

by | Feb 24, 2015 | Giving, Purim

Observing the Holiday

There are four main mitzvot that are associated with Purim.
1. Hearing the Megillah read
2. Seudah Purim (what Jewish holiday doesn’t have something to either eating or not eating)
3. Mishloach Manot (sending small gifts to friends)
4. Matanot L’evyonim (gifts to the poor)

Hearing the Megillah

Have you thought about thought about how you are following along with Megillah reading:

I’d like to point out an app for Megillah Reading that’s a couple years old. It’s easy to follow along or even learn how to read Megillah with. It’s available for the desktop, iOS, and Android. It’s built using the same technology as Pocket Torah. It’s really easy to use to learn how to read or just to follow along during the reading. When you are juggling children and listening, sometimes it’s much easier to have something to follow on your phone instead of a book.

Mishloach Manot

I am truly fascinated by the creativity and the energy that people put into making Mishloah Manot. It’s even more amazing that they people figure out how to match their Purim costumes with their Mishloah manot. I wish I had the time to be so creative in thinking far enough ahead to be able to be so thematic.

Matanot L’evyonim

But my concentration is usually on where we are donating our money and thinking about different places that we can help. We usually focus on Jewish organizations that help people who are hungry during Purim.

Here are some of the few I have donated to in the past:

1. SOVA– this is what I grew up with contributing to in Los Angeles. I remember we would often do food drives before Yom Kippur and Purim/Pesach. When I was in High School, the youth group I was part of would not only collect money to donate, but we would also volunteer our time for SOVA.
2. Mazon– In the past we have found it easy to make Purim donations.
3. Leket Israel – Leket is by far the easiest one to make Purim donations. They are set up and ready to go for the Purim holiday. You can easily make donations in honor of people.

 

36 Hamentaschen for Purim

by | Feb 21, 2013 | Purim

When I first learned how to make hamentaschen for Purim, I was taught to pinch the sides. But I found that for the most part the hamentaschen didn’t end up staying together. Last year in search for a recipe that might yield prettier hamentaschen I learned about a folding method. I have found that folding the hamentaschen actually makes prettier looking hamentaschen and if you don’t put too much filling they stay together much better.

Here are some ideas for Hamentaschen fillings:

1. Apple Butter
2. Apricots
3. Brownie (Dairy or Pareve)
4. Heath Bar Crunch (Dairy)
5. Chocolate Chips
6. Jellies
7. Dates
8. Figs
9. Prunes
10. Lite Cherry Pie Filling
11. Nutella (Dairy)
12. Chocolate Spread

Here are some ideas I have collected (along with two friends whom I share the board with) on Pinterest Board other “Hamentaschen” ideas:

13. Pizza Flavored (Dairy)
14. Italian Fried
15. Candy Cane Cheesecake (Dairy)
16. Rabbi Olitzky’s Chocolate Cream Cheese (Dairy)
17. Cinnamon Bun
18. Samoa Filled
19. Berry Tarts
20. Pumpkin Whole Wheat
21. Chocolate Raspberry
22. Hamentaschen Cake Pop
23. Hamentaschen Challah
24. Cinnamon Dulce Delecha
25. Meat Empenade
26. Salty Sweet Caramel
27. Chocolate Caramel
28. Midnight Chocolate
29. Smores
30. Gingerbread with Apple Filling
31. Salted Caramel with Chocolate
32. Neopolitan Hamentaschen
33. Cherry & White Chocolate (Dairy)
34. Hamentaschen Cupcakes
35. Spinach Kinish
36. Hamentaschen Sushi