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Leaning In

Truth Thursday

I probably didn’t even need to read Sheryl Sandberg’s new book, “Lean In,” because by the time I actually picked it up, I had read so many reviews, and had seen so much commentary about the book and about her everywhere – and I mean everywhere – that I felt like I already knew its basic premise (but for the record, unlike some bloggers who have written about her, I did read it.) 

It’s essentially a 4^th wave feminism theory. It’s not that we need to burn our bras for independence (1^st 20th century wave.) It’s not that we have to dress like men with floppy bow ties and shapeless suits to make our way up the corporate ladder (2^nd wave.) It’s not that we have to be superwomen, balancing work and family seamlessly and pretending that it’s all rose petals and perfection, and at the same time, fight the backlash against women in the world, a la Susan Faludi (3^rd wave.)

It’s that we are still trying to find a way to be the working women we want to be, the moms we want to be, the spouses and partners we want to be, and the people we want to be. And we need tools and support to make that happen. 

It’s actually a really good message, despite its detractors. Sure, many have criticized Sandberg for being elitist, for being wealthy and white, for being high up on the corporate ladder where few women rest and therefore not being able to see down the rungs behind her, for being hetero-normative, for being married to a partner with the ability to be flexible and allow her to stretch her limits with a safety net, etc. etc. 

All of this is true. And there is the whole nagging other side of the question that she doesn’t really address – how the work world does (or does not) support and accommodate women and men and families. But none of this makes her message any less resonant in my mind. 

Senioritis

Truth Thursday

I experienced my first real dose of senioritis today. No, it wasn’t my son cutting a class (although he’s been known to do that this year), nor was it him joyriding, being huffy and non-communicative, or staying out past curfew. 

No, it happened when I was looking at his high school website, actually looking up something for my daughter who will be attending the school next year, when a page for seniors caught my eye.  It held several links to important information for seniors – about prom, about finals, and about graduation.

And that’s when it really hit me. He’s graduating. This year. 

And I started to cry.

Later, reading the health section of the Washington Post, there was an article about how we, as a society, should be thinking about how to better combat senioritis and create a more productive last term of high school for our American seniors. Aftrer eading that, I started to cry again. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I have spent most of this year, my oldest child’s final year in high school and at home, pretty much in the mindset of “don’t let the door hit you as you leave.”  My friends who have gone through this have told me that this is natural – our seniors’ behavior in their last full year living at home often is so atrocious, so mean-spirited and icky, that we want them to leave. 

But it’s really only their way of getting ready to leave. They need to push away, to create space between themselves and their parents, and their friends. They need to know that it’s ok to leave it behind – that they’re ready to launch. 

Fudge Cookies -- Delicious Solution for Extra Matzo Meal

Meal Monday

I realize it's a significant and common problem: what to do with leftover matzo meal? Instead of keeping it and hoping it won't go stale before next Passover (unlikely), I recommend using it to make these cookies. Passover or not, these are delicious and very satisfying.

The recipe is from Susie Fishbein's Passover by Design cookbook and she credits the original recipe to Rivki Shaulson. Sounds authentic to me.

As usual, easy to make.

Giant Zebra Fudge Cookies

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

2 cups matzo meal

2 cups good quality Dutch process cocoa powder

4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

confectioner's sugar, sifted

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, mix the oil, sugar, matzo meal, cocoa powder, eggs, vanilla and baking powder until a soft dough forms.

4. Roll the dough into 18 balls slightly larger than golf balls.

5. Fill a small bowl with confectioner's sugar and stir with a fork to break up any clumps. Lower the balls, one at a time, into the confectioner's sugar and toss to coat heavily and completely. Transfer to prepared cookie sheets. Leave room between the dough balls, as the cookies spread during baking.

6. Bake for 18 minutes. If you like smaller cookies, form walnut sized dough balls and bake for 12 minutes.

7. Cool completely.