Horsing Around: Friday Night Brisket

Passover is a hard time for kids.  Seeing all your friends eating things you can't have.  It wasn't such a big deal for Thatkid last year, he went to a school where everyone brought their own lunches, and he spent his non-school time with us.

This year was a different story.  This year Thatkid's preschool serves lunch.  And this week every meal was a no-go: hot dogs, spaghetti, bean burritos.  Which means I had to pack him a lunch to eat that wouldn't have him reaching for his neighbor's food. 

He also had to attend his first birthday party over Passover.  Do you know how hard it is to tell a kid they can't have cake?  It's hard. Luckily, the rest of the part was full of really fun things for him to partake in.

Like face painting:

I love the fact that the other boys painted their faces to resemble fearsome big cats, and my son chose a zebra. 

And since this was Little HW's birthday party, it should come as no surprise that there were horses to ride!

Thatkid loves riding horses.  As soon as he got off, he wanted to get on another one.

After the party we took Thatkid out for ice cream - to make up for the lack of cake.  He's such a good sport.  Passover has also taught us that brisket is on Thatkid's LOVE list.  He gobbles this stuff up.  I'm sure the ketchup doesn't hurt!  It's a cut of meat I don't make very often, but it seems so Passover appropriate.  And this preparation is easy and flavorful.  Creating a tender meat that falls apart at the touch of a fork.  I made this using a "Kosher for Passover" onion soup mix, but regular onion soup mix should work just as well.

Friday Night Brisket (From Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook)

6lb brisket

2 pkgs onion soup mix

6 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 1/2 lbs carrots

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Place the meat fatty side up in a baking dish.
2. Sprinkle the onion soup mix over the meat. 
3. Cover with ketchup and 2 cups water. 
4. Crush the garlic cloves and add to the liquid. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 3 1/2 hours.
5. While the meat is cooking, peel the carrots, and cut them lengthwise into thin sticks.  Cut the carrots in half.  Place them on top of brisket, cover, and bake for another hour.