A Special Teacher

I may have mentioned that the Babe loves school.  A large part of this is due to the wonderful teacher she has.  The curriculum that is taught seems advanced, but well introduced to the kids.  The teacher maintains a level of discipline while ensuring the kids have fun with learning.  On top of that, she gets the allergy issues.  She worries about the Babe in her classroom on a level that makes me very comfortable having the Babe there.  I just wish her teacher could continue with the Babe as the Babe moves up in grades.

When the kids leave for the day, they line up to catch their buses.  I drive the Babe to and from school, so I wait at the building entrance for her.  Almost every day the Babe gives her teacher a hug goodbye (she's not the only child vying to hug her sweet teacher).  Many times the Babe has asked her teacher to come over for a visit.  Just before winter break, her teacher, Miss H, realized she could come over the Tuesday before Christmas.  So I invited her and her teenage daughter for dinner. 

The weeks before Christmas, the kids had a lot of holiday books read to them, including several about Hanukkah.  While in the classroom volunteering, her teacher and I were discussing latkes, or potato pancakes.  Apparently, she'd never had them before.  On the night she came for dinner, I planned to make latkes.  In addition, I served baked chicken, roasted broccoli, salad, and a chocolate frosted chocolate cake. 

Just after Miss H and her daughter arrived, so did our builder.  We'd been dealing with a leak in our kitchen faucet, and my husband caught him working on an adjacent property.  So while I was prepping latkes (thankfully I had just peeled the potatoes before I lost access to my sink), the builder and my husband were taking apart my kitchen faucet, and Miss H, her daughter, and mine played nearby. 

I tried a new way to make my latkes, and they came out perfectly.  Granted, it takes a while to fry up a whole batch, but it was definitely worth it.  Miss H and her daughter seemed to thoroughly enjoy them.  After they left for the night, all I could smell was the cooking oil/potato smell in my hair, which made me want to make some more.  I haven't yet, but think they'll be on the menu very soon.  Despite a few hiccups at the start of the evening (um, no access to my kitchen sink!), we had a very pleasant evening and a good meal.  Here's my latke recipe:

Gluten-free Egg-free Potato Latkes
4-6 medium russet potatoes
1 onion (yellow or sweet)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C white rice flour
1 Tbsp ground flax seed + 3 Tbsp water
Canola Oil- lots of it

1. Peel potatoes.  (Placing peeled potatoes in a bowl of ice water will slow them from turning color).
2. Grate potatoes and onion in a food processor or with a hand grater (watch those knuckles!).
3. Add the potato and onion mix to a bowl.  Drain liquid.  Then, add flaxseed-water mixture, salt, and rice flour.
4. Heat oil in a large frying pan, about 1/4 inch up the side of the pan.
5. Place a large tablespoon-full of batter in the pan.  Try not to overcrowd, otherwise it will be harder to flip.  Keep on medium heat.
6. Wait for the bottom of the pancakes to firm, and brown (depending on heat of your oil, should take 3-4 minutes).  Flip when a medium brown, and press down on the pancake to flatten. Continue to cook until other side is browned (again, if oil is hot, should be another 3-4 minutes). 
7.  Place on paper-towel covered plate to absorb some of the excess oil.
8.  Eat and enjoy. 
* Traditionally latkes are eaten with applesauce and sour cream.  We substitute Sour Supreme for the sour cream, and its just as good.