January 11, 2025

WEEKLY MENU 01.12.25

Hole-y moly, it’s bagel day during the Weekly Menu 01.12.25!

National Bagel Day shows up during the Weekly Menu 01.12.25, and while I won’t say we’re celebrating bagels on the menu, I will say they made the cut.

What ARE we celebrating during the Weekly Menu 01.12.25? Just the birthday of my absolute favorite baby seester. I have three sisters, but only one baby one, in case you were wondering. She is almost fourteen years my junior and has always been one of the most prominent lights in our lives. Our boysies love AF almost as much as we do. She’s funny, smart as hell, and beautiful inside and out.

She was in the first selfies I ever took, way before cell phones. I think this one is taken with a Disc Camera. Remember those? I cut off my double, trip, and quadruple chins. You don’t need to see that, dear reader. I have upped my selfie-taking since then. I promise.

Here she is with another sister. How cute is that fake smile?

And the baby picture – just in case you needed any further proof of cuteness:

Happy Birthday, F. Aurelia.

So. National Bagel Day.

Did you know?

17th Century: Bagels Are Born out of Necessity

Bagels are created in 17th century Poland as a response to anti-Semitic laws preventing Polish Jews from baking bread. Jewish bakers circumvented these restrictions by boiling the dough before baking it.

19th Century: Immigration to North America

Polish Jews immigrate to North America and bring bagels with them. They become a staple food in New York and Montreal for both Jewish and non-Jewish communities. Which city makes better bagels? The debate rages on to this day.

Early 1900’s: Bagel Bakers Unionize

The Bagel Bakers Union Local 338 is established in New York City. The union helps establish better working conditions, regulates the bagel-making process, and promotes the expansion of the bagel industry.

1960’s: Mass Production Leads to Mass Adoption

Lender’s Bagels pioneers the technique of freezing bagels and shipping them to grocery stores across the US. This introduces bagels to consumers across the US, and Murray Lender’s marketing efforts popularizes them outside of Jewish communities.

nycbageltours

What’s YOUR favorite?

I’m an everything bagel girl, although I’ll happily indulge in any cheese bagel, salt bagels, or even plain bagels. I don’t adore sweet bagels in any form. I said it, Bert. Cinnamon Raisin Bagels are the worst.

Weekly Menu 01.12.25

Bagels are on the Weekly Menu 01.12.25 but not until Wednesday, National Bagel Day. We’re having shaved turkey, swiss, and green apple sandos. Supposedly, some carrot sticks, too. What can I say?

This week’s “big” Sunday meal is Italiano Burgers because I love a theme. We’ve got some leftover Alfredo Sauce in the fridge, so I’ll warm that up to dunk homemade pretzel bites in. The pretzels are super easy to make and very fun. We use store-bought biscuit dough that gets rolled and immersed in a hot water/baking soda bath (a la bagels) before getting salted and baked. Kids can help with this one and learn some science at the same time.

Risotto, or cheesy rice as the boys call it, will round out Sunday dinner. Almond Bars seem slightly Italian to me but are certainly not a classic.

Canned biscuits play again on Saturday with a superbly easy Chicken and Dumplings. The entire recipe uses convenience foods to come together quickly. It’s not classic, but it sure looks tasty!

Five Ingredient Sheet Pan Dinner on Tuesday is made with boneless pork chops. It’s a one-pan meal on top of being a low ingredient.