Cooking and cleaning and so many dishes

I love Passover. Even though over recent years I have given up changing the dishes, cleaning all the cupboards, buying new foodstuffs in unopened packages, etc. I still love Pesach. It may be favorite holiday ever.

Yesterday I spent my four good hours on my feet cooking. I made my father's recipe for chopped liver. Thanks to my in-laws' generosity, I don't grind by hand but instead use the grinder attachment for the stand mixer. (Two of the best presents I have ever received!) Then I made some matzah farfel "granola" for Rik to enjoy at breakfast and for late night snacking. I did something different this year; maybe I added a little more salt? But we both agree it's spectacular this time. And I whipped up a new cake with almonds, pears, dried cherries (and a few of the fresh ones I found in the freezer left from our little trees this summer). I haven't tasted yet since it's for tonight's seder, but if it's good I'll share the recipe I found on line.

Last night's seder was fun, maybe a little short for me, but we still finished the whole thing and didn't leave until 10:30 pm. Our hosts always include his 93-year-old father who is a Shoah survivor. What a treat to listen to his Polish Hebrew, his melodies, and to watch him pound the table during Adir Hu and shout in a call and response El! B'nai! El! B'nai! I think I will incorporate this into my next seder.

Breakfast this morning was the first taste of matzah with butter and salt -- the best! I wait all year for that delicious taste. Today I baked matzah rolls (like popovers but with matzah meal, so yummy fresh from the oven!), and a batch of matzah "roca" (as we call it in Seattle), made with chopped pecans instead of almonds this time. This recipe has floated around the world and now the internet for maybe 20 years, and is the best Passover dessert ever. I've asked the original author for permission to link to her site. We'll see what happens.

Our hostess's version of the 10 plagues. Look who came to dinner!