April 15, 2014

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!

3 comments:

  1. I have been following your blog as I was diagnosed with triple negative breastfeeding cancer in July of last year.
    I wanted to let you know about a research program that is looking for women both with and without breast cancer. You can find the info at the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation Act with Love: For a Future Without Breast Cancer
    http://dslrf.org/actwithlove/. The need participants for both the Army of Women and also the Health of Women studies. Right now they are looking for women to be involved in a study who were diagnosed before the age of 40. Everything is free of charge and will not cost you anything.
    I hope that you will consider joining both of these groups so we can find a prevention for this horrid disease and then share it with other ladies that you know.
    My email is jrs2771@gmail.com if you have any questions or just want to talk.

    Janice Satterfield
    Lexington, SC

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oops...darn auto correct.
    Supposed to be breast cancer....not breastfeeding cancer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Jill. I am a colon cancer patient and joined you and the others in the Swedish patient therapy group several times. I wanted you to know that I love your posts--look forward to each. You inspire us to be strong and keep dancing.

    ReplyDelete

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