Passover Prep - Countdown to a Seder

Brian and I traditionally celebrate Passover at his mother's house with both our families in attendance. She always cooks up a lavish, multi-course feast so that by the time everyone is done with dessert, they need to change into larger sized clothing for the trip home. That is, after we spend some time with our bloated bodies passed out on her living room carpet. Oy vey, thank goodness it falls on a Friday this year! :) I typically bring a dessert and a couple of side dishes. But whether I'm cooking to contribute to her Seder or just for the two of us during the days of Passover, here are some of my favorite recipes. Have a happy holiday, whatever you celebrate!

Flourless Chocolate Souffle Cake

The Passover requirement to use matzo meal instead of flour usually causes the most angst in desserts. Yes, there are box mixes for all types of cakes that use holiday approved ingredients. But the most common of the traditional holiday desserts, the Flourless Chocolate Cake, bypasses the need for flour altogether. In fact, it's become so popular that restaurants frequently offer versions of it on their regular menus.

But even this cake does need a tiny bit of flour for best results (see the recipe for how I solved that) so typically Passover versions of it are dense and heavy. It took me a couple of tries and one epic failure before I found a perfectly balanced flavor and texture.

Fluffy Matzo Balls

Probably the quintessential food that says Passover to me is Matzo Ball Soup. These dumplings are absolutely delicious and there's no good reason to save them for Passover alone. Most large markets carry matzo meal year-round and the recipe is too simple and quick to use a ready mix.

Creamy Egg Salad

Matzos are the bread substitute at Passover and they are tasty, cracker-like sheets. Spread them with butter, jam, chopped liver (maybe not at the same time as the jam), whatever. I think they are tailor made for egg salad and this version is smooth and creamy for those people (like Brian) who dislike the texture of hard cooked eggs.

Matzo Brie

We've already stocked up on matzos and since they are so good, there's no reason to wait for Friday to dig in. There won't be much in the way of French toast, waffles or pancakes during Passover, of course. But Matzo Brie (rhymes with dry) is a terrific alternative for breakfast or even as a snack. In fact, every time I make it for Brian he asks me why we don't have this more often.