I’ve been spending some time lurking on Pinterest trying to find unique ideas for this years Passover menu.

Of course, I spent some time trying to figure out what my centre pieces are going to look like too. Here’s what I’m thinking. Which one do you prefer?

Idea #1…so simple, yet so pretty

Idea #2….Love this idea

Idea #3…I actually have a chalkboard runner to use as the “seder plate” and love the idea of using empty egg shells as a vase! How cute?

As for the menu, here’s what I’m planning on serving. Warning: this is not a traditional Passover menu at all but I’m ok with that and I hope my guests are to.

-Sweet Potato Rounds with a Beet Puree and topped with a Walnut (totally made this up. Its not from Pinterest (for a change). I made them a few weeks ago and it’s a winner.

–Matza Brei Cupcakes stuffed with ??????.  Cant decide – it might be stuffed with mashed potatoes or a mushroom medley. I’m  hoping that this idea works. If I get a chance this week I might test it out!

-Yottam Ottelenghi’s Aubergine & Herb Salad with Garlic Yogurt Dressing

–Salmon with an Apricot Basil Salsa

-Yottam Ottolenghi’s Butternut Squash w/Gingered Tomatoes and Lime

-Yottam Ottolenghi’s Tomatoes with Sumac Onion and Pinenuts

Dessert: Matza Smores and Fresh Fruit

I know. I know – the menu is heavy on Yottam Ottolenghi’s recipes but I couldn’t help it. His veggie recipes sound amazing.

I’m excited to head to my storage unit and dig out my grandmother’s china that I always use for the seder. There’s something about using her china that makes this holiday extra special for me.

So excited to share this holiday with family and friends. We are also hosting a couple that we’ve never met as part of an initiative with City Shul that no one is alone on the holidays.

Happy Cooking and Happy Passover and Happy Easter too!!

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Passover is soon approaching (April 10th to 18th to be exact) and I have no doubt that many of my facebook friends will be busy this Sunday cleaning and cooking (in that order).

It’s certainly not an easy holiday as it involves a lot of food and entertaining and a list of restrictions.  However I’m going to share a tip with you to make it easier. It’s called PINTEREST.

I actually created a Passover Board on Pinterest (see bottom left) to help me organize the recipes that I’m going to attempt to make for the Seder.  Why didn’t I think of this idea before?

Here’s the menu for my Vegetarian Seder that I will be serving on the first night!  (thanks to my Pinterest Passover Board).

Arugula Orange Salad with Lemon Ginger Dressing

Salmon with Creamy Avocado Sauce

Matzo Stuffed Herbed Tomatoes

Garlic Herb Cauli-Rice

Spinach Potato Nests

Dessert: Fruit (not making anything that involves a gazillion eggs or matzo meal)

As for my table – I’m naturally going to use my grandmothers china that I pull out every Passover. But I’m also going to attempt to make a few of these great “table decor ideas” that I found on Pinterest – not with purple but with burgundy to match the china (of course. LOL). I actually made the idea on the bottom right last year and it was a huge hit.

 Not sure if the matza vase is going to turn out but we will soon find out. Hoping its’ not going to be a #PinterestFail.

Here’s one more tip to make your Passover Seder easier! I saw this idea on Pinterest a few months ago, and IT WORKS.  Trust me.

Wishing all my friends who celebrate Passover, a very meaningful holiday.

Happy Cooking (and Cleaning).

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When I saw this recipe on the internet, I knew I wanted to make it.  It looked stunning and it didn’t require a million ingredients. Plus I knew it would be the perfect side dish for my salmon.

Here’s the recipe for a Zucchini  Rose Tart (adapted from www.Buonappa.net)

Ingredients:
1 roll puff pastry

Filling:

1 cup ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
a lot of  fresh oregano, fresh rosemary or fresh thyme!

Decoration:
4 multi color carrots (purple, orange and yellow)
2 zucchini

Instructions:

1. Roll out the puff pastry and place it in the bottom of a greased oven proof baking dish. However,  I was using this recipe for Passover so I covered the bottom of my serving dish with Matza.

If you are using puff pastry, bake in the oven (with weights) at 350 for 20 minutes. Lets cool

2. Mix together in a bowl: eggs, ricotta cheese, parmesan, mozzarella cheese, and fresh herbs (this made all the difference, I promise you).

3. Spread the mixture over the puff pastry (or matzo in my case)

3. For the vegetables: peel the carrots and split in half. Then take your peeler and peel long ribbons. Do the same with the zucchini but don’t peel them. Then place all the ribbons in 2 cups of water and put them in the microwave for 5 minutes. DRAIN.

4. Now for the fun. Roll up each ribbon and then place into the filling (which will acts as a “cement). This take TIME. Make sure you have enough TIME and enough RIBBONS. It took more time and more ribbons than I thought but it was SO worth it.

5. Brush with olive oil (which I forgot to do. Oops)

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes

Full disclosure: I swore a few times while making this but I will make it again. It was really worth it.

FINAL

I served this dish along with:

-Salmon with balsamic onions

-Roasted Cauliflower with a Tahini Glaze

– Beet salad with mint/feta cheese

-Spinach salad with blood orange and pecans

Happy Cooking!

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It’s been an interesting week!

I spent five days in Ottawa for the first time in decades and it wasn’t enough time! SO much to do….so little time!!

Sadly I was sick on the weekend (see previous post). But the minute I felt better, I went to have a beer at Les 3 Brasseurs. I think this new location at 240 Sparks is nothing but brilliant!

On Monday and Tuesday night, I celebrated Passover with my parents. Highlights of my meal consisted of: gefilte fish, matza, eggs with salt water and chicken soup with matza balls. I  also had some delicious chopped liver from Creative Kosher Catering that I wish we had in Toronto.

Not the best picture. Sorry!

On Monday and Tuesday: I hung out in a variety of coffee shops so I could work. (Thanks to my twitter friends @foodieprints @AMWATERS for the suggestions)

–Bridgehead (130 Anderson and 109 Bank St….went to both locations)

-Starbucks at Woodroffe and Carling

–Happy Goat (35 Laurel)

-Illume Espresso Bar  (1433 Wellington St).

-Simply Biscotti ( 307 Richmond St.)

I got a lot of work done and was well caffeinated.

Plus, I managed to give my first twitter lesson in Ottawa!

Hopefully will be back in Ottawa so I can enjoy the Tulip Festival  (May 3-20th) . Hopefully I will  drink more beer and less coffee on my next trip. So many new beer restaurants have opened and I really need to check them out. #lovebeer

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Passover starts tonite at sundown which means a lot of Jewish people will be having Matza Balls in their chicken soup. I actually make them all year round but that’s another story. I usually make them from a mix but for this blog entry, I decided to kick it up a notch and make them from scratch.

What’s the difference – you ask?

• From a Box: it has nasty ingredients (ie monisodium glutamate) but it’s convenient and they pretty much always turn out right.
• From Scratch: no nasty ingredients but it takes almost twice as long to make

Simple Ingredients

Lifted up the cover for the photo!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup matza meal

1 tsp baking powder (may be omitted during Passover)

2 tsp of salt

4 eggs

4 tsp vegetable oil

METHOD

a) mix eggs and vegetable oil in a small bowl

b) mix baking powder and matza meal in another bowl

c) mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients but do not overmix

d) put the mixture in the fridge for an hour

e) boil a pot of water

f) make small balls (again not the size of golf balls more like large the size of a large marble!!)

g) place balls into boiling water, COVER and simmer for 40 minutes. (do not touch – yes – that’s right – do not touch)

RESULTS:

It was a no brainer – the matza balls from the recipe tasted “real” vs “salty”. As for the texture – both were light and fluffy.

Not sure I will be buying the mix again. It’s SO much healthier to make my own.

By the way – its worth googling a few matza ball recipes online. Each one was different i.e one recipe even called for club soda.

Happy Passover and for those who celebrate Easter – Happy Easter.

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Next week is Passover (April 18 -26) so our house will be free of bagels (see last post) and full of matza. I’m not exactly a fan of this holiday but that’s another post in itself.

Here’s a favorite meal that we make throughout the week. It’s simple to make and delicious too.

All you need is three ingredients:

For one portion –  1 egg, 2 pieces of matza and 1/4 cup of milk (you could add more if you wanted). I used skim milk as it’s all I had -but 2% or homo would probably be even better.

three simple ingredients

Step One:

Whisk the milk and the egg. (simple)

Step Two:

Crush the matza and immerse in the milk mixture.

Step Three:

Put the mixture into a heated frying pan (that has been coated with a little oil)

Step Four:

Move the pieces around every once in a while so the matza gets burnt-looking. Does that make sense?

End result with look like this:

Step Five:

Enjoy with sour cream, jam, or cream cheese. (which is why this dish is so yummy).

NOTE: The traditional name for this dish is MATZA BREI (pronounced br-i).

My friend tells me she has never ever used milk. She just wets the matza with water. We laughed as I had never  heard of just using water!!

As for finding matza: it’s in every grocery store from coast to coast.

To all my Jewish Readers…Happy Passover.

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