<p>We make quinoa and add sugar or honey to sweeten (cinnamon) with raisins or other dried fruit</p>
<p>SlitheyTove, the only thing our dog will swipe from the table is challah. If it’s out, it’s hers!</p>
<p>LINYMOM, glad the casserole worked!</p>
<p>We went to our shul’s Second Night Seder last night and besides the kids, was the only adult who knew the Frog song and “For it’s work, work, work” song (sniff) from the Family Haggadah. There is a Paul Zim tape that goes with it and the guys learned the songs in preschool. Had an early Seder in NJ over the weekend at my BIL’s and really missed S2. He always does the four questions and leads the political discussions. OTOH, my 6 yo niece did an EXCELLENT job reading the 4Qs in English.</p>
<p>Time to bump this thread - first seder is three weeks from Friday! (Resurrecting this thread seems to be one of my holiday traditions now.)</p>
<p>Little seder with only six people - don’t even know what DS is doing for his second year after college; probably nothing much. Last year he joined us via webcam so maybe he’ll do that again.</p>
<p>My big project is finding a spectacular dessert. Every year at DH’s request I make a plain sponge cake (well, flavored with orange and lemon). So did it again last year. Then my SIL made a fancy chocolate chip sponge cake for the second seder that DH complimented. SIL ran all around in vast excitement over the fact that he liked it. Sent us home with a big slab of her cake. We never finished mine by the end of Passover. No way am I making the plain Jane cake again.</p>
<p>Anyway, I’m thinking of trying map’s Chocolate Coconut Cake from page 6 of this thread, and maybe seiclan’s Matzoh Brittle from page 19. I’m not even considering that they are all on Weight Watchers and I’m on Weight Loss for Dummies ;). (I will cut way back in the Passover candy aisle.) Otherwise it will be the same old same old, I guess.</p>
<p>^^^Love the description of your SIL!</p>
<p>Marilyn,</p>
<p>I’m honored that bumping my thread is your new holiday tradition. I always make a flourless chocolate torte that’s a big hit and could actually be served any time of year. I also always served glazed corned beef instead of brisket. To me it says spring.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for bumping this thread. I’m going to spend some time reading it from the beginning this year and pick a few new things to make. Going to LI for seder first night. There will be about 40 people at least. Second seder in Westchester - they’ll be about 20 people with some who were also at first night so I’d like to make something different for each night.</p>
<p>Nach Waxman’s Brisket, The New Basics. Leave out the flour.</p>
<p>^^^That is a tried and true High Holiday and Pesach favorite at our house. Ditto the beef short ribs.</p>
<p>Glad that this thread got bumped too. Can everyone report back on successes from past years? I need more suggestions, including for vegetarians. Two seders at my house, so I need to start thinking about this.</p>
<p>Last year, I made the spinach casserole (recipe on this thread) and that went over well. Will try it again. Will also make my carrot souffle again (family favorite).</p>
<p>What are you all planning for your menus?</p>
<p>I’m not hosting this year, so I only have to make dessert, but in year’s past I’ve served fruit and vegetable tzimmes for vegetarians, as well as “eggplant caviar,” and both were big hits.</p>
<p>Thanks for bumping up this thread. </p>
<p>The best recipe I’ve discoved in the past few years is Passover granola. I put the recipe in post #433. If your college kids can’t come home for the holiday, it’s a wonderful treat to send them.</p>
<p>I’m not hosting either sedar. I just have to make matzoh balls and tzimmes.</p>
<p>I’d also be interested in vegetarian options, as one of my guests is a vegetarian. I’ll have to hunt for LINYMOM’s spinach casserole recipe.</p>
<p>It was actually someone else’s recipe but I found it again this morning by searching this thread. If you can’t find it, let me know and I will post later.</p>
<p>Pls post the post # of the spinach casserole when you have time, LINYMOM</p>
<p>I’ve been perusing recipes and even though we don’t need a vegetarian main course, this one looked interesting for those with time on their hands (would omit the optional nutritional yeast ;)):</p>
<p>[Zucchini-and-Green-Zebra-</a> Tomato Lasagne With Basil-Pistachio Pesto - Main Courses - New York Magazine](<a href=“http://nymag.com/listings/recipe/tomato-lasagne/]Zucchini-and-Green-Zebra-”>Zucchini-and-Green-Zebra- Tomato Lasagne With Basil-Pistachio Pesto - Main Courses - New York Magazine)</p>
<p>Also I searched for the famous spinach casserole and it’s post #385 on page 26. Joan Nathan has a simpler souffle in “Jewish Holiday Kitchen”; just spinach, cream cheese, cottage cheese, matzah meal, and eggs. Let me know if you’d like me to post it; haven’t tried it myself but a friend did and said it was great.</p>
<p>Last year I made a Duck Apple Salad in lieu of a hot entree, and two years ago did a Pomegranate Leg of Lamb. If anyone is interested I’ll post the recipes.</p>
<p>Also, I made Charoset Truffles the last couple of years in addition to the traditional apple-nut Ashkenazi standard. Extremely well received.</p>
<p>Charoset Truffles</p>
<p>2 cups pitted dates
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons sweet wine
sugar</p>
<p>Pulse all ingredients, except for the sugar, in food processor until it forms a chunky paste. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of paste and roll between palms of hands to form a ball. Roll balls in a bowl of sugar to coat, and serve.</p>
<p>Post #385: Spinach Casserole (courtesy of countingdown):</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/318104-any-truly-good-passover-recipes-26.html#post9979974[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/318104-any-truly-good-passover-recipes-26.html#post9979974</a></p>
<p>Thanks. It looks good. I’ll be seeing S’ gf tomorrow, so I can see how she feels about that one. She’s not picky, so she’ll probably be fine with it.</p>
<p>We’re going to son’s girlfriends’ mother’s home for a seder. They are strictly kp. We aren’t. So…since our kitchen isn’t kosher I need a suggestion for wine. They like sweetish wine (blech), we like dry…but who has a suggestion for a good Passover wine?</p>
<p>
Check with a local synagogue or temple. Most will have kosher wine sales as fundraisers. They often have a tasting at the sale as well.</p>