The Kosher Home

My parents were pretty strict with alcohol consumption through my teenage years. The two exceptions were wine during Shabbat meals (though I was limited to one glass) and any cream liqueur. For some reason, Godiva Chocolate and Irish cream liqueurs didn’t count as alcohol, since they were so rich and in my mother’s opinion, you could only drink it in a glass, on ice, at times when you wanted to indulge.

The issue with these creamy libations is that for most Kosher-observing families, opportunities to drink a dairy cocktail are rare, unless the kids are asleep and you have an hour of free time to rest. Thankfully, Shavuot is right around the corner, so here are some ideas for dairy cocktails that I encourage you to try!

For the coffee lovers:

• During dessert, serve coffee with an assortment of liqueurs! Coffee goes great with Godiva chocolate and white chocolate liqueur, Kahlua, Amaretto and a variety of Creamy Liquers. Mix and match, or choose just one to spice up your coffee. Avoid adding in more than 1 ½ ounces total—you don’t want to go overboard.
• Make your own Irish Cream with this recipe inspired from Chef Shaya for a Kosher Irish Cream.

For the kids at heart:

• Chocolate Milk: Have a grown-up version of chocolate milk! Add 2 ounces of chocolate liqueur to 3 ounces of your favorite milk. Alternatively, you can use crème de bananes or white crème de cacao.

• Sundae: Poor 1-2 ounces of any thick cream liqueur over ice cream, and top with a maraschino cherry. Grown-up ice cream sundaes!

For a cold, creamy cocktail:

• Spiked Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Milkshake! (Not for Sabbath/Holiday, but still delicious) In a blender, place 1 cup of ice, 1 ½ ounces cream or whole milk, 2 ounces chocolate liqueur, 1 teaspoon of cream cheese, and a dash of grenadine.
• Spiked Iced Coffee: Fill a tall glass with ice, then add 4 ounces of milk, 1 ½ ounces of coffee (or espresso for an iced latte), and 1 ½ ounces Irish Cream.
• Caramel Freezer: Fill a tall glass with ice, then add 1 ounce each of: Irish Cream, Kahlua, and butterscotch schnapps. Fill the rest of the glass with cold milk.

Yesterday, we learned how to construct a cheese plate.  The basic concept is the same when you are serving cheese as a dessert.  With a few minor changes in accompaniments you will be good to go.  Don’t be afraid to try something new.  Serve a light lunch, salad and quiche and save some room for dessert.

For dessert, one or two cheeses might even be enough.  Brigitte loves to serve Brie with Cherry Jam from Bonne Maman, it is an all natural jam form France that pairs perfectly with the cheese.  You can even serve this on its own for dessert!  Plate it on a small cake plate and it is like the easiest cheesiest cheesecake ever. And don’t forget the champagne!

The Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese is a perfect dessert cheese, it has just the right amount of sweetness.  Then you can choose one of the harder cheeses, maybe going for the blue or keeping safe with a muenster cheese.  Serve with fresh fruit, like grapes, figs, pears or berries as well as dried fruits, like apricots, pears and cranberries.  Choose sweet caramelized nuts, like Maple Walnuts or Candied Pecans.  You can also serve alongside a selection of gourmet jams and preserves.

Then use this guide to choose the best wine to pair with the cheeses you select.

If you like beer, bring out the Guinness and serve with the Sugar River Beer Cheese to end the meal with an Irish twist.

I can just imagine it now, sitting outside, the kids playing in the yard, grown-ups sitting and relaxing in the shade, wine in one hand, cheese in the other, playing a fun game of Trivial Pursuit.  I love summer!

Coming soon to a table near you: long summer days, outdoor entertaining and Shavuot.  All of these occasions lend themselves to enjoying cheese.  I realize that the concept of a cheese course is fairly new to most Jews having grown up in America with very little kosher cheese to choose, but the time is right.  There has never been more kosher gourmet cheeses available than there are right now. So, even if you don’t think you’re a cheese person, give it a chance, you might surprise yourself.

Now, the question is when to serve this fabulous course, it really is suited equally to appetizer or dessert.  Take your pick, would you rather come home from shul, say Kiddush and sip your wine with cheese and crackers and nuts and olives while waiting for the food to warm up.  Or consider an easy dessert that will satisfy everyone.

Today, we start with the appetizer cheese plate.  Brigitte Mizrahi is the CEO of Anderson International Foods, Inc..  She started the company over 15 years ago and strives to find new cheese to make kosher, new concepts, and serving ideas. It is a life passion.  Brigitte loves great cheeses and all things gourmet!!!!

I spoke to Brigitte to help us understand how to construct our cheese plate.  Brigitte loves to start her meal with a cheese board before they even go to the table.  It is very French to sit and relax with some cheese and crudites, if there are no kids or they are playing in the other room, it can last an hour.  Here are Brigitte’s tips for cheese plate construction:

1.      Choose around 3 types of cheeses that are all different styles.  Just by looking at them you can tell they are different, from blocks, to softer rounds, to different colors.

2.      Try and choose cheeses that come from different milk types, like cow, goat and sheep.  Brigitte notes that sheep’s milk cheese is still harder to come by right now, so it is ok to stick to what is easy to find.

3.      Start with a soft goat cheese, spreads nicely on bread or crackers or even baby peppers.  To kick your goat cheese up a notch, cover it with a pesto and garnish with herbs and crushed nuts.

4.      Then choose a rich and creamy cheese, like Brie, tastes wonderful with some Bonne Maman Cherry Jam on top.

5.      Next, you can choose an aged cheddar or a flavored cheese like an herb pepper jack cheese or even a Swiss.  If you are really adventurous try something a little stronger, like a blue cheese.  Brigitte makes a Blue Marble that is a great starter blue cheese – very mild.

6.      Serve olives, salty nuts and cornichons along with the cheeses and even a bit of honey and jam.

Come back tomorrow for tips on serving cheese for dessert and get more great ideas from Brigitte by liking her on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NaturalandKosherCheese

I look forward to Shavuos and planning my menu around delicious dairy cuisine. Comforting foods like lasagna, blintzes and cheesecake always draw admiration from friends gathered around our table.

It’s one thing to make homemade blintzes, but who actually makes the cream cheese in the blintz, or, for that matter, the ricotta in the lasagna?

“You did what?” people ask me.

I instantly go from excitement to embarrassingly apologetic because, it takes a lot less time to make ricotta and cream cheese than it takes to go to the store.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese can be made from start to finish in less than half an hour.  Then mix it with some pasta, roasted tomatoes, and shallots for dinner tonight!

The Simplest Cream Cheese Ever the active time is only 3 minutes, but it does have to sit for a few hours to attain the right texture.  Technically, traditional cream cheese is made by adding special starters or cultures to cream. An easier process can be done at home. When whey is slowly strained from yogurt, the result is a thick, spreadable “yogurt cheese” that is just like cream cheese. The strong flavor of this smooth, cream cheese-like schmear, adds a wonderful depth to everything it accompanies. All you need is a quart of yogurt, a strainer, a clean dish towel, a bowl, and you’re in business.

A variety of mix-ins, whether savory (chopped herbs, dried onions, and granulated garlic) or sweet (honey, cinnamon sugar, or pureed berries), can be added to make an endless assortment of homemade cream cheese spreads that will make every bagel addictive.

Reprinted from the Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller Magazine May/June 2011 – Shavuos Issue

I love cooking with kids. Each summer I spend working at a sleep-away camp teaching girls how to cook. The girls look forward to coming to the cooking activity to create something they made themselves, which gives them a great sense of accomplishment. I encourage them to find their inner chef and use their own creativity. We have made everything from sushi, hot pretzels, brownies, even doughnuts.

Everyone’s favorite activity is making pizza. The dough recipe I use is very basic.  After the dough has risen, the girls then can use a variety of toppings to put on top of their pizza. We use mushrooms, onions, feta cheese, peppers, different spices, tomatoes, olives, even pineapple (very popular in Australia, from where I hail).

During the year when I am home with my own children we have “make your own pizza night”, more fun and cheaper than plain old pizza night.

We start with a basic water, sugar and yeast mixture.  At home I use my kitchen aid because I generally double my recipe and it mixes better when doubled or tripled.

We then add the flour and salt and let the machine mix it together using the dough hook.

Within 2 minutes I have terrific pizza dough, we let it sit for 30 minutes while we get the toppings ready.  (This batch was made with a mix of white and whole wheat flours).

I keep it easy with jarred Marinara from Gefen, my favorite.

My kids throw on a variety of different toppings on top of the sauce, we slide it into a hot oven and 10-15 minutes later, wallah, a hot delicious pizza filled with veggies my kids can’t wait to eat.

What do you like to top your pizza with?

Pizza Dough Recipe

Do your children push away spinach or refuse to eat broccoli? Do they shun the fresh fruit you offer them for snacks and dessert? If you want to inspire your kids to eat healthier, it helps to make their meals and snacks as appealing as possible. All healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, can be just as tempting as junk food (and ideally more so).

Start by asking your children for a list of their favorite foods (cookies and cake don’t count). Then make an effort to incorporate some of their picks into the daily meals that you prepare. You will be surprised at their responses! They might really enjoy a particular fruit or vegetable they have eaten at a friend’s home or at school. They just were never offered it at your home. Do your children have a soft spot for mashed potatoes? Introduce them to the recipe which uses cauliflower, like Creamy Mashed Cauliflower. They’ll be surprised how good it is!

Do they love after-dinner sweets? Serve them strawberries or banana pieces that they can dip in a little melted dark chocolate. Most importantly, show your kids that you practice what you preach and set a good example by enjoying healthy meals at the dining table along with them. And do make a concerted effort to get any junk food out of the house. Here are more ways to get your kids excited about fruits and vegetables:

• Don’t force your children to eat what’s on their plate. Provide them with small servings of new foods at first, then reintroduce those foods regularly in various ways. Perseverance will pay off.
• Encourage your children to help with meal preparation and cooking. Studies have shown that children will readily try foods if they have helped to prepare them. Let your younger kids do simple tasks like scrambling eggs, making sandwiches, mixing liquids and sauces, and measuring ingredients. Older children can help toss salads and dressings, cut vegetables and fruits, and stir ingredients in a pan.
• Get dipping: Kids love to dip! Serve raw veggies with a low-sugar prepared ranch dressing or hummus. My grandchildren love my Tuna Dip and Mayo Pick Dip. Both recipes can be found in my cookbook, NOT JUST A COOKBOOK.
• Let your children taste the difference between canned, frozen, or fresh veggies (don’t tell them which is which in advance), and let them choose their favorite. In many cases, canned and frozen can be as healthy as fresh.
• Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of melon slices. Kids love experimenting and eating their experiments. They would eat up every piece with the funny shapes they cut out! . I used to give my toddlers a cookie cutter to make shapes out of different varieties of cheeses I offered them. I still do that trick with my grandchildren today!
• One of my all-time favorites to do with children is to teach them how to make a Penguin on Skis out of a hard-boiled egg! I have used this as an activity at some of my children’s birthday parties. Most of the children ate the olives in that recipe for the first time—and loved it!
• Help kids make frozen fruit kebabs using orange slices, melon chunks, berries, bananas, grapes, and kiwi.
• Whenever I have a meeting in my home for my business colleagues, everyone loves the Fruit Dip that I prepare along with my usual spread. Many times, I would often find my children sneaking a taste while I prepared it. That’s when you know it’s a good food choice for your children, too! It is also quite easy to send along as a snack in their cooler lunch bag, with some cut up fruit, in a sealed, airtight, Tupperware container. Enjoy it!

The highlight of the Passover holiday is the Seder. The Seder is a ritual meal at which we read the Haggadah – a book that sets out the order for this Passover meal. (Seder means order).

The Seder plate traditionally has small bowls / plates of the food items used and referenced to in the reading of the Haggadah. These are the items on it:

KARPAS – A vegetable. Jews of Eastern European descent use a potato as green vegetables were not readily available, but generally one uses lettuce or parsley. This vegetable represents the initial flourishing of the Jewish people when they first arrived in Egypt.

ZEROAH – A shank-bone to remind us of the Pascal sacrifice of a lamb. Many people use a chicken bone today, I have always broiled a turkey / chicken neck for my seder plate.

CHAROSET – This mixture of apple, wine and nuts symbolizes the mortar that the Jewish slaves used in their construction of buildings for the Pharoah. There are many different ways of making Charoset – Check out these Charoset Recipes.

MAROR – Bitter Herbs. Traditionally chopped up horseradish is used, although some do use romaine lettuce. This symbolizes the bitterness the Jewish people suffered as slaves. The more you eat, the more bitter it tastes.

CHAZERET – We have always used horseradish – but grated for the Chazeret in comparison to chunks for the maror.

BEITZAH – An egg to commemorate the holiday offering and also to symbolize mourning that we no longer have our Beit Hamikdash. I hard boil a whole bunch of eggs and leave one shelled. I turn on the broiler and broil it together with the shank bone for 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t explode. (Trust me, I speak from experience). The rest of the hard boiled eggs are dipped in salt water and eaten before the Seder meal.

We made it! Now all that’s left to do is cook. I like to put up my soups and mains way ahead of time, so that I can spend the day before Passover working on my side dishes and desserts as they tend to take more time. At least if I know that the mains and soups are taken care of, I can cook the rest with a happy unstressed frame of mind.

Before I start with the individual dishes I chop onions and peel garlic enough for all my recipes. I separate the onions into ziploc baggies that hold a half cup of chopped onions. The snack size baggies are perfect for this. I chop all the veggies and bag them up. It just makes it easier to get all the cooking done. Prepare all the ingredients before you start cooking to ensure you have everything you need. This cuts down on last minute store runs.

Interestingly enough, every year the first dish I put up to cook is compote. To me that’s what gets the house smelling like Pesach.

ACTION: Invest in foil pans with covers and a Sharpie. Mark on each cover what dish it contains and for which meal.

DINNER TONIGHT: Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew – Double the recipe and you’ll have enough left for one of the holiday meals too.

OK. Take a deep breath. You have come this far. Your house is clean. Your shopping has been done. Errands have been taken care of. Give your kitchen a final clean. The steps you followed in Passover Prep – Clean Your Kitchen have paved the way for the final clean. Go over these steps again, paying even more attention to detail, and putting away all your chametz items that don’t need to remain on the counters. We close up our pantry for Passover, selling the contents within, and we put the toaster and the cookie jar and all those items that are out on the counter during the year are stored inside during Passover. Tape up the cabinets that will not be used over Passover.

Once everything is put away you can get to work on the counters and the sinks. I would advise you at this point to consult with your local Rabbi about the correct method of kashering your counters for the holiday. Some people steam their counters, some pour boiling water, some do both AND cover them as well.

Sinks take a little longer to clean and kasher. The way I have been taught (and please check with your rabbi) is that the sinks must be cleaned thoroughly, and must sit for 24 hours without being used. After 24 hours the sinks can be kashered by pouring boiling water over the entire surface. If you are using inserts for your sinks, the sinks still need to be cleaned and kashered.

Before you start covering counters and unpacking Passover boxes, take a moment to look around at your sparkling clean kitchen and know that you have done a great job.

Your kitchen is now ready to start cooking up a Passover storm.

ACTION: Boil up the kettle and enjoy a nice cup of tea, put your feet up and take 10 minutes of peace and quiet to yourself.

DINNER TONIGHT: Now it gets a little tricky to feed everyone. There is no more chametz in the house, but you cannot eat matzah yet. The kosher restaurants are usually over run with people the week before Pesach, but that just adds more stress to the family budget. What can one cook? Here’s a great suggestion: Sausage and peppers. There are some great Kosher for Passover sausages out there – this is a dish everyone can enjoy. You can even crack some eggs in there too, scramble them up.

It’s overwhelming – the amount of Passover goods that are available these days. If you are not careful you can end up spending more than you have budgeted for the holiday. I use a master list every year – and I have found that it really helps me keep my spending to a minimum.

Print it out, take it with you.

Matzah
Matzah Meal
Cake Meal
Chocolate Matzah

Grapejuice
Red Wine
White Wine
Apple Juice
Orange Juice
Lemon Juice
Coffee
Tea
Water

Sugar
Sweetener

Chicken
Brisket
Chopped Meat
Tongue
Gefilte fish
Salmon

Eggs (dozens and dozens)
Potatoes (lbs and lbs)
Carrots
Assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables
Horseradish
Dill
Parsley

Oil (canola is kitniyot)
Salad dressing
Spices
Salt and Pepper
Ketchup
Potato Starch
Pesach cereal for the little kids
Ladyfingers for the little kids
Tuna
Mayonnaise
Juice boxes / water bottles
Potato chips
Cookies
Nuts
Ground Nuts for charoset
Dried Fruit
Pickles
Raisins
Chocolate

Milk
Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Cream Cheese
Yogurt
Butter
Jam
Chocolate spread

Assorted sizes of Ziploc baggies
Aluminum foil
Already separated foil sheets
Saran Wrap
Foil containers and lids
Plastic containers and lids
Sponges for dishes
Dishwashing liquid
Rubber gloves

If you have anything to add, please leave a comment below.

ACTION: Plan your menus before you go shopping.

DINNER TONIGHT: Spinach and Cheddar Frittata with Fries – doesn’t take long but is nutritious and delicious.

It’s been a busy week and I have news for you, it’s only going to get busier next week as Passover approaches. One week left. But we are almost there. Catch up on any steps you missed this past week and it will be put you in good shape for the busiest week of the Jewish year!

ERRANDS  

TACKLE THE BREAKFRONT

SET UP A MINI KITCHEN 

KIDS’ TOYS 

QUICK DINNER: Mexican Potato Omelet - Whip up this simple, tasty omelet tonight. Frozen hash browns are perfect for this dish —just look for a brand with little or no fat. And while the cheese adds some fat, it also provides almost a third of your daily calcium needs.

My children are bigger now, but when they were small and we would be sorting through the toys I would find chametz everywhere. Cheerios and crushed up crackers all mixed in with the lego blocks. I felt it wasn’t enough to just sort through their toys, I wanted to make sure the chametz was totally gone.

Put away many of the toys for Pesach – sell them with the rest of the chametz – but keep out some of the favorites. Fill up the bathtub with lukewarm water and Johnson’s baby shampoo. Let the kids help you with soaking all the washable toys in the tub. Give them each a washcloth and have them scrub each toy. If you have a toy chest, take advantage of its current emptiness to clean it inside and out. Lay the toys on bath towels to dry, or have the kids dry them individually.

ACTION: Have the children pick three toys each that they no longer play with and donate to a local homeless shelter.

DINNER TONIGHT: Huevos Rancheros Verdes –  Huevos rancheros or “ranch eggs” is a classic Mexican dish that is great for a quick dinner. Traditionally, it’s made with a red tomato-based sauce. Here we use tart and tangy green salsa instead. Use whichever you have in your pantry. Serve with brown rice and slices of avocado.

Most of us are not fortunate enough to have a Passover kitchen. I dream of having one some day, but until then I have two choices. I can turn my kitchen over for Pesach five days before and start cooking like a madwoman OR I can prepare an area away from the chametz where I can slowly get certain foods done before the sprint to the finish line.

Run out to the grocery store and just buy a few basics so that you can get your cooking started. Some chicken and some vegetables, some frozen rolls of gefilte fish.

Set up a table in a quiet area of the basement (or even garage) with your Passover slow cooker, a few knives, cutting board, a small portable burner / camp stove and a pot or two. Assemble your chicken soup, cook and freeze it. Boil up your gefilte fish – and freeze it. Stock up on aluminum pans so that you cut down on washing dishes. I would use the laundry sink to wash the necessary dishes at this point. Just knowing you have some things cooked ahead of time totally cuts down on stress!

ACTION: Clear space in your freezer to hold the cooked Passover food.

DINNER TONIGHT: Smothered Tempeh Sandwich – Easy to assemble, quick to eat, won’t take too much time away from your Passover prep.

It’s time to roll up the sleeves and get working on the chametz removal. We are not in the kitchen yet – we gave it a once over last week, remember? Next week we will give it the final clean. I am talking about that breakfront that houses your fancy dishes and silver items. Those drawers in your buffet that cradle your fancy cutlery.

Cover your dining room table with a cloth or newspaper. Collect up your rags and your silver polish. Empty out the breakfront, the buffet and the drawers therein. Nothing goes back in unless it’s been polished to a shine. This is a great thing for the kids to help with if they are around. Give them a bunch of old socks to get to work with.

Once everything is out, wipe down the shelving with a damp cloth or Fantastik – whatever is your preferred mode of cleaning. If you have a lot of silver in your breakfront, invest in Hagerty strips – they help slow down the tarnish. They work, trust me on that.

ACTION: Print up signs that you can attach to closets that have been cleaned for Passover. Print out other signs to warn people away from the chometz-containing cupboards.

DINNER TONIGHT: Pick up a rotisserie chicken on the way home from work – alternatively you can use leftover chicken from Shabbat if you have. Assembling these Tropical Chicken Burritos will be a cinch – leaving your time free for cleaning.

Today we talk about getting the small things done and out of the way and off your list, so you can concentrate soon enough on getting the big things done – like shopping / cooking / cleaning and making Pesach.

1. Shoes need to be resoled? Take them to the shoemaker.
2. Shirts and clothes in the dry cleaning pile? Drop them off to the dry cleaner’s on the way to work. No one will be scrambling for a clean suit / dress / shirt 5 minutes before Yomtov.
3. Get the carpet cleaner booked for next week.
4. See if you can get a dentist appointment to sort out that bothersome tooth – deal with it before it bothers you to eat all that crunchy matza over Passover.
5. Any minor medical issues – make an appointment with the doctor for this week.
6. Schedule yourself a massage / hair cut / manicure for next week – all this preparation that you are doing, you must take time for yourself.
7. Going out for the seder or a yomtov meal? Pick up gifts this week, wrap them and include a card, so that they are ready to be dropped off just before the holiday.

ACTION: Make a list of everything that needs to be done between now and Passover, and then prioritize. Farm out some tasks to the spouse / older children if possible.

DINNER TONIGHT: Easy Cheesy Calzone – Pick up prepared Pizza Crust, and this dinner is a cinch to make. Make some french fries in the oven, toss up a quick salad. Yum!.

Ok, So you planned to get stuff done for Passover this week, it was on your calendar and everything, but that late night at the office on Monday just ruined your week. Do not fear – You have a whole Sunday to get plenty stuff accomplished.

Four easy things to take care of, and dinner will be ready when you are done.

ORDER YOUR MEAT

BUY NEW CLOTHES

START YOUR GROCERY SHOPPING

RESTOCK YOUR PASSOVER KITCHEN

Sunday morning, assemble Three Bean Vegetarian Chili in your crockpot – go and run all your errands, take care of business, and there will be a delicious meal waiting for you. Pick up some ice cream for your dessert on your way home – you’ll have deserved it!

Every year, when I am unpacking the Pesach dishes after my husband and boys have shlepped all seventeen boxes down from the attic, I have a moment when I realize that I kept *something* out to use for around the year, and need to replace it for Passover. Exactly what item that is, well, that would be anyone’s guess. One year it was the immersion blender, one year it was the potato peeler.

I have learned to combat these moments. Used to be that in the box marked Pesach #1 (which is the first box that gets opened) I had a paper on the top – on which I listed all kitchen utensils that I had kept out for regular use throughout the year, or broken over the last Pesach and need to be replaced. Ideally, if you did what I recommended yesterday, you have this document filed on your computer so that you don’t need to wait till you are unpacking the dishes to discover this list. This list should also have a list of *wants* that you had last year, but were not able to find / purchase.

Throughout the year I am always looking at kitchen item sales – and I stock up and put away for Passover.

Now is the time to run out and purchase that peeler, the grater and the immersion blender – before you are rummaging in boxes because you need to use it NOW.

One thing I will say. I used to think that if I only need to use a kitchen tool for 8 days a year, it doesn’t matter if it’s a cheap no name brand. I was wrong. Better to spend more money on a decent product, and not have to replace it, than to buy junk that breaks after the third time you use it.

ACTION: Use red or blue nail polish to mark your cooking utensils – will make it easier to remember whether it’s dairy or meat.

DINNER TONIGHT: Mom’s Pasta Fagiole - perfection. A soup with beans and pasta and yummy goodness. Excellent way to use up stuff from the pantry.

I don’t believe there is any kosher for passover coconut milk on the market yet, at least I haven’t found it.  I remember last year there was a big deal over Almond milk that was certified.  It is so nice to be able to make non dairy desserts without using chemical filled artificial creamers.  Almond milk is a great option, but it can get pricey and sometimes the flavor is not ideal or you might need something with a little more fat.  That is when I turn to coconut milk.   On passover coconut is a big part of many desserts, think macaroons, how could there not be kosher for passover coconut milk.

Then I happen to be talking to a woman from Ghiana who told me she always makes her own coconut milk and it is not a big deal.  Especially if you start with already grated, which of course she doesn’t.  Then I remembered that our food blogger friend, Shoshana gave us a recipe last year for Passover pudding where she tells us how it is done.  Shoshana says to pour boiling water over the coconut and then puree in a blender and strain it in cheesecloth.  However, many recipes on line suggest soaking it in warm water and then straining it and that you can even go through the process twice with the second batch being thinner.  I thought that would be even easier, not to have to puree it, but I was not happy with the results. I think if you can get fresh coconut and grate it yourself you would not have to puree it.  But if you want to go the easy way we will still with Shoshana and here is how it is done.

Start with a bag of unsweetened shredded coconut and measure it into a bowl.

For every 1 cup of coconut you will need 1 cup of boiling water.  Pour the boiling water over the coconut in a blender (do not use a food processor, it won’t work).  I used 2 1/2 cups coconut milk and 2 1/2 cups water.

Puree for 2-3 minute.  Line a bowl with cheesecloth and pout coconut mixture into cheesecloth.

Squeeze out all the liquid from the coconut by picking up the cheese cloth and squeezing.

That is it, store in the fridge

As mentioned above I got the best results when using a blender and blenders can be pretty cheap and useful to have on Passover, but if you don’t have one, you can get a decent product with the food processor and then second best would be no blending at all, you will still get a thinner coconut milk.

Fresh coconut milk should be used within 2 or 3 days and should be refrigerated.

For every Jewish holiday there are loads of crafts we can make with our kids or even on our own as adults.  It is fun to have our personalized items to use and our friend, Sarah Dahan, from CreativeJewishMom.com always has a amazing ideas.  Look through your collection and see what might be missing or which item has seen a better year.  You will find links to all of these crafts at the bottom of this page.  And don’t miss our Makot Matching Game.

Maybe it is time to make a gorgeous Bejeweled Wine Glass for Eilayu you can even dress up your regular wine glasses this way.

The best craft my kids ever came home with was the Decorated Pillow Case for Dad.  It is perfect to keep our pillows clean and really livens up the table. The kids feel so special when they see it at the table.

I am really into having frogs at the seder, the ones I make are edible (stay tuned for those next week), but these are a perfect non edible choice.

Finally, no seder is complete without the Afikomen, so why not make a fun decorative No Sew Felt Bag, it is so easy older kids can do it themselves.

Bejeweled Cup of Eliyahu

Decorated Pillow Case

Bottle Cap and Plastic Lid Frogs

No Sew Felt Afikomen Bag

By now you should have a room that is totally chametz-free where you can start to store your Passover groceries as you buy them. Matzah is something that needs to be bought as far in advance as possible, especially if you have a particular brand that you are partial to.  The later you leave it the more of chance there will be that the store will be sold out.

When I shop for Passover, I try to get all the goods that I will need for the whole 8 days. I would rather not have to go back to the store to buy anything else if I don’t have to. (One year I thought 144 eggs would be enough, and I ran out half way through the holiday, but that’s a story for a different time).

Make a list of everything you’ll need. In fact, I would take it a step further. Keep a list online, on a spreadsheet, of what you bought, and whether you used it, what you ran out of, what you bought too much of. This will give you a better guideline of what to buy and may keep spending a little lower. At the end of Passover, make a list of what you wish you had bought – and make sure you can find these lists for next year!

ACTION: Make a folder on your PC and title it “Passover”. Save everything Passover related in it, and make a spreadsheet of your shopping lists.

DINNER TONIGHT: No-Bake Macaroni & Cheese - Not only is this ultra-creamy version of mac and cheese nearly as fast as the boxed variety, but your family will be able to pronounce every ingredient. If they aren’t broccoli fans, substitute a frozen vegetable of your choice. On your dinner table in less than 30 minutes.