Christian Celebration of Passover

Passover is one of our favorite dinners each year.  It is a way we extend the Easter season and bring meaning to a holiday often overshadowed by bunnies, eggs, and candy.  Passover is the oldest and most important of all the Jewish religious celebrations.  It commemorates God's deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and his creation of the Israelite people.  Early on, it marked the beginning of the Jewish year.  The story celebrated is found in Exodus Chapters 12 through 14.  We are not Jewish so we are not bound to a strict dietary code or Seder, though we try to keep it true to its intended form.  I found that the only way to keep it meaningful for our young family is to keep it tons shorter than traditional Seders.

I keep the decor simple.  Passover is a celebratory symbolic dinner where we celebrate our freedom.  For our family, the most important freedom we celebrate is our freedom from the bondage of sin and death through Jesus Christ.  Passover celebrates new life, a new life in Christ and new beginnings.  Spring flowers, grasses, eggs, and Easter type decor is appropriate for the Passover table.  With candlesticks for the ceremony, it is perfect!

Passover is preferably eaten seated on the floor around a low table to symbolize our freedom to recline and eat leisurely.  We always add cushions so our rear ends don't hurt and place the table next to a wall or surface Briz can lean against. 

The items neccasary for the Seder plate are:

1. Boiled egg (I decorate them to help tell the story)
2. Haroset (apples, nuts, and honey... I'll post a recipe)
3. Lamb meat with a bone in it
4. Parsley
5. Salt Water
6. Horseradish (or Mazta which I don't like as well)
7. Unleavened bread 

The celebration dinner is a bit more flexible.  I've seen celebrations with:
lamb, chicken, or Gellite fish,  there is always a really green salad (sometimes with dandelion leaves or spinach included), sweet potatoes, and always Haroset. 

To complete preparations, I place leavened bread around the room in obvious places, then hide a piece of unleavened bread wrapped in a cloth.  Scriptures and hymnals are placed around the table for readers.  A basin of warm water and towels for each guest are set in the room as well. 

We're ready!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

In celebration of one of our FAVORITE authors, we started the day with green eggs and ham.  At dinner we continued our celebration.  We started with Dr. Seuss activities downloaded from the Target website, then as each course was introduced, the family had to guess what it was (the name) then we read about it from the appropriate book.  

Our menu consisted of Pink Ink, Grin-ich Spinach, Who Hash, Roast Beast, and Red Fish Blue Fish.  So, we read excerpts from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Sneeches and other tales.  The spinach comes from the story about the pants that walk around in the dark.  As a child, this story contained my personal nemesis.   I had regular nightmares about meeting those pants.  

Quick decoration was easy.  I focused on lots of red and blue from the Cat and the Hat.  With lifts and levels, I positioned stuffed Seuss characters with their books.  I surrounded the table with Maisy Daisy pots of a single daisy.  

After dinner, a fun idea is to read and act out The Sneeches.  The stars are made of green construction paper with yarn to go around the neck.  The machine is our crawling tube connected to a colorful box.  Sylvester McBean wears a cool hat and a bow tie, and I narrate.   

Pink Ink

Frozen Strawberries

Milk

Sweetener (I use vanilla Stevia)

Blend in blender till pink and frothy.

 Grin-ich Spinich  (Garlic Sauteed Spinach)

1 1/2 lb. baby spinach leaves

2 T. olive oil

2 T chopped garlic (6 cloves)

1 t. kosher salt

3/4 t. ground pepper

1 T. butter

lemon

Rinse and spin spinach.  

In a large pot, heat olive oil and saute the garlic for about 1 minute (not till it browns).  Add spinach, salt, and pepper.  Toss well.  Cover and cook for 2 minutes till wilted. Uncover, turn heat to high and cook till all spinach is wilted.  Top with butter and squeeze of lemon.  

Roast Beast (Roast Beef/ Blue Cheese Roll Ups)

 4 triangles Light Cow Cheese or 1/3 c. softened butter

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 lb. thinly sliced med. rare roast beef

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch watercress, stemmed

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin

Cream cheeses together with a fork in a small bowl.  

Lay roast beef slices on flat surface.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Spread 2 teaspoons of cheese mixture along the short end of the beef.  Pile on the rest of ingredients.  Roll the beef into a tight cylinder.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate till serving time.  To serve, halve the rolls, crosswise.

Who Hash

2 grated sweet potatoes

1/2 chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. olive oil

2 t. thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat  a large skillet,  add olive oil.  Cook onions till carmelized.  Add garlic, sweet potatoes, and seasonings.  Cook till brown on one side, then flip, continue till all is lightly browned. 

Fish Snack

Berry Blast Jello (blue)

gummy fish

Bethlehem Supper

Our favorite family Christmas tradition is our Bethlehem Supper on Christmas Eve.  Santa waits in the wings while Jesus Christ takes center stage, where he belongs. 

We remove the glitz and glitter from the room and decorate it simply.  Usually we set a piece of plywood on the floor and cover it with a plain cloth, then line the center of the "table" with candles.  Soft simple carols of the harp, flute or guitar play softly in the background.  Each family member dons a scarf or towel, and we make our way down to the basement to Bethlehem.  Seated on cushions and lit only by candlelight, our brood is unnaturally quiet and pensive. 

Dinner is always simple.  We use an amazing cookbook, A Biblical Feast, by Kitty Morse for authentic foods from the place and time of Christ. 

We love the simple flavors of everything we've tried.  Over the past, menus have included:

• grapes/ grape juice
  
• dilled cucumbers
• pomegranates
• fish
• honey
• pita bread
• hummus
• olives (kalamata or black for the little ones)
• flat bread
• chicken and garbanzo stew
  
• feta
• goat cheese
• stuffed dates
• lamb
• leeks

We eat, discussing our food, what could have been eaten that night in Bethlehem, and discussing what might have happened or how it might have felt to have been there. 

At the end of our meal, we begin our candle ceremony.  I, the mother, start.  I hold the candle and tell the children what the light represents, the light of Christ, that lights our souls, our world, and everything.  I mention the hope, faith, and joy we've discovered earlier in the month during advent.   I then share my gratitude for this special birthday, my private feelings, and my love for my family.  I pass the candle and the sharing goes on till it finally reaches the patriarch of our gathering, which this year was my sweetie.

This meal ends on such a sweet and tender note for all of us.  Then, while the Bethlehem Magic is still on us, we watch Luke II, the best, most authentic nativity we've ever seen, and all under 5 minutes.   

I'd love to share our favorite "authentic" dish from Kitty Morse  with you.

Chicken, Leek, and Garbanzo Bean Stew 

(Though it may not look appealing, usually guests ask for seconds.  It is savory, tender, and simple)
Serves 4-6
"Domesticated hens were one of the "clean" or acceptable birds for Hebrew to eat, as mandated by Mosaic law.  They were introduced from their native India around the time of Christ.  Many farmers in the Holy Land raised poultry, either in the "free range" manner or in enclosed areas.  This stew is best served with warm leavened griddle bread or over cooked millet." pp 52


2 large leeks
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups garbanzo bean cooking liquid, water, or chicken broth
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (I use 1 can)
1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (I use a little more to taste)

Trim the leeks, discarding the tough, outer leaves.  Rinse thoroughly under running water.  Cut the leeks crosswise into thin slices.

In a heavy pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the leeks and chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken turns golden brown, 8-10 minutes.  Add the liquid.  Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, 30-35 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl, and set aside.  Decrease the heat to low, and add the garbanzo beans.  Simmer uncovered, and reduce by one-third, 15-20 minutes.  Season with salt and vinegar to taste.  Return the chicken to the pan and heat through.  Serve immediately. 

Nutcracker Celebration

Tonight was Nutcracker Night. Everyone raided the costume closet and dressed in their finest ballet attire, complete with a dusting of sparkle powder to help feel beautiful. Sunshine wore a cape and a sword so she could be the nutcracker. Briz refused to wear tights and figured he was scary enough as is to be the Mouse King. Little Mother chose to be Clara, and Ladybug the Sugar Plum fairy.

As we watch the ballet unfold, it takes place in 2 dimensions on our screen and in our family room right in front of our eyes.


Little Mother pirouettes, Sunshine spins then stabs Briz as he gets too close to Clara.

At intermission, we decorate the Sugar Plum Tree with candy wrapped in plastic wrap.

Then we begin our nutcracker feast. In honor of its Russian origins and the Russian Trepak, we ate Solyanka (Russian Beef Soup)


Arabian Pita Bread (for the Arabian dance)

and Barbecued Chinese Lettuce Wraps (for the Chinese Dance).

Solianka tastes like pickle soup. Briz liked it. I thought it was very different and enjoyed the experience of trying something so totally different from what I am used to. The kids ate it but not enthusiastically. The Lettuce Wraps and Pitas were a hit. Are these like Chinese sandwiches? Ladybug asked.

The dancing continued until Clara went back to sleep, then so did my little ones. 

If anyone wants the Solianka Soup Recipe, just ask, but I will probably not make it again.  It was a great cultural experience, just not one I want to repeat.  




Arabian Pita Bread
1 T instant yeast
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp sugar
3 cups flour (I usually use 2 cups wheat, 1 cup white)

1 T dry milk powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 T oil
1 T toasted cumin







Mix yeast, water, and sugar.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, combine flour, dried milk and salt.  Pour in the oil and yeast/ water mixture and stir well.  You might need to add more flour or water depending on the absorbency of the flour.  Knead dough briefly, divide into 18 egg sized balls.  Place on a floured surface, cover and let rest for 15-20 minutes.  Roll one ball out and press cumin seeds on the top with the rolling pin.  Cook in a skillet until large "bubbles" form.  Flip pita over and cook the other side for a few more minutes.  Flatten with a spatula.  Keep bread warm (wrap in a towel or place in a ziploc bag) while cooking the rest of the bread.  Can freeze the dough or the cooked product.  








Sometimes I will brush the top with butter or olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of garlic and sea salt.

Christmas Decoration Party

The day after Thanksgiving we go Christmas crazy! I pull out all the Christmas boxes and turn decorating into a party. We dance, we jingle, we decorate, we play "remember when?" This is something we'd do anyway, I just make the food look special so everyone gets into the party atmosphere.

Essential elements include:
Santa hats for everyone
Loud Christmas music with a beat
Finger Foods to eat while decorating
Good Punch or Wassail
Food made from Thanksgiving Leftovers


Mashed Potato Soup (inspired by Leanne Ely)
It can't get any easier than this (especially when you are using Thanksgiving leftovers)

1 large pot of mashed potatoes (about 4 cups)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
grated cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper
pinch of thyme

Optional add ins
chives
fresh parsley
ham or bacon
frozen peas

Make mashed potatoes. Add chicken broth and milk. Bring to an almost boil. Stir it up. Serve it up. Top with a little cheddar cheese.

Romantic/GPS Picnic Idea

The Idea:

1st: Surprise husband at work with a romantic picnic. Made the food. Luckily, I called first and found that he was booked all week with business lunches.
2nd: GPS picnic: Use the geocache site to find some treasures on a river walk near our home. Add picnic items to our list of items to find hidden along the trail.
3rd: Deposit all picnic items around neighborhood using clues to find them. End up at a neighbors with a much nicer backyard for our picnic.
Reality: Severe sinus infection, high winds, rain. Don't want to waste my picnic. Simply laid the picnic out in the Family Room and watched Princess Protection Program with my babies and sweetheart.

Sometimes the best plans don't turn out. Oh well. I'll share some of my favorite picnic recipes with you all though.

Romantic Picnic Food

Strawberries Lemon Creme Blossoms Fabulous!

12 Strawberries, washed
4 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 T. Sour Cream
1 T. Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest

1. Whip together cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and lemon zest.
2. Slice off green at the top of strawberry.
3. Cut strawberry in half almost to the base.
4. Turn berry and cut crosswise almost to the base.
5. With a spoon or pastry bag, pipe the creme filling into strawberry.
6. Refrigerate till serving time.

Mellon Prosciuto Balls This is probably too grown up of a taste for little people. Mine ate it but I noticed that they didn't fill up on them.

1/2 cantelope
1/4 lb. thinly sliced prosciuto
1/8 cup lime juice
Mint Sprigs

Ball or slice mellon. I prefer larger slices to the smaller mellon balls. Pour lime juice over top and swish to coat. Wrap balls in 1/2 slice or slices in full slice of prosciuto. Secure with mint sprig.

Bruchetta on Baguettes From my friend Melanie. I eat so much of it, we call it Holly-Candy

Cream cheese or goat cheese
1 bunch basil, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
fresh ground pepper
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 small bottle capers, rinsed
1/2 tsp. olive oil
Parmesan Cheese

Brush baguettes with olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Toast in oven. Combine rest of ingredients (tomatoes, basil, capers, garlic, olive oil, and pepper) Let sit for a minute.

Spread goat or cream cheese on toast, then the bruschetta, or just serve with bruschetta on toast.

Barbarian Spagetti Dinner

The Story:

As a teenager, I hosted a barbarian dinner date for a group. A vague memory whispered we'd had a lot of fun. Of course, at sixteen, that usually has much more to do with who you're with than what you are doing. I wondered if it would still be fun, or if my kids might like it. Even more importantly, would itbe a good prequel for a manners dinner I might follow up with?

I covered the table with plastic wrap and taped it down. A dish towel was placed on the back of each chair to be tied around each diner. We ate spaghetti, green salad, and rosemary peasant bread off the table. No dishes, no utensils.

I got several squeals of glee as I plopped each serving in front of everyone. "But mom, I don't have a fork."

"Hmmmm. How can you eat it then?"

Some liked it. Some LOVED it and took full advantage of the opportunity to pig out. Sadly, Briz and I are past the time when this is true fun for us. We didn't love the feel of spaghetti slipping through our fingers or watching Little Mother's hair drip with sauce as she licked off the table.

To our credit, we kept our mouths shut and let our little ones fully enjoy the change of routine. When they were finished, we herded them giggling and skipping, straight upstairs into a bath.

Clean up was a breeze. I simply rolled up the plastic wrap and into the garbage it went. No dishes!

The Recipe:

Everyone has a favorite spaghetti recipe or likes to use Prego or Ragu. I still feel that this one is worth sharing. After years of searching and experimenting, this is the best recipe I've found. Everyone LOVES it. My husband prefers a version with meat, and I prefer it without so usually we have it with meat. Yep. I'm a sucker for my sweetie. The secret to a really great sauce is time. Great sauce is a product of time and patience. For those who work all day, the crock pot becomes valuable. For me, I put the sauce on to simmer in the early afternoon and by dinner time the flavors have melded amazingly. I really feel that this sauce is worth a try. Double it and you've got a layer for lasagna the next day.

Jo Mamma's Spaghetti Sauce- makes 2 quarts

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup water (If you don't want to simmer it as long, add less
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbs. fresh basil (optional... I use when it's in my garden)
1 tsp. parsley flakes
3/4 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8-1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine (if you use it for cooking. I rarely do.)

1. In large heavy stockpot, brown sausage, breaking up as you stir.
2. Add onions and continue to cook until onions are softened.
3. Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water.
4. Add basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, and peppers.
5. Stir well and barely bring to a boil.
6. Stir in wine if you are using it.
7. Simmer on low, stirring occasionally for at least an hour. Just be careful not to let it burn!If adding fresh basil, add it toward the end of cooking time. It keeps its fresh taste better.
   
8. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
9. Spoon sauce over drained spaghetti noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.