The First Passover Seder

This year I was able to come home for Passove and celebrate with my family.  The first night was Monday night and I went to the dinner at my mom's house.  My grandma, my mom and Joe, my sister and her boyfriend (Chris), along with my friend Marie (yes the same one who recently visited me), all enjoyed the much more fun and updated version of a seder that we did this year.  I say updated because we used different, and newer books to read the Passover story from.

Here is the lovely set up at my mom's house.

This was our seder plate.  I think it is the lamb leg (shank bone) that is missing from the tray.  As we are mostly vegetarian, there was no desire to have this, I am sure.  On the tray there is also bitter herbs, green vegetable, salt water (to dip the green veggie in to), hardboiled egg, and charoset (apples, nuts and wine).

Matzo ball soup is a staple for this holiday as bread and leavened products are off limits.  This is made from matzo, duh, hence matzo ball soup!  This was the pot of vegetarian soup.  The other was chicken soup.

Yum!  I was cut off after 1 because I could eat a bunch, but then I am always too full (these expand like no tomorrow!) to actually eat dinner.

I wish I could say I got to help out an cook with my family like I planned, but you know how it goes when you are in town visiting and the time just slips away.  I always feel like I am running late when I am visiting here and it drives me nuts.  So, the good news is most things were already prepared, only a few things for my mom to finish up before the seder started.

This is an apple matzo kugel.  A kugel is similar to a casserole.

This is Tzimmes, which is carrots and sweet potato.

My mom prepared this beautiful salad.

The entree was salmon with the island soyaki sauce from Trader Joe's.  This was really good.

This is a vegetable kugel.

Oh, and asparagus.

My mom also made some chicken for anyone who wanted.

Everything was super delicious and I was glad both Marie and Chris could join us for their first seder.

So, on to the desserts.  Again, this is tough because of the religious dietary restrictions, so there is a lot using coconut and a lot with potato starch. 

This is my sister's matzo brittle.  It is really good.  This year she made it on whole wheat matzo.

One of my mom's friends brought us over this dessert tray she made.  There were meringues and macaroons, and some more brittle.  All of it was awesome.

Oh, and these.  Oh my.  Hey Beth and Astra, look what I found in my mom's kitchen.  These are marshmallows made with fish gelatin.  It didn't even have a fishy taste.  I once had ginger snaps with fish gelatin and it seriously tasted like fish, so I am so happy and excited to enjoy these.  We also have the ones covered in toasted coconut, and those rocked also.

So, that concludes my seder.  It was nice to be home with family.  Today I am heading to Florida to visit my grandparents and I am not sure I will really be able to post then, so if you haven't checked out my last from scratch meal, we made Mac and Cheese, so check it out in my possible absence here.

QUESTIONS:  Have you ever been to a seder?  What is your favorite Passover food (if you are Jewish of course)?  Any favorite food you eat for Easter (if that is the holiday you celebrate)?  If I have left you out because you don't celebrate either holiday, then just tell me what is your favorite food for any occasion?