GKC loves our friends at Osem and all the terrific strides they make each year to make amazing products for Passover and all year round.  This year they have some ground breaking products that you must try.  Here are a few of my favorites.

It is now possible to bake your own kosher-for-Passover bread with the aid of Osem’s Homestyle Passover Roll Mix. The result is a deliciously light and flavorsome bread-roll uncannily similar to its non-Passover twin. I experimented with the mix by stuffing the rolls prior to baking with an assortment of meats and vegetables.  The results are super delicious and gorgeous. My kids did not know they were Kosher for Passover.  It carries an OU hashgacha and you can find it in your local kosher market.  If not, ask them for it! Don’t miss this filling and flavorful Passover option.

Another fantastic new item is Gluten-Free Pancake Mix which is also certified by the OU and Yerushalayim Mehadrin. Osem has perfected their recipe with the end product being a sweet and fluffy breakfast pancake which will delight the whole family. The pancakes are great with berries or syrup and we actually stayed full until lunchtime, how is that for a Passover first?!

You may think I sound crazy but I love the matzo keeper that comes with every 5 pounds of matzo from Osem.  I like how the zipped pouch keeps the matzo fresh and crunchy for months if needed.

And for Bissli lovers, the new pizza flavor is going to make lots of noshers happy.  Super crunchy and savory these snacks are a Passover must have.

GKC loves partnering with companies like Osem.  They not only make great products but they team up with Jewish organizations to help Israel.  This year, as Israel recovers from yet another military operation to ensure the safety of its southern residents, Osem USA is once again teaming up with the JNF to raise money for the support of a large indoor playground in Sderot.

Sderot, located close to Israel’s border with Gaza, has long been afflicted with daily rocket attacks traumatizing residents. Children fear leaving the safety of their homes and the idea of playing outside in an exposed playground has fast become a distant memory. Together with the JNF, Osem is funding the large, reinforced, indoor play center for the children of Sderot to enjoy without the need to run for shelter should the siren wail. The center will also be used for rehabilitation work, classes and parties.

Osem is raising the money for this momentous project by donating 50 cents each time a Passover snack (Bamba, Bissli and POPCO) is bought (up to $100,000).“We, at Osem USA, are delighted to have this opportunity to raise money for JNF’s recreation center in Sderot where children can have fun and feel safe and secure,” said Kobi Afek, Osem USA’s Director of Marketing. “It is a fantastic way to support Israeli children through proceeds from Osem sales. Every child in the US who consumes Bamba and Bissli is helping other children in Israel. By partnering with JNF we bring more meaning to our consumers and educate our children about social responsibility.”

Congratulations Osem on a great Passover season and for being a leader in community advocacy.  Now go get some of that roll mix!!

An interview with mom expert and author Tamar Warga

Recently, my friend Tamar Warga, author of “A Taste of Freedom” and creator of Kosherfoodallergies.blogspot.com (where kosher Jews get allergy news) sat down to chat about her Passover cookbook. She is truly an inspiration and devoted mom. Tamar’s book is a Passover Food Allergy Cookbook and well, I thought cooking Passover was tough without chometz, Tamar does it without eggs, wheat, dairy, nuts or fish. Here is what she shared with me.

Q- Why did you choose to write a Passover cookbook without so many ingredients?
A- The short answer, necessity. I have 4 food allergic sons, three of them severely allergic to multiple foods. When they were younger their lists were even longer. We needed to avoid all of those ingredients and more. I wanted to throw a lifesaver out there to others navigating the turbulent seas of food allergies.

Q- We often get emails from others like you. Food allergies are on the rise (plus gluten sensitivities) and there are many other children and adults who could find your book helpful. Do the recipes use unusual ingredients that might be hard to find?
A- No! Not at all. The recipes are easy to follow with readily available ingredients. As a mother of 10, I value convenience and efficiency. If it’s simple and my family will eat, I’m good. After spending so much time getting the kitchen ready for Passover, why spend more time than absolutely necessary! The recipes in the book include ingredients like applesauce, chocolate chips, potato starch, ketchup, apricot jam etc.. and of course lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Q- Was there a reason you chose to write a Passover cookbook, anything unique about the holiday and food allergies?
A-Passover is probably the hardest Jewish holiday, food wise if you have nut and egg allergies. Hard boiled eggs and nutty charoses at the Seder followed by a week of foods laden with eggs and nuts. Many traditional Passover recipes call for ground nuts as a substitute for wheat flour and eggs as a binder as well as leavening agent. The recipes in my cookbook use alternatives to ground nuts such as ground coconut and potato starch. Applesauce, honey, margarine and fruit juice can be substituted for eggs in some recipes.

Q- Can you share any tricks or substitutes that people should know about that add flavor or work in recipes?
A- a mixture of ground unsweetened coconut and potato starch work well as a substitute for ground nuts. Flavor isn’t an issue because the omitted ingredients are not what add flavor (nuts are not what give charoses flavor. Wine and cinnamon are). So the substitution works in the same way as the nuts and does not change the flavor.

Q- How did you create these recipes? Are they collected from other sources?
Most of the recipes are ones I’ve developed over the years through trial and error. Some are tried and true allergy friendly recipes from friends, like Chavie’s Tomato Salad and Chanie’s Orange Freeze dessert

Q- Our readers will ask me if you have some favorites from the book? Kids favorites?
So the dessert showstopper dessert is definitely Fudge-in-the Middle Ice Cream Cake made with allergy friendly Pesach cookie dough. A Great go to recipe for Pesach and year round are the Meatballs (tangy, sweet, and oh so simple).

I can’t wait to try those two recipes! Thanks Tamar and wow, amazing how you turned something so challenging into something so helpful to others. See the sneak peak recipes from A Taste Of Freedom below, and get your copy today so that you have it in time for Passover prep!

Allergy-friendly Recipe from Tamar Warga:
A Taste of Freedom- Food Allergy Cookbook
Also see her blog at kosherfoodallergies.blogspot.com

Nut free Charoses
6 medium apples (peeled, cored, and sliced)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sweet red wine
optional: ¼ cup dates (pitted, checked, and chopped)

Puree all ingredients in a food processor. Consistency should be a coarse puree.
*If making a traditional walnut version as well be careful to label the 2 types clearly and to place them in different colored containers to avoid confusion.
*quick and easy kid’s version- applesauce, grape juice, and cinnamon

Sweet Potato with Pineapple
5 sweet potatoes (peeled)
1 can crushed pineapple
3 tablespoons brown sugar
touch of cinnamon

Place sweet potatoes in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 45 minutes until potatoes are soft. Drain. Mash Potatoes. Add pineapple and brown sugar. Place in a baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon and bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350.

It’s that time of year again. Yes, right after Purim when I am flooded with emails about Passover. I’m actually so impressed with these organized readers because honestly, I am still putting away and using up leftover candy and perhaps in denial that Passover is around the corner. Luckily, GKC Passover indexes are ready with hundreds of delicious Passover recipes. And of course we will be adding new recipes each week so that your menu planning can begin. Plus we have new cookbooks to tell you about and special guest posts to look forward too. We love sharing your best recipes with readers so please submit your favorite Passover recipe here so we can all have a delicious holiday.

Happy Cleaning!

Did you see these in the menu section on the homepage? We put together some of our menus to share with our readers. We used some recipes from this year and some favorites from past years. Don’t forget to share your menus and recipes with us too!

Seder
Chicken Soup with Fluffy Matzo balls
Shredded Beef Brisket
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apples
Spinach with Pine Nuts and Raisins
Strawberry Pavlova

Yom Tov
Italian Sweet and Sour Chicken
Potato Chip Crisp Kugel
Farfel with Onions and Mushrooms
Mixed Salad with Vanilla Pear Vinaigrette
Roasted Pineapple with Passover Shortcakes and Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Yom Tov
Lemon Chicken with Lemon Salad
Hamburger Popovers
Asparagus with Hollandaise
Olive Oil Braised Carrots
Fruit and Meringue Kugel
Torte Caprese

Yom Tov
Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Soup
Green Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine
Matzo Deli Rolls
Vegetable and Fruit Kugel
Super Moist Chocolate Cake

Yom Tov Dairy Meal
Ginger Carrot Soup
Sole with Spinach and wine
Potato Yogurt Cakes
Caponata
Chocolate Coconut Cake
Stuffed Apples with Matzo and Nut Crumble

Seder
Cabbage soup
Chicken Cacciatore
Sautéed Mushrooms
Pineapple Kugel
Chocolate Mousse Cake

Yom Tov
Zucchini Soup
Chicken with Tarragon and White Wine
Farfel with Mushrooms and Onion
Strawberry Kiwi Salad

Making great meringue is good all year round but especially important during Passover season. Beating egg whites is one of the most important steps in so many Passover dishes. GKC is going to step by step explain how to master meringue for the perfect egg whites, cookies, or Pavlovas.

GKC best tips for perfect meringue:

- Separate the eggs perfectly: Make sure no fat or yolk remains in the egg white. The fat in the yolk will wreck the meringue. Do not fish out the yolk with your fingers; use a fine sieve if there is any yolk remaining, a paper towel, or discard that egg white. Tip: cold eggs separate easier.
- Beat room temperature eggs. They will increase in volume more.
- Utensils: Copper, glass and stainless steel bowls work best. Make sure they are completely clean, dry and grease free. Rub a very small amount of white vinegar on a paper towel and rub it all over the interior of the mixing bowl. Vinegar activates the enzymes in the eggs.
- Do not add the sugar until the egg whites are whipped to soft peaks. Slowly, pour in the sugar, tablespoon by tablespoon (superfine sugar dissolves faster) so that you do not deflate the egg whites. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Stir in remaining ingredients.
- Meringue needs to cook at a low temperature so that the moisture gradually evaporates. A high temperature will make the outside crunchy and the inside chewy and sticky.
- Keep meringue in the oven after it has baked to help it dry out more.
- Never make meringue on a humid day. The air in the room attracts too much moisture and prevents the meringue from drying out properly.
- Cream of Tartar is a great stabilizer and helps hold the peaks stiff. It also helps add the shine to the egg whites. A recipe with 3 egg whites just needs ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar. Omit if not available.

Try these great meringue recipes:
Strawberry Pavlova
Fruit and Meringue Kugel
Raspberry Meringue Kisses
Pecan Mocha Meringues
Forgotten Cookies
Lemon Meringue

What are you making for Passover? Did you check out all the new kosher for Passover recipes we posted? 

Still need inspiration? Try a cooking class at the JCC of Manhattan.  They have a super lineup of classes just right for Passover cooking.  Try one of these:

Mouthwatering Make Ahead Seder on Monday March 19
Delectable Pareve Passover Desserts and Confections on March 23 (I’m planning on going, who is joining me?)
Mastering Gefilte Fish on March 25
Or Lotsa Matza, Easy Passover Recipes on March 27 (I may have to go to this one too – spinach feta pie and leek fritters, yum!)

Many thanks to the JCC chefs for sharing some amazing recipes like Flourless Pine-Nut Almond Macaroons and Ginger Leek Matzo Balls in Lemongrass Broth.

GKC loves hearing about new products, especially from some of our favorite companies.  So what’s new this year or better than ever?

I love the creative and thoughtful matzah products that Osem developed. They definitely asked consumers what they wanted and responded with just what we ordered.  My favorites?

Osem Sandwich Matzah Strips.  So smart! Perforated matzah for easy, perfect break apart pieces and even sandwich making.  No more wasted pieces or crazy sized sandwhiches.  This makes matzah on the go much more manageable.


Osem Thin Matzah original and whole wheat.  By the time the seders are over, we welcome a lighter matzah for matzah pizza, matzah lasagna or just plain eating.  It’s thin and light but still crunchy and flavorful.

Do you eat kitniyos? If yes, you and your kids are in luck! Bamba by Osem has new flavors and they already won awards for best new snack product at Kosherfest.  Kids and adults love them.  Strawberry and halvah Sesame Cream both come in snack packs and large bags.  I loved the Popco Butterscoth flavored Corn snack that I tried at Kosherfest.  Its like a kettle corn with butterscotch flavoring.


A few other treats we love from friends at Mehadrin…


Kosher for Passover 1% Yogurts from Mehadrin.  I have personally been waiting for this.  Great flavors without all the excess calories and fat of regular yogurts and real fruit flavor.


And, my kids cannot live without their favorite…Leben! Treat, snack, breakfast, or even dessert, sweet and creamy and easy to love.


Have a product you want to share with us? Tell us about it so that we can share it with all of our fantastic readers and make everyone’s Passover a little bit tastier.

I refuse to start any Pesach cleaning or planning until after Purim. The problem is that now it’s after Purim and I’ve run out of excuses! The most fun part is the menu planning; check out our recipes and ideas. But the cleaning does give our homes a fresh, uncluttered feel. Start with the bedrooms (I know some of you never allow food there anyway) – no more late night snacking in bed and time to clean those corners. That should be your first week’s effort. The kitchen (obviously) comes last. So get that chometz out of the cracks and crevices of your rooms and start thinking of everyone’s favorite Passover dishes. We have a few suggestions of our own.

In the rush to gather, assemble, and cook gourmet Passover recipes for the seder meals, it can be daunting to even consider pre-preparing any meals for chol hamoed. Many families either continue to eat leftovers from the seders, or live off of cold cuts, tuna, and matzah pizza for a few days. Not that there’s anything wrong with matzah pizza, but we here at Gourmet Passover Cooking think it’s possible to make chol hamoed more delicious without tiring yourself out. There are many delicious Passover recipes that may not be suitable for the seder meals, either because they are dairy or simply because they lack the elegance for a Yom Tov meal. Some of these can be made in advance and frozen until the appropriate time, some are great for packing up on a chol hamoed picnic, and some are just plain old comfort food for the family craving their lasagna. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sticky Salami
Passover Mandelbrot
Passover Pizza Dough
Mozzarella Sticks
Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Matzah Toasts