The most exciting mail days in my house are when cookbooks happen to show up at my door. I get jittery with excitement at the prospect of new recipe ideas. I quickly open the door, put everything down and rip open the package. The excitement of a Passover cookbook is no different.
When I heard that Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek, the women behind CookKosher.com and Whisk Magazine, would be creating a Passover cookbook, I got excited. I have a few Passover cookbooks on my shelves, but nothing terribly new and innovative has joined the ranks in the past few years. I was so curious what would await. Leah Schapira’s earlier cookbook, Fresh & Easy, is a fantastic cookbook with bright photos and easy to follow recipes that covered all bases. So I had high expectations. Once again, Leah Schapira did not disappoint.
This cookbook, Passover Made Easy, is filled with bright photos for every recipe in the book. It includes simple step-by-step recipes, along with plating suggestions and wine pairings. I love that this cookbook covers all bases that is sure to make the week of Passover easting much easier.
Beginning with a section on “Building Blocks,” there are recipes for basics like Passover crepes and mayonnaise These simple items show up in various recipes, tweaked in to different forms, with amazing outcomes. I for one was excited about the mayonnaise. I am always disappointed by the mayo on the store shelves during Pesach. It always disappoints. Making it at home is so simple and tastes so much better! The crepes too, can be used for so many different recipes – as a noodle or sandwich wrap – or even a brisket egg roll! Fantastic!
The plating recommendations are extremely helpful. So much of Passover is spent entertaining guests at meals, that the recommendations for artfully plating the food is extremely helpful.
The recipes in this cookbook are varied and run the gamut from perfect Seder dishes like Eggplant Wrapped Chicken to casual weekday dishes like the Matzaroni & Cheese recipe. This cookbook is sure to have something for everyone. I for one am especially pleased that most of the recipes use whole ingredients, and not the processed jarred and boxed stuff on the shelves. Using fresh veggies, herbs and proteins, with very little matza meal involved is a welcome treat in my house.
I highly recommend you go out and get this cookbook. You will be happy you did.
I am pleased to be offering a giveaway of this cookbook, Passover Made Easy: Favorite Triple-Tested Recipes by Leah Schapira & Victoria Dwek. The giveaway will end next Sunday morning, March 17, so be sure to enter!
About Hindy Garfinkel
how many recipes does the book have?
60
MATZAH!
My favorite pesach food is the meatballs I make every year.
meatballs are a staple in our house as well – going back to when I was a kid!
My aunt’s pineapple kugel is a highlight for me each year! Looking forward to making some stuffed red peppers this year with sauteed onions, mushrooms, and quinoa!
This cookbook looks great. I’d LOVE to win one! Probably my favorite Pesach recipe is my chocolate lace cookie.
Chicken balls & beets salad
All I can say is….. I will not, cannot, drink borscht
I love my mom’s crepes.
I love a matzo Apple kugel recipe I found a found a few years ago. I share it with everyone. Also planning spaghetti squash ‘spaghetti’ for this year.
chicken soup with fake noodles
I’m a potato person, so potato kugel, potato gratin, roasted potatoes, and latkes all score high.
Eggs and Onions that my grandmother and mother always make!
Yum! Total comfort food!
Matza with chocolate spread fast easy and yummy !
Pesach pancakes
I like matzoh with any kind of topping, but I also like it plain!
meringues!
matza farfel 🙂
I would definitely have to say meringues as well :). Yum!
I always love a good meringue!
matza brie!
pesach ‘lukshen’ aka blintzes
Matza apple charlotte
Brisket with wine sauce and caramelized onions.
Sounds amazing! My mom’s brisket is a staple at our Pesach seders.
Favorite passover food is matza crack! 🙂
that’s a dangerous treat in our house. we make it every year!
matzah brei!
Leftover Charoseth on matzo…that’s a once a year treat.
There’s nothing better than my Mom’s Matzo Balls – or maybe Matzagna (Passover Lasagna), or maybe my Confetti Vegetable Kugel! Would love to win Passover Made Easy as a gift for a friend. It’s a terrific cookbook.
pesachdige blintzes. mmmmmmmmmm
Matzoh pizza.
My favorite is whole wheat matzah with cream cheese.
Oh boy, I have so many favorites…chocolate covered matzah, pineapple
kugel, brisket w/potatoes and cabbage. Ah this makes me think about how I
miss your your hamantashen at Purim, Hindy! Yum 🙂 Thx for the
giveaway!
I think you may need to come cook Passover meals for me! That’s one fantastic menu!
C.c.cookies!
Matzoh Brei!
Clearly it’s fluffy kneidlach!
My soup always needs to have kneidlach. And they are always fluffy.
Brisket!
yum! I love my mom’s brisket!
Homemade french fries
caramelized onoin and mushroom kish
I am definitely down with that idea!
matza brei
Passover granola made with matzo farfel.
My favorite Passover food is my bubby’s brownie cake!
vegetable matzah lasanga, with mushrooms and spinach
I love the the fresh produce that hits the spring shelves right around the time we start to prep for passover.
me too! my favorite is the beautiful asparagus!
My favorite passover food is chocolate!
matzA BREI:)
Homemade eier lukshen!
grandma’s egg rolls and mandel bread!!
salmon in wine
Favorite food is Brisket 🙂
Sounds like a great resource!
Favorite food is simple food, simple veggies and chicken.
my mother’s cakes!
matzah and cream cheese
Chremslach – basically potato pancakes
Matzo coffee , when I used to be able to eat gebrokts:)
Lovely review.
Nice review! Cant say I love Passover food but this cookbook seems like it has some great ideas!