Getting ready for Passover is always time consuming and stressful. Not only do we clean the dickens out of our houses, but we use special plates and silverware and many food items that are specific to the week of Passover. This year, in addition to cleaning my fridge and oven, I’m adding a new check list of things to do:
Make signs that list what’s in the kitchen cabinets. Maybe this will help Mom remember where we’ve put things for Passover as we switch many of our dishes and food items from their regular cabinets.
Tape the lock in the bathroom so it can’t be used. The last time she was here, Mom locked herself in the bathroom and her panic was palpable. I really thought we’d have to break down the door to get her out. Shockingly, she somehow managed to open it by herself.
Cook as much as I can before my parents arrive. I’d rather dedicate my attention to Mom than to tasks in the kitchen, if I can help it.
Devise simple tasks for Mom to assist with. Meaning, if I don’t accomplish number 3 well enough, I have to figure out how to keep Mom occupied while I finish up my cooking.
Give my kids a pep talk. My kids used to have the most interactive grandmother around, one who would get down on the floor and play with them. She doesn't really interact with them anymore. And she isn’t always the sweet-natured woman she once was. I want to help them connect to her on her current level. I’m planning on bringing out some of the books they used to love as kids so that perhaps they can read with her.
All this is to help me out before the holiday actually begins. Once it starts, I should have more time to sit and be with Mom.
Notes to self for the holiday: Relax. Remember to sing. Prepare for the unpredictable. Don’t try to always be in control. Delegate. Enjoy. Breathe.
I can do this. I’m not alone in caring for Mom, and she will be with people who truly love her. What could go wrong?
I wish everyone a happy Passover.
I love making quiche. I’ve been making it for so many years that I can practically do it with my eyes closed. Here’s a Passover version that tastes just as yummy as the one we eat during the rest of the year.
Passover Quiche
I enjoy eating dairy meals on Passover. It is a break from the traditional meat meals we eat on the 1st and last nights of Passover. It also means I get to use the pretty once-a-year glass dishes my mother-in-law bought us when we were married.
Crust:
4 whole matzas
Filling:
1 onion sliced into rings
1 Tbsp oil
1½ cups grated cheese (try yellow cheese, or add some cheddar)
Custard:
4 eggs
1½ cups milk
1 Tbsp matza meal
¼ tsp salt
Paprika
Directions:
To make the matzas soft and bendable, take four whole matzas and run them under water in the kitchen sink. Place them one by one on a large plate separated by soaking wet paper towels. Let sit for approximately 20 minutes. While you are waiting for the matzas to soften, fry onion rings in oil until they begin to brown. In a separate bowl, mix custard ingredients. Set aside. When matzas are soft, drape them in the quiche pan with four corners overlapping in the center (i.e., each matza is on a diagonal with one corner in the middle of the pan), making sure to pat the matzas with your hands into the shape of the pan. You may cut the excess matza with a knife or scissors around the edge of the pan. Lay the cheese on top of the matza crust. Spread out the onions. Pour custard on top. Top with a sprinkling of paprika. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.