By Marcy Goldman goldman@betterbaking.com 
By Marcy Goldman goldman@betterbaking.com
Preparing the Seder requires the host to toil hours upon hours. Tales abound of office-fatigued generation X'ers, sandwich generation-cum-baby boomers and even my newfound generation Jones, struggling to prepare the Seder feast while tending to Real Life.
This frantic time begins two weeks or so before Passover and involves tales of making chicken soup and gefilte fish at midnight, running out of ingredients at inopportune times, and finding your favorite supermarket sold out of kosher-for-Passover something-or-other two days before you got there.
No other Jewish holiday is as frantic as the first night draws near, hosts and hostesses can whirr themselves up into a near fever pitch. Anyone claiming to see the prophet Elijah sip the wine, may be as much miracle as hallucination.
It should be joyous, and for the most part, it is. However, it is daunting to host many people and to follow the specific observances. Passover is like a minefield of food do and don'ts.
Two, count' em, two nights, two gargantuan feasts: exhaustion rules, appetites rise and fall and resist the big repasts for days afterward. But, alas or rejoice, Passover has not passed over. You still have to eat and snack and get through 6 more nights (and days) of Passover-correct repasts.
Trouble is - energy runs low, imagination is depleted and there is the backdrop of the Passover game plan (no flour, no leaven, no seeds, no grains, no flour, no mustard etc.). Those at the Passover helm can become snarly; those at the table cringe at the idea of brisket and gefilte fish once again.
"No seder leftovers! It (to paraphrase the Passover story in the Haggadah) is enough for us" What I notice about Passover as a food writer is that I get a flurry of questions involving the how-to preparations - and how to make a great seder table. But increasingly over the years, I hear more pleas for help from meal makers who confess, "Ok. The roast chicken and brisket parade has passed; if I see another matzoh ball and sweet and sour meatball, I will weep. What else can I make?"
These people need good food, easy food, and foods that are not heavy or as illustrious as Seder fare. In short, regular stuff -Passover appropriate.
Stuff you'd eat anyway - stuff you can take to work or enjoy after school (kids still hunger for cookies and squares).
I live in the trenches too, so lately, I have devised the 'week that follows' after-the-seders new traditions. A matzoh based lasagna, a seasoned chicken cutlet, and even some great, simple baking that, to quote, the infamous Passover quip, 'do not taste like Pesach". Dubious compliment, bad press - you don't have to be Jewish to get the point.
So, I am happy to share some of the foods that get my own family through the week.
This delectable haroses - the symbolic 'mortar' used to sandwich pieces of matzoh together - is a new feature on my Passover table. Apples, cranberries, raisins and cinnamon. No nuts. There are nut allergies in my home and this haroses is bright, sweet and tart. Great any time with roasted chicken or turkey.
New Age Passover Haroses, or Mixed Fruit Chutney for Roast Turkey Breast 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries 1/2 cup dried cherries 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup yellow raisins 2 cups coarsely chopped apples 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup water or orange juice 2 tablespoons sweet red wine - optional 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Place everything in a medium saucepan. Over low-medium heat, cook cranberries and apples. Adjust tartness to taste with more orange juice and sugar if you wish. Cook until mixture is thick. Cool well. Makes about 1 3/4 cups. Keep refrigerated up until one week. Serve as a side with meats.
A kugel is a pudding of sorts and a staple for Passover. Use a glass bundt pan or any similar ring mold that is oven proof to make a homey dish look a tad more upscale and serve easily, by the slice. Reheats well. Two types of potatoes make this a great side for a few main dishes but it is very appropriate with roast turkey.
Molded Potato Kugel 6 medium potatoes, mixed sweet potatoes and Yukon gold or similar white fleshed potato (Red Potomac) 1 medium onion - finely shredded or minced 2 tablespoons parsley - minced salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 eggs Parboil potatoes - start with cold water, bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes. Cool well. Shred potatoes with a hand grater. Toss with minced onions, parsley, salt, pepper, oil and eggs. Pack into a well greased 10-12 cup ovenproof ring mold. Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake until top is nicely browned - 35-45 minutes. Invert before serving.
Don't you love when a substitution is better than your original method or ingredients? Matzah meal makes a terrific coating mix for anything you may be frying - turkey or chicken cutlets, schnitzel etc. It results in crunchy, golden fillets reminiscent of picnic hamper chicken. I make these for after school snacks as well as a main dish. If the Colonel had known this trick, the history of KFC might have been Soooooo different. Who knew? This recipe works equally well with fish filets (sole, haddock).
Passover Picnic Style Chicken Schnitzel 4 chicken breasts cut in two sections each or 1 1/2 - 2 pounds chicken filet strips, or boneless breasts 1 cup potato starch, approximately salt, pepper 3 cups, approximately, matzoh meal 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 4 beaten eggs Oil for frying Lay out a large sheet of wax paper. Put chicken on one side, then the potato starch, a shallow bowl of beaten eggs in the center. Toss matzoh meal with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder in a bowl. Turn out the mixture to one side of the beaten eggs. (You are making an assembly line). Season chicken with a little salt and pepper. Dredge lightly and shake off, in the potato starch, then beaten eggs, then dip and press in seasoned matzoh meal. Using a large skillet, heat oil (to up to 1/4 of sides) to about 350 f. Fry a few pieces of chicken at a time, turning once, until well browned on each side - adjust heat as required. Drain well. Serve warm or cold. Can be served with Spinach Zucchini Soufflé or Molded Two Potato Kugel and New Age Haroses. Serves 4-6
Something green is welcome on any spring menu - especially Passover. This is good warm or hot. You can also serve it with poached salmon fillets.
Spinach Zucchini Souffle 2 packages fresh spinach - washed 2 medium zucchini - shredded and drained 1 carrot - shredded 3 scallions - diced 4 eggs 2 tablespoons oil 1/3 cup matzoh meal 1 teaspoon chicken broth powder 1 teaspoon basil 1/2 teaspoon oregano 2 tablespoons parsley - minced 1 small clove (minced) or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 6 cup oven proof dish. Cook spinach, drain and chop. In a bowl, toss spinach with zucchini, scallions, eggs, oil, matzoh meal, chicken broth powder, basil, oregano, parsley and garlic. Pack into prepared mold. Bake till slightly puffy - 25-35 minutes. Serves 8-12.
Passover Brown Sugar Bars - a rich bar with a smooth caramel taste. Especially good cold. Kosher-for-Passover brown sugar is available from Dominos. For some, a new unopened, package of brown sugar is acceptable.
Leftover Maccaroon Brownie Bars 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon Passover vanilla sugar, optional 1 cup unsalted butter or unsalted Passover margarine 2 eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup matzoh cake meal 1 cup potato starch 1 cup coarsely chopped semi sweet chocolate 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans Line an 8 by 10 inch brownie pan with greased foil, ensuring you have overhang to lift out squares later. Cream brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla sugar with butter or margarine. Blend in eggs. Stir in salt, cake meal and potato starch. Then fold in chocolate and nuts. Chill twenty minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread press batter into prepared pan. Bake until done, about 35-40 minutes, until center is just set (not jiggly). Cool well, then use foil to lift squares from pan. Makes 30-40, depending on size.
Slow Roast Turkey Breast 1 large turkey breast (2-3 pounds) 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoon garlic powder juice of half a lemon half an orange - sliced 8 cloves garlic - unpeeled 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup (kosher) white wine 1/4 cup water salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 325 F. Coat turkey breast with all spices and oil. Place in a small, shallow roasting pan. Add chicken broth, water, lemon juice, wine, sliced orange and garlic. Cover with foil and roast for 5 to 7 hours. Check for doneness. Slice thinly. (Serves 4 to 5). Serve with New Age Haroses if desired.
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