New Favorite Easter Tradition
Easter has always been a holiday that we love to observe, but finding a purely Christian tradition has been difficult. There are Easter Egg Hunts, but that’s not really celebrating the events of Easter. Sure we can use Resurrection eggs, but that just feels like we are trying to make something Christian that isn’t really by nature all that focused on the elements of Easter. Resurrection rolls are a good one, but again it’s only a part of the Christian story when it comes to Easter. Is there any holiday tradition that is a tangible representation of the faithfulness of God, our need for a savior, and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Enter the Christian Passover Seder.
Our church held a Passover Seder last year and again this year and it has been so enjoyable for our family. It’s the perfect blend of Old Testament history, a wonderful feast filled with fellowship and good food, followed by an engaging picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now, a Passover Seder is a traditionally Jewish practice. But there are many of the same elements, including the foods used. However, the second half of the Christian Seder is focused on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Our church made this a pot luck with a specific menu. Rotisserie chicken, pot roast, green beans, roasted potatoes, salad, matzo ball soup, flourless chocolate cake, and macaroons. Very easy and none of them are at all intimidating to make. I signed up for the matzo ball soup, flourless chocolate cake, and another dish that’s used during the Seder and everyone loves to munch on, Charoset.
You really can’t go wrong with this dish. It comes together so easily and is really customizable based on your preference.
The Charoset is used during the Seder to represent the mortar used by the Hebrew people when they were enslaved in Egypt. It’s an apple and cinnamon mixture that tastes a lot like apple pie and is so delicious on sheets of matzah.
Let’s talk recipes. I modified a recipe for the Charoset. Here is a link to the original from An Edible Mosaic. Unfortunately I could not find dried apricots and I had walnuts on hand so I used those and omitted the dried apricots. I should also mention I’m not super good at following recipes so if you happen to watch the YouTube video you’ll see that the recipe is more of a guideline than a rule for me.
Next up was the flourless chocolate cake. I used this recipe for the cake which is by Creations By Kara, and this recipe for the ganache which is by The Food Charlatan. Her cake looked de-lic-ious, but I didn’t have any brown sugar so I used the Creations By Kara recipe for the cake. And let me tell you friends, those two together were soooooooo good! If you’ve never had a flourless chocolate cake it is almost like a really ooey-gooey brownie. And it was super easy to make and tasted so good!
On to the chicken. I don’t really have a recipe for my Matzo Ball Soup. I use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. Not only does it give the soup a great flavor, but it gives me a yummy seasoned fat to use in the Matzo Balls.
The key to the soup is a well seasoned roasted chicken. I cover these in Italian Seasoning, Jane’s Krazy Mixed-Up Salt, and some olive oil. They roast in the oven until done and then I set them aside until they are cool.
You can put these in the fridge overnight and then make the soup, which is exactly what I did. Once I get ready to make my soup I add them to the broth and let them warm up, give off some of that wonderful roasty toasty seasoning. While those are in the pot, make your matzo balls. I use a box mix for these and make them according to the directions. Once the chicken has warmed up and seasoned the brother I pull them out and let them cool enough to handle, then I add my sliced carrots and celery. While those are cooking I pull my chicken off the bone and shred it, discarding the skin and bones. Once the carrots and celery are done I pull those out and set them in the bowl with the shredded chicken. I bring the broth to a gentle simmer and then drop in my matzo balls.
THIS IS IMPORTANT!
Make them smaller than you think you need to make them. I’m talking small. Like the size a grape. When they say 1 inch balls, they mean it. These wonderful, juicy, savory, yummy dumplings are going to soak up that delicious broth and swell up. Once they are done you can add all your veggies and chicken back in and serve.
Now how much of this you make is really up to your taste. I end up using about 8 cups of broth because I usually have to add a little before I make the Matzo Balls. They soak up a good bit and some usually boils off while I’m cooking the veggies. Pinterest is a wealth of resources when it comes to this soup and I’m sure you can find the recipe that sounds the best to you. Again, my recipes tend to be more like guidelines. Any way you make it I’m sure it’ll be delicious.
