As we think of Passover 2026 I’m looking back on fond memories of our family gathings of the past. Each of them have been so wonderful and unique. I especially loved the Passovers when our grandchildren were younger. They were so cute and eager to participate in everything.

This year our family gathering will be held of the day of Early First Fruits/Resurrection Day which we believe occurred 3 Hebraic days after the Passover. (Those days are from sunset to sunset.) Though we all will be together for that day, this particular year my husband and I will attend a Passover Seder without the rest of the family. Of course we will miss them! It will only be a few days though until we are all under one roof again.

My husband and I have fallen in love with a congregation called Jacob’s Tent. This year we will be following along with their Passover Seder during the Passover meal. The grands are so much older now. Our granddaughter and her parents are traveling this year. The other 3 are living in another state, so the Passover gathering will be hard for them to attend with us. Hopefully, they all have learned well and will be observing inside their own homes (or on the road) with their parents.

Anyway, today I’m going to share one of those favorite menus and recipes from the past. Just thought I would do so for anyone looking for ideas for a Christian Hebrew Roots Styled Family Passover. Many friends have already asked “What are you planning this year?”

A PASSOVER MENU

I’m always excited to enter the Passover season; mostly because we get to remember God’s awesome deliverance for His people. After that we can anticipate celebrating a time of Resurrection joy!

Gathering family together is a blessing unto itself!

Some of these photos were right before we were plagued with the COVID disaster and life became more chaotic. I think that makes me even more thankful, to have had this year of “normal and care-free.” It was during a time when ALL of us could be together without worry.

COMING INTO PASSOVER 2026

2026 carries it’s own weight with the war in Iran. There seems to be so much strife and fear surrounding us on every side. Israel especially suffers. I keep turning to that verse found in Isaiah 30:21,^” Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” A good friend reminded me of that verse again yesterday. Passover is surely all about walking with God and living fear-free in His freedom. I love the annual reminder.

The times only make Passover seem more significant. My prayers are that God will keep each and every family safe and protected as we remember all He has done for us. The death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua promises us salvation and redemption. May our whole nation be sealed with the Blood of The Lamb over the door posts of our hearts and homes. With each passover season we can see how God has brought us through many struggles. He is faithful. God always keeps His promises.

So; I’m turning my thoughts back to family menus and spring cleaning in order to be prepared. I did love what happened with the plans for 2019, and I will continue sharing that menu with you from this post.

NOTES FROM PASSOVER MENU OF 2019

Back in 2019, with the grands all around; we planned a simplified, kid friendly Passover Seder. If you want to read ALL the details we followed; you can find them here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/passover-seder/. No Passover year is ever exactly the same. Each time is unique and significant in its own way. In 2019 I was simply concentrating on how I would feed everyone at a simple Seder in an elegant yet uncomplicated and almost casual style.

That year we observed the Seder service around our dining room table.  The time we spent was short, sweet and yet adequate and worshipful. I think each moment turned out to be a very teachable moment for our little ones.  We had a child’s Seder Plate to go along with the adult Seder plate. They were used side-by-side. The children could touch and handle the toy Seder.  We announced that the child who found the hidden Matzah later would get to take this toy seder tray home with them. That got their attention in a hurry. They seemed to love the plate and had many questions concerning the elements.

PREPARING FOR THE EVENING

I was home by sunset; but had to work right up until that point. Convenience and quick preparations were a must. Our guests were arriving at our home about the same time that I was walking in the door.

I was determined not to let that silly fact create panic. No matter the tight schedule, I wanted to keep simplicity and love in mind. It was my predetermined goal to simply walk in and step into the evening with a smile. A prayer ahead helped me to achieve that peace. We went into this awesome time of enjoying God’s stories as we began to feast at His table.

Stress is simply not allowed on Passover night. Of course to make that a reality requires a little preparation and planning ahead. Isn’t that always the case with most things anyway? I’m sure that is why the Hebraic women were always so careful as they went about making things ready on what they called the “preparation day.” It happened right before every Sabbath and right before every Holy Day.  

My plan was to work through this night just like those wise women of olden days. By taking their lead and thinking ahead about the Passover menu, I felt at ease when Passover arrived.  That year most of my preparations were done on Wednesday and Thursday after work, since I have to work until sundown on Friday evening.

PREPARING THE PASSOVER MENU

For the menu, I turned to some of my favorite tried and true chefs for inspiration.  Life is more fun and a whole lot easier when you have a tribe to turn to for direction. I’ll give you the links to the trusted websites I often haunt around this time of the year; so you can have the same fun that I had in browsing and making your Passover selections. Basically; this is the menu I came up with:

THE BREAD

Well, don’t be silly!

It is Passover and we don’t eat any bread with leaven….duh!!!!!

So; we will love our Matzah and put it down on the table as the star of our show.

I’ve found a few creative ways to make the Matzah stand out so that people pay attention to how wonderful it really is:

BREAD

The idea is to design a pretty tray of Matzoh. I decorateed our tray with purple grapes and a few varied cheese choices.  I also included a small glass bowl of dip for those who want to dip their matzah into something flavorful.  Usually I like to put a tea candle in the middle of the Matzah tray to give added candlelight to the serving table.  I sprinkle the tray with a few chunky veggies here and there and even a few scattered blueberries.

THE SALADS

Sometimes you just can’t beat your own favorite tried and true recipes.  

Below is my favorite carrot salad recipe. We have served this carrot salad at our house for many, many years (despite the fact that my husband doesn’t like carrots.)  I love to bring this bowl of salad out at Passover because the deep orange colors offset all the greens and browns and beiges I use in the other sides.  The apples in this recipe give the shredded carrots a great flavor; plus that special  little touch of ginger.

CARROT SALAD

Ingredients:

1 lb carrots, shredded

1 cup chopped Gala apples

1/2 cup plumped raisins

1 tablespoon chopped pecans

1/4 cup plain yogurt

one-fourth of a cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon of honey

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss carrots, apple, raisins and pecans.  In a small bowl mix yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, honey, lemon peel, lemon juice, ginger and salt.    Mix liquid of small bowl into ingredients of larger bowl.  Toss until ingredients are well-coated.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until time to serve. (I always use a crystal bowl so the bright orange colors show up on the table)

CHAROSET

It is traditional to serve this dish as a side salad; even though we will sample it in the Seder too.  This year I’m using the Divas Can Cook recipe.  You might want to browse all of Monique’s comments and instructions on their website; they are very informative and this is the recipe she has been making for her family for years. Just go to https/divascancook.com/passover-charoset-recipe-make/, and check out ALL of their great information.

Below are my notes on this particular recipe’s specifics; but you can print a copy from Monique’s DIVASCANCOOK.com site too.

MY FAVORITE CHAROSET

(From Divas Can Cook)

Ingredients:

1 Granny Smith apple

2 gala apples

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1-1/2 tablespoons raw honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3-4 Tablespoons sweet Kosher red wine

Dash of nutmeg

Dash of clove

Brown sugar, to sweeten

Directions:

1.  Peel apples.
2. Dice apples into tiny pieces.
3. Place diced apple in a large bowl.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients, except the brown sugar.
5. Taste and add brown sugar to further sweeten.
6. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

THE MAIN COURSE

GRANDMA SELMA’S BEEF BRISKET

(Russ Pillar’s recipe)

Our main dish was this delicious recipe called Grandma Selma’s Beef Brisket.  This recipe was created by Russ Pillar as he desired to imitate his grandmother’s favorite recipe for Passover.  You can read the whole story and find more details on the great recipes here:   http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grandma-selmas-brisket .  Do take your time and browse his website; because it is awesome and delicious!

All I can tell you about this brisket is; it is good!  

The dish is also just right for a special meal in a hurry where you have practically no prep time in the kitchen, because you can prepare it ahead.  I have found this tasty brisket to actually taste better on the second night, after the juices have set in the refrigerator overnight. They have had more time to marinate down into the meat.   This dish is so tender, so juicy and so flavorful!  Just what I was looking for on this special occasion. The fact that it can be made ahead and just popped in the stove to be reheated makes it perfect for Passover.

(Russ Pillar’s modern take on)

THE MAIN COURSE

GRANDMA SELMA’S BRISKET

(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

5 lb. beef brisket

2 lbs. carrots

½ teaspoon coriander (ground)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

4 onions large

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

¼ cup ketchup

1 teaspoon black pepper coarsely ground

1/3 cup brown sugar, light

1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon Cinnamon

½ teaspoon Cocoa Powder, unsweetened

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

1 teaspoon Paprika, sweet

½ teaspoon White Pepper freshly ground

3 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cups Coca-cola

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, cocoa, coriander and white pepper.  Rub the mixture all over the brisket.  Set it in a baking dish. Cover with foil.  Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil.   Add the brisket, fat side down, and brown well over moderately high heat, 6 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate.

Reduce the heat to moderate and add the onions.  Stir well, cover and cook, stirring, until softened, about 15 minutes.  Add the carrots, cover and cook, stirring, until the carrots begin to soften, 5 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.

Add the Coca-Cola, tomatoes and ketchup to the pot and stir over moderate heat.  Add the brisket and any juices and spread the onions and carrots around the meat.  If necessary add enough water to half submerge the brisket in liquid.  Cover tightly and braise in the oven for 2-1/2 hours.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil and let stand for 30 minutes.  Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees.  Slice the meat across the grain 1/4 inch thick.  Return to the casserole and spoon the sauce over the meat.

Return the pot to the oven and cook uncovered for one hour, or until meat is fork tender. Check every 20 minutes if necessary add water so the meat is half submerged.  Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes.  Transfer the meat to a platter. Spoon the onions, carrots and sauce over the top and serve.

MY NOTES

Gail’s Note:  We like mushrooms here; so I always leave the carrots out of this recipe and throw in some mushrooms instead.  I use about two cups of fresh mushrooms. They blend in a delicious way.  We get our carrots in our salad.  Sometimes I also use beef-broth instead of water.

THE SIDE

I’ve found a new side-dish I’m very fond of. It blends nicely with our other selections for Passover.  

The recipe comes from one of my favorite websites called A TASTE OF HOME.  Their recipes are tried and true and dependable.  Here is a link to this particular recipe; which I have typed out below.  https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/creamy-zucchini .

CREAMY ZUCCHINI

Ingredients:

4 medium zucchini, julienned

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

6 ounces creamed cheese, cubed

1 cup half-and-half cream

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Dash ground nutmeg

Shredded Swiss Cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet sauté zucchini in oil for 3 – 5 minutes until tender.  Add garlic, cook one minute longer.  Drain, remove zucchini mixture with a slotted spoon and keep warm.  In the same skillet combine cream cheese and cream.  Cook and stir over low heat until smooth.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese.  Return zucchini mixture to the pan.  Cook and stir one to two minutes longer or until heated through.      Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, nutmeg and Swiss cheese.  

My notes:  I prepared this ahead on the night before Passover eve. It was stored in a casserole dish covered in foil.  That night as I reheated the Brisket, I also reheated the zucchini casserole.  Both dishes were served hot; but prepared ahead.

DESSERT

Here is one of my favorite desserts. I borrowed it from Tori Avey. She just happens to be one of my favorite food bloggers/recipe creators.  Tori Avey has created this recipe for GREAT Chocolate Chip Cookies using Matzah. It is leaven free and gluten free. I think, like me, you are going to love it. Why not add it to your list of favorites too. Also, please click into Tori’s webpage to get all the details and history of the recipe; then get to cooking up those cookies.

These are guaranteed to disappear fast during the time of unleavened bread!  Click here for Tori’s notes and then check out the simple copy I typed in my own format:  https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/passover-chocolate-chip-cookies/.

SOME GREAT COOKIES

TORI AVEY’S PASSOVER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

two tbsp. honey

2 tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cups matzoh cake meal

1/3 cup matzoh meal

2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream the butter with brown sugar, honey, vanilla and salt.  Add eggs and mix well.

Mix in cake meal and matzoh meal.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets 2 inches apart.  Press down slightly to flatten.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until slightly golden.  These are great when slightly warmed, dipped in a cold, frothy glass of milk.  Yum!

A CAKE THAT IS KOSHER FOR PASSOVER

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE SERVED IN MASON JARS

This is one of my own original ideas.  It is quick, easy, and simple.  I cut up some Kosher pre-made angel food cake into small square cubes. Next I put them in the bottom of a small glass Mason jar. Then I layered the cake cubes with some fresh strawberries. I covered the strawberries with Kosher non-dairy Rich Whip pre-whipped topping.

 If the jars are large enough; you can make two more layers of the same ingredients.  The layers all just melt into each other for a burst of flavor. This dessert always shows up pretty on the table. It is also very elegant when served in a crystal or glass bowl (if you want to be more formal.) This is so easy to do; but very tasty!  Simply refrigerate in individual serving dishes until time for dessert.

DON’T FORGET WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE SEDER

Of course I added extra parsley, horseradish, matzoh, lettuce, and all the charoset ingredients to the grocery list for the Seder Plate.  I’ve also requested a kosher shank bone from the butcher.  Don’t forget to remember to boil an egg ahead if your Seder calls for an egg (some people use them; others do not). REALLY IMPORTANT:  Don’t forget to get some kosher wine.  Buy some extra bottles that will pair with your meal.

WE ARE ALL SET

This simple, yet festive meal isn’t too hard to get together. It was delicious and beautiful as well as ready to serve.

So light your candles and say your prayer with confidence. You are welcomed to use this tried and true plan if needed.

HAPPY PASSOVER!

If you are looking for a great book to study regarding Passover and the Exodus, check out my book called EXODUS TO FREEDOM. It will fill your heart with the many messages of the season. Just click here to order: https://amzn.to/4thnSjU.