Planning today for our Christian Passover celebration.  Here’s what’s on the menu:

The Traditions…
Charoset (Apple and honey mixture to represent the mortar the Hebrews used when they were slaves in Egypt)
Matzo (Unleavened, cracker-like bread to represent the loaves baked in haste as God’s people were leaving Egypt…and to represent Jesus, striped by the lash, pierced and broken for us.  Try the gluten free matzo from the link, or use another gluten free cracker)
Parsley (A green herb to dip)
Salt Water (To represent the tears of slavery)
Horseradish (bitter herbs to represent the bitterness of slavery)
Hard Boiled Eggs (Representing new life…we will be dying ours with natural, homemade dyes first)
Shank Bone (To represent the Passover lamb….a reminder of the Lamb of God whose sacrifice delivers us from the bondage of sin)

The Meal:
Roast Leg of Lamb with Red Wine Sauce
Basil-Mint Pesto (This is a family tradition to serve with the lamb…pulse fresh basil leaves and a few mint leaves in a food processor with pine nuts, olive oil, fresh garlic cloves, and a dash of salt.  You can use this recipe as a guide, I always end up winging it with the proportions and we eliminate the cheese.)
New potatoes with herbs
Roasted green beans or asparagus
Green Salad
New Life Dessert (for the children, found this idea at Ann Voskamp’s but we will probably use a simple cake mix.  Fun for the kids!)
Chocolate Espresso Torte served with Pomegranate Reduction (For the grown-ups, of course! It’s flourless and gluten free, rich like cheesecake. I use the recipe in the link, but pulse the chocolate in a food processor and then add the hot espresso while pulsing.  This melts it all together nicely…then add small cubes of butter and finally the eggs and egg yolks and continue to process until it’s smooth as silk.  For reduction, simply simmer several cups of Pomegranate juice until it forms a syrup.  Drizzle the syrup onto a chilled plate, and then serve the flourless cake on top. So Good!)