Family Meal Plan: Marvelous Matzo Lasagna Cupcakes + Best Basil Lemonade

Marvelous Matzo Lasagna Cupcakes

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

• bake :

  to cook food with dry heat, as in an oven.

• boil :

  to cook a food in liquid heated to the point of gas bubbles and steam forming (boiling point is 212 F at sea level).

• chop :

  to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.

• grate :

  to reduce food, like a carrot, to very small shreds or pieces of the same size by rubbing it on a tool with an outside surface that has holes with cutting edges (a grater).

• juice :

  to extract or squeeze out the juice of a fruit or vegetable, like a lemon, orange, or carrot, often cutting open or peeling the fruit or veggie first to access its flesh.

• knife skills :

  Bear Claw (growl), Pinch, Plank, and Bridge (look out for trolls). 

• layer :

  to arrange foods in layers, such as sliced fruit in a pie or tart, or sliced potatoes in a potato gratin; or to build flavors by adding seasonings or foods that may be dissimilar but complement the overall dish.

• stir :

  to mix together two or more ingredients with a spoon or spatula, usually in a circle pattern, or figure eight, or in whatever direction you like!

• tear :

  to pull or rip apart a food, like basil leaves, into pieces instead of cutting with a knife; cutting breaks cell walls more, so herbs can discolor faster.

History of Lasagna!

• Lasagna is both a noodle and a dish! Lasagna noodles are long, flat, and broad, perfect for layering on top of one another. Lasagna, the dish, traditionally layers noodles with meats, cheeses, and a marinara or tomato sauce.
• There are a few theories about the origin of the Italian word "lasagna." One view is that it actually comes from the Greek "lasanon," which means…"chamber pot?!" The Romans borrowed from the Greek word for the Latin "lasanum," for "cooking pot," because of the similar shape. The noodle and the dish eventually took on the name of the pot it was cooked in. 
• Lasagna in Italy might look slightly different, depending on where you go in the country! Naples lasagna is made with sausage, little meatballs, ricotta, mozzarella, a meat ragu sauce, and sometimes even hard-boiled eggs. In northern Italy, the layers are often green because spinach and other vegetables are mixed in. 
• Lasagna came to America in the 1900s with Italian immigrants. Lasagna was not often made in Italy because the meat there was expensive. However, meat was cheaper in America, so families could afford to make this tasty dish more often! However, good-quality olive oil and cheese were more challenging to find. 
• Lasagna became more popular in the US as the dish was simplified, with ground beef and canned tomatoes and sauces replacing traditional and fresher ingredients.

Let's Learn About Passover!

• Passover or "Pesach" in Hebrew is a major Jewish festival, occurring in the spring. It commemorates the freedom and exodus of enslaved Israelites from Egypt in the 15th century BCE. It begins the evening of the 15th day of the month of Nisan, which on our calendar, falls sometime between March 26 and April 25. 
• In the Hebrew Bible, in the book of Exodus, Moses, a Hebrew who had been raised by an Egyptian pharaoh's daughter, is commanded by Yahweh (Lord), the god of the Israelites, to demand that the current Pharaoh let the enslaved Israelites go to worship their god in the wilderness. Each time Pharaoh refuses, Moses, through Yahweh, causes a plague to happen in the land, until finally, after the tenth plague, when the firstborn of people and animals would die, including Pharaoh's son, he relents and lets them go. The firstborn of the Israelites were not harmed, as their homes were passed over if they obeyed the command to kill and roast a lamb, and put some of its blood on the sides and tops of their doorframes.
• That day, the Israelites were told to eat the roasted meat with bitter herbs and unleavened bread (bread made without yeast). From then on, they were to commemorate the day of their exodus (Passover) and celebrate a Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. During the seven days, they were not allowed to eat bread with yeast, and all yeast was to be removed from their houses.  
• Today, the festival lasts for seven days in Israel. In diaspora countries, Reform Jews celebrate seven days, whereas Orthodox and Conservative Jewish communities celebrate for eight days.
• A symbol of Passover is unleavened matzah (or matzo). It is served during the feast days and at the seder meal. The seder is a ritual dinner held on the first evening of Passover. In addition to matzah, it includes the "maror" or bitter herbs, which may be horseradish or romaine lettuce served with "charoset" (a paste made from nuts, apples, pears, and wine). Other food and drink typical of a seder include wine, "karpas" (parsley, green onion, or veggie dipped in salt water), "zeroah" (lamb shank), and "beitza" (hard-boiled egg). Chicken or matzo ball soup and gefilte fish might also be served. The word "seder" means "order," and there is a specific order for everything done during the ritual. The story of the exodus is read from the Haggadah, a special Jewish text that includes the story and the order of the seder. 
• Children are included in the Passover seder. At the beginning of the reading from the Haggadah is the "Ma Nishtana" or Four Questions. The youngest child, who is able, asks the Four Questions through song, starting with the main question, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" It is followed by specific questions to prompt why it is different. The Haggadah also contains possible responses to the questions for the seder leader and other adults to read.
• During the Yachatz, the fourth part of the seder, the leader breaks the middle of three matzahs into two pieces. Either the leader or a child wraps and hides this "afikomen," then the children find (or steal) it, and it is eaten as a symbolic dessert at the end of the meal. It is a reminder of the sacrifice of the Passover lamb. 

Passover Fun for Kids!

• Passover is a kid-friendly Jewish holiday. Finding the treasure of the "afikomen" is just one of the ways to engage kids. Below are three additional ways to help young children contribute to and enjoy the table for the seder ceremony and dinner.
• Make a cup for Elijah the prophet. It is customary to leave a glass of wine on the table for his arrival. Kids can be included in the tradition by decorating cups for Elijah.
• Make a matzo house. Let kids use any leftover matzo crackers to make houses with them. They can make simple ones, like playing card houses, or decorate their matzo houses with Passover candy, like gingerbread houses. Decorate your seder table or dining room with the houses. 
• Make an activity bag to demonstrate the first 9 of 10 plagues that occurred before the exodus. An activity bag for each child could be made up of red beads or yarn (for blood); toy, finger puppet, or homemade paper frogs; plastic or paper flies (for gnats and flies); toy, finger puppet, or paper horses, cattle, sheep, goats (for the plague on livestock); skin-safe color, like lipstick (for boils); cotton balls or crumpled white paper (for hail); two toothpicks to rub together quickly or a nail file to rub on metal to mimic the sound of locusts; and sunglasses (for darkness). Kids can tell everyone about each of the plagues and demonstrate them with the toys from their bags.