Today's cooking tally

 This cake is baking as I type this. This is my mother's handwriting. She probably scribbled it down as she got the recipe while on the telephone with Mildred Jacobs. Mildred was an outstanding cook and baker. this recipe came from her sister in law who did not use gebrochts, that is, matza broken into liquid during Passover. this cake is made out of few and simple ingredients and is stellar.

Earlier today i baked a slab of salmon that will serve as our lunches during the first two days of the holiday. I roasted lots of vegetables. you see the Brussels sprouts and mushrooms that we will eat the first night of the holiday.

I also roasted tomatoes, and zucchini separately to be added to salad the second night of the holiday.  

 Another in the simple yet delicious category is this.

I suppose you could call them vegan truffles. If you did my kids would not eat them on principle. One of my kids asked me what they were as I was frantically attempting to arrange a platter of small cakes before Seder. I replied " date doodies". that is what they are called in this household.

They are made out of dates, walnuts ,cocoa and orange peel processed together in the food processor.

You roll them into little balls and then roll the balls in a mixture of shredded coconut and Passover confectioner's sugar ( potato starch and sugar) during the year you can use regular confectioner's sugar.  I added a bit of sweet wine. If I had cognac or rum i would have added that instead.

Despite the name they are quite popular around here.

There was other food made as well, a sweet potato kugel and a white potato one. My son did the traditional white potato kugel. he had never made one before. I left him a list of ingredients and a basic list of the tasks involved.  I told him to channel my father and my son did fine.

Another batch of these cookies got baked because I had to threaten my son with death if he took one more, and now I don't have to .

There was more cooking done but I am too tired to remember exactly what it was.

More is left to do tomorrow.