Happy Easter and Passover!: Chicken Soup (with matzoh balls)

Due to my trial, this is the first Easter we've spent at home in years.  We usually head up to Thatboy's family to spend with them.  But I had to stay home and work all weekend, and Thatboy decided he didn't want to travel without me.

The bonus for me was actually having a very easy Passover celebration.  Despite the fact that Easter always falls during Passover (since the very first Easter...the last supper was a seder) my inlaws just never quite seem to grasp the fact.  Which is very difficult when spending time up there as there is nothing to eat. 

This year we had a perfect combination of the two holidays!  Thatkid woke up to an Easter basket filled with books (both Passover and Easter books) a sleeping bag, some candy and new sunglasses.

I made us the perfect Passover Easter breakfast.  Normally we either skip Easter breakfast because there is no food, or if we get there early enough, we do a supermarket run to pick up yogurt and hope my inlaws don't eat it before breakfast time.  Being at home meant I got to make breakfast for all of us - Passover blueberry muffins with cream cheese glaze, Passover pancakes, and fruit cups.

After breakfast, Thatkid went outside to find eggs the Easter Bunny had left.

And then the boys took off to the lake to scooter and skateboard so that I could get some work done.  I worked allllllll day, but still managed to throw together Easter dinner.  This is completely Thatboy's request.  For him, Easter is all about lamb and green beans (and polenta, which isn't Passover friendly.)  So I roasted a rack of lamb, made some green beans in bacon vinaigrette, and mashed potatoes.

 We went less fancy on Monday night.  And more traditional - matzoh ball soup!  I'm still working on my matzoh ball recipe.  Thatboy liked the density and consistency of these, but thought they needed some more flavor.  So I'll post a recipe once I have one worthy to share.  The soup on the other hand went over like hotcakes.  Thatboy thinks it's the best chicken soup he's had and Thatkid proclaimed it "yummy."  As a side note, Thatkid LOVES Passover food.  He's gobbled down his dinner every night and has been so into the lunches I've been packing him.
 

Herkimer Chicken Soup (From Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook)

4 quarts water

1 onion, peeled

4 parsnips, peeled

1 chicken, cut into pieces

1/2 cup celery leaves

2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbsp fresh dill

1 Tbsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

6 peeled carrots,5 cut into 1 inch chunks and 1 left whole

1. Bring all the ingredients except the carrots to a boil.  Cover and simmer gently for 3 hours.
2. Skim off the skin that forms at the top.
3. Add the caarrots and simmer 1 hour or more.
4. Strain and serve with matzoh balls. 
5. Cut the whole carrot into slices and serve in the soup.