Don't fear Pesach....

When I was 15, my mom went back to college full time and worked a full time job. This meant everyone had to chip in more. Well, really it meant I was running the kitchen. It was fine, I have always loved to cook and this was an opportunity for me to have free range int he kitchen and show my parents that I was responsible. I took the job a little too far and did such a great job, that when Pesach came around it was a given that I would take care of it. The only thing I was forbidden from doing was the actual Kashering of the oven and sinks, because I am a huge klutz. I was not afraid of Pesach at all, just excited. We always had loads of people over so for Pesach to have 30-40 people at a seder was no big deal. I took on the challenge and have pretty much been making pesach ever since. I had a great teacher, my mom was always there to help when I needed it and just came home from all her work and jumped right in. I remember sitting on the floor in the kitchen chopping veggies on the step stool, with my mom next to me (the kitchen was tiny), my dad walked in and at the exact same second, my mom and I both yelled "WE NEED A NEW KITCHEN!!!". It was a great moment.
Anyway, my mom always spent a ton of money and pesach and we always had bought too much food. I decided to come up with a menu and a shopping list from that, and headed to the grocery store. I spent less then my mom every did , and from then on, that is how I have handled Pesach.
For the first 8 Pesachs we were maried we where at my parents. Last year we decided that the kids where getting bigger and it was time to make Pesach. I got an amazing cookbook and organizer from Women's Institute of Torah and I have to say it was a huge help.

If you are organized you will never fear Pesach again. Here is my menu, recipes I always use and a few tips of how I get it all done.

I do admit that I am a unique kind, I dont start cooking until the day before eruv yom tov. (this year that is sunday, I will wake up and head to a farmers market or produce store and buy what I need for the first days)
Things I make every year:
Mayonnaise, Huge things of ambrosia, olive dip, garlic oil, honey garlic salad dressing, tri color ices.
 a potato kugel with meat baked in for the kids to have whenever they want to eat on monday. I also always have plenty of deli in the house for noshing. there is not much to eat on monday so you got to make the best of it. I do make a banana cake as well for a little sweet noshing.
Of course i make brownies and blondies and other yummy stuff as well.
1st  Seder  
Fish, Soup and kneidel (i make kneidel from the "pesach crumbs" we do eat gebrochts but they come out much fluffier than shmura matzah)
Corned beef in sweet and sour sauce
Roasted root veggies
Sweet and Sour cabbage

1st day lunch
Fish Balls (g fish in ball shape and with a yummy tomato sauce)

Shnitzel
Broc and cauliflower kugel with onion topping
Israeli salad
Left over root veggies

2nd seder
Fish
Soup and Kneidel
Veal shoulder roast
Sweet and tangy chicken
mushroom and onion casserole
poatoes ith onion and paprika in wine sauce
cranbery relish


2nd lunch
Fish balls
Sweet meetballs with apples
roasted potatoes
purple cabage salad


thursday night-chol hamoed
leftovers



friday night-Shabbas
G fish with roasted peppers and onions
Soup Kneidel
Honey and sweet potato chicken
popcorn cauiflower
apple kugel



Shabbas luch
We are eating out but i am making the "cholent" and a salad

Sunday night-first night
Dill g fish
P'tcha
Soup kneidel
nut crusted chicken breasts with apricot chutney
herb crusted chicken
potato kugel
apple kugel
cucumber salad


Monday lunch
Buternut squash soup
Skirt steak
Salad
Mini roasted potatoes


Monday night
Dill g fsh
P'tcha
Soup kneidel
minute roast
scalloped potaotes
kishka kugel
broc and caulifolwer bake with horseradish


2nd day lunch-Tues
Butternut squash soup
Chicken crepes
garden salad
beet and onion salad




Hope this is a help to anyone and if you want recipes for anything let me know.