Need some food ideas for Passover and Easter? Here are two.

Coronavirus overshadows most everyone’s life these days. Now two major holy days, one for Jews and Messianic Jews, and the other for Christians, are pushed to the background.

Passover, which celebrates the liberation of Jews from Egypt, starts Wednesday and continues until April 16. Good Friday, the day Christ died, is Friday, and Easter or Resurrection Sunday as Christians call it is April 12.

Both Passover and Easter are religious observances, and both feature special meals and foods. A major meal for Passover is a seder, which features symbolic foods on a special seder plate, followed by a kosher dinner with family and friends.

Well, we know that large gatherings are not happening now. Families will stay to themselves for a seder.

The celebration of Jesus’s Resurrection is the most important event in Christianity, signifying their freedom from hell, death and the grave. Church services will be on the Internet or television. Most Coast churches will have videos on Zoom or YouTube. Let’s face it: Those services just aren’t the same without people contact. Yes, they are delivered well, but I am one who likes to be in the middle of things.

Easter meals usually celebrate spring with fresh vegetable dishes, salads, baked ham and, of course, Easter eggs for the kids and deviled eggs for the adults. This year the meal will be smaller with immediate family.

One group of Coast moms has been trying to set up an Easter egg hunt like a no-contact bear hunt. Usually all sorts of Easter baskets, candies and toys fill the aisles of stores. I was at a supermarket today and couldn’t find egg dye. Guess we will go back to old-time food coloring, colored shaving cream or fabrics in place of dyes. Martha Stewart suggests doing marbled eggs with water and drops of dark blue nail polish.

While this may be the most different Passover and Easter in our lifetimes, we need to mark these most significant events. Just the three of us will be watching our pastor on YouTube and then sitting down to an Easter meal. Lilly still likes to hunt eggs, so we will have an egg hunt just for her. Not the same, but still important.

I will miss Passover seder at a friend’s house. I learn so much and enjoy the gathering with its delicious dishes

Here are some food ideas for both Passover and Easter.

For Easter brunch, I am making bunny-shaped cinnamon rolls. They are easy. Open a can of cinnamon rolls. Pull up the outside ring of dough to make bunny ears. Bake according to package directions. Ice while warm. Add some blue candies for the eyes and pink candy for the nose. A strip of red licorice can make the mouth, and you have bunny cinnamon rolls. Add a fruit salad and beverage and turn on YouTube for Easter service.

Passover and salmon make a perfect pairing. Salmon can replace gefilte fish in this appetizer that can be served at a seder or a Passover meal. It is easy to make, too, only 20 minutes of prep time.

A combo of sweet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes makes a twist on ordinary scalloped potatoes for an Easter meal. These potatoes can be made 12 hours ahead, minus the breadcrumbs, and refrigerated until ready to bake.

Horseradish-crusted salmon fillets

8 (3-4 ounce) skinless salmon fillets

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup white horseradish

2 ounces fresh chives, finely chopped

1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup matzo meal

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine mayonnaise, horseradish, chives and lemon juice. With a spoon, lightly coat the salmon fillets with the mixture, dredge in matzo meal and bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with lemons. Makes 8 servings. -- Recipe by Jamie Geller, author of the “Joy of Kosher”

Two-toned scalloped potatoes

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped (1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided

2 teaspoons table salt, divided

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

6 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded with large grate (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)

1/3 cup pecans, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat a 2- to3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Peel potatoes and place them in a bowl of cold water. Using a mandoline, slice potatoes into 1/8-1/4-inch rounds. Return slices to cold water until ready to use.

Stir together heavy cream, flour, thyme, garlic, 1/4 cup of the butter and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil; remove from heat.

Drain sliced potatoes and pat dry. Place half of the potato slices evenly into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the chopped herbs, half of the salt-pepper mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat process with remaining half potato slices, 1 tablespoon of the herbs, remaining salt-pepper mixture and cheese. Pour cream mixture evenly over potatoes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven 25 minutes.

Stir together panko, pecans, lemon zest and remaining 1 tablespoon herbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter in a small bowl until well combined. Uncover potatoes, sprinkle evenly with panko mixture. Bake another 20-25 minutes or until topping is golden and mixture is bubbling. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. – From www.myrecipes.com/

Andrea Yeager can be reached at ayeager51@cableone.net/ and Cooks Exchange, 205 DeBuys Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.