30 Things You Can Do with Canned Passover Macaroons

I start thinking about Passover even before the Purim holiday.  We start the subtle “using up the chametz” method of Passover cleaning early, only replacing necessary Chametz products on an “as needed” basis.  A while back I was writing for the Chicago Tribune’s Chicago Now website and came up with this post of 30 Things You Can Do with Canned Passover Macaroons.  I remembered it while perusing my pantry for things to MacGyver together for a “Chametz Pantry Dinner”, and found a poor, lonely can of unopened canned Passover Macaroons.  It’s one of my favorite posts, so I’m sharing it with you.  I’d love to hear what you’re favorite things to do with Canned Passover Macaroons are!

Passover = Canned Passover Macaroons

The holiday of Passover starts soon.  Passover is the holiday where Jews celebrate the Exodus from slavery in Egypt.  If you’ve seen the Cecil B DeMille Movie, “The Ten Commandments” starring Charlton Heston, then you have a theatrical understanding of what the holiday is all about*.  

No Chametz For You!

For those of us that observe a very traditional Passover, preparation for the holiday begins the minute the Purim Holiday is over.  Really. On Passover we don’t eat any leavened bread – A.K.A Chametz…

Or anything that might contain leavened bread.  Or anything that might contain wheat, rye, oat or spelt flour combined with water – that sat more than 18 minutes before being cooked/baked. Or for Jews of Ashkenazic heritage, something called Kitniyot – legumes that might be ground into something that looks like flour. Basically that leaves potatoes, eggs, coconut and Matzoh (which was very carefully prepared in under 18 minutes).  

For Orthodox Jews, the restriction is not just for eating Chametz, it also applies to even owning Chametz.  This helps to clarify why many of us start to prepare for Passover right after Purim (around 4 weeks before Passover).  Passover is a holiday that requires a lot of planning.  Cleaning. Cooking.  Cleaning. More Cooking.  I think you’re getting the idea.

The Ubiquitous Canned Passover Macaroon

Once upon a time, people who celebrated Passover didn’t have a lot of choices when it came to pre-prepared foods.  The choices were basically matzoh ball mix, matzoh, and canned Passover macaroons.  

Do not confuse canned macaroons with the deliciously appealing French Macarons.  These are nothing like those.  Trust me. Canned macaroons are basically the ugly reject of Passover foods – especially now that there are a multitude of companies that make multitudes of Kosher for Passover products that we all enjoy.

Joy for the GFE (Gluten Free Eater)!!

For the GFE (Gluten Free Eater) Passover is a time of much Joy and Happiness – this holiday is literally Gluten Free Heaven.

WHY?  

Because in order to avoid foods becoming chametz, wheat/barley/rye/spelt/oats glutenous flour is generally not used, and instead potato flour is used.  We stock up on all the gluten-free products that are discounted for quick sale the day after Passover.  We do not stock up on canned macaroons.  If we somehow do have a can leftover from the holiday, we store it away in the back of a cabinet to be used on Passover the following year.  When opened, the macaroons taste just as fresh as they would have if opened the year before.

An Ode to Canned Passover Macaroons

Now, I feel a little bit bad for the poor macaroons (and the companies that make them).  I decided to dedicate most of my recipes before Passover to Canned Passover Macaroons.

It’s true.  

But…before that…

I took a poll…

I took a poll of my dearest friends and readers.  I wanted suggestions for what to do with Canned Passover Macaroons.  Thank you friends and readers for your most excellent suggestions. So, without further ado…

30 Things to do with Canned Passover Macaroons – the list!

1. Use in place of golf balls at the range

 

2. Buy  two different colored varieties of macaroons and play checkers.

3. Buy five different colored varieties and play Chinese checkers.

4. Use to patch up holes in the road.

5. Smoosh them until pasty. Add honey and sugar, slather on your face for a tasty facial scrub. The coconut oil is super hydrating and the honey helps it stick. Sit back and relax to the sweet smell. If you have dogs, let them lick it off for a loving treat!

6. Make a pile and play Jenga.

7. Use them as edible headband decor.

8. Place under uneven chair legs to even them out.

9. Give them to the cats to use as toys to bat around.

10. Use them to practice your Harry Potter magic spells.

11. Gather all the different colors, glue them to your wall, and call it moon rock backsplash. Kind of like the latest decorating craze with river rocks glued to walls or used with resin in countertops.

12. Warm them and use like hot rocks for a nice relaxing massage after cooking and cleaning all day.

13. Smash, paint black, and stick them to your head like Mickey Mouse Ears.

14. If they’re homemade, enjoy the deliciousness. If they’re from a can, use as a door stop.

15. Take them directly to the trash!

16. Use as a place card holders for the Seder. Attach a card with the name to a toothpick and set the toothpick in the store bought macaroon.  Stick a feather in it for ornamental purposes. Repeat with the remaining macaroons.

17. Place on wall light switches to make them more decorative.

18. Start a rumor that they are new type of currency that is more valuable than bitcoins.

19. Replace your clay pigeons at your Skeet Shoot activities.

20. Use them as glue for Passover projects.

21. Keep in the cabinet, unopened, for the rest of eternity

22. Make me a macaroon crusted chocolate pie (This from my dear cousin!)

23. Use as floor hockey pucks.

24. Build a pyramid.

25. Use them like modeling clay.

26. Eat them because you’re starving, but then proceed to complain about how much you hate macaroons.

27. Use for the sport of curling or shuffleboard.

28. Use them to make a rock climbing wall.

29. Plant them outside and hope they grow macaroon flowers.

30. Earplugs for parents with kids home for two weeks of Passover vacation!

How would YOU use your canned macaroons???  I’d love to hear what you come up with!!!

More Marvelous Macaroon Recipes!!!

 

SHABBOS UNDER PRESSURE IS GREAT FOR PASSOVER!

FYI: I’m here to help make it way easier for you and reduce your pressure with my book “Shabbos Under Pressure“.  I’ve found that using my electric pressure cooker to prepare for Passover, makes the cooking way easier and more efficient.  For example, instead of cooking a huge pot of chicken soup on the stove for three hours, taking up valuable space on my stovetop,  I can make even better soup in just an hour/hour and a half in my Instant Pot.  I’ve even put together a Shabbos Under Pressure Passover Recipe Guide to help you convert the recipes in the book to Passover friendly recipes.  If you don’t already have “Shabbos Under Pressure” now would be a great time to order it to ensure that you receive it with enough time to plan and cook your Passover meals.  You can order it here:Here’s the Passover Under Pressure – The Shabbos Under Pressure Passover Guide:

CHECK OUT MY PASSOVER AMAZON INFLUENCER STOREFRONT!!

I’ve put together some of my favorite Passover items on Amazon into one store!  You can find ingredients for my Passover recipes as well as gorgeous Judaica items that will enhance your Passover.   There are tools that I find invaluable for Passover prep and for during the whole Holiday.Make sure to check out the Kosher Everyday Passover Amazon Influencer Storefront!

Make sure to follow Kosher Everyday on Facebook and Instagram so you don’t miss the latest and greatest Passover recipes and fun from Kosher Everyday!

*For more information about what Passover is please check out this link at aish.com