Easter egg hunts, picnics, and sunrise services: bring it on. Easter is upon us and I actually think we might be able to have a somewhat normal Easter this year.
It is hard to believe that it has been a year since Covid restrictions began. I can remember how disappointed we were about spending Easter without church, extended family, and friends. While we still need to follow appropriate safeguards, I have renewed hope for greater normalcy and plan to host an Easter picnic. This year, we will be outside and socially-distanced, but we will be gathering. And that makes me happy.
In years past, we have hosted our pastors and some of the church staff and their families for an Easter picnic after Sunday service. We often forget that Easter is one of the busiest work weeks of the year for church employees. We have also been fortunate to be able to invite college students from our church. Many of the students attend Belhaven University and are unable to travel home for Easter break. A hot Easter meal is appreciated by all. Consider hosting a few extra folks for Easter this year and include someone who may need some long overdue fellowship as we prepare to celebrate the most important holiday of the year.
A potluck picnic is easy to throw together, plus you can always add a few store-bought items to the menu at the last minute, if needed. And, of course, in a potluck meal, everyone is always free to bring whatever they would like. I have cleaned up from a few picnics and I have yet to see leftover store-bought fried chicken.
Our Easter lunch menu will include many of the following recipes. We always add a few extra last-minute desserts or salads, when necessary, to make sure there is plenty of food for every guest.
Katty Ham
1/2 ham, butt or shank
2-3 tsp. tart jelly, such as plum
1 onion, quartered
1 tart apple, quartered
Salt, black pepper
Water or 1/4 -1/2 cup white wine or sherry
Rinse ham thoroughly. Place in a roasting pan and rub with jelly. Season with salt and pepper. Place onion and apple around ham, add wine or sherry and add water to pan to depth of one inch. Cover tightly and cook 20 minutes per pound in a 325 degree preheated oven. This may take longer depending on the water content of ham. Check after two hours. Ham is done when skin is loose and fork pierces meat easily. Remove ham and reserve ham juice for another use.
This ham can be glazed and sliced at the table or (my preference even prior to COVID) pre-sliced and piled high on a platter. It can be served as is, or it can be served inside or with biscuits or rolls. This is a “city” ham worthy of a place at your picnic.
Poppyseed Chicken Casserole
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 one can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 sleeve buttery crackers such as Ritz
1 tablespoon poppyseeds (or as an interesting alternative, use 1 tablespoon Everything but the Bagel Seasoning)
Boil chicken breasts until cooked, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, shred chicken or pulse in a food processor a few times. We like ours fully shredded.
Mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and poppyseed seasonings. Pour in a well-greased casserole dish and top with crushed crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Can be assembled the day before.
Serve with hot steamed rice, if desired.
Almost Homemade Mac and Cheese
This recipe came from a coworker of my sister. It elevates a simple box of macaroni and cheese to something worthy of being called ‘homemade’ but in half the time. It is decadent, rich, and yummy.
2 boxes “deluxe-style” macaroni and cheese, such a Kraft Deluxe
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Prepare macaroni and cheese according to package directions. Once cheese sauce is thoroughly combined with noodles, mix in eggs and sour cream. Pour half of macaroni mixture in a well-greased casserole dish and top with 1 cup of shredded cheese. Pour remaining macaroni over cheese and top with remaining cheese. Bake 350 for 30-45 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Old Fashioned Green Beans
This is a tried-and-true recipe for great green beans.
3 cans whole green beans, drained
8 pieces of bacon, fried crisp reserving the grease
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 sugar
Put green beans in a pot. Crumble bacon over beans and add chopped onion. Add sugar, vinegar, and bacon grease and simmer for three hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. Can be reheated.
Deviled Eggs
1 dozen hard boiled eggs*
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp. season salt
Dash of sugar
1 tsp. dill pickle relish
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 -1 cup mayonnaise
Peel and put the eggs in half. Remove yolks and put in a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork or pastry blender until completely free of lumps. Mix in all ingredients except mayonnaise. Begin adding in mayo 1/4 cup at a time until you get a spreadable consistency. Put yolk mixture in piping bag and pipe onto egg halves. Top with a sprinkle of paprika for color. Store in refrigerator.
*Fresh eggs are more difficult to peel so try to find the eggs with the oldest ‘sell by date.’ Put the eggs in a large saucepan. Cover the eggs with cold water and bring to a boil. Allow to gently boil for about five minutes. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and then rinse in very cold water.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This is a simple, gluten free, and vegetarian option for your menu. The potatoes can be roasted the day before, peeled and sliced, and placed in a casserole dish. Simply heat up and serve with various toppings. This allows the guests to top the potatoes with whatever they would like.
4-5 large sweet potatoes, well-scrubbed
Topping suggestions:
Butter, toasted pecans, brown sugar, mini-marshmallows, chipotle-sour cream*
Pierce sweet potatoes a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet lined with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour until potatoes are tender. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
Peel potatoes and slice into one-inch rounds. Layer in well-greased casserole and keep warm. If using at a later time, cover casserole dish and store in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, heat potatoes in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes until warm. Serve with variety of toppings.
*To make chipotle sour cream: combine 1 cup sour cream with one finely chopped canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Radish and Cucumber Salad
This is a super simple Greek style salad that is best made the day before.
1 English cucumber, washed and cut into thin rounds
10 radishes, washed and thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
For the dressing mix:
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill
In a large bowl, combine radishes, cucumbers, and green onions. Whisk all ingredients together for the salad dressing and adjust seasonings to taste. Mix dressing with vegetables. Store in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Edamame and Quinoa Salad
We expect to have several vegetarian and gluten-free guests in our group and this salad is packed with lots of protein. It’s easy to make and can be stored in the refrigerator.
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn, thawed if frozen
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved if large
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
In a sauce pan, combine quinoa and one cup of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine edamame, corn, tomatoes, and cilantro. Add the quinoa and toss to combine. Add lime juice and olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Carrot and Raisin Salad
I love to serve carrots at Easter. This was always one of my children’s favorite things on the menu at Chick-fil-A. This version is similar and is a hit with little kids.
6-8 large carrots, peeled and finally shredded (This is easily done in your food processor with the shredder blade.)1 small can of pineapple tidbits or chunks, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins, more or less depending on your taste.
Mix all ingredients and store in the refrigerator.
Chickpea Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Fresh Herbs
This is another hearty vegetarian option for our guests.
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 small clove of garlic, pressed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine chickpeas, basil, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic clove in a medium bowl. Toss well. Add Parmesan cheese and toss gently to blend all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Salad can be made several days ahead covered and refrigerator. Served chilled or room temperature.
Laura’s Broccoli Salad
This is my sister’s recipe and it is my kind of salad. It has lots of bacon and cheese. I am not even sure why it is classified as a salad…but we love it.
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
12 tablespoons sugar, more or less depending on your taste
1 cup mayonnaise
2 bunches broccoli flowerets, cut into small bite-size pieces
2 to 3 ounces of fresh bacon bits or ‘real bacon bits’
1/4 cup finally chopped onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Mix vinegar, sugar, and mayonnaise until thoroughly combined. Fold in remaining ingredients and allowed to chill in the refrigerator overnight. Add salt and pepper if desired and serve cold.
Anna Kat’s Macaroons
My daughter, Anna Kat, has been home from school because of its extended lock-down. So, in between her online classes, she decided to learn to make macaroons. She is developing into quite a pastry chef and (like most professional chefs), she is convinced that weighing your ingredients when baking is essential. Her recipe is in both weights and traditional volume measurements (e.g., cups). Try using a kitchen scale and see if you like it. She assures me that it makes a big difference and is much easier. Making macaroons is a little time-consuming but well worth the effort. These are fantastic and gluten free.
For the macaroon cookie:
3.5 ounces of egg whites, at room temperature or about three large eggs
5 ounces almond flour or about 1 1/2 cups
4.5 ounces powdered sugar or about 1 cup
3 ounces granulated sugar or just under 1/2 cup
3 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
To make the cookies:
Measure almond flour and powdered sugar in a bowl. Pour into a bowl of the food processor and pulse about 15 times. Sift mixture back into the bowl and throw out any large almond pieces. Repeat this process with the food processor and sifter one more time and then set the dry mixture aside.
Next, add egg whites to a very clean bowl of a stand mixer with the wire whisk and beat for about one minute until mixture becomes foamy. Add the 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and the granulated sugar a little bit at a time with the machine running. When your eggs or meringue mixture reaches soft peaks, add 3 teaspoons of vanilla. Keep beating until stiff peaks form. (This is when the peaks do not flop over when you hold the bowl upside down and the texture is almost like marshmallow cream.)
Using a spatula, fold about 1/3 of the dry mixture into the meringue until fully incorporated. Working in the next third until fully incorporated and continue folding until all dry mixture is added. The batter should be thick with a lava like consistency.
Once the batter is thoroughly incorporated, spoon mixture into a piping bag and pipe on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper into 1-inch circles. A macaroon template can be found online. Slam the baking sheets on the counter about three times to pop any air bubbles and fix any dimples in the batter with a toothpick.
Allow the baking sheets to sit out under a fan ton dry until cookie batter does not stick to your finger when you touch it. If it is a particularly humid day, it can take over an hour.
When trays are ready, preheat oven to 300 degrees and bake in the center rack of the oven for 13-14 minutes. Allow cookies to completely cool then move to a cookie rack until the filling is ready.
Macaroon filling:
You can fill the macaroons with jam or ganache. But our favorite is a traditional buttercream.
French buttercream for Macaroons
1 cup butter, softened
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
3 teaspoons vanilla
Beat egg yolks in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment until light and creamy.
In a very small saucepan, combine water and sugar and heat on low until sugar dissolves. Then increase temperature and cook until mixture comes to 240° on a candy thermometer or thread stage.
With mixer running on slow, slowly pour sugar and water mixture into the yolks. Be sure to do this very slowly so that you do not scramble the eggs. Increase mixer speed and scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Beat until the bowl is cooled slightly.
Add in butter 1 tablespoon at a time until all is incorporated. Then add in vanilla and mix until creamy.
Pipe filling into 1/2 of a cookie and find a similar sized cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat until all the macaroons are assembled. Store macaroons in the refrigerator (covered with cling wrap) until ready to serve.
Lizzy’s Blondes
My good friend, Lizzy Rhett, shared this recipe with me and I do not think a week has gone by where I have not made a batch. They are easy and spectacular.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup butterscotch chips, or any mixture
1 cup nuts (optional)
Mix brown sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Fold in dry ingredients and chocolate chips/butterscotch chips. Do not over mix. Spread Blondie mixture in a well-greased 8 x 10 pan and bake in a 350° oven for 20 to 25 minutes. We think the best final consistency is a little gooey but even a “well done” blondie is terrific!
