Simple and Easy and all you need after a large Easter Dinner!
Interesting Supper Menu?
I am thinking what they mean by Easter Eggs are decorated Boiled Eggs.And, the Eggs in Jelly are probably similar to an aspic.
Easter Inspiration
(Family
Features) - Enjoy an inspired Easter feast with ham plus seasonal
favorites that will impress your guests. The savory flavors of Roasted
Ham Saltimbocca showcase ham's versatility in this succulent
centerpiece dish.
And
when Easter dinner is over, bring some new life to leftovers with meals
that are sure to become new family favorites. In addition to ham
sandwiches, dish up a lively Asparagus Pesto with Gnocchi and Ham or a
Cured Ham and Asparagus Pizza. Asparagus not a favorite? These
versatile ham recipes allow you to substitute any cooked veggies spring
has to offer.
For recipes, tools to help you prepare and carve the perfect ham, and more ideas to prepare hassle-free leftovers, visit www.PorkBeinspired.com or www.Facebook.com/PorkBeinspired. Follow the National Pork Board on www.Twitter.com/AllAboutPork for a chance to win a free Easter ham.
Celebrate Easter with Cookie Pops
(Family Features) - For a fresh take on Easter treats, these egg-shaped cookie pops will surprise and delight.
Easy and delicious, each one is uniquely decorated -an unexpected, but festive way to say "Happy Easter!"
To begin, a simple butter cookie dough flavored with vanilla and almond extracts is cut into egg shapes with a cookie cutter.
Once they're baked and cooled, tint white Candy Melts (or use colored) with favorite Easter colors - pastel, bold, or both -
then "dye" the eggs by pouring the melted candy over the cookies.
Now the decorating fun begins. Pipe with melted candy to make spirals and stripes, then attach confetti sprinkles.
Other decorating options include brushing with pearl dust for a luminous effect, or sprinkling with colored sugars.
You could even write messages on them. After decorating, use a dab of melted candy to attach the "pops" stick to the backs of the cookies.
A decorated flower "pot" is an ideal way to present the pops. Place the pops in the convenient insert that comes with
the Flower Pot Kit and add some green curling ribbon for grass.
This bouquet of pops can do double-duty as a centerpiece for the table, or as an Easter gift for friends and family when wrapped
in clear bags and tied with ribbon.
Visit www.wilton.com
for more Easter project ideas, to order supplies including the Pops Flower Pot Kit, or a copy of the new Wilton book, "Pops! Sweets On A Stick!"
Recipe for Fresh Eggs Cookie Pops
Ingredients2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
White Candy Melts, melted
Primary, Garden Candy Color Sets
Yellow, White Pearl Dust
Imitation Clear Vanilla Extract
Blue, Lavender Colored Sugar
Jumbo Confetti Sprinkles
Cookie Treat Sticks
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add egg; mix until blended. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in flour mixture. Do not chill dough; divide into 2 balls.
On floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 in. in diameter and 1/8-inch thick.
Dip egg shaped cookie cutter in flour and cut dough; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 6 - 7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove from sheet and cool completely on cooling grid.
Tint melted white candy desired colors. Pour over cooled cookies to cover. Tap to settle; chill until firm.
Use melted candy in cut parchment or disposable decorating bags to pipe spirals, stripes and attach Confetti Sprinkles.
While still wet, sprinkle some shapes with Colored Sugars. Brush set candy decorations with Pearl Dust/vanilla mixture.
Attach sticks to back of cookies using melted candy. If desired, place in assembled Pops Flower Pot Kit.
(Family Features) - Hosting an Easter brunch is a great way to bring friends and family together.
And it doesn't have to be hard or expensive. Here are some simple things you can do to ensure a memorable celebration without the hassle.
Take Inventory
Pull out the dishes, platters, silverware and glassware to make sure you have what you need. If needed,
spruce up any silver and table linens a few days before, so you can concentrate on other things the day-of the event.
Set a Pretty Table
For creative place cards, try Easter eggs.
Put a narrow strip of tape around the middle of each egg before you dye it. When it's dry, peel off the tape
and write each name in the white space with a thin line permanent marker.
Keep it Centered. For an inexpensive centerpiece, leverage simplicity:
Fill a glass bowl or vase with colorful Easter eggs - real or plastic.
Put a potted plant inside an Easter basket.
Set white or ivory votive candles on top of a flat mirror.
Plan the Menu. The main thing you must always remember is to keep it simple. Don't be afraid to use store bought
items and recipes that can be made ahead of time. These simple time savers leave you more time to relax to enjoy your guests.
Buy instead of baking. Muffins, fruit pastries and seasonal Easter breads can all be found in the
bakery section of your grocery store.
Provide a lighter side dish such as a simple fruit salad. Squeeze lemon or orange juice on the fruit
to help it keep from turning brown.
Create a simple, yet special main dish such as a crustless quiche.
You can find tempting smoked sausage and polska kielbasa Easter recipes at gomeat.com
SOURCE: Hillshire Farm
Here are three tasty ways to enjoy fresh spring veggies such as asparagus:
Sautéed - Add a little zest and crunch to your plate with asparagus sautéed in soy sauce until stalks are easily pierced with fork (3 to 5 minutes). Serve as a side dish over rice.
Grilled - Climate permitting, fire up the grill and cook olive oil-tossed spears for 2 minutes for slightly charred asparagus. Kick it up a notch by drizzling with balsamic vinaigrette.
Roasted - Try drizzling on olive oil and adding a few pinches of salt and pepper before roasting your favorite veggies. Toss into a 400°F oven, and roast for roughly 12 to 17 minutes.
Snap off and discard woody portions of asparagus. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling water about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool.
For pesto, in a food processor or blender, combine asparagus, basil, cheese, walnuts, olive oil, water, garlic and pepper. Cover and process or blend until nearly smooth, scraping sides occasionally. Divide pesto into thirds. Transfer 2 portions to freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Set aside remaining portion.
Prepare gnocchi or rotini according to package directions.
Meanwhile, coat a skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Cook ham cubes in skillet until heated through. Stir remaining portion of the pesto into ham cubes; heat through. Drain gnocchi and toss with pesto-ham mixture.
Serves Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Recipe for Cured Ham and Asparagus Pizza
Ingredients
8 ounces asparagus
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
1 to 2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornmeal
1 13.8-ounce package refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup bottled roasted garlic Alfredo sauce or original Alfredo sauce
1 1/2 cups cubed ham (8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)
Preparation
Snap off and discard woody portions of asparagus. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and asparagus. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender. Stir in sherry. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Set aside.
Heat oven to 425°F. Grease a 12- or 13-inch pizza pan. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Pat pizza dough into pan, rounding corners of dough rectangle to fit pan and building up edges. If desired, snip edges with kitchen shears. Bake about 7 minutes or until lightly browned.
Spread crust with Alfredo sauce. Top with vegetable mixture and ham. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes more or until golden. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Serves Serves 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Recipe for Roasted Ham Saltimbocca
Ingredients
1 6- to 8-pound fully-cooked bone-in shank end ham, trimmed
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves, divided
Pepper
4 thin slices prosciutto
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine (for non-alcoholic, substitute an additional cup of chicken broth)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 to 6 pieces
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour dissolved in 1/3 cup cold water
Salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°F. Position rack in lower third of oven.
Place ham flat side down in a large shallow roasting pan and score a diamond pattern about 1/8 inch deep into any fat. Sprinkle all over with 2 tablespoons sage and season with pepper. Bake until internal temperature reaches 140°F, 15 to 18 minutes per pound total cooking time. After the first hour, baste with pan juices about every 15 minutes. Remove ham from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and let rest 15 to 30 minutes.
While ham is resting, increase oven to 400°F. Arrange prosciutto on a baking sheet and bake until crisped, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Also while ham is resting, drain roasting pan, discarding liquid. Place pan on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add broth and wine; bring to a boil, and cook, scraping up any browned bits in the pan, until liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 4 minutes depending on the size of the pan. Reduce to a simmer and add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons sage, stirring until butter melts. Whisk in flour mixture and cook, whisking, until sauce thickens, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
Carve ham and arrange on plates or a platter. Crumble prosciutto on top. Serve sauce on the side.
Serves Yield 15 to 20 4-ounce servings
Notes, Tips & Suggestions Substitutions: You can use bone-in or boneless ham and substitute dried sage (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) instead of fresh.
