Dinner ideas for Easter celebration

4/9/14 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Every year, I look forward to Easter and early blooming flowers as the first harbingers of spring. Well, the flowers are here—primroses have bloomed, our tulips are opening and trees are budding out all over. So where’s Easter? Did I miss it? Nope. It’s just a little late this year.

To Christians, Easter is a celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. But every year Easter Sunday falls on a different week in the month. Last year it was celebrated on March 31. This year we have another ten days to go until it is celebrated on April 20. What’s with the date discrepancy?

The Farmer’s Almanac suggests that we think of the date as something like a “moveable feast.” According to a Fourth Century church ruling, the resurrection date is set to be the first Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon, which is the first Full Moon of Spring, occurring on or shortly after the Vernal Equinox.

Got it? Nope. Me neither. But there’s more information. March 22 is the earliest Easter can occur on any given year. It fell on March 23, 2008, the earliest date since 1913. Easter will not be that early again until the year 2228. April 25 is the latest date that Easter can fall on and that last occurred in 1943. Next year it falls on April 5, 2015 and on March 27, 2016.

Don’t try and figure it out! It’s a piece of trivia that is best forgotten. I’m just hoping that a late Easter means nice weather for worship services and Easter egg hunts. Then, we can look forward to something else that is important to the holiday—Easter dinner.

I have often written that traditional holiday menus don’t change very much. Most families have their favorite dishes and don’t want to deviate from the norm. i.e. if you always eat baked ham, you’re not going to change the menu to roast goose. Unless, of course, you’re having guests and dinner is potluck. Then, anything goes.

Our family’s menu plan seldom changes: Shrimp cocktails, Baked Ham, Sweet Potato Casserole and yeast rolls. Vegetables depend on whatever is fresh. Some years it’s asparagus with hollandaise. Other years it’s fresh green beans with bacon. Fruit salad can range from Ambrosia to Cranberry gelatin. Dessert choices span a wide range from cheesecake to Schaum Torte or lemon meringue pie.

Today’s recipes offer some suggestions for a couple of simple appetizers and some tasty Southern-style green beans. Easy to put together for a crowd or take to a potluck party. Try the famous Hummingbird Cake. It was introduced in Southern Living in 1977 and was a hit! This 1999 version is slightly lower in fat but still wonderful.

Happy Easter to one and all. Enjoy!

CLASSIC DEVILED EGGS

6 hard cooked eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon white vinegar (or sweet pickle juice)

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika for garnish

Remove the egg yolks to a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Fill the empty egg white shells with the mixture and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cover and keep refrigerated until served. Makes 12.

SMOKED SALMON SPREAD

1/2 cup smoked salmon, divided

1-8 ounce package cream cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Crackers or French bread rounds

Cut 1/2 of salmon into a dice. Beat cream cheese and lemon juice with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in diced salmon and onions. Chill to allow flavors to develop. Spread on crackers or bread. Garnish with remaining thin slices of salmon. Makes 2 cups spread.

SOUTHERN STYLE GREEN BEANS

1 pound fresh green beans

5 slices bacon (more if you like)

2 tablespoons shallots or onions, finely chopped

Cook green beans until barely tender. Meanwhile, sauté the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Crumble. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Sauté the shallots or onion about 3 minutes or until translucent. Add the green beans and most of bacon. Reserve some for garnish. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Place in serving dish and garnish with reserved bacon. Serves 4

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

(Serves 12 generously)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup chopped pecans

2 cups chopped bananas

Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat.) Stir in vanilla, pineapple, 1 cup pecans, and bananas.

Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top. Store in refrigerator.

 CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Frost cake.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

 Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.