A complete Easter feast often means more than just a spiral ham and scalloped potatoes. Cooking Light offers 11 complete meal plans depending on whether you’re in the mood for brunch bites, want to host a hearty traditional dinner, are grilling for a garden party or visiting with an all-vegetarian crew. Follow a single menu or mix and match delicacies such as deviled eggs, asparagus and leg of lamb; guests will leave satisfied even before they break into their Easter baskets.
Tag: Easter
Make Dishes Ahead to Ease Easter Stress
To wow your guests and still get your beauty rest, there are many dishes you can make ahead of time for Easter brunch, says Taste of Home. Brunch enchiladas, egg casseroles, and even stuffed French toast can be assembled and refrigerated overnight, then popped in the oven and served—still sizzling—the following day. You can also chop, measure and plate other brunch essentials such as a fruit salad, coffee and condiments the night before and take them directly to the table.
A Frugal But Festive Easter Feast
The Reluctant Entertainer says you don’t have to spend a lot to create an impressive Easter brunch table. Use fresh flowers of the spring season—daffodils, tulips and pansies—as a centerpiece and match their colors to a set of quality paper or cloth napkins. If you invited a lot of people, make the main courses ahead of time, ask select guests to add a side dish or dessert, and serve the feast buffet-style. “Entertaining in a frugal way really helps lessen the stress level,” the blog says.
Take the Stress Out of the Spring Feast
Passover begins at sundown, and Easter is on Sunday. No matter what your faith, though, preparing a spring feast for the family can be hectic. To avoid at least some of the stress, delegate and conquer! Make it a potluck by taking on only the menu essentials and assigning the side dishes and desserts to various family members. Get the kids to set the table ahead of the feast. Then, relax (somewhat) and enjoy.
Crafting for a Festive Easter Feast
Easter is an important part of the Christian faith, and the holiday includes traditions that go beyond the church services. Whether you are religious or not, chances are that you and your family will take part in a big feast to mark the end of Lent, buy candy for the kids, color eggs and maybe get a springtime visit from the Easter Bunny.
Since you’ve already started your spring cleaning (right?), your home is clean and tidy. You’re ready to host brunch guests for a shrimp cocktail, spiral ham, leg of lamb or whatever it is you like to serve on the holiday. All you need is a few seasonal touches to make your home more inviting, while keeping the kids busy during their spring breaks.
The web is full of craft projects that can lend your Easter feast that special something, including new ideas for coloring Easter eggs ahead of the hunt, dressing up the dinner table and more. And you can have fun adding that festive flair to your home, while not spending a lot of money.
Start at the local thrift. Stores supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org nationwide are a great source for inspiration and materials, and whatever you spend on others’ donated merchandise helps fund veterans’ programs.
The Adirondack Girl @Heart blog recently made personalized Easter-basket mugs using only a thrift-store find, a paint marker, candy and a bit of confetti. Such a project makes inexpensive, one-of-a-kind gifts for coworkers and other adult friends.
You can also pick up a few dozen of those ubiquitous, multicolored plastic eggs at the thrift or discount store, and use them to celebrate the spring season. Equipped with a hot glue gun, potting soil and a few spring blossoms, you can make a colorful, living accent for your Easter table, Made With Happy says.
Kids can help make Easter-themed paper chains and egg boxes out of card stock using only scissors and tape, Martha Stewart suggests. And speaking of Easter eggs, there are literally dozens of ways to decorate them beyond the tried-and-true, vinegar-and-food-coloring strategy. Add flair with glitter, foil and lettering, Country Living says.
More ideas? Use pastel-color socks as the foundation for a whimsical sock bunny that’s fun and easy to make with the kids. Get the kids to help you cut out carrot gift boxes for their friends. Or make Easter baskets out of the cookie tins you find at the thrift by adding linen, ribbon, Easter grass and candy.
Dyeing Easter eggs is a great start, but there are dozens of easy, inexpensive ways to dress up your home for the holiday. Let your creativity run wild this Easter, and you can make memories that last for years—and maybe forge a few new traditions!