Easter Cooking
Easter is another one of those days that brings friends and family together. There are many great dishes and plans that can be made for Easter dinner depending on where in the world you may be celebrating. Just remember to try to avoid making plans for Easter dinner that are contingent upon the weather to work because it never seems to do exactly the opposite of what you plan for no matter where in the country you may be.
With so many dyed eggs around it would be a shame not to incorporate them into the meals that are being prepared for your Easter menu. There are many ways to do that and a favorite in my house is with devilled eggs. In addition to devilled eggs, which are excellent appetizers you can also chop the eggs up and include them in potato salad, egg salad, or chicken salad (which also happens to make excellent finger sandwiches for a light appetizer). You may also use boiled eggs in the making of cornbread dressing and/or giblet gravy, which are both popular Easter dishes in some southern states.
The good news is that there are plenty of dishes that go wonderfully well with eggs. If you like ham this is a great dish to serve with dressing, to make ham salad with later, and to simply have along with your favorite egg recipe. Ham is relatively simple to make as the hard part is often waiting on it to be finished. If you want even more simplicity the only thing you really need to do to have an excellent ham dinner is poor a can of Coca-Cola over the ham, cover it in aluminum foil, and bake it for the necessary duration. It really can't get any easier than that though there are plenty of more complicated ham recipes available.
You will want to offer plenty of side dishes to compliment your main dish. Popular favorites are vegetables, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, dressing, sweet potato casserole, and rolls. These are all relatively simple to prepare, not very time consuming and can also be delegated to guests if you'd like without too terribly much fuss. You'll also want to have a few appetizers on hand for the time before dinner is ready and a couple of desserts for the perfect finish - as if those chocolate bunnies from the Easter basket's are not enough.
For those looking for fare that is a little lighter on Easter I recommend offering salads with low fat dressing, steamed veggies, use diet coke on the ham instead of regular and prepare at least one sugar free dessert as well as offer some fruit and a raw veggie platter with fat free dip along with the appetizers. Easter is a day to celebrate and you shouldn't leave family members who are dieting to dread their lack of healthy eating options. You'll also find yourself surprised by those who, given the option, will eat the healthier foods if they are available.
If you are hosing Easter dinner at your home in addition to these cooking ideas I also suggest offering a place for your guests to change clothes if necessary. Many people come wearing their Sunday best and while it was great for church services and photo opportunities they don't often fare too well with gravy, butter, or grass stains.
Of course you could skip all the advice above and go for a down home hoe down of a barbecue for the Easter holiday that in some parts of the country signals the approach of Spring. Barbecues are often appealing because it limits a good bit of the mess to the great outdoors and gives the kids involved a great place to run, play, and let off steam.
Enjoy the memories,
Renee
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
St. Patrick's Day Cooking
St. Patrick's Day Cooking
There is something about St. Patrick's Day that brings out the Iris cook in all of us. At least it seems to have this effect on my family. If you are not of Irish decent it may not have quite this profound effect upon you. If you are, then I'm quite certain you will understand what I mean by this.
There's something about revisiting traditions that may have been lost in the fog of coming to a new world and adopting a new way of life that is lifted on this one day of the year. As a result old favorite recipes handed down from mother to daughter over the centuries come out and grand meals are prepared.
If your mother wasn't of Irish decent and you do not have a stockpile of wonderful Irish recipes in your inventory there are a few great websites on the Internet that offer excellent recipes that have already been converted to standard American measurements that will have Irish eyes and any eyes that think they might wish to be Irish smiling once again.
Corned beef and cabbage is a favorite. In our house we add great things like potatoes and carrots to the recipe. This is a great meal because it can be put in the crock pot before the work of the day begins and with very little effort is simply waiting on you to be ready for dinner time. No real effort is necessary in creating an outstanding feast that many will think you've had to miss a parade or two in order to prepare.
Lamb stew is another great dish to put on your St. Patrick's Day table. There are also slow cooker or crock pot recipes available for this family favorite if you take the time to search them out. This is a stick to your ribs kind of meal that is very popular in cooler climates for the St. Patrick's Day festivities. This makes a great lunch or dinner for this great day and goes quite well with Irish Soda Bread.
Shepherd's pie is another hale and hearty meal that is a wonderful addition to the St. Patrick's Day festivities. This dish is a favorite among those who have tried it and might just become a staple recipe in your kitchen as it is in mine. There are many recipes online though I recommend going the path of least resistance and finding the simplest recipe possible. Shepherd's pie is one.
No Irish meal is really complete without potatoes of some kind on the table. Keep this in mind no matter which meal you cook. There must be potatoes in order to complete the meal or it simply cannot be authentically Irish. This may be a slight exaggeration but you should take a moment to make sure that there are potatoes for this particular event because it's just a very Irish thing to do.
There are some days when it just pays to be green despite the fact that Kermit still claims, "it ain't easy being green."
Enjoy the memories,
Renee
There is something about St. Patrick's Day that brings out the Iris cook in all of us. At least it seems to have this effect on my family. If you are not of Irish decent it may not have quite this profound effect upon you. If you are, then I'm quite certain you will understand what I mean by this.
There's something about revisiting traditions that may have been lost in the fog of coming to a new world and adopting a new way of life that is lifted on this one day of the year. As a result old favorite recipes handed down from mother to daughter over the centuries come out and grand meals are prepared.
If your mother wasn't of Irish decent and you do not have a stockpile of wonderful Irish recipes in your inventory there are a few great websites on the Internet that offer excellent recipes that have already been converted to standard American measurements that will have Irish eyes and any eyes that think they might wish to be Irish smiling once again.
Corned beef and cabbage is a favorite. In our house we add great things like potatoes and carrots to the recipe. This is a great meal because it can be put in the crock pot before the work of the day begins and with very little effort is simply waiting on you to be ready for dinner time. No real effort is necessary in creating an outstanding feast that many will think you've had to miss a parade or two in order to prepare.
Lamb stew is another great dish to put on your St. Patrick's Day table. There are also slow cooker or crock pot recipes available for this family favorite if you take the time to search them out. This is a stick to your ribs kind of meal that is very popular in cooler climates for the St. Patrick's Day festivities. This makes a great lunch or dinner for this great day and goes quite well with Irish Soda Bread.
Shepherd's pie is another hale and hearty meal that is a wonderful addition to the St. Patrick's Day festivities. This dish is a favorite among those who have tried it and might just become a staple recipe in your kitchen as it is in mine. There are many recipes online though I recommend going the path of least resistance and finding the simplest recipe possible. Shepherd's pie is one.
No Irish meal is really complete without potatoes of some kind on the table. Keep this in mind no matter which meal you cook. There must be potatoes in order to complete the meal or it simply cannot be authentically Irish. This may be a slight exaggeration but you should take a moment to make sure that there are potatoes for this particular event because it's just a very Irish thing to do.
There are some days when it just pays to be green despite the fact that Kermit still claims, "it ain't easy being green."
Enjoy the memories,
Renee
Monday, March 1, 2010
Make Your Overnight Guests Feel Right At Home
Make Your Overnight Guests Feel Right At Home
Without some planning and forethought, having company during a holiday can be a very stressful and difficult time for all involved. But if you think ahead and plan accordingly, your guests will feel welcome and comfortable in your home, and you’ll provide a stress-free environment so you can enjoy their company.
Be sure that you decorate your home for the people who will enjoy it. And the likelihood of your best tablecloth getting a marinara stain on it is pretty high if you’re serving guests of all ages. You are happy your guests are in your home, so take it upon yourself to ensure they feel welcome, comfortable and wanted.
Start the process in the guest room your company will be staying in, and make it special. If they’ll be with you for more than just a couple of days, provide drawers they can put things away in so they can easily find things and get ready each day. Make sure your guest bathroom has plenty of clean towels and that you are stocked up on the necessities like toilet paper, shampoo, soap, and toothpaste.
Also, be sure you have plenty available to entertain your younger guests. Board games, crayons, coloring books, and movies help pass the time while the adults visit. Encourage the little ones to draw a pretty picture that you can display in your home for the holiday, or provide them with enough craft material such as glitter, yarn, glue, tape, and construction paper to make fun gifts of their own.
Try to find out ahead of time if any of your guests require special accommodations, attention, or have special diets they must adhere to or have any food allergies. The last thing you want to have happen is for one of your guests to have an allergic reaction to your oyster stuffing. It might feel awkward to ask, but your guest will appreciate you thinking ahead on their behalf.
Most importantly, try to keep the environment calm and relaxing. After all, it is a holiday and both you and your guests have taken time off work for the holiday, so make sure you take the time to sit back and take it easy with your company. Keep the days entertaining, but not crammed full of activity. Be sure to schedule in activities they enjoy.
Perhaps there’s a special exhibit at your local art gallery or museum they’d like to see while they’re in town. If so, offer to watch the kids while they go, and then take the kids to see a movie or something. If these options are a bit too energetic for you, they you might also enjoy playing a board game or watching a movie or television program at home. The gift of your time will be fondly remembered long after your guests have returned home.
Enjoy the memories,
Renee
Without some planning and forethought, having company during a holiday can be a very stressful and difficult time for all involved. But if you think ahead and plan accordingly, your guests will feel welcome and comfortable in your home, and you’ll provide a stress-free environment so you can enjoy their company.
Be sure that you decorate your home for the people who will enjoy it. And the likelihood of your best tablecloth getting a marinara stain on it is pretty high if you’re serving guests of all ages. You are happy your guests are in your home, so take it upon yourself to ensure they feel welcome, comfortable and wanted.
Start the process in the guest room your company will be staying in, and make it special. If they’ll be with you for more than just a couple of days, provide drawers they can put things away in so they can easily find things and get ready each day. Make sure your guest bathroom has plenty of clean towels and that you are stocked up on the necessities like toilet paper, shampoo, soap, and toothpaste.
Also, be sure you have plenty available to entertain your younger guests. Board games, crayons, coloring books, and movies help pass the time while the adults visit. Encourage the little ones to draw a pretty picture that you can display in your home for the holiday, or provide them with enough craft material such as glitter, yarn, glue, tape, and construction paper to make fun gifts of their own.
Try to find out ahead of time if any of your guests require special accommodations, attention, or have special diets they must adhere to or have any food allergies. The last thing you want to have happen is for one of your guests to have an allergic reaction to your oyster stuffing. It might feel awkward to ask, but your guest will appreciate you thinking ahead on their behalf.
Most importantly, try to keep the environment calm and relaxing. After all, it is a holiday and both you and your guests have taken time off work for the holiday, so make sure you take the time to sit back and take it easy with your company. Keep the days entertaining, but not crammed full of activity. Be sure to schedule in activities they enjoy.
Perhaps there’s a special exhibit at your local art gallery or museum they’d like to see while they’re in town. If so, offer to watch the kids while they go, and then take the kids to see a movie or something. If these options are a bit too energetic for you, they you might also enjoy playing a board game or watching a movie or television program at home. The gift of your time will be fondly remembered long after your guests have returned home.
Enjoy the memories,
Renee
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