I guess it's about time I start thinking about Easter dinner. I've been busy and preoccupied the past several weeks. So I hadn't given the upcoming holiday dinner much thought. What I do know: there will be 6 of us; I'm cooking the meal; I'll make a cherry pie for dessert (lots of frozen cherries still); I have enough eggs to make a batch of deviled eggs; I have 1 bottle of sparkling apple cider leftover from Christmas dinner; and I think I'll do mustard-glazed carrots as one side dish.
I can do a grocery shop on Friday. I have enough in the budget for this week to cover a few items for the dinner. I do have a whole chicken in the freezer and the garden rosemary looks good, plus I have lots of garlic. If I pick up a lemon at WinCo, I could make a lemon, garlic, and herb roasted chicken. It wouldn't be Easter without some asparagus. So I will also pick up a pound of asparagus at WinCo. It looks like I might have enough kale in the garden to make a sweet and tangy kale salad. If I don't have quite enough kale, I can stretch it with shredded red cabbage. For a starchy food I'll do refrigerator scratch rolls.
So I think this will be the menu:
- lemon and herb roasted chicken with gravy
- deviled eggs
- mustard-glazed carrots
- steamed asparagus
- kale and cranberry salad
- homemade dinner rolls
- cherry pie
- sparkling water, sparkling cider, tea, coffee
- extra -- if I get ambitious, I will also bake an open-faced plum pie with our surplus of frozen plums (I like to send a few slices of pie home with my son and daughter-in-law 😊)
- 1 lemon
- 1+ pound asparagus
- dried cranberries
- 1 bottle of sparkling water
I don't think we will have kids home this Easter (maybe our oldest daughter but not the others). But I will make a roasted chicken, ham slices, potato and a veggie and a lemon dessert. I'll just be using what I still have in my freezer/pantry to make all these items. Leftovers will be shared with daughter to bring home to her brother (he will be working) and then we will have some leftover for the week. I might make dinner rolls and I have been on a kick with the stretch and fold method of bread making. We might just have mashed potatoes with cabbage mixed in because there is a lot of cabbage in my freezer. Water is what we only serve at meals. I have to remember to get the chicken and ham out of the freezer tonight.
ReplyDeleteAlice
Your Easter menu sounds delicious, Alice! What kind of lemon dessert are you most likely to make?
DeleteIt is just a flour, butter, sugar crust then a lemon pudding mixed with whipping cream and topped with whipping cream. Light and delicioius.
DeleteHi Alice,
DeleteI didn't see your answer here until now. Thank you for your response. It sounds delicious!
Well, your menu came together nicely. We're still not sure what we're doing for Easter as we just got back from vacation. We hope to figure it all out today.
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting back to normal life this week, Live and Learn!
DeleteLili, I don't know why that meal plan needs any more "punch". It sounds delicious! DH scored a sale half-ham yesterday, unexpectedly; so that will be the basis of our Easter dinner. We'll probably cook early, in case the family comes up with a last-minute plan for Sunday. I was looking at what I have on-hand, and will probably make four-cheese baked macaroni and cheese or stuffed shells for the starch. We have plenty of vegetables for a nice green salad, or we could do cooked veg with a carrot salad. And we have both frozen home-grown cherries and berries and some canned blackberries, so one of those will probably be the basis for a fruit crisp for dessert. Have a blessed weekend, Everyone! Sara
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sara. Your plans sound yummy! What four cheese do you use in your baked mac and cheese?
DeleteWhichever four (or more or less) I have on-hand! LOL This time, it would be cheddar, jack, and fresh parmesan and romano. Looks like I'm going to use those cheeses for stuffed shells, with a cheesy, herby cream sauce, instead. I've used swiss cheese, cream cheese, smoked cheese, and mozzarella, also, at various times, but I don't like the consistency of mozzarella as well, and some smoked cheeses don't melt very well. Sara
DeleteHi Sara,
DeleteI hope your Easter meal was delicious! The 4-cheese stuffed shells sound tasty.
Lili, I agree with Sara, your menu doesn’t need any improvements! It sounds delish as is.
ReplyDeleteMy DD and SIL are heading this way for Easter. I’ve tried to get a jump on cooking and baking, too. I am also trying to use up items in the freezer and pantry. We will be going to my son’s to keep the granddaughter next week as daycare is closed. I always try to take food there too, to take the burden off everyone and not eat out much. So I’ve kind of got 2 occasions I’m planning for. Leftovers will definitely go with us. I’m not quite sure how long we will be out of town, as things remain in flux.
I’ll have ham for Easter (from the freezer), restuffed potatoes that I’ve made and frozen. I keep my 90 year old neighbor in sugar cookies, so I have some of those for us. My DH likes carrot cake, so I’ve got that in the freezer, unfrosted. I made the cream cheese frosting and it too is in the freezer. I’m not sure if everyone likes carrot cake so I made a frozen lime pie with a VERY old purchased graham cracker crust. I tasted the crust to be sure it hadn’t gotten stale but it was good to go. I did have to purchase 2 items for it but had most everything. I’ve got eggs for deviled eggs. Like you I need some asparagus, but I don’t see it on sale so I may go with broccoli. I will make ambrosia with some frozen raspberries, pineapple, apples, mandarins and coconut. If I get industrious, I’ll make garlic knots. If “knot” ;) I have some nice bread in-where else?-the freezer.
I’ve made ham and cheese sliders for breakfast for both families and will make pimento cheese for lunches. I also have other lunch and dinner options depending upon how they want to spend their time. I feel like I’ve got a good head start and hope to finish strong.
You mentioned Winco. I’d never heard of that til you spoke of it. I recently watched a blogger that took her audience there. It was quite interesting. I would definitely like that store I think! She showed the bulk area and the rest of the store. I can see why you shop there!
Easter blessings to everyone.
Wow, Lynn! Your preparation has made me tired just reading. I love how resourceful you are and getting most of it from your freezer (you're my kind of gal!).
DeleteAlice
Hi Lynn,
DeleteIt sounds like you've practically got the whole dinner (and a couple of other meals) already made and in the freezer! Great work! Your menu sounds delicious. Have a wonderful time with your kids, this weekend and next week.
Add me to the group who says that your meal plan is great as it is. Sounds like a great one!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kris. Will your daughter be able to come home for Easter? If I remember correctly, Easter never lined up with our spring break when I was younger.
DeleteShe gets a 4 day weekend for Easter (the benefits of attending a private Christian university, vs where my son went!). Looking forward to having her home. I need to make hard-boiled eggs today so we can decorate them (yes, we still enjoy doing that together).
Delete