Easter is quickly approaching, so it’s time to begin putting together an Easter menu.
Not everyone in Louisiana prepares their ham like Melissa Dommert (Baytown, TX) makes her Louisiana Style Glazed Ham, but they should. It’s sticky and sweet with a little bit of tang.
“This is the way mama always cooked our holiday ham,” shares Melissa. “Allowing the ham to slowly simmer seems to remove some of its excess saltiness. As the sweet and tangy glaze bakes onto the ham, it caramelizes to candied Southern perfection.”
Adding mustard to the glaze gives the overall ham a slightly tangy flavor which is a nice contrast to the sweet sugar and pineapple juice. Boiling the ham before baking means it cooks quickly in the oven and becomes super tender. Pineapple and cherries add to the presentation and overall flavor.
I love candied sweet potatoes with my ham, but for a change Tara Guthrie Lucas’ (Sanford, NC) Sweet Potato Casserole Delight is delicious. The sweet potatoes are creamy and luscious.
“This sweet potato casserole is better than sweet potato pie,” thinks Tara. “The pecan topping is perfect for those who do not like marshmallows in their sweet potato casserole.”
The praline topping is crunchy, sweet, and nutty, giving you that perfect praline flavor. Some people in my family aren’t the biggest fan of marshmallows on their sweet potatoes (gasp, I know) so this simple casserole is pleasing to everyone’s taste buds.
Gwen Mills’ (Sun City, KS) mom made her Holiday Rice every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. After I tasted it, I knew why. I really loved the flavor; it reminds me of a wild rice. Almonds add a nice crunch to the dish. Gwen shared that this recipe “can be made ahead and cooked and then refrigerated” which I love. Recipes that can be prepped ahead of time during the holidays are key.
Looking for a practically fail-proof homemade dinner roll recipe? Try Dorene Nagy’s (Wharncliffe, WV) Grandma Stanton’s Yeast Rolls.
“It’s very easy even if you are a beginner in making rolls,” says Dorene. This is a wonderfully tasty recipe… definitely worth the effort.
The key is to make sure the yeast has not expired and that the water is not too hot. If the water’s not at the right temperature, it’ll kill the yeast and the rolls will not rise.
Are you going to a friend or relative’s house for Easter? It would be a lovely idea to bring Maggie May Schill’s (Jacksonville, FL) Folar da Pascoa (Portuguese Easter Sweet Bread) as a hostess gift.
“Folar da Pascoa is a traditional Portuguese bread that is served typically during holy days,” explains Maggie May. “Traditionally people would make this bread and serve to their priests or godparents as a gift. This bread contains 7 hard-baked eggs which traditionally is a symbol of Christ’s rebirth to the Portuguese people.”
This bread is savory, sweet and would be lovely on the holiday table. The eggs are baked into the bread and make for a pretty presentation.
What’s a yummy dinner without dessert? Next week I’ll be highlighting dessert recipes that’ll end your Easter celebration on a sweet note. Happy Pinching!