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Odds and ends for your Easter meal

EASTER LAMB CAKE — Simple Mills products contributed a photo of an Easter lamb cake made from its Simple Mills cake mix that contains no GMO; is verified certified gluten free; free of grain, soy and artificial flavors, just right for those with Cecil problems. The lamb is decorated with a red jelly bean nose, peach candy rings for ears, outlined with large marshmallows, sprinkled with coconut and has a mouth and eyes from an outline of melted dark chocolate. -- Contributed

There is nothing more beautiful than an Easter sunrise service, with the sun just starting to peek over the horizon and making different colors in the sky. It is a time when we can realize that it is “a wonderful world.”

God had a plan for everything. For instance, his accuracy can be observed in the hatching of eggs. The eggs of a canary will hatch in 14 days; those of a barnyard hen in 21 days; those of ducks and geese hatch in 28 days; those of mallard ducks in 35 days; and the eggs of a parrot and ostrich hatch in 42 days. If you will notice, they are divisible by seven, the number of days in a week.

The lives of each of us may be ordered by the Lord in a beautiful way as well. Remember that this Easter Sunday and every day of the year. And say a prayer as you sit down to dinner, thanking him for all that has been good in your life and those close to you.

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Nick Korbee, chef and author of “The Egg Shop Cookbook,” calls deviled eggs appetizers. He has a unique recipe you might want to try. This uses artichokes and pesto.

Artichoke-Pesto Deviled Eggs

6 large hard-cooked eggs, halved lengthwise

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup olive oil

2 cups loosely packed, fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup drained and minced marinated artichoke hearts

Carefully remove yolks, reserving egg white halves. Press yolks through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. (I just use a fork to mash them up). Whisk in mustard and lemon juice to form a paste. Fold in mayonnaise and sea salt. Process olive oil and basil in a blender on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add pine nuts and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer basil mixture to a bowl; stir in grated pecorino, lemon zest and juice, garlic and salt. Fold into artichoke hearts and add 1/4 cup of basil pesto into egg mixture. Spoon or pipe into reserved egg whites. Garnish with pine nuts. Store remaining pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days or freeze for up to 30 days. Makes 12 eggs.

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Dinner can start with a soup that is quick and easy by using a package of frozen broccoli and cheese sauce in the mix. This is from Taste of Home. It only makes two servings, so you might have to triple it for serving six.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 chopped onion

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup chicken broth

10-ounce package frozen broccoli and cheese sauce, thawed

1/2 cup cooked long grain rice

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

In a small saucepan, cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in broth and broccoli with sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 4 minutes. Add rice and add cream. Cook 3 to 4 minutes longer or until heated through and broccoli is tender. Do not boil. Makes two servings.

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Sure, Easter means a shiny, glazed ham but sometimes you just want to shake things up a bit and serve chicken. After all they are the ones who provided the eggs that are colored for the holiday.

This is a recipe from Rachael Ray’s magazine. This “piece de resistance” is a chicken pinwheel filled with baby spinach or kale, parsley and basil leaves, plus cheese.

Stuffed Chicken Pinwheels

4 medium-large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 8 to 12 ounces each

Salt and pepper

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup goat cheese, crumbled, or any soft cheese

1 cup each flat-leaf parsley, basil leaves and baby spinach or baby kale

1 cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butterfly chicken by slicing horizontally into the thick, long side of each breast, being careful not to slice all the way through and open like a book. Using a mallet, pound each chicken breast out a bit. Season with salt and pepper. Top each piece with the sliced garlic, lemon zest, soft cheese, layers of herbs and greens and the shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Roll each bundle up and tie with three pieces of kitchen string; season.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and spread it around. Add chicken and cook, turning until evenly browned, about 6 minutes. Remove skillet from stove and put in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Place the skillet back on the stove. Add the wine and stock and cook over medium heat, whisking up the browned bits until the sauce is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Swirl in lemon juice and butter. Cut strings off the chicken. Slice each into 1/2-inch thick pinwheels. Arrange on plates and top with lemon pan sauce.

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Here is a recipe that goes well with the chicken or the traditional baked ham. It contains hard cooked eggs. Ones that have been colored in pastel Easter colors would work well right now. This is from People magazine.

Brussels Sprouts Polonaise

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 garlic clove, sliced

2 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and finely chopped

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel. Add remaining 2 tablespoons each olive oil and butter to skillet; add garlic. Cook, stirring constantly until garlic is slightly golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Stir together chopped eggs, bread crumbs, Parmesan and parsley in a medium bowl. Remove sprouts from the oven and toss with garlic and lemon juice. Transfer to a serving dish and top with egg mixture. Serves four.

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Sweet potatoes seem to go with any type of meat, and they are quite healthy as well. They are great baked whole with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top. Then again, they are even wonderful if cut into chunks and baked with pecans and a orange juice sauce.

Orange Pecan Sweet Potatoes

3 pounds sweet potatoes, about 4 large, peeled, chunked and cooked

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add sweet potatoes and pecans. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add orange juice, whisking to blend. Cook, stirring continually until mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Pour over sweet potatoes. Bake 45 minutes or until edges are browned and bubbly.

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This dessert, made in a cast iron skillet — if you have one — is still fancy enough to serve at the end of the Easter meal. It is a crostata, an “open-faced fruit tart.” It can be made with any type fruit, but the golden yellow of peaches will make the day even sunnier.

Peach Crostata

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tablespoons, plus 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

2 tablespoons shortening

3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

8 cups sliced peaches, 7 to 8 if fresh, if canned, drain the slices

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large egg beaten

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1 tablespoon coarse sugar

1/3 cup water

Fresh red raspberries, optional

Mix flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt, cut in butter and shortening until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine peaches and lemon juice. Add remaining brown sugar, cornstarch, spices and remaining salt; toss together. Let stand 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 13-inch circle; transfer to a 10-inch cast skillet, letting excess hang over the edge. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peaches onto pastry, reserving liquid. Fold pastry edge over filling, pleating as you go, leaving center uncovered. Brush folded pastry with beaten egg, sprinkle with almonds and coarse sugar.

Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 45-55 minutes. Combine reserved liquid and water and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Serve warm with crostata. If desired, top with fresh red raspberries.

(McCoy can be contacted at emccoy@heraldstaronline.com.)

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