Easter Dinner Menu 2018

Easter Dinner Menu 2018

Ham with Pineapple Sauce

Dinner Rolls

Orange Rolls

Manchego Potatoes Au Gratin

Asparagus Amandine

Pineapple Bread Sage Casserole

Fruit Plate

Dark Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut Fudge Frosting

Asparagus Amandine

2 bunches (1 lb.) asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

salt and black pepper to taste

Blanch asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 2 minutes. Drain asparagus and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain again.

Saute garlic in oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until fragrant, 1 minute. Add asparagus and cook to heat through, 3 minutes. Stir in almonds and season with salt and pepper.

Manchego Potatoes Au Gratin

2-1/2 cups heavy cream

4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

6 cups shredded, 1-year aged Manchego cheese (1-1/4 lb.)

salt and black pepper

Pour 1/2 cup of cream in the bottom of a 9-x 13-inch baking dish.

Arrange one layer potato slices in dish, overlapping like shingles. Press down on the potatoes. pour 1/2 cup cream over potatoes, then sprinkle with 1 cup Manchego; season with salt and pepper.

Repeat layering three more times, starting with the potatoes, rotating the dish 180-degrees after each layer so the potatoes lay the most evenly. Top final layer with 2 cups Manchego. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (this allows the starch from the potatoes to release into the cream for better thickening). 

Preheat oven to 375-degrees F. Remove plastic wrap and cover dish with foil; bake potatoes 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake potatoes until fork-tender, about 45 minutes more. Let potatoes rest 30 minutes before serving so the cream has time to set up.

Pineapple Bread Sage Casserole

2 cups diced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage (-or- 1 scant tsp dried sage)
salt and black pepper to taste
8 ounces fresh pineapple, diced (about 1-1/4 cups; can substitute canned crushed pineapple)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 eggs, beaten
12 slices good-quality white sandwich bread (such as Pepperidge Farm), crusts removed, cubed
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
fresh sage for garnish (optional)


Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray or butter; set aside.

Saute onion in oil in a skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add sage; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove mixture from heat and season with salt and pepper; set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, toss together bread cubes and butter until butter is absorbed and bread cubes are evenly coated; set aside.

Combine pineapple, sugar, flour and eggs in a large bowl. Stir onion mixture into pineapple mixture; add buttered bread cubes and gingerly combine the mixture until evenly coated.

Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish.

Bake casserole until brown, about 30 minutes. Let casserole rest 10 minutes before garnishing with fresh sage leaves and serving.

Pineapple Sauce for Ham

This is a recipe from my mother-in-law. It’s a family tradition we’ve continued at our own table because Eric won't eat ham without it.

 

1 (20-oz) can crushed (or tidbit) pineapple in juice
1 cup pineapple juice (this comes from the canned pineapple—when draining, you’ll get almost exactly 1 cup of juice; you can supplement with a little water, if needed)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cinnamon to taste (about ¼ tsp)

Drain pineapple juice into a small saucepan and set pineapple aside. In the saucepan, whisk pineapple juice with sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in reserved pineapple. Serve warm or at room temp.

Dinner Rolls

See recipe HERE.

Orange Rolls

Makes 24 large rolls.

For the Dough:
4 cups hot water
3/4 cup powdered milk (don’t use flakes)
3/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup sugar
2 heaping teaspoons salt
3/4 cup dry potato flakes
5 to 10+ cups flour, divided
2 heaping tablespoons yeast
2 eggs

For the Filling:
1 cup salted butter, melted

zest of 4 oranges

1/2 cup sugar
For the Frosting:
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice, squeezed from zested oranges above

2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Combine hot water, powdered milk, and margarine. Add sugar, salt, and dry potato flakes. One at a time, mixing after each addition, add 1 cup flour, yeast, and eggs. Mix for approximately 4 minutes. Continue adding cups of flour one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. When dough pulls away, is smooth, and a bit tacky still, pour it onto a clean, flat surface and knead in additional flour until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers. Thoroughly mix the cinnamon and sugar for the filling. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Brush each dough rectangle with melted butter and sprinkle with orange zest and sugar mixture. Roll lengthwise and cut into 1-inch slices. Place in lightly greased pan and allow to rise for about an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. (Watch carefully because the rolls will take a longer or shorter time to cook depending on how many are in a pan and how close together they are. Note that just because the rolls look done on the outside, it does not mean they’re ready on the inside; they could still be doughy. You do not want the rolls to be golden brown on the exterior--if they are, you’ve overcooked them).

Combine ingredients for frosting, mixing well. Frost buns while still warm, but not hot.

Dark Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut Fudge Frosting

For the cake:

235 grams all-purpose flour

70 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

300 grams granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup hot strong-brewed coffee

For the frosting:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup Nutella

440 to 500 grams confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk

170 grams semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 6-inch cake pans and set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the oil and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on, add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.

Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low, stream in the coffee. Mix on medium-low for no more than 30 seconds , or until combined.

Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let them cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.

To prepare the frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and chocolate-hazelnut spread on medium-low until smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low,gradually add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Pour in the cream and mix until everything starts to incorporate. Turn the mixer to medium-high and mix until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and mix until smooth.

Sunday Dinner (Brisket & Potatoes)

This is classic, home-style eating at its best. Reminds me of Sunday Dinners at my Grandma Jean’s house (only without the lime green Jell-o squares nestled in beds of shredded iceberg lettuce). The crock-pot potatoes are a particular favorite at my house---the creamiest and most delicious mashed potatoes you can imagine!

Courtesy of the lovely Julie Mudrick.

Grandma Mud’s Brisket (or Chuck Roast, which is less expensive)

1 medium-size brisket (or chuck roast)
1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce**
1 packet onion soup mix (like Lipton’s)
1 bottle of water (use the empty chili sauce bottle)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine chili sauce, soup, and water in a medium bowl. Place brisket (fat side up) in a pan that it fits into (generally, a 9 x 13 Pyrex dish will work). Pour the sauce over the brisket. Cover with foil.

Cook for 7-ish hours (time will vary depending on size of brisket). Remove from the oven and thinly slice the brisket. Return to pan and let soak in the juices. Return to oven for about 30 minutes to 1 hour until ready to serve.

**If you don't have chili sauce, mix together the following ingredients as a substitute:
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 dashes ground cloves
2 dashes allspice


Crock-Pot Potatoes

5 pounds red potatoes, peel-on and diced
1 cup water
½ cup butter cut into chunks
1 tablespoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
1-⅓ cups milk, warmed

Place the potatoes, water and butter in a slow cooker.

 
Season with salt and pepper.

 
Cover, and cook on high for 4 hours.

 
Do not remove the excess water from slow cooker. (This contributes to the creamy texture).

 
Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater (do NOT use immersion blender or potatoes will be overwhipped and turn out glue-y), adding the desired amount of warm milk to achieve a creamy consistency.

 
Keep warm on low until serving. Potatoes keep consistency for a couple of hours after mashing. Just keep the lid on the slow cooker and serve directly from there.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.

Easter Dinner Menu

I make a different meal every Easter. This is the menu I created for Easter 2010.


Crescent Rolls

Virginia Honeybaked Ham with Pineapple Glaze

Asparagus Bundles with Fresh Mozzarella Rounds & Prosciutto Dressing

Potatoes & Leeks Au Gratin

Individual Corn Souffles

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Lemon Pie with Brown Sugar Meringue

CRESCENT ROLLS
This is one of my all-time favorite roll recipes! The recipe comes from the Lion House, an historic restaurant in Salt Lake City, Utah.

2 tablespoons yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (use powdered, not flaked)
1 egg
6 cups all-purpose flour
butter, melted

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, mix yeast and water and let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat together until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour until soft dough is formed. (I start mixing with a paddle attachment and then switch to the dough hook for the last couple of cups of flour. I run the mixer on medium-high for 2 or 3 minutes at the very end until the flour is completely incorporated, the dough is super-smooth, and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.)

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl; cover and let rise until dough doubles in bulk (usually about an hour). Punch down; divide dough into thirds.

Prep 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Roll out one third of dough into a circle; cut into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Starting at the wide end, roll up each piece into a crescent. Place on baking sheets with the point on the bottom. Repeat with remainder of dough.

Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise an additional hour, or until doubled in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.



PINEAPPLE GLAZE FOR HAM
This is a recipe from my mother-in-law. It’s a family tradition we’ve continued at our own table.

1 (20-oz) can crushed (or tidbit) pineapple in juice
1 cup pineapple juice (this comes from the canned pineapple—when draining, you’ll get almost exactly 

    a cup of juice; you can supplement with a little water, if needed)

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cinnamon to taste (about ¼ tsp)

Drain pineapple juice into a small saucepan and set pineapple aside. In the saucepan, whisk pineapple juice with sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in reserved pineapple. Serve warm or at room temp.



ASPARAGUS BUNDLES WITH PROSCUITTO DRESSING
These are best when served immediately out of the broiler.

1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 cup prosciutto, sliced (2 oz.)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon shallot, chopped (1 shallot)
1 tablespoon honey
2 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced

Preheat broiler to high with rack 2-inches from heat. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 4 minutes, or until cooked but still slightly crisp. Cool in ice water; drain; Arrange in 4 bundles on a baking sheet. Sauté prosciutto in oil until crisp and frizzled. Add vinegar, shallot, and honey. Cook over medium heat until dressing thickens, about 5 minutes. Top asparagus with a thick slice of mozzarella; broil to melt cheese. Spoon hot dressing over and serve.

For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.


POTATOES & LEEKS AU GRATIN
Makes one 9-inch square gratin.
You won’t use all of the sauce when making the gratin. Serve the remainder on the side. So yummy!

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, partially cooked, chilled, and thinly sliced*
1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) Swiss cheese, shredded
4 slices thick-sliced bacon, diced
3-1/2 cups leeks (about 4 large), washed and thinly sliced (white and light green parts)
1/4 cup dry white wine (or white grape juice)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2-1/2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
12 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup (about 5 oz.) Boursin cheese
Pinch each of nutmeg and cayenne

*Prepare potatoes as follows: Place peeled whole potatoes and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a large pot; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 10-12 minutes. Test by piercing with a knife—the potatoes should resist but not feel “crunchy.” Cook 1-2 minutes more, if needed, but not until they break apart. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold, preferably overnight. (Chilling the potatoes makes them easy to slice. If they’re warm, they’re really sticky.) Once chilled, use a 2mm slicing disk on a food processor or a mandolin to slice the potatoes. Do not attempt to slice by hand. The potatoes must be uniform in thickness for even cooking and best presentation.

Prepare potatoes and cheese; set aside until assembly. To make filling, sauté bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings; add leeks.

Sauté leeks until soft, 5 minutes. Add reserved bacon and wine; simmer until wine reduces, 1 minute. Don’t overcook-leeks will soften further in the oven. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

For the sauce, simmer milk, garlic, and bay leaf in sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in cheeses a little at a time, stirring until smooth and thick, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove garlic and bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Coat bottom of pan with 1/3 cup sauce and cover with potato slices, overlapping slightly. Arrange another layer of potatoes on the first.

Top potato slice with 1/3 cup sauce, 1/2 cup leek filling, and 1/4 cup Swiss cheese. Follow with two more layers of potato slices, the more leeks, sauce, and cheese. Continue building two more layers, ending with a double layer of potatoes on top.

Spread 1/2 cup sauce over last potato layer and sprinkle with remaining cheese. (You won’t use all of the sauce; reserve the remainder to serve with the potatoes on the side). Cover pan with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake until it’s tender when pierced with a knife and brown on top, 15-20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.


INDIVIDUAL CORN SOUFFLES
These are best when made with fresh corn, but frozen corn can be substituted in a pinch.

2-1/2 cups corn (about 7 large ears), roasted and cut
2 cups water
1-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal, coarse
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup Half & Half
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons chives, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional)

Bring 2 cups water to a boil and slowly add cornmeal (grits make a great substitute). Reduce heat. Stir until smooth and thick—about 2 minutes.

In separate bowl, beat eggs. Add some hot cornmeal to the eggs, then mix, to temper the eggs. Now add egg mixture, Half & Half, butter, and cheeses to cornmeal.

Fold in remaining ingredients, including 1 cup of corn; reserve the remaining 1-1/2 cups corn. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. (Remember that sugar intensifies pepper.)

Butter eight 7-oz. ramekins or other molds. Add 2 tablespoons of reserved corn to bottom of each ramekin. Pour 1/2 cup corn mixture in each ramekin. Bake on sheet pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.


FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE
This torte forms a light crust on top—somewhat similar to a brownie—but you flip it over to serve it, so the top doesn’t show. To serve, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, pair with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or glaze with a chocolate ganache.

This is deeply rich and decadent and chocolaty through and through. Buy the best quality chocolate you can. Do not use Baker’s brand chocolate or the other low-end baking chocolates available at your local supermarket. A cost-friendly option is the Belgian chocolate available at Trader Joe’s. It’s around $5/pound.

Do not try to make this torte without the baking stone and the water bath.

6 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
16 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup heavy cream

Arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven, place a baking stone on it, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a parchment circle. Lightly spray the top of the parchment.

Separate 2 of the eggs. In a medium mixing bowl, stir the 4 whole eggs and the 2 yolks until the yolks and whites are well blended. Strain the eggs and discard the goopy mess left in the strainer. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 10 minutes.

Place the chocolate in a large glass bowl and microwave with frequent stirring to melt; 50% power for 2 minutes usually works

Add the cream of tartar, vanilla, salt, and butter to the beaten egg mixture and beat for a few seconds to blend.

Pour a little of the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and gently fold together by hand with a large spoon or spatula. Fold in more and more chocolate until all is added.

In a cold bowl with cold beaters, whip the cream until soft peaks form when the beater is lifted. Beat a little beyond this soft peak stage. Stir about one-quarter of the whipped cream into the batter to lighten. Then fold the rest of the whipped cream into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

In a medium saucepan, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. To make a water bath, place the cake pan in a larger pan and place in the oven on the baking stone. Carefully pour the boiling water into the larger pan until it comes about 1-1/2 inches up the side of the cake pan. Close the oven door and bake uncovered in the water bath for about 45 minutes. Make sure that the torte is sufficiently done; a toothpick inserted into the torte should come out clean and the torte should be firm to the touch.

Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 1 hour. When completely cooled, wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

To remove from the pan, run a thin knife around the edge of the torte. Heat the bottom of the pan over a burner on the stove for about 10 seconds and then invert onto an 8-inch cake board if decorating with icing, or onto a serving platter if sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar.

For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.


LEMON PIE WITH BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE

CRUST
This crust works especially well with this filling, holding up well against sogginess.

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cold, cubed
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cubed
4—6 tablespoons ice water

Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together for the crust in a bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender until butter is pea-size.

Add ice water, stirring with a fork until dough comes together but is neither dry nor sticky. Wrap dough in plastic, flatten into a disk, and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in the lower third; coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray.

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully fold in to quarters and transfer to prepared pie plate. Trim all but 1-inch of dough from edge, then turn edge under and crimp. Freeze pie shell until firm (essential step), line with foil, and fill with beans or rice. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until crust is set, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights, then return crust to oven and bake until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

TANGY LEMON FILLING
For a tart and intense lemon flavor, add lemon extract or 2 tablespoons limoncello, a lemon liqueur. Omitting the extract or liqueuer results in a subtler, but still wonderfully lemony filling.

4 eggs
4 egg yolks (reserve whites for use in the meringue)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract, optional (it’ll make the lemon flavor tart & intense)
1 tablespoon lemon zest, minced
1/8 teaspoon table salt

Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients, then pour filling into prebaked crust. Carefully transfer pie to the oven and bake just until filling is set in the center, 25-30 minutes. Allow pie to cool 20 minutes on a rack, then cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 6 hours overnight.

BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE
Notes: This is a wonderful meringue. One of my very favorites. It doesn’t weep. It does however, shrink and fall after the first day, so I recommend preparing and eating the pie on the same day. Also, pay close attention to the temperature of the sugar syrup. If it gets too far over 250 degrees, it will harden quickly when drizzled into the whites.

3/4 cup light brown sugar (do not use dark brown sugar)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
reserved egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir both sugars and water together in a saucepan over medium heat until sugars melt, swirling pan often; do not stir (this may cause the sugar to crystallize). Increase heat to medium-high and boil, swirling frequently, until it reaches 250 degrees. Remove syrup from heat.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment while sugar syrup boils. When whites reach soft peaks (they hold their shape and droop at the tip), begin drizzling in hot sugar syrup. Once syrup is incorporated, turn mixer to high and beat until meringue is stiff and glossy.

Spoon meringue on pie, spreading to the crust (the meringue will shrink during browning; be sure the meringue touches the crust all around to prevent gaps), then use a spatula or spoon to create decorative peaks and valleys in the meringue. Bake until meringue is golden, 8-12 minutes—do not overbake or filling will become soft.

For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.