Easter Menu

Today was the first time we had made a huge meal in the new house, we were having Mike’s Dad over for an Easter lunch. I spent about 3 hours in the kitchen today making the salad, ham, peas, and potatoes but they all turned out great. Spending time in the kitchen makes me so happy, I love the prep time of chopping and measuring everything out. The challenge of making multiple dishes at once and making sure everything is done around the same time. Today’s four dishes definitely tested my kitchen organization skills!

 

I wanted a cheery table setting to take advantage of the beautiful weather we are having (normally Easter is cold and often we have snow!). I used our Fiesta dishes with the placemats and runner I picked up at Pier 1 earlier in the week.

 

 

 

 

Sangria Ham

 

Ingredients

• 1 (8 pound) bone-in ham with rind removed
• 1/4 cup whole cloves
• 1 pound brown sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• 2 cups sangria wine

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Use a sharp knife to score the ham 1/4 inch deep in a diamond pattern. Place in a good sized roaster with the fat side up, and stud in a decorative manner with the whole cloves…be sure to use plenty. Pack the top of the ham with the whole pound of brown sugar to coat the surface as thickly as possible. Some may fall off into the pan, but that can not be helped. Leave it there to sweeten the basting juices needed in later steps.
3. Roast, uncovered, until the sugar begins to melt, about 20 minutes. During this time, mix together the pineapple juice and sangria. When the sugar has begun to melt, pour one cup of the wine mixture over the ham, and return the ham to the oven for 40 minutes. I often tent the ham with foil at some point, but my mother never did.
4. After one hour in the oven, baste the ham with a second cup of the wine mixture, stirring it into the pan drippings. Return the ham to the oven for 2 more hours, basting after the first hour with the remaining wine mixture.
5. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and baste the ham every 20 minutes with the pan drippings for the final hour of cooking. A meat thermometer should read 160 degrees F (65 degrees C) before serving.

 

 

 

Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Sesame-Poppy Seed Dressing

 

Ingredients

 

• 2  (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
• 2  pints fresh strawberries, sliced
• Sesame-Poppy Seed Dressing
• Toppings: chopped cooked bacon, chopped fresh broccoli, blanched sugar snap peas, sliced red onion, feta

 

Directions

 

Combine baby spinach and strawberries in a large bowl; toss with 1/2 cup Sesame-Poppy Seed Dressing just before serving. Serve with remaining dressing and desired toppings.

 

Ingredients

 

• 1  cup  sugar
• 1/2  cup  cider vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  minced onion
• 1/2  teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1/4  cup  sesame seeds, toasted
• 2  tablespoons  poppy seeds

 

Directions

 

Pulse first 5 ingredients in a blender 2 or 3 times or until smooth. With blender running, add oil in a slow, steady stream; process until smooth. Stir in seeds; chill 24 hours

 

 

 

 

 

Peas with Mint and Ricotta Salata

 

Ingredients

 

• 1  tablespoon  unsalted butter
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 3  cups  cooked fresh or thawed frozen peas (2 10-oz. packages)
• 1/2  cup  loosely packed torn mint leaves
• 1/2  cup  ricotta salata, coarsely grated (I used Feta since I couldn’t find ricotta salata at the grocery store)
• Salt and pepper

 

Directions

 

1. Melt butter with oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add peas and stir until warmed through, about 3 minutes.

2. Before serving, add mint and ricotta salata to pea mixture. Toss to blend; season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

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Roasted Potatoes with Herb Vinaigrette

 

Ingredients

 

• 3  tablespoons  olive oil, divided
• 3  pounds  small red potatoes, quartered (about 24)
• Cooking spray
• 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper, divided
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh chives
• 3  tablespoons  white wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh tarragon

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and potatoes on a large jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until tender, stirring after 25 minutes. Add garlic; toss well. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until potatoes are done.

Combine remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chives, and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over potatoes; toss gently.

 

 

 

 

 

This was such a delicious meal, the ham was worth all of the effort and hours, the spinach salad with homemade dressing was much better than anything you would pay $12 dollars for in a restaurant and the sides of the roasted potatoes and peas are definite winners that I will make again. We have leftovers for a few days and Jim has at least two meals during the week.

 

I am off to RELAX! Read a few magazines, catch up on a few blogs and just enjoy a quiet afternoon. The kitchen is cleaned up, the house is put together (except for art, that still needs to be hung) and I am reading to fall into our big leather chair and just veg. It has been weeks since I have had any down time and I am excited to slow down for the afternoon.