Easter Dinner

Easter. It's coming up this weekend, later than Alice's white rabbit. Thank you, spring holiday, for your fashionably tardy arrival. I don't like Easter to kick St. Patrick's Day out of March. So, welcome late Easter. I'm glad you're here. Now let's eat.
Here's what we're having for dinner, with links for the recipes:
Mom's Feathery Rolls
Brown Sugar and Honey Glazed Ham

Super Easy Hot and Cheesy Potatoes or I might make something even creamier and cheesier. Roasted Asparagus
And these Easter Eggs. I'll be back soon with recipe.

Up Next: Fudge Centered Easter Eggs

Whole Wheat Rolls-great for Sandwiches with Leftover Ham

Happy Week after Easter. Have you finished picking all the Easter grass out of your carpet? Me neither. I keep reaching in the Easter baskets and stealing candy, too. I'm going through all my Easter pictures, 213 in all. We had loads of cousins here, and those kids just can't take a bad picture. I won't be able to delete any (ahem, unless I am in them.) Those cute cousins decorated eggs with such youthful enthusiasm. Here they are lined up, youngest to oldest, getting ready to hunt the same eggs.There's nothing cuter than miniature people in Easter clothes. And don't even get me started on the babies! This baby celebrated her first birthday on Easter. I finally got those chocolate Easter Eggs decorated, just in the nick of time. Here's Sailor, showing them off (and her braces, too). It is now officially spring, since we've essentially celebrated the concept of new life. I can see it all around me. Our garden is starting to produce spinach and radishes. The skies are blue and the wind is busy scattering seeds. Here's my backyard view...Spring has sprung in southern Utah. It's time to open the windows, clean out the closets, and pack up the heavy sweaters. It's also time to clean out the fridge- but it's overflowing with Easter leftovers at the moment. With that in mind, I thought I'd share some of my favorite healthy whole wheat rolls. They're soft enough to hold eggs salad, but sturdy enough for leftover ham. They're deceptively light, thanks to the instant potato flakes, especially considering that they are made from all wheat flour. Have a wonderful spring day!
Whole Wheat Rolls from Bon Appetit
Estimated Cost: $2.00 for 16
Notes: Sub 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes for the potato flakes and reduce the water to 1/2 cup.
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup dry milk powder
3 tablespoon sugar
2 and 1/4 teaspoon quick rising yeast
1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 egg white, whisked with 1 tablespoon water for glaze
3-4 tablespoons quick cooking oats
Bring milk and water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in butter. Cool to luke warm. Meanwhile, combine flour, potato flakes, milk powder, sugar, yeast and salt in large bowl. Whisk to blend. Add warm milk mixture and egg yolk. Knead mixture in bowl until dough comes together. Dough will be sticky. Remove from bowl and knead until smooth, adding a little flour at a time. Place dough in buttered bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes. Butter a cookie sheet. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll into smooth bowl. Arrange balls on baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 75 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush rolls with egg white glaze and sprinkle with oats. Bake until light golden brown, about 28 minutes. Let rest in pan for five minutes.
Up Next:
Hopefully Chocolate Marble Cake-late for Tuesdays with Dorie....

Chocolate Covered Fudge Easter Eggs

Crazy, I tell you. This day has been CRAZY. Sometimes I think I should rip the pages out of my planner and put them in that old circular file. Because what's the point in planning when most of what happens upends the best laid plans? And here's the kicker: I kind of like it that way. There is never a dull moment around here. Take last night for instance. While I was away teaching my college students about Mary Wollstonecraft and the roots of feminism and the Quiet man was trying to get the charges into the tub and finish off some of his paperwork, he heard a spine tingling crash followed by lesser pings. The little neighbor boy, in a burst of impulse, threw a few rocks at our front door and shattered the glass. The Quiet Man called the parents, who were just as nice and gracious as they could be and the little boy came back, in tears, completely repentant. It will all be fixed and all will be well. But for now, the front door is completely out of commission. Which means, everyone must tromp through West's room, which happens to be a mess of Star Wars Action figures, among other things at the moment. And wouldn't you know it, today was the day for a slew of visitors, who stand at the shattered door, wondering what to do. There have been no less than 14 rings on my doorbell this morning. 14! We had a neighbor who needed to borrow garlic, a cousin, who wanted to borrow a bathing suit, the UPS man with my new mixer (Thank you, French's!), a sister who pulled into town with her five children, my parents, two dear, dear friends from California, a couple of neighborhood kids who heard about the door and wanted to get the whole story, and I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. Come on in, everybody! Welcome to Insanity; pull up a chair and stay as long as you like. And please keep in mind, that we are still doing spelling tests, piano and violin practice, history lessons on the Civil War and Medieval China. And through all of this, I've been a chocolatey disaster, dipping these eggs for my promised posts, and chuckling to myself about this messy, unorganized, imperfect thing called Life. And I wouldn't change one thing. I have to go-the doorbell just rang. I'm serious! It's the glassman to measure the door-Hooray!
Chocolate Dipped Fudge Easter Eggs

Estimated Cost: $5.00 for 10

Notes: I used the Nestle Toll House fudge recipe, since it's not overly rich (ahem, for fudge) and it's pretty sturdy.

1 and 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk (5 ounce can)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups mini marshmallows

1 and 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place sugar, milk, salt and butter in medium saucepan. Bring to a full ROLLING boil. Cook, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in marshmallows, chips, walnuts, and vanilla. Pour into 8 inch square dish. Let cool for ten minutes. Scoop out 1/3 cup portions and shape into eggs. You should get about 10-12. Place on waxed paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate until firm, at least two hours. Here are some fudge eggs, before dipping.

To Dip in chocolate,

Melt 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons shortening in medium bowl on lowest power setting in microwave. Stir often. Don't scorch your chocolate, or it will become grainy and you won't be able to use it at all. When chocolate is smooth and melted, immerse cold fudge eggs, one a time, in chocolate. Slide your spoon underneath the egg and pull it out gently. Place on waxed paper. If too much chocolate pools on the side, run a toothpick or sharp knife around the edges when the chocolate is almost set.

You'll have a bit too much chocolate, but it's necessary to get smooth eggs. Here's one when I skimped on chocolate. See the bumpy top.

For a little extra treat, throw marshmallows, nuts and dried fruits into the leftover chocolate in the bowl and remove spoonfulls to waxed paper to set. That way nothing goes to waste.

When you finish and the chocolate is set, you can decorate with frostings, candies, or piped colored candy melts. I haven't made it that far yet, but here's what I did last year.

Here's the link for the Peanut Butter Easter Eggs Recipe-my absolute favorite!

Happy Easter Everybody! Much love to you and your families.

Easiest Brown Sugar and Honey Glazed Ham

I used to buy a glazed ham from a certain shop every Easter. It was expensive and the lines were ridiculously long, but I believed that was my only option. Making a ham, after all, must be at least as difficult as roasting a pig in a pit, right? Hams were something that grandmothers made, certainly not modern women with options. After we'd moved to a small town, and I couldn't revert to buying that specialty ham, I decided I'd have to face my fears and make my own ham, just like Grandma. I've never looked back since. There's a conspiracy out there to make you believe that making a ham is too difficult or time consuming. The simple truth is that it couldn't be easier-or cheaper for that matter. I've made it as easy as I can in the directions. You just can't go wrong. Every grocery store in town is going to try to lure you in this week, with rosy pink hams just ripe for the picking at downright cheap prices. Buy it fully or partially cooked. Buy it half, buy it whole, buy just a few pounds. I've got you covered with directions below.
My glaze is simply brown sugar, mustard, and honey-a pleasing balance of sweet and tangy. You could go crazy and experiment with jams, marmalades, or even a bit of cola. And by way of endorsement, I made this ham for my parents last year. Dad asked, "Why would anyone ever get a specialty ham, when they could make this?" 'Nuff said.
Money Saving Tips:
Hams will be so cheap this week, you might just want to buy two and freeze one. Use good brown sugar for the most complex flavor.
Brown Sugar and Honey Glazed Ham
1 half or whole Ham, labeled as "fully cooked", or "ready to eat"
**** See directions below for a ham that is not fully cooked
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup yellow mustard
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 17 minutes per pound for a whole ham, or 22 minutes per pound for a half ham. Use a thermometer to check the temperature-it should read 140 degrees. ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE HAM IS FINISHED, combine mustard, brown sugar, and honey in medium bowl; season lightly with salt and pepper. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Remove ham from the oven and slash the fatty part of the ham in a diamond pattern, if desired. Slather the ham with the glaze. Return the ham to the oven for the remaining 30 minutes. Let the ham rest for 20 minutes before slicing. Ladle any syruppy juices from the pan over the sliced ham.
***** For a ham that requires cooking before eating, follo w the directions above, but cook the ham for 18-20 minutes per pound for a whole ham, and 20 minutes per pound for a half ham. For a shank or butt portion, cook for 35 minutes per pound. Cook the ham to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Next Up:
Lemon Tea Cake