Easy Easter Recipes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

07 Apr 2009 06:53 AM

Easter is less than a week away. Do you know what you'll be making to celebrate? If you prefer sticking with traditional Easter dishes, then the following simple yet delicious recipes should come in very handy.

To save time in the kitchen look for short cuts. For example, with the ham recipe, consider purchasing a fully cooked ham and dressing it up with the glaze listed below. In addition, for the Easter Petit Fours you can cut down on prep time by using store-bought pound cake.

EASTER HAM

Ingredients:

Whole ham

1/2 cup peach or apricot preserves

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly.

Spoon glaze over ham, then use it to baste ham during last 30 minutes of baking.

Recipe makes 1 cup of ham glaze.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into about 8 pieces

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup flour

3 tablespoons cold butter, divided

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 shallot, finely chopped

6 tablespoons red raspberry preserves

1/2 cup Merlot wine

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Directions:

Pound each piece of pork tenderloin to flatten.

Lightly sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.

Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add pork slices. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove pork from pan and place on platter. Cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter and shallots to the skillet you cooked the pork in. Saute about 30 seconds. Add wine, broth, and preserves. Cook for a few minutes on medium high to reduce. Turn off heat and whisk in remaining butter and parsley.

Serve sauce over pork. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

EASTER PETIT FOURS

Ingredients:

1 pound cake

1 can (16 ounce) vanilla frosting

Blue and red food coloring

Sprinkles

Candy liner cups

Directions:

Cut pound cake crosswise into seven (1-inch) slices.

Cut each slice into 6 square pieces.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper.

Place 1/4 cup frosting in a Ziploc plastic bag, snip off one tiny corner.

Divide remaining frosting among 3 small glass bowls.

Tint 1 bowl pink, one light blue, and leave one white.

Microwave each bowl for 10 to 15 seconds, until frosting is consistency of heavy cream.

Using a fork, dip a cube of cake into warm frosting, coating top and sides. Let excess frosting drip back into the bowl.

Using another fork, slice frosted cube onto wax paper. Top with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining cubes.

Dip cubes into other bowls of frosting.

Use remaining frosting in bag to pipe designs on top of cubes that you did not use sprinkles on.

Let dry, then serve in candy liner cups.

Related Articles:

Easy Easter Potluck Recipes

Recipes for Eater Sunday Brunch

More Egg-cellent Egg Recipes

Homemade Chocolate Treats for Easter

Easter Desserts

Simple Spring Desserts

Fruitastic Desserts

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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