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Easter Made Easy
By Susan Nye – Around the Table
Are you tired of holiday dinners that take a week to prepare? You know the
kind. By the time your guests arrive, you’re so stressed out that you can
hardly think straight. And by the time dinner is served, you’re exhausted and
ready for bed.
It doesn’t have to be that way. No, I’m not suggesting you make reservations.
After all, there’s nothing like being home for the holidays. Why not declare a
potluck and share the work? Or simplify? Or do a little bit of both?
I fell in love with Italian cooking when I was just a little kid. At the time, the
only thing I knew about Italian food was spaghetti, veal Parmesan, chicken
cacciatore and pizza. I thought Italian food was all about big kettles of tomato
sauce that simmered away for hours. By the time I was in high school or maybe
it was college, I figured out that there was a bit more to the story. That’s when I
discovered veal saltimbocca, tiramisu and a few other interesting dishes.
Several years later I visited Italy and realized there was a whole lot more.
So now you’re asking, “What does Italian cooking have to do with making
Easter easy?”
Everything. Italian cooking is all about fresh ingredients, simply and
beautifully prepared. Simple dishes exquisitely cooked with fresh ingredients;
that’s the solution to your Easter dilemma.
New Hampshire is a long way from sunny Italy. Here the ground is covered
with snow and frozen mud. The first little yellow crocuses may have popped
out of the ground during the recent heat wave but it is still too early to find
much fresh, local produce. I don’t care. For Easter, I’ll be scouring the market
for fresh ingredients. Even if the strawberries and asparagus are grown in
California or Florida, they are a welcome sign that spring and summer are
coming.
Here are a few suggestions for an elegant, easy and delicious Easter:
To Start:
As soon as one of your guests asks. “Can I bring anything?” Without even the
slightest hesitation, answer, “Yes! Thank you! An appetizer would be great.”
The Main Course:
Three simple dishes. Grilled butterflied leg of lamb, roasted asparagus with
walnuts and lemon roasted potatoes.
You can and should marinate the lamb ahead of time. Let the lamb marinate in
the refrigerator overnight and then hand the grilling off to your spouse, brother-
in-law, uncle, father or a willing friend.
The asparagus and potatoes take minutes to prep and not much longer to cook.
And if someone wanders into the kitchen offering to help, accept. While the
grill is heating up, pop the potatoes in the oven. Once the lamb is off the grill
and resting, throw the asparagus in the oven. If you are like me, you will need
two timers, one for the potatoes, the other for the asparagus. The only way I can
juggle cooking, chatting and laughing at the same time is to use a timer or two
or three.
Sweet Finale:
Wash and slice some ripe, red strawberries. If you like, toss them in a
tablespoon or two of Grand Marnier or Cointreau. If you must, add a little
honey or sugar. Serve the berries with vanilla ice cream. It’s a holiday so don’t
skimp on the ice cream. And one final, tip: decorate your table with chocolate
bunnies. They’re great to nibble on with your strawberries! Again, buy the
good stuff but take a good, long walk to offset the indulgence.
That’s it, that’s all, except to say relax, eat, laugh, be merry … and bon appétit!
RECIPES:
Grilled Lamb
Lemon Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Asparagus and Walnuts
About the author: Susan Nye writes, cooks and lives in New London, NH. Visit her web
site at Susan Nye to learn about her new Eat Well–Do Good project. For cooking tips
and more, you can follow Susan on Twitter and watch Susan cook on YouTube.
By Susan Nye – Around the Table
Are you tired of holiday dinners that take a week to prepare? You know the
kind. By the time your guests arrive, you’re so stressed out that you can
hardly think straight. And by the time dinner is served, you’re exhausted and
ready for bed.
It doesn’t have to be that way. No, I’m not suggesting you make reservations.
After all, there’s nothing like being home for the holidays. Why not declare a
potluck and share the work? Or simplify? Or do a little bit of both?
I fell in love with Italian cooking when I was just a little kid. At the time, the
only thing I knew about Italian food was spaghetti, veal Parmesan, chicken
cacciatore and pizza. I thought Italian food was all about big kettles of tomato
sauce that simmered away for hours. By the time I was in high school or maybe
it was college, I figured out that there was a bit more to the story. That’s when I
discovered veal saltimbocca, tiramisu and a few other interesting dishes.
Several years later I visited Italy and realized there was a whole lot more.
So now you’re asking, “What does Italian cooking have to do with making
Easter easy?”
Everything. Italian cooking is all about fresh ingredients, simply and
beautifully prepared. Simple dishes exquisitely cooked with fresh ingredients;
that’s the solution to your Easter dilemma.
New Hampshire is a long way from sunny Italy. Here the ground is covered
with snow and frozen mud. The first little yellow crocuses may have popped
out of the ground during the recent heat wave but it is still too early to find
much fresh, local produce. I don’t care. For Easter, I’ll be scouring the market
for fresh ingredients. Even if the strawberries and asparagus are grown in
California or Florida, they are a welcome sign that spring and summer are
coming.
Here are a few suggestions for an elegant, easy and delicious Easter:
To Start:
As soon as one of your guests asks. “Can I bring anything?” Without even the
slightest hesitation, answer, “Yes! Thank you! An appetizer would be great.”
The Main Course:
Three simple dishes. Grilled butterflied leg of lamb, roasted asparagus with
walnuts and lemon roasted potatoes.
You can and should marinate the lamb ahead of time. Let the lamb marinate in
the refrigerator overnight and then hand the grilling off to your spouse, brother-
in-law, uncle, father or a willing friend.
The asparagus and potatoes take minutes to prep and not much longer to cook.
And if someone wanders into the kitchen offering to help, accept. While the
grill is heating up, pop the potatoes in the oven. Once the lamb is off the grill
and resting, throw the asparagus in the oven. If you are like me, you will need
two timers, one for the potatoes, the other for the asparagus. The only way I can
juggle cooking, chatting and laughing at the same time is to use a timer or two
or three.
Sweet Finale:
Wash and slice some ripe, red strawberries. If you like, toss them in a
tablespoon or two of Grand Marnier or Cointreau. If you must, add a little
honey or sugar. Serve the berries with vanilla ice cream. It’s a holiday so don’t
skimp on the ice cream. And one final, tip: decorate your table with chocolate
bunnies. They’re great to nibble on with your strawberries! Again, buy the
good stuff but take a good, long walk to offset the indulgence.
That’s it, that’s all, except to say relax, eat, laugh, be merry … and bon appétit!
RECIPES:
Grilled Lamb
Lemon Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Asparagus and Walnuts
About the author: Susan Nye writes, cooks and lives in New London, NH. Visit her web
site at Susan Nye to learn about her new Eat Well–Do Good project. For cooking tips
and more, you can follow Susan on Twitter and watch Susan cook on YouTube.
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