Non Traditional Foods for Easter Dinner
Traditionally, baked ham or turkey make their way to many dining tables for the family Easter celebration. Chicken and dumplings or ham and dumplings are frequent substitutions. Easter weekend is also when the white shoes and pastel colors of Spring are first worn. Thoughts begin to turn toward lighter meals and losing a few pounds for warm weather activities. A lighter menu can be a welcome sight at the dinner table.
Roasting a chicken, or multiple chickens if entertaining guests, allows for a lighter menu with a lot of flavor. There is such an array of fabulous marinades and rubs roasting a delightfully flavorful chicken is easy.
After coming to a decision about which marinade recipe or rub to use on the roast chicken, choose lighter cooked vegetables and side dishes. Oven roasted fresh green beans are bright in color, lower in calories, higher in nutrients, and scrumptious! A large portion of vegetables are delectable oven roasted.
Nutritious side salads, reduced calorie cole slaw, deviled eggs, and gelatin salads make excellent dishes to round out the main menu. Some of these can be quite appealing to children who would be dining and they can add bold, appealing color to the table. Skip dessert or use a fruit side salad as a light dessert.
Following are a few recipe ideas for a healthier, flavorful Easter celebration meal.
MOROCCAN ROASTED CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS:
7 Pound average roasting hen, per each 5 being served
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground lemon peel
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Thoroughly rinse chicken and remove packets from the cavities. Place on clean dishtowel to drain.
3. Measure each of the other ingredients into a shaker jar and throughly mix together.
4. Gently lift the skin on the breast and back of the chicken away from the flesh.
5. Generously sprinkle the spice and herb mixture beneath the skin. Take hands and rub it into the chicken as far as you can. Generously sprinkle the skin of the chicken on both sides. Truss the legs and wings.
6. Place the chicken in the roasting pan or deep dish baker and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes-1 hour if roasting uncovered. If roasting covered, increase baking time. A chicken roasted breast down will be much juicier than one roasted on the back. If roasting in a covered deep dish stoneware baker, roast for two hours. However, this method will create a chicken so tender it will fall off the bone. If serving intact is important, roast an hour, remove lid, turn chicken over and brown the skin or roast on the back.
OVEN ROASTED FRESH GREEN BEANS
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 Pounds fresh snap green beans
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground Sage
DIRECTIONS:
1. Rinse and dry green beans. Snap off both ends, leaving beans whole.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Place green beans in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the beans. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the beans and toss them with clean hands.
4. Place on foil lined baking sheet and roast for approximately 15 minutes, until crisp tender.
DEVILED EGGS
A fun way for children and adults alike to enjoy the deviled eggs at Easter is to dye the egg whites with an edible brand of Easter egg dye.
INGREDIENTS:
1 dozen eggs
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 package edible Easter egg dye
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Kraft or JFG Sandwich Spread
DIRECTIONS:
1. Allow eggs to come to room temperature before placing in a large saucepan of cool water. Add vinegar to water. Allow to come to a full rolling boil and boil exactly 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and allow the eggs to sit in the boiling water another ten minutes. This method will cause less eggs to crack, make the eggs easier to peel, and not leave an ugly gray ring around the egg yolk.
2. Peel the eggs. Cut each egg in half lengthwise, placing the yolk portion in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Mix the egg dye colors by package directions. Dye the egg whites in various shades. The whites will absorb the color well and be very bright. Set the dyed egg whites aside while preparing the filling.
4. Use a fork to mash the egg yolks, mixing and mashing until they are a fine powder consistency. Add the salt and pepper and stir well.
5. Add approximately 4 tablespoons of sandwich spread to the bowl and begin mixing the yolk into the sandwich spread with the same fork. Add an additional spoonful of sandwich spread, one at a time, continuing to mix until desired consistency is reached.
6. Fill the eggs, arranging on a deviled egg plate or tray to serve.
BIRD NEST SALAD
A lively conversation piece and a fun way for children to enjoy the Easter meal is the Bird Nest Salad. This recipe requires one peach half per person served.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup of coconut
Lettuce leaves, 1 per person
1 can of peach halves, packed in own juice
1 bag of assorted jelly beans
DIRECTIONS:
1. Toast the coconut by placing in a thin layer on a baking sheet in the oven.
2. Place one lettuce leaf on each serving dish.
3. Place 1 peach half in the middle of each lettuce leaf.
4. Partially fill the center of each peach half with toasted coconut, making and indention to hold the bird eggs.
5. Place 3 assorted color jelly beans in the center of the toasted coconut for the bird eggs. This salad can also serve as a dessert.
These recipes can bring a lot of color and flavor to a lighter menu for Easter.
