Showing posts with label Easter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Easter. Show all posts

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Strawberry Shortcake Baked Alaska

I was looking for new and exciting Easter recipes ...scrolling through my favorite food blogs and web-sites...and seeing so many beautiful things that my head was spinning...

...everything eas so ornate...delicate...spring-y...artistic...

...and WAY too complicated for the insanely busy Easter weekend I had laid before me. I decided on some simple, but slightly altered, versions of things I would've cooked anyway...and had resigned myself to making a bundt cake or something for dessert when I stumbled upon THIS...

Strawberry Shortcake Baked Alaska

A decadent, delicious, and SIMPLE dessert that would turn heads and seem special without being especially hard to make.

I made just about all of this the day before...getting the ice cream in it's mold, making the cake bottom...so on Easter all I had to do was slice strawberries and whip up meringue.

Talk about easy.



Strawberry Shortcake Baked Alaska

  • 4 cups strawberry ice cream, softened (I used a whole carton of Blue Bell's Strawberry)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar, divided
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1. Spoon ice cream into a foil-lined 1-1/2 qt. bowl ; pack firmly with back of spoon. Freeze for several hours or over night (I went with the overnight option).

2. Heat oven to 425F. Mix flour, 3 TBS sugar and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut in cream cheese with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk until mixture forms a dough. Pat dough into bottom of 8-inch round cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, toss sliced strawberries with 1 TBS sugar.

Note: Now...if you do this the way I did...you'd skip slicing the strawberries and just skip to the next step. When the cake is cool, you wrap it up tightly and save it for assembly...whenever that may be. 

3. Cool cake 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely.

4. Heat oven to 500F. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with mixer on high speed 1 minute or until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating 3 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

5. Place cake on an ovenproof plate; top with strawberries and juice. Un-mold ice cream; place, flat side down, over cake. Frost ice cream with meringue; swirl with back of large spoon. Bake on lowest oven rack 3 minutes or until meringue in golden brown. Serve immediately.

Bliss...

I'm told you can alter this recipe to host a myriad of different ice cream and cake flavors.

Don't think I won't try it... 

courtesy Kraft foods

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Easter Dinner Feast


Here are all the recipes for our Easter Dinner Feast.

It's not as grand a feast as my mother used to put on...it's missing several salads, and a roast leg of lamb, and other goodies...but it is good for OUR little family. My mom used to feed us AND lots of extended family, and I only have to feed US...

And my husband has to work on Easter...and whenever he has to work...I don't feel as festive. There have been SOME Easter's (I'm ashamed to admit) that there hasn't been a feast at all. But I know that it is unfair to my children...after all, it's not THEIR fault that daddy runs a multi-million dollar restaurant that doesn't acknowledge holidays...and THEY deserve to have the same type of Easter that I grew up knowing.

So this is our simple Easter feast. It has an appetizer, a simple green salad, asparagus side, baked ham, rolls, and a dessert. I hope you enjoy it as much as WE did!!!

Jerusalem Artichoke and Spinach Dip
-

2 (10 oz.) boxes frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 (8-ounce) jars artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Baguette bread slices, crackers, or tortilla chips

1. Cook spinach according to package directions; drain well and squeeze out liquid. Saute onions in butter until soft.

2. Combine cooked spinach, onion mixture, cream cheese, artichoke hearts, Monterrey Jack cheese, and garlic salt in a medium bowl; mix well. Place in a greased baking dish. bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

4. Serve with baguette bread slices, crackers, or tortilla chips.

courtesy Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More

Ham and Orange Soda Sauce


1 fully cooked spiral-sliced ham
3 cups orange soda
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 teaspoon ground allspice

1. The ham is fully cooked and ready to serve. It is best served cold or at room temperature to maintain it's natural juices and tenderness. Remove packaging and and transfer ham to serving platter, let stand no more than 30 minutes to bring to room temperature.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large saute pan on medium-high. Cook 8-10 minutes or until mixture has reduced by about 3/4's and the sauce begins to thicken. Warm sauce can be poured over the ham, separating slices to evenly coat, or served over ham slices. Carve ham and serve. Promptly refrigerate unused portions.

courtesy Publix Apron's Simple Meals

Bacon and Caramelized-Onion Asparagus


3 slices bacon
1-1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 TBS water
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup ranch dressing

1. Cook bacon in nonstick skillet 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp, turning frequently. Drain bacon on paper towels. Discard drippings from skillet, but do not wash.

2. Place asparagus in pan and and steam with water. Steam until asparagus is crisp-tender. Meanwhile, add onions to skillet; cook and stir 5 minutes or until golden. Stir in dressing.

3. Drain asparagus; top with sauce and crumbled bacon.

courtesy Food & Family magazine

Little Nests
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1/4 cup butter
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup Fiber-One cereal
1 small package Whoppers Robin's Eggs

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add miniature marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are melted.

2. Remove from heat. Add cereal and stir until coated. When cool enough to handle, form into 8 little nests. Place on waxed paper or Pam-coated aluminum foil. After about 1 hour, press in center of each nest to form an indentation. Place three robin eggs in center of each nest. Place on plates, or on 3- or 4-inch doilies and use as place cards, favors, or plate accents.

courtesy Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More

Seven-Up Cake


(I was so excited to find this recipe...I haven't had this cake since I was a little girl. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!)


1 package of lemon cake mix
1 package lemon instant pudding
3 eggs
1 can 7-up
1 cup vegetable oil


1. Mix well and bake 45-50 minutes at 350 in a greased/floured or bundt pan. Cool and frost (below).


1-1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
3 TBS flour
1 can crushed pineapple, undrained

1. Cook until thickened and clear. Let cool slightly and frost cake.

courtesy Something's Burning...

Easter Story Cookies

We do this EVERY Saturday night before Easter...it's a great tradition to help little guys remember the true meaning of Easter...

Easter Story Cookies

1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
Ziploc baggie
wooden spoon
mixing bowl
mixer
tape
Bible

1. Preheat oven to 300. Place pecans in Ziploc baggie and let children beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Put baggie of pecan pieces aside for later use.

Explain that when Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.


2. Pass the vinegar around the table and let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into a mixing bowl.

Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19: 28-30.

3. Add egg whites to vinegar.

Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave his mortal life to give us eternal life. Read John 10: 10-11.

4. Sprinkle a little salt into each childs hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.

Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

5. So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing!! Add 1 cup of sugar..

Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. He wants us to know Him and belong to Him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.



6. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks form (if you have a Kitchen_aid standing mixture that goes up to Power Level 12, it will take infinitely less time).



Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read John 3: 1-3.



7. Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax papered cookie sheet (or aluminum foil sprayed w/Pam).

Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. read Matthew 27: 57-60.

8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.

Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27: 65-66.



9. GO TO BED!!!

Explain that although they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

10. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow!!



Explain that on the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.



HE HAS RISEN!!!