Easter Round-Up Part One

 
It's All About The Eggs

Chunky Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Cook's Notes: Deviled eggs meet guacamole for a perfect Easter treat or your next Margarita and Chip gathering.
The recipe makes 12 servings and can easily be increased to serve more. Inspiration comes from Food Network Magazine April 2020.
Cooking Tip: Peel hard-boiled eggs right after they have been submerged in cold water for 2 minutes. Chill peeled eggs for 30 minutes which helps eggs hold shape better for slicing and filling.
Ingredients:

• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chilled
• 1 avocado peeled, remove inside, mash
• 2 tablespoons of red onion, minced
• 2 tablespoon Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
• Lime squeeze
• 3 tablespoons diced cherry tomatoes, patted dry on a paper towel
• Dash of sea salt and red pepper flakes
• Optional: cilantro

Directions:

• Slice each egg in half, and remove yolks.
• In a small bowl add yolks, mashed avocado, onion, spices, mayonnaise, and lime squeeze.
• Mix ingredients all together and fold in diced tomatoes.
• Fill each white with the mixture. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. 

Easter Egg Blondies
Take one bag of

add your favorite blondie recipe and VOILA! you have a scrumptious Easter treat.

Cook's Notes: I found the very best tasting is straight right out of the oven when candies are still warm and just melt in your mouth with their glorious chocolaty taste. 
Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter
• 1- 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup speckled M & M Chocolate Eggs 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a glass 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray.
• Place butter and brown sugar in a medium-sized saucepan and heat.
• Whisk constantly until sugar and butter are mixed and smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.
• Pour mixture into the mixing bowl, adding in eggs one at a time. Stir until incorporated and add in vanilla.
• Add in flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder, and beat just until combined. The batter will be thick. Spread out evenly in a pan.
• Distribute candies in the batter and press down into the batter.
• Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean from the center. Do not overbake or will become too dry.

Southwest Pasta Salad

Let's shake up Taco Tuesday a bit. Add a Southwest Pasta Salad to your meal that's filled with all your favorite Mexican-inspired flavors. It's always a crowd-pleaser for BBQs, potlucks, graduation parties, and holiday meals.  The salad bursts with grilled corn, crunchy peppers, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, hearty black beans, creamy avocados, and zippy red onion tossed with a spicy creamy dressing. The recipe serves 8 but the number of servings can easily be increased or decreased by changing the number of ingredients used. Cooked diced chicken can be added to make it more of a main meal.

Southwest Pasta Salad

Salad Ingredients:

• 3/4 of a 12 oz. box of penne pasta 
• 1-14 oz. can of black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen fire-roasted sweet corn, thawed
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 2 cups diced mini red and yellow peppers
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 2 cups diced cucumbers or zucchini
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 2 large avocados, chopped
• 2 cups cubed Pepper Jack cheese or 1 cup grated Cotija cheese 
• Optional add-ins: cilantro, 1 jalapeno seeded and diced, a small can of black olives rinsed and drained, croutons

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin or elote seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano 
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic granules (in a jar)

Salad Directions:

• Prepare pasta al dente, drain, rinse, and set aside.
• Chop veggies
• Mix all in a large bowl, and add dressing to pasta salad until it all is well coated. 
• Cover salad and refrigerate for several hours. 

Dressing Directions:  

Add all ingredients and mix well.

Lemon Mousse-a sweet but refreshing finish to the meal. It's made with only 4 ingredients, the perfect light dessert.

The recipe makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
• 1 cup lemon curd (found in jelly aisle) 
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• Optional add-in for topping toasted coconut or crushed gingersnap cookies

Directions:

• Whip the cream and fold in confectioners sugar.
• Gently fold in lemon curd and lemon zest until evenly incorporated.
• Divide evenly among dessert glasses. 
• Refrigerate for several hours to allow the mousse to chill. 

Thanks to Martha for the recipe share and dessert.

Carrot Cake Loaf

 

Make Haste not Waste 

Gather up your carrots for Carrot Cake Quick Bread Loaf before Peter gets them!

Cook's Notes: This carrot cake loaf is dense, yet ultra-soft and flavored with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. It's Peter Approved with a good dose of carrots.

 Serve the loaf plain or spruce it up with walnuts or pecans, raisins, and/or top with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

I like to use whole wheat flour for baking so I exchanged 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour for 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. I also added in 1/2 cup each raisins and walnuts.  I used coconut oil for a more neutral taste. 

Recipe adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spoon, and level
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground Saigon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons regular ground cinnamon  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or yogurt, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded carrots (about 3 large carrots)
• Optional add-ins: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, raisins, or dried cranberries

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 

• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened 
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt

Carrot Loaf Directions: 

• Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. 
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and carrots together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk until just combined. Fold in the nuts/add-in. The batter will be semi-thick.
• Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes. (I like to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent heavy browning on top.) Baking times vary so keep an eye on yours. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Remove the bread from the oven.
• Cool in the pan 15 minutes, remove and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Frosting: 

• Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. 
• Beat in the butter until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, and then beat on low speed until smooth and creamy and tasty. Add more cinnamon and/or salt if desired. Frost-cooled bread, slice, and serve.
  
  More Peter-approved breakfast/brunch ideas
  

Bunny Fruit Platter

Bunny Oatmeal

Pancake Bunny

Scrambled Egg Bunny

Imagination Gone Wild

 

Despite unspring-like weather I have found some ideas that will surely brighten your day. All you need is imagination.

DID YOU KNOW

Just Born, Inc. is a family-owned Bethlehem, Pennsylvania -based candy company that manufactures and markets a number of candies including Goldenburgs's Peanut Chews. Hot Tamales, Mike and Ike, PEEPS, Teenee Beanee jelly beans, and Zours. 

Colorful sanding sugar-coated marshmallows in the shape of chicks and bunnies scream springtime and Easter candy. And this season, PEEPS has three new flavorful products hitting shelves earlier than ever. PEEPS is celebrating its 70th anniversary and announced a few new marshmallows candy pops for the occasion. 
They have produced colorful chicks in lemon, lime, orange, strawberry  flavors.

Join the PEEP movement that gains momentum this time of the year with a variety of fun ideas. Consider these options...

PEEPS smores

PEEPS in a Jar

Make homemade brownie mix and place it in a ziploc bag on top of PEEPS. Be sure to include directions for the brownie mix.

Lemonade PEEPS place on a swizzle stick using  colored sugar-rimmed glasses

PEEPS Mousse

It is made with chocolate pudding that is layered with Oreo cookie crumbs.

PEEPS Fruit Compote

PEEPS Pretzel

Use frosting and sprinkles to complete the pretzel treat. 

Still need more ideas?

Check out these 30 PEEP crafts from https://aboutfamilycrafts.com/30-easter-peep-crafts/

And lastly, one more fun and easy idea

PEEPS Blue Raspberry Sparkle
Ingredients: 

• 6 oz. box of Berry Blue Jello
• Cold raspberry-flavored carbonated water

Directions:

• Prepare Jell-O® according to package directions for the quick-set method, using cold raspberry-flavored carbonated water in place of cold water.
• Whisk Jell-O® vigorously for one minute.
• Fill 5 sherbet-like goblets or large round glasses with the Jell-O®.
• Chill in the refrigerator for about one hour or until set.
• Before serving, place a PEEPS® Yellow Marshmallow Chick on top. 

Ode To A Marshmallow PEEP

by Tara

O Marshmallow Peep! O Peep of my heart!

Thy sugary goodness delights me—

Thy bright yellow outside,

Thy soft squishy inside—

Such delicate texture excites me!

O Marshmallow Peep! O Peep of my love!

Thy chicken-like shape is so dandy—

Thy soft curving tail

Thy small pointy beak—

The planet’s most marvelous candy!

O Marshmallow Peep! Oh, Peep so divine!

With all of these blessings, I shower thee—

But I can’t sit and stare

And admire thee there—

I’d surely much rather devour thee!

Soft Pretzels

 
In 2018 we were traveling in Germany and visited a Bavarian town called Speyer. It is famous for the 1529 Protestation and the invention of the German Bavarian pretzel. 

There is religious symbolism (The Trinity) attributed to the pretzel made by the monks. For more detailed information go to https://www.bookofthrees.com/pretzel-trinity-symbol/

It was here we tasted the best-ever homemade pretzel and it was very fresh and warm. 

10 Twisted Pretzel Facts

1. Cheese sauce is by far America's soft pretzel dip of choice, mustard is a close second.

2. In Luxembourg, locals celebrate Pretzel Sunday on the fourth Sunday of Lent. The tradition is to give your loved one a sweet almond pretzel.

3. A pretzel without salt is called a baldy. 

4. The pretzel emoji was introduced in 2017, two years after the popcorn emoji

5. Soft pretzels have been sold from pushcarts on the streets of NYC for more than 200 years. 

6. Pennsylvania makes up a whopping 80% of the country's pretzels.

7. About two-thirds of people eat the curves of a soft pretzel first and save the knot for last.  

8. Pretzels and beer are a classic combo with two companies combing both. Captain Lawrence and Evil Genius both launched limited edition beer, brewed with pretzels during Oktoberfest.  

9. Auntie Anne of food court fame is a real person Anne Beiler. The company has more than 1,700 locations.

10. Guy Fieri's (Food Network star)  first job was running a pretzel cart on the back of his bicycle at age 10. He called it the Awesome Pretzel Cart.

Twisted facts from Food Network Magazine

I recently discovered something new for me a featured item from Food Network Magazine. 

They are low in fat and are a very satisfying snack, particularly when served with my Honey Mustard Sauce. The pretzels are salted and baked at 400 degrees for 3 minutes. 

Cook's Notes:
Takes 5 minutes to make. refrigerate any leftovers.
Mix the following in a bowl using a whisk.
1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, a dash of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar

Another product that caught my attention was Super Pretzel Soft Pretzel Bites. They are filled with melty cheese so hard to resist eating just one.  

Oh, and don't forget to add a frosty glass of beer!

A Taste of Spring

 

As the snow melts and daylight stretches into the evening, people who like to eat with the seasons know what's coming: asparagus.
Asparagus is a spring vegetable. Take advantage of grocery sales and head to the kitchen for a first taste of spring whenever it arrives in your area.

Wrapped Asparagus Spears In Puff Pastry

Cook’s Notes: 1 puff pastry sheet makes 12 and you will need 6 slices of deli ham cut in half. If using thin spears 2 can be wrapped in puff pastry.

Since I had pastry sheets thawed. I applied the same principle using a shamrock cookie cutter. Cut shamrocks out of pastry sheets. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with bagel seasoning or sesame seeds. Bake at 425 for  9 minutes. Imagine the possibilities with so many different cookie cutters! And they're perfect with a bowl of soup or stew.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of asparagus spears with thin stalks
• 6-12 thin slices of deli maple ham
• Soft cheese e.g. Havarti cut ½ x 2 inch pieces 
• Dijon mustard
• 1 box of thawed Puff Pastry sheets makes 24 or 1 sheet makes 12 asparagus puff pastries. 
• Egg wash
• Sesame seeds
• Grated Parmesan cheese or a spice called Garlic Bread Sprinkle

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 
• Wrap 1-2 asparagus spears with ½ slice maple ham. 
  

• Using a pastry wheel cut the pastry sheet into thirds vertically, then into fourths horizontally making a total of 12 pieces. Brush each pastry sheet with the Dijon mustard. Lay asparagus-wrapped ham spear in the middle of pastry sheet. 
  

• Add a piece of cheese to the asparagus and wrap the asparagus/ham spear in the pastry stretching to make the sides join together. Leave asparagus tips exposed. 
• Place asparagus bundles seam-side down on parchment paper. 
  

• Brush pastry with an egg wash. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese or use a spice; Garlic Bread Sprinkles or Bagel Seasoning. 
• Bake for 14-16 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.
  
  Celebrate today
  
  Share some of your favorite poems 

Chicken Tamale Casserole

With the first day of spring on target for a March 20th arrival, I realize it will look differently for everyone depending on where you live. Minnesota still has a lot of snow. I've seen photos and am not too hopeful it will be gone before I return.

Perhaps a filling Chicken Tamale Casserole is just what you need while waiting for spring. This Mexican dish is a creative twist with a sweet cornbread crust topped with a chicken and enchilada sauce. Add your favorite toppings for a delicious meal. 

The recipe was adapted from thegirlwhoateeverything  and serves 6-8.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 3/4-oz) can of creamed corn, drained
• 1 (8.5-oz) box corn muffin mix
• 1 (4.5-oz) can Old El Paso chopped green chiles, drained
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin or 1 teaspoon elote seasoning
  
  
  
• 1-1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
• 2-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken, (rotisserie chicken works well here)
• 1 (10-oz) can Old El Paso red enchilada sauce
• Toppings: sour cream, diced avocado, diced tomatoes, cilantro

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine the creamed corn, muffin mix, chiles, sour cream, egg, cumin, and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the middle is set.
  
  
  
• Use the back of a wooden spoon (or any other utensil) to make dents in the top of the surface.
• In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and the enchilada sauce and pour over the top of the baked corn mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese.
  
• Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.  Slice into squares and top with sour cream, diced avocado, diced tomatoes, and cilantro if desired.