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Your Ultimate Guide to Acing your Easter Weekend Menu including Easter recipes, tips, and beverage recommendations to match your menu.
I've helped my mom prepare for almost every holiday or gathering with our family's classic recipes (e.g., the Easter Ham provided in this post). I also come from a family of 10 (including SOs - almost 11 including a niece/nephew on the way!) with many extended family members so we've cooked for a LOT of people. Long story short, some of these recipes have fed many people in the past and have been loved by all.
This guide will help you decide what recipes you can add to your regular menu, figure out where to start if you've never done it before, and how to rock it! Hint: be sure to keep your favourite beverage on hand.
So, let's get cooking!
Ultimate Guide to an Easter Menu
Whether you're just out looking for Easter recipes or looking for a full Easter menu guide, feel free to navigate where you need to go using the below links:
Easter Menu
Hosting any event or gathering can be a bit stressful, especially when you're in charge of all of the food, beverages, and keeping your sh*t together. Not only does it all have to taste good (because if it doesn't, your siblings are going to roast you forever about it), but it also all has to be cooked and completed at around the same time. If nothing else, I hope you can find some tasty recipes that you'll add to your regular menu!
Easter Brunch
Hot Cross Buns French Toast Casserole
If you're been around recently, you will have seen my last recipe: Hot Cross Buns French Toast Casserole. This recipe was crazy easy and perfect for Easter. If you have anyone staying over at your place or you're hosting family for brunch, this is the recipe for you! You can even make it the night before, put it in the fridge overnight, and put it in the oven to do its thing in the morning!
Whether you have leftover actual hot cross buns, cinnamon buns, or good ole Dempster's Raisin Bread, this is a very simple but taaaasty brunch recipe. Add some fruit and bacon or breakfast sausage and you have a great brunch.
Beverage Recommendation: coffee, orange juice, or mimosas if its that kind of brunch
Easter Dinner
Appetizer: Bruschetta Camembert
Although you already started making the ham, this is the first thing you get to enjoy! And trust me, it's definitely a good start. I love any kind of melty French cheese so Camembert paired with some tasty bruschetta ingredients is amazing.
This recipe takes a total of 30 minutes to prepare and cook. You can even do some prepping the day before by chopping up the bruschetta ingredients and soaking them in the balsamic vinegar, oil, and seasonings.
Beverage recs: Chardonnay or Cider
Protein: Easter Ham
The first thing to start getting ready or go shopping for is your Easter Ham (of course, if you don't eat ham, you can skip this part and choose your own type of meat or other main protein sources).
My family's favourite type of meat to eat at Easter is Ham. Our recipe uses a bone-in ham cooked in a mustard-brown sugar glaze. It takes about 3.5 to 4 hours in total so you'll want to set aside some time a few hours before your meal to get it ready. It doesn't require much attention after the first half-hour of searing until the last half-hour when you add the glaze.
Everyone who has tried this ham with its special glaze has absolutely loved it. So trust me, it's great!
Main Course Entree Beverage Recs: Chardonnay, Riesling, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Belgian or German wheat beer
Carb or Starch: White Wine Mushroom & Spinach Orzo
This Orzo is so easy and a great side to add to any meal; however, it is exceptionally great with this easter ham. The mushrooms, onions and garlic are the main flavour base for this dish (yum!) but I added spinach for extra nutrients as well as fresh basil and white wine to enhance the flavour.
This recipe also takes about 30 minutes total to prepare and cook.
Side Vegetable: Your Choice!
Add a salad and/or roasted vegetable on the side of your choice. You may want to be sure to add devilled eggs on the side if that's a part of your family's Easter traditions - they're definitely a part of ours!
I would recommend roasted carrots or green beans for a side and then a simple salad with lemon and herb dressing.
Easter Dessert
Mini Eggs Blondies
These are so easy and so good if you have some leftover Mini Eggs that you can use up. That is, if you can find them in the grocery store or still have leftovers from hosting family - there definitely aren't any leftovers over here.
Blondies are one of the simplest types of baking to make: it's the baking version of a casserole; just mix it all together, chuck it in a baking dish, and let it cook! Perfect for a no-hassle dessert or snack. These have the buttery, sugary texture of a classic cookie but with the crunch of the mini egg shells and the melty chocolate from the inside. Like I said: so simple but so addicting. This one takes 30-35 minutes.
Beverage Recs: Tea or Coffee, Amaretto, Cream Liqueor
Or you can try these:
Cinnamon Fruit Tarts
These are also a very easy and quick dessert that you can whip up easy after the big meal - so easy you can buy the dough from the store. Just top with ice cream and you have a great dessert.
I used apples in this recipe but you can use pears or berries instead. This recipe takes 30-35 minutes to prepare and cook.
Beverage recs: Tea or Coffee, Bourbon, other hard liquor, Cream Liqueor
If you're celebrating Easter this weekend, I hope it goes well. If you're celebrating, feel free to still try some of these recipes. If you follow this menu for your own Easter festivities, good luck and let me know how it goes!
What are your Easter traditions or recipes? I'd love to hear what you guys enjoy with your loved ones.
Have a great weekend catching up with loved ones and find time to relax and recharge!
- Emily