Showing posts with label appetizer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label appetizer. Show all posts

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Easter Eats






If you're looking for ideas for your Easter feast, look no further!

The first thing we make every year is hard boiled and dyed eggs.  The kids love it.  I'm not sure they'll ever really grow tired of it.  I never have!  As the years go on the designs get more elaborate and the hands stay cleaner, but the tradition remains the same.

Typically we only hide our plastic eggs, so we have a bunch of hard-boiled eggs available for eating on Easter morning.  These make a quick and easy breakfast for everyone!

Here are some eggs we've decorated in the past.  I do recommend rinsing off the sparkles if you use those!

Sparkly Eggs



Along with your hard boiled eggs for protein, you can't go wrong with a cinnamon treat!  This is a recipe for the absolute best homemade cinnamon buns I've had.  Part of the trick is using the bread machine to make the dough.  It kneads it perfectly and lets the dough rise at the ideal temperature.  The result is smooth, fluffy dough that puffs up just right.  You'll want to try these for sure!

Cinnamon Buns for the Bread Machine


Once it's time for lunch, you'll want to use up some more of those hard boiled eggs.  One of our favorite ways to prepare them is deviled eggs.  My husband can down half a dozen without trying!  Check out this cute version I made inspired by a magazine article.  They are adorable, don't you think?

Deviled Chicks



For lunch we traditionally have ham and potatoes.  I love scalloped, but twice-baked and mashed are also great!  I usually try to get a spiral ham if it's on sale, but sometimes I get the whole, unsliced ham and that's is quite delicious as well.  Typically I skip the glaze because I find the ham just right without it.  If I'm making the whole ham I like to top it with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries. If you do this, be sure and save some of the pineapples and cherries for the recipe below!

For dessert, one of my favorites is pineapple upside down cake.  It's an older recipe and my mom used to make it often for Easter when we were kids.  Follow this link to for a most delicious treat!

If you're not in a sugar coma by this point, check out these adorable cupcakes and cake.  They were, like the deviled chicks, inspired by a magazine article.  I found the marshmallow bunnies while I was out shopping and I thought they would be adorable on these grassy green cakes.  I have no separate post or recipe about the cupcakes, I just thought they were too cute not to include!


To make the cake, just bake up your favorite box mix or other favorite cake recipe.  Pour half into an oven-safe bowl and the remaining into a cupcake tin with liners.  Bake as directed.  Frost with any icing you like, then top with  *grass and decorations.   Here's a recipe for icing if you need it.

*To make the grass, empty a bag of coconut into a bowl and squeeze in a few drops of food color.  Mix until color is evenly distributed.  Voila!  Grass.

The jelly beans, by the way, are Starburst jelly beans, my fave!

Do you have any favorite Easter recipes or traditions?  Comment below to share.


You might also like:

The Best Buttercream Icing
Barbie Cake
Minecraft Birthday Party


Thursday, December 3, 2015

Family Recipe - Sweet and Sour Kielbasa

Image found here.


If you're looking for a great appetizer to bring to your family function this holiday season, try this.  Sweet and Sour Kielbasa is a crowd favorite from my mom's recipe collection.  She makes it, I make it, and now I've passed it on to a few friends who will pass it on to a few friends.  It's one of those dishes that's gone soon after it's served.

Sweet and Sour Kielbasa is certainly not on any diet food list, but if you want to lighten it up a little, feel free to use turkey kielbasa.  This recipe is also great doubled or even tripled.  You can even get away with doubling the meat and not the sauce, depending on how much sauce you like.  Try it by the recipe the first time round and then experiment as you see fit.

Sweet and Sour Kielbasa

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown mustard
2 pounds kielbasa
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2 cups brown sugar

Cut meat into 1-inch chunks.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a crock pot and add the meat.  Cook on low 4-5 hours

Enjoy!

Nutrition Information - regular kielbasa (brands may vary)
Serves 10
1 serving =
350 calories
16 grams fat
41 grams carb
0 grams fiber
13 grams protein

Nutritional Information - turkey kielbasa (brands may vary)
Serves 10
1 serving =
241 calories
5 grams fat
39 carb
0 grams fiber
15 grams protein

Nutrition information calculated using CalorieCount.

Weight Watchers Points Plus - regular kielbasa- 10  turkey kielbasa- 7
Weight Watchers POINTS - regular kielbasa- 8 turkey kielbasa- 5

If you're looking for another great party recipe, try spinach bread!


Thursday, July 2, 2015

Family Recipe - Spinach Bread

Here is a tried-and-true family recipe from my mom's recipe collection!  

We love Spinach Bread, and while it's not exactly low in calories, it DOES contain spinach.  My mom used to make this bread quite often for parties.  Minutes after setting out a fresh platter only crumbs were left behind.  So, if you want to bring a highly requested recipe to your next get-together, try Spinach Bread and surely you will not be disappointed.

Spinach Bread

Ingredients:

1 loaf French Bread (Italian is good, too)
1 box frozen creamed spinach
3 oz. cream cheese
10 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated