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Best Easter Brunches

Easter is the most important religious observance for Christians, and many families enjoy a traditional Easter morning brunch after returning home from religious services. We’ve paired delicious dishes that complement one another to make menu planning super easy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t swap out one dish for another! When planning, remember to keep in mind any special dietary considerations and taste preferences.

Ham It Up

The easy elegance of ham makes it especially appealing for entertaining and special meals.There are many different hams from which to choose: shank, butt, boneless or spiral cut ham. When deciding what type of ham you want to purchase, consider if you want a bone-in ham for their superior taste and great value or a boneless ham for the ease of carving. Allow 2-3 servings per pound for bone-in ham and 4-5 servings per pound for boneless. Most hams are fully cooked, so they only need to be reheated to an internal temperature of 140℉ to bring out the full flavor:

Pineapple Maple Glaze

A glaze like this one adds extra flavor, and may be applied to the ham during the last half hour of cooking, basting every 10 minutes. Glazes are generally sweet and can be made with sugar, brown sugar, honey, jam and/or fruit. 


INGREDIENTS

8 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained (reserve juice)

Reserved pineapple juice

¾ cup maple syrup

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. ground cloves

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine reserved pineapple juice, maple syrup, brown sugar, dijon mustard and ground cloves. Place in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pineapple to glaze.

Best Brunch Menus

Menu #1

This savory pie, also known as Pizza Rustica, is a traditional Italian favorite enjoyed at Easter.

A simple, but delicious salad that pairs nicely with the Italian Easter Pie.

Green Bean Salad

April 7, 2022
INGREDIENTS 2 lbs. fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed 1 ½ tbsp salt 1 medium red onion, sliced 6 Roma tomatoes, each cut into 6 sections, lengthwise 2 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp sugar 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper to taste INSTRUCTIONS Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt. Drop beans into water and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove beans from hot water and place immediately into cold water until completely cold. Drain beans well. Combine beans, red onion, tomatoes, garlic, sugar, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for several hours.  Mix thoroughly prior to serving. Serves 8.

Italian Easter Pie

April 7, 2022
INGREDIENTS Pie crust for double crust 10-inch pie: 8 large eggs 1 lb. lean ham, cubed 1 ½ lbs. fresh Basket cheese 1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, cubed 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese INSTRUCTIONS Place 1 crust into a 10-inch pie dish. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add ham, Basket, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Pour mixture into pie dish. Cover with top crust - vent and flute edges. Bake at 350℉ approximately 1 hour or until crust is golden. Serves 8-10.

Fresh Fruit

A tray or bowl containing an assortment of cut up or sliced fresh fruit tastes yummy and adds variety, color, and texture to the menu. More importantly, fruits provide numerous nutritional benefits. They are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, are high in fiber, and are a source of antioxidants. 

Menu #2


Spiral Ham*


Cook according to package directions.


*Any type of ham may be cooked and served.

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Hash Brown Potato Casserole

Quick and easy to put together, this casserole is popular with the brunch crowd! 

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Asparagus Vinaigrette 

This delicate spring vegetable is versatile and nutrient-packed. It pairs well with many foods including ham.

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Mini Muffins

Right-size these muffins for brunch! Simply reduce the cooking time to convert this standard muffin recipe to mini muffins. Begin checking the muffins after 10 minutes, and if the toothpick inserted in the center of several minis comes out gooey, return them to the oven to bake longer, but check them every minute until they're done.


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Menu #3

Spinach and Mushroom Strata

May 4, 2022
INGREDIENTS 8 slices bread, cubed 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese 2 cups fresh spinach or 1 cup frozen, thawed and well drained 2 cups sliced mushrooms 4 eggs 2 cups milk ½ tsp nutmeg Pepper to taste INSTRUCTIONS In a lightly greased 9x13” pan, layer the ingredients in the following order: ½ the bread cubes ½ the cheese ½ the spinach ½ the mushrooms Add remaining cheese, spinach, mushrooms and remaining bread cubes. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk nutmeg and pepper. Pour over all layers. Refrigerate overnight. Bake in a preheated 350℉ oven for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

April 8, 2022
INGREDIENTS 1 cup butter 1 ¼ cups sugar 2 large eggs, well beaten 1 cup sour cream 2 tsp vanilla 2 ¼ cups flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda Topping: 1 cup chopped nuts ⅓ cup brown sugar ¼ cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 325℉. Grease 1 13”x9” pan. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Mix in eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to butter mixture, beating well. In a separate bowl, mix together topping ingredients. Spoon ½ the batter into the pan. Sprinkle with ½ the topping. Repeat with remaining batter and topping.  Bake 40 minutes. Serves 12-16.
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Bacon & Fresh Fruit

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Best Brunch Beverages

Assorted Juices

Mimosas and Bloody Marys

These 2 cocktails are the perfect brunch accompaniment! Here’s a simple guide for setting up a mimosa bar so that guests can build their own!

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Just like the mimosa bar, you can do the same with Bloody Marys, beginning by putting out the ingredients for your favorite Bloody along with your favorite fixings!

Bloody Basics:

Vodka

Tomato juice

Lemon juice

Prepared grated horseradish or fresh

Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco sauce

Garnishes

Pimento-stuffed olives

Celery

Cheese cubes

Cornichons

Bacon 

Lemon

Shrimp

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