Category:

Seasonal

The Perfect Carrot Cake Recipe For Your Family’s Easter

by Grandma Penny April 11, 2019

If you’re going to have dessert at your family Easter celebration, why not make it carrot cake? It’s the Easter Bunny’s favorite, and it’s a cake that both kids and adults will love. There are so many different ways you can make carrot cake, but this recipe is definitely my favorite.

The cake is nice and moist, and the cream cheese frosting is rich and delicious. If you’re feeling ambitious, why not try decorating your cake with some frosting carrots or Easter eggs? You can also make your life easier by whipping up this cake the day before Easter–it’ll still taste great on day two.

Check out this simple recipe that your family will be sure to love down to the very last bite!

Once you have the cake completely cool, whip up this simple frosting recipe and spread on the cake layers.

Easter Recipes Seasonal

Make Mornings Special With A Peaches and Cream Brunch Casserole

by Grandma Penny April 1, 2019

written by Grandma Penny

Eggs, pancakes, French toast–do you ever feel like you’re rotating between the same tired old brunch options? Those traditional breakfast dishes are okay, but every now and then I like to mix it up with a delicious brunch casserole. One of my favorite brunch casserole recipes is this heavenly peaches and cream strata. It’s perfect for holiday mornings, birthday breakfasts, and any other day deserving of something special.

Consider this casserole a better version of typical French toast. It uses stale bread so you don’t have to throw away those uneaten loaves, and the peaches and cream cheese make a refreshingly sweet combination. I prefer to use fresh peaches, but if you can’t get your hands on any quality fruit, a large can of peaches in syrup will also work.

peaches and cream brunch casserole

Brunch casseroles are a favorite in my family not only because they’re so delicious, but also because they’re easy to make and can be made the night before. When I’m planning a special morning, I make this casserole ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator overnight, and then bake it in the morning so I can serve it hot. It’s great because I don’t have to run around trying to get everything done before my morning coffee.

Easter Food Recipes

Fun And Festive Easter Bread For Your Family Gathering

by Grandma Penny March 28, 2019

written by Grandma Penny

Easter is one of only a few times a year when entire families get the chance to sit down together and enjoy a delicious meal. Whether your family sticks to tradition by serving baked ham or has a different go-to Easter meal, this festive Easter bread will make the perfect addition to your buffet table. It looks almost too pretty to eat, but trust me, it’s so tasty you won’t want to miss a bite.

My Easter bread recipe is a family favorite. I make it every year, and every year there’s nothing but crumbs left on the plate. This bread is soft and sweet, and our tradition is to have it for Easter breakfast. I make sure I put in enough colored eggs so everyone can have one. It would also go well with baked ham if you want to save your festive-looking bread for your main Easter meal.

Easter bread

One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t need to be a bread-making professional to get it right. The trickiest part will be braiding the bread into a long log and then curling it into a round pie plate. But even if your braid isn’t quite even, the dyed raw eggs will help cover up any mistakes and attract everyone’s attention. Besides, it tastes so good, no one will mind if your braid is a little lopsided.

Here’s my recipe for this fun Easter bread.

Easter Food Recipes Seasonal

5 Recipes To Use Up That Leftover Easter Ham

by Grandma Penny March 28, 2019

written by Grandma Penny

We always serve the traditional baked ham for Easter. It smells good, it tastes good, and it reminds us of all the family holidays from our past. But then there is the problem of what to do with the bone and all the scraps? The first thing I recommend to do with your leftover Easter ham is make stock.

How to Make Basic Ham Stock

First, you’ll want to trim any big chunks of meat off the bone and reserve those scraps for the following recipes. Next, add the ham bone to your largest pot and cover with water. (A crock pot would be ideal, but I’ve yet to find one big enough for my massive ham bones.) Add parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns, and cover with water about 1″ above the top of the bone. Slowly simmer, uncovered, for about 3-4 hours.

When you’re done simmering, strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and into a large bowl. And that’s it—easy as pie. Now you have stock from which to make your favorite smoky delicious split pea soup, white bean soup, and/or to simmer with your collards. You can keep the stock in the fridge for a few days or freeze for a few months.

After you make your ham stock, try out these ideas on how to use your Easter leftovers to feed your family.

1. Split Pea Soup With Ham

Split pea is a very simple soup. It freezes well and is very welcome after a few weeks of chicken dinners. Just add the “Holy Trinity of Soup” (celery, carrots and onions) to your basic ham stock. Next you’ll need to add the leftover diced ham and spices, stir occasionally, and then simmer until it’s a delicious soup.

2. White Bean and Ham Bone Soup

This soup is rich, filling, comforting and can feed a large family on a small budget. You can simplify this recipe by using canned beans, but it’s much cheaper, has far less sodium, and has a better texture when you use the dry beans. It’s a great way to use up your leftover Easter ham.

3. Southern Style Collards

These collard greens may take a few hours to simmer, but they only require a few minutes of hands-on cooking time. And they can be made ahead and reheat beautifully—in fact, they taste even better on the second or third day.

4. Spinach Dip With Ham

This spinach dip recipe is great for regular snacking, and you can also make it for parties or as an appetizer for a nice dinner. It’ll use up your leftover Easter ham so you don’t need to throw anything away. Pair it with homemade crostini for a really delicious combination that will leave everyone satisfied.

5. Sunday Morning Denver Strata

Everyone in my family loves a Denver omelet, but there’s no way I can whip up omelets fast enough so we can all eat at the same time. The same goes for toast. By the time I make four servings of toast, the first slices are cold. There is just too much running around to enjoy the meal. This beautiful and delicious take on the Denver omelet can be made the night before and refrigerated until you are ready to bake. Then you can all sit down and enjoy a hot, fresh breakfast without all the jumping around.