Easter. April 7, 2014
Deviled Easter Eggs
i didn't use any sort of recipe for these....so this is my best approximation of what i did.
-n
9 eggs
food coloring
white vinegar
1/4 cup mayo
3-4 T cream cheese
3-4 T capers
1 T chives, minced
1 T dill, minced
smoked salmon
salt & pepper
1. put the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, cover with an inch or 2 of cold water and bring to a boil. maintain the boil for 1 minute.
2. remove eggs from the heat, cover and let sit 10-15 minutes. then add eggs to an ice bath.
3. when eggs are cooled, peel, slice in half and scoop out the yolks.
4. dye the egg halves in mugs of cold water, mixed with 3-4 drops of food coloring and 1 tsp. of vinegar.
5. meanwhile, mix egg yolks, mayo, cream cheese, capers, and herbs until combined and fluffy. add salt & pepper, to taste.
6. fill the dyed egg halves with the yolk mixture. top with a small slice of smoked salmon.
i didn't use any sort of recipe for these....so this is my best approximation of what i did.
-n
9 eggs
food coloring
white vinegar
1/4 cup mayo
3-4 T cream cheese
3-4 T capers
1 T chives, minced
1 T dill, minced
smoked salmon
salt & pepper
1. put the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, cover with an inch or 2 of cold water and bring to a boil. maintain the boil for 1 minute.
2. remove eggs from the heat, cover and let sit 10-15 minutes. then add eggs to an ice bath.
3. when eggs are cooled, peel, slice in half and scoop out the yolks.
4. dye the egg halves in mugs of cold water, mixed with 3-4 drops of food coloring and 1 tsp. of vinegar.
5. meanwhile, mix egg yolks, mayo, cream cheese, capers, and herbs until combined and fluffy. add salt & pepper, to taste.
6. fill the dyed egg halves with the yolk mixture. top with a small slice of smoked salmon.
Fruit and Avocado Salad
I based this off a Southern Living recipe. I used the fruit I liked rather than the melon and "tropical fruit in light syrup" that was suggested. It also helped that Whole Foods had a great selection of chopped, fresh fruit.
6 cups chopped fruit (strawberries, blackberries, pineapple, kiwi, papaya, grapes, etc.)
2 medium avocado, cut into chunks
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
Juice of 2 small limes
Sour cream
Pistachios, chopped
Mix fruit, avocado, mint, and lime juice. Cover and chill about an hour. Serve. Garnish with sour cream and chopped pistachios.
I based this off a Southern Living recipe. I used the fruit I liked rather than the melon and "tropical fruit in light syrup" that was suggested. It also helped that Whole Foods had a great selection of chopped, fresh fruit.
6 cups chopped fruit (strawberries, blackberries, pineapple, kiwi, papaya, grapes, etc.)
2 medium avocado, cut into chunks
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
Juice of 2 small limes
Sour cream
Pistachios, chopped
Mix fruit, avocado, mint, and lime juice. Cover and chill about an hour. Serve. Garnish with sour cream and chopped pistachios.
Spring Pea Orzo
(from Southern Living)
(from Southern Living)
- 3 to 4 lemons
- 8 ounces uncooked orzo pasta
- 1/4 cup minced shallot or red onion
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cooked fresh or frozen peas
- 1 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas, blanched and chopped
- 1 cup assorted chopped fresh herbs (such as mint, chives, and parsley)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- Grate zest from lemons to equal 2 tsp. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice from lemons to equal 1/2 cup.
- Prepare pasta according to package directions. Whisk together shallots, next 4 ingredients, and lemon juice. Toss together pasta and shallot mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 to 48 hours.
- Toss together pasta, peas, snow peas, next 2 ingredients, and lemon zest just before serving. Add salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste.
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
From http://www.melskitchencafe.com/carrot-cake-cheesecake/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+melskitchencafe/NvNP+Mel%27s+Kitchen+Cafe
The cheesecake can be made and frosted 1-2 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until serving. Also, take note of the recipe details when baking so that the carrot cake layer isn't dry.
The cheesecake can be made and frosted 1-2 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until serving. Also, take note of the recipe details when baking so that the carrot cake layer isn't dry.
- Cheesecake:
- 2 (8-ounces each) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound finely grated carrots (1 cup or so)
- 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
Carrot Cake:
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- For the cheesecake, in a medium bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour until smooth. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix just until blended. Set aside.
- For the carrot cake, in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the mixture is light creamy and light. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt until just combined. Mix in the carrots.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Spread half of the carrot cake batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Dollop half of the cheesecake batter on top of the carrot cake layer in large spoonfuls. Don't spread or swirl together. Just dollop. Dollop the rest of the carrot cake batter on and around the spoonfuls of cheesecake batter. Again, don't spread it out. If the lumpiness is stressing you out, I promise that it will all work out. Spread the last half of the cheesecake batter on top of all the layers and spread with an offset spatula into an even layer. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake for 60-70 minutes (check earlier if using a 10-inch springform pan; it won't bake as long as a 9-inch pan), tenting the top of the cheesecake with foil the last 20 -30 minutes of baking if it is browning too quickly. The cheesecake will puff a great deal in the oven thanks to the leavening in the carrot cake and it might even crack. That's ok. It will settle after it cools and will be covered with frosting so the cracks won't matter. Take care not to overbake the cheesecake or the carrot cake bottom and sides will be dry. It's a fine balance between taking it out before it's overbaked but not so early that the cake batter is still raw. Keep in mind that each oven can vary in temperature so watch closely as it gets to the 60 minute mark. The top center part of the cheesecake (just about a 2- or 3-inch diameter circle) should still be slightly soft and jiggly when you take it out.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack in the pan. While it cools, make the frosting by whipping together the cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar a little at a time until the frosting is well-combined with no lumps. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix well.
- When the cheesecake has cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Cover with tin foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled before serving. The cheesecake can be made up to two days in advance.
Peach Champagne
Recipe for one glass.
Ingredients
4 ounces Champagne
1/2 ounce canned peach nectar
1 slice fresh (or frozen) peach
Directions
In a champagne glass pour chilled champagne. Carefully pour peach nectar down the inside of glass. Garnish with peach slice
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/peach-champagne-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Recipe for one glass.
Ingredients
4 ounces Champagne
1/2 ounce canned peach nectar
1 slice fresh (or frozen) peach
Directions
In a champagne glass pour chilled champagne. Carefully pour peach nectar down the inside of glass. Garnish with peach slice
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/peach-champagne-recipe.html?oc=linkback