Easter Menu Change...

After planing my menu for Easter dinner we figured the scheduled plan would not be enough and decided to make a caserole of the sweet potatoes instead of roasting them. Here is the recipe we found which I made some changes to.

Ingredients
8 sweet potato, baked until soft and then flesh removed to a bowl
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Mash sweet potato flesh first.
2.In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract and cinnamon. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish, greased baking dish.
3.In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour and pecans. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
4.Bake in the preheated oven 30-40 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

My Easter Menu

Slow Cooker Cider Glazed Ham

Prep time: 10 Min. Cook time: 480 Min. Serves: 6
Ingredients

4 lb. fully cooked boneless ham
1 cup Apple Cider (or Apple Juice)
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup Dijon mustard, country style
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
Instructions

Place ham in slow cooker. Pour apple cider over ham into slow cooker. In medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, mustard, honey and liquid smoke. Spoon sauce over enture ham. Cover and cook for 8-10 hours.


Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Ingredients Add to grocery list
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into wedges
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cinnamon. Add the potato wedges and toss to combine. Season with the salt and pepper.

Spread the potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast the potatoes, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. Serve hot.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups finely shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

FROSTING:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Dash salt
Directions
In a large bowl, beat the sugars, eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and baking soda; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in carrots and walnuts.
Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk and vanilla until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and salt; beat until smooth. Spread over top of cake. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 24 servings.


Garlic Cheese Biscuits2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oven to 450ºF.
Stir Bisquick mix, milk and cheese until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits.

Roasting Turkey or Other Poultry

Brining the turkey or other Poultry first:

2 c. brown sugar
1 c. maple syrup
3/4 c coarse salt
4 whole heads garlic, cloves separated but not peeled or bruised
1 c. chopped fresh ginger
3 tsps dried chili flakes
2 c soy sauce
3 qts water

Combine all ingredients in a large pot, large enough to hold turkey (or other foul) and brine. Bring the mixture, minus poultry to a boil, remove from heat and cool completely.  Place turkey in brine and add enough water to cover the bird. refridgerate 2-4 days, turning 2-3 times a day. If you are using smaller birds can half or quarter this recipe easily and use just enough for what you are making. This is a recipe for a large turkey.

Roasting Turkey or other Poultry

Heat oven to 425. Season turkey inside and out with salt and pepper, brush with olive oil. put on rack in oven and let go for 30 minutes. lower heat to 350 and continue roasting. Baste every 30 minutes until thermometer reads 160. After taking from oven let stand for 15 minutes to cool and finish cooking. Enjoy the most lucious turkey ever!

Corn bread Stuffing

This is a favorite for our family on holidays and sometimes when I am feeling like making a giant meal with roast chicken and all the fixin's I will make this to accompany.

1 pan 8x8 of baked and cooled cornbread
1 c chopped celery with leaves
1/2 chopped onions
1 stick butter
1/4 c chicken broth or stock

break corn bread into small pieces, I just leave it in the pan it baked in until I need to add it to the veggies. Cook celery and onion in the butter until soft, but not browned (I often add some celery seed or thyme at this point and allow the heat of the butter to release some of the good stuff in the herbs, but it isn't necessary). Add broth and mix well, then add the corn bread to the pan (I use a huge skillet that I have) and toss lightly. Pour into another baking pan and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is crusty and golden. I don't stuff turkeys or chickens (I don't like my stuffing that way) but if you like it you can skip the baking and just stuff your bird.