Our Humble Easter Celebration Menu And Unconventional Ideas

Cheesy Carrot Spread Appetizer
 
March 29, 2016
 

This year, our Easter celebration was very unconventional.  The menu and our activities might be unusual but the food was good and the games were fun.

Easter Decor

   On the table in the foyer, an understated Easter display welcomed family and friends this year.  There is just something so sweet about that little bunny!

 

Food For Our Easter Feast

   This was definitely an unconventional Easter at our home.  The weather was beautiful and we wanted to enjoy the day outside.  We opted to have Dave grill the best burgers ever and make a vegetable tray.  I roasted baby potatoes and made the Ranch dip. 

How To Make The Best Burger Ever
Best Burger Ever

    Tiffany brought the Shrimp Scampi Dip she has been bragging about for a while now.  (She brought tortilla chips for the dip.   Aidan and I agreed we should have made homemade tortilla chips! ) She made a double batch and yes, folks, she was right.  It is addictive and the dish was pretty much licked clean.

 

    Savory and delicious, these little cheesy carrot bites were a perfect appetizer for Easter. Shredded carrots and cheddar cheese combined with cream cheese to create a pale orange-colored mixture.  The cheese mixture was piped onto Town House Crackers to look like carrots and topped with a sprig of parsley to look adorable.

     Aidan made the cheese mixture for these on Saturday with me.

Then we refrigerated it overnight.  It needed to be taken from the fridge and allowed to come up to room temperature before piping.

    Sophia, Aidan, and I taste-tested the cheese mixture and Aidan said that this recipe was perfect.   He was right.  As soon as the little carrots were piped onto the crackers, the parsley was added, and the platter was passed around, they were gone.

   The red pepper gives them a little heat and the Town House crackers were the perfect addition.  The kids asked if they were supposed to eat the parsley.  I told them to eat the parsley end first.  They were surprised at how good they tasted.

Cheesy Carrot Spread Appetizer
Cheesy Carrot Spread Appetizer

 


Cheesy Carrot Spread

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup shredded carrots
  • 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese
  • 1 cup of shredded Mild Cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tblsp. sliced green onions
  • 1 Tblsp. chopped celery
  • 1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
  • Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

Directions

   Place carrots, cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, onion, celery, Worcestershire, garlic powder, paprika, and ground red pepper into a food processor.  Process until the ingredients are well blended.

   Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.  

    Pipe the mixture to resemble carrots, onto Town House crackers.  On the large end of the piped carrot, place a sprig of Italian flat-leaf parsley.

 


Roasted Potatoes

   After the past couple of weeks and the chaos of the window installation, I decided to roast potatoes instead of making potato salad.  Glad that decision was made.  The baby-roasted potatoes went over well.  These were prepared a little early and 45 minutes before the burgers were ready, they were placed in the hot oven.

Roasted Red And Yellow Baby Potatoes
Roasted Red And Yellow Baby Potatoes

 


Roasted Red And Yellow Baby Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds red and yellow baby potatoes
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1-1/2 Tblsp. minced garlic
  • 1-1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 Tblsp. butter – melted
  • 3 Tblsp. fresh Italian parsley – chopped
  • 3 Tblsp. fresh chives – chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Line a large sheet pan with Reynold’s non-stick aluminum foil.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Place the potatoes in the mixture, a few at a time, until the potatoes are all coated with the mixture.

 Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the foil-lined pan.

 Bake for 45 minutes until potatoes are tender.  A knife inserted should slide easily into a potato.

 Mix the melted butter, parsley, and chives.  Spoon over the tops of the potatoes and serve hot.


Cheesy Carrot Spread Appetizer

Cheesy Carrot Spread Appetizer

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup shredded carrots
  • 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese
  • 1 cup of shredded Mild Cheddar cheese
  • 2 Tblsp. sliced green onions
  • 1 Tblsp. chopped celery
  • 1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
  • Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

Instructions



   Place carrots, cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, onion, celery, Worcestershire, garlic powder, paprika, and ground red pepper into a food processor.  Process until the ingredients are well blended together.

   Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.  

    Pipe the mixture to resemble carrots, onto Town House crackers.  On the large end of the piped carrot, place a sprig of Italian flat-leaf parsley.

 

Roasted Red And Yellow Baby Potatoes
Yield: 5 pounds

Roasted Red And Yellow Baby Potatoes

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds red and yellow baby potatoes
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1-1/2 Tblsp. minced garlic
  • 1-1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 Tblsp. butter – melted
  • 3 Tblsp. fresh Italian parsley – chopped
  • 3 Tblsp. fresh chives – chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Line a large sheet pan with Reynold’s non-stick aluminum foil.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Place the potatoes in the mixture, a few at a time, until the potatoes are all coated with the mixture.

 Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the foil-lined pan.

 Bake for 45 minutes until potatoes are tender.  A knife inserted should slide easily into a potato.

 Mix the melted butter, parsley, and chives together.  Spoon over the tops of the potatoes and serve hot.

 

Of course, we had desserts, too.  The white velvet cake, a recipe from the Cake Boss, was frosted with white chocolate frosting.  When it was cut and served, the raspberry puree between the layers was revealed.   Fresh red raspberries garnish the slices.  

 

We served Fudge brownies, too.

Fudge Brownies

 

   When everyone arrived, the Easter egg hunt began.  Afterward, everyone played card games or cornhole in the front yard.  Hillbilly golf was set up in the backyard.  Yes, this year was a pretty unconventional Easter, but it was fun!

 

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