Celebrate Easter and the beginning of spring with an elegant Easter brunch that only looks like you’ve been in the kitchen since before dawn. Semi-homemade maven Sandra Lee shares her most impressive Easter menu of delectable Easter brunch recipes, from a succulent lamb entrée and tasty veggie sides to a spring wine co*cktail and creative cupcake dessert.
An easy and elegant Easter Brunch
All recipes reprinted with permission by Hoffman Media, LLC. Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade magazine
Rosé Wine-tail
Makes 8 drinks
A simple Easter drink that can be sipped in wait for the meal or as a refresher after the big meal.
Ingredients:
2 (750-milliliter) bottles chilled rosé wine
1 cup chilled dry vermouth
2 cups chilled club soda
Red seedless grapes
Directions:
In a large pitcher, gently combine wine, vermouth and club soda. Garnish with grapes.
Goat Cheese and Strawberry Salad
Goat Cheese and Strawberry SaladMakes 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 (4-ounce) goat cheese logs
2 (3.5-ounce) bags salad topping roasted pecan and almond pieces, divided, Naturally Fresh
2 (10-ounce) bags salad greens
1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries, halved
1 (16-ounce) bottle refrigerated red wine vinaigrette, Marie’s
Directions:
1. Cut each goat cheese log evenly into 8 slices. Coarsely chop 1 bag pecan and almond pieces. Dredge each goat cheese round in chopped nuts, pressing gently to adhere.
2. Divide salad greens evenly among 8 salad plates. Top each evenly with strawberries, nut pieces, and 2 goat cheese rounds. Drizzle with desired amount of salad dressing.
Parslied Cloverleaf Rolls
Parslied Cloverleaf RollsMakes 16 rolls
Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen Parker House–style roll dough, thawed, Bridgford
1?2 cup butter, melted
1?4 cup dried parsley flakes
Directions:
1. Lightly grease muffin pans. Cut 24 rolls in half
2. With lightly floured hands, roll each dough half into a ball. Place 3 dough balls in each muffin tin cup. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with parsley flakes. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for 2 to 3 hours, or until doubled in size.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 16 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire racks.
Grilled Leg of Lamb
Grilled Leg of LambMakes 8 servings
Grilling a leg of lamb for Easter gives you the well-deserved opportunity to spend part of your Easter meal prep outdoors with the kids and sunshine.
Ingredients:
1 (6-pound) trimmed boneless leg of lamb
1?4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Garnish: fresh rosemary, fresh oregano, parsley, lemon wedges
Directions:
1. Rinse lamb and pat dry. In a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, combine lemon juice, mustard, garlic, soy sauce, dried rosemary, dried oregano and salt. Add lamb, turning to coat. Seal, and chill for 8 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Remove lamb from marinade, discarding marinade. Pat dry with paper towels, and let stand for 30 minutes before grilling.
3. Coat cold grill grate with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium-low heat (250 to 300 degrees F). Grill lamb, covered with grill lid, for 1 hour, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 140 degrees F for medium rare.
4. Remove from grill. Tent with aluminum foil; let stand for 10 minutes. Thinly slice lamb, and garnish with fresh herbs and lemon wedges, if desired.
Note: To roast in oven: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and cook, uncovered, for 1-1?2 to 2 hours, or until desired degree of doneness.
Roasted Asparagus
Makes 8 servings
Asparagus is a harbinger of spring and a delicious Easter side dish when roasted in the oven.
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh asparagus
1?4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar, Domino
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus.
2. Spread asparagus in a single layer on 2 (15×10-inch) jelly-roll pans. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper. Roast for 6 to 8 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
Garlic-Herb Fingerling Potatoes
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 (1-1?2 pound) bag fingerling potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon roasted garlic and herb seasoning, Weber Grill Creations
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut larger potatoes in half lengthwise, if necessary. Arrange potatoes in a (15×10-inch) jelly-roll pan.
2. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle evenly with garlic and herb seasoning. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.
Corn Pudding
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 (20-ounce) tubes golden creamed corn, thawed, McKenzie’s*
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn, thawed
1?4 cup sugar, Domino
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1?2 teaspoons salt
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1?4 cup butter, melted
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish or 8 (8-ounce) ramekins.
2. In a large bowl, combine corn, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream and butter. Gradually add corn mixture, stirring until combined.
3. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish or ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and set. Let pudding stand for 10 minutes before serving.
*Four (10-ounce) packages frozen cream-style corn, thawed, Green Giant, may be substituted.
Buttercup Cupcakes
Buttercup CupcakesMakes 24 cupcakes
Make these spring-inspired Easter cupcakes the day before and keep them stored in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) box pound cake mix, Betty Crocker
1-1?4 cups whole buttermilk
2 large eggs
1?2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) container classic white frosting, Pillsbury
Yellow food coloring, Betty Crocker
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with white paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Increase speed to medium, and continue beating for 2 minutes.
3. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
4. In a medium bowl, stir frosting, gradually tinting with food coloring, to achieve desired color of yellow. Pipe or spread frosting over cupcakes.
More Easter foods and drinks
- Spring wines for Easter
- Elegant Easter desserts
- Have a Greek Easter feast
