BY ANN CIPPERLY
OPINION —
As dawn breaks on Easter morning, sunrise services are held throughout East Alabama to herald in a glorious day of church services and celebrations. Plan to observe the good news of Easter as the main focus for the day. Keep the celebration festive with a scrumptious meal to serve after church services with dishes prepared ahead, allowing you to relax and enjoy the day.
Easter morning can be hectic while getting everyone dressed for church. Along with planning to prepare the food ahead, set the table a day or two before. Colored eggs can create a festive centerpiece, and the eggs can be hidden after lunch. For a quick centerpiece, place spring flowers in small vases down the table. Just be sure to keep the centerpiece low.
For many of us, Easter brings back happy memories of childhood, attending church services and coloring eggs. In our Christian home, Mom would always have a ham baking in the oven, and fresh spring vegetables would be simmering on the stove, as tantalizing aromas drifted throughout the house. A beautiful cake would be ready to serve on the counter.
Edith Walker and her husband, former Circuit Judge Jake Walker, both grew up in Opelika with parents who celebrated the joy of Easter with church worship and family dinners. Edith’s parents were the late Vera and Winston SmithT Jr., and Judge Walker’s parents were the late Jane and Jacob Walker.
“Easter has always been a special celebration, because our faith and beliefs have always been important to us,” Edith said. “My parents did not do the Easter bunny. We did not wake up to an Easter basket. I think it was because my parents did not want to distract us from the true meaning of what Easter was about.”
Edith and her four siblings would color eggs for the First Presbyterian Church egg hunt that was held every year at their Grandmother Edith SmithT’s house on 8th Street in Opelika.
While her Grandmother SmithT hosted the family every Sunday for dinner after church, Easter was a special holiday.
“It was a time to be joyful and thankful,” said Edith. “As a result of that, Easter dinners were big with a lot of food.”
After Edith’s grandparents passed away, her parents began hosting Easter dinner. When Edith and Jake married, sometimes both of their families would get together for Easter dinner. If dinner was at Jake’s mother’s home, Jane would present Easter baskets to everyone and have a delicious dinner and lavish decorations, as she loved holidays. Jane enjoyed trying new recipes and would have a different menu every year.
“Easter looks a lot different now than it did when my kids were young,” said Edith. “Everyone is spread out in Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, so we aren’t always together. This year my son-in-law is deployed and will be missed. I do have a large extended family, and we always have plenty of people around the dinner table at Easter. I am very thankful for that.”
Her Easter meal hasn’t changed much over the years. “Ham is always the meat of choice, and the coconut cake just looks like an Easter dessert so these two items are typically on the menu. Everyone pitches in to bring lots of delicious sides so it all comes together to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection.
“I think Easter is such an important holiday as a Christian and such joy,” Edith said. “We have hope for eternal life, we are redeemed and saved because of it. It is being thankful for what our Savior did for us, and out of that comes a celebration.”
Edith’s coconut cake layers are filled with a tangy lemon filling, while the cake is covered in luscious cream cheese frosting and covered with coconut.
Ham and pork roast are popular hearty main dish choices for Easter. If you are baking a ham, use the instructions on the label. Whether it is ham or pork, be sure to wait about 15 to 20 minutes after cooking before slicing to allow the juices to set. Otherwise, when you slice the meat, the juices will run out, making the meat dry and tough.
Along with coloring eggs, let children help make and decorate the Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Eggs. They can be decorated with piped buttercream flowers or a sprinkling of colored sugar. They make attractive favors to give guests to take home. Wrap each one in cellophane and tie with a pastel colored ribbon.
While holidays can be a difficult time for those in our community who are dealing with a health diagnosis, loss of a loved one, financial issues and other problems, on Easter we are reminded that we have a living hope in the resurrection of Christ.
In this season of rebirth, may Easter be a time of renewed faith and hope for you and your family.
Easter Ham
Edith Walker
10 to 12 lb. ham (shank)
Brown sugar
1 can pineapple tidbits
Turn ham fat side up. Pour can of pineapple with juice over ham. Pat brown sugar over top of ham to cover. Place ham in roasting pan and cover well with foil.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 20 minutes per pound. Baste several times during cooking. Let the ham rest about 20 minutes before slicing. Place on a platter and garnish with pineapple slices.
Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin
Lucinda Samford Cannon
2 Tbsp. steak seasoning rub
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bunch shallots, chopped
2 lb. boneless pork loin roast
Dissolve steak seasoning in balsamic vinegar. Stir in olive oil, honey and shallots. Place pork into a re-sealable bag and pour marinade over top. Squeeze out air and seal bag; marinate two hours to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line glass dish with sliced onions to keep roast from sticking. Place pork into a glass baking dish with marinade. Bake in preheated oven, basting occasionally until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees, about 1 hour. Uncover and cook for another 10 minutes. Take roast out of oven to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Roasted New Potato Salad
Susan Ballard
Can be prepared ahead.
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. small red potatoes, diced
½ medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 or 4 green onions, chopped
3/4 cup (or less) Ranch style dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Place olive oil in large jellyroll pan; add diced potatoes, onions, garlic, sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange in single layer. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes stirring occasionally. Transfer to large bowl. Toss the potato mixture with bacon, green onions and dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve. Serves six.
Marinated Carrots
Deborah Jones
1 lb. carrots, scraped and thinly sliced (or baby carrots)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. prepared mustard
Cook carrots in a small amount of boiling water about 5 minutes or until crisp/tender; drain.
Combine carrots, onion and green pepper.
Combine remaining ingredients in a jar; shake vigorously. Pour over vegetables and toss lightly. Cover and chill at least eight hours. Makes four to six servings.
Marinated Asparagus with Almond Topping
Laura McKay
1 bunch asparagus
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup or more slivered almonds, pecans or walnuts, toasted
Trim ends of asparagus. Cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling water for four minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge in ice water to stop cooking process.
Mix together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Pour mixture over asparagus and refrigerate. Top with nuts before serving.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Pecans and Bacon
Shirley Helmke
10 oz. fresh spinach, torn into pieces
1 quart strawberries, sliced
½ cup pecans (can warm for 5 minutes in a skillet)
½ cup sliced red onions
4 to 5 slices crisp cooked bacon, torn into small pieces
¼ cup feta cheese
Combine salad ingredients. Add dressing gradually until spinach leaves are lightly glossed.
Dressing: (or use your favorite dressing)
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
½ cup sugar
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. minced onion
In a medium bowl, whisk together ingredients. Cover and chill at least one hour.
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Eggs
Let your children or grandchildren help make and decorate the eggs.
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup peanut butter
1 box or less confectioners’ sugar
Chocolate bark or 12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips, melted
Sprinkles, candies or buttercream for decorating
Combine crumbs, butter and peanut butter; add confectioners’ sugar. Mix until smooth. Roll mixture into egg shapes in sizes desired. Dip in melted chocolate bark or chocolate chips. Decorate with piped buttercream or with sprinkles.
Easter Nests
Natalie Warren
17 oz. jar marshmallow cream
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
15 oz. can chow Mein noodles
1 cup chopped M &M’s candies
Robin egg candies
Mix marshmallow cream, peanut butter and butter together until well blended. Add noodles and M&Ms and toss until well coated.
Drop in 1/3 cup mounds on greased cookie sheet and shape with greased fingers into small nests. Let nests stand until firm.
Dust the bottoms of the nests lightly with powdered sugar; then fill with egg candies before serving.
Green Beans with Vinaigrette
Kelli Duncan
2 lb. green beans, stem ends trimmed
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. white-wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
Directions
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside.
Place green beans, stem ends trimmed, in basket. Cover; steam until crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Plunge beans in ice water. When cool, drain; pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a small bowl or jar, whisk or shake extra-virgin olive oil, white-wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, coarse salt and ground pepper until thickened and combined. Pour over beans; toss to coat.
To make ahead (up to one day), steam beans and make the dressing; refrigerate separately, covered. Up to one hour before serving, toss beans with dressing, and keep at room temperature. Serves eight.
Crustless Asparagus Quiche
1 lb. asparagus cut into bite-sized piece
5 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups heavy cream, half and half or milk
1 to 1 ½ cups shredded Swiss or mozzarella cheese (can use part goat cheese)
Boil asparagus for five minutes; drain and set aside.
In a bowl, beat eggs well. Add salt and cream or milk, stirring until blended. Add cheese and then asparagus.
Pour mixture into greased quiche dish or deep pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or set or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Coconut Cake with Lemon Filling
Edith Walker
1 3/4 cups butter, softened
1/4 cup Crisco
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1½ tsp. coconut flavoring
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, Crisco and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir together remaining dry ingredients. Add flavoring to milk. Add milk and dry ingredients alternately to batter.
Bake in three 9-inch greased and floured pans for 25 minutes. Allow to cool. Remove from pans and spread lemon filling between inner layers and coconut icing on the top.
Lemon Filling
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter
Combine sugar and cornstarch in saucepan; whisk in 1 cup boiling water. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until dissolved. Slowly whisk in 1/4 of hot sugar mixture into egg yolks, and then add back to sugar mixture in pan.
Continue to whisk; add lemon rind and juice. Cook until mixture is thickened, just a couple of minutes. Take off of heat and whisk in butter. Let cool and stir occasionally.
Coconut Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
16 oz. pkg. powdered sugar
1½ tsp. coconut flavoring
1 pkg. angel flake coconut
Beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and flavoring. Spread on top and sides of cake. Pat coconut to cover.
Classic Banana Pudding
Betty Letlow
1 box Nabisco Vanilla Wafers
5 or 6 bananas
Boiled Custard (recipe follows)
In a 9×13-inch dish, layer bottom with vanilla wafers. Slice 3 bananas over wafers. Pour half of boiled custard over top. Repeat layers, ending with custard. Top with about 9 vanilla wafers. Chill before serving. Serves eight to 10.
Boiled Custard
4 cups milk
4 eggs
½ cup sugar
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Scald milk (don’t boil). Beat eggs slightly, add sugar and salt, and stir constantly while adding the milk. Pour half a cup of this mixture into a bowl, add cornstarch, whisking until dissolved. Add this to custard mixture.
Cook in a double boiler, stirring until mixture coats a spoon. (Be careful not to cook too long, which makes the mixture curdle.) Cool and add vanilla.
If you don’t have a double boiler, use two different sized boilers and create one. This custard needs to cook over boiling water.
Marinated Vegetable Salad
Elizabeth Whatley
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasonings
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 pkg. Splenda or Stevia or sugar to taste
Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake.
Salad
Cauliflower florets
Carrots, cut in small strips
Red pepper strips, cut in small squares
2 green onions, white and green parts
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
Sliced black olives
Broccoli florets and cherry tomatoes, optional
Combine salad ingredients. Pour dressing over vegetables and marinate overnight in refrigerator. Chill until ready to serve.
