Tag Archive | Easter

Apricot Glazed Carrots

Mar30

As seen on WKTV NEWSChannel 2 Harried Housewife Apricot Glazed Carrots

Apricot Glazed Carrots

Apricot Glazed Carrots

Add a gourmet touch to carrots by coating them in a tangy glaze made with simple ingredients. The combination of apricot preserves, butter, and brown sugar along with a hint of cinnamon, salt, and pepper makes jazzing up plain carrots a snap.

A terrific complement to most any entrée, this elegant recipe is ideal for Easter Sunday dinner. Double the recipe for a crowd, and savor a sophisticated side dish starring one of the season’s most appealing ingredients.

From my family to yours, Happy Easter.

The Easter bunny will love these other Easter recipes too!

APRICOT-GLAZED CARROTS

1 pound slender carrots
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper to taste
Lightly peel carrots. Trim tops leaving about 1 1/2-inches of green intact; trim bottoms. Cut them in half lengthwise. Add about 1-inch water to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; add carrots. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Return to saucepan; add apricot preserves, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook over low heat until heated through and butter melts, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings.

Easy Yellow Cupcakes

Apr18

As seen on WKTV NEWSChannel 2 Friday, April 18, 2014

Easy Yellow Cupcakes

Easy Yellow Cupcakes

A package of store-bought cake mix, pudding mix and a few other ingredients is all it takes to create moist and flavorful cupcakes filled with homespun goodness. And it’s just as simple to transform Easy Yellow Cupcakes into fun Easter Cupcakes by simply embellishing with candy sprinkles and/or edible decorations.

Ideal for little hands to help prepare, these whimsical treats are perfect for nibbling at this time of year. Whether they’re for a school party, Easter celebration, or any get-together, these crowd-pleasing cupcakes always are welcome.

From my family to yours, Happy Easter.

EASY YELLOW CUPCAKES

1 (4-serving size) package instant vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
1 (16.5-ounce) package yellow cake mix (with pudding in the mix)
4 eggs
1 cup water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Candy sprinkles and/or edible decorations (optional)
Easy Vanilla Frosting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper liners. Reserve 2 tablespoons pudding mix for frosting (see below). In a large bowl, combine the remaining pudding mix, cake mix, eggs, water, oil, and vanilla. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes. Divide into muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Easy Vanilla Frosting; garnish with candy sprinkles and/or edible decorations, if desired. Makes 24 cupcakes.

EASY VANILLA FROSTING

2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding and pie filling mix
1/2 cup heavy (or whipping) cream
1 (8-ounce) carton regular or light frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 to 8 drops yellow food color (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix and heavy cream. Whisk until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in whipped topping, vanilla, and food color, if desired.

Bacon Ranch Deviled Eggs

Mar26

As seen on WKTV NEWSChannel 2 Friday, April 18, 2014

Bacon Ranch Deviled Eggs

Bacon Ranch Deviled Eggs

If you are planning on coloring eggs for Easter, why not cook a few extra and make deviled eggs. Quick and easy to prepare, deviled eggs are a delightful addition to any springtime menu.

While there are many ways to prepare them, this recipe makes good use of Ranch salad dressing. By combining the dressing with the yolk mixture, it’s easy to add zesty flavor to these classic snacks.

The recipe may easily be doubled for a crowd, and the deviled eggs may be prepared up to 12 hours in advance. For the ultimate in ease, place halves of eggs in a pretty dish likes this Anchor Hocking Deviled Egg Tray and either spoon or pipe egg yolk mixture into halves. Loosely cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Sprinkle with extra bacon bits and garnish with sliced fresh chives just before serving.

Whether they are for an Easter celebration or any occasion, this recipe makes it easy to add a tasty twist to a time-honored favorite. From my family to yours, Happy Easter.

(For a fun Easter treat both children and adults will enjoy, try the recipe for Spring Nests.)

BACON RANCH DEVILED EGGS

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
2 1/2 tablespoons regular or light mayonnaise
2 1/2 tablespoons regular or light Ranch salad dressing
2 tablespoons real bacon bits, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Sliced fresh chives (optional)
Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove egg yolks from whites. Place yolks in a medium bowl. Mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, dressing, 2 tablespoons bacon bits, salt, and pepper. Mix well; spoon or pipe mixture into halves of eggs. Sprinkle with bacon bits and garnish with chives, if desired. Makes 12 deviled eggs.

Thanks to Anchor Hocking for providing serveware

Spring Nests: Recipe for the Season

Mar25

As seen on WKTV NEWSChannel 2 Harried Housewife Spring Nests

Spring Nests

Spring Nests

Celebrate spring and the joy of Easter by making edible nests that are just right at this time of year. Ideal for folks who like the taste of sweet and salty treats, these yummy nests are easy to make and can be filled with a variety of assorted candy.

From jelly beans to robin eggs, little ones will have fun decorating with their choice of colorful candies. They can make them for loved ones to share on Easter Sunday, or they can be a fabulous finale to any springtime dinner.

Whatever the occasion, these crowd-pleasing goodies will make celebrating the beauty of the season even sweeter.

SPRING NESTS

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 ounces high-quality white chocolate, finely chopped
4 cups pretzel sticks, broken
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 teaspoon water
3 to 4 drops green food color
Assorted candy
Lightly coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add marshmallows and white chocolate. Cook over medium-low heat until marshmallows and white chocolate are melted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add pretzel sticks; stir until completely coated. Cool 3 minutes. Coat hands with cooking spray; press mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared cups. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine coconut, water, and food color; toss to combine. Remove nests from cups; fill with tinted coconut and assorted candy. Makes 12 spring nests.