In Eastern Tennessee, spring eases into the calendar. She’s gentle and mild, showing up for a few days with warm light and temperatures in the low 70s, but she doesn’t mind letting winter have a last hurrah with unwelcome days of frost, clouds, and near-freezing nights.
However, when it’s clear that spring is ready to take her rightful place, and winter has had its say, our family is quick to spend the evenings outdoors, feeding our chickens, picking daffodils, chasing stars, and eating all the light, fresh foods that welcome the warmer weather.
After long winter nights filled with hearty foods like soups and holiday meats, many people want something a little lighter. But if you’re out of recipe cards and out of ideas, how can you reboot your springtime menu? What do you serve at your family’s Easter dinner?
I have five dinner and dessert ideas to get you started as you welcome the refreshing warmth of March, April, and May and find ways to make your Easter holiday a fun outdoor experience:
1. Grilled Kabobs
My mother will quickly say that she isn’t a cook, but regardless of her personal opinion, she has mastered grilled kabobs that offer a fresh spring color and a light protein option for dinner. What I enjoy about grilled kabobs is the variety you can create, so each person in your family can find a flavor they enjoy.
Grilled kabobs require simple ingredients and simple prep.
Ingredients:
-1.5-2 lbs chicken breast (feeds 4-6) and/or 1.5-2 lbs beef (top sirloin is best, feeds 4-6)
-favorite meat marinades (Lemon pepper and Italian dressing are light, flavorful options for chicken. Classic Dale sauce is great for steak.)
-2-4 bell peppers (red, orange, and yellow make for a fun springtime look)
Prep:
-Marinate the meat the morning of so the flavor is well-absorbed.
-That evening, fire up the grill between 350-500 ˚F.
-While the grill preheats, grab some metal skewers, chop up the meat and peppers, and layer them on the skewers.
-Cook the chicken kabobs for roughly 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Cook the steak kabobs until they reach the desired internal color.
-Serve on a fresh bed of white rice.
-Pairs well with a traditional salad or grilled asparagus.
2. Lavender Cookies
My family and I live just a few miles from a lavender farm, and watching the fields come back to life with purple herbs is such a beautiful, encouraging reminder of the hope that warm weather brings to the heart and mind.
While I’ve always been aware of the lavender syrups people press and use for herbal teas, I recently discovered a recipe for lavender cookies that delivers a light, airy springtime flavor and is perfect for sharing at Easter celebrations, baby showers, wedding showers, and other warm-weather events.
Even if you aren’t much of a baker (which I certainly am not!), this is an easy recipe with plenty of ingredients that you likely already have stocked in your pantry. There are plenty of variations for baking lavender cookies, but here, I am using Cake n Knife’s step-by-step recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs (Farm-fresh eggs offer a fluffier texture.)
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
-1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp dried lavender buds, also labeled as leaves or flowers, depending on where you shop!
-1 3/4 cups flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp salt
For the lavender Icing:
-1 cup confectioners sugar
-1/2 tsp lavender extract (Organic options available, even on Amazon.)
-2-3 Tbsp water
Prep:
-Preheat oven to 375˚F. Grease 2 lined baking sheets or line with Silpats.
-In a blender, combine eggs, butter, sugar, and lavender leaves. Blend on low until well combined and the lavender has broken up into small pieces.
-Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir together until combined. Drop dough onto the greased baking sheets, 1 Tbsp at a time.
-Bake cookies for 10 to 15 minutes*, until the edges are golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks.
-In a small bowl, combine sugar, lavender extract, and water, stirring until it forms a smooth frosting. If the frosting is too thick, you can add more water (1 tsp at a time) until it’s the desired consistency. Once the cookies are cool, spread them with a thin layer of icing and garnish with a few dried lavender flowers.
Cake N Knife’s creator, Meghan, notes that these cookies bake fairly quickly. So keep an eye on them!
3. Glazed Easter Ham
While many people serve ham at Thanksgiving and Christmas, Easter hams offer a lighter, sweeter glaze and are just as easy to prep and bake. I’m copying my instructions from The Pioneer Woman, who has crafted a fun way to make Easter ham using soda!
Ingredients:
-1 whole fully cooked bone-in ham (15 to 18 pounds)
-whole cloves
-3 cups brown sugar
-1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
-1 can Dr. Pepper or Coke
-3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Prep:
-Preheat the oven to 325°F.
-Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about 1/8-inch deep. Place cloves in the middle of each diamond. Place the ham in a large roasting pan with a rack, tent it with foil, and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a ham portion—or longer, for a whole ham. (Some hams may require 3 to 3 1/2 hours at a lower temperature; just check the package.)
-In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and soda until bubbly. Cook until reduced and a bit thicker, about 15 minutes.
-After 1 1/2 to 2 hours of baking time (depending on the size of the ham), remove the foil and brush the glaze on the ham in 20-minute intervals (put the ham back in the oven, uncovered, in between) until it's nice and glossy. You want to glaze 3 to 4 times. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
Personally, I have found that a glazed Easter ham pairs well with fresh green beans, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and rolls. (Bonus points that Easter glazed ham tastes great as leftovers!)
4. Summertime Banana Pudding
Sure, this is called “summertime” pudding, but it’s just as refreshing on those warm spring days, too! This is my grandmother’s recipe, a sweet staple at her house each year that serves as a bit of my childhood nostalgia. It’s a lighter version of traditional banana pudding that pairs well with ice cream.
Ingredients:
-4 cups milk
-3 egg yolks beaten
-2 cups sugar
-3 “heaping” Tbsp. Flour
-2 Tsp. Vanilla
Prep:
-Mix sugar and flour.
-Add egg yolks and stir well while adding milk a little at a time to mix thoroughly.
-Cook the mixture on low while constantly stirring to avoid scorching ingredients.
-Once the mixture thickens, add vanilla and stir well.
-Pour mixture over sliced bananas and vanilla wafers layered in a baking dish.
*If you want a meringue topping, beat the 3 egg whites until they are stiff. Add 3 Tbsp. sugar and beat. until the mixture is thick enough to form peaks. Place on top of the pudding.
-Bake at 350°F until top is golden brown.
Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream for a fun outdoor treat!
5. Fresh Spring Salad
On those spring days that are a bit hotter and more humid than normal, it’s only natural to want a dinner that feels a little light. Why not toss together a beautiful springtime salad?
Love & Lemons has created their own “Bright Spring Salad” here:
Ingredients:
-1 bunch of asparagus, tender parts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
-½ cup frozen peas, thawed
-A few handfuls of salad greens
-2 radishes, thinly sliced
-½ cup crumbled feta cheese
-½ avocado, pitted and diced
-¼ cup chopped toasted pistachios
-½ cup roasted chickpeas
-Fresh herbs, for garnish (basil, mint, and/or chives)
-Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For the dressing:
-¼ cup fresh basil leaves, or a mix of basil and mint leaves
-1 small garlic clove
-1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
-½ teaspoon lemon zest
-1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as desired
-¼ teaspoon sea salt
Prep:
-Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Blanch the asparagus for about 1 minute, or until tender but still bright green. Transfer to the ice water for 1 minute, then drain. Allow the asparagus to dry, transfer it back to the bowl, and add the peas.
-Make the dressing: In a food processor, pulse together the basil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, vinegar, olive oil, and salt. Season to taste, adding more oil as desired.
-Add half of the dressing to the bowl with the asparagus and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Assemble the salad. Arrange the salad greens on a platter, then layer the asparagus/pea mixture, the radishes, feta, avocado, pistachios, chickpeas, and herbs on top. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, season to taste with more salt and pepper, and serve.
This would make a great meal-prep option for on-the-go lunches.
Finding Joy in Food
From Jewish feasts to Jesus’ parables and teachings, food was a central part of biblical conversation, a display of sustenance and even celebration. As the snow melts, the temperatures soften, and you rediscover the joys of being outside, take time to invite new, fresh, light foods into your home.
There is joy to be found everywhere in this season, even in food.
Enjoy, friends!
Photo credit: ©Pixabay/JillWellington
