Last Minute Easter Dinner Ideas
Easter is tomorrow and for some the celebration snuck up quickly. Here are some last minute, easy Easter dinner recipes that are sure to be a hit among the family.
Loaded Mashed Potato Puffs
By: Kristin, owner of Yellow Bliss Road
Serves: 12 puffs
Ingredients:
- 1 24-ounce package Simply Potatoes Traditional Mashed potatoes (about 2 ½ cups)
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup shredded/grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- Sour cream, chives, cheese and/or crumbled bacon for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 12 muffin cups generously with nonstick cooking spray. *Very important to spray the pan well to avoid sticking; greasing with butter or vegetable shortening works too.
- In a large bowl, combine ingredients.
- Divide the potato mixture evenly into the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake in the preheated 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool slightly before removing each mashed potato puff from its cup. Use a thin knife to loosen if necessary.
- Garnish with sour cream, chopped chives, cheese and bacon if desired.
Honey Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients for the marinade:
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup jam (Triple Berry used but any red fruit jam is good)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 2 whole cloves of garlic
Instructions:
1. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together, reserving about 1/4 cup of it for the glaze. Pour it into a large ziplock bag and add a 1 1/2 – 2 pound pork tenderloin.
2. Roll the tenderloin all around until it has the marinade coating it.
3. In a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat, add a small drizzle of olive oil and once the oil is hot, add the whole tenderloin to the skillet in its whole form, browning it on all sides. Not: if the tenderloin doesn’t fit in the skillet, you can cut it to fit.
4. Once the tenderloin is browned, remove it from the skillet and slice into 1″ thick medallions.
5. Lower the heat to medium and return the medallions to the skillet, cooking about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
6. Remove the medallions from the skillet and pour in the reserved marinade, cooking over low-medium heat about 5 minutes or until it reduces.
7. Brush the sauce over the top. Optional: broil 1-2 minutes.
Cheesy Garlic Roasted Potatoes & Asparagus
By: Samantha at five heart home
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds fingerling potatoes, tiny ones left whole and larger ones cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, DIVIDED
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, DIVIDED
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound thick asparagus, trimmed & diagonally sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded Romano cheese
Instructions:
- Place rack in center position of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place potatoes in a gallon-sized plastic baggie. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Seal the bag and shake it until potatoes are evenly coated. Dump the potatoes out onto a large, rimmed sheet pan and spread them into a single layer. Cook for 15 minutes, use a metal spatula to stir (and scrape up any potatoes sticking to the pan), and cook for 10 more minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the asparagus to the same bag that was used for the potatoes. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and add additional pepper. Seal the bag and shake to coat the asparagus.
- Once the potatoes are tender, remove the pan from the oven, add the asparagus, sprinkle with the minced garlic, toss everything together, and spread into a single layer. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes until the asparagus is tender (depending on the thickness of the asparagus). Sprinkle the veggies with the Romano cheese and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
You may use new potatoes or large red or yellow (such as Yukon Gold) potatoes instead of fingerlings. Just be sure to cut them into 1 1/2-inch chunks for even roasting.
Thick spears of asparagus hold up to roasting better than thin spears. If you can only find thin spears, however, be prepared to reduce their cooking time.
If desired, you may use freshly grated or shredded Parmesan in place of the Romano.
Slow Cooker Honey Baked Ham
Ingredients:
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
10 whole cloves
1 (8- to 10-pound) spiral cut ham
Equipment:
Measuring cups and spoons
Small saucepan
6-quart or larger slow cooker
Baster or brush
Instructions
- Make the glaze: Combine the brown sugar, honey, water, mustard, and cloves in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the glaze is homogeneous and fragrant from the cloves, about 5 minutes. Remove the cloves with a spoon.
- Prepare the ham: Place the ham in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, making sure you can put the lid on. You may have to turn the ham on its side, or trim a bit off the top if your ham is too large. Gently pull apart the ham’s slices and separate them.
- Add the glaze: Pour the glaze over the ham, trying to cover as much of the ham as possible, but not worrying too much, as the glaze will fall back into the slow cooker.
- Cook the ham: Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. Every hour (or as you remember), baste the ham with the glaze. You can also flip the ham halfway through cooking, if desired.
- Serve: The ham is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F. Serve with the thickened glaze.