Easy Easter Sunday Dinner 2009

Here are recipes for an easy yet delectable Easter Sunday dinner for 2009. The menu for a family of four includes: Ham Steaks Glazed with Apricot Sauce, Deviled Eggs Easter 2009 Style, Beans 'n Beef, Charoses Salad, and Bunny Soft Biscuits.

Deviled Eggs Easter 2009 Style Serves 4

6 hard boiled eggs
¼ tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 T. yogurt
1 tsp. mayonnaise
½ tsp. Dill seed
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash paprika

Peel eggs. Cut eggs in half and scoop out yolks, reserve whites. Place yolks in a small bowl and add all other ingredients. Blend well, taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Divide mixture between egg white halves, and gently mound. Serve on romaine leaf and sprinkle with paprika. Keep refrigerated until serving time.

Charoses Salad Serves 4

Mixed salad greens or 1 package Earthbound Organic Baby Salad Greens
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 large red apple, chopped, leave peel on
½ tsp. ground Cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1/3 cup honey (local if possible)
2-3 T. sweet red wine
1/8 - 1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup raisins
1 - 2 tsp. lemon juice

Rinse salad greens, pat or spin dry. Place in serving dish and keep chilled until ready to serve. Meanwhile, in small bowl combine walnuts, chopped apple, and raisins. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Gently fold and combine mixture until coated with lemon juice. Refrigerate until serving time. Combine honey, wine, enough apple juice to give it a good pouring consistency, and spices. Mix well. When ready to serve, add fruit and nut mixture to greens. Drizzle with the honey-wine dressing. Toss gently. This makes an elegant presentation served in a clear glass bowl.

Beans 'n Beef Serves 12

2 T. ground flax seed
6 oz. bacon (½ of a 12 oz. Package)
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
1 1/2 cup chopped onion (or ½ c. dehydrated)
1 - 55 oz. can (3 lb. 7 oz.) Bush's Baked Beans
1 - 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 T. black strap molasses, poured into a ½ measuring cup
Approx. ½ cup any mild molasses (add to black strap molasses until ½ cup measure is full)
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. sea salt

Brown bacon, drain grease. Rinse pan carefully with hot water to remove as much bacon grease as possible. Brown ground beef. Put beef into a colander and rinse well with hot water. Place bacon and beef in a large dutch oven or other large stove top kettle. Drain ½ cup of juice from tomatoes, add to meats. Add onion, sauté about 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients. Bring to boil, stirring well to prevent sticking. When mixture is boiling nicely, reduce heat to low or simmer. Let it cook for at least 30 - 45 minutes. Leftovers freeze well.

Bunny Soft Biscuits

2 T. each: oat flour or oat bran, flax meal or ground flax seed, wheat germ.
½ cup spelt or wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ cup butter
1 cup yogurt

Place the all ingredients except for butter and yogurt in a large bowl and use a slotted spoon to sift gently until well combined.

Add ¼ cup butter. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or rub it into the mixture with fingers. Mixture will look like cornmeal when it has been blended sufficiently. Gently add 1 cup yogurt (organic is preferable). Mix until a dough forms. (If your dough is very sticky, you may have to knead in a little more flour. You want a soft dough.) Place dough onto a floured surface, knead until smooth. Roll to 1" thickness, cut biscuits. Place on a very lightly greased cooking sheet, bake 10-13 minutes or until tops are golden brown. These are best served hot from the oven.

Ham Steaks with Apricot Glaze

2-3 fully cooked ham steaks, enough for one 4 - 6 oz. serving per person
1 jar of all fruit apricot spread or jam
1 small can of apricots, drained
1/2 tsp. cloves

Place ham steaks in a large dutch oven or electric skillet. Empty jar of fruit spread into a microwave safe container. Microwave 11-22 minutes. You want the spread to be the consistency of a glaze. Mix in the 1/2 tsp. of cloves, gently fold in the drained apricots. Pour over ham steaks. Cover pan and cook on medium heat until heated through and glaze is gently bubbling. Serve warm.