11 Easy Recipes for Easter

Easter Dinner Made Easy

If all that's standing between you and a fabulous Easter dinner is the stressful preparation, take a load off with our ready-to-make recipes. For each dish, we tell you exactly what you need, how much it costs, and how long it takes. Mix and match these 10 dishes to create a scrumptious menu, or, if you're having a big gathering, make them all!

Quick Crab Cocktail

Prep: 5 min.
Serves: 12
Cost per serving: $1.25

Ingredients
16 oz. Neufchatel cheese
2/3 cup ketchup
5 Tbsp. prepared horseradish sauce
1 lb. back-fin crabmeat

Preparation
1. Place cheese in a shallow dish and spread with a spoon to coat bottom.
2. Stir together ketchup and horseradish and spoon on top of cheese. Flake crab and scatter on top of sauce. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with crackers or bread.

Per serving: Cal. 156, Fat 11g (Sat. 6g), Chol. 67mg, Fiber 0g, Pro. 13g, Carb. 6g, Sod. 514mg

Apple-and-Beet Salad

Prep: 15 min.
Cook: 1 hr. and 15 min.
Chill: 2 hr.
Serves: 8
Cost per serving: $1.65

Ingredients
8 beets
3 small red onions, unpeeled
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Black pepper
4 Granny Smith apples (1 and 1/2 lb.)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream
12 curly red lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese
3/4 cup toasted pecan halves

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400º. Trim beet greens, leaving a 1-inch piece of stem. Scrub beets and dry on paper towels. Sort by size and tightly wrap and seal large and small beets separately, along with onions, in two heavy-duty aluminum-foil packages. Place packets on a baking sheet. Roast until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour for small beets and 1 and 1/4 hours for large. Unwrap packages and let cool for about 15 minutes. Peel and trim beets and onions, halve crosswise and thinly slice. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add vinegar, oil, 1 and 1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper to beet mixture and stir until blended. Refrigerate, tightly covered, until chilled, at least 2 hours (up to 1 day). Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
3. At least 2 hours (up to 12 hours) before serving, peel, core and cut apples into 1/4-inch slices. Cut each slice crosswise into 3 pieces. Transfer to a bowl, add lemon juice and toss to coat. Add sour cream, remaining salt and a pinch of pepper and stir until blended. Cover and refrigerate apple mixture.
4. To serve, arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Top with beet mixture and apple mixture separately. Sprinkle with cheese and pecans and serve.

Per serving: Cal. 256, Fat 16g (Sat. 4g), Chol. 13mg, Fiber 6g, Pro. 4g, Carb. 28g, Sod. 474mg

Roasted Asparagus

Prep: 4 min.
Cook: 15 min.^*
Serves: 8
Cost per serving: $1.08

Ingredients
2 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 medium oranges, cut into slices for garnish

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Arrange asparagus in a single layer. Drizzle oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Roast until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with orange wedges to garnish.

Per serving: Cal. 72, Fat 4g (Sat. 0g), Chol. 0mg, Fiber 3g, Pro. 3g, Carb. 9g, Sod. 120mg

^*Add or subtract approximately 5 minutes for thicker or thinner asparagus.

Ginger Sweet Potato Mash

Prep: 15 min.
Cook: 25 min.
Serves: 8
Cost per serving: $1.18

Ingredients
3 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into1-inch chunks
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled (about 1 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation
1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan with cold, salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Drain well; return potatoes to pot. Mash well. Finely grate ginger and squeeze pulp over potatoes to extract juice; discard ginger. Add butter, honey, salt and pepper; mash again. Add heavy cream and beat with a wooden spoon until blended.

Per serving: Cal. 246, Fat 6g (Sat. 4g), Chol. 18mg, Fiber 5g, Pro. 3g, Carb. 46g, Sod. 143mg

Corn Bread

Prep: 10 min.
Bake: 20 min.
Cool: 20 min.
Serves: 8
Cost per serving: $.26

Ingredients
2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. cold unsalted
butter (1 stick)
2 cups milk
2 large eggs

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425º. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
2. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and blend into dry mixture with fingers until mixture is mealy.
3. In another bowl, whisk together milk and eggs; add to dry mixture and stir with a fork until liquid is just incorporated. Scrape into prepared pan and bake about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Cool in pan on a rack for 20 minutes before serving.

Per serving: Cal. 478, Fat 17g (Sat. 9g), Chol. 94mg, Fiber 4g, Pro. 11g, Carb. 71g, Sod. 1,331mg

Baked Ham with Honey Mustard

Prep: 15 min.
Cook: 2 hr. and 50 min.
Serves: 10
Cost per serving: $2.01

Ingredients
1 (9 lb.) shank portion smoked ham on the bone
2 and 1/2 lb. medium onions, peeled and cut in sixths
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice
2 Tbsp. honey mustard
1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Put ham in roasting pan. Add onions, followed by pineapple and juice. Cover snugly with foil and bake for 2 and 1/2 hours.
2. Uncover and baste ham. Brush on honey mustard. Combine bread crumbs, cheese and salt; crumble over mustard. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden.

Per serving: Cal. 559, Fat 20g (Sat. 7g), Chol. 194mg, Fiber 3g, Pro. 69g, Carb. 23g, Sod. 336mg

Pasta with Shrimp and Peas

Prep: 10 min.
Cook: 30 min.
Serves: 8
Cost per serving: $1.90

Ingredients
1 lb. uncooked shell or other small pasta
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 and 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 lb. de-veined medium shrimp, peeled
1 lb. bag frozen baby peas
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Preparation
1. Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. Drain pasta.
2. In same pot, melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 6 minutes. Add flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in 3 cups milk, 1/2 cup at a time, waiting for mixture to thicken before adding more. Whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1/2 cup milk in a separate bowl. Whisk into hot mixture. Continue to whisk; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, simmering and whisking, for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in shrimp and peas. Cook, stirring, until shrimp is pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add pasta; toss occasionally until heated, about 5 minutes. Thin with reserved pasta water if necessary. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Per serving: Cal. 435, Fat 10g (Sat. 5g), Chol. 137mg, Fiber 4g, Pro. 28g, Carb. 58g, Sod. 492mg

Spice-Rubbed Leg of Lamb

Prep: 15 min.
Cook: 1 hour and 35 min.
Chill: Overnight
Serves: 8
Cost per serving: $4.81

Ingredients
1 medium onion, cut into 6 wedges
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
4 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp. sweet paprika
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 (6 lb.) bone-in leg of lamb, trimmed of fat
Mint Pesto, optional (see recipe)

Preparation
1. Pulse onion, parsley, garlic and spices in a food processor to form a coarse paste. Add lemon juice and oil; process until smooth.
2. Place lamb in a large, shallow pan. Pour marinade over lamb and turn to coat several times. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3. Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat oven to 450º. Remove lamb from marinade; wipe off excess. Place lamb on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes; lower oven temperature to 325º. Roast lamb until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 140º (for medium-rare), 1 hour and 15 minutes.
4. Remove meat to a cutting board; let rest for 20 minutes. Carve meat with tip of lamb bone facing you. Slice away from you and down, holding knife parallel to bone and turning lamb as you carve. Serve with Mint Pesto.

Per serving: 523 Cal., 32g Fat (11g Sat.), 182mg Chol., 0g Fiber, 54g Pro., 2g Carb., 662mg Sod.

Mint Pesto

Serves 10

Ingredients
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. crumbled feta (1 oz.)
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Spread the roughly chopped walnuts on a rimmed cookie sheet and Bake until golden, 8 to 12 minutes, stirring once.
3. Let cool on a wire rack.
4. Place walnuts, garlic, mint leaves, basil leaves, crumbled feta, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse to mix. With machine running, add olive oil and mix until mixture is smooth.

Serve with lamb.

Per serving (2 Tbsp.): 147 Cal., 16g Fat (2g Sat.), 3mg Chol., 1g Fiber, 2g Pro., 2g Carb., 222mg Sod.

Raspberry Lemonade

Serves 8.

Ingredients
12 oz. bag frozen raspberries
1/2 gallon lemonade
Mint leaves and lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation
1. Defrost the frozen raspberries in a strainer over a bowl.
2. Puree berries and liquid in a blender and strain.
3. Stir into 1/2 gallon lemonade. Garnish with mint leaves and lemon wedges, if desired.

Per serving: 154 Cal., 0g Fat (0g Sat.), 0mg Chol., 2g Fiber, 0g Pro., 42g Carb., 26mg Sod.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Eggs

Prep: 30 min.
Chill: 1 hr.
Yield: 3 dozen candies
Cost per serving: 13c

Ingredients
8 oz. good-quality milk chocolate, chopped
1 cup natural peanut butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preparation
1. Place chocolate in a microwavable bowl and cook at medium for 1 minute. Stir and repeat. Continue to cook at medium in 30-second intervals until melted.
2. Add peanut butter and stir until blended. Cover and chill until firm, for 1 hour.
3. Scrape chocolate mixture with a spoon. With fingertips, form shavings into 3/4-inch balls. Dust hands with sugar; roll into ovals. Roll in more sugar and refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Per serving (1 egg): Cal. 100, Fat 5g (Sat. 1g), Chol. 1mg, Fiber 1g, Pro. 2g, Carb. 12g, Sod. 5mg

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