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| Easter Recipes
 Peanut Butter Easter Eggs, serves 16, from Taste of Home
1/2 cup butter, softened 2-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate chips 2 tablespoons shortening Pastel sprinkles
In a large bowl, cream butter; gradually add the confectioners' sugar, cracker crumbs, peanut butter and vanilla. Shape into 16 eggs; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip eggs in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Decorate with sprinkles; return eggs to waxed paper. Chill until set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Crispy Easter Nests, serves 8, from All You Magazine
14 oz sweetened flake coconut 3 drops green food coloring 7.5 oz Marshmallow fluff 3 cups Rice Krispies ½ cup chocolate chips 8 paper cupcake liners 24 Jordan almonds
Place coconut in a bowl. Use a toothpick to apply and stir in a few drops of green food dye. Let dry. Melt marshmallow fluff in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring, until soft and pliable. Stir in Rice Krispies. Stir in chocolate chips; remove from heat. Arrange cupcake liners on a work surface. Mist hands with cooking spray. Gather a small amount of cereal mixture and shape to fit into a cupcake liner. Add more cereal to make a rim around top. Let cool. Make 7 more. Fill each nest with a bit of coconut and 3 Jordan almonds. Bunny Cupcakes, makes 12 cupcakes, from McCormick.com
16 ounces vanilla frosting  Food coloring 2 cups coconut flakes 12 cupcakes 12 donut holes 12 large marshmallows 6 pink jelly beans, halved crosswise Chocolate sprinkles Miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Tint frosting pink or blue, using 4 drops red or 4 drops NEON blue food color. Place coconut in resealable plastic bag. Add 4 drops red or 4 drops NEON blue food color to coconut in bag; shake until coconut is evenly tinted.
Spread top of each cupcake with tinted frosting. Press each cupcake into tinted coconut to cover top completely. Spread donut holes with remaining frosting. Press a donut hole into top of each cupcake to form the bunny’s head.
For the ears, cut a 1/4-inch slice off the flat ends of each marshmallow to make 24 slices. Dip cut sides of the marshmallow slices into the coconut until completely covered. (Reserve remaining marshmallow pieces.) Attach 2 marshmallow slices to the head of each bunny with frosting to create ears.
Press a jelly bean half into the face for the nose and sprinkles for the whiskers. Use the chocolate chips for the eyes. Press the plain marshmallow pieces into the cupcakes for the belly.
Test Kitchen Tips: To make 6 each pink and blue cupcakes, use 2 drops of each food color in each half batch of frosting and coconut. For ease in frosting donut holes, first insert small wooden skewer into donut. Use skewer as a handle when frosting donut. Invert frosted donut onto cupcake then remove skewer. Chick Cupcakes, makes 12, from McCormick.com
16 ounces vanilla frosting Food coloring 2 cups coconut flakes 12 cupcakes 12 plain donut holes 6 orange jellybeans, halved lengthwise Miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Tint frosting yellow, using 18 drops yellow food color. Place coconut in resealable plastic bag. Add 12 drops yellow food color to coconut in bag; shake until coconut is evenly tinted.
Spread top of each cupcake with tinted frosting. Press opposite sides of each cupcake into tinted coconut. Spread donut holes with remaining frosting. Press a donut hole into top of each cupcake to form the chick’s head.
Press coconut on top of the head for feathers. Insert a candy corn or jelly bean half into the face for the beak. Use the chocolate chips for the eyes.
Test Kitchen Tip: For ease in frosting donut holes, first insert small wooden skewer into donut. Use skewer as a handle when frosting donut. Invert frosted donut onto cupcake then remove skewer.
Brown Sugar and Spice-Crusted Ham, serves 22, from Cooking Light
2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1 (5-pound) bone-in 33%-less-sodium smoked, fully cooked ham half Cooking spray 1/4 cup honey 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 6 ingredients. Trim fat and rind from ham. Rub ham evenly with sugar mixture. Place ham on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Combine honey and juice in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Remove foil from ham; brush honey mixture over ham. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 140°. Transfer ham to a platter; let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Classic Baked Ham with Maple-Mustard Glaze, serves 8-10, from from Sunset Magazine
1 cooked, bone-in half ham (about 7 to 8 lbs.) 15 whole cloves 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard Preheat oven to 325°. Cut off the tough, leatherlike skin from ham (if it has it; some hams will not), and score the fat in a crosshatch pattern. Stud ham all over with cloves, put in a large roasting pan, and loosely tent with foil. Bake until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part (not touching the bone) registers 135°, about 20 minutes per lb. or 2 to 2 1/2 hours total, basting occasionally with any accumulated juices. While ham is baking, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, and mustard. Whisk until smooth. When ham has about 40 minutes left to bake (internal temperature will be 120° to 125°), brush generously on all sides with glaze. Continue baking until ham reaches 135° and glaze is well browned. Garlic-Studded Rosemary Roast Rack of Lamb, serves 12, from Cooking Light
3 (1 1/2-pound) French-cut racks of lamb (8 ribs each) Cooking spray 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (48 slices) 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Place lamb, meat side down, on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cut a 1-inch-deep slit between each rib on the underside of each rack; stuff 2 garlic slices into each slit. Turn lamb, meat side up; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with pepper and rosemary, pressing gently to adhere. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 450°. Sprinkle lamb evenly with salt. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 145° (medium-rare) to 160° (medium). Cover with foil; let stand 10 minutes before slicing each rack into 8 pieces.
Pistachio-Encrusted Rack of Lamb, serves 8, from Cooking Light
3 (1-ounce) slices day-old white bread 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios 1 1/4 teaspoons grated lemon rind 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint 2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 (1 1/2-pound) French-cut racks of lamb (8 ribs each), trimmed Cooking spray Mint sprigs (optional)
Preheat oven to 425°. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure about 1 1/4 cups. Combine the breadcrumbs, nuts, rind, parsley, juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Combine chives, mint, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle lamb with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add lamb racks; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Spread half of the mustard mixture over meaty portion of each lamb rack. Carefully pat half of the breadcrumb mixture into mustard mixture on each lamb rack. Place the lamb on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 140° (medium-rare) to 155° (medium). Place lamb on platter; cover with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before serving (temperature will increase 5° upon standing). Slice each rack into 4 pieces (2 ribs per piece). Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired. Lemon-Chive Roasted Vegetables, serves 12, from Cooking Light
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, halved 1 1/2 pounds small fingerling potatoes, halved 1 pound baby carrots 2 medium Vidalia or other sweet onions, each cut into 8 wedges 1 tablespoon olive oil Cooking spray 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 425°. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on 2 jelly-roll pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Combine vegetables, chives, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat.
Roast Vegetable Medley, serves 8, from Cooking Light
1 cup baby carrots with tops (about 5 ounces) 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano 2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 24 garlic cloves, peeled 8 large shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise 3 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/4 pounds) 1 large yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 ounces) 1 fennel bulb, cut into (1/2-inch thick) wedges (about 15 ounces) 1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 7 ounces) Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 450°. Place 1 oven rack in upper third of oven, and place the second rack in lower third of oven. Cut tops off carrots; discard tops. Combine carrots and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl; toss to combine. Divide vegetable mixture evenly between 2 jelly-roll pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes, stirring once; rotate pans on oven racks. Bake 12 additional minutes or until vegetables begin to brown, stirring once. Sugar Snap Peas with Bell Peppers, serves 6, from Southern Living
1/2 cup water 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 pound fresh sugar snap peas 1 garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt
Bring 1/2 cup water to boil in a large skillet. Add red bell pepper strips, sugar snap peas, and minced garlic to skillet. Cook, covered, over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes until crisp-tender. Toss with 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, and salt. Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes, serves 6-8, from Southern Living
1/4 cup butter 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 3 cups whipping cream 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in potatoes and next 5 ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring gently, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack, and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Asparagus Amandine, serves 6-8, from Southern Living
2 pounds fresh asparagus 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup sliced almonds 2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Cook asparagus in boiling salted water to cover in a large skillet 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add almonds, and sauté 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Add asparagus and red bell pepper; cook 3 to 5 minutes. Toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and serve immediately. Basil-Lime Fruit Salad, serves 12, from Cooking Light
1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup packed basil leaves 1 tablespoon grated lime rind 4 cups cubed pineapple (about 1 medium) 3 cups quartered strawberries (about 1 pound) 2 cups cubed peeled mango (about 2 large) 4 kiwifruit, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in basil and rind. Cool. Strain sugar mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Combine pineapple and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with sugar mixture; toss gently.
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