A Satisfying Easter Menu

Just like the holidays in the fall and winter, Easter is all about the meal. The Easter meal can be brunch, lunch or an early dinner, and there always seems to be more food than we really need. I like to keep the Easter menu simple and incorporate the freshness of early spring vegetables.

Many people think that it’s a lot of work to make a holiday meal that will satisfy vegetarian guests, but I really think it’s very simple. The main star of so many Easter tables is the holiday ham glazed in a sweet mustard glaze. It’s just as simple to make a grilled Portobello mushroom dish with the same glaze. A grilled Portobello is also much more affordable and yet it’s delicious and will satisfy both meat and non-meat eaters.

Glazed Portobello Mushroom

As I always say at Thanksgiving, meals are really all about the side dishes and I think Easter is no different. My favorite vegetable at this time of year is of course the wonderful asparagus that is starting to arrive in stores. I love to simply roast the tender stalks and keep the flavor simple with a little Parmesan and a fresh bite of garlic.

Simple Roasted Asparagus

Let’s not forget this is a holiday meal, though. Holiday meals are all about indulging in calorie rich dishes that we don’t often have. The perfect indulgent dish is my spicy scalloped potatoes. They are bathed in cream and more Parmesan and you won’t be able to stop eating them. The basis for this recipe came from one I found in the Seattle Times many, many years ago, but I have tweaked it to make it my own.