Cooking Tips for An Easter Dinner That Will Impress Without the Stress

Easter is another one of those days that brings friends and family together. There are many great dishes and plans that can be made for Easter dinner depending on where in the world you may be celebrating. Just remember to try to avoid making plans for Easter dinner that are contingent upon the weather to work because it never seems to do exactly the opposite of what you plan for, no matter where in the country you may be.

A dozen boiled eggs in a saucepan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)With so many dyed eggs around it would be a shame not to incorporate them into the meals that are being prepared for your Easter menu. There are many ways to do that and a favorite in my house is deviled eggs. In addition to deviled eggs which are excellent appetizers, you can also chop the eggs up and include them in potato salad, egg salad, or chicken salad (which also happens to make excellent finger sandwiches for a light appetizer). You may also use boiled eggs in the making of cornbread dressing and/or giblet gravy, which are both popular Easter dishes in some southern states.

The good news is that there are plenty of dishes that go wonderfully well with eggs. If you like ham this is a great dish to serve with dressing, to make ham salad with later, and to simply have along with your favorite egg recipe. Ham is relatively simple to make as the hard part is often waiting on it to be finished. If you want super simplicity the only thing you really need to do to have an excellent ham dinner is pour a can of Coca-Cola over the ham, cover it in aluminum foil, and bake it for the necessary duration. This is really yummy, and it really can't get any easier than that though there are plenty of more complicated ham recipes available.

You will want to offer plenty of side dishes to compliment your main dish. Popular favorites are vegetables, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, dressing, sweet potato casserole, and rolls. These are all relatively simple to prepare, not very time consuming and can also be delegated to guests if you'd like without too terribly much fuss. You'll also want to have a few appetizers on hand for the time before dinner is ready and a couple of desserts for the perfect finish (as if those chocolate bunnies from the Easter basket's are not enough)!

A salad platter. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)For those looking for fare that is a little lighter on Easter, I recommend offering big salads, several different steamed veggies (there should be some good fresh spring greens, asparagus, and the like available right now), and offer fruit as a dessert, as well as a raw veggie platter along with the appetizers. Easter is a day to celebrate and you shouldn't leave family members who are dieting to dread their lack of healthy eating options. You'll also find yourself surprised by those who, given the option, will eat the healthier foods if they are available.

Make sure you offer plenty of drink options as well. If you are hosting Easter dinner at your home, in addition to these cooking ideas I also suggest offering a place for your guests to change clothes if necessary. Many people come wearing their Sunday best and while it was great for church services and photo opportunities they don't often fare too well with gravy, butter, or grass stains.

Of course you could skip all the advice above and go for a down-home hoe down of a barbecue for the Easter holiday that in some parts of the country signals the approach of Spring. If it's warm enough outside, barbecues are often appealing because they limit a good bit of the mess to the great outdoors and give the kids involved a great place to run, play, and let off steam.

Have a very happy Easter, and be sure to check back later this week for some tasty Easter recipe ideas!