Easter Menu

I hadn't really thought about this until today.

We'll do an Easter ham (and it's safe for our allergies because I called the company and checked) but what am I going to do to the ham and what else am I going to serve? It's just going to be the 4 of us this year, so I'm not going overboard. I'm keeping it simple, easy, light, and minimal.

(Recipes safe for my sons wheat, rye, barley, egg, milk, peanut, and tree nut allergies. Please check all ingredients to make sure that they are safe for your own)

Peppercorn Crusted Ham (I haven't tried this recipe before but it sounds delish - from the March issue of BHG 2008)

Ingredients
1. 1 6-8 lb. cooked bone in spiral sliced ham
2. 12 oz. jar apricot preserves
3. 3/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
4. 1-2 Tbs. pink or mixed peppercorns
5. 1/2 cup snipped dried apricots
dried apricots (optional)
Boston lettuce leaves (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place ham on rack in shallow roasting pan. Tent with foil; crimp foil to pan edges. Roast 1 to 1 3/4 hours, until internal temp. is 130 degrees F.
2. Remove foil from ham. in medium bowl stir together preserves and mustard; set aside 3/4 cup. Brush remaining on top and sides of ham. Sprinkle with peppercorns. Cover cut side of ham with foil to prevent drying. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until internal temp. in 140 degree F. Remove from oven. Remove foil. Let stand at least 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in small saucepan combine reserved apricot mixture and snipped apricots, if using; heat through. Slice ham; serve warm or at room temp. with sauce. Garnish with apricots and lettuce.

Maple Glazed New Potatoes (another new recipe - from March issue BHG 2008)

Ingredients
1. 3 lbs. tiny new potatoes
2. 1/4 cup dairy free margarine, melted
3. salt and cracked pepper
4. 3 tbs. white balsamic vinegar
5. 2 tbs. pure maple syrup
6. 3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
7. 1/4 cup chopped green onions
8. 2 tbs. chopped fresh thyme
9. 1 tbs. finely shredded lemon peel

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Halve or quarter any large potatoes. In shallow dish large enough to hold potatoes in a single layer, toss potatoes with margarine; season with salt and pepper. Spread in single layer. Roast potatoes, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring once or twice during roasting.
2. Meanwhile, in a small dish, stir together vinegar, maple syrup, and sliced garlic. Drizzle potatoes with vinegar mixture; gently toss with a spoon or spatula to coat. Continue to roast about 10 to 20 minutes more, until potatoes are fork-tender and glazed, stirring once or twice.
3. To serve, sprinkle potatoes with green onion, thyme and lemon peel. (serves 6)

Simple Asparagus

Ingredients
1. Asparagus(1 bunch), cleaned and woody ends snapped off
2. olive oil
3. garlic (2 cloves chopped)

Directions
1. Preheat pan to medium and add olive oil (approx. 2 tbs) and garlic. Saute garlic for 2 minutes making sure that garlic doesn't burn.
2. Add asparagus and saute until heated through and slightly tender but still crisp.

(Have can of corn on hand for when children won't eat asparagus).

Notice that two of the recipes came from Better Homes and Gardens. Allergy friendly recipes can be found in "normal" magazines. These recipes are easy and use pretty standard ingredients. I did change the butter called for in the potato recipe to dairy free margarine. Just make sure that the ingredients that you choose are safe for your allergies. If you aren't sure just by reading the label, call the manufacturer. Most manufacturers that I've spoken with have been very helpful. If you still aren't sure, find another product or substitute something that you know for sure is safe.

If you don't celebrate Easter, Click HERE for some wonderful ideas on how to celebrate an allergy friendly Purim from chabad.org. Whichever holiday you celebrate, if you have food allergies or intolerances just make sure that you never let your guard down and that you check everything that you eat. A holiday spent in the emergency room is not a happy one.

Have a Blessed Easter or Purim~