Planning Your Easter Menu
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Tomato Mozza Salad, Coffee Rubbed Steak
Mar 31, 2009
At the first exhale of the day, when the earth is bathed dewy light, legend has it that Peter Cottontail hides eggs in children's yards. A strange tradition? Yes, especially given that bunnies don't lay eggs. But, when the last child has washed that Easter egg dye off his or her hands and has had a sugar fix, it's past time for the Easter meal to be cooking.
Since planning a holiday meal is sometimes the most time-consuming part, here's a less daunting Easter menu to take away the guesswork. This particular meal revolves around cool, springy dishes bursting with flavor and freshness.
On the menu:
- Sun-dried tomato pesto torte
- Bread with herb butter
- Tomato mozzarella salad
- Coffee-Rubbed Steak
- Fruit Pizza
Sun-dried tomato pesto torte
This involves no cooking and works well for a party too.
Ingredients:
- 1 package room temperature cream cheese (either full-fat or low-fat)
- 1 package crumbled herb feta cheese (regular works as well, but this gives it a little kick)
- 1/2 cup pesto (Can either make your own with this recipe or buy the pre-prepared pesto)
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup pecans, lightly toasted
Directions:
- Once cream cheese has softened, put in food processor or mixer. Add in package of feta cheese, and blend well.
- Put down a layer of saran wrap in a deep, oval casserole dish.
- Scoop out half the feta and cream cheese mixture into the dish.
- Dice the sun-dried tomatoes and sprinkle them on top of the cream cheese mixture. This can be done to taste.
- Top the tomatoes with the remaining cream cheese mixture.
- Spread pesto on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle lightly toasted pecans on top of that.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
- Lift the mixture out of the casserole dish and set on a plate.
- Serve with crackers or pita rounds.
Bread with Herb Butter
Store-bought bread is the easiest route, but you can still make the bread your own.
Ingredients:
- Store-bought bread (a crusty artisan or French bread works best)
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs
- 1 stick butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Slice the bread and place in oven, preheated at 350 degrees.
- While bread is in oven, combine room temperature butter, ¼ cup fresh herbs finely chopped, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and salt to taste.
- Take bread out of oven after 5 or 6 minutes and serve in a bread basket with bowl of herb butter on the side.
To see recipes for the steak, salad and dessert, go here.
