Make Easter celebrations festive with simple fare

For many years Mama hosted a fabulous classic Easter dinner for friends and family. 

There was a ham, mashed potatoes and ham gravy, sweet potatoes, pickled crabapples, candied apple slices, fresh asparagus with lemon/butter, hot rolls, and a host of other good things that ended with one of her (or Grandma’s) homemade cakes or pies.

After I married, we still attended those feasts, every other year bringing a new baby to the festivities. By the time I had three or four (leading up to the final six) and began to host my own dinners, I decided to opt for a bit more simplicity. After the morning egg-hunt, I whipped up a big, beautiful omelet or frittata with fresh veggies in season — generally asparagus or spinach — along with mushrooms and leeks or green onions with a generous sprinkle of grated Cheddar over the top.

I accompanied this with fresh –baked rolls, sometimes hot cross buns — and a big, beautiful pineapple salad in its own shell. Dessert was usually simple: perhaps a pie (especially if Mama came) or just ice cream and cookies. I still prefer this easy fix when having my grown-up family and grandkids at hand. If you’re of a like mind, perhaps you’d enjoy it too, especially if you’re putting your spread on after church.

Our illustration shows a savory paella. Usually an all-day chore, this one’s quick and easy! 

 Shrimp & Mushroom Paella 

(For 4, double for more) 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

2 cups button mushrooms, halved 

2 cups chopped onions 

1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 

1/4 teaspoon hot paprika  

3 1/4 cup vegetable broth, divided 

1 1/2 cups Arborio or medium grain white rice 

1 pound uncooked peeled/deveined wild-caught large shrimp 

1/2 cup pimiento stuffed green olives, halved 

Heat oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onions and bell pepper; sauté until golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in paprika, the 3 cups broth and the rice; bring to boil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is nearly tender, about 15 minutes. Place shrimp into rice, nestling into place with your fingertips, evenly over surface. Top with olives, drizzle with a cup or more broth to moisten. 

Cover and cook until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 6-8 minutes.

Season to taste with more salt and pepper, serve. 

Note: This recipe was obviously designed to emulate true paella. Make it your own by using your own preferred spices and skipping the olives if you don’t care for them. I once dared to use (non-marinated) artichoke hearts. They were great! 

Pineapple Salad Bowl 

Stand a fresh pineapple on end and cut in half from top to bottom, retaining the pretty leaves on top if you wish, trimming a bit if necessary.  

Prepare halves: With a sharp paring-type knife, cut pineapple flesh out of the halves, leaving a good half-inch thick shell for the “bowls.” Cut up the removed pineapple over a bowl to retain the juice, then add other fruits in season as you desire.  

For now, cut up some beautiful seedless red, green and/or black grapes, a couple of bananas (tip — cut them into a bowl of lemon juice and toss to coat completely; this keeps them from browning too quickly and adds a little tang to the salad). 

Use your favorite fruits in season (or organic imports): blackberries, handfuls of fresh blueberries — kiwi, mango, naval or mandarin oranges — toss them all with the pineapple chunks and heap into the shells. I don’t use a dressing for this salad, simply letting the juice serve as a moistener. Sometimes I pour a little icy ginger ale atop the fruit.  

It’s a delicious no-fail beauty whatever you do! You can cut the pineapple into fourths for smaller servings; if you do this, you’ll need to serve them in shallow bowls. 

Tip: As a dinner course, rather than as a salad, toss the pineapple pieces with chopped grapes, celery, shrimp or solid-pack tuna chunks, avocado, walnuts, and perhaps finely chopped red bell pepper. Toss with your favorite dressing before heaping into the pineapple shells and garnish with parsley or mint. 

Opting for the ice cream/cookie dessert option? Here’s the perfect Easter cookie from the kitchens of Land O’ Lakes butter.  

Lemon Meltaways 

1 1/4 cups flour 

1/2 cup cornstarch 

1/3 cup powdered sugar 

3/4 cup butter, softened 

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

Frosting: 

3/4 cup powdered sugar 

¼ cup butter, softened 

1 teaspoon EACH grated lemon peel and lemon juice 

For cookies:

In a large mixer bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat at low speed, scraping the bowl often, until well mixed. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into an 8-inch-long roll — it will be narrow. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm — about 1 to 2 hours. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap rolls and with sharp knife, slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 8-12 minutes or until set. Cookies will NOT brown. Cool completely. Frost. 

For frosting:

In a small bowl combine all frosting ingredients. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until fluffy — about 1 to 2 minutes. 

Tip: Even though these are lemon cookies, you can use a few drops of food coloring to make an Easter-themed pink or green frosting. 

    A bright mix of fresh pineapple and seasonal fruits adds color and flavor to any Easter gathering.
  

    Light, buttery lemon meltaway cookies offer a simple, festive finish to any Easter meal.
  

    Valle Novak
  

Editor's note: For many years, Valle Novak wrote gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. "Weekend Gardener" and "Country Chef" became renowned for their humor, information, and common-sense advice on how to do everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns such as this one to delight her many fans.