Happy Easter!!!

Here's our cute little Easter bunny from last year. :)Easter weekend is finally here! I definitely miss being around my big extended family at Easter time. My grandma always made a huge, delicious dinner, and my parents have lots of cute pictures of me wearing a frilly dress and hunting for eggs with my cousins every year. My Dad and my uncles hid hundreds of eggs every year for us to find, all around my grandma's yard! I wish we could take Kirsten to a big family party like that. Couldn't we just adopt some cousins for Kirsten? I want those fun pictures!

I guess we'll just have to do the best we can. I'm getting an Easter basket full of goodies ready for her, and planning out my Easter menu. I've decided to try all new recipes this year! Here's what I'm planning on making:

Easter Baked Ham-

One ham, precooked (I'm definitely doing a half of a ham!)
2 cups of apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ cup packed, dark brown sugar
1 can pineapple slices, drained
Preheat oven to 350F and place the ham with the fat side down in a non-stick
roasting pan. Pour the apple cider or apple juice over the ham and set aside.
In a separate bowl place the Dijon mustard and brown sugar together with a little bit of melted butter. Rub all over the ham.
Bake the ham for approximately 8 to 10 minutes per pound of ham. During the
last 15 minutes of cooking add the pineapple slices and a sprinkle of brown
sugar.

4-Cheese Au Gratin Potatoes-
(I'm so excited for these! I love potatoes and I love cheese, so putting them together is just heavenly!)

4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 cups shredded cheese (I think I'll use Sharp and Medium Cheddar, Jack, and Swiss)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 1 quart casserole dish.
Layer the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

Easter Jello-
(because you need to have a jello fruit salad type of thing on Easter!)

1 6 oz. pkg. of lemon Jello

2 cups boiling water

1 cup orange juice (really needs OJ, don’t substitute cold water)

1 cup Cool Whip, thawed

1 can drained, mandarin oranges

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add orange juice. Allow to partially set up in refrigerator. While it is slightly thickened add in 1 cup thawed Cool Whip and 1 can drained mandarin oranges. Mix together and refrigerate, allow to set until firm.

White Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries-
('Cause I love them and want an excuse to make them!)

Cadbury Egg Cookies-

I was thrilled to find this recipe for putting those addicting little Cadbury Mini Eggs into cookies! YUM! Head over here for the recipe.

What are you having for Easter dinner? Are you taking your kids to a big family Easter egg hunt? I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!