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Easter Dinner Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 02:35:44 PM EST
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What's on your menu today? Martha Stewart is cooking:

Ham from costco,lemon meringue pie,rack of lamb,scalloped potatoes,artichokes,asparagus etc.

Why Costco hams? Martha tweets:

Hams are antibiotic free,lightly smoked over applewood-very similar in taste to the good old Kurowycky hams no longer made

I'm not a ham eater or a vegetarian (although I made Kitchari today (split moong beans and basmati rice -- with tumeric, cinnamon sticks, cardomon pods, bay leaves, cloves, cilantro and ginger heated in ghee).

What do vegetarians eat on Easter? Check out Vegan Soul Power by a vegan law student --it's filled with great photos and what looks like good recipes.

Here's an open thread. What's the best thing you cooked or ate today? Or, talk about something else, your choice.

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    Easter Dinner Open Thread | 47 comments (47 topical)

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    Wishing all (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 02:37:05 PM EST
    a very enjoyable Easter :)

    Eggs (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 02:42:06 PM EST
    A new study just came out suggesting that female mammals may not be born with a limited amount of eggs.

    Scientists have produced strong new evidence challenging one of the most fundamental assumptions in biology: that female mammals, including women, are born with all the eggs they will ever have.

    WaPo

    Well, then (5.00 / 2) (#26)
    by Cream City on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 06:23:09 PM EST
    thank heavens for menopause.

    Parent
    AMEN!!! (5.00 / 1) (#36)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 11:04:40 PM EST


    Parent
    Wow! That is amazing! (none / 0) (#23)
    by befuddledvoter on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 05:40:30 PM EST


    Parent
    My husband is on 24 hour duty (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 02:42:37 PM EST
    We will celebrate tomorrow before I leave for Northport.

    Duty officer? (none / 0) (#17)
    by scribe on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 04:42:08 PM EST
    In my unit, bachelor officers used to trade their duty dates with the married ones, so the married ones could have the holdiays with their families.

    Sometimes some money changed hands, but I was never one of those.

    Besides, it was always a bit of a kick wearing your blues to work on Thanksgiving.

    Parent

    I think it has to do with the fact that most of (none / 0) (#31)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 09:06:27 PM EST
    Ft Rucker are aviation officers.  They go to the war zone and somehow get dibs on air conditioning, other troops are told that the pilots must get at least 6 hours of sleep before you can roll them out of the sack cuz they fly. They can't imagine something like 24 hour duty happening to them until it does and then they have no plan B other than showing up.  I mean this joking.....but then again I wonder if I do.  We did get to have dinner though tonight during his dinner hour, Ft Rucker had to make a casualty notification tonight..........sucky day to hear your soldier has been killed.  Like there is a good day though for that.

    Parent
    Does the duty office still answer the phone (none / 0) (#37)
    by oculus on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 11:11:44 PM EST
    with "sir" no matter the gender of the caller?  Or was that just the USN in an earlier era?

    Parent
    My husband answers the phone (none / 0) (#49)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 11:21:52 AM EST
    "This is blah blah blah blah, can I help you maam sir?"  And he says it so fast it's all smashed together.  You would have to expect him to say what he's saying in order for it to make sense to you.

    Parent
    That's a vast improvement though. (none / 0) (#51)
    by oculus on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 12:25:47 PM EST
    When I would call the ship in Norfolk it was always "sir."  

    Parent
    Southwestern grilled pork/prawn kabobs (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by nycstray on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 03:11:56 PM EST
    spiced black beans and some dirty rice. Oh, and I'll prob grill up some asparagus also. Sharing with the dog as she likes Southwestern dishes {grin} and the cats are having seafood. I'll grill up some un-spiced prawns for them and serve it with minced clams and lamb heart. They'll get some asparagus also as I think they all like them . . . .

    Lunch was Port white bean soup. Always a hit with the dog . . . .

    Grilled rack of lamb (5.00 / 0) (#22)
    by Dr Molly on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 05:29:19 PM EST
    marinated in olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. Asparagus. Grilled peppers and sweet onions. Rice pilaf. Strawberry cheesecake.

    I have some vegetarian friends here who are so creative on holidays. I talked to them on the phone today - they are making some kind of veggie savory mix and then putting it all into a puff pastry. They shape the puff pastry into the Easter Bunny and bake.

    I had intended (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by Matt v on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 11:33:46 AM EST
    to dine at my local Catholic House of Wafers -- said to be offering steaks of Sollemnitas Sanctissimi Corporis served with individual carafes of delicious, freshly- drawn Sanguinis Christi.

      Regretfully, when I called to verify the menu, I was told that no, they would only be serving their regular fare of bone dry, palate-conglutinating wafers, sans any libation whatsoever.

      Sigh... needless to say, I was more than annoyed and decided to stay home and settle for Kosher ham, instead.

     Snark

    what do buddhists eat on easter? (2.00 / 0) (#33)
    by No Blood for Hubris on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 10:10:03 PM EST
    pretty much whatever we eat for the rest of the year, as it happens.

    not that anyone asks if I celebrate easter before wishing me a happy one.

    it's just the assumption of sameness that feels so odd.

    I don't celebrate Easter (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 12:52:54 AM EST
    but it's a common courtesy to wish people a happy holiday when some are celebrating it. Whether it's Passover, Easter, Christmas or Hannukah, it's a community spirited thing to do.

    Parent
    As it happens, you are (none / 0) (#34)
    by Inspector Gadget on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 10:16:42 PM EST
    not the only Buddist posting in this thread. Just the only one who took exception to the wishes for a happy day.

    Parent
    Interesting that you feel odd. (none / 0) (#35)
    by caseyOR on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 10:27:30 PM EST
    I, too, am a buddhist. I was raised Catholic, though, and always had good friends of other religions and no religion. Perhaps that is why I don't find it odd to both give and receive warm wishes on christian or jewish or muslim or any other holiday. It just feels like spreading goodwill.

    I love a good holiday. And I really love holiday food. And Easter, a holiday that demands the consumption of chocolate-- what's not to like?

    Parent

    I'm not a buddist (none / 0) (#47)
    by Natal on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 08:25:07 AM EST
    but I've always admired their non-judgemental regard for other practices. The Dalai Lama I recently read encourages people to follow their own religious traditions. And as I understood from it would include wishing them well on their special holiday celebrations.

    Parent
    We were going to have Easter ham - (none / 0) (#4)
    by DFLer on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 02:49:09 PM EST
    burgers, then a friend gave us a ham....yeah!

    Hmm (none / 0) (#5)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 03:05:05 PM EST
    I matched pretty closely to what Martha Stewart had. I had ham, not bought at Costco, asparagus and scalloped potatoes last night. The Costco hams are good. I have had them before but you have to realize that Martha has a vested interest in promoting Costco. They sell hams with her name on them there.

    Heh, tell me what Martha doesn't have a (none / 0) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 03:25:52 PM EST
    vested interest in promoting?  K-mart?  Macys?  Michaels? Tips of icebergs?  Martha is everywhere.  She's well diversified :).........  speaking only for the jealous.

    Parent
    Very true. (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 03:27:21 PM EST
    I wish I had her talents too!

    Parent
    Can't remember where I was reading about (none / 0) (#9)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 03:31:54 PM EST
    her start up times, but something that I read talked about someone pointing out to Martha that the modern American woman didn't have the time to live the way she hoped to portray in her brand of "Good Thing" living.  Martha's reply was that that is true but we all wish we did.  Boy does she have us nailed :)

    Parent
    IMO (none / 0) (#12)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 03:42:47 PM EST
    one of the things that Martha has done is completely change the way many people think of stay at home moms. People realize that it can be a full time job if you make it so.

    I used to watch her and be really frustrated that I couldn't do all that she did but then I got over it and realized that she has gardeners and a whole staff. That alone makes a HUGE difference. I now look at what she does and pick things here and there that I might like to do.

    Parent

    Martha Stewart and clothes hangers (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by befuddledvoter on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 05:58:45 PM EST
    I watched her show once and she was making padded clothes hangers from scratch to match the decor in the room.  All I could think of is why?????????????

    I have watched other times as well and have learned quite a bit but sometimes she does just very weird things like the clothes hangers.  Now what kind of person would waste their time on that?  Who even has that kind of time??

    Parent

    LOL (none / 0) (#27)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 07:19:50 PM EST
    I'm glad I didn't see that episode. Her staff must've been brain dead or severly lacking in ideas when they came up with that one.

    Parent
    Look, I'm all messed up (none / 0) (#29)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 08:43:49 PM EST
    Not really, I'm just very visual and the notion of hangers that match the decor of a room is delightful in a mind numbing sort of way.  If I had nothing else better to do I'd do it.  Thank God something more important is always to be found.

    Parent
    Mmmm, Easter pizza (none / 0) (#11)
    by Cream City on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 03:40:03 PM EST
    Now go get some Peeps for dessert to make the nutritional disaster complete.  You're young. :-)

    Oh, okay. Salad cancels Peeps (none / 0) (#15)
    by Cream City on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 04:05:32 PM EST
    and pizza in my diet, too.  No calories at all by the time the lunching and munching is done.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  I just can't figure out why that stuff then sticks to my hips.  Wait, maybe that's the salad!  That's it, the Peeps and pizza cancel out each other. . . .:-)

    Parent
    Well, it's a little late for the leftover brisket (none / 0) (#13)
    by andgarden on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 03:47:48 PM EST
    ;-)

    We're not supposed to eat today (none / 0) (#16)
    by SOS on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 04:10:20 PM EST
    Were supposed to fast.

    In what faith? Christians break fasting (none / 0) (#18)
    by Cream City on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 04:42:32 PM EST
    now owing to the end of Lent.  And we already had our Passover feasting this week, for one of the rites from which the Christian rite was adapted.  And pagans, who celebrated feasting at this time of year first, marked the coming of Spring with food because it meant the end of winter as supplies stored for that season were getting low.  That's what I've read, so I appreciate info that counters it.  Thanks.

    Parent
    The menu today will be (none / 0) (#19)
    by scribe on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 04:44:35 PM EST
    filet of bass, poached or baked, and asparagus, with hollandaise.

    Dessert will be a coconut meringue pie I baked this morning and of which I've already eaten half.

    Potato salad (none / 0) (#20)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 04:49:35 PM EST
    I made potato salad to go with the Inlaws' Ham dinner tonight, at the special request of the MIL.  I apparently make good potato salad.  It's a genetic thing.  My mother also made good potato salad, as does my sister.

    Of course my gene was mutated for less onion (I'm a migraineur) and more pickle juice.  Pickle juice is the secret ingredient for good potato salad.  Shhh, don't tell.

    And with the fine new canola mayos on the market potato salad can even be low in sat fat! ;-).  still high fat, though, but it's that good fat ;-)..

    pot roast (none / 0) (#21)
    by skippybkroo on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 04:58:28 PM EST
    mrs. skippy is roasting a big pot roast w/some potatoes & carrots...should be delisiious.

    Baked Ham with Pineapple and also, (none / 0) (#24)
    by befuddledvoter on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 05:52:04 PM EST
    since we are Italian, ravioli with meat in the sauce.  We also had asparagus and notice that some others posted that also.  Must be a run on them.

    Of course, Easter would be nothing without the "pizzas" which are not pizza as you know it.  Instead, there is a concoction make with ricotta and fresh cheese and mozzarella and cut up Italian meats like prosciutto, capicola, and egg, fresh parsely and black pepper.  It all sits in a unsweetened pie crust, kind of like a calzone.  Then there is the sweet "pizza" which is the ricotta base also with egg and some candied fruit or orange rind.  Usually the sweet pie is flavored with something called mille fiore (thousand flowers).  You would recognize the scent as it smells like a wonderful Italian bakery shop.  Then there are these individual cookie rings in the shape of baskets, large enough so that you put an egg in its shell in the middle and bake it like that.  The cookie dough is scented with either vanilla or anise.  

    I am stuffed and quite tired.

    First Soft Ice Cream of the Spring (none / 0) (#28)
    by BarnBabe on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 07:52:59 PM EST
    The favorite Milk Shake place opened up yesterday. So the plan was, go to the cemetery and pay respect and remembrance of my Mother, Grandparents, Uncle and others. It is not a sad affair. It is one of saying hi and leaving some posies on the tombstones. It is also interesting reading some of the older stones and wondering how their life was in the history of the world. Then we headed to the shake place and home to the ham dinner. A lady in line said, You mean you have not had the ham yet? Ha. It was in the oven. There is something special in the first ice cream cone after the long winter months. It is a sign of Spring and Summer. It is a good feeling. Happy Easter and Spring to all.

    I've given up beef (none / 0) (#30)
    by nellre on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 09:04:25 PM EST
    Methane you know.
    Harder than I thought it would be.

    Breakfast in the desert: (none / 0) (#39)
    by oculus on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 11:15:18 PM EST
    scrambled eggs/salmon, croissants, coffee and tea.  On the way home:  fresh peach pie and really good vanilla ice cream.  Yummy.

    At the home of friends (none / 0) (#40)
    by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 11:20:01 PM EST
    the usual, but delicious, ham, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, home baked bread.

    Big great news, though, is the two guys I'm closest to here told us at dinner they've booked the local inn to get married the day after it becomes legal in Vermont!  They've been together a long time, have two adopted daughters, did the civil union thing some time ago, but now they actually get to be married.  Should be one heck of a good party!

    Beautiful day in Augusta (none / 0) (#41)
    by Amiss on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 11:23:21 PM EST
    And a beautiful green jacket for Angel Cabrera. I was very pleased with the outcome, Thursday I had picked either him or Kenny Perry.

    What a nail-biter day of golf. (none / 0) (#42)
    by caseyOR on Sun Apr 12, 2009 at 11:36:32 PM EST
    I am a casual fan of golf. So,  maybe days like today happen all the time. I have never seen a tournament that went into double sudden death. And, while I was pulling for Kenny Perry, Mickelson and Woods made quite an exciting run today and then collapsed on the same hole.

    I generally don't think of golf as an "on the seat of my chair" sport. It sure was today, though.

    HELP! Asparagus (none / 0) (#43)
    by lilburro on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 12:26:22 AM EST
    Where are you all getting delicious asparagus?  We seem to have been out of healthy looking asparagus for a month or two down here in NC.  Should I be looking to specialty markets, or is there some other solution?  It's been vexing, because asparagus is one of my favorites, and to see crummy aspargus makes me unhappy...and hungry for the real thing.  Don't know the "asparagus season" though, I must admit.

    Easter dinner is now just leftovers, (none / 0) (#45)
    by Anne on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 07:09:06 AM EST
    but it was a blending-of-two-families'-traditions dinner.  In one corner (my daughter's):  our traditional leg of lamb (with lots of garlic slivers and fresh rosemary inserted in slits all over the lamb); at the other end of the table (my son-in-law's): baked ham with "gravy."  The side dishes?  Potatoes roasted with the lamb, garlic mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus, fresh green beans, rolls.  Dessert was fresh strawberry pie, and cheesecake.

    My son-in-law's parents and grandmother had never tasted lamb - which boggles my mind a little - not even lamb chops.  Everyone tried it - agreed it tasted pretty good, but I think lamb is one of those meats that one either likes or doesn't - not much in-between.

    But there were lots of happy tummies...plenty of laughs, thanks for good health and love of family, just a great gathering all the way around.

    Jeralyn (none / 0) (#46)
    by Natal on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 08:03:56 AM EST
    I have yellow mung bean dahl and basmati everyday as my main meal. Very easy to digest with my weak digestive system. I sometimes have chapatis to go with it. Your spice combination looks yummy. I'll have to try it. Usually, I use cumin, hing and some churna combination.

    Happy Easter! (none / 0) (#48)
    by CST on Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 09:29:15 AM EST
    We don't really do it anymore, since we aren't religious.  Although we used to have an easter egg hunt at our house for the neighbors, since they had 7 kids and we had a big yard.  Now everyone is all grown up - so no more easter.

    However, I did go to the Vineyard this weekend and had my first lobster roll of the season yesterday.  Mmmmm....

    It's amazing what taking a 3 day weekend at the woods/beach can do for one's stress level.  Nice to get away from it all.

    Easter Dinner Open Thread | 47 comments (47 topical)

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