Although it doesn’t feel like Spring in Chicago, Easter is just around the corner. Whether you’re hosting or attending Easter festivities on Sunday, I’ve compiled few of my favorite goodies for inspiration.
Ingredients:
- 6 boiled eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 12 black peppercorns
Instructions:
- Lay an egg on its side, and cut a small slice off the bottom (flatter) end. This is the base of the chick. Then cut about 1/2 – 3/4 inch off the top (pointy) end. This end piece is going to be the top of your chick.
- Scoop all the yolks out of the eggs (don’t forget the tops too), and mix them with the mayonnaise, mustard and salt. Put this filling into a plastic bag with a corner end snipped off, and pipe it into your eggs. Make sure the filling is about an inch taller than the top of the egg white so you will have plenty of room to make a face.
- Place a top slice of egg white on each chick.
- Use a knife to slice your julienned carrot into pieces 1/2 inch long. Place 2 peppercorns and a piece of carrot into the yolk of each egg to make the face. You may find it easier to use tweezers for these tiny pieces.
- Arrange the eggs on your serving tray, then add feet by slipping the remaining slices of carrot under their bodies. Again, tweezers can help with this step. Place 3 pieces together on each side to make the feet.
- Serve cold. Best served within 2 hours.
Ingredients:
- 15 Large Cherry Tomatoes
- 16 stalks of chives
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1 cucumber
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- With stem side down, cut a cross in the top of each cherry tomato (about ¾ down the tomato).
- Using a spoon (grapefruit spoon works very well) to gently scrape out the tomato seeds.
- Take a grilling skewer or toothpick and make a hole where the stem currently is. You may need to twist the skewer in a circle a few times to make room for the chive to fit through.
- Finely chop or grate cucumber.
- Mix cream cheese, cucumber and basil in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into each tomato tulip (adjust depending on size of tomatoes).
- Insert a chive into the hole at the bottom of each tomato.
- Use a damp paper towel to clean any excess cream cheese filling from outside of tomatoes.
- Prepare the tulip bouquet on a large plate or platter. Use the extra chive stalk to wrap around the tulip stems to complete the bouquet.
- Fresh ricotta
- Lemon zest
- Toasted bruschetta (baguette bread)
- Basil leaves
- Delicate honey, such as acacia
Instructions:
- Prepared baguette toasts.
- Mix fresh ricotta with lemon zest, and spread onto toasts (do not rub with garlic or drizzle with oil in this variation).
- Add a few basil leaves, and drizzle with a delicate honey
Ingredients:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
- 2 cups plus ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- ⅓ cup fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice
- 1 heaping tablespoon grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9″ X 13″ baking pan by lining it with criss crossed pieces of aluminum foil that have an overhang of an inch or two. Spray with cooking spray unless using non-stick aluminum foil.
- Cream the powdered sugar and butter in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups of the flour and beat on medium speed until mixed. Press into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
- Beat the eggs, sugar, Meyer lemon juice and lemon zest in a large bowl either by hand or with a mixer. Sift the reserved ½ cup flour and baking powder into the mixture and mix well.
- Pour over the hot crust and return to the oven to bake for another 20-25 minutes. Check for doneness at 20 minutes, and add on time as needed.
- Cool completely before cutting, then dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Lattes With Lipgloss 