Simple spring platter — ham, carrots and potatoes — places emphasis on fellowship

For our Easter menu this yr we saved issues fairly easy: ham, greens and potatoes. OK, the potatoes are just a little fancy.

As we return to gathering collectively after greater than two years aside, the meals is not actually the purpose. It is the fellowship that is vital.

Our menu:

• Apricot-Bourbon Glazed Ham
• Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts With Lemon Butter Sauce
• Duchess Potatoes

To spherical out the meal, simply add your favourite tossed salad, some rolls and dessert. Talking of desserts, for the gluten-avoiders, we now have a wonderful gluten-free chocolate cake in Concept Alley. And we’ll have extra recipes for candy treats subsequent week.

To streamline getting ready this menu, we suggest beginning the ham first and whereas the ham cooks, peel and boil the potatoes and prep the carrots and brussels sprouts. As quickly because the ham comes out of the oven, improve the temperature to 425 levels and proceed with cooking the edges.

How a lot ham to purchase depends upon whether or not you need leftovers and how much ham you are serving. A normal information is ¼ to ¹/₃ pound per individual if serving a boneless ham; ¹/₃ to ½ pound for partially boned; and ¾ to 1 pound per individual for a bone-in ham. And it goes with out saying, if you’d like loads of leftovers make sure you purchase greater than you suppose you may want.

Absolutely cooked and ready-to-eat hams are clearly labeled. These hams might be served proper out of the package deal, however they will style their finest if heated to an inner temperature of 140 levels. For extra taste, brush the ham with a glaze whereas it cooks.

Absolutely cooked hams can be found boneless, partially boned or bone-in. Use whichever you favor within the following recipe. The quantity of glaze right here is scaled for a small (as much as 7 kilos) ham; in case your ham is bigger, think about doubling the glaze.

Apricot-Bourbon Glazed Ham

• ½ cup apricot preserves or jam
• 2 teaspoons minced or finely grated recent ginger
• 2 tablespoons bourbon (see word)
• 1 (3- to 7-pound) cooked ham (we used a bone-in spiral sliced ham)

Warmth oven to 325 levels. Line a shallow baking pan with foil and spritz with nonstick spray or coat with vegetable oil.

In a small bowl, mix the apricot preserves, ginger and bourbon and blend till effectively mixed.

In case your ham is just not sliced, use a pointy paring knife to attain the ham by making crosshatch cuts all around the floor about ½ inch deep and ½ inch aside, making a sq. or diamond sample. In case your ham is sliced, there is not any want to attain it because the glaze will sink into the sliced areas. Place the ham lower facet down within the baking pan and brush the ham with a couple of third of the glaze.

Bake, uncovered, brushing with remaining glaze each 15 to twenty minutes, till the ham is heated by means of and the glaze is caramelized. Cooking time is usually 10 minutes per pound: A 6-pound ham will take 1 hour.

Take away the ham from the oven, tent with foil and let relaxation for 10 to half-hour earlier than serving.

Makes 4 to six servings.

Notice: Apple cider or pineapple juice plus a beneficiant splash of vanilla extract might be substituted for the bourbon.

Recipe tailored from meals author Katie Workman, founding father of The Mother 100 website

    Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts With Lemon Butter Sauce (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)  We liked this mixture of candy carrots, bitter brussels sprouts and tangy butter.

Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts With Lemon Butter Sauce

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic or garlic paste
• Salt and floor black pepper
• 1 pound entire carrots, trimmed, halved (or quartered if very thick) lengthwise and lower into 2- to 3-inch lengths
• 1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Warmth oven to 425 levels. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

In a bowl, stir collectively 3 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic and a beneficiant pinch of salt and pepper.

Organize carrots and sprouts in a single layer on the ready baking sheet. Drizzle with oil combination and toss to coat.

Roast for 20 to half-hour or till sprouts and carrots are cooked to your liking. (We like our sprouts practically blackened in order that the outer leaves get crispy. This took 28 minutes in our oven.)

In the meantime, in a small saucepan, soften the butter over medium warmth. Stir within the lemon zest and juice. Season to style with salt and pepper.

Switch greens to a serving platter and drizzle with the lemon butter.

Makes about 4 servings.

    Duchess Potatoes (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)  Duchess Potatoes are a bit of labor, however for a particular meal like Easter, they’re price it. The little potato bites are crisp and buttery on the surface and clean and creamy on the within. Leftovers might be reheated in a 350-degree oven for 7 minutes.

Duchess Potatoes

• 18 ounces russet potatoes, peeled and lower into chunks (about 3 small to medium potatoes)
• Salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided use
• Floor black pepper, to style
• Floor nutmeg, to style
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 egg yolks
• Particular gear:
• Piping bag and enormous star tip

Warmth oven to 425 levels. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper; put aside.

Place potatoes in a saucepan and add sufficient chilly water to cowl; season with a beneficiant pinch of salt and convey to a boil. Boil 15 to 18 minutes or till potatoes are tender — a fork or the tip of a knife passes simply by means of them. Drain effectively.

Lower 3 tablespoons of the butter into small cubes.

Press the potatoes by means of a meals mill, ricer or the holes of a metallic colander into a big bowl. Combine within the cubed butter. (If you have no of these, place the drained potatoes and three tablespoons cubed butter instantly within the giant bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher till no lumps stay.) Style and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg after which stir within the heavy cream and egg yolks.Switch the potato mash to a piping bag fitted with a big star tip. Pipe potatoes into little piles on the ready baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes. In the meantime, soften the remaining butter. As soon as the exteriors of the mounds have firmed up just a little, take away the pan from the oven and thoroughly brush every pile with melted butter. Return potatoes to oven and bake 10 minutes extra or till golden brown throughout.

Makes about 6 servings.

Recipe tailored from “Posh Potatoes: Over 70 Recipes, From Wondrous Waffles to Fabulous Fries” by Rebecca Woods