Happy Easter! We're Under the Arch

Easter Dinner Series: Desserts

EASTER DINNER: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE WITH HOMEMADE WHIP CREAM

This is my all time favorite dessert and it wouldn't be Easter without strawberries making an appearance. This is another great Kraft spinoff, but with my own homemade whipped cream. 

Homemade whipped cream is super easy and it will be hard to go back to the store bought stuff again!

Ingredients: 

1 1/4 cups milk, divided

1/4 cup Sour cream

3 Tbs. Sugar

2 1/4 cups all purpose baking mix

1 pkg. (3.4oz) Vanilla Instant Pudding

8 oz Whipped Cream (recipe as follows)

4 cups Sliced fresh strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

Whipped Cream

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tbs. Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Beat all ingredients in a chilled small bowl until stiff.

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees.

Beat 1/2 cup of milk, sour cream, and sugar together until well blended. Stir in baking mix JUST until moistened. You don't want to overstir as it will be too tough.  Spray 9 inch round baking pan with cooking spray. With a spatula, spread mixture into the pan. Bake about 12-15 minutes or until goldne brown. Cool 10 mintues and then cool on a wire rack completely.

Meanwhile...

Beat pudding mix and 1/2 cup of milk with wisk for 2 minutes. Stir in 4 oz of whipped cream. Set aside. Toss strawberries with sugar in a separate bowl.

Cut cake horizontally. I use a really sharp long bread knife to get a good clean cut. Place half the stawberries on bottom of cake and top with pudding mixure. Layer the other cake half on top, like a big sandwhich. With a spoon or spatula, spread remaining whipped cream over top of cake and add strawberries for final touch.

This dessert is best when served immediately or keep chilled if making ahead. I usually do everything but the final assembly when making ahead, as the strawberries tend to drizzle and absorb into cake.

It is truly delish!

This is an easy given for the Little Kids...Easter Jello Shapes!

You can find an Easter Jello Mold for fun shapes (found mine at Target). Our mom would make these Jello Easter Egg's each year so of course now I am making them for my own kids. Christiana loved picking out different kinds of colored jello and she helped to make a different color each day.

My Food Philosophy: Because the effort to make good food is a gift to those around me, it's happy memories, togetherness, the living part of life.

Easter Dinner Series: Sides

Well...it's hard to narrow down which sides to share! Our Easter dinner spread usually includes deviled eggs, rolls, cheeses, dips, etc. There is always a salad dish and potato dish to accompany the meal and these two pair well with the Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin.

Spring Salad
A little more fancy than a normal every day sald this recipe includes:

1 Bag of Spinach, rinsed and dried
1 handful of Dried Cranberries (or more to taste)
2-3 Tbs. Toasted Slivered Almonds
1 Orange cut into sections
4 slices Cook Crumbled Bacon
Cheese of Choice (Motzerella, or Crumbled Feta)
Balsamic Vinegarette Dressing

Twice Baked Potatoes
These will be gone in minutes!

4 Large Baking Potatoes
 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Milk (I usually use whole)
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup of Butter
3 Slices of Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 Cup of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, plus more for garnish
1 Tbs. Green Onions

Preheat Oven to 375.
Wash Potatoes, puncture each potatoe with fork a few times to release steam.

Bake potatoes at 375 degrees for about 1 hour or when tender when poked through with a fork.  Carefully slice potatoes in half lengthwise and let cool. Turn oven up to 400 degrees.

When cool enough, spoon out center and place in a large bowl. Leave a little potatoe around the rim so that the skins don't sink and fall inwarrd.

Add softened butter, milk, and salt. Beat with electric mixer until whipped and potatoes are creamy and smooth. I love my Kitchen Aid mixure for this! Stir in green onions, cheese, and bacon.  With a large spoon, fill potatoe skins really full.

Place potatoes on a shallow baking tray and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place in oven and heat for another 15-20 mintues until heated through and cheese has melted.

Stay tuned for Part three of this Easter Dinner Spread - Dessert!

My Food Philosophy: Because the effort to make good food is a gift to those around me, it's happy memories, togetherness, the living part of life.

Easter Dinner Series: Spiced Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

The Easter Holiday is an extraordinary occasion to celebrate. Since we come from a big Catholic family, its one of the most significant days we celebrate out of the year, so it entails a big feast :) So I thought I would post on my Easter dinner menu and hope you can try some or all of these out for friends and family. We will start with the main dish....

Easter Main Dish: Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

It is a special occasion meal that looks beautiful every time. Not only that, it is really simple and I always have all the ingredients on hand.  This can be used for any occasion...

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2 lbs. pork tenderloin

1/2 cup of Catlina or French Dressing, divided

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. garlic powder
1tsp. dry mustard

1tsp. paprika

1/2tsp. dried thyme leaves

2Tbsp. honey

Place pork tenderloin in a baking dish. (I usually put mine on a baking mat and on a baking sheet because it is 10times easier to clean)

Spread about 4 Tbs. of dressing over pork. Combine all spices and rub over the meat on both sides. Place in oven and bake for about 12 minutes. Meanwhile combine the 4Tbs. of dressing and 2Tbs. of honey. Brush over meat after 12 minutes and place back into oven for another 10 minutes or until interal temp is 145degrees. 

It will have a slightly charred look, but the meat will be very moist with incredible flavor, serves 8.
Recipe adapted from Kraft.

Stay tuned for Easter Sides and Desserts!

  

My Food Philosophy: Because the effort to make good food is a gift to those around me, it's happy memories, togetherness, the living part of life.