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Hello, foodies…

I’d like to start off today by showing you some of YOUR pictures. In the chat on Wednesday night, Mary DeAngelis asked if any of you started making Easter recipes and not only are you, but you’re creating some AMAZING things!!

A bunny bread bowl…thanks, Melissa B!

Roxanne P made these adorable Easter cupcakes.

It’s springtime on the farm. Cute, Kristi C.

Now THAT’S Easter grass. Thanks, Katie R.

Kathy S. made this Easter topiary. Decorative and delicious!

Kim G., I’d love to come sit at your Easter table. That looks terrific.

And last but not certainly not least, here are Beth Z.’s Passover macaroons. Happy Passover to all our Jewish foodies.

My mother never made anything quite as fancy as your creations, but my mother’s mother—Burnzie—did. She didn’t always join us for Easter but when we did go to her house or she came over, she brought a coconut layer cake that had coconut milk in the batter and in the 7-minute frosting. Then, she covered the whole outside in shredded, sweetened coconut flakes and put a little nest of jelly beans on top. It was moist, delish, and so good. I recreated the cake in my first cookbook, Comfort Foods That Take You Home. And we also did a version of it on In the Kitchen with David some years back. It’s called my Springtime Lemon-Raspberry Coconut Cake.

Easter dinners at my house were after church and we almost always had ham, sweet potatoes, and green beans from my grandmother’s garden. The day before Easter, we dyed Easter eggs with those old-fashioned kits…we dropped the colored tabs in vinegar and hot water and then dyed the eggs. Sometimes the kits came with crayons and I remember writing messages  or pictures on the eggs. The night before, the Easter bunny hid all the eggs (inside, of course…the Easter Bunny always worried about the weather). And he also hid some candy…like jelly beans, marshmallow bunnies dipped in chocolate, and if we were very good, we found solid chocolate bunnies. Mine were always made of white chocolate.

We always had brand-new Easter outfits for church. My sister got a new dress and my mother would buy my brother and I new suits and bow ties. It was such a special thing to go to out in our new clothes and enjoy the day. I remember being thankful for the new season and fresh flowers, new life, and we all felt very spiritual because Easter is such a special day.

I’m sure many of you share similar Easter traditions and I hope you have a very happy holiday with your friends and loved ones. I’ll be joining you for In the Kitchen with David at Noon ET and I’d love to join you as you prepare the holiday meal or clean up after the chaos! We’re making our second sandwich recipe of the month….we’re reinventing the classics throughout April. So an easy breakfast sandwich is up this Sunday…Ham, Egg & Cheese Pancake Pitas!

Ham, Egg & Cheese Pancake Pita
Serves 4

This recipe is prepared with the Technique® Hard Anodized Set of 2 Skillets with Color Smart (K37511).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups just-add-water pancake mix


• 1-1/2 cups water


• 1/2 cup maple syrup


• 1 Tbsp butter, cut in 4 pieces


• 6 eggs


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/4 tsp pepper


• 2 Tbsp oil


• 3/4 cup finely diced red pepper


• 3/4 cup finely diced onion


• 1/4 lb thinly sliced black forest ham (or leftover ham)


• 4 slices extra sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.


2. Combine the pancake mix, water, and maple syrup in a medium-size bowl. Heat a 9" skillet over medium heat, add 1 piece of butter, and let it melt. Ladle about 3/4 cup of batter onto the skillet and spread it over the entire bottom surface. Cook until bubbly on top and golden on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the bottom, about 2 more minutes. Place the pancake on a baking sheet. Repeat 3 more times.


3. While the pancakes cook, make the eggs. Scramble them in a bowl with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, onions, and peppers and sauté until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft, about 6–8 minutes. Add the eggs and gently stir until you have large curds. Continue cooking until thickened and no visible liquid egg remains. Remove the pan from the heat.


4. Divide the ham slices over the pancakes. Divide the scrambled eggs and place them down the center of each pancake. Top the eggs with a slice of cheese. Bake the pancakes until heated through, and the cheese has melted, about 5–8 minutes.

Talk about easy breakfast recipes! If you're celebrating Easter on Saturday, make yourself this sandwich on Sunday. Or, wait until Monday morning to use up some of your leftover ham. Just promise me you’ll give this a try…you’ll love the flavors in this all-in-one sandwich.

Foodies, for your blog question today, tell me how you’ll be spending your Easter or Passover holiday. Are you going to visit family or friends? Are you hosting guests? Are you going out to eat for the holiday? Staying in with some chocolate goodies? I’ll see you all this Sunday at Noon ET.

Keep it flavorful!
—David