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Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,775
Registered: ‎07-26-2014

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

@sabatini  @VanSleepy  Smiley LOL  ThankYou-smiley.gif

"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."


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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,309
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

Those are all great suggestions!  Thank you for the ideas I am feeling a little more confident about it now.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,496
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

OMG!!!! Those potatoes are amazing and so delicious!!! Not the healthiest thing but sooo good!! 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,859
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

@Mz iMac Would you please post your recipe for Funeral potatoes 🥔
"Kindness is like snow ~It beautifies everything it covers"
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Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,427
Registered: ‎04-28-2010

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

The easiest is heating a ham in the oven.  (We heat a lage canned ham.)  

 

Also a large bowl of pasta with pasta sauce.  Easy.

 

Ask the guests to bring various side dishes.

 

Have a wonderful Easter with your guests and their children. 

 

 

 

 

'More or less', 'Right or wrong', 'In general', and 'Just thinking out loud ' (as usual).
Honored Contributor
Posts: 22,248
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

I'm only having immediate family, and my husband said I can't let anyone guilt me into having the whole bunch, as I did for the last four years. My menu is simple.

Ham

Mashed potatoes

Sweet potatoes

Green bean casserole

Fruit fluff

Broccoli & cauliflower salad

Carrot cake (purchased)

Heat & serve rolls

 

Most things can be made in advance. I hope you have a nice Easter @isaboo. Keep it simple, suggest others bring the sides and enjoy your company.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,354
Registered: ‎06-29-2015

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

[ Edited ]

@Starpolisher wrote:
@Mz iMacWould you please post your recipe for Funeral potatoes 🥔

@Starpolisher, here you go:

 

Easy Cheesy Potatoes Recipe (Funeral Potatoes)

Spoonful of cheesy potatoes in a white casserole dish.

FYI: For more info on the history of funeral potatoes, the Wall Street Journal has a great article. Just google it, as I can't post a link.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 (30-ounce) bag plain diced or shredded hash browns , thawed
  • 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
  • 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup (or celery or mushroom)
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 1 bunch green onions (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese , plus more if desired

Topping

  • 1-2 cups crushed cornflakes (or ritz crackers or panko crumbs)
  • ¼ cup melted butter

Instructions

 
 
  • Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Make sure your potatoes are mostly thawed and drain any excess water.
  • Combine ingredients. In a medium bowl, stir together 30 ounce hash brown potatoes, 16 ounce sour cream, 1 can cream of chicken, 1 bunch green onions (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder), 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese until combined. Spread into the baking dish. Top with extra cheese, if desired.
  • Bake. Spread 1-2 cups crushed cornflakes over the top. Drizzle with 1/4 cup butter. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling hot. If using cubed potatoes instead of shredded hash browns, bake 40 minutes or more. 
  • Serve. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy while warm! 

Notes

 
Make-ahead: Prepare in a baking dish as directed, but leave off the cornflake topping. Then cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. When you're ready to bake, let the dish sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Then sprinkle the cornflake topping over the potatoes and bake as directed.
 
Freezing: Prepare the dish according to instructions (don't add the cornflake topping). Pour it into a baking dish or a disposable pan for easier clean up. Cover the pan tightly, then store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
 
When ready to enjoy, let thaw in the fridge overnight. Add the topping just before baking, then bake as directed (it may need to bake a few minutes longer since it was frozen, so just keep an eye on it).
 
Muddling through...
Honored Contributor
Posts: 27,802
Registered: ‎10-03-2011

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

[ Edited ]

DH and I always host and it's always a traditional meal for our family; baked ham, crockpot mac & cheese, funeral potatoes, glazed sweet potatoes, 2 green vegetables, mashed cauliflower, deviled eggs, sweet & sour cucumbers, olives, croissants & butter.

 

@isaboo - I haven't read all the replies.  Do you want to serve a dinner or a brunch?  Brunch would probably be easier; a meat & egg breakfast casserole, funeral potatoes, a French toast casserole, a bowl of mixed berries or mixed fruit, roasted asparagus.  If you are attending church on Easter morning, you could have the casseroles assembled then get them into the oven as soon as you get back home.  You could buy cookies or a dessert at Costco or Sam’s, to make it easier on yourself, or hav3 someone else bring dessert.  

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,055
Registered: ‎01-13-2012

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

Our family has always had a pot luck setting.  The host makes ham and provides beverages and everyone else brings their own"specialty" so we always have sides, desserts, etc.  No one should have to serve it all.  Little kids love to hunt for eggs so we stuff the plastic ones with coins in addition to candy and other goodies.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 22,334
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Ideas for hosting Easter gathering?

[ Edited ]

We are having regular church service, then a short program, and then a Pot Luck dinner at Church.

It turns out really well, and we have quite a few really good cooks and bakers in our congregation, so we always end up with so much good food and desserts.......

 

Its nice though. My daughters don't live too close so Easter is the one holiday they don't come down for......

My one daughter and her husband and two daughters are usually in Florida-but not this year...... 

 

My single/divorced daughter may come down and go to church with us though. I hope so!!!