Old Man Winter refuses to release his ugly grip on the Midwest. Easter is a week away and tonight I learned that we’re expected to get 6 to 9 inches of snow before Good Friday.
Seriously, we are currently under a winter storm watch… in April!!
“Hope you didn’t put away your shovels just yet,” chuckled the TV weather guy.
In my opinion, the only shovels we should be using at the end of April are ones designed for the garden. I have yet to see a single sign of spring in our yard, save for some dirt exposed by melting snow.
Plans for an outdoor Easter egg hunt are still up in the air. Fortunately, I have a Plan B in the works should we get snowed in: Cupcakepalooza.
Instead of making a traditional Easter cake, I am planning to create fun holiday cupcakes. In fact, the entire meal will feature cupcakes. I figure if we can’t dig into our frozen yard, we might as well dig into some tasty treats.
The following recipes reveal how you can make eating with your hands a new Easter tradition:
EASTER SURPRISE CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
1 box (18-ounce) yellow cake mix, prepared according to directions on box
24 pastel or white paper cupcake liners
24 small solid chocolate or caramel filled chocolate eggs, unwrapped
2 cans vanilla frosting
Food coloring
Directions:
Prepare cake mix according to box.
Fill cups halfway with batter.
Place one chocolate egg in center of each cup.
Top with remaining batter.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden.
Cool, completely.
Separate cans of frosting into small bowls and add a few drops of food coloring to each mixing well to create different pastel colors.
Frost cupcakes.
MEATLOAF CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 cup panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 cups prepared mashed potatoes
Fresh or frozen peas
Chives or parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the meatloaf by combining the first six ingredients in a large bowl.
Spray a cupcake tin with nonstick cooking spray or line cupcake tin with foil liners.
Fill each cup with a small handful of the meat mixture, pressing down gently until it is completely filled.
Make the sauce by whisking together the ketchup and brown sugar.
Spread a little of the sauce on the top of each cupcake, and bake for about 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through.
Fill a Ziploc bag with the mashed potatoes. Cut a small corner from the bag and then pipe some mashed potatoes on top of each cupcake.
Sprinkle the top of each cupcake with a few peas, chives or parsley to garnish.
Makes about 12 cupcakes.
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