Traditionally, Easter is celebrated with ham or lamb and hot cross buns. Of course, these days, people tend to put their own spin on Easter buffets and now you can find everything from Chinese noodle dishes to Cuban pork on the holiday menu.
My neighbor never prepares ham or lamb on Easter; rather the family sits down to a hearty beef stew after hunting for eggs. (She puts the stew on before the hunt, it cooks while they are hunting, and lunch is served shortly thereafter.) It helps that we live in the Upper Midwest where spring temps don’t usually arrive until mid-June. Heck, we even had snow on the ground for a few Easters.
The point is that you don’t have to have a glazed ham sitting on your dining room table to enjoy a special holiday meal with family and friends. You can simply make my neighbor’s stew, pair it with her family’s favorite spring salad, and get in some quality Easter bonding:
EASY BEEF STEW
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 package beef stew seasoning
3 cups water
5 cups of your favorite cut-up vegetables (carrots, onions, celery, turnips, etc.)
Directions:
Coat beef with flour.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add beef and saute until browned.
Drain fat.
Add seasoning, water, and vegetables and stir well.
Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
SIMPLE SPRING SALAD
Ingredients:
5 cups packed shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup orange sections
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup Meyer lemon olive oil
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
Directions:
Mix vinegar, mustard, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper until you get a creamy consistency.
Add oranges and strawberries to the green and toss lightly.
Top with dressing and serve.
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