You want to celebrate Easter with a bountiful brunch or dinner shared with family and friends. But this year, in this economy, many of us find our budgets squeezed pretty tight.
Here’s an idea. How about an Easter Potluck? Invite family and friends and ask that they bring a dish—ideally a tasty something they think of as one of their specialties. That can help make the whole meal more special.
As the host, you can be responsible for the main dish…maybe a leg of lamb—or the traditional Easter Ham. We’ve got a cost saving idea there, too. You could go to one of those specialty ham stores and spend a bundle on a spiral-sliced ham. But we’ve found you can buy a wonderful bone-in ham at the supermarket or warehouse club store (such as Sam’s Club) for a fraction of the price. Check out our video that shows how to glaze, bake and carve a fabulous Apricot Glazed Easter Ham. And scroll down for the recipe links to all our Easter menu selections.
Beverage PairingPairing wine with a potluck is a real challenge – you can’t make an informed wine decision when you don’t know what your guests are bringing and haven’t tasted the dishes. So we’ll base our wine choice on the main dish we are recommending: the Apricot-Glazed Ham.
The main element that will give our wine a run for the money is the sweetness of the glaze. The apricot marmalade and brown sugar in the glaze can wreak havoc on a number of wines, so sticking with a wine that has a touch of sweetness, such as Riesling or Gewurztraminer, is a good bet. In addition, if your ham has some pronounced smokiness, these wines provide nice contrast- whereas a big, oaky Chardonnay could magnify the ham’s smokiness to undesirable levels, the suggestion of sweetness in the Riesling keeps the smoke in check. Similarly, an off-dry rose can also provide a spectacular match.
For guests who are looking for non-alcoholic options, a ginger ale will provide a nice compliment to the apricot glaze, as would a cola. The primary flavors in most colas are a mix of citrus and cinnamon which make a nice match with apricot. For something a little more special, consider some of the dryer “adult” sodas that are becoming increasingly available, such as Fizzy Lizzy’s sparkling pineapple or Dry Soda Co.’s kumquat soda.
Looking for more ideas? We’ve got them right here in our Potluck Easter Menu. These items were selected because, not only do they taste great and are fairly simple to prepare, they also travel well.
Baked Spring Ham with Apricot Glaze
Cheddar Chive Scones
Spring Citrus Salad
Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini
Sun Dried Tomato & Chive Deviled Eggs
Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes
Walnut Tarragon Green Beans
Lemon Curd CupcakesAll of these recipes, and more, are available at
The Food Channel Web site.[[In-content Ad]]
