🐥🥚🌸 Happy Easter! 🐥🥚🌸
It’s time to hide the eggs, break out the pastels and release the rabbits because Easter is nearly here! Although I’m a Jewish fella, I am very familiar with this special holiday as many of my friends (and Richard) are of the Christian faith and, to me, it signifies the welcoming of new things in the year. And while Winter’s on the wing, it brings a re-birth to the earth as it also welcomes in a lovely change of season (and happier, sunnier weather here in the Northeast)!
And so such a celebratory time calls for a celebratory FEAST! That’s right! Pressure Luck has you covered this Easter with a suggested menu of all of these goodies below!
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Appetizers
Horseradish Deviled Eggs
What’s Easter without eggs?! And deviled eggs are such a crowd pleaser because they aren’t only adorable to look at and pop in your mouth, they also taste absolutely AWESOME! Maybe it’s that Gold’s horseradish mixed with the creaminess of some fluffy, mayo-infused egg yolks but this is one that will go fast so make plenty and use these awesome egg caddies (especially if traveling and taking them to someone else’s house)!
Spinach & Artichoke Dip
This classic dip needs no introduction, which is good because introductions can be awkward and lame. So why not make this ultimate version of this familiar and loved dip for your friends and family? Indulgent. Addicting. Full of cheesy, creamy, green-y goodness!
Cheddar Popovers
Popovers are the soufflé of bread rolls. They’re crunchy/flaky on the outside and warm, soft and buttery on the inside…and they’re TOTAL DIVAS! BUT, they’re also SUPER easy to make! Make them as soon as the guests arrive or serve at the dinner table or for breakfast the next day! No matter when they’re served, they will be loved!
Soups
Roasted Garlic Soup
This soup is such perfection, I can’t even begin to describe the flavor experience you’ll have with one spoonful (or slurp). What’s more? It shows you not only how to make this top-tier soup, but ALSO how to make the BEST Garlic Bread AND BEST Roasted Garlic which you can even use as a spread on some crust French bread! A truly remarkable recipe!
Gumbo
When this recipe came out, it received a LOT of attention. Some fine Creoles & Cajuns both embraced and shunned it. But at the end of the day, I received a TON of messages from people who tried it who said it was the BEST Gumbo they’ve ever had (and yes, this includes a few of the shunners who caved in and gave it a try). THIS WILL BE A HUGE HIT!
Minestrone
Creamy Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Maybe it’s the fact that even tomato haters can’t get enough. Maybe it’s those unforgettable grilled cheese croutons. Whatever it is, it’s a smash hit and will get your table off to the right start! Easily my favorite tomato soup of all time!
Pastas
Chicken Marsala Pasta
One of my most POPULAR pasta dishes and a HUGE crowd pleaser! This dish takes the best of a chicken marsala dish, makes it creamy, adds in a few goodies like sun-dried tomatoes and then gets all tossed up in some Farfalle (bowtie) pasta! What’s more? It’s beautiful to look at!
Eggplant Risotto
No feast should be without a risotto. And having it with melt-in-your-mouth eggplant in a wonderfully creamy, parmesan sauce only ups the ante! I can’t get enough of this dish and neither can many of my readers so I strongly suggest you give this one a go!
Rigatoni Alla Vodka
A crowd favorite, mine is so rich, creamy, tomatoey and cheesy that it’ll pretty much make you never want a different Alla Vodka again. Goes perfect as a side dish or on its own!
Linguine with White Clam Sauce
This is not only one of my most popular dishes because it tastes so magically out of this world, but it’s crazy easy to make! I guarantee you, the happiest of pasta (and clam) lovers will be on cloud nine after just one twirl of this pasta! In fact, hundreds have told me this is the BEST Linguine with Clam Sauce they’ve ever had (for real, though)!
Mains
Lamb Stew
This is one of my personal favorite creations in the Instant Pot. And since lamb seems to be quite the popular dish on Easter, this lamb stew will truly make the people at your Easter table (and their taste buds and bellies) love you forever. It is one of those dishes that is just marvelous on every level, will leave you so satisfied and you’ll be making it again and again!
Holiday Ham
No Easter table is complete without the centerpiece of a delicious, smokey, sweet, honey ham. And this is also one of the easiest and quickest things to make right in your Instant Pot thanks to these stackable pans. Not only that, the leftovers are absolutely perfect for breakfast alongside some french toast, pancakes and eggs. They also make a great lunch if you heat some up, slap some on between two slices of bread, put a little cheese over it and grill in a frying pan!
Baby Back Ribs
Not only are these one of my most popular recipes, they are also so fall-off-the-bone tender and full of a hickory flavor, your guests will think you smoked them for hours. An absolute HOME RUN.
French Onion Chicken
Ah, my French Onion Chicken. Not only is it one of my most popular recipes, it’s also gone mega-viral within the Instant Pot world! EVERYONE is making it and EVERYONE is loving it. But don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself. Sheer perfection.
Chicken Piccata
Lemon. Butter. Parmesan. Chicken. If you love these four things, come join the ranks of all the others who have endorsed my Chicken Piccata as one of the finest they’ve ever had (and easiest they’ve ever made!
Chicken Marsala
I feel like I keep starting these off with “this is one of my most popular dishes!” but it’s just the way it is! This Chicken Marsala is one of my pride and joys and has received so much praise, it would be foolish to leave it off this list. A truly magnificent dish on every level full of a deep flavor of mushrooms, marsala wine and a brown buttery sauce. Just sensational.
Shrimp Scampi
Calling all SHRIMP lovers! This dish couldn’t be quicker to make nor have tastier results! And if you love shrimp, you KNOW you’ll love it scampi-style! Full of a rich, garlic-wine sauce, be sure to have a good loaf of some bread to lap up that sauce!
Shrimp Boil
Oh you want MORE shrimp? And perhaps low-country boil-style? Okay. Twist my arm. Another recipe that is literally a dump-it-in-the-pot and relax while it cooks. Once that lid comes off and you dig into this treasure, you’ll be hooked on it for life. Mark my words.
Turkey, Stuffing & Gravy
A turkey (or some type of bird) isn’t only for Thanksgiving and if you have a smaller size family or are only dining for 2-4, then THIS is the recipe for you! Not only does it make some of the most tender, juicy and beautiful turkey ever, but it also makes it with some of the best gravy!
Sides
Collards & Black-Eyed Peas
These Southern staples are some of the best sides dishes that goes along with basically anything – or even standalone. Dress ’em up properly and you’ll hear cheers across the board.
Magical Macaroni Salad
This loaded macaroni salad takes it to the next level and is SO easy to make (not to mention, it’s pretty to look at). The perfect companion to those Baby Back Ribs.
Cranberry Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Ah, the controversial Brussels sprout. Many love it, others hate it. I used to be in the latter camp but NOT ANYMORE! The amounts of flavor this incredible vegetable side provides is so outrageous (sweet AND savory), that I’d be willing to bet that anyone who hated them before will become a convert and love them forever! If you want them in a more spicy, Asian-style, try these out too!
Maple Glazed Carrots
These carrots are as close to candy without being candy as you’re going to get. A wonderful sweet side that is a great alternative to sweet potatoes coated in a delectable maple sauce and made in no time at all, you’ll have no trouble convincing any kids to eat their veggies AND love it at the same time!
Cauliflower Purée
How about foregoing mashed potatoes this year and settling for something SO much healthier and less carb-y, but will also fool everyone into thinking they were actually eating mashed potatoes? I’m not even kidding here – I’d be the first one to call out if something didn’t taste like something else but this one is so astounding in the texture and taste that you won’t even be able to tell. Even the staunchest of cauliflower haters will be proven wrong on this one. How do I know this? Because I used to be one of them myself! This is a HUGE hit at every gathering I serve this at.
Aligot
Okay so you know that thing I said about mashed potatoes above? I couldn’t resist and had to do one anyway – BUT not the way you may be used to! Aligot (pronounced “alley-go”) is a French dish that takes mashed potatoes to the next level. Like 40 levels higher. And this is because we add in a TON of cheese to our potatoes along with some cream to make them stretch and stretch and STRETCH to give you literally the CHEESIEST mashed potatoes of your life. Serve this with some of that Turkey or Brisket gravy on it and you’ll never look back. This side dish is going to WOW everyone at your table!
Desserts
Dulce de Leche/Caramel
Dulce de Leche (which is a super creamy) with one ingredient necessary. Need I say more?
Best Banana Pudding
So this INCREDIBLE dessert is not only my most popular recipes, but it also requires ZERO cooking (that’s right – you can give your Instant Pot a break for this one)! Whenever I make this, people fall into food ecstasy and the whole thing is gone within a matter of minutes. You should also check out this perfect and portable trifle bowl to make it in!
Apple Crumble
This All-American dessert FULL of soft apples entrenched in a rich and gooey caramel-maple sauce is one of my most popular requests! Serve it after ANY meal with heaping scoops of vanilla ice cream and extra caramel sauce – especially with the Baby Back Ribs to keep in line with that American theme.
Bread Pudding with Bourbon Glaze
It’s hard to resist this. It really is. So DON’T! This bread pudding is so easy to serve and is super moist thanks to the cooking of it in a bundt pan. Great for portion control as this is one SUPER decadent dessert! And that bourbon glaze we’ll cascade over the bread pudding in the final step just sets everything over the edge!
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
A cake so moist, so pineapple-y and SO flavorful with a brown butter sauce cascading over the top, your eyes may roll back in pure bliss. Serve this one up right after the Polynesian Pineapple Chicken (or any meal).
Bananas Foster
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Enjoy this wonderful day and festive meal! ???
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