Vegetable casseroles and carrot cake have been Easter menu mainstays for decades, but with the majority of millennials now hosting holiday family gatherings, retro dishes are getting a flavorful facelift with new ingredients and flavor twists.
Chef Kevan Vetter of the McCormick Kitchens offers these tips to put a new spin on Easter favorites:
- Liven up the Easter ham with a spicy-sweet glaze of apricot jam, pineapple juice and chipotle chili pepper. Brush on a spiral-cut ham before roasting in the oven.
- Upgrade a traditional vegetable casserole by sprinkling a layer of cheddar cheese and topping with potato tots. Bake until the tots are crisp and golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.
- Combine two classic Easter desserts in one; swirl carrot cake batter into a smooth and creamy cheesecake base with a hint of lemon. Bake and cut into bars.
Elevate your holiday meal with these creative updates to Easter classics. For more recipes and tips, check out McCormick.com and visit McCormick Spice on Facebook and Pinterest.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix 1 cup each of flour and sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Add oil, 2 eggs, vanilla extract and carrots; mix well. Spread 1/2 of the batter into greased and floured 13x9-inch baking pan. Reserve remaining batter. Set aside.
Beat cream cheese and remaining 1 cup sugar in another large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add milk, remaining 2 tablespoons flour and lemon extract; beat until well blended. Add remaining 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended.
Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture and reserved carrot cake batter, alternately, over carrot cake batter in pan. Cut through several times with knife for marble effect.
Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ham on its side in roasting pan. Mix apricot jam, pineapple juice, chipotle chili pepper and garlic powder in small bowl until well blended. Brush 1/2 of the jam mixture over ham, gently separating slices so mixture can reach middle of ham. Cover loosely with foil.
Bake 1 hour, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Remove foil. Brush with remaining jam mixture. Bake 45 minutes longer. Serve ham with pan drippings.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut up any large broccoli or cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Add milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese and Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Add vegetables; toss gently to coat. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with Cheddar cheese and top with potato tots.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until heated through and potato tots are golden brown and crispy.
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