Along with springtime comes one of my favorite holidays. Easter! Not only is it a great opportunity to for me to celebrate my faith, but it’s a great opportunity for me to gather my family close and feed them. I love to use my years of restauranteur experience and put out a beautiful spread. Each of my kids and grandkids has a favorite desert that I will make especially for them. And let’s not forget the Easter egg hunt in the backyard for the littles. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to watch them hunt, pick up an egg, put it in their baskets then drop it while picking up another egg. And when they open them up, the treasure inside just lights up their tiny faces. This season is all about the love for sure.

Table Decor

Every table should have the obvious staples like flatware and dishes but done in the right colors, they will brighten up the whole room. I like to use traditional pastels for the table because, well, that’s just my taste. Recently, greys and navy blues are popular as well. Those greys are more neutral and let you blend in color with other tabletop items. Navy blue is a very stately and formal look that really dresses up a table. Especially when you add gold or silver as an accent. Throw a pearl garland in there and you’re all set. Tap into some of your Christmas decorations for this look if they are neutral like the navy, silver, and golds. And do not forget the flowers. I use a large vase and over stuff it with tulips, lilies, sunflowers, greenery, and any other spring flowers I can find. These don’t have to be expensive. Now you can find beautiful budget friendly flowers in the floral department of your grocery store.

Let’s Eat!

Typically, the foods for this holiday are ham, salads, rolls, mashed or au gratin potatoes. But don’t fill up on the main course because, there’s dessert. There are plenty of places around town that sell great desserts, but I enjoy making my families favorites like trifles, red velvet cake with a homemade butter cream frosting and, of course, homemade cheesecake with a raspberry sauce on top. To die for. I’ll include the cheesecake recipe here because it’s an easy one to make and a fan favorite. If you’re more of a sipper than a dessert person than try an after-dinner dessert wine. There are plenty of vineyards around Nebraska where you can buy them. I personally like Soaring Wings in Springfield, NE.

Shhhh…I’m huntin’ wabbits… (anyone in my age group should get that one right away)

Don’t forget about the hunt. If you’re trying to be virus friendly, put one on in your backyard just for your kids or some neighborhood kids you know well and can trust to be protected. There are lots of little tips for a successful Easter egg hunt. I found a some great how to articles just by Googling. They’ll need to be colored first but luckily you can go out and buy an Easter egg coloring kit at most grocery stores. I like the old school kits with vinegar and food coloring but watch out, it’s an older kids kit because it stains and will not come clean. There are others though with paints and things to stick on the eggs and there are smaller kid friendly ones as well.

Whether you’re putting on the big shindig or you’re just having a few family members over, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that you’re blessed. Enjoy those family and friends and take a moment to be grateful for them because I’m sure they’re grateful for you. Happy Easter ya’ll!

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