Garlic Roasted Rib Eye Roast

What You Need:

1 (5 lb.) boneless rib eye roast, at room temperature
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into six slices
1/2 C soy sauce
1 t pepper
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 1/2 C red wine
1 C beef broth

How to Make It:

Bring the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
Make six 1 inch deep slits into the roast.
Place the garlic slices into the slits.
Rub the soy sauce and pepper over the entire roast.
Set the roast into a large roaster pan.
Layer the onions around the roast.
Place the roast in the preheated oven.
Baste the roast with the wine every 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees after 30 minutes and continue roasting for an additional 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
Baste the roast with the wine every 15 or 20 minutes during the roasting time.
Remove the roast, cover with toil and allow it to stand for 20 minutes.
Remove the fat from the top of the juices left in the roasting pan.
Add the remaining wine and broth to the juices and place the pan on the stove over medium heat.
Stir to dislodge any particles stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Simmer the juices for 2 minutes.
Spoon the juice over the carved pieces of meat.

Serves: 6

Rib eye roast are very tender pieces of meat. They are also quite flavorful. By using the wine as a baste it ensures that the meat stays moist during the roasting. Beer can be used in place of the wine for a less sweet taste.

Mustard Roasted Rosemary Lamb

What You Need:

1 (5 lb.) rack of lamb, trimmed
1 t salt
1 t pepper
3 T canola oil
6 T of Dijon mustard
1 C Italian style breadcrumbs
6 T Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
3 t rosemary

How to Cook It:

Allow the oven to heat to 450 degrees.
Line a roasting pan with a heavy duty aluminum foil.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the entire rack of lamb.
Pour the canola oil into a large skillet and position the skillet over medium heat.
Carefully add the lamb to the heated oil.
Cook 6 minutes per side or until the lamb and browned.
Place the lamb into the roasting pan.
Brush the mustard over the entire lamb.
Pour the breadcrumbs and cheese into a large mixing bowl.
Add the garlic and rosemary and toss to combine the ingredients well.
Press the mixture into the lamb evenly.
Roast for 25 minutes for well done, 22 minutes for medium rare and 15 minutes for rare.
Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Serves: 8

If your rack of lamb has not been trimmed before purchasing here is an easy method to do it yourself. At the thickest end of the lamb use a sharp knife and cut between the rib bones. Scrape off the meat to expose the bottom 3 inches of the bone. This will make carving individual chops easier when you slice the lamb.

Engaging in an Easter Celebration

basketbowsThis year it’s your turn to have the Easter celebration. Don’t stress, it’s not as complicated as you might think. Whether you decide to have brunch, lunch or dinner you can make your celebration simple and fun. Here are a few ideas to make the day a true celebration with family and friends.

Brunch Ideas

For many, brunch is the perfect time to have that celebration. Schedule your brunch between 10 A.M. and Noon. Prepare as much of the food you can the day before. This will keep you from having to rise on Easter morning before the sun comes up. Buffet style is a simple yet elegant way to serve your guests. Keep the menu simple yet tasty.

There are numerous foods that can be served at an Easter brunch. For instance omelets, waffles or pancakes can be easy and filling. Ham or egg salad on a buffet table is a good idea. Try breakfast style breads or cakes along with some fresh fruit. Want to be a little more elegant, try a quiche made with ham. Even appetizers and finger foods will fit the bill.

Add a few different drink choices along with some chocolate Easter goodies and you will have the perfect family brunch.

Lunch Ideas

Lunch is normally served between Noon and 2 P.M. This type of celebration leaves you time for church or just sleeping past day break. Lunch is a little more extravagant when it comes to the foods served. Hearty meats and vegetables are added to the menu along with a wonderful Easter dessert. Lunch can be served buffet style or if you prefer make it a celebration around the table.

Your lunch menu should include foods such as ham or lamb. Add devilled eggs or a spinach salad. Hot vegetables like green beans, corn or carrots are also a favorite addition. Gelatin salads with fruit can also be added as a side dish. Don’t forget those luscious desserts. A white cake with pastel icing, pies or cobblers are simple yet scrumptious to end the meal.

Remember to keep it simple and prepare as much as you can the day before. This will help to make your day a little less stressful and give you more time to spend with family and friends.

Dinner Ideas

If you choose to serve an Easter dinner the best time to do this is from 4 P.M. to 8 P.M. Easter dinners usually mean a sit down affair with your best china to make the celebration more elegant.

Keep your foods as simple as possible. Some main course ideas would include a standing rib roast, ham, lamb or salmon. Side dishes should also remain simple. Side dishes could include potatoes, rice or pasta. Green beans, asparagus and artichokes can be dressed up to make an elegant side dish. Dessert should also be served along with a variety of drinks. Remember the appetizers too.

These are just a few ideas to help make your Easter celebration less stressful and more fun. Enjoy the time you have to spend with your family and friends on Easter and don’t forget the egg hunt.

Customary Easter Dinner Foods

daffodilOne of the great things about celebrating Easter is getting together with family and friends for Easter dinner. This tradition has been a part of Easter celebrations for years. Many of the foods we serve have also been around for years. It’s easy to see why and the stories behind these foods make it difficult for anyone to change when it comes to the Easter menu.

Ham is a main course meat that is served traditionally. The reason is mostly symbolic. Before refrigeration pork that was slaughtered in the fall needed to be cured in order to preserve it. Curing pork is a slow process so many times hams were not ready until close to Easter. This made ham the perfect choice for the main meat at Easter dinners. Today we still carry on that tradition in many of our homes.

Another customary meat served for Easter is Lamb. Lamb originated from Jewish Passover. A sacrificial lamb was roasted and then eaten as a reminder of the angel of God who was passing over their Egyptian homes.

Lamb is also symbolic to Jesus who was known to Christians as the Lamb of God. Hebrews who converted to Christianity stayed with their many traditions one of which was the eating of lamb at their Easter celebrations.

Pretzels are a customary part of the Easter celebration. Pretzels were created by Monks who used leftover scraps of dough to make them. They were then given to students as rewards for work well done. Pretzels are said to be representative to praying arms. The three holes in a pretzel represent trinity. Many believe pretzels should be the food of choice during Lent. They contain no eggs, milk or butter all ingredients that are to be avoided during Lent. Some countries also included pretzels in their Easter egg hunts.

Tsoureki is sweet bread also known as Greek Easter bread. It is dessert bread most commonly served during the Greek Orthodox Easter feast. There are many different versions of this type of bread. More often than not the bread includes a red colored egg baked in the middle. In many countries Tsoureki was given as a gift by children to their God parents.

Hot cross buns are also an Easter custom. These buns made from yeast and filled with raisins or currents are a favorite tradition in England. The buns bear a cross on the top and are usually eaten on Good Friday. This is mostly symbolized by Christians. The hot cross buns have pagan roots. The pagans differ slightly on their beliefs of the cross on the top of the buns. Many believe it represents the four quarters of the moon while others feel it symbolizes a sun wheel.

At one time the church tried to ban the buns. Many were upset over this choice. Due to this the hot cross bun was “Christianized.” In fact a law was passed by Queen Elizabeth I that these Christianized buns could only be consumed on Easter, Christmas or at funerals.

There are many foods we carry from year to year to our Easter table that are only customary to our beliefs and our taste buds. This year add something with a little Easter tradition to your meal and remember the reasons we celebrate Easter together.