Old Fashioned Easter Ideas

We recently asked fans on our Facebook page if they were doing anything old fashioned for Easter.

Here were some of the comments:

Ann K - We always use onion skins to color eggs.
Great tip Ann! You can use onion skins (red and yellow), beets, cranberries, and several other natural ingredients to dye your eggs. These ingredients give off a wonderful earthy look. Here's more ideas for dyeing eggs naturally this Easter.

Kim P - I always buy my grand daughters and nieces kites to fly at my mom's on easter after our dinner and egg hunt. No one flies kites anymore so we have made it a family tradition. Last year a few of the grown ups even brought their own to fly.

Bianca G - Can't get any more old fashioned than Passover matzoh,  lamb, horeradish, and pickled fish.

So what about you? Doing anything old fashioned for Easter this year?

Here are some ideas for table decorations this Easter!

Turn a recycled white sheet into a spectacular Easter tablecloth by sponge painting bunnies, baskets and eggs in bright spring colors. Be sure to use textile paints so the tablecloth can be washed and used another year. Fabric paints are also available in squeeze applicators with glitter colors for decorating the sponged Easter eggs. Paint will need to dry at least 24 hours prior to use.

 Make a festive napkin ring by threading a sewing needle with narrow elastic thread and stringing jelly beans onto it. You may need to put a little vegetable oil on the needle to help it slide threw the candy. Tie off the ends to form a circle and slide it over the rolled napkins for a cute way to dress up the table. Add a solid colored doily under the plates for a festive way to dress up the table.

You can serve creamy lemon pie or light strawberry custard, strawberry almond pastry or let the kids decorate personalized tulip cookies. The menu options are endless but I suggest you keep the choices light and festive. Tableware does not need to match but keep to a color theme of bright spring colors or soft pastels.

If you are looking for something fun, try these Easter egg hunt ideas!

Baking Bread & Serving Salad for Twenty

Tomorrow I am bringing food in to my daughter's school for the Teacher's Dinner the PTO provides. I decided to bring a salad since last week I had blogged about greens and salads. I'm going to stop and get the ingredients at the last minute so it's fresh. I have a bottle of Ranch Dressing and a bag of Caesar Croutons purchased this weekend. I have apple bread in the oven tonight. This is the recipe I used:

Apple Bread

Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3- 3 1/2 cups diced apples *see note
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Mix together the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla til combined in a medium sized bowl.
In a large bowl sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add the apples and mix in with the flour. Next add the wet ingredients, stirring with a large spoon until combined. Divide between two loaf pans that have been sprayed well with cooking spray or buttered. Place the pans on a cookie sheet and bake on the middle rack at 325 degrees F. for 1 1/2 hours. Cool, and slice.

Notes: I bought a bag of marked down assorted apples at the store, peeled and diced enough for 3 cups, but it was a little over, so I threw those in too. I also sprinkled brown sugar on the top of each loaf before baking. My oven runs hot and I lowered the temperature to 300 degrees F.

I like to cool and slice my bread before bringing it to potlucks or dinners such as this one at school. It's easier for people to put on their plates, plus it allows me to control the number of slices so everyone shares nicely:)





~Brenda