 |
Dear $$firstname$$, TOO BUSY for a fancy sit-down Easter dinner? Try a tasty, time-saving Easter brunch instead. The delicious menu in this BONUS newsletter is made up of impressive-looking dishes that are fast to fix or can be prepared ahead of time. Enjoy! |
 |
 |
|
|
| Glazed Bacon 1 pound sliced bacon |
 |
|
Place bacon on a rack in an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes; drain. Combine the brown sugar, orange juice and mustard; pour half over bacon. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn bacon and drizzle with remaining glaze. Bake 15 minutes longer or until golden brown. Place bacon on waxed paper until set. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings. |
||
| |
||
|
|
|
 I received this recipe from my mother, who lives in an area known for its fine asparagus. You can assemble the casserole the night before and refrigerate. Just remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. --Bev A., Calgary, Alberta |
Asparagus Lasagna 3 pounds fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/3 cup butter or margarine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 5 cups milk 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese |
|
In a large saucepan, cook asparagus in a small amount of water until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes; drain and set aside. In another large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cream cheese, lemon juice, peel and nutmeg until cheese is melted. Spread about 3/4 cup sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles, a fourth of the sauce and a third of the asparagus and mozzarella. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining noodles and sauce (dish will be full). Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings. |
||
| |
||
|
|
|
| Strawberry Cream Tarts 2 packages (6 count each) individual graham cracker tart shells 2 egg whites, beaten 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 cups milk 2 eggs, beaten 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, cubed 2 tablespoons lemon juice 12 medium strawberries, sliced 12 blueberries 6 tablespoons strawberry jelly, melted |
 Dainty tarts filled with custard and fruit are fantastic for brunch. The recipe comes from our Test Kitchen. For a prettier presentation, remove the foil tins before serving. To do so, invert each shell when cool and carefully remove the foil. |
|
Brush insides of tart shells with egg whites. Place on two baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and flour; gradually stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot milk mixture into eggs; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter and lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, spoon custard into shells; top with strawberries and blueberries. Spoon jelly over fruit. Yield: 12 servings. |
||
| |
||
|
|
|
 Although they take some time to decorate, I enjoy giving these cookies to family and friends. You can also make them for Christmas using different cookie cutters. -- Alison B., Chetwynd, British Columbia |
Easter Egg Sugar Cookies 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened 1-1/4 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt ICING: 2 cups confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon meringue powder* 1/4 cup warm water 1/2 teaspoon almond extract Liquid food coloring Pastel organdy ribbon (1/4 inch wide), cut into 12-inch lengths, optional |
|
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. egg-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. If desired, make a hole for a ribbon by pressing a plastic straw 1/2 in. from the top of each cookie. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. For icing, sift confectioners' sugar and meringue powder into a mixing bowl. Add water and extract; beat on low speed until blended. Beat on high for 5 minutes. Fill a pastry or plastic bag with 1 cup of icing; cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Outline each cookie with icing. Tint remaining icing with food coloring if desired. Add water, a few drops at a time, until mixture is thin enough to flow smoothly. Fill in the center space of each cookie, allowing the icing to spread to the outline. Let dry overnight. Decorate with remaining icing. Store in airtight containers. If desired, thread ribbon through holes, tie ends in a bow and hang on an Easter tree. Yield: about 4-1/2 dozen. *Editor's Note: Meringue powder can be ordered by mail from Wilton Industries, Inc. Call 1-800/794-5866 or visit their Web site at www.wilton.com. |
||
| |
||
HAVE A FRIEND who enjoys good home cooking? Feel free to forward this newsletter! This email was sent to: $$email$$ If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up for yourself. Click here. ********** TO CANCEL your newsletter at any time, click here. TO UPDATE your e-mail address and other information, click here. ********** Copyright 2004 Reiman Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. |
