Easy Easter Dinner Menu For a Few or a Large Group

We won't be hosting a large Easter dinner this year in our little corner of the world--but, we will be having some of our usual menu items on a smaller scale!  Most of these recipes and meal ideas are being sized down for our smaller group--but, next year, they can be multiplied for a larger crowd too!  What is on our Easter Dinner Menu this year?

 Appetizers

Summer Sausage, Cheese & Crackers

Super easy.  Just slice some summer sausage, favorite types of chunk cheese and arrange on a plate with some crackers--plain or fancy.  This year, we will slice a smaller amount of Hickory Farms Summer Sausage, some Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese and some Cabot Habanero Cheese
. This year, our crackers will probably be plain-Jane, Keebler Club Crackers but--that's okay! Next year, we may bring back some fancy crackers--but, sometimes the plain ones are all you need!

Veggies and Dip
 The easiest appetizer ever is a simple vegetable tray.  Chop up carrots, celery, broccoli. cauliflower, cucumbers, radishes, etc. and choose your favorite dip.  Sometimes, I fill a hollowed, round pumpernickel loaf with dip and every dips the bread cubes too!   I won't be serving a bread bowl this year--and will be keeping things simple with a semi-homemade spinach dip.  If you need some dip ideas (or my spinach dip recipe)--check out this dip post.  


Main Dish

 Easter Ham

The Easter ham is always the star of our Easter dinner.  Some years, we order from The Honeybaked Ham Company.  Other years, we make a simple, oven baked ham dotted with pineapple and cloves.  This year, we may make celebrity chef Alton Brown's City Baked Ham recipe

or we may opt for another favorite ham recipe that we have tried in the past! I know that we will have loads of ham leftover with just the four us eating dinner this year!

I will cube up some leftovers for ham salad, freeze some ham slices for sandwiches and some chunks of ham for casseroles and a breakfast quiche. 

Side Dishes 

Most years, I make way too many dishes!  I have a table dedicated to side dishes!  This year, I will keep it simple with just a few family favorites--downsized to fewer portions!

Deviled Eggs

Instead of the couple of dozen deviled eggs that I usually make--I will make a lot less this year! But, I will be downsizing my usual deviled egg recipe to make the number of servings I want--and I doubt their will be leftovers!

Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Most years, I make both mashed white potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes.  This year will probably be no exception.  Buttered mashed potatoes are easy, the kids love them--and they go well with everything.  The sweet potatoes are loaded with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon--and they smell wonderful!

Something Green

This year, I will serving simple sauteed Asparagus, Mushrooms and Garlic and a simple bowl of green bean and corn succotash.

In past years, I have served homemade chicken & noodles, stuffing, and my Grandma's secret potato salad recipe too!

Desserts 
Since the kids generally get loads of candy in Easter baskets and during egg hunts--desserts have never been a huge part of our Easter dinner!  We always have an Easter bunny cake that the kids have made--and sometimes I make a banana pudding dessert or a pumpkin bread pudding.  

All of these recipes and ideas can be easily sized up or down depending on your Easter dinner party size.  This year--we will be cutting everything to halves or quarters--next year, we may need to double some recipes!