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?

The 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 and maybe a Sartori Merlot Bellavitanoo.  

 

Our crackers will probably be a mix of plain-Jane, Keebler Club Crackers along with a specialty cracker assortment.

 
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 am making a bread-machine pumpernickel loaf mix this year 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!

 

No matter the ham or the number of guests, I can always count on ham leftovers! After Easter, 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 there 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!

 

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

 

Something Green

This year, I will be serving simple sauteed Asparagus, Mushrooms and Garlic and a simple bowl of green bean and corn succotash. A large, green tossed salad--packed with colorful veggies is a must.

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!