Whether you’ll have a whole
house full for Easter lunch or will simply be entertaining the family, there
are some last minute, day-of touches to add some Easter flair that’s not
already on the menu.
When setting the table, turn
everyday cloth napkins into a set of bunny ears at each place setting. Lay each napkin out flat, start to roll it
from one corner all the way across to the other creating a scroll on the bias,
and fold in half so you have a looped bottom and two pointy ends for ears. Stick the bottom loop through a napkin ring
to secure. If you haven’t considered
place cards for your table, fold squares of plain cardstock or craft paper you
have on hand into tents and sign each dinner guest’s name with a nice
marker. Or, if something single-serve
like cupcakes will be a part of dessert, stake a small name card into the
frosting and place at the top of each silverware arrangement to mark each seat.
If the meal will be served later
in the day, use the kids’ plastic Easter eggs from this morning to create a
cute presentation of tide-you-over mini snacks for the youngest in the
group. Hand wash empty eggs and line
them in a real egg carton, ceramic half dozen cartons, or on a tray using the
basket’s Easter grass for support. Fill
with things like little carrot sticks, broccoli trees, grape tomatoes, cereal,
small crackers, trail mix, and cheese cubes.
This fun snacking method may keep the kitchen clear long enough to serve
up your dishes.
Serving tea may be your drink
plan, but there’s still time to dress it up, spring style. Mix up a batch of lemonade and use a couple
of drops of food coloring to give it a seasonal twist. Serve each half-and-half for refreshingly
easy Arnold Palmers. Do you have a can
or two of a frozen concentrate in the freezer?
Mix one with a 2 liter bottle of lemon lime soda or gingerale from the
pantry for a 2-ingredient punch.
Tweaks to what you’re already
planning can take a dish from traditional to Easter-ready. A platter of deviled eggs can be turned into
Easter chicks by the way you cut, fill, and decorate them with tiny eyes and
beaks (view a cute example at DesignInMindColumn.blogspot.com). A pan of crispy rice treats can turn springy
if you mix in some pastel chocolate candy pieces from the new Easter basket
candy stash. A tray of otherwise plain
sandwiches can be bunny or egg silhouettes after some cookie cutters get ahold
of them.
Small changes can make for
easy day-of Easter touches to make the day extra special. And what a special day it is as we celebrate
the resurrection of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ! May you and your family have a happy and
blessed Easter Sunday.
Congratulations to the 2015 Algodon Royal Court named
today! View the reveal in today’s paper
and at AlgodonClub.com.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star April 5th.
