Easter Menu

I am about halfway through food prep for Easter. This will be the first time I host a “family holiday gathering – but I’ve done plenty of parties, so its more fun than trouble. Except for the housecleaning…

Here is the menu:

Appetizers

veggies and dip
hummus and crackers
shrimp cocktail
others brought by guests
assortment of olives and pickles (with meal, also)

Meal

Orange-glazed ham with rosemary
Tarragon Chicken
tomato and green bean salad
asparagus parmasan
baked creamy mashed potatoes

Dessert
Assorted brought by guests

The menu is actually very easy. The potatoes are already mashed and in the fridge – just pop them in the oven tomorrow. Chicken is done except the sauce. Hummus is made. Lori is doing the veggies and dip. I’ll blanch the green beans and make the vinegarette in the morning for the bean and tomato salad. Aspargus is WAY easy. Ham is WAY easy. Even if I waited until after church to do the salad stuff, it can all be done easily while the ham cooks for a few hours.

The problem is cleaning the house (a formidable task given that I am terrible at keeping up with housework and I am still recovering from close to three years of CONSTANT complete house rennovations…. dust, dust, still dust everywhere!) and attempting to create enough space for 12-14 people when I still have two (yes two!) upright pianos AND an organ just about as big in my living room. Don’t ask…

Ovbiously, this will be a buffet-style meal. 🙂 I’ve figured out a way to have “food stations” in different rooms since there is no place for even a buffet table sort of thing.

Luckily, my dear friend Lori, who lives upstairs had been helping a bunch and is even going to clean my stove and preheat the oven for me while I am at church. And, between the two of us, there will be enough dishes and all. That reminds me, I have to look for my Mom’s crystal. It is in the attic…somewhere…