Easter Dinner 2014 - Sunset Ward Relief Society
Guests of Honor
This month for Midweek Activities we decided to do a dinner to honor the fantastic women in our ward who tirelessly serve in our communities, our ward and stake, and at home in their families. Many of our great ladies have lived a long life of service. Tonight we are serving them.
I wish we'd had a picture that shows the entire length of the room and tables. We had a huge turn out - 77 plus staff. Anna ran the show. She put on a great program that ran so smoothly. Jeni did the arrangements, Karen and Kylee did the decorations. You can't see them very well, but there are cute placemats with Easter crosswords and word searches. Joyce and Judith helped me with the food, and Brother Te Maari and his priests took care of us. It was divine!!!
The Menu :
Fuji Apples, Cranberry, and Almond Mixed Greens Salad with Feta and Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Bread and Butter
Ham Rolls stuffed with Cheddar and Herbed Stuffing
Duchess Potatoes
Broccoli Slaw
Gravy (that silly kiwis thought was applesauce, soup, or who knows what else :) I had to explain this one over and over again. Must be an American thing??)
Devils Food Cake with Chocolate Frosting
These guys made the evening extra special. Brother Te Maari and the Sunset Ward Priests. They were over the top and made us feel cherished! Thank you
The Recipes:
Ham Rolls
12 rectangle shaped ham slices
12 slices of cheddar or swiss cheese
1 box Stove Top stuffing, Chicken flavored, already prepared according to box directions
Lay a ham slice flat on a cutting board. Place a slice of cheese directly onto the ham slice. Add 1/3 cup of prepared stuffing and roll into a sausage shape. Secure with a toothpick. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Top with gravy or white sauce.
Broccoli Slaw
2 heads of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
1 small red onion, minced by hand
1/2 cup bacon bits
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins or cranberries, optional
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
4 TBSP apple cider vinegar
3 TBSP sugar or honey
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the mayo, vinegar, and sugar. Mix thoroughly, then let sit for 5 minutes for the sugar to dissolve.
In a food processor, chop the broccoli and cauliflower into a fine pulp, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. To the broccoli, add the minced red onion, bacon bits, and sunflower seeds. When thoroughly combined, add the mayo mixture and chill for 1 hour. Serve cold.
Duchess Potatoes
2.5 kilograms potatoes, peeled and quartered
100 grams butter
1 cup cream or milk
2 egg yolks
salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste
In a large stockpot, boil the quartered potatoes for 40 minutes or until completely soft. Drain off the water and return the potatoes to the pan. Add the cream and butter and mash into the potatoes. Using a handheld mixer, mix the potatoes until smooth. Add the 2 egg yolks. Mix again until thoroughly combined and allow to cool partially.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper and butter it. Put the potato mixture into a piping bag with a large bore tip and create an ice cream scoop shape. Repeat with the entire potatoes. Create an egg wash by mixing 1 egg yolk and 1/2 cup milk. Use a basting brush to coat the potatoes with the egg wash. This will give them a toasted color.
In a preheated oven, bake at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes. Optional...once you've created the ice cream shapes, you can freeze the potatoes for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready to bake, brush frozen potatoes with an egg wash and bake for 30 minutes.
Apple Cranberry Almond Salads
1 bag of mixed greens
2 apples, sliced or diced
3 TBSP lemon juice
1 cup craisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Apple Cider Vinaigrette or other fruity dressing
In a small bowl, place the sliced apples and the lemon juice. Toss to coat.
In a large salad bowl, place the mixed greens. Top with the lemony apples. Sprinkle on the craisins, almonds, and feta cheese. Add the salad dressing and toss lightly.
