Easy Recipes for Working Parents

"Easter Lamb Cake"

 

With Easter just a few days away

I thought I'd add some Easter dishes that are pleasing to the eye, tasty and also fun when you include children in the baking. It doesn't need to be just for Easter, it can also be used for special April Birthdays. 

Don't forget to share with us your baking experience. 

 

"Easter Lamb Cake"

 

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can white frosting
• 3 cups flaked coconut
• 2 black jellybeans
• 1 black shoestring licorice
• 2 drops green food coloring

Directions

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions and bake in two halves of a stand-up lamb cake pan. Cool completely.
2. Stick the two halves of the lamb together using white frosting. Sit the lamb up and frost the entire lamb. Coat the entire lamb with coconut. Decorate with jelly beans for eyes, and licorice for whiskers. Tint any remaining coconut with green food color and use as grass.

 

  Prep Time:   Cook Time       Ready in:

  45 min   35 min    1 Hr 20

 

Servings: 10

Nutritional

Calories: 517

Cholesterol: None

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surprise Birthday Cake

Surprise Birthday Cake

(for me)

by:

Vanessa Hernandez

 

My niece Vanessa is getting ready to make me a home - made birthday cake. I have no idea what she plans to make for me. (today's my birthday. I'm turning 22 again. Tee hee).. I can't wait to see how it turns out. I'm very excited. Because, even though she is only 20 years old, she can create the most beautiful cakes. Stay tuned to see the finished product with pictures.

Ham and Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole Recipe

What a wonderful way to celebrate the Easter Holiday. With great company, plenty of food, easter egg hunts and rock band challenges. What a blast! Now, what to do with the left over ham? Here is a delicious recipe that doesn't take more than 20 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients:

6 bacon slices, cooked, crumbled and set aside

3/4 cup of onion chopped

1/3 cup of butter or margarine

1 package of (oz) country style hash browns potatoes, thawed

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken and herb soup

1 container (16 oz.) sour cream

2 cups of monterey jack cheese

2 cups of diced ham

1/3 cup of jarred sweet red pepper strips, drained and chopped

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

• Melt margarine or butter in large skillet.
• Add onion, cook until golden and tender;
  approximately 6 - 10 minutes.
• Turn off heat.
• Squeeze off excess moisture from potatoes.
• Add to onion mixture along with soup, sour cream, cheese,
  ham, red peppers, salt & pepper. Stir to combine.
• Spoon into greased baking dish.
• Bake covered at 350' F. for 55 minutes.
• Uncover, sprinkle with bacon and bake an additional 15 minutes or until brown on top.
• Let stand for 10 minutes.

Servings: 12

Container: 9x13 baking dish

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

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In Full Bloom

I usually try and post one new recipe a day. But since Easter is just three days away, I thought I'd offer some useful and creative ways to decorate your table for the Easter holiday. This project is  easy, simple and smells good too.  

 

In Full Bloom

 
   
 Center a small glass vase (or a juice glass) inside a larger one. Fill the space in between the two vases with an assortment of brightly colored jelly beans. Pour a few inches of water into the inner vase, then set your blooms in place. Yes, it's that simple.

 

"The True Meaning of Easter"

The True Meaning of Easter

Easter has become a time of easter bunnies, easter eggs, and chocolate; don't lose sight of the real meaning of Easter, namely the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ,

the Son of God

A Christian feast commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is observed on the first Sunday following the full moon occurring on or next after March 21. The word Easter originated from the saxon word "Eostre", the goddess of the Saxons, in whose name sacrifies were offered about the time of the Passover. Easter Day is currently determined as the first Sunday after the full moon on or just after March 21.

The real meaning of Easter is to celebrate the fact that 2,000 years ago Christ was crucified (put to death by nailing his wrists and feet to a cross). He then was laid to rest in a tomb but after three days he was resurrected (rose from the dead) .

Good Friday denotes Jesus' crucifixion and Easter Sunday denotes his resurrection. The tomb in Jerusalem remains empty. Jesus lives, and since he died for your sins, so can you live, eternally!.

"For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son;
that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish,
but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

Easter Traditions: Easter Eggs

 

The tradition of an egg symbolizing the spring season and renewed life is one that spans many cultures. Believed to be a custom in ancient Egypt, Greece, and China, to name a few, people gave eggs as gifts at spring festivals. 

An old myth was that the Sun was a bird that was hatched from an "egg world," and in another version the world emerged from a "Universe egg." 

Often times the color of eggs and the way they are used have certain significance. Some Orthodox Christians still practice a tradition of baking red-colored eggs into bread, with "red" being symbolic of Christ's blood and bread the staff of life.  The egg-encrusted bread is brought to midnight mass for a blessing, and on Easter morning it is given to a friend or family member, usually a Godparent. 

Polish folklore tells of a man who was bringing a basket of eggs to sell at the market on Good Friday.  When he saw Christ struggling with the cross on his back, the man put down the basket to help him.  Upon retrieving his basket, the eggs had miraculously turned into glorious colors.
 
For a time, eggs were forbidden during lent.  People would hard-boil eggs to save them until they could be eaten and given as gifts on Easter.  Now a fun custom for children, dying eggs probably started as a way for families to teach children about the spiritual meaning of Easter.  And as for the Easter egg hunt, what child's interest wouldn't be peaked with the promise of an adventure.   

 

Tortellini Casserole

Tired of the same old Mac & Cheese, change it up with this tasty recipe.

It soon will become a family favorite.

If you're looking for a nutritional meal with less calories

This one is not for you.  

 

Tortellini Casserole

 

Ingredients

1  package (16 ounces) cheese- or beef-filled tortellini

2  tablespoons butter

3  tablespoons all-purpose flour

2  cups low-fat milk

1  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/3  cup dry bread crumbs

1/3  cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Butter a shallow 1-1/2- to 2-quart casserole dish. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, prepare sauce. In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly for 1 minute, until a smooth paste forms. Slowly add milk, whisking with a wire whisk until smooth. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until sauce bubbles and thickens. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and salt. Remove from heat.

3. Drain pasta and return to pot. Toss with white sauce and transfer to prepared casserole; sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese. Bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving

 

Tip

Added some cooked chicken, peas and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Kids ate it up!

 

Heat oven to 450

Makes: 4 servings

Bake: 5 to 10 minutes

Stand: 5 minutes

 

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 510

Total Fat: 18

 Cholesterol: 75

---

Quick After Work Recipe - "Pizza Bugers"

"With only 1 1/2 Carbohydrates, this recipe fits my plan and is simple enough to make anytime."

 

Pizza Burgers

Ingredients:

6 sandwices

1 pound extra-lean ground beef or soy meat

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 small green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 jar (14 ounches) pepperoni-flavored or regular pizza sauce

1/2 cup sliced ripe olives

6 whole wheat sandwich buns, split

1 cup shredded pizza chesse blend (4 ouches)

Directions:

1. Cook beef, onion and bell pepper in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 6 to 10  mintues, stirring

2. Occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in pizza sauce and olives. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.

3. Spoon about 1/2 cup beef mixture on bottom half of each bun. Immediately sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of the cheese; add tops of bun. serve immediately or let stand about two minutes until cheese is melted.

 

Carbohtdrates:  1 1/2

1 Sandwich: Calories 360

Pre: 5 min

Cook: 14 min

 

 

 

   

 

5 - Minute Breakfasts

Awesome oatmeal
Who likes to eat plain oatmeal? I know I don't, and neither do most kids. How about keeping these two blends on hand for doctoring up the dish.
Fruit blend: Diced dried apples, apricots, peaches, raisins, and mango. Spice blend: Brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dash of cloves. Add a few generous spoonfuls on top, and tell the kids it tastes like cookies — because it does.

French Toast
Believe it or not, this is actually really quick to make aWhisk together two eggs, 1/3 cup of milk, a dash of sugar, a few drops of vanilla, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Dip slightly stale bread in, letting each piece soak for a mere two seconds per side; fry it up in a barely greased pan. This amount of batter will be good for about five slices of bread — wrap leftovers individually and refrigerate or freeze for days when you don’t even have five minutes to make breakfastnd very tasty!

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