April "holidays" menu

mandysmear

Easter, passover, april fools day, arbor day.  Whatevs.

What are some must have menu items in your family? 
Do you have to switch it up with your S/Os family or is it a low profile holiday?
What else do you usually do traditionally?

annakb8

I like lamb for Easter, but my family never really had any Easter traditions. And its been a long time since I spent Easter at home since I live so far away from them. I actually don't even know what FI's family does for Easter. They keep trying to get us to come down for it, but we aren't really keen on the idea of paying $400+ pp on airfare and using vacation time for a three day weekend.

Mrs.B6302007

My ILs go out to eat on Easter.  Not my cup of tea; I prefer a family meal at home.  We've been switching it up each year so this year we're going to my cousin's for dinner and an egg hunt w/ the kids.

slwager

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_april-holidays-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:d716e73e-94c2-4c3d-9727-37c8bd85406aPost:92399f1d-a67b-4973-982b-db6b5213cf38">Re: April "holidays" menu</a>:
[QUOTE]holy crap I'm going to slwager's house for Passover. Where in NY are you? My family are all still on LI (poor souls).
Posted by mandapanda78[/QUOTE]

i'm in the city but that's my dad and stepmom's place in cleveland.  apparently we're have 33 ppl so i doubt they'd even notice an extra body or two :)

slwager

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_april-holidays-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:d716e73e-94c2-4c3d-9727-37c8bd85406aPost:50470668-afbe-4a72-93d6-692a2468d884">Re: April "holidays" menu</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: April "holidays" menu : Yum. Never heard of a potato kugel (ours are always noodles, and obviously kosher for Passover ones for Passover). Got a recipe you could share? I think I might want to try that!
Posted by tenofcups4me[/QUOTE]

<span style="font-weight:bold;">Potato Kugel</span> <span class="fullpost">
Serves 6-8

4 large potatoes (2 cups when grated)
2 shallots (chopped)
2 oz. oil
2 large or extra large eggs
2 oz self-rising flour (or ½ cup flour plus ½ t. baking powder)
1 t. salt
Black pepper
Italian parsley

Grate the potato and shallots finely (or use a food processor). Place in a strainer and drain about 10 minutes.

Set the oven at 450. Put the oil in bottom of a small rectangular baking dish (or 2 muffin tins) and heat in oven.

Whisk the eggs until fluffy. Add the well-drained potatoes and onion, flour, salt, and pepper. Carefully swirl the hot oil around the baking dish or muffin tins to coat the sides, then pour the excess oil into the potato mixture. Blend thoroughly and pour it all into the baking dish (or spoon it into muffin tins).

Bake for 15 min., then turn the oven down to 350 F for a further hour, or until crisp, well-risen and golden brown. (If you’re doing the muffin tins, it’ll be more like 15 minutes at 450 and 30-35 minutes at 350.)

Garnish liberally with parsley.

...now i'm hungry
</span>

slwager

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_april-holidays-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:d716e73e-94c2-4c3d-9727-37c8bd85406aPost:5717b513-db29-41c1-b91e-3216948b83fa">Re: April "holidays" menu</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: April "holidays" menu : I'm going to Elijah wander into your seder. It sounds a million times better than ours ;-)
Posted by sb9411[/QUOTE]

My stepmom (who is one of the kindest and most loving people i've ever met) loves food more than people.  i'm pretty sure.  but it works out immensely well on the dining front.

mandysmear

I love duck.  I rarely eat it or order it.  But it is delicious.

adamar15

No matter what holiday it is, we always do the pies.  I'm getting tired of pie.

baystateapple

Easter. 

We always have ham baked with pineapple glaze, baked potatoes, and cheesecake for dessert.

We've always had Easter with my family, but this year it's going to be with my ILs.

Church.  I go to services on Good Friday and Mass on Easter Sunday.  This year I'll be going to GF services alone, but H is going to come with me on Easter.

Stackeye210

For Easter we always did Ham growing up.  I hate ham.  Mr Stacks parents do ham as well - except they never do mashed potatoes, which is soooooo weird to me.  So I'll be bringing them this year, because I want them.   

IL's menu will probably be

ham
yams
greens
mac&cheese
rolls
sweet potatoe pie
german chocolate cake

We go outside and Jocelyn hunts for Easter eggs.  This year Kherrington gets to hunt for them too since he's walking.  Yay.  Oh, also, church in the morning. 

Nothing out of the ordinary.

tenofcups4me

We celebrate Passover on my side of the family. So there's all the traditional seder foods (hard boiled egg, charosets which is apples, walnuts, and wine, matzah, etc.). Then the meal itself always starts with gefilte fish, then matzah ball soup, and includes brisket with potatoes and carrots, and a kugel, then many desserts and candies. We tend not to bother with a green veggie :-)  And no, it's not a remotely "balanced" meal by any standard, but so good!

Beachy730

We only do Easter.  The past 2 years H's family hasn't gotten together on Easter so it has been easy and we just go to my family's dinner.  We have about 45 people just from aunts, uncles, and cousins so it's always crazy.

Some must haves for Easter are always a huge ham, and then some type of pasta dish (huge Italian family).  Usually my Nana will make Manicotti, but sometimes it can be lasagna or stuffed shells.  Either way it's delicious.  And there are always lots of sides and lots of desserts because each family brings at least one dish.  

The only other traditional thing we do is that usually a bunch of us end up at the casino after.  

Anndd... all of this will just be in my head this year, since we aren't going home for Easter.  But this is the first big meal holiday that H will be home for since we've been married, so we will probably have a nice dinner.  My aunt is coming out to visit 2 days after, and we are making a turducken when she is here, so we are excited for that!

heartxsongs

We celebrate Easter.  I go to my mom's parent's house, along with my other aunts, uncles, and cousins on that side.  Our lunch usually involves ham, macaroni salad, and fruit salad, along with other sides that may vary.  All of my cousins are around 13 and under, so we do an Easter egg hunt for them.

FI goes to his dad's mom's house.  Once we're married, we'll have to figure out how to do holidays.  While we are dating, we just each go to our own family parties when they overlap.  Once we're married, we'll probably alternate which one we go to so we can appease both sides.

mandapanda78

If we bother going to my Aunt's house for Easter, which we've only done once, then the must-have item is a baked ham. And it's usually very good. I like dying eggs but I haven't since I've been with Mr. P because he doesn't like it. He's no fun.

slwager

passover (this year my parents invited FI's sister and BIL!)

matzo-ball soup
coca-cola marinated brisket with carrots, celery, and parsnips
potato kugel with shallots and parsley
grilled asparagus
chcolate dipped chocolate chip macaroons
coconut ice cream

yuuuuuuuum

mandysmear

Growing up my mom would make a bird if we asked.  But we weren't big on it.  So we generally went to Edmonton and went shopping on easter weekend.

This year my sister and I are starting our own tradition.  We're doing an italian meal.  (we're not italian, H is though)  Still researching some menu ideas

mandapanda78

This thread is making me hungry, I have to go play somewhere else.

lyndausvi

Growing up we switch between ham and turkey.  There was always mashed potatoes We are the classic example of an Irish family family that had potatoes with every meal - except with spaghetti and pizza.

mandapanda78

holy crap I'm going to slwager's house for Passover. Where in NY are you? My family are all still on LI (poor souls).

baystateapple

OMG DNB, my friends and I made a turducken last December for a Yule party.  It was delicious.  I'm not a huge fan of duck, but omg, so good.

tenofcups4me

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_april-holidays-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:d716e73e-94c2-4c3d-9727-37c8bd85406aPost:4504399d-cb42-4ee8-8018-da82a64a8c28">Re: April "holidays" menu</a>:
[QUOTE] potato kugel with shallots and parsley
Posted by slwager[/QUOTE]

Yum. Never heard of a potato kugel (ours are always noodles, and obviously kosher for Passover ones for Passover). Got a recipe you could share? I think I might want to try that!

opalsky007

My mom always does a ham for Easter, but it's been like, eight years since I was home for that.

Our church here does an Easter potluck breakfast, and I'm still trying to decide what to make. DH makes killer buttermilk biscuits, so we'll probably take them plus some blueberry muffins, scones, or a fruit salad. 

Beachy730

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_april-holidays-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:d716e73e-94c2-4c3d-9727-37c8bd85406aPost:e0668298-8d48-44a2-88da-c3972e3eb472">Re: April "holidays" menu</a>:
[QUOTE]OMG DNB, my friends and I made a turducken last December for a Yule party.  It was delicious.  I'm not a huge fan of duck, but omg, so good.
Posted by baystateapple[/QUOTE]

<div>H has literally talked about making one since we met, and I've never wanted to.  I've had duck once and wasn't a fan.  But my aunt is a great cook, and she said she rarely gets to make anything big or fancy with young kids at home.  So she mentioned turducken and H went nuts.</div>

sb9411

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_april-holidays-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:d716e73e-94c2-4c3d-9727-37c8bd85406aPost:4504399d-cb42-4ee8-8018-da82a64a8c28">Re: April "holidays" menu</a>:
[QUOTE]passover (this year my parents invited FI's sister and BIL!) matzo-ball soup coca-cola marinated brisket with carrots, celery, and parsnips potato kugel with shallots and parsley grilled asparagus chcolate dipped chocolate chip macaroons coconut ice cream yuuuuuuuum
Posted by slwager[/QUOTE]

I'm going to Elijah wander into your seder. It sounds a million times better than ours ;-)

leia1979

Easter is usually a late lunch or early dinner with my parents. It's also pretty casual. We make potato salad using the hard boiled Easter eggs. Then we barbecue. I think last year everyone had chicken, and I had vegetarian corn dogs (which BBQ surprisingly well).

kmmssg

Easter - we used to the sit down ham dinner thingy, but I said screw it.  I'm the one in the kitchen the whole time and that needed to come to an end.  I chatted with everyone and we decided with the exception of Thanksgiving, holiday meals would now become more finger-foody/appetizer things.  DH would die if we changed Thanksgiving, it is his favorite of the entire year but the rest of the holidays, he really doesn't care.

The kids like this better and I am loving it.  I am more than happy to munch on apps and hit chocolate fondue!