Feeding Frenzy

By JJ

March 21, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

Oh, I love to cook, especially for crowds and also at holidays. This year, though I will not be cooking at my house. We will be at my brother’s, our entire family, and some of his neighbors will drop by too. Mom is supplying the Honey Baked Ham, I am taking salads, and everyone else is bringing something.

When feeding a huge crowd for the holidays, I usually ask for each family to bring one dish. It just makes it so much easier on the hostess. We also buy a supply of portable plastic containers so people can take plenty of leftovers home. I like to keep the ham bone, or turkey carcass to make soup and stock later on down the road.

We will hide easter eggs for the kids, even though they range in age from 9 to 18, they still enjoy it. One year, we sent them on a scavenger hunt, and hid eggs all over the neighborhood, and invited all the neighbors. I had about 45 people at my house one Easter. Everyone brings plastic eggs, and each child gets a special Golden egg with their name on it, and it usually has cash in it. The other eggs all have candy. We bought some cute little games to play this year too.

By Stan

March 21, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this

Wow JJ, Can I come have Easter with you? :) That sounds like a lot of fun.

I’m not going to do too much for Easter as it is just me and my wife, but we will dye some eggs for fun (she is such a kid at heart) then have egg salad sammiches later.

I always like to go all out for holidays where lots of kids/family will be there though.

Stan

By Brian O'Shea

March 21, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Stan: You probably already have a favorite Egg Salad recipe. But here are some good egg recipes from EveningEdge.com, including a very nice Egg Salad recipe.

By kara

March 21, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this

I do cook on special occasions and I am happy to do it. But I like to cook. I feel bad for people who don’t really like it but who feel obligated to do so and then dread holiday dinners.

I try to tell those people as I meet them, the important thing is for families to get together. If you’re stressed out about a turkey, then sure, offer turkey burgers.

I have a friend who is an awful cook but feels obligated to cook for her siblings when it’s her turn. She doesn’t want to order food in and she feels she can’t ask for help because they travel to see her. So she dreads it for days. I started going over in the morning and cooking for her and helping quietly behind the scenes. But I know her family and they love her. She should STOP trying to cook.

All you cooks who are miserable should stop NOW. Ask for help or order food. Leave the cooking to those of us who love it.

By The O-Gee

March 21, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this

since i am not a christian, i don’t recognize easter. but on that day, i make my family the ironic jew stew as we call it.

By Stan

March 21, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this

Brian,

Thanks, that is where I got the idea to do egg salad :)

By Eric

March 21, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

The O-Gee…..What’s in the jew stew? It sounds good.

By HS Teacher

March 21, 2008 7:59 PM | Link to this

Yes, I will cook for Easter. I can do it at home much cheaper, and probably will taste a lot better.

It will not be a traditional ham dinner; but my favorite Spring foods. It will be steak and fresh asparagus with strawberry short cake for dessert. Sounds good doesn’t it?

Left overs will be taken to school the next day for lunch.

The timer shows 10 min on the dinner cooking now as I type. I do think there are a lot fewer of us cooking these days. It is becoming a lost art; but it will never go out of style at my house.

By Cactus

March 21, 2008 8:34 PM | Link to this

Rabbit, duck and chicken

By silvamor

March 22, 2008 12:31 AM | Link to this

I think it is relevant to remember that for some people who profess Roman Catholicism, eating meat during Easter is out of consideration. Thus, eggs are a terrific alternative!

By silvamor

March 22, 2008 12:34 AM | Link to this

What is a jew stew?

By Brian O'Shea

March 22, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this

Maybe The-O-Gee can tell us more about his stew recipe. Meantime, tho, I checked our files and found something close. It’s Vegetarian Cholent or Sabbath Stew. There is also a recipe for Cholent or Jewish Stew on netcooks.com. It’s described as a stew for the Sabbath lunch.

The Evening Edge recipe file has a small collection of Jewish recipes (we’re looking for more) if you want to take a look. We are beginning to look for Passover recipes to add to the file. If anyone has a suggestion or a request, either use the Feedback page, or just post it here.

Brian O’Shea EveningEdge.com

By tiffany

March 22, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this

Holiday cooking isn’t a thing of the past, but from a “get the whole family together” perspective, Easter is a minor holiday.*

People might make special-er meals, but I’ve never been to an Easter dinner where there were was a Thanksgiving-style spread. A ham would be impressive, but why bother if you’re only serving dinner for 4 or 5?

(*Note: I am not saying Easter is a minor holiday. It’s arguably the most significant of the Christian holidays, but people don’t usually travel for it.)

By FCM

March 22, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this

Love to cook. This year the family will be together for the frist time in quite awhile. The host/hostess are supplying lamb with mint sauce. My parents are doing ham. Various people are bringing the other dishes.

Now, I really love to cook but this week has been pretty ROTTEN. Little time, little money… I ended up adapting a Publix recipe for Mock Tiramasu…..basically its this (my version not theirs):

Pour the contents of the Shrek ‘Nilla wafers (b/c I like the colors!) in the bottom of a clear glass 9x13. In the mixer mix 8 oz. Neufatchel (soften)block w/3 cups milk.. Add 2 large packages of instant vanilla pudding. Fold in 1 8oz container of non dairy whipped topping. Spread this mixture over the cookies. Mix two large packages of instant chocolate pudding with 1 3/4 cups of milk and 1/2 cup STRONG coffee. Spread over the vanilla pudding mixture. Top with 8 oz of non dairy whipped topping. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave (stir every 30 seconds) unti smooth —do not burn—- drizzle over the top of the whip topping in fun patterns. Cover and store in fridge.

For my purposes, I cut the calories by using Jello Sugar Free Pudding, 1% milk, and Cool Whip Free. The Neufatchel (1/3 less fat cream cheese) is a saver too—although full fat cream cheese could be used. I add dark chocolate to the top part (and count that as heart healthy!)…..If you are Weight Watchers skip the cookies…do it as a parfait, still looks and tastes delicious….

By pogo

March 23, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

As my family drifted that way (someone bring a ham, another a turkey, and somebody get some bread, etc.)… I hoped to go in a different direction. It’s laziness and a good dose of today’s social attitude (rush through everything). It seems a well-done meal and sitting down to visit isn’t congruent with how people live their lives. I hold on to that, though and will continue with dinner parties.

By FCM

March 23, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this

On the night that Jesus was betrayed he took the loaf saying this is body broken for you and taking the cup also he gave thanks and said this is the blood of the new covenant poured out for many. As often as you do this think of me.

In the same secular way:

Pan ham steaks, lamb kabobs or traditional full hams and roast lamb, it does not matter. As you gather about your table, recall the Easters past and those that gathered there. We do these things in remberence.

Happy Easter!

By Harold

March 23, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this

What? You mean some people are celebrating a Christian holiday, and the AJC is reporting on it? Does the ACLU know about this? God forbid we speak publicly about a religious holiday. I’m sure the AJC will make sure this doesn’t happen again.

By nono

March 23, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this

The whole point of making holiday dinner is to have it be a special meal for the people you love and spend time together as a family. I’m 35 and last year made the full thanksgiving dinner from scratch, including porter house crescent rolls. Yes it took time and effort, but it was worth it to sit down with my family to a meal I cooked for them. I think most of the time, people are so used to rushing around and eating on the run that they forget how to cook something that doesn’t come frozen and get cooked in the microwave. Holiday dinners are not something to cut corners on —and 99% of the time, holiday dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be good, and the ingredients aren’t complicated or exotic-butter, milk, potatoes; fresh green beans, sweet potatoes and brown sugar, and a ham you shove in the oven and bake. It’s not hard!

By f(x) = 36x^2

March 24, 2008 12:47 AM | Link to this

Save us from fools…no one cares that we celebrate religious holidays…only that the celebration of such remains voluntary and not mandatory. I’m sure that most of the AJC staff is religious in one way or another, in keeping with the overall trend of the nation. It is only those who DEMAND that others celebrate similarly or be ostracized who deserve to be excoriated.

That said - my family is steadfast in maintaining our holiday menus. For Easter - Ham with Cherries Jubilee sauce, potato salad, green beans with almonds and squash casserolle. For Thanksgiving - Turkey, Dressing, Gravy, Butter Peas, Corn Pudding and Sweet Potato Souffle. For Christmas - Pork Tenderloin marinated for two weeks in red wine and other flavors, baby carrots braissed in orange juice and butter, green beans almondine, mashed potatoes and red gellatine salad with mayonaise…

When “changes” to the menu have been introduced in the past, we all revolt like French peasants…

By f(x) = 36x^2

March 24, 2008 12:50 AM | Link to this

oh, I forgot the all-important pearl onions in a cream sauce with whole almonds for Thanksgiving…my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

By GEORGE

March 24, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this

Got home from Church and smoked a ham on the Big Green Egg. Used a coating of bourbon, brown sugar and ginger ale. Smoked it at 300 for about three hours. Served it with deviled eggs, potato salad and steamed asparagus. YUMMY!!!!!!!

By Gigi

March 24, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

Unfortunately, our families live all over the place and none lives near enough to get together for holidays. But we still cook a big meal, usually just the two of us. It makes the holiday more special and adds warmth to our home and our marriage. We wouldn’t change it! Though more and more Americans are opting out of home cooking, we believe there are still many Americans who uphold the holidays and keep the home fires burning.

By Family Affair

March 24, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

Well I have a problem and have to say I am torn. I spent half of my Easter finishing dinner with my family and the other half at a restaurant that I wished would close for more holidays. I do feel for those who do not like to cook, or are not able to cook, or do not have families to celebrate with. I also was not pleased with the fact that because of that I had to be at work preparing food for them instead of enjoying what I had prepared for my family and be with them (most holidays all staff is scheduled). I have a large family and we all love to cook. My sons are the prep chefs(they like that name better) and my mother and I trade time in the kitchen preparing our specialties(certain things I do not cook and she does). We also open our home to those in the neigborhood that frequent our home for dinner. We had ham, turkey, potatoe salad,candied yams,collard greens,mac & cheese, dressing, rolls, holiday punch and pineapple upside down cake. We cook that way for most holidays because we never want to turn anyone away or not have enough to indulge. My mother has always said that we should open up a catering business to cook for those who do not like it on holidays, but to me that will be just like being at a restaurant missing family time. I really feel that large meals on holidays are fun, stressful(meeting deadlines timing of meals), and full of fellowship and I wish all could partake in it.

By Barbara

March 24, 2008 6:58 PM | Link to this

This may be one for the books. One of my sons ,sons asked for Tacos and they got them. Why does Easter always have to be Ham? Lighten up folks. It brings a smile and a laugh to me.

By Barbara

March 24, 2008 7:04 PM | Link to this

By the way the tacos were homemade by Dad and it was one of the boys birthday too. Dad also made a delicious chocolate layer cake from scratch, complete with filling and Icing made with real cream. Can’t beat that.

By Teri

March 25, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this

My whole family, sons/family, sister/ family gathered at my house after church, along with some friends. People brought food, we hid eggs for the kids, and had a great Easter Day. I love holidays, but we never forget why we are celebrating the religious holidays.

By Leila

March 25, 2008 3:59 PM | Link to this

Of course, you should cook special dishes for holidays. That’s part of the whole idea. And we have the same thing but who cares? If we didn’t my family would NOT be happy. At Easter it is baked ham, potato salad, tomato aspic (that’s Southern), asparagus, deviled eggs, caramel cake (Southern too) and ice cream (not homemade) I spent all day Friday cooking most of it and there were three egg halves left! My son and daughter in law baked the ham. Happy Easter y’all Leila

By ron

March 26, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this

Never again to cook a special holiday meal.For the last two years my wife and I have banned holidays and we find life a lot nicer.

By Noelle

March 27, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

The only big holiday meal we do each year is Thanksgiving. We have a breakfast casserole on Christmas, and sometimes we’ll cook a standing rib roast either that day or one of the nearby Sundays. Easter is usually ham, but this year, we went out for lunch (before the big extended family Easter egg hunt).

My immediate family is rarely together for the “cookout” holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day), but there’s always a big extended family gathering on those days in my hometown for whomever can make it!