Sunday, April 4, 2010

Our Easter Traditions, Food Wise

Growing up we had two traditions that I can remember for Easter.  First, we would die hard boiled eggs on Easter Eve, with a few wrapped in shrink wrap with money inside.  Secondly, we would always celebrate with our family friends the Peterson's.

Now, with my own kids we have developed a few traditions.  We do not die eggs.  I hate the smell of vinegar, and twice I've been sick and pregnant over Easter and the very idea of vinegar made me ill.  We love the convenience and color of the plastic eggs that come in a dozen for $.69 at Target.  Reusable, and easy to fill.  Smell free.  Honestly though, the main reason we don't die them is because one year we were out of town until late on Easter Eve.  As we were driving home, our oldest daughter screamed from the back of the car, "Oh no!  We forgot to make eggs for the Easter Bunny to hide!"  Hubby and I replied "No silly.  We do that on Easter."  Then we pulled into the closest Walmart parking lot and bought the plastic eggs and candy which we would fill and let the Easter bunny hide that night.  We died six eggs the next day.  Never more.

To make up for the missed family time, we have developed a tradition of making some other egg shaped dessert for Easter.  This year it was chocolate dipped Rice Krispie Treat eggs.  That was SO much fun!  The girls loved shaping the eggs, the mom loved eating spoons full of chocolate.  Win win win!

In other food areas:

I like ham.  Ham is the Easter meat where I come from.  My husband doesn't think he likes ham.  He's so sure he doesn't like it that one year in his mother's kitchen I heard him ask "Mom, do we like ham?"  He was young then, like twenty-seven, and so he didn't know.

Some things I've come to love are dinner rolls, and my Mother In Law's funeral potatoes.  She makes them like nobody else, and they are divine!  I have spent much time trying to master a duplicate version.  I'm still working out the kinks.

Also I think we started a new tradition this year with a caramel monkey bread for breakfast.  It will probably shave a few days off of my life, but it's so delicious!  Instructions to follow for that one.

What do you do for Easter food?
Do you die eggs?