Delicious Easter Dishes

March 16, 2017
Photo: Dylan + Jeni
Celebrate Easter and the dawn of springtime with these delicious recipes. Spring is the peak season for great produce like asparagus and peas, so you should enjoy these bright and flavorful vegetables in everything from appetizers to sides. Hearty main dishes of Honey-Baked Pork Roast or Salmon with Thyme and Honey Mustard Glaze pull the dinner table together. And don't forget dessert! With two variations of carrot cake, you're sure to find something for everyone. 
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All the Green Things Salad

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: All the Green Things Salad

This salad is full of lovely textures ranging from crunchy to creamy. You can make the zippy lemon dressing and blanch, drain, and chill the peas and asparagus up to 2 says ahead, but combine all the elements shortly before serving to preserve the color of the avocado and the crunch of the greens.

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Honey-Baked Pork Roast

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Honey-Baked Pork Roast

Instead of the traditional cured ham that's full of sodium and nitrates, bake the flavors of honey-baked ham into a pork picnic roast. You can season it up to 2 days in advance for even better flavor. The cooked roast cuts like ham, with firm, juicy slices that go perfectly with a simple honey-mustard sauce. We use a skin-on picnic roast here, which is cheaper than a Boston butt roast—making the holiday a little more affordable.

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Herbed Ricotta, Asparagus, and Phyllo Tart

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Herbed Ricotta, Asparagus, and Phyllo Tart

If working with phyllo dough fills you with fear, don't worry—this recipe is beginner-friendly. There's no crimping or folding the dough; you just lay flat sheets of dough on top of each other for a rustic, unfinished edge.

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Turmeric-Pickled Deviled Eggs

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Turmeric-Pickled Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs get way more interesting when the eggs are pickled in a tangy turmeric-spiked brine that also dyes them a lovely color. The longer the eggs marinate in the brine, the firmer they become and the more vibrant the color gets. For a tangier flavor, use some of the brine instead of water to loosen the filling.

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Spinach-Artichoke Strata

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Spinach-Artichoke Strata

This easy get-ahead dish plays off the appeal of spinach-artichoke dip. Assemble everything the night before; in the morning, let the strata stand while the oven preheats, and then pop it in. You don't need to fully blend in the herbed cheese; it's nice to hit little "pockets" of creamy goodness.

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Browned Butter Carrot Cake With Toasted Pecans

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Browned Butter Carrot Cake With Toasted Pecans

The Bundt pan makes for a much easier dessert, freeing you from the fuss of stacking and frosting layers. You can bake the cake ahead and freeze it, unglazed: Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, and freeze in a zip-top plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months (glaze the thawed cake).

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Lemon-Ricotta Herbed Flatbread

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Lemon-Ricotta Herbed Flatbread

A light layer of creamy ricotta sprinkled with fresh herbs dresses up store-bought crust in this bread starter. Lemon juice and rind add just the right flavor lift.

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Minty Pea Soup with Parmesan Croutons

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Minty Pea Soup with Parmesan Crouton

Bright mint brings a pop of freshness to this spring soup while creamy Greek yogurt adds a slight tang. Top with homemade croutons, and you've got a light springtime soup that's ready in less than 30 minutes.

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Roasted Salmon with Thyme and Honey-Mustard Glaze

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Roasted Salmon with Thyme and Honey-Mustard Glaze

A bed of fragrant fresh thyme lends wonderful flavor to the fish. Have your fishmonger remove the pin bones from the fillet, and choose one cut toward the head end of the fish.

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Asparagus and Peas with Warm Tarragon Vinaigrette

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Asparagus and Peas with Warm Tarragon Vinaigrette

Fresh spring produce needs little embellishment, although a quick toss with bacon never hurts.

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Carrot-Zucchini Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

Photo: Dylan + Jeni
View Recipe: Carrot-Zucchini Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

Zucchini makes a brilliant addition to carrot cake, adding a verdant note to the sweet carrot.

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