Just the Four of Us, Plus Two

The Great Egg Hunt

The other day, as I started making plans for Easter Sunday, prepping for the Easter Bunny and planning our menu, I found myself in a funk.

I’d realized it would just be the four of us this year. With soccer, gymnastics and family with their own plans, we’d found ourselves deciding to keep things simple and stay home. It was a good call, yet the decision just didn’t sit right with me.

I’d started trying to figure out how we could do it all – make the soccer game (which ended up being canceled anyway because of soggy field conditions) and go visit family.

Then I got a call from a friend I hadn’t seen in a while and discovered she’d be delighted to join us for Easter.

With that, one guest, my mood lifted. We added a second guest and extended another invite and soon I was in menu-planning heaven.

Here’s what I discovered: I can cook for my family anytime. But it’s not really a holiday unless I have guests to entertain (and feed).

Still, because we really do have so much going on, I didn’t go overboard with the menu. I wanted time to enjoy church and our backyard egg hunt.

So I kept things simple, made a couple things in advance. And I more than happily ceded the dessert duty to my girlfriend. Good thing too – she brought a delish homemade layer cake.

Here’s what we overate: 

Starters: 
Jumbo shrimp; olives; and goat-cheese stuffed peppers

Main course:
Fig & orange glazed spiral ham w/ mustard sauce; Goan black-eyed peas; skillet cornbread; garlic and shallot marinated carrots; and sugar snap peas

Cocktails:
Simeon’s margaritas especial; mimosas; and Pellegrino 

Dessert: 
Strawberry layer cake w/ cream cheese frosting; filled ginger cookies; and assorted chocolates and treats