An atypical Easter dinner.

Well this was our second time hosting Easter for my husband’s family. Last year we settled on a more traditional menu of roasted baby carrots, sweet potato puree and pork roast. This time around I spent some time looking through my cook books and online at various recipes, waffling back and forth between a variety of menu possibilities. For a while I was almost settled on doing a glazed ham, scalloped potatoes and steamed asparagus. I wasn’t really excited by it but hey I’m a busy woman and I figured it is what it is. The truth is we don’t really celebrate Easter in the traditional sense and well I don’t even really like ham! Why was I spending so much time trying to make it fit into this holiday mold then? No idea! So out the window went that menu.

The reality is I run my own business and it is rewarding as it is daunting so I have to learn to stop biting off more than I can chew. Also entertaining for 10 can be pretty pricey and so I decided to challenge myself do something different. To try and create the most delicious and impressive yet simple and inexpensive dinner party for 10 that I could come up with in the 1 week time frame that remained. Wait a minute wasn’t I supposed to stop doing these kind of crazy things? Anyway once I set my mind on something there isn’t much that will make me deviate from it so onward and upward I went!

First thing is first the menu. What is more classic than steak, potatoes & a veggie? Nothing I say; but budgets and steaks don’t always go hand in hand. The answer came in my community paper that week, a substantial coupon for a package of 4 aged bacon wrapped filet mignon. After a couple of visits to some friendly neighbours surrounding me I had 3 of those coveted coupons in my hand and was on my way! Next I decided on simple grilled asparagus and found this recipe for caramelized shallot mashed potatoes that I had always wanted to make..bingo! Throw in my famous super spinach salad and individual molten chocolate orange cakes and you have an amazing spread. To me that’s what it is all about in the end…the enjoyment of good food and company.

I whipped up a pretty table scape, my jumping off point was the deal of a century. A soft blue linen table cloth for $15!!! A few faux robin eggs nests, white Ikea candles and blue hydrangeas set the mood..crisp and classic. Just like my dinner! We chatted, drank great wine and lots of yummy sounds were made. Perhaps it was more of a Happy Spring family dinner? Well whatever you want to call it I did it all for just under $130…including wine, food and decor. Given my schedule it wasn’t even that hard, you just have to take some time to make a basic plan and be flexible; entertaining on a budget is easier than you think!

Even Blue the dawg got into the swing of things and proudly wore her Easter bow for our guests….thank you to my husband’s family for making the day enjoyable!