Holiday(Easter) Traditions

[gadgetgary]

Several years ago, I started baking my Chocolate Chip Cheesecake for the ex's family. They came to expect two cakes on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The ex tried to make it, but his family told him the cake did not taste the same(maybe that was an excuse to have me bake them).

So this year, I got suckered into making them again for the ex's family for Easter.

Does anyone else have any family 'traditions' to share???

Below is the unbaked cheesecake and the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

1-1/2 cups finely crushed Oreos
¼ cup margarine or butter, melted
3-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1(14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 cup mini chocolate chips
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. flour

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine crumbs and margarine; pat firmly on the bottom of a 9” springform pan.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese till fluffy. Add milk, and beat until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. In a small bowl, toss together ½ cup of chocolate chips with the flour to coat and stir into cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining chips evenly over top. Bake 1 hour or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool to room temp. Chill.
Remove sides of pan and serve.

 

[gadgetgary]

Paging Venus!

L@@k~!

GG has made something else besides the AW icon.......

Here is the finished product:

 

[sikiguya]

Looks yummy!

That looks amazing. I want a piece so badly! Alas, it cannot be made in my house because it has eggs (son is allergic). The only kind of cheesecake that I know that is OK for him to eat is the Jello boxed kind but that is nasty! We cannot even dye easter eggs because he is so allergic to them. It's sad.

We are not big into Easter celebrations. We usually get up, let the kids look for plsatic eggs/baskets, and then go to a quick church service. We do not have any family around so we either go to a brunch or I bake a ham. Sometimes we even take a little family vacation to the Wisconsin Dells and go swimmming indoors, which is a nice break from the cold here in Illinois.

This year, we are contemplating a move to northen Illinois, so we need to take some time to weigh all the options.

 

[kenmore58]

Easter tradition for me is always to make my rice and ricotta pies. And, of course, pizelles -- those italian cookies that look like flat waffles!

This year will be a little different for me, too. Instead of hosting Easter here at my house, I will be spending time with the new boyfriend and his family.

Many changes in my life over the past year! Some good, some not so good! But at least I'm here to talk about it!

 

[exploder3211]

Going to meet the Inlaws for Easter.. Uh-Oh......

Hehehehe... I know his mom likes me...

 

[angus]

Today and tomorrow will be quite busy for me. In addition to checking in with work (who really gets a day off anymore??) I have to shop for Sunday, get the house ready for friends who are coming from Worcester, visit the cemetery locally for parents and St. John's in Queens for maternal grandparents (St Charles in Farmingdale is just too far for today).

Then on to prepare the traditional Easter pies we Italians use to break the Lenten fast. I will make the traditional pizza rustica, with the egg, cheese, ham and sausage filling. I don't particularly care for that one, but I am the only one in the family other than Aunt Jennie who knows how to make it. My personal fave is what I called "macaroni pie". No other Italians ever heard of it, so I often wondered if my mother made it up for me knowing how I disliked the other. Simply it is cooked bucatini or perciatelli pasta (incredibly fat spaghetti - like worms) lots of beaten egg, romano cheese parsley and cracked black pepper baked in a butter (or lard if real old country - but fresh pork lard, not that stuff sold in the grocery stores in a white block) crust. Basically it is a fritatta baked in a crust.

Early Mass on Sunday- something about going to sunrise services on Easter - no matter what the weather, it somehow fulfills the promise of rebirth...

Sunday dinner will be linguine with pesto, then a pork roast with a decadent potato dish called "party potatoes Beverly" (mashed potatoes with cream cheese, sour cream and chives baked with a parmesan crust), asparagus with lemon sauce, glazed carots with mint (for color balance), broccoli rabe (for me mostly), fresh Italian bread from Morrone's Bakery on East 116th street(amazing there is still after all these years a very small Italian community in East Harlem).

Dessert - simple. Someone will bring that. Even I need a break.

Then lots of tablecloths and napkins to wash, wet starch and line dry.

Best part- that moment when we are gathered at the table as we have for so many years. It is impossible to not be grateful - even though our parents are all gone, their lessons of tradition, family, friends and sharing were well learned. What better tribute could there be???

 

[exploder3211]

I am not sure what we are eating, but i am going to email his mom tonight and ask if there's anything i can bring...

Our family has neer been big on holidays, although last year I did go to church for the first time in a while and I'd love to go this year, so we might go up early staurday evening and go with his mom sunday...

But it is nice reading others traditions.. It's so wonderful

 

[joeekaitis]

Garlic Mashed 'Taters for Easter dinner at Cathy's cousin's house.

5 pounds of unpeeled scrubbed Russets
2 bulbs of garlic
1 pound of butter
1 pint of sour cream

We only make them this rich for special occasions.