Easter dinner around the big family table at our house always includes a juicy, smoked ham basted with a tangy, sweet glaze and served with a raisin sauce my friend Nancy made. Mom got us all hooked on her company potatoes, which go perfectly with a nice slice of ham, not to mention now good they are left over with little chunks of ham in them and heated up for lunch the next day. I can’t resist roasted, tender asparagus, a soft, yeasty, buttery roll and a traditional Wisconsin accompaniment of some sort of fruit-Jello salad. Happy Spring dining!

Company Potatoes

Yes, these are really yummy — you can tell by all the gooey ingredients. Makes 8 servings.

1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed — the cubed kind

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed

2 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese

2 pinches paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Combine the potatoes, potato soup, celery soup, sour cream, milk, onion, salt, pepper and dill weed. Stir until well mixed; pour into prepared baking dish.

Spread cheese evenly over potatoes, sprinkle with paprika and bake for 1 to 1 ? hours until browned on top and bubbly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Combine the potatoes, potato soup, celery soup, sour cream, milk, onion, salt, pepper and dill weed. Stir until well mixed; pour into prepared baking dish. Spread cheese evenly over potatoes, sprinkle with paprika and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until browned on top and bubbly.

Wisconsin Maple and Clover Honey Ham Glaze

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup maple syrup

1 cup clover honey

1 teaspoon each of allspice, nutmeg,

cloves and dry English mustard

Directions:

Stir together brown sugar, honey, allspice, nutmeg cloves and mustard in medium size bowl, set aside.

The last 30 minutes the ham cooks, brush glaze on ham. Continue baking your ham uncovered.

Raisin Sauce for Ham

This tangy sauce melds the taste of orange and raisins perfectly. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

1 cup raisins

1 cup warm water

1 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pinch each of ground cloves,

cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine raisins, water, orange juice, lemon juice and marmalade. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. In a bowl, stir together sugar, corn starch, salt and spices. Slowly pour into raisin mixture, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until mixture thickens.

Arugula, Potato, and Green-Bean Salad with Creamy Walnut Dressing

I love green beans, arugula and potatoes. I found this recipe in my Martha Stewart magazine and thought it would be a perfect side dish to serve at Easter for something different to try.

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 ounce walnuts (about 1/3 cup)

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons walnut oil

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

6 ounces haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed

3 ounces baby arugula

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Finely chop, and set aside.

Whisk together vinegar, yogurt, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the toasted nuts in a small bowl; season with pepper. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Set dressing aside.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a colander to drain. Set aside.

Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Return pan of water to a boil. Add green beans, and cook until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 2-inch pieces.

Arrange arugula, potatoes, and green beans on a platter. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat.

Strawberry-Mango Mesclun Salad

Mango, strawberries, and sweetened dried cranberries are a vibrant addition to mixed greens tossed with an oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

8 cups mixed salad greens

2 cups sweetened dried cranberries

1/2 pound fresh strawberries, quartered

1 mango, peeled, seeded and cubed

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 cup slivered almonds or candied silvered almonds

Directions: Place the sugar, oil, salt, and vinegar in a jar with a lid. Seal jar, and shake vigorously to mix.

In a large bowl, mix salad greens, sweetened dried cranberries, strawberries, mango, and onion. To serve, toss with dressing and sprinkle with almonds.

Tiramisu Toffee Dessert

A nice version of the popular Italian dessert. The toffee candy in this recipe adds a delightful crunchiness to the smooth creamy whipped cream quality of an already perfect dessert.

10 servings

Ingredients

1 (10.75 ounce) package frozen prepared pound cake, thawed and cut into 9 slices

3/4 cup strong brewed coffee

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 (1.4 ounces) bars chocolate covered English toffee, chopped

Directions: Arrange cake slices on bottom of a rectangular 11x7 inch baking dish, cutting cake slices if necessary to fit the bottom of the dish. Drizzle coffee over cake.

Beat sugar, chocolate syrup, and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add whipping cream; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Spread over cake. Sprinkle with chocolate-covered toffee candy.

Spread frosting over cake. Sprinkle with toffee candy. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 24 hours to set dessert and blend flavors.

Until next time, have fun eating chocolate bunnies, dyeing eggs and Happy Easter!