Our First Easter Menu. Also Known As Serious Meal-Planning and A Major Step Towards Domestication.

So tomorrow, Easter Sunday 2010, Handsome and I will be in our city alone with each other.  We haven't had a holiday together and sans house guests or away from Hometown since our anniversary which isn't an all-out holiday anyway, and its one of those days where you shouldn't be in your Hometown to visit family and you shouldn't have house guests, so it doesn't count. So basically, in at least the last six months worth of days that are more like national or worldwide holidays, we haven't had one together.

And I'm thoroughly looking forward to it. 

We plan on going to an earlier-than-normal church service, after which he will take me out for my favorite omelette (Oh, whats that you say? You didn't know we were going out for breakfast? Well, sweet'ums, we totally are).  And then we will lounge, and he will go for a run, and I will prepare our fancy schmancy holiday dinner which I imagine we will partake in around 3 or 4 p.m. 

And its going to be completely fabulous for a few reasons. 1. Because I think Easter is an important holiday, and 2. because I have the opportunity to make a fancy dinner for us, since we won't be in Hometown eating with the families, and because 3. somewhere between the wedding and now I have decided I like cooking. 

So in anticipation of the day and the meal (you know how I anticipate a good meal), I have been browsing all of the best cooking websites I know. Cooking Light, Southern Living, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. And watching hours and hours of The Food Network to see what Giada and Cat Cora and Paula Dean have on their Easter Menus. 

And instead of doing the simple thing and just making of the "Easy Easter Brunch" menus that they have already created, complete with ready-to-print shopping lists and scheduled timelines, I been thinking about Handsome, and thinking about me, and thinking about what is realistic for us and what kinds of foods we would enjoy. 

So for the first time I personalized a holiday menu. (Talk about serious meal planning, people! Can I get a little applause for that?). Just kidding, but I have created something that I think is totally do-able for me. And probably for you too! In the event that you happen upon this post at some point today and have opportunity to run to the grocery store for some last minute supplies.




Our First Easter Dinner Menu
Roasted Asparagus. This is the easiest recipe I have ever looked at. Asparagus. Olive oil. S&P. Into a fairly hot oven for 10 minutes and voila. People think you are brilliant or skilled or something. 
Grilled Steak: You see, this is brilliant to include, because Handsome loves to grill. And he's rather good at it. So this makes for one less item that I need to prepare.  I'm really simplifying this way and I know Handsome will think it tastes good because he grilled it. And it will. Because he grilled it. Not to mention that  he can finally use the Williams Sonoma steak grilling rub I bought him  us for Christmas.  And I don't know how to grill so I can't give you any tips here, but maybe someday Handsome will write a how-to post about grilling and you can read it or maybe you are married to Bobby Flay  and he will have thought-out and will prepare an absolutely excellent Easter menu for you. 
Roasted Potatoes with Herbed Vinaigrette. Because. This sounds wonderful. And one roasted item is clearly not enough for a decadent meal. 
Buttery Rolls (because even if we have potatoes, Handsome can't go a whole fancy meal without a bread item as well and I really don't want him grabbing the plastic bag loaf and bringing over regular sliced bread to my fancy holiday meal for two). Oh, and I'll probably cheat and buy something ready to go at the store, because I am not prepared to spend the day making dough, especially without a bread machine.
Carrot Cake for Dessert. Because it sounds good. And because one PW recipe in a fancy schmancy meal is just not enough. Even if this is the most complicated thing on the menu. Not to mention that I probably owe Handsome a non-chocolate dish. And its spring and its Easter and honestly, who doesn't absolutely LOVE cream cheese frosting. Mmm mmm. 

Happy Eating. Happy Planning. Happy Easter. 
I'm here. And I'm still writing,