What You Need:

1 (5 lb.) boneless rib eye roast, at room temperature

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/2 C soy sauce

1 t pepper

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 1/2 C red wine

1 C beef broth

How to Make It:

Place the oven temperature at 450 degrees and allow the oven to preheat.

Cut the garlic cloves into six slices each.

Cut 1 in. deep slits into the roast and place the garlic into the slits.

Rub the roast with soy sauce to completely cover.

Sprinkle the pepper over the entire roast.

Place the prepared roast into a large roaster pan.

Sprinkle the diced onions around the roast in the pan.

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes being sure to baste the roast every 10 minutes with the red wine.

After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Continue roasting for 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted into the roast reaches 160 degrees, being sure to baste the roast about every 15 minutes.

Remove the roast to a serving platter.

Cover loosely with aluminum foil and allow it to stand 20 minutes.

Skim the fat from the top of the juice in the roasting pan.

Pour the remaining wine and the broth into the roasting pan.

Place the roasting pan on the stove top over medium high heat.

Deglaze by stirring to dislodge any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove and pour into a serving dish.

Serve the carved pieces of beef with juice spooned over each piece.

Serves:  6

A rib eye roast is a standing rib roast that has been removed from the bone and tied.  It is a very tender piece of meat and has more flavor than tenderloin.  Using wine to baste the meat gives it flavor and helps it to remain moist.  A dark stout beer can be used in place of the wine if you prefer.  The beer will give it more of stout taste where the wine will give it a slightly sweeter taste.

Decorating Ideas

Decorating your egg can be as simple or elaborate as you would like it to be. You can make beautifully designed Easter eggs with items you probably currently have in your home. Some of these ideas work egg-ceptionally well on the hollowed eggs.

• Ribbons – take leftover ribbons and glue them to your egg in the desired colors and patterns (blown eggs)
• Glitter – spread your egg with a thin layer of glue and then roll the egg around in glitter (superfine glitter will give your egg a sugared look) (blown eggs)
• Lace – using the same principle as the ribbons decorate your egg (blown eggs)
• Sponge Paint – dig out your sponges and craft paint to create an original design
• Stickers – let the kids decorate using their favorite stickers
• Crayons – with a parent’s help color on a warm egg
• Mosaic – be creative and glue pieces of tissue paper, small pasta pieces or shells to your egg.

These recipes will come in handy if you have decided to stick with the tried and true dyed Easter egg

Simple Egg Dye

Combine 1/2 cup boiling water, 1 tsp. vinegar and the food color together adding drops of food coloring to achieve desired colors. Dip hard cooked eggs in dye for about 5 minutes or until desired color.

Natural Egg Dye

Dye your eggs in boiling water, with vinegar and the item used to create the desired color, boiling both eggs and dye items together. Don’t forget to compost your dye items when you are finished dyeing your eggs.

Color ideas:

Lavender Small Quantity of Purple Grape Juice

Violet Blossoms plus 2 tsp Lemon Juice

Violet Blue Violet Blossoms

Small Quantity of Red Onions Skins

Blue Canned Blueberries

Red Cabbage Leaves

Purple Grape Juice

Green Spinach Leaves

Liquid Chlorophyll

Greenish Yellow Yellow Delicious Apple Peels

Yellow Orange or Lemon Peels

Carrot Tops

Celery Seed

Ground Cumin

Ground Turmeric

Saffron

Brown Strong Coffee

Instant Coffee

Black Walnut Shells

Orange Yellow Onion Skins

Pink Beets

Cranberries or Juice

Raspberries

Red Grape Juice

Juice from Pickled Beets

Red Lots of Red Onions Skins

Hard boiled, hollowed out, color dyed or fancier designs, anything goes when decorating your eggs for this Easter season. The only rule is to have fun.

The perfectly decorated Easter egg begins with the egg. Two of the most popular ways to decorate eggs begins with either a boiled egg or a blown (or hollowed egg).

Boiled Eggs

To avoid rubbery eggs do not cook eggs in boiling water. Instead, boil the water and remove the pan from the stove. Submerge the eggs in the hot, boiled water for 15-17 minutes.

Blown or Hollowed Easter Eggs

To hollow out an egg simply wash and dry your eggs. Then taking a thin needle, carefully poke a hole in each end of your egg. Cover the holes and shake the egg. Place your egg over a bowl or other container and gently blow into one of the holes in your egg. The egg white and yolk should make its way out of the other hole. Once the insides have been blown out wash and dry your egg again. Some eggs are easier to hollow than others. It will take patience and although more fragile, a hollowed out egg can be decorated and kept for many years to come depending upon how it is stored.

What You Need:

1 pot of brewed herbal tea

4 t of honey

1 large sweet apple, diced

How to Make It:

Pour the tea into 4 cups filling them 2/3 full.

Stir in 1 t of honey per cup.

Add 1/4 of the diced apple to each cup.

Let the tea stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves:  4

There’s nothing better than a nice cup of tea after a good meal.  This tea is the perfect sipping tea to relax with after that wonderful Easter dinner. 

1 small (3 oz) pkg. low fat cream cheese, softened

3 t apricot preserves

1 (8 oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained

1 fresh peach, pitted and halved

1 fresh pear, halved

1 T pecans, chopped

4 Mint leaves

How to Make It:

Place the cream cheese into a mixing bowl.

Add the apricot preserves and with an electric mixer on low speed beat until mixture becomes creamy.

Fold in the pineapple tidbits.

Slice a small portion off of the bottom of the pear and peach halves so they will lie on the plate.

Spoon the pineapple mixture onto each of the fruit halves.

Sprinkle the top with the pecans and add a mint leaf for garnish.

Serving Size: 2

This sinful salad will bring love to your man’s heart as he eats every bite. Top each with a maraschino cherry instead of the mint leaves for a special treat.

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, with juice

2 (4 oz.) pkgs. raspberry gelatin

1 (16 oz.) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 apple, chop but 4 thin slices

2/3 C walnuts, chopped

How to Make It:

Drain the juice from the pineapple into a 3 C measuring cup.

Add enough cold water to the juice to make 3 C.

Reserve 1 T of the pineapple for later use.

Pour the juice and water into a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring the mixture to a brisk boil.

Once boiling well remove from the heat and stir in the gelatin powder.

Continue stirring for 2 minutes or until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

Stir the cranberry sauce into the gelatin mixture.

Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until the gelatin has just begun to thicken.

Remove and stir in the pineapple.

Fold the chopped apple into the mixture.

Sprinkle in the nuts and mix to combine.

Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or until very firm.

Garnish the top of the salad with the apple slices and reserved crushed pineapple.

Serves: 14

To make this salad festive use a green or yellow apple to give the salad color. 1 drop of mint extract will also give this salad extra flavor. Use fresh mints leaves with the apple slices and pineapple to garnish.

What You Need:

1/2 C honey

1/4 C frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

2 t poppy seeds

2 limes, peeled and sectioned

2 lemons, peeled and sectioned

1/4 C almonds, slivered and toasted

How to Make It:

Place the honey into a mixing bowl.

Add the limeade concentrate and stir well to combine.

Sprinkle the poppy seeds into the mixture.

Place the lime and lemon sections into a salad bowl.

Pour the dressing over the fruit and blend.

Sprinkle the slivered almonds over the salad.

Serves: 4

This refreshing salad has a definite bite to it. To sweeten it up,  and/or make more servings, add some chunked cantaloupe, honeydew melon and/or kiwi.

What You Need:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. low fat cream cheese, room temperature

1 C low fat sour cream

1/3 C sugar

2 t vanilla extract

2 lbs. seedless green grapes

2 lbs. seedless red grapes

3 T brown sugar

3 T pecans, chopped

How to Make The Salad:

Place the cream cheese into a large mixing bowl.

Add the sour cream to the bowl.

Sprinkle the sugar into the mixture.

Pour in the vanilla extract.

Use an electric mixer on medium speed and beat the ingredients until smooth and well blended.

Fold the grapes into the cream mixture, being sure they are covered well.

Cover the bowl tightly, and refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled through.

Place the brown sugar in a mixing bowl.

Add the pecans and coat them with the brown sugar.

Sprinkle the mixture over the salad just before serving.

Serves: 16

The brown sugar and pecans set the tone for this salad. Use any type of grape you like as long as they are seedless. This makes a great salad for potluck dinners or a family get together, or just a special treat for your family as the weather gets warmer.

What You Need:

4 pears

1/2 C honey

6 C salad greens

3 T extra virgin olive oil

1 C toasted walnuts, chopped coarse

1 (8 oz.) pkg. Italian cheese, shredded

How to Make It:

Peel the pears and remove the core.

Cut the pears into thick slices then cut each slice into quarters.

Pour the honey into a bowl.

Place the pear quarters into the honey and coat.

Place the salad greens into a salad bowl.

Drizzle the oil over the greens and toss to coat well.

Place the honey coated pears into the salad.

Sprinkle the walnuts over the entire salad.

Top with the shredded cheese.

Serves: 4

To toast walnuts place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in a preheated 375 degree oven for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the walnuts are a pale brown and fragrant. Cool the walnuts before adding them to the salad.

What You Need:

1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits with juice

5 bananas, sliced

1/2 C sugar

1 (16 oz.) can whole cranberry sauce

1/3 C pecans, chopped

1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping, thawed

How to Make It:

Drain the juice from the pineapple into a mixing bowl.

Add the sliced bananas to the juice, and let stand 5 minutes.

Place the sugar into a separate mixing bowl.

Add the cranberry sauce to the sugar and blend together well.

Use a slotted spoon and remove the bananas from the juice and discard the juice.

Fold the pineapple into the mixture.

Add the pecans and stir to combine.

Fold the whipped topping in until all the ingredients are combined well.

Spread into a very lightly greased 9X13 glass pan.

Cover and place in the freezer at least 4 hours or until frozen through.

Allow the salad to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Serves: 8

The cranberry sauce and pecans are optional in this recipe. Add a can of cherry or blueberry pie filling instead. This is a tasty treat for the whole family, part salad, part dessert, and all yummy.