basket of sweets

Easter time is always my favorite time of the year. I think Texas hill country wildflowers, a sunny Sunday morning and my mom’s coconut cake. Since my mom won’t share her coconut cake recipe with me, I thought I would do the second best thing and enjoy a batch of coconut macaroons toasted just enough to make your fingers stick together. For the lovers of desserts that are not too sweet, whip up a basket of brown sugar pound cake cupcakes with browned-butter frosting for your guests to enjoy after hours of  Easter egg hunting. Pastels and pastries to you and yours this Easter Sunday!

Coconut Macaroons

3  large egg whites
1/2  c  sugar
1/2  tsp  pure vanilla extract
1/4  tsp  kosher salt
1  14-oz. package sweetened shredded coconut

1. Heat oven to 325° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2. Vigorously whisk together the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until glossy, foamy, and the sugar is mostly almost dissolved. Fold in the coconut, stirring until evenly combined.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop the batter in mounds (about 2 tablespoons each) 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes; let cool completely. The macaroons will keep for up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

Recipe from RealSimple.com.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake Cupcakes with Browned-Butter Frosting

3 c sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 c packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 c buttermilk

Browned-Butter Frosting Ingredients

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 c sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tbsp. milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add buttermilk.

2. Reduce speed to low. Mix remaining wet ingredients in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each full.

3. Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.

4. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.

5. Add sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk; stir until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon milk, a little at a time, until consistency is spreadable. Let cool 5 minutes. Use immediately.

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com.

supporting side dishes

Filet mignon, a salmon steak and a perfectly roasted chicken often get all the attention. It’s time to share the stoplight with these supporting side dishes that will make your guests ask for more. These recipes feature a perfect party appetizer, side dish and a ramekin dessert that guests can serve up individually and talk about long after the party is over.

Lillyan’s Whipped Goat Cheese with Heirloom Tomatoes

4 Tbsp. heavy cream
4 oz. goat cheese
Baguette, sliced
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Heirloom tomatoes, sliced
2 Tbsp. green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1. In an electric mixer, whip together heavy cream and goat cheese.

2. Brush 4 Tbsp. of EVOO on baguette slices and toast in the oven until golden. Remove from oven and let cool.

3. Spread whipped goat cheese on each toasted baguette slice and add tomato slices. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. of EVOO and balsamic vinegar. Finish with salt, pepper and green onions.

Red Quinoa with Roasted Pistachios and Parsley

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c quinoa, preferably red, rinsed well in a fine-mesh sieve
1 1/2 c low-sodium chicken broth or water
1/4 c unsalted, shelled raw pistachios, chopped
3 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa starts to toast and smell nutty, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.

2. Stir in quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until quinoa is tender, 25-30 minutes (15 if using white quinoa). Remove pan from heat, fluff quinoa with a fork. Cover; let stand for 5 minutes.

3. Fold pistachios, parsley, and mint into quinoa. Season with salt and pepper

Recipe from bonappetit.com.

Honey-Lemon Custard with Fruit

2 c heavy cream
4 Tbsp. honey, divided
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 2-inch strips lemon peel
6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided
1/4 c light rum
1 c berries or sliced mango

1. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Heat cream, 2 Tbsp. honey, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Add lemon peel; remove from heat. Let steep for 5 minutes (cream should register about 160° on an instant-read thermometer). Remove vanilla bean and peel. Gently stir in 5 Tbsp. lemon juice.

2. Divide custard among ramekins and chill to let set for at least 1 hour or, covered, up to 1 day.

3. Whisk remaining 2 Tbsp. honey and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice with rum in a small bowl. Stir in fruit; let sit until juicy, about 1 hour. Serve with custard.
Recipe from bonappetit.com.