| Today's Segment -- Video Forthcoming Easter Eats and Spring Treats with Ceci Carmichael With Easter and Spring right around the corner, many people will be hosting get-togethers. Whether you’re planning an Easter party or an all-out Springtime bash, Cooking and entertaining expert Ceci Carmichael has the tips and tricks you’ll need for a festive seasonal soiree. It's time to bring some Spring spirit to your celebrations. I have been working with the folks over at PAAS, Heinz & Hillshire Farm this Spring and this season is the time for renewal. We’re casting off that winter gloom and letting in some fresh air. Let your party reflect that: Choose bright colors for your décor. Vibrant pinks, blues, purples—warm, eye-catching colors reminiscent and bring in those new Spring flowers. For the Easter feast make something simple that our guests will love. The perfect kind of meal for any party is one that’s inexpensive and easy to prepare, so you can get out of the kitchen and enjoy yourself. Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausages and Polska Kielbasa do just the trick. They’re super-tasty, affordable, and cook up in minutes in a skillet, oven or on a grill. It can even be substituted for the proteins in your favorite meals: A Crustless Quiche uses the beef smoked sausage with ingredients you probably have on hand like eggs, green bell peppers, and cheddar cheese. You fry everything up in a skillet, and then pop the skillet in the oven, and it comes out with that extra kick and unique flavor of smoked sausage. Crustless Quiche Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Makes: 12 servings Ingredients:
Also try making Spinach Cheese Potatoes with Smoked Sausage, a great easy-to-bake meal. You just layer the sausage, potato, onion, spinach and cheese in a pan and throw it in the oven. The quality cuts of pork, beef and turkey Hillshire Farm uses along with those slow-cooked natural spices make this dish a delicious choice for your Spring parties. Spinach Cheese Potatoes with Smoked Sausage Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 1 hr. Makes: 8 servings Ingredients:
Make sure to decorate for the big day and it is key is that it should be festive and fun – and what would an Easter party be without Easter eggs? Did you know that this year, Americans will continue the much-loved tradition and decorate as many as 180 million eggs! Now there are some really cool, new trends in egg decorating, believe it or not, even after 130 years! Check out from PAAS eggs like Mini Monsters, Egg-Quarium and Neon, which add the “wow” factor to ordinary eggs. Just a few special touches can make your creations pop for those Easter egg hunts and decorations. Egg decorating is great entertainment for kids and adults at the party and gets everyone to add a bit of ‘bling’ to eggs — get creative! To make your egg colors to really pop and look amazing, I will tell you a secret, the answer is probably already in your pantry at home. To make your Easter eggs extra colorful and vibrant this holiday season, add three tablespoons of Heinz® Distilled White Vinegar to the egg wash before dyeing your eggs. It boosts the pigment’s ability to adhere to the eggshell — really upping the “wow” factor. You can also add it to your water before boiling your eggs to prevent cracking and make peeling off the shell easier when you enjoy your creations. And keep in mind thatSpring is the start of warm weather, so bring those parties outside! Have a great barbeque, and get those kids moving with an Easter egg hunt. Let Spring be the setting for your Springtime get-together. For more tips, recipes and great decorating ideas, go to these web sites: www.paaseastereggs.com www.HeinzVinegar.com www.gomeat.com |