Whatever your family traditions, Easter dinner is a time to spend with family and friends. Here are some great kitchen assistants to help you prepare your dinner. (Drop some hints with the Easter Bunny.) Happy Easter!
A pan for both
In our house there is always the classic debate: turkey or roast ham?
You can do both with the Paderno 40cm Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Grill. The low-rise design with a portable grill makes it the perfect dish for cooking either the Easter ham or a small turkey. The durable stainless steel construction means it will be around for a long time. Use it small roasts, vegetables and other dishes. Oven and dishwasher safe.
Help with the veggies
No Easter meal is complete without vegetables. The Cuisinart Greenware Cookware Set has everything you need to steam, stir-fry or bake your vegetables. It features two saucepans, a deep fry, Dutch oven, omelette pan, and a steamer insert. The set uses PTFE and PFOA-free Ceramica non-stick technology for healthier cooking and better living. Petroleum-free, ceramic-based non-stick interior helps to reduce oil consumption for even healthier veggies while the aluminum pan construction provides superior heat conductivity.
The perfect weapon
In my large Irish family, mashed potatoes play a central role at the Easter table. There are endless discussions about the texture and a bit of competition as to who has the creamiest mashed potatoes. The younger generation has opted for the Cuisinart Elite Collection with three nested and sealed bowls with pour spouts and measurement markings to deliver their spuds.The reversible shredding and adjustable slicing disc with the blade lock system is handy as is the spatula and dough blade. And the 1000-Watt peak power motor means there is enough power to tackle any potato lumps.
My mother on the other hand, swears by the old-school potato masher. She did agree to replace her 20-year old masher with the OXO Good Grips Good Grips Wire Masher. It passed her criteria for a sturdy stainless steel head that can easily mash potaotes and other veggies. She also likes the comfortable cushioned handle. She claims great mashed potatoes are all in the wrist action! She may be onto something — Ma’s spuds are still the best.
Accept no substitutes
The other sacrosanct item in our household is homemade stuffing. We all agree that stuffing cooked on top of the stove is just plain wrong. The secret to this is using a food slicer to dice up the celery and onions. The T-Fal Fresh Express Electric Food Slicer is quick and easy to use. It shreds, slices and grates with fives cones that are BPA free and it’s powered by a 150W motor. It’s also dishwasher safe, so no more excuses! Start making your own stuffing! Mom would approve.
For the perfect cake
For some family members, Easter is all about the chocolate and desserts. We all leave room for my sister’s famous chocolate cake. Nothing beats a homemade cake! The secret is how the batter is prepared. The Cuisinart 12 Speed 800 Watt Stand Mixer has a powerful 800-watt motor and 5.5-quart stainless steel bowl to handle any recipe.
If you are worried about how long to mix something, there is a countdown timer that offers extreme precision and auto shut-off. The flat mixing paddle, chef’s whisk, dough hook and splashguard are all handy tools as well. My sister-in-law is checking out this machine for her sweet potato pie. (You could probably use this for your mashed potatoes as well!)
The perfect display
My daughter makes the most beautifully decorated cake and cookies that we regret biting into for at least two minutes. I’m going to get her the Rosanna Décor Bon Bon Porcelain Pedestal to display her baked masterpieces. Inspired by classic Victorian forms, this porcelain pedestal is perfect for displaying chocolates, cupcakes or other goodies. I think she will forgive me that this item must be hand-washed.
With five kids in my family, equal portions were always an issue. I’m donating the Vacu Vin Cake Server and Divider to this year’s dinner. The divider splits cake in 8, 10 or 12 even pieces and the server has a serrated slicer that makes serving simple. Mom can’t play favourites this year with the chocolate cake!
Happy Easter everyone! Enjoy all that good food and celebrate spring arriving.
