What can I make for Easter dinner that only takes 2 hours to cook?

March 31, 2018 2:53 PM

I have people coming over at 7, but I work till 5pm

I have to work on Easter Monday until 5pm ( I work from home, but my hours are not flexible- I'm on the clock till 5).

I have about 8 people coming over for a potluck dinner that night, but I'm not sure what to make for the main course. All the ham and lamb recipes I've found seem to require a lot of basting during the day, and I won't necessarily be able to leave my desk to do that.

Ideally I could find something that I can prepare the night before and put in the oven right after work so it's ready at 7 / 7:30 ish.

Open to vegetarian main dish suggestions too, as at least one guest is veggie.

BONUS QUESTION: Any special little decorations or rituals I could provide that will give the evening a Pagan vibe? None of my guests are Christian :)

posted by winterportage to Food & Drink (15 answers total)

Fritatta! Or quiche. Both are lovely, springy foodstuffs that accommodate vegetarians. You can even make a couple and put ham in one.
posted by linettasky at 3:09 PM on March 31, 2018 [5 favorites]

Go to the Honeybaked Ham Company and pick up a cooked ham. Done.
posted by KazamaSmokers at 3:11 PM on March 31, 2018 [15 favorites]

Have you thought about an Instant Pot? I've seen honey ham recipes for about 1/2 hour ( add another 1/2 hour for pressure-up/pressure -down times.)
posted by davidjhall at 3:15 PM on March 31, 2018 [1 favorite]

Cooking a ham can definitely work like this. Fuss with it the night before, and then just slice and warm slices in the oven before friends come over. Tell people "I am doing the ham, you bring the sides" You can make a really nice mushroom risotto with veggie stock for your veggie guest or something equally savory/fancy.

As far as decorations, I think greenery from outside is always a great thing, whether it's pine boughs or something else. I went to a wedding that went with this theme and they had some old birch logs with holes drilled into them with candles and I thought it was nice and festive and nature-y.
posted by jessamyn at 3:16 PM on March 31, 2018 [1 favorite]

Salmon is lovely for Easter an so much easier on a tight schedule.
posted by velveeta underground at 3:17 PM on March 31, 2018 [3 favorites]

Get a bunch of little lamb chop lollipops, one rib each.
Assume 2-4 per person depending how hungry your crowd is and how much other food there will be.
Sprinkle with salt and sear them fast on a hot pan (like 2 mins per side), or barbecue.
Leave them rare inside.
You can make some kind of sauce if you want, but it's not needed. They definitely don't need marinating or basting.
They really don't need anything but salt to taste incredible.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:17 PM on March 31, 2018 [3 favorites]

Precooked ham needs 8-10 minutes per pound to reheat; you have ample time especially if you find a boneless cut.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 3:24 PM on March 31, 2018 [3 favorites]

I make Easter dinner for 13 - I chose Easter specifically because it's minimal work and stress! (Sorry family, for sticking you with the more labor-intensive holidays.) I never baste my ham. It's already cooked so you just need to heat it up. Here's what I would do if I were you:

Veggie tray - I do the basics, carrots (baby carrots are all ready), cherry tomatoes (ditto), some red peppers, celery, and cukes. All super easy to prepare the night before. Right before your guests get there, dump them onto a nice platter. Don't arrange, just dump. Serve with dip (I do the ubiquitous Lipton soup mix/sour cream. I'm from upstate NY, we have to have a sour cream-based dip at every occasion.)

Also maybe crackers and a cheese spread, also already prepared. Or not!

Make a potato salad the night before. Ditto a crustless quiche. They're both better when they've had a chance to sit. Or buy them, I won't tell.
Get 2 bags of lettuce - spring mix, Italian blend, whatever you like - and a nice vinegrette
Serve the ham in slices
Buy some good bread
Also put out mustard, horseradish, pickles

That's it! You've got yourself an Easter dinner! I also serve kielbasa - super fast, heat up on the stove, takes maybe 10 minutes - and pierogies in the crockpot, but you'd have to start those in the middle of your day.

One of the best nights of my year is when Easter dinner is over - my house is clean, all the work is done, my family is with me, everyone's full, drinking wine or coffee and picking at dessert. Spring has finally arrived, my kid is on spring break so we don't have to have our usual "I hate school" argument in the morning. Enjoy your friends and your feast!
posted by lyssabee at 3:58 PM on March 31, 2018 [3 favorites]

If you really feel like you need to cook something yourself (although seriously - get a honey baked ham) you can roast a chicken in a little less than an hour - also your house will smell heavenly. I like to cut an orange and stuff the cavity instead of the traditional lemon, but super easy and delicious.
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 4:39 PM on March 31, 2018

As a vegetarian (who doesn't like mushrooms, because they taste like meat to me), I second the quiche or frittata, with one being ham and the other asparagus and leek or something like that. With prep and cooking, it's less than an hour and all you need with it is a green salad and maybe some of those frozen appetizer things, like spanikopita, and/or maybe marcona almonds or an olive mix or chips with humus or guacamole. Enjoy!
posted by mmw at 5:01 PM on March 31, 2018 [1 favorite]

as at least one guest is veggie.

hopefully, they're not afraid of cheese.

Because what you want is a simple homemade Mac + Cheese, with (for the carnivores) a ham on the side, one of the pre-cooked ones.

Make sure you've got some good mustard on the side, and proper dinner buns, and ... it's that easy. And it all takes about an hour.
posted by philip-random at 12:30 AM on April 1, 2018 [3 favorites]

A bone-in lamb shoulder roast can be pretty magical after 12 hours in a very low oven. We do it lightly stabbed and rubbed with a paste of garlic, ground cumin and sumac. 12 hours at 90 degrees (C, 190F) fan-forced. The result is spectacular.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 3:16 AM on April 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

Seconding the slow-roasted lamb - you might need a leg rather than shoulder. I mentioned in another thread that I wrap mine in herbs and then foil, after browning it. Nothing can go wrong.
posted by mumimor at 3:53 AM on April 1, 2018

A roasted rack of lamb goes surprisingly fast, and it’s easy but impressive. It’s even easier if you do it Sous vide (although it take a bit longer).

But...if I were you and didn’t have any dietary or religious restrictions to accommodate, I’d just do a nice cooked ham.
posted by faineg at 6:38 AM on April 1, 2018

Just pick up something from the prepared food section of the grocery store so you can be relaxed and have fun.
posted by Jacqueline at 2:09 PM on April 1, 2018