Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

I’m so happy for Easter this weekend! Like last year, it’s going to be a small Easter. There will just be two of us at the table and Arlo the dog, who will be at our feet hoping we drop some crumbs. LOL! Even though we may not have as many people around the table I still plan to make Easter special and delicious!

We were on the fence, but we decided to do a ham after all this Easter. Here’s why. The LEFTOVERS! I love to cook once and get a few different meals out of it. It makes things so much easier. Easier on the wallet too! Wait until you see all my ideas to use that leftover ham! I’m getting excited just thinking about it.

If you are making a ham, even a small one, make it the best ever with my Brown Sugar and Mustard Ham Glaze. It's so good. A can of Coke is the secret ingredient! You just gotta try this glaze!

On the side my Cheesy Hash Brown Hot Dish, Parmesan Potato Gratin, or Easy Twice Baked Potatoes are perfect.

The kids will LOVE my Southern Style Mac ’n Cheese. Super creamy and cheesy and so easy breezy!

I think a big pretty salad is a must! My Strawberry Spinach Salad is a taste of spring and so pretty. Click Dinner, Side Dishes, and Salads for more delicious recipes.

Speaking of strawberries, they are beautiful at the grocery store right now. And cheap too. How ‘bout baking up my easy breezy Strawberry Refrigerator Cake? So pretty! It’s ALWAYS a hit!

My sunny Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is another family favorite! It’s a nice light dessert and I love it with coffee in the morning too! Click Desserts for more delicious spring and Easter desserts.

For Easter breakfast or brunch keep it simple with my Overnight Blueberry French Toast. I serve it with Brown Sugar Bacon and my Winter Fruit Salad. Talk about looking like a rock star! Click Breakfast & Brunch for more of my favorite holiday recipes.

I mentioned leftover ham. I love the leftovers! My favorite way to use it is dice it up and make my cheesy Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham. It’s scrumptious!

I also love a good pea soup! My Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is the best! You can just use the odds and ends of the ham. If you’ve got a ham bone, throw that in too for extra flavor!

The kids will love Ham, Swiss and Pasta Skillet. It’s a super quick and easy week night fix.

If you are dying eggs this weekend, make sure to click Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs to read my blog post on how to make your eggs perfect every time. I can’t wait to make my Deviled Ham and Eggs! The perfect Easter appetizer! So YUMMY!

LAST CHANCE! Join Me in June 2021 for an AMAZING Trip to Mackinac Island!

I’m so excited to start traveling again! We should all be able to get the vaccine soon! Let’s celebrate! I’ve planned four FANTASTIC culinary vacations. My trips are extra special and different from the rest!

My 3-day trip to beautiful Mackinac Island, Michigan this summer is the perfect way to start traveling again. It’s ALMOST sold out! There are just a few spots left! This is your last chance to reserve your spot and join me! We’ll be there in June when the lilacs are in full bloom. It’s going to be gorgeous! We’ll have the opportunity to see and do it all! From a sunset cocktail sail under the beautiful the Mackinac Bridge, to a carriage ride around the island, a gourmet wine dinner, a visit to the famous Grand Hotel and so much more! Click Join The Cooking Mom on Mackinac Island to get more details. Call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel 920-725-2880 to get in on the fun and reserve your spot. I can’t wait! It’s going to be a blast!

In September 2021, join me for a river cruise through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A river cruise is the absolute best and stress-free way to see Europe. It’s a great value too because gourmet meals and wine, beer, and champagne are all included on the cruise! This trip is going to be spectacular!

If you’re dreaming of a beautiful beach vacation with amazing food this trip is for you! We’ll beat the winter blues and spend a week in one of my favorite cities, gorgeous Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! In January 2022, we’ll stay in a super small, just 80 rooms, 4-diamond luxury beach front resort. I worked really hard to make sure this trip is not only first class but really budget friendly too! All of your food and wine and top shelf cocktails at the resort are included. And it’s not your typical all-inclusive. The cuisine is gourmet, fresh and locally inspired! We’ll even have the option of a multi-course chef’s dinner overlooking the ocean.

Besides the fancy stuff we’ll go local! We’ll join local foodies in search of Puerto Vallarta’s freshly made warm tortillas, the ultimate tacos, tamales, amazing fresh seafood, and fabulous cocktails too. It will be whale watching season during this trip. Let’s go watch! It’s going to be AMAZING! Why not treat yourself to winter getaway you’ll never forget? Read my latest blog post Join The Cooking Mom in Puerto Vallarta to see pictures and get lots more details. This trip is going to book up fast! Hope you're on board. Call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel 920-725-2880 for more. You can also email her at: brittany@bonvoyagebt.com

In April of 2022, join me on an incredible trip to Ireland! This trip is also booking up quickly! From Irish cooking classes, to scone baking, whiskey tasting, a VIP tour of Guinness, and so much more. We’ll do it all. We’ll even stay in a real castle outside of Dublin! I can only take a small group so get your reservation in soon! Click Join The Cooking Mom in Ireland to read more about this trip and find out how to reserve your spot!

To find out more about my trips and what makes them so unique click Culinary Vacations with The Cooking Mom.

If you want to get on the list for updates and details on all my trips email me at info@thecookingmom.com!

Order Amy's Cookbooks on Amazon!

If you need some new ideas and recipes to keep busy why not treat yourself to my cookbooks? I have two cookbooks with lots of beautiful color pictures and each is filled with nearly 200 unique recipes. Click Amy's Books on Amazon to order.

Gotta run! Arlo, the dog wants to get out and take a walk. You can always see what I'm up to on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Check out my videos on YouTube, too. Follow me!

I hope you all have a safe, delicious and Happy Easter! Cook up some memories this weekend!

Take care,
Amy, The Cooking Mom

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