Easy One-Pan Recipes for Effortless Hosting
By Family Features | Contributor
If you’ve taken on the task of hosting this Easter, you might feel overwhelmed with added responsibilities. However, it doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. Easter is ultimately about enjoying time with loved ones, with food acting as one of the highlights of the gathering.
Centering your menu around uncomplicated, one-pan recipes allows you to prioritize what matters most: making memories with family and friends. These recipes typically use a handful of ingredients, many of which you likely have on hand, and feature straightforward preparation that results in a complete meal ideal for sharing. Plus, with just one pan to clean, you can get back to celebrating sooner.
An excellent option is this Easter Roast, which serves as both the entrée and accompanying sides, allowing the oven to handle most of the cooking after a bit of initial prep. Equally convenient, these Refrigerator Rolls can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to six days before baking—an ideal partner for the roast and vegetables.
Conclude your meal with a versatile dessert like the Blueberry Crumble. With only five ingredients and a preparation time of about an hour, you can easily customize it by swapping the blueberry filling and cake mix for flavors that appeal to your guests, such as apple filling with spice cake or cherry with chocolate. The possibilities for satisfying that sweet craving are endless.
For additional Easter recipe ideas, head over to Culinary.net.
Easter Roast
Servings: 1 roast
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
1 roast (3 pounds)
1 bag (1 pound) baby carrots
1 bag (1 1/2 pounds) trio potatoes or your choice
3 cups beef broth
1 can (10 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
1 tablespoon garlic pepper
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 bunch of asparagus
To start, preheat your oven to 350°F. Season the roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, rubbing it into all sides. Position the seasoned roast in the center of a large roasting pan, placing carrots on one side and potatoes on the other. In a large bowl, combine beef broth with cream of mushroom soup and garlic pepper, then pour this mixture over the roast, potatoes, and carrots. Sprinkle brown sugar over the carrots and add the chopped onion. Cover the pan and roast for 2 1/2 hours. Afterward, add asparagus and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes. You can serve directly from the pan or transfer to a platter for a more elegant look.
Refrigerator Rolls
Yield: 18 rolls
2 packets yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups lukewarm water
6-7 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
1 stick softened butter
Oil, for greasing
In a large bowl, mix yeast and sugar into lukewarm water until foamy. Once ready, add 3 cups of flour. Incorporate the salt, eggs, and butter. Gradually add the remaining flour, one cup at a time, mixing until a ball forms. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and cover the mixing bowl with a light coating of oil. Return the dough to the bowl and allow it to rise for one hour or refrigerate if you’ve made it ahead of time. When it’s time to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a muffin pan. Shape the dough into balls and place them in the muffin cups; let rise for another hour. Bake rolls for 30 minutes.
Note: The dough can be prepared up to six days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. If doing so, remember to punch down the dough, cover it, and refrigerate, repeating this daily until it’s ready to be used.
Blueberry Crumble
Servings: 1 cake
1 can blueberry pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
1 bag (4 ounces) chopped pecans
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup oil
Optional: whipped cream and vanilla ice cream, for serving
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F. Layer the bottom of a 9-by-11-inch baking dish with blueberry pie filling. Evenly sprinkle the cake mix and pecans on top—do not stir. Drizzle melted butter and oil over the cake mix and nuts without mixing. Carefully tilt the pan from side to side to cover the cake mixture completely with butter. Bake for one hour until golden and bubbly. Serve warm, topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.
