Our Best Easter Recipes, Tips & Tricks

Just four ingredients.

Do I have to share?

It’s the ultimate comfort food.

In my opinion, everything tastes better with bacon. Green beans are no different. There is something quite magical about the marriage of crisp green beans and nuggets of crispy bacon, tossed in bacon fat and a little butter. This recipe is simple enough to make and serve midweek, but also a great holiday side and alternative for green bean casserole. They’re crisp and bright. Blanching and shocking the green beans first keeps them crisp with a bright green color.

The crispy, salty bacon is key.

Goes with everything.

It’s no surprise that green beans have a permanent spot on my grocery list. After all, the slender legumes are quick-cooking, kid-friendly, and tasty, to boot! Thankfully, there’s no shortage of ways to prepare this snappy vegetable: green beans braised with tomatoes and pepper, blistered green beans with tangy pickled shallots, and classic green bean casserole, to name just a few.

There are many ways to cook carrots, but roasting them is hands-down my favorite method. It’s one of the best vegetable side dishes that pairs well with anything for dinner. Roasted carrots might seem simple, but when done right, they can rival just about any other vegetable side, be it Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes. When it comes to glazed carrots, some recipes call for cooking them on the stovetop, but I opt for the oven so that the carrots can do their business while I do mine.

They're not the same as gratin.

Everyone will ask you for the recipe.

Loved by kids and adults alike.

So simple and delicious.

Put the nostalgia on blast with this coconut and jelly bean cake.

And a total crowd-pleaser!

“We loved this cake!”

It’s stunning.

Not just for St. Patrick’s Day.

The honey syrup makes this cocktail irresistible.

Looks just like a summer sunrise.

Oui oui!

It’s a perfect drink for a casual brunch or special celebrations.

Southern biscuits are the perfect fictional device for telling the narratives of Southern families. One cook makes his biscuits with White Lily flour only because that’s how his Maw Mae did it. Another swears by lard, as her family never had the funds for high-dollar butter or shortening. Most Southern cooks bake biscuits at least once a week — a ritual and rite of passage as the recipe is handed down through the generations. My biscuit recipe is much the same.

These are beyond worth the effort.

Just add Irish butter.

Warm rolls will make any dinner better. Don't forget the dish of salted butter!

One bad hard-boiled egg can ruin you for life. At least, that’s what I believed until I learned how to cook soft-boiled and hard-boiled eggs, and precisely how I wanted to eat them. The perfect hard-boiled egg has no green ring around the yolk and the innards are creamy and mellow (plus easy to peel!). And if you’re in the mood, you can stop short of the hard-boil and make a gooey soft-boiled egg instead.

When it comes to holiday hams, whether it’s a Bourbon-Glazed Ham or a Copycat Honey Baked Ham, there are always, always leftovers. Yes, even if you’ve done your research on how to cook a ham and made estimates based on how many people you’re feeding. But honestly, leftover ham dishes can be even tastier than the centerpiece itself. There are plenty of ways — big and small — that we all can use leftover ham, now and later.

The beauty of making brunch the center of any celebration, such as Easter or Mother’s Day, are the sheer variety of options. From hearty brunch casseroles, stacks of pancakes and French toast, and cinnamon rolls, the best brunch spreads have a little bit of everything. But let’s not forget the appetizers!Bite-sized mini quiches, breakfast sliders, and sweet mini Dutch baby pancakes are great options, along with classic deviled eggs, creamy dips, and puff pastry tarts.