When planning a party, one of the things you have to think about in advance is the party food you will offer your guests. Below you will find some delicious Easter recipes we have collected for you to delight everyone at your Easter party. Prepare a special Easter dinner!

Easter Ham

What would Easter dinner be without ham? This type of pork is popular throughout the world. The custom of serving ham at Easter goes back as far as William the Conquerer, who served it along with such things as gammon and tansy pudding. Some believe that ham became traditional because the pig is a symbol of prosperity in many cultures. Schwean haben, a popular German expression, literally means to “have a pig.” At one time it was fashionable to wear little figures of pigs on watch chains and charm bracelets. Piggy banks for children may also be an expression of this age-old idea.

You will need:
1 7 to 8 pound fully cooked smoked ham shank
1 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
whole cloves

Combine syrup, vinegar and mustard. Place ham, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Pour about 1/2 cup mixture over ham and bake, uncovered, in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1-1/2 hours. Baste every 30 minutes with additional sauce. Remove ham from oven and score fat into diamond shapes. Insert a clove into each diamond. Bake ham an additional 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 140 degrees. Let ham rest 15 minutes before carving. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Raspberry Sherbert

This easy sherbert is great served with the bunny cookies (see below).

You will need:
1 bag (12 ounces) frozen dry-pack raspberries, thawed. ·
1 cup low-fat buttermilk ·
2/3 cup sugar

Combine raspberries, buttermilk and sugar in blender. Whirl until smooth. Strain through sieve to remove seeds. Freeze in ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. To freeze by hand, place puree in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Freeze. Scrape into food processor. Whirl, scraping down side of work bowl as needed, until smooth. Serve immediately. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a few fresh raspberries if desired (Optional).

Green Coconut Nests

Green coconut nests are a fun and easy Easter recipe to make!

You will need:
1 pound green chocolate coating
1 7 oz. package flaked or shredded coconut

In the top of a double boiler, melt coating over hot, not boiling, water. Add coconut and mix together well. Add very small amounts of water to coconut mixture until it thickens enough to hold shapes. Form into small nests by making mounds and then hollowing them out with the bowl of a spoon. Fill nests with jelly beans or molded chocolates. Makes 8 nests.

Fruit and Nut Easter Eggs

These can be made long before needed. Their flavor improves as they ripen.

You will need:
2-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 lb. marshmallow creme
1/2 cup shortening, melted
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 cups candied fruit (cherries and pineapple)
Nuts
Dipping chocolate

In a saucepan, cook sugar, syrup, and water to 265 degrees. Add marshmallow creme and beat until almost firm. Add melted shortening, confectioners’ sugar, candied fruit, and nuts. Mix well, shape eggs by hand and dip in the chocolate. The eggs will keep 6 to 8 months. Makes 10 eggs.