Food prepping

I've done some work on my Easter menu. It also fell close to Jay's birthday (which is today 4/4) but we will all get together and celebrate it tomorrow on Sunday. Since they wanted the basic meat and potatoes we will honor that request and keep it simple.  Not that simple but we will be pulling out favorites that we've tried before and I get to do some prep today that will keep tomorrow free.

I'm going for appetizers of Oysters Rockefeller (again). I can still get some fresh and everybody scarfs them up. We'll add to that some fried artichoke hearts and I wanted to make some compound butters. I think I'll do a blue cheese and chives and another (where do I get these ideas) a pesto butter. I thought I'd add roasted pine nuts, garlic, cheese, basil to the butter (instead of olive oil). I'll give it a shot and see how that goes. Some nice little crustini's to go with it.

Main course is steak. A big, hockin' two-inch thick, cut by the butcher. Marinade it in a little garlic and red wine, grill it. Baked potato - all the stuffings on the side, sour cream, bacon, chives, cheese and then there will be that compound butter to add if you like. Some creamed spinach, and grilled asparagus to add some color and texture. I'm full already!

I'm making a strawberry cake for Jay. That was his request for his birthday. A white layer cake filled with strawberries and cream cheese frosting. I also thought since it's Easter to make some rice krispie treats (the kiddie are coming) with M&Ms, chocolate chips, pretzel pieces and those flat sprinkles mixed in. I saw it on Unique Sweets on the cooking channel.

I get to start prepping today! Cake baking first to let it cool and then I can figure out where to go from there. This is always so much fun!
TT