My husband would leave me if we didn't have what you call Funeral potatoes with our Easter ham. We call them Schwartzies Hash Browns, as that is the recipe that his Mom used from Best of Bridge. Okay, kidding about him leaving, but he would definitely be sad. Since it is part of his childhood memory of Easter, it is about the only time that I use canned soup in recipes. I tried a different version, with white sauce, etc., but it wasn't what he remembered so I am happy to indulge him once a year. I make up for it with green beans almondine and a salad chock full of great veggies.

When I could eat ham, I always made a corn souffle and asparagus mimosa. I haven't been able to find ham that doesn't have a smokey flavor, and after going through brutal months of chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer I have no tolerance for any smoked foods :o(

My preferred sides for ham are my mom's recipe for scalloped potatoes, corn soufflé and either asparagus or spinach. And a big fruit salad! And deviled eggs!!

Devilled eggs! My dil’s favourite!

I have to admit I do love those funeral potatoes.

If you decide to go with scalloped potatoes, this version is one I use often.

Scalloped Potato Gratin
(Recipe from Tyler Florence)

1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 sprig fresh thyme

1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Butter
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Optional: Chopped chives for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375.

In a saucepan, heat the cream over low heat with the thyme sprig, chopped garlic and nutmeg. (I like to add a little bit of salt and pepper.) Turn off the heat and let it sit a few minutes to infuse flavors. Discard thyme sprig and bay leaf.

Generously butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season well with salt and pepper. Pour a little cream over the potatoes. Top with some grated Parmesan. Make 2 more layers. Cover with foil lifting one corner to vent. Bake for about 40 minutes. Remove foil and add more Parmesan on top. Continue baking for another 15 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Sprinkle with chopped chives for serving.

I suppose it's not as Springy in Alberta as it is here in SoCal. I'd want to celebrate at least the idea of Spring with the chicks and bunnies and Easter eggs. Ham can go either way, but with the heavy givens of bread pudding and potato casserole, the veg are a great way to drag it out of fusty old Winter. Of course, what your family likes to eat is prime, but I'd go for something like a steamed vegetable salad. It's make ahead, which helps with the juggling, and can be served chilled, room temp or heated. The trick is to get a bunch of really colorful bits with different textures and not too much crunch, make them on the small side of "bite size" and fairly uniform. I've done it with those darling baby squash, but that gets expensive for company and more fiddly to prep. It looks great though!

Or... if you can get pattipan squash, they cut really pretty, yellow and green, but any squash will do. Lightly steamed only so they don't get mushy. Baby carrots or carrot coins (thin slices of fat carrots)--rainbow carrots if you can get them. Cherry or grape tomatoes. Green beans or other seasonal similar. Cauliflower and broccoli, just small florets (use the stems in something else). Whatever's available. If you need to fill it out, you can cut up some canned baby corn, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, olives, etc. Soak them a bit in some dressing to help remove the tinned flavor. Generously dress with a well seasoned herb vinaigrette (I always need more salt than I think I do, though you could season the veg directly instead of relying on the dressing). Let the steamed veg stand in the dressing for at least some hours so that all the flavors start to cooperate.

But really, you could just get what's fresh and bright and in season and prepare it simply and it'll go well with your planned meal.

I love the corn souffle idea. But with all the beige dishes, I’m leaning toward a green veg. The asparagus would work if I can get it. And if I can get it, hopefully there will be some on sale. Vegetables are an iffy commodity right now.

I don't think you can go wrong with roasted asparagus, or the green beans and cherry tomatoes you mentioned...also very good roasted.

I remembered a veggie dish we were served awhile back. It was very good and I'm pretty sure the hostess got it from Ina Garten. I found this link, although I don't believe what we had included broccolini.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/green-green-spring-vegetables-recipe-1917380

Baked Beans

Mashed Rutabaga

Sweet potatoes

Broccoli cheese casserole

Biscuits

Pineapple chunks

We (by that I mean THEY demand and I produce) always do potato salad AND cheesy scalloped potatoes, mac and cheese, devilled eggs, olive bread, some sort of dip with the appropriate chip, and whatever other little finger foods to make it fun. (There is always a big group 30 to 40 usually)

We skip the cooked greens on holidays. No point no one will eat them as we see holidays as a time to indulge.

This year, in addition to all the usual, I plan to make carrots from this recipe. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/roasted-carrots-with-honey-and-mint-5175895

Louise I think writing your name on your title is the best thing. I thought of that last time you posted. You must have read my mind :-). Of course the best thing would be if you could get back to being Louise. Sometimes this site can be a titch frustrating...

Easter is turkey and ham. I can't eat ham so I make both. I make a light dressing unlike at Christmas when it is heavy food full. Yes it's always potatoes either au gratin or salad. Usually it's potato salad when we do baked macaroni and cheese. Everyone around here loves tomato and red onion salad with some kind of zingy dressing. Every so often we make deviled eggs but not every year.

Chloebud - I have added the Green, Green Spring Vegetables to our Easter menu. Ever since I learned not to stick to the amount of salt (and sometimes butter!) that Ina uses, I have found her recipes to be both foolproof and well received.

Ham, cheesy potatoes (similar to funeral potatoes), asparagus, creamed corn and watergate salad. Appetizers - smoked salmon crostini and deviled eggs. Dessert - Cheesecake or strawberry shortcake. May try to make a Hummingbird Cake instead of the cheesecake.

We'll have ham because I'm picking up our packaged pig tomorrow, so a whole hog in the freezer, and it'll definitely be ham. I don't like ham, though, or bacon or sausage, particularly, so I'm making turkey because I like it. So, ham AND turkey. I haven't decided on potatoes yet, I love mashed potatoes but I have three family members who won't touch them. I also like the green-green vegetable idea, but I love vegetables. We'll also have a corn pudding, because my youngest daughter loves the stuff.

Anyway, I think I'm also going to serve one of my favorite salads, I got the recipe here from Cathy/Mustangs. I use baby spinach in place of the arugula, but everything else is the same. It's so good, I can forget it's salad!

Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan

(Mustangs - Cooking Forum)

4 tbls olive oil

2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto cut into strips

1 tbls raspberry jam

3 tbls fig balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup dried figs, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 tbls finely chopped shallot

5 cups baby arugula

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

2 oz Parmesan, shaved into thin strips

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; add prosciutto and fry until crisp, stirring frequently for about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel to drain and cool.

2. Whisk jam and vinegar in medium microwave-safe bowl; stir in figs. Cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic and microwave on high until figs are plump, about 45 seconds. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, shallots, ? tsp salt; toss to combine. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Toss arugula and vinaigrette in large bowl; adjust seasonings with salt. Divide salad among individual plats; top with portion of prosciutto, walnuts, and Parmesan.

My girls like this, although they would prefer the traditional 7 layer salad. Too bad for them, I'm making this one, LOL.

Definitely devilled eggs...

Annie