Now that spring is here, lightening up the home decor with fresh flowers and garden themes suits me. Today, I have a roundup of ideas for tablescapes along with some delicious ideas for meals. So, let’s start with setting a table. I did this one for Easter dinner in 2017. It has the fun Easter Egg plates and bunny crackers I got at Pier 1. See the whole thing on the post Easter Tablescape.
Warmer days means being able to eat on the veranda. This tablescape from 2020 is set for two. Spring green placemats with yellow chargers hold white dinner plates and lemon shaped salad plates. Mason jar candles flank a pot with a geranium.
The plates are covered with vintage mesh covers to keep the bugs off. The covers are decorated with yellow flowers.
Yellow napkins in clear rings along with individual salt and pepper shakers and crystal glasses complete the settings.
Decorating is minimal these days, as I have donated most of my spring holiday stuff to the thrift store – Valentines, Easter, St Patricks Day are mostly gone. I am down to very few items that fit into one box, mainly just spring seasonal. There are two things, though, I just have to keep. One is this little rabbit train that says Happy Easter. Just too cute.
The other is this little duck with her sweet spring hat and Easter egg. I have two of these. Last year I put them both on a table around a yellow ceramic basket filled with silk flowers for a spring time centerpiece.
See that whole table on Springtime Tablescape.
I get my little rabbits out and place them around so it feels like spring in a garden. I love this little guy. It is a sugar bowl with the little rabbit peeking out from between the lettuce leaves, and a carrot for a handle.
Now we need to eat well for the spring Easter holiday. Of course, ham is a traditional food and I have a post on two ways to cook it. Click on Slow Cooked Ham for a slow cooker method and a parchment wrapped baked method. I have decided that my favorite way to cook a ham is in my big, 6-quart slow cooker.
Serve Asparagus with Roasted Garlic and Sun Dried Tomatoes with your ham. See my post on Roasted Garlic to learn how to roast and not steam your oven baked garlic bulbs, plus another great recipe for a baked spinach. This asparagus dish cooks in just a few minutes on the stove top. Just place the asparagus, roasted garlic, green onions and chopped sun dried tomatoes in a pan over medium high heat with a bit of butter. Download the pdf of my original recipe – Asparagus with Roasted Garlic and Sun Dried Tomatoes.
Summer Squash Casserole works as a meatless main, or as a side dish. See my post on how to make it HERE, and download the recipe at the bottom of that post. I resized the recipe to make just enough for two.
For dinner, from the Milk Street Vegetables cookbook (on sale now at Mild Street), a wonderful dish of Artichokes with Linguini I posted about a while ago. I made this recipe on Monday with chicken. This is so easy, with a bright lemon flavor and the tang of artichokes. It has no butter or cream, yet has a wonderful sauce thickened with the pasta water. Use your leftover ham instead of the pancetta. Download the recipe – Artichoke Linguini with Pancetta and Lemon.
With more of the leftover ham, try my Ham Apple Salad Wraps. Serve in a tortilla or with a lettuce leaf.
Deviled eggs make the perfect tidbit for taking to gatherings. See my post Perfect Deviled Eggs for the last recipe you will ever need. I break down the components and give you variations so you have an endless variety of flavors.
There is still time to enter for the Milk Street Backroads Italy cookbook, through Saturday at 6 pm. I will do the drawing then, and notify the winner. In the meantime, check out the Spring Cleaning Sale at Milk Street. Use Code SPRINGTIME For 30% OFF! Now is the time to get that fabulous cookbook you’ve had in mind– like my favorite World In A Skillet and Tuesday Nights, and Tuesday Nights Mediterranean. Plus kitchenware, cooking school videos, sauces, spices, confits and more. Sale ends Sunday.
What are you planning for a festive spring meal?
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New April deals at Fat Quarter Shop – 20% off the Basic of the Month Grunge by Moda, 30% Off the Notions of the Month from Clover, 30% off Patterns of the Month from Cluck Cluck Sew, and see the Book of the Month – The Kaleidoscope Quilt & Cross Stitch Book. Check out Today’s Flash Sale and see the Precuts of the Week, plus The Cross Stitch Sale of the Month will be from Needleminder.
From My Carolina Home 
Mostly I’m still waiting for spring. We’re having a cold start to April, temps are double-digit below usual. On the plus side, good weather for quilting since there’s no opportunity to work outside in the persistent precipitation. Your lovely tablescapes and abundant bunnies lift my spirits.
Carole, this is a beautiful round-up of tablescape and delicious food ideas for springtime!
I always love your tablescapes! Those egg shaped dishes are adorable. I don’t have any special dishes like that, but do have some little ceramic bunnies and a few other small things that I get out this time of year. Definitely looking forward to a ham meal on Easter. Your asparagus sounds like something I’ll have to try, too!
Your table looks nicely dressed for Easter and I love your mesh covers with the flower decoration.
Nice bunch of ideas for vegetable dishes. We eat a lot of vegetables and it’s always a treat to read of new ways to serve.
Mary :))
You always have such cute dishes for different holidays. That linguine sounds amazing. Going to have to try that recipe.
Chicago can’t seem to shake the cold – so it doesn’t feel like Easter – but I remember getting snow on my new Easter shoes…….Your meals look so yummy! Can’t wait to try the lingini and the deviled eggs! Thanks!
The cookbook would be the next best thing to a trip to Italy to taste for myself. I always enjoy your tables capes. It must be hard parting with some of the great thrifting finds you have shown through the years.
Well, if we weren’t in the mood before, we are now! All festive and cheerful. I love the Easter train. And all your tables and dishes look marvelous. Deviled eggs are always a must-have. I’ll check out your suggestions!
The rabbit train and the duck are gorgeous. Definitely worth keeping.