A Few Really Important Questions

[Scott McKee]

Since my boss woke me up with a string of texts revolving around the central theme of local polishers of the pine, and he did so at the crack of 8:30 this morning, I thought I'd post something that has been eating away at my brain over the years.

Easter dinner always varies at the McKee hacienda.  We've bounced around between turkey, roast beef and ham over the years.  This year we're returning to swine.  I love ham, but my inner fat guy always reminds and warns me of the inherent problem with cured pork: There's no damn gravy for the potatoes!  Is canned gravy acceptable for Easter Dinner?  What about a meat side dish that lends itself to the creation of gravy?  Is there away around my no-gravy dilemma?

A fellow at the bar yesterday offered this advice: Skip the potatoes and go with a pasta dish.  He suggested lasagna.  My inner "mick" thought this ludicrous.  But then again my inner fat guy screamed "Okay"!  Whipping up a lasagna seemed like a lot of extra work and it certainly could be viewed as overkill, but who doesn't love lasagna?  I think lasagna would be my answer to any desert island food question posed.  Carrie has her own solution to my no-gravy problem.  She's making something called cheesy potatoes, which makes gravy obsolete (I can't believe I just wrote that by the way) by infusing the reasonably healthy potato with an abundance of not-so-healthy ingredients.

Let's add an "S" to desert.  What is the best Easter dinner dessert by the way?  We're going Americana with apple pie and iced cream, but are me missing out on something?  Perhaps a more ethnic and traditional dessert that hasn't made its way to generally food-conservative Williamsville yet?  This is important stuff here!

Let's get down to brass Easter baskets.  What are you having for dinner tonight?  Here's our line-up: Ham, the aforementioned cheesy potatoes, acorn squash and asparagus.

I know with the lighthearted discussion that has made the rounds on the Web site over the past few months, these hard hitting questions may come as a bit of a shock to some of you, but I need to get to the bottom of this problem.  Have a great Easter everyone!

Scott

PS: How does Polish sausage fit into this whole Easter dinner equation, or doesn't it?  Is Papke's motherlands most beloved links just for breakfast on Easter?  Why don't I  know this stuff?

PPS: The store was out of butter lambs!  We don't generally eat the butter lamb, but they do look cute on the table.  Does anyone know of a good butter sculpting Web site?  Don't even bother, I'd just wind up with a butter troll or worse anyway.

PPPS: Is it acceptable to place smoked sausage in Easter baskets?

PPPPS: Does Mr. Toothy sell chocolate deep divers?  If so, what colors do they come in?

[Mike "the facilities" Fortunate]

Sauce is a must on easter!!!! Also stuffed peppers..........but that wasn't an option. Make some brownie sundays for dessert, and be adventurous and put ketchup on your ham!

[Mike "the facilities" Fortunate]

Ohhh yea and pork loin for your gravy crave..or just bread and butter dipped in gravy like fat people do!

[Scott McKee]

Ketchup on ham?  Blasphemer!!!

[Scott McKee]

Ham with a side of pork loin, huh?  Now that is a plan I can get behind!  "Fat people", Mike?  This is 2013.  Please refer to us as the "caloric over-challenged".  Brownie sundaes don't need a major religious holiday to creep their way into any dessert menu, but good advice nonetheless.

[Mike "the facilities" Fortunate]

At the fortunate estates we are having pork loin / ham / ravioli! With pinapple pie....good day sir.

[Frank Stachowiak]

The Stachowiak's gathered at 4PM with dinner scheduled for 5:30. Now you can't sit and wait to eat so we rustled up a bowl of hot chicken wing dip to get us by.  We were ready for a few more snacks but lost our appetite (for 10 minutes) when the Louisville bball player broke his leg. We were in the dumps when Coack K lost (we are Polish too).  Then dinner: Baked ham, home made fresh Polish Sausage, brocolli, twice-baked potatoes smothered with parmesan cheese (no gravy on those suckers) and horseradish sauce for the meats. No less than two home made apple pies and we were finally finished. Recipes for the potatoes and horseradish sauce on request. Of course there was a butter lamb on the table.  True to their grandfather, my grandaughter placed a few raisins at the lamb's rear to simulate something.  I have trained them well.

[Scott McKee]

The spirit of Shecky Greene and Henny Youngman is strong with your granddaughter.  I don't have any children, but if I did I think I would look forward most to corrupting their offspring.  Great post Frank.

[Brett Cournoyea]

Scallop potatoes is the answer my friend