Easter Special!
- Mar 26
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 5
Celebrate Easter with a three-day family feast - Feaster! Join Kim and Kristina Hatcher as they discuss how to expand the holiday into a whirlwind of fun, food, and activities for all ages. From starting the week with a Holy Week liturgy to planning a full Feaster schedule and recipes to feed the crowd, this episode is packed with ideas to make your celebration joyous. To cap it off, the Hatchers reveal a family favorite: the Feaster beer garden where adults share beers, kids sip sodas, and each person contributes a Scripture, song, painting, or reading to meditate on Easter. We're so glad you're here!
(See Holy Week liturgy and ideas for Feaster schedule at bottom of page.)
Recipes:
Pizza Pot Pie
Serves: 8 or more
(Submitted by Kim and Kristina Hatcher)
This hearty casserole features typical pizza ingredients—sausages, mushrooms, and tomato sauce—baked together under a tender pizza crust. It is simple and satisfying, and with a green salad makes a complete meal.
Ingredients:
2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 pounds hot Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
4½ cups Spicy Tomato Sauce
2 cups ricotta cheese
½ cup freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese
¾ cup chopped parsley
2 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
2 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
Pizza Dough for crust (recipe follows), raised once
Spicy Tomato Sauce:
(Makes about 3 quarts)
½ cup best-quality olive oil
2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
4 pounds ripe plum or other meaty tomatoes, skinned and seeded
6 ounces (1 can) tomato paste
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups water
5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
(See instructions below.)
Pizza Dough:
1 package active dry yeast
1 to 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water (105° to 115°F.)
2⅓ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
¾ cup cake flour
⅓ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
(See instructions below.)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a heavy skillet sauté sausages until brown. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Stir Spicy Tomato Sauce into the sausages and reserve.
3. Mix ricotta, Parmesan, ½ cup of the parsley, 2 tablespoons of the oregano, 1 egg, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
4. In a rectangular ovenproof dish, about 9 x 13 inches, spread half of the sausage mixture. Dot this with half of the ricotta mixture and sprinkle 2 cups of the mozzarella evenly over the entire surface. Sprinkle with half of the remaining parsley and half of the remaining oregano. Repeat.
5. Roll out three quarters of the dough to a thickness of about ⅓ inch, being certain the dough is about 1 inch larger than the pan all the way around. Transfer dough to top of pizza and tuck in excess all around. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush some of it on top of crust.
6. Roll out remaining dough and use it to form decorative shapes, cut with cookie cutters if you like. Arrange shapes on top of crust, brush again with beaten egg, and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
7. Let pizza stand for 30 minutes before cutting.
PIZZA DOUGH INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in ½ cup of the lukewarm water and let it stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, freshly ground black pepper, and salt.
3. Add the dissolved yeast mixture to the dry ingredients along with the olive oil and the remaining ½ to ¾ cup of lukewarm water. Stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pliable.
5. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it once to coat the surface with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot (roughly 75°F to 80°F) for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in bulk.
6. Once doubled, punch the dough down and knead it briefly (about 15 seconds).
7. Let the dough rest under a clean kitchen towel for 10 minutes before rolling it out as directed in the Pizza Pot Pie recipe.
SPICY TOMATO SAUCE INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat olive oil in a large deep pot. Add onions and cook, covered, over low heat until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the water and cook very slowly, uncovered, for 3 hours.
4. Stir in the garlic and parsley and simmer for another 5 minutes.
5. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary. Use immediately, or cool to room temperature before covering. Refrigerate or freeze.
Quick Tip for Assembly: The recipe notes that the Pizza Pot Pie should stand for 30 minutes after baking. Don't skip this—it allows the ricotta and mozzarella layers to set so you get clean slices rather than a "pizza soup"!
Breakfast Ideas:
The BEST cinnamon rolls you'll ever eat! This recipe makes plenty to freeze or share.
Easter Smoked Ham:
Dessert!
Key Lime Pie
(Submitted by Kim and Kristina Hatcher from their friends, the Trotters)
Crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
28 ounces sweetened condensed milk
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup key lime juice
Zest of 2 regular limes or 4 key limes
Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of one lime
Directions:
Crust
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in bowl.
3. Press crumb mixture into a 8”-9" pie pan.
4. Bake for 7 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.
Filling
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk together condensed milk, sour cream, key lime juice, and zest in bowl.
3. Pour into cooked crust.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Chill for 3 hours.
Topping
1. Beat heavy cream and powdered sugar in mixer until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla.
2. Spread or pipe whipped topping on completely cooled key lime pie.
3. Sprinkle top with lime zest.
Notes: “Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lime Juice” gives the best results.
Recommended Items:
Feaster Schedule:
Week before Easter starting Monday – Holy Week liturgy
Friday evening –
Dinner (Pizza Pot Pie), cocktails after kids are in bed
Saturday –
Fun cereals for early risers (paper bowls, plastic spoons)
10 AM brunch with extended family, potluck style
Use Google docs for food list and sign-up (egg dishes, sweet dishes, fruit salads, mimosa fixings, meat – smoked and sausage or bacon)
Parents pool bags of candy and stuff eggs for kids together
Easter egg hunt
Parents gift bag hunt (Ideas - bottle of wine, restaurant gift card, Trader Joes goodies – cheeses, crackers, spices, etc.)
Clean-up, basketball, painting nails, egg dyeing, making resurrection rolls, naps, minimal dinner prep
Sabbath dinner – Greek food
Card games or movie
Sunday –
Finish liturgy
Breakfast – hard boiled eggs, donuts, cinnamon rolls, French toast casserole, meat
Church, church egg hunt
Easter lunch – pulled pork or smoked meat (ham), sides, key lime pies
Beer garden (sodas for kids) – introduce beer, share reading, song, Scripture, or painting for a meditation on Easter
Dragon piñata
Sundays from Easter to Ascension Sunday – small gifts for children, cinnamon rolls
Easter basket or gift ideas: spring/summer items, gardening, swimming, books, slingshots, candy, pajamas, art supplies, sidewalk chalk, socks, toy animals or other toys, gift cards, nail polish, group gift or experience
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