Easter Dinner Help Needed

[CeliacMom2008]

This is our second holiday gluten-free. Christmas was the first and my DS had only been gluten-free for a couple of weeks. My way of dealing with it was to have everyone at our house for a gluten-free meal for one family gathering and to eat before going to the second family gathering.

Easter is 4 days away and I still haven't come up with a plan for how to handle it. And now my DH is gluten-free as well. We leave on vacation Monday, so getting glutened just can't happen. I won't feel comfortable letting them eat the prepared food. There are 10 kids ranging in age from newborn - 13 and there is just NO way everything won't be CC'd. I want the holidays to feel special. I want DS to enjoy the day. How do I feed them? The meal is at 12:30 and 30 minutes drive away. The morning will be crazy with egg hunt, etc., so I won't have a ton of time to fix a "special" meal to eat beforehand. And I guess the food doesn't have to be super special. We are really getting better with accepting that food is for fuel and not to get too hung up on it, but I do have to feed them. I guess we could just have spaghetti and go fashionably late (allowing everyone else to get partially through their meal). I know this shouldn't be this hard, but the week has been crazy in every way possible and researching candy options and shopping and packing and, and, and, has left me a little...well...whiny I guess! Anyone have a magic wand to get me through what my DS says is his favorite holiday!!

[dksart]

How about a baked ham with pineapples, mashed sweet potatoes, roasted asparagus and some cauliflower au gratin. Make the cauliflower and potatoes the day before and heat everything in the oven together as the ham bakes and asparagus roast.

Good Luck!

[hez]

One option is to do a brunch. Do a egg/potato/sausage casserole the night before then throw in the oven in the morning. Ham is also supper easy with a make ahead casserole. I will send good thoughts your way Everything will be great!

Hez

[cmbajb]

First, don't stress. Pick out a list of foods that you know is "safe", like ham, turkey (check the injections on both), potatos, nice veggies, some fruit....or fruit for dessert. YOu could get rolls for the non gluten-free eaters, a nice thing to do.

Don't do this meal thing twice. Do your best and anyone that sneers or complains can sit out on the porch.

[gfpaperdoll]

You can order a honey baked ham a day ahead without the glaze, you can even order 1/2 one. Or just get Boar's head deli ham. Make deviled eggs the night before, coleslaw, make or buy a bag & add your dressing, potato salad or English pea salad, good & you can make a day or two ahead.

Take some chips, (make sure no one sticks their hands in the bag), nuts, & fresh fruit.

for dessert make brownies or lemon squares or an ice box pie. For a crust I mix up some nut meal with a stick of butter, add any gluten-free cookie crumbs from the freezer or not, add some coconut flour if you have it, add some grated coconut, some chopped nuts & mush it all together, spread in buttered pie pan, bake at 350 degrees till slightly brown on edges - just a touch brown, cool, pour in ice box filling of choice or chocolate pudding - make with coconut milk if dairy free... If you are going to eat it all right away, you can slice bananas on top of cooled crust & then cover with chocolate filling or lemon ice box pie filling...

Have fun

P.S. to everyone, the summer season is a good time to stock up on coolers & picnic gear!!!!