Easter party recipes for kids

If you are throwing an Easter party for your kids and their friends this year, serve more than just Easter candy. Set up a buffet of light fare the kids and their parents will enjoy.

Since your get-together is likely to be early in the day, you don't need to put together a heavy meal for your Easter party. Instead, serve fresh salads, light appetizers and some Easter favorites. You can also set up a table as a candy station, where kids can help themselves to chocolate bunnies and eggs, Peeps, Easter cupcakes, cake pops and other goodies.

Dyed Easter eggs make this special holiday bread look as good as it tastes.

Serves 16

Ingredients:

• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4 eggs
• 4 dyed hard-boiled eggs
• vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

1. Combine flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom, salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
2. Heat milk and cubed butter to 120 degrees F. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, beating until just moistened.
3. Add three eggs, one at a time, beating after each one until smooth. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon to create a soft, pliable dough.
4. Knead dough for 5-10 minutes until smooth and stretchy. Place dough into a greased bowl and turn over to grease top. Cover the bowl with a dish cloth and set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
5. Rub hard-boiled eggs lightly with oil. Place dough on lightly floured surface and divide it into thirds. Take each third and roll it into a long rope.
6. Place the ropes onto a greased baking sheet and braid them. Bring the ends of the braided rope together to form a ring, pinching the ends to seal.
7. Very carefully separate braided rope in four areas, tucking a dyed egg into each spot. Cover the dough and let it rise for about 20 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat cold water together with remaining egg and then brush over dough.
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove egg bread from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are healthy and easy to toss together to create spring salads. Check out these recipes for a spring berry quinoa salad, snap pea chicken salad and more ideas that are perfect for your Easter party.

Deviled eggs are the obvious choice to serve at an Easter party. Also consider other simple appetizers such as pigs in a blanket or fruit kabobs. When making fruit kabobs, use cookie cutters in Easter shapes to cut out melons and other fruits.

Instead of dealing with bottles and cans of soda, serve sweet tea or a bowl of special party punch. By using Splenda , you can cut down on the kids' sugar intake — they'll be eating enough candy already.

Ingredients:

• 64 ounces pineapple juice
• 24 ounces orange juice
• 12 ounces lemon juice
• 12 ounces lime juice
• 1-1/2 cups sugar or Splenda
• 25 ounces ginger ale
• 24 ounces club soda

Directions:

1. Mix four juices and sugar. Strain the mixture over ice into a large punch bowl.
2. Add the ginger ale and club soda, and stir until combined.
3. Supply vodka or other alcohol on the side, in case your adult guests are looking for something with a little kick.

More about Easter

Easter party favors for kids
Easter party games for kids
Easter party crafts for kids