Suggestions for Easter Dinner Menus

• Celebrate Easter by enjoying a hearty meal with family and friends. Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images

  Easter is traditionally a time of year when people celebrate renewal and the coming of spring. For others Easter is a day to rejoice in the resurrection of Christ. It's also a day when family and friends gather to enjoy a bountiful feast. Prepare an Easter dinner menu that leaves your guests feeling full of good food and happy memories.

Traditional with a Twist

• Just because you serve the traditional Easter dishes doesn't mean you can't shake up the way you prepare or present them. Lamb kabobs with red fingerling potatoes and spring onions is a new way to serve an old dish. While soup is often served as its own course, offer guests a juice glass full of butternut squash soup topped with a dollop of sour cream as an appetizer. Instead of sweet potatoes served in a casserole dish, try baking apples stuffed with a sweet potato filling. Scalloped potatoes are another popular Easter dish usually baked in a large casserole dish. Bake them in individual ramekins instead, and top them with roasted green beans dusted with crushed pecans for a crunchy and creamy combination. End your meal with a cookie bar, where each guest gets to decorate his own large rabbit or chick shaped sugar cookie with a variety of frostings and toppings. It's a sure way to put a smile on your guests' faces.

Vegetarian and Vegan Alternatives

• While for many people Easter dinner is all about the traditional ham or lamb, there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes to celebrate the holiday with zest. Start the meal off with a seasonal herb and artichoke spread on toasted focaccia bread. For the main entrée, there are a variety of shepherds pies that are worthy of a feast, such as a hearty lentil pie or roasted vegetable and mashed spring potato pie. Serve your guests a light and crisp salad to accompany the entrée, such as avocado, Romaine and tomato salad drizzled with a light vinaigrette. For those wanting a more traditional side dish, baked sweet potatoes with pralines or Brussels sprouts drizzled with soy cheese are both a natural fit in the menu. Vegetarians and vegans can look forward to many tasty desserts, from a light blueberry tart to a crunchy pistachio-crusted bite-size bonbon. Even non-vegan dessert recipes can be turned vegan by substituting ingredients. According to Veganbaking.net, there are many simple ways to replace dairy and egg products in most dessert recipes.

Ethnic Menu

• With so many diverse food options in the world, Easter dinner can be turned into an ethnic celebration, even if the menu doesn't represent your own heritage. For an Italian Easter dinner, serve a colorful pasta rustica, with four types of cheese and sausage. According to Mangiabenepasta.com, Casatiello is a traditional Italian Easter bread filled with meat and cheese that pairs perfectly with a bowl of hearty soup or pasta. For dessert, serve a sweet, sticky Bolognese rice cake. In Germany, popular Easter dishes include salmon, green cabbage and sauerkraut stir fry. Brandenburg lamb is a dish made with tender, braised diced lamb served with potatoes and green beans. According to Germanfood.org, kerbelsuppe, a zesty and hearty chervil soup with hard boiled eggs, can be served as its own course or as a main dish with rustic bread. For dessert, bake a bee sting cake, so named because it's drizzled with honey prior to baking, with caramel custard.