Easter and Such

Lacking some serious void from my artsy side, I decided to put a little creative spin on Easter dinner this year. Armenians usually have a prix fixe Easter dinner menu of salty fish and a sort of spinach frittata, so I took a different route...

I took my dad's retro 90's ties and used them to paint our Easter eggs! (instructions at end of post)

Our dinner table, decked out with springtime accessories

And to finish, mini cheesecake bites for dessert (recipe at end of post)

"Tie"-dyed Easter Eggs:

What you will need:

• Old silk ties or other old silk clothing (make sure they are silk, otherwise the eggs won't hold the colors!)
• An old white t-shirt or cotton fabric
• Eggs
• Rubber bands
• Water
• White vinegar

1. Cut the silk fabric into 3inch x 3inch squares

2. Then cut the white cotton fabric into 3inch x 3inch squares

3. Wrap the eggs first in the silk fabric, then the white cotton fabric. Secure with rubber bands. You can wrap raw eggs, but I boiled mine before wrapping

4. In a pot on medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of white vinegar to water (enough water to submerge the eggs entirely)

5. Let the eggs heat on medium for 25-30 minutes

6. Remove the eggs from the boiling water and let sit until dried. Then remove the rubber bands and fabric.

VOILA!

Mini Cheesecake Bites:

Ingredients:

• 2 8 ounce packages of low fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature (this is imperative!)
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1tbsp lemon juice
• Dash of lemon zest
• Mini Nilla wafers (make sure they are the regular kind, not the low fat ones otherwise it will float to the top of the cheesecake)
• Fruit or fruit compote of your choice to garnish

1. Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature, otherwise the cakes will come out clumpy! You can microwave the cheese for 10 seconds if you are in a hurry

2. Mix together cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth

3. Line up mini baking cups and place a mini Nilla Wager face up inside each one

4. Scoop mixture into wafer, filling cup 3/4 full

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

6. Refrigerate. Once chilled, garnish fruit atop each mini cheesecake. Chill again