For Sauce
½ cup butter (1 stick)
1 ½ cups white mushrooms, sliced
½ cup gorgonzola blue cheese
1 cup light sour cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped finely

Take tenderloins out of refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add to large frying pan over medium high heat and brown on all sides. Transfer to 325 degree oven and roast for 25-30 minutes. Remove, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes while making the Gorgonzola Mushroom Sauce.

Melt butter in sauce pan and add mushrooms. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl mix the Gorgonzola and sour cream with a fork, breaking up the blue cheese crumbles. Add the cheese and sour cream mixture into the mushrooms in the pan and lower heat. Stir constantly until melted. Stir in the Parmesan Cheese and add parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Slice tenderloins and serve immediately with Rich Gorgonzola Mushroom Sauce.

Faux Clotted Cream
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
Beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until medium-stiff peaks form. In the last few minutes of beating, add the powdered sugar. Turn the mixer off and, with a spatula, gently fold in the sour cream. Cover and refrigerate. Serve with the scones, alongside lemon curd and strawberry jam.

Lemon Curd
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
Mix butter and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add eggs and lemon juice and place in double boiler over simmering water. Stir constantly for 12-15 minutes until thickened and color has darkened to a deep yellow. Cool, cover tightlty and refrigerate.

Place Easter candy in different sizes of glass containers in a grouping for a fun and festive table centerpiece. Use robin eggs, marshmallow chicks, foil-wrapped chocolate eggs, jelly beans and other colorful candies. Use a sunny yellow or vibrant pink tablecloth or runner and white dishware, if you have it.

If you want more munchies, ask a guest to bring deviled eggs and/or fruit and veggies plus dip.

Have fun and don’t forget to take lots of photos!

Traditional Ham with Honey-Orange Glaze
Serves 8 – 10
1 – 4 to 5 pound ham
1 cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup orange juice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake ham for 1 hour 15 minutes. Spread glaze over ham with a barbeque brush and bake an additional 30-45 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve. Warm any leftover glaze in small saucepan and serve with ham.

Gruyere Herb Mashed Potatoes
Serves 8-10
2 pounds potatoes, Yukon Gold, peeled, chopped into 1” cubes
2 tablespoons butter
1 – 1 ½ cups half-and-half or whole milk
2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon oregano, chopped, fresh
1 tablespoon flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped, fresh
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, 18-20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and place in large bowl. Add the butter, half-in-half or milk. Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer. Do not over mix. Stir in the cheese and herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Walnut Green Bean Salad
Serves 8
1 pound green beans, fresh, trimmed & cut in half
2 cups good quality croutons
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
½ cup walnuts
½ teaspoon oregano, fresh, chopped or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon parsley (Italian) fresh, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon

In a medium saucepan, blanch the beans in boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt for 2-4 minutes. Drain in colander and immediately run cold water over the beans to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
In a 325 degree oven, toast walnuts on baking sheet for 2-5 minutes and cool. Make dressing.
In a large bowl, toss green beans with dressing. Add lemon zest, Parmesan, croutons and walnuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup walnut oil
¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white onion, chopped finely or grated
½ teaspoon garlic, chopped finely
¼ teaspoon salt
Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl and add to green beans.

Strawberry Cream Squares
Serves 9
1 (16.5 oz.) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
4 cups strawberries, fresh, sliced
1 ¼ cups sugar
¼ cup water
Pinch salt
2 (1/4 oz.) envelopes unflavored gelatin (baking aisle)
1/3 cup cold water
1 cup whipped topping or whipped cream

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Press half of the sugar cookie dough into the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan. (Use the other half for cookies). Bake cookie crust for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool.
In a small saucepan, bring strawberries, sugar, ¼ cup water and salt to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let thicken for 1-2 minutes and stir into strawberry mixture. Simmer until gelatin dissolves (about 1 minute) and remove from heat.
Cover and refrigerate until completely cool, 2 hours. Fold in whipped topping or whipped cream, refrigerate 1 more hour and spread over cookie crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. May be made one day in advance.