Homemade Easter Egg Dye Recipes

Real Simple© offers ways to dye Easter eggs safely and naturally.  Need a refresher on how to create a perfectly hard-boiled egg?  Click here.

How to Make Blue

Photo by Real Simple©

Ingredients:

• 1 pound frozen blueberries (about 3½ cups)
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. On the stovetop, bring frozen blueberries and water to a boil in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Pour colored liquid into a cup or bowl, straining out the blueberries with a strainer.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

How to Make Yellow

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons turmeric
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

 

Directions:
1. On the stovetop, bring turmeric and water to a boil in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Pour colored liquid into a cup or bowl.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar.

How to Make Orange

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

 

Directions:
1. On the stovetop, bring paprika and water to a boil in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Pour colored liquid into a cup or bowl.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar.

How to Make Pink

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces frozen raspberries (about 3½ cups)
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. On the stovetop, bring frozen raspberries and water to a boil in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes.
2. Pour colored liquid into a cup or bowl, straining out the raspberries with a strainer.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

How to Make Brown

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup instant coffee granules
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Directions:
1. In a cup or bowl, stir coffee granules and boiling water together.
2. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar.

 

How to Make Green

Directions:

•  In a bowl or cup, mix one part blue liquid with one part yellow liquid.

 

 

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Braised Chicken and Spring Vegetables

Recipe by Sara Quessenberry for Real Simple©

Ingredients: 

Photo by Marcus Nilsson

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 small bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1⁄2 pounds)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 medium radishes, halved
• 3/4pound carrots (about 4), cut into sticks
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

 

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Spoon off and discard the fat. Return the pot to medium-high heat. Add the broth and scrape up any brown bits.
4. Stir in the radishes, carrots, and sugar.
5. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and gently simmer, partly covered, until it is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the chives.

Horseradish Potato Gratin

By Kate Merker for Real Simple©

Yield: 8 Servings

Photo by Con Poulos

Ingredients:

• unsalted butter for the baking dish, at room temperature
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1/4cup prepared horseradish
• 1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 6), peeled and thinly sliced

 

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the cream, horseradish, nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the potatoes and toss to coat.
2. Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared baking dish, pressing gently to submerge the potatoes. Cover the dish with foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden, 50 to 65 minutes.

 

This recipe and more can be found at www.RealSimple.com.

Shamrock Shake at Home Recipe

By Sarah Karnasiewicz

 

Photo by Williams-Sonoma.  For another mint milkshake recipe, click here. 

Our homemade take on the fast food favorite keeps the minty flavor (and awesome color!)  you love—but ditches the corn syrup and food coloring.

But before you go crying into your cup, take heart. We headed to the kitchen for some experimentation. The happy results? A homemade version that keeps the cool color and flavor, with just six ingredients.

DIY Shamrock Shake

The addition of heavy cream might seem indulgent here, but it has a practical purpose. Just as beating cream with a whisk will result in whipped cream, whirring some in your blender along with the rest of your ingredients will lend the finished drink a decadently rich, mousse-like texture.

 

Yield: 2 shakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions:

Place the ice cream, milk, cream, mint, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract in a blender.
Blend until smooth and frothy.
And if you really want to live it up…. Adults ONLY!

Boozy Shamrock Shake

This twist on the classic gets a little pep in its step from the addition of a shot of Branca Menta, an Italian amaro with a complex minty, herbal edge. But if you can’t find it in your local store, classic creme de menthe will also do in a pinch!

 

Yield: Makes 2 shakes
Ingredients:

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 oz Branca Menta liqueur
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place the ice cream, milk, cream, mint, Branca Menta, mint, and vanilla extract in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth and frothy.

Garlicky Buttermilk Dressing

Yield: 6 Servings

Photo by Real Simple

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves sliced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Directions:

1. Mash garlic and salt on a cutting board, using the back of a knife.
2. Cook the garlic paste in olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until light golden and very fragrant, 4 to 5 min.
3. Whisk the garlic, buttermilk, sour cream, and salt and pepper until smooth. Stir in chives just before serving.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: Calories 50, Fat 4 g, Sat Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 270 mg, Protein 1 g, Carbohydrate 2 g, Sugar 1 g, Fiber 0 g, Iron 0 mg, Calcium 35 mg,

by Chris Morocco  (June 2015)

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken recipe

Yield: 8 Servings

Photo by Real Simple.com/Con Poulos

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 pounds bone-in chicken pieces

Directions:

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, garlic, paprika, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper.
2. Divide the buttermilk mixture and chicken between 2 large resealable plastic bags. Let marinate in the refrigerator, turning the bags occasionally, for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
3. Heat grill to medium-low. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade) and grill, covered, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.

Gingerbread Skeleton Cookies

by Kristen Evans Dittami|August 2013 for Real Simple.com

Yield: 24 Cookies

Photo by Joseph De Leo

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for the work surface
• 1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 recipe Easy Royal Icing

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, dark brown and granulated sugars until smooth. Add the molasses and egg and beat until combined and creamy, scrapping down the bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Shape into two disks. Wrap disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Heat oven to 350 ° F. On a well-floured surface, working with one disk at a time, roll the dough to ¼ inch thick. Transfer to two parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters (brush off excess flour with a dry pastry brush) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Bake until firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
6. Transfer the royal icing to a piping bag or a resealable plastic freezer bag (snip a small hole in the corner of the freezer bag). Decorate cookies as desired and let set.  (For straight lines, hold the tip of the tube ¼ inch above the cookie and let the icing drop down.) To make skeletons, first draw the eyes and mouth, then the spine with ribs, and finally the arm and leg bones.

 

Easy Royal Icing Recipe

Photo by Joseph De Leo

Yield: 1 cup (approximately enough to frost 36 cookies)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 large egg white, or equivalent amount of dried egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon water or lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, egg white, and water or lemon juice. Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon, until the icing is thickened and smooth, about 2 minutes.
2. The icing will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using, beat it with a fork. Stir in very small amounts of water if it seems too thick.

Marbled Chocolate Zucchini Bread – Real Simple Recipe

Yield: 8 Servings

Photo by Danny Kim

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. plus 2 tsp. canola oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (7 ounces)
• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 packed cups shredded zucchini (9 ounces)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan with oil and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. Stir together the chocolate and 2 teaspoons of the canola oil. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup canola oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in the zucchini.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine, about 1 minute.
5. Transfer half the batter to the prepared pan. Pour half the chocolate into the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter and chocolate. Using a toothpick, swirl the chocolate and batter together to create a marbled pattern. Make sure to incorporate the batter at the bottom.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

 

by Lindsay Hunt, July 2014

Peach and Blueberry Buckle Recipe

Photo by Jens Mortensen

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 peaches, each cut into 8 wedges (about 4 cups)
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, and then the remaining flour mixture, mixing well between additions. Fold in the peaches and blueberries. (Don’t worry if there seems to be too much fruit in proportion to batter. The batter will rise around it while baking.)
4. Transfer the batter to an 8-by-8-inch or other 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (aim for the batter, not the fruit), 1 hour to 1 hour, 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Dust with the confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.

Optional:  add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to flour mixture. This brings out great flavor in fruits.

By Charlyne Mattox , July, 2013, Real Simple