Easter Sunday was always a fun time growing up. Even as I reached my late teens I never lost the excitement that the Easter egg hunt would bring. Ok, so even as an adult I do like a good chocolate egg hunt!

The other part of Easter Sunday that would really get me excited, though was the Ham and the GLAZE! The ham was so moist and flavourful and at my house there would be a race to see who would get to the crusty, caramelized, sticky, sweet and tangy glazed pieces of the ham. Definitely one of my Easter eating highlights and memories with my family.

I run a “Lunch and Learn” class at the Sobeys head office in Atlantic Canada on a regular basis, discussing and preparing foods based on a particular topic. The lucky 20 who are quick enough to sign up, each pay $5 to cover the cost of ingredients, and a bottle of water. We get together and talk about food, cooking and having fun in the kitchen. The classes are great! I always get a few “students” to come and help me prepare the recipes, which makes for entertaining learning! I am always surprised by the quality and quantity of food!

One of the secrets for the busy holiday entertaining season is organization. From the most elaborate to the simplest get together, the success will come down to planning.

First, pick a theme based on your guest list and decide whether you want to have the party during the week or on the weekend. This will help you decide how elaborate you want it to be based on the time you have.