It feels no time since I posted about St.Patrick’s day and the lack of celebrations this year and in the blink of an eye it’s Easter. Again, we will not be celebrating Easter with the usual traditions or customs. This doesn’t mean we have to let the occasion pass without marking it. I will still be indulging in my favourite recipes. I always have lamb at Easter it’s a tradition much like turkey at Christmas. This year though as I will be cooking for a lot less just the two of us it is for this reason I am sharing these two recipes that may be a little more suitable for those unable to celebrate with family this year.
Lamb Ribs
These luscious ribs smell and taste heavenly. After the long slow cooking the fat is crispy and the meat tender and comes away from the bone very easily.

Hot oven to 150°C. Place a wire rack in a suitably sized roasting tin.
In a dish, combine dried mint, cumin seeds, salt, garlic, rosemary and oil. Use one of the ribs to amalgamate everything. Smoosh each rib and massage until coated evenly all over. Then place on the wire rack in the roasting tin and repeat until all ribs are coated.
Cook them in the heated oven for 2 - 2 1/2 hours until the meat is tender, browned and the fat has a crisp appearance.
Line a large platter with lettuce leaves. Transfer the ribs on top of the leaves and serve.
Ingredients
Directions
Hot oven to 150°C. Place a wire rack in a suitably sized roasting tin.
In a dish, combine dried mint, cumin seeds, salt, garlic, rosemary and oil. Use one of the ribs to amalgamate everything. Smoosh each rib and massage until coated evenly all over. Then place on the wire rack in the roasting tin and repeat until all ribs are coated.
Cook them in the heated oven for 2 - 2 1/2 hours until the meat is tender, browned and the fat has a crisp appearance.
Line a large platter with lettuce leaves. Transfer the ribs on top of the leaves and serve.
As you may have seen on my Instagram I have been making Easter chocolate cheesecake cupcakes all week and I plan to make a batch for pudding after my ribs. Check out the recipe below
A delicious chocolate cupcake with a chocolate cream cheese frosting with miniature sugar shelled eggs. Perfect to celebrate Easter.

Heat oven to 190˚C/170˚C Fan. Line a 12 whole cupcake tray with cupcake papers. To make the cupcakes melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl suspended over a pot of hot water or by giving 30 sec blasts in the microwave and stirring between each blast until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, Prepare the dry ingredients by mixing together in another bowl the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the cooled chocolate mixture and beat with an electric mixer for 3 -4 minutes.
Add half the flour to the chocolate mixture and fold in with a spatula. Then repeat until the remaining half is mixed in.
Mix in the milk until a smooth runny batter is achieved. Pour the batter into a measuring jug, to make it easy to fill the cupcake cases. Split the batter evenly amongst the tray and bake for 20 - 25 minutes. To check, insert a skewer into the center it should come out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing melt chocolate in a bowl suspended over a saucepan of boiling water or by microwaving. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, add the cream cheese to a large bowl and sieve in icing sugar. Using an electric mixer beat until smooth.
Add vanilla extract to the cooled chocolate and pour it into the cream cheese. Beat again until a smooth icing is achieved.
You can either fit a piping bag with a fluted nozzle and pipe a generous helping of frosting to each cupcake or spoon a heaped tablespoon of icing on top of each and smooth the top and sides with a palette knife or crank spatula. Place three mini eggs on top of each.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 190˚C/170˚C Fan. Line a 12 whole cupcake tray with cupcake papers. To make the cupcakes melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl suspended over a pot of hot water or by giving 30 sec blasts in the microwave and stirring between each blast until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, Prepare the dry ingredients by mixing together in another bowl the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the cooled chocolate mixture and beat with an electric mixer for 3 -4 minutes.
Add half the flour to the chocolate mixture and fold in with a spatula. Then repeat until the remaining half is mixed in.
Mix in the milk until a smooth runny batter is achieved. Pour the batter into a measuring jug, to make it easy to fill the cupcake cases. Split the batter evenly amongst the tray and bake for 20 - 25 minutes. To check, insert a skewer into the center it should come out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing melt chocolate in a bowl suspended over a saucepan of boiling water or by microwaving. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, add the cream cheese to a large bowl and sieve in icing sugar. Using an electric mixer beat until smooth.
Add vanilla extract to the cooled chocolate and pour it into the cream cheese. Beat again until a smooth icing is achieved.
You can either fit a piping bag with a fluted nozzle and pipe a generous helping of frosting to each cupcake or spoon a heaped tablespoon of icing on top of each and smooth the top and sides with a palette knife or crank spatula. Place three mini eggs on top of each.
https://pacificparatrooper.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/easter_06.gif