The Table That Waited for Sunday

Easter Brunch, a Sheet Pan Supper, and the Sacred Gift of Gathering

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By Sunday morning, something in the air had shifted.
The coffee smelled brighter. The sunshine felt warmer. The house, once quiet, carried a sense of expectancy that only Easter can bring.

After church, I pulled out the ingredients for our brunch charcuterie board.
Just one teenager at home now, and while the pace of our house feels slower, I am learning to love the simplicity it offers.

We moved through the kitchen without hurry.
Chad prepared the fruit. I arranged each piece on the board with care. The deviled eggs had been made the day before, and the bacon came out of the oven crisp and sweet. Everything about it felt familiar, comforting, and beautiful in its simplicity.

We built a brunch charcuterie board that felt like a celebration without the stress. Leftover Hot Cross Buns, deviled eggs, billionaire bacon, fruit, and a delicious dip were all nestled onto a wooden board and carried out to the table. We poured pineapple strawberry mimosas—one with bubbles, one without for the teenager and sat together with gratitude for good food and the quiet joy of being together.

Easter Brunch Charcuterie Board

What You’ll Need

Build your board with care, color, and a touch of joy. These ingredients can be adjusted based on what you have or love.

• Leftover hot cross buns (sliced or halved for easy serving)

• Deviled eggs (homemade a day ahead, chilled)

• Billionaire bacon (baked with brown sugar and cayenne until crisp)

• Fresh fruit (a mix of strawberries, blueberries, grapes, or whatever’s in season)

• A creamy dip (such as whipped feta, herbed cream cheese, or your favorite store-bought spread)

What You Will Need to Do

This is a brunch meant to be savored. Keep it simple, thoughtful, and full of things you love.

1. Prepare the elements ahead of time
   Make the deviled eggs the day before and store them covered in the fridge. Bake the billionaire bacon until crisp and let it cool. Wash and slice fruit.

2. Choose your board or platter
   Use a large wooden cutting board, serving tray, or even a clean baking sheet. Lay out any small bowls first—these are perfect for dip, honey, or jam.

3. Build the board layer by layer
   Start with your deviled eggs and bacon. Place them near the center or spread them out as anchor points. Add fruit in small clusters or piles, letting the colors naturally balance across the board.

4. Add the Carbs
   Nestle in your slices of hot cross buns.

5. Finish with details
   Spoon your dip into a small bowl.

6. Carry it all to the table
   Set your board down where the light is lovely.

Later in the day, I tied my apron back on and began preparing dinner.
This was not a go-to favorite or a passed-down recipe. It was something I had been dreaming up for weeks. A meal that lived in the quiet corners of my mind, slowly forming every time I opened the fridge or jotted down ideas in the margin of my planner.

A sheet pan supper with ham, potatoes, and carrots.
Simple, but thoughtful. I imagined the balance of savory ham, sweet carrots, and crispy-edged potatoes, all brought together with garlic, thyme, and olive oil. It would be easy to prepare but still feel like something special.

I sliced and seasoned everything with care.
This was more than just dinner. It was the first time this idea had made its way from imagination to plate. I laid the ingredients out on the sheet pan, not fussy but intentional, and slid it into the oven. The scent that filled the house was exactly what I had hoped for. Warm. Herby. Inviting.

We set the table with quiet intention.
Nothing extravagant. Just the three of us, soft napkins, and the last bit of Easter sunlight stretching across the table. When the food came out of the oven, it looked just like I had imagined. Golden and tender. Crisp in all the right places.

I plated each element with care.
Thick slices of glazed ham, still warm and glistening. Roasted potatoes mashed with Gruyère until silky. Carrots that were tender and just sweet enough. And on each plate, a soft piece of challah bread, golden and pillowy, ready to soak up every flavor.

It was not fancy. But it felt like it mattered.

We sat down together and passed the salt, the butter, and the stories of the day. There was no big reveal. No towering centerpiece. Just a quiet kind of beauty. The kind that says, “I thought of you” in every bite.

This new recipe, the one I had been dreaming of and shaping over the last few weeks, found its place on the table. It did not need to prove anything. It simply belonged. There was laughter. A second helping. A satisfied kind of silence that sometimes says more than words ever could.

Sheet Pan Easter Meal

What You’ll Need

For the Potatoes:

• 1.5 pounds baby potatoes, halved

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 3/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons chicken stock

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 tablespoon chopped chives

For the Carrots:

• 1 pound carrots, trimmed (leave a bit of the tops if you like)

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

For the Ham Glaze:

• 2 pounds precooked ham, sliced

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup Dr. Pepper

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

What You Will Need To Do

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a stone sheet with foil.

2. Prep the ham:
   Unwrap 2 pounds of precooked sliced ham and place it on a large sheet of foil. Fold the foil around the ham to create a loose pouch that will catch and hold the juices. Seal the top, keeping the bottom open enough to sit upright, and place the foil-wrapped ham in the center of the sheet pan.

3. Prepare the potatoes:
   Toss 1.5 pounds of halved baby potatoes with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Spread the potatoes in an even layer on one side of the sheet pan.

4. Season the carrots:
   In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, the juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, 1 grated garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place 1 pound of trimmed carrots on the other side of the ham in a single layer. Wrap the carrot leaves in foil, this will keep them from becoming soggy. Pour the glaze over the carrots and gently toss to coat.

5. Bake for 15 minutes.

6. While the sheet pan bakes, prepare the ham glaze:
   In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup Dr. Pepper, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened.

7. After 15 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven:
   Stir the potatoes and gently turn the carrots. Unseal the top of the foil pouch, leaving the bottom of the ham still wrapped. Brush half of the prepared glaze over the exposed top of the ham.

8. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender and the internal temperature of the ham reaches at least 140°F.

9. While the pan finishes baking, brown the butter for the mashed potatoes:
   In a medium skillet, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter with 3 whole garlic cloves over medium heat. Stir often until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic cloves.

10. Once everything is done, remove the sheet pan from the oven and let the ham rest.

11. Finish the potatoes:
    Transfer the roasted potatoes to serving bowl. Add the browned butter, 3/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons chicken stock, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Gently mash until creamy and well combined.

12. To serve:
    Sprinkle the mashed potatoes with 1/2 tablespoon chopped chives. Finish the carrots with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Brush the ham with the remaining glaze.

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Maybe this meal will become tradition. Maybe not. But it was more than enough. Because it was made with love, served with intention, and shared with the people who matter most.

And that, to me, is the heart of Easter.

As the sun dipped low and the dishes were done, I thought about how Jesus showed up on Easter. Not with spectacle. Not with grand announcements. But with breakfast on the beach for His friends (John 21:9–13).

That is the kind of Easter I want to live.
Full of food. Full of joy. Full of presence. The sacred kind that lingers around the table and settles deep in your bones.

I hope this space inspires you to gather, savor, and enjoy good food with the people you love. See you at the table!

Gracefully yours,

Food, faith & a little chaos—where spills happen, laughter is required, and grace is always on the menu. Let’s connect — visit my bio site. Affiliate links may be included, thanks for supporting my work (and my coffee habit).

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P.S. I finished it all off with carrot cake cupcakes for dessert—soft, spiced, and topped with a swirl of cream cheese frosting. The perfect ending to a day full of joy, sunshine, and good food.

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