As the youngest of five children my family holidays were always packed with excitement, laughter and enough food for a small army. Extended family would come for all or part the feast and the house would be full of energy. Dinner was always buffet style with extra folding tables set up for seating the large group and everyone ate wherever they could find a spot.

As we all got older, some of my siblings moved, some got married and the holidays became smaller. There’s a lot of coordination that goes on behind the scenes of family dinners long before the meal preparation begins. We all tried juggling our blended families’ traditions and squeezing in all the stops that need to be made. Sometimes trades were made: “I’ll go to Thanksgiving at your parents’ if we can do Easter at mine.”

This year will be the first holiday in four years that we’re all celebrating a holiday under one roof again, and instead of cooking for a small crowd, my parents will be hosting Easter for 30. My mother has rehearsed cooking for a crowd many times over, so big dinners like this large are second nature for her.

I’ve recently become the resident baker in the family–a title my mom held for years and is still trying to reclaim–but this year I’m leaving the cooking to her and I’m handling the desserts.

Dessert has always been taken very seriously in my family. The dining room was transformed into an incredible display with tiered trays of assorted goodies and beautiful plates showcasing these edible art pieces.

I certainly have a lot to live up to–my mother’s dessert standards remain incredibly high–but I’ve always been ready for the challenge.

For more Easter recipes, see this recent blog post.