Easter eats are all about ham and sweets. Of course, as kids, we mostly cared about the Easter basket, that cornucopia of candy and plastic green grass. A heap of chocolate bunnies and chocolate eggs made it one of our favorite holidays. 

While we were dying hard boiled eggs, mom was often busy whipping up more complicated meals. Because of the spring setting, Easter recipes took the shapes of baby animals, nests and flowers. There was a whole lot of white fluff and pastel coloring.

We dug up some vintage midcentury recipes that will have you hopping down the bunny trail to your childhood. Would you make or eat any of these today?

Fried Noodle Basket with Creamed Ham and Eggs

Image: Spry / fusion.net

Dig into this fried ramen nest filled with chunks of milky pork.

Easter Egg Cake

Image: Advertising Is Good For You

The green coconut flakes look a little too close to that fake plastic grass. But at least this is a recipe photo that seems rather realistic.

Easter Madeira Cake

Image: vintagerecipecards.com

What exactly is that on top?

Easter Basket Ham

Image: Pinterest

Mmm… ham and jelly beans.

Decorated Ham

Image: Charm and Poise / Flickr

Here are some more jelly beans on ham, plus a clown ham.

"Quick-Like-A-Bunny" Cake

Image: Shelf Life Taste Test / Flickr

We do appreciate that these designs seem easier for the home cook to reproduce.

Betty Crocker's Spring Delight

Image: farmgirlpink

As Star Trek fans know, those darn Tribbles get everywhere!

Coronation Salad

Image: Ladies Home Journal / archive.org

Back then, a "salad" was 80% dairy product.

Kansas City "Chicken"

Image: Ladies Home Journal / archive.org

Why is "Chicken" in quotes? Because it's actually pork and veal. Huh? Can someone from Kansas City explain this?

Candle Warmed Egg Salad

Image: Ladies Home Journal / archive.org

Hmm, perhaps we'll just stick with eating the candle.

Easter Eggs in Wonderland

Image: Ladies Home Journal / archive.org

We adore these Lewis Carroll–inspired eggs.