Good morning April! Happy Easter Monday. I'm not sure if that's a real name for today but I like it better than April Fool's Day. I was going to post yesterday after all our Easter festivities were over but I was one tired puppy afterwards. So I'll get to it today. Just don't be fooled that it was different that the past ones. We went to Church in the morning and then came home and started putting all final touches on the food prep. I did a lot of it on Saturday so it was mostly warming things up. Sounds easy. Don't be fooled! I managed to dump a pan full of cheesy potatoes in the oven. I know some folks call those funeral potatoes and let me tell you, I was ready to kill them! I had quite the mess to quickly clean up but with Jack's patient help while cleaning and calming (me down) we got it done. Thankfully I had made 2 pans of those dang taters so all was not lost. Everyone was coming at 2 and we had a couple of members not being able to make it do to illness and work issues. I wish I had taken more pics of all the family but I did manage a few. Our good friend Bryn joined us also. Her hubby passed away in February and we were super happy to share the day with her. Here are some of the star players:
I had never made a 7 layer salad before and it looked very pretty in the glass bowl and it was very tasty in our mouths! Of course deviled eggs are always enjoyed.
I made 2 hams and they turned out really yummy also. I like to make extra food because everyone always takes home a doggy bag! (in the following pic I had to smile at Jack's look. Maybe he was hungry?)
Pasta salad, fruit salad, the darn taters, spanikopita (a nod to my Greek roots) and Evelyn's green fluff round out the menu. Nobody went home hungry! Desserts were divided up and sent home since they were still full from dinner. Chocolate silk pie, coconut cream pie and of course the lamb cake that I make every year:
That lamb cake had me fooled for sure. This was my third attempt at that baby. The first 2 landed in the garbage. One just didn't turn out right and the other stuck to the mold. I was ready to chuck it all but the 3rd time was the charm. As my son said: "It just wouldn't be Easter without the lamb cake". Not sure if he was fooling me or was serious. No matter. Done and done! After dinner we headed outside for the Easter egg hunt. We only had one little kiddo (Aria) to hunt in the traditional way.
She had fun on her hunt. But then I had the adults do a hunt also. No fooling! They were good sports about it. They only had to find 6 eggs a piece and each egg was worth a lottery ticket. Plus candy inside the egg!
Phil and Addy Rae
Our Lexi that will graduate this year...time has flown!
The rest of the adults with their little baskets hunting made me laugh.
Cameron finding some up high! He was the first one to find all 6 of his eggs. We had 2 teams and Evelyn came in first in her group. They got first pics of the lottery tickets. I wish I could say someone or everyone won big but I think $5 was the most anyone got. Oh well, the fun is in the hunt! We had beautiful weather. It was almost 60de and sunny. So perfect! We had a lovely day with the family and then all was quiet as the gang trooped home. As I mentioned I was a bit tired but even with some pitfalls and spills, it was a good Easter. I'll close with a pic that I don't think was taken on Easter since the trees are in full leaf but it reminds me of an Easter Sunday shot! My youngest brother, Rick, isn't in the pic because I don't think he was born yet. I love that Midge has her arm around Jim..so sweet. I hope everyone has a wonderful start of April and no pranks were too harsh today! Mother Nature is pulling some pranks with Spring snowfalls. We're in for rain and then one day with some snow chances...No fooling!
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7 comments:
Hi, YaYa!
Only a fool would want to skip this post, dear friend, especially since it includes another nostalgic picture taken when you and Midge were young girls. What amazing lives lie ahead of you and your siblings!
I wish I had been there to gobble the goodies you prepared for the Easter feast. Your mishap with the potatoes reminds me of Mrs. Shady. She always overwhelms herself in the kitchen, preparing far more food than is required for the occasion, whether a family gathering or only her and me. She has so many dishes in the works at any given time that accidents inevitably happen. Good thing you made two batches of taters. I'm sure everyone in attendance went home with a full tummy. I'm sorry that a few of the local family members could not visit The Pines for one reason or another. I remember you telling us about Bryn losing her husband. It was incredibly kind of you to invite her to your Easter gathering.
Gosh, I will need to show Mrs. Shady that 7-layer salad! I don't think she ever attempted to make one. It looks marvelous. She did make us an Easter ham along with yams, asparagus, a tossed salad and pumpkin pie. Yessum, I remember your lamb cakes from other years. My goodness, there were so many tasty treats offered at your dinner party that it's no wonder people took home doggie bags. Did Annabelle get one, too?
I loved egg hunts when I was little. Sorry Aria needed to hunt alone this year, but I'm sure she had fun. It boggles my mind that Addy Rae Rae has moved into the adult class right before our eyes and that Lexi will soon graduate and also take her place among the grown-ups. And Cameron has also grown into a handsome man, seemingly in the wink of an eye.
I'm happy to learn that you had beautiful weather for your celebration. Once again, thank you for posting that picture from your girlhood. You and your sister looked very pretty in those dresses.
Thank you for coming to see me at Shady's Place, dear friend YaYa... no foolin'. I wish you a safe and happy April and hope to see you at the end of the month when I return with my next post. Many blessings to you and your wonderful family!
Happy Easter Monday to you Kathy! I thought I was the only one who called it that these days. You started your post with 2 off my very favorites - 7-layer salad and deviled eggs! And then you had to go and mention spanikopita!! I have not had that in a long, long, time and I absolutely love it. Sorry about the potato mishap. You're not the only one had issues with those rascally funeral potatoes yesterday. I made them as well but had to do a gluten-free version and they just did not work out. I had extreme difficulty finding gf corn flake crumbs and should have subbed chips but ended up finally finding something purporting to be gf corn flake crumbs. Unfortunately, they were like flakes of dried corn?? Let's just leave it at they disappointed me hugely. Your egg hunt sounds like it was fun and I'm glad the weather cooperated. It was chilly and overcast here but could have been worse - like the snow coming in tomorrow. Love the throwback photo of you and your siblings. What a darling little girl you were! ~Robin~
YaYa, I told Mrs. Shady about your 7-layer salad. She said "Thanks for reminding me. I've been wanting to make it for quite some time but keep forgetting." She looked up the recipe and made a big batch of it. We had it with today's dinner and it was delicious!
Thanks for sharing your Easter family celebrations with us. So sorry about the potato mishap in the oven but I'm glad that Jack was there to help with the clean up.
I remember that I used to make family dinners for large crowds and found it to be so easy but as I get older, it seems like a lot more work than before. I was better organized then and planned everything to the last detail in advance so everything seemed to fall into place easily.
I used to make Spanikopita quite often as it's a favorite of mine but I haven't made any in a long time, it seems.
Happy Easter.
Hugs, julia
Oh I am so sorry you dropped those potatoes oh what a cleanup!
Your flowers and green grass sign we are dead leaves and snow.
Your food looks good and great gathering as always
cathy
Oh, those darn tatars! LOL! I know how that can be in the kitchen!
I love your Easter celebration and that last photo of you with your siblings, just precious. x
Good fMILY TIME FOR SURE. Love the idea of the hunt. I was only caught once on an April fool's jokester Hope all is well we are busy getting ready for a move.....
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