I’ve been in Austin, Texas all weekend, visiting Marissa. Actually, not just Austin, but Waco and Round Top too. So this week, along with the recipes from more than a week ago from our Easter supper, there will be a bit of Texas thrown into the mix.

Our first adventure was hopping in the car and driving to Waco, TX so that we could visit and shop at the Magnolia Market Silos.

You know, Magnolia Market, as in Joanna and Chip Gaines from the ever-so-popular Fixer Upper on HGTV.

It was raining when we arrived, but it cleared up as the day went on.

We were nice and dry in shopping heaven, so the rain didn’t bother us anyhow!

Here I am with my two little bags of purchases. I couldn’t go too crazy, since I flew to Austin, I could only buy as much as I could get in my suitcase.

That’s OK, maybe I’ll drive the next time. By then this sweet little Garden Shop will be open along with the Magnolia Bakery, which should be opening in the next month or so.

After all, a girl needs goals!

Sharp Cheddar Popovers

[Read more →]

The first side dish from our Easter supper was a rich, creamy, cheesy, and garlicky potato au gratin. So Good!

Bonus! A new tip comes along with this recipe. I found the tip on Epicurious.com and thought it was brilliant!

The most time-consuming and frustrating herb to remove the leaves from is thyme. Here is a new way to go about it.

TIP: Use a strainer! Stick the end of a sprig of thyme through one of the little holes and pull through. The leaves stay behind in the strainer. See – Brilliant!

[Read more →]

Things are beginning to work themselves out around here. Connor got his car back yesterday. I think I figured out what area of our water usage the major water leak is coming from (now to exactly pinpoint it) and I think my dad is taken care of for the next few days, at least enough for me to get out of town and away from it all for a long weekend.

I’ll be in Austin, visiting the newlyweds, Marissa and Jeff. Marissa and I will be taking day trips to Waco to shop at the Magnolia Silos and to Round Top, Texas to hit the last day of the spring Round Top Antiques Fair. I am so excited!

While I’m there, I’ll still be posting recipes from our Easter supper. Yesterday, we started with my well-deserved cocktail. Today, we have the soup.

[Read more →]

The week leading up to Easter and now a couple of days since have been wrought with angst and issues.

What sort of issues?

1. Missing cats (found after 4+ hours of searching)

2. Connor’s 1:30 AM backed-up kitchen sink – which led to apartment flooding, stinking, and day-long cleanup (not his fault, came from the apartments above him)

3. Connor’s car problems – are still ongoing … now into day eight

4. Quadruple water bills at our house (obviously a leak, but not one that has yet been found)

5. Ongoing care for a parent who had surgery and a subsequent fall

With all that and the fact that I gave up alcohol for Lent, it should come as no surprise that the first recipe I’m going to share from our Easter dinner is a cocktail recipe!

  [Read more →]

I thought you might need a little reminder that there are better ways to dye Easter eggs than those little kits you buy at the store.

Here is what I am doing today…

… opening up 100% silk ties to make my Silk Transfer Easter Eggs.

[Read more →]

I know! It’s only been 10 days since my self-induced “break” – but it’s the day before Easter and I can’t help myself!

Just in case you haven’t already figured out your Easter meal decor, and since there is still time to get to Costco or the grocery store… I felt like I should at least share this cheap and easy floral display today.

I was at Costco yesterday to buy Easter supper stuff. I knew I wanted to get the carrot soup taken care of, well ahead of time, and I didn’t have the patience or the time to go to the grocery store to buy the carrots.  Instead, I bought a huge 10-pound bag of carrots at Costco!

Laziness wins out over practicability!

I knew that having an extra 6 pounds of carrots in my house wasn’t a problem because if I peel, trim and cut them, Dave will have those polished off in a matter of days. He LOVES carrots!

I also picked up three bunches of tulips and one huge bundle of white stock.  I knew what the plan for the tulips was but hadn’t given much thought to the stock until this morning while I was peeling the 4 pounds of carrots for the soup…

[Read more →]

Along with Arugula & Strawberry Salad with Chèvre, Pistachios and Horseradish-Maple Vinaigrette and Pomegranate Molasses Leg of Lamb and Lemon-Limoncello Meringue Pie I made this scrumptious potato dish for our Easter supper.

One quick tip:  When shopping for leeks, look for a leek with as much white as possible. The white and pale green portions of the leek are the only parts used, so try to get the most bang for your buck. I found these two perfect leek specimens at Trader Joe’s.

[Read more →]

Instead of my usual Silk Transfer Easter Eggs, I went another route this year. On Pinterest, I found Cocktail Napkin Easter Eggs.

I hard-boiled 9 eggs and used the technique explained HERE for the first eight eggs. Then on a whim, I tried another technique and ended up with the egg above. I love the end results and will show you how to do both.

Plus I’m putting up links to all of my Easter recipes as listed on the Complete Recipe Index – over there on the left if you are still trying to figure out what to make.

Cocktail Napkin Easter Eggs

8 to 12 white hard-boiled eggs, cold
Printed paper cocktail or lunch napkins
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Open the napkins and separate the printed top layer from the plain second layer if the napkin has two layers. Discard any plain sheets.

Cut each napkin into four squares, along the folds.

Dip a small pastry brush into the beaten egg white and use to adhere and apply a square onto the front center of an egg.

[Read more →]

You’ve seen my drink station…

… the crudités setup…

… which was cleared and turned into the brunch buffet.

Now it’s time for the Easter Tablescape 2013!

At the time, I didn’t realize that I had a theme going, but now I see that I did indeed.

“Eggs, Eggcups, Flowers, and Nests”

Eggs and Eggcups with flowers and succulents.

More of the same – with the addition of some nests.

More flowers, in tin buckets with nests on them… how original!

If you look closely, in the background you will spot my wind turbine turned hanging light fixture. Sweet!

Another hanging fixture that I love to highlight and use whenever I get the chance, is the chandelier vase that hangs over the sunken kitchen at the swim-up bar.

The pool was still much too cold to swim in, but I was grilling the pomegranate lamb chops down in the kitchen, so I wanted it to look pretty for the occasion.

Filled with stock and daffodils.

[Read more →]

Asparagus season and Easter come at the same time and what a perfect pairing that is! They are both happy signs of spring.

Plus this lovely green vegetable pairs wonderfully with both ham and lamb.

We had all three for our Easter brunch; ham in the Herb Crêpes Eggs Benedict Florentine, Pomegranate Molasses Lamb Chops, and this lovely asparagus dish.

[Read more →]