Getting back into the swing of it, blogging-wise, has been harder than I ever imagined it would be. Since I missed it so much, I thought I’d fall right back into the rhythm. Um, not so much!

I want to blame it on the holidays. Thanksgiving, out-of-town family, Christmas, even more family from out-of-town, New Year’s, and more family have made it hard to want to sit down at the computer and “work.” But that’s really not it. I blogged religiously for more than 5 years, through every major holiday and life event, so I can not claim that the season is the issue.

I’m just out of the habit, and until I get back on track, posts will be spotty. I’m now prepared for that reality and I hope that you’ll stick with me through this transition.

Marissa & Jeff drove back to Austin on Saturday. They had flown in two weeks ago but drove back so they could take all their wedding and wedding shower gifts. They made it back in record time, arriving home, safe and sound, by mid-morning on Sunday.

On Friday night, for their last dinner at home, I made a pan of super-easy and super-yummy tamale enchiladas. So yummy, in fact, that I couldn’t get a photo of the pan before they were all but gone!

I bought the tamales from a young woman who was selling them at Connor’s apartment building. She had two adorable little ones in-tow, so how could I say no?  I bought a dozen green chile-chicken tamales and a dozen red chile-pork tamales. I should say, that’s what I thought I bought, she accidentally gave me only six green chile (1 bag) and a dozen and a half (3 bags) of red chile.

A few nights before, we enjoyed 6 of the green and 6 of the red, served in the traditional style. That was nice, but to my taste, tamales are a bit dry. So serving the remaining dozen red chile tamales enchilada-style was way more fun!

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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…

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We hosted an annual 4th of July party for many years. About 10 years ago, we stopped and instead spent the holiday in Wisconsin at the Log Mansion.

We aren’t going to Wisconsin this year because we are leaving for England and Ireland in a little more than a week.

Since we’ll be home for the first time in a decade, I pulled out all my Red, White & Blue and invited a few friends over.

I forgot just how much stuff I had! The gathering is going to be small.

But the American Pride will be everywhere!

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Happy May Day

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The one bummer about St. Patrick’s Day is that it always falls during Lent. I nearly always give up alcohol for Lent, so it’s a bit of a letdown. Maybe next year I’ll just give up green beer!

Here are three St. Patrick’s Day recipes that won’t let you down! Plus, you can find more by clicking on the “Complete Recipe Index” over there on the left and scrolling down to the “Holidays” heading, and then scrolling to “St. Patrick’s Day.”

Have a wonderful day and be sure to partake in “The Wearing of the Green!”

Irish Pizza

Stout and Irish Whiskey Cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Cream Frosting (aka Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes)

Duffy’s Irish Soda Bread

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Via

Over the weekend Connor and I drove up to Chino Valley, just outside of Prescott, with the sole purpose of buying gorgeous blue-green Jarrahdale pumpkins at Freeman Farms.

I’ve spotted Jarrahdales all over the web for the last couple of years but had not been able to find them for sale here in the Valley.

I had high hopes of finding some for sale in California a couple of weeks ago, but it was not to be.

After a Google search, I discovered that Freeman Farms grows them, but only sells them on weekends at their pumpkin festive on the farm.

So to the farm, we went.

The Jarrahdale is a medium-sized, deeply ribbed heirloom pumpkin in a pleasing light blue color.

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For 22 years we have adhered to a strict rule in our house at this time of year. No holiday decorations are allowed on December 1st. That means Thanksgiving stuff needs to be taken down and put away and the Christmas stuff must be left unbothered until at least December 2nd. Hey, that’s today! The reason for the rule is simple – December 1st is Marissa’s birthday and that day needs to be all about her – not about the two major holidays that surround her special day.  Over the years, the rule has been slightly modified, and Christmas lights on the outside of the house became permitted. And this year, the rule wasn’t so much modified as actually broken – just a little! I have a TV shoot here this morning and it is going to feature me and my kitchen Christmas tree. Hence, the rule was broken when I put up that little tree yesterday – sorry baby girl, we’ll go back to being rule sticklers next year!

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“He who can give thanks for little will always find he has enough”~ Unknown

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Turkey-Day is only 2 days away!!! Complete Thanksgiving Planning Guide and Timeline. Better get there now!

I’ve known this fact for about a year now, bloggers are very nice and supportive people! Look at this sweet post from a fellow blogger and often, nice comment sender, Audrey Larsen, of The Audrey Files. She is my new BFF – so sorry Jen and Peggy and Anne!

Wanna know something that makes my day (in addition to having a new BFF)? Finding a cool new item at Trader Joe’s, that’s what! While standing in the dried fruit/nut aisle I was scanning for dried cranberries. Not that I really need another bag, I’m guessing that I have at least a half dozen partial bags of dried cranberries tucked behind various other partial bags of nuts and fruits and chocolates in one of my two extra freezers, but I am too busy/lazy to dig for one. That is really a whole other story and could be a post on its own! Anyhow, as I stood there scanning, I saw, the new item – dried pomegranate seeds.

Awesome! I was so excited to try them, I had to control the urge to open the package right there and then. The very second I was in the car, I ripped into it. They are tasty, and according to the package they are a “good source of fiber” too. There you go, run out and snag a couple of bags so that it becomes such a popular item, there is no way TJ’s would even consider discontinuing them. Even though I am enjoying eating them straight from the bag, I decided to create a Thanksgiving recipe using them and share it with you… hey, it’s just how I roll.

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Turkey Day is only 6 days away!!! Complete Thanksgiving Planning Guide and Timeline.

I was going to call these appetizer ravioli “Mascarpone-Spiced Pumpkin Ravioli.”  But upon Marissa’s first bite, she declared them “Pumpkin Pie Ravioli” – a new and improved name is born.

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