Happy Easter

Easter isn't happening around here this year, unless you count the two bags of Cadbury mini eggs that we've gone through this past week.  We're probably going to order pizza for dinner.

We're organising, list making, and packing.  Because tomorrow morning we'll be on the road while it's still dark out, heading to the airport.

To spend a week in Mexico.

So, luggage, bathing suits, sunscreen, and flip flops have become the focus of the weekend.

This past week we had another ice storm.  It was a lot worse than the one we had a few weeks ago.  We lost power a few times, thankfully less than an hour each time, and the ice build up the next morning was almost an inch thick.

Cadbury mini egg blondies.

Waffles, because apparently that's what one needs to feel better when sick.

 Shopping for summery things while the ice and snow made a mess outside.

My camera and flip flops are ready.  Follow me on Instagram to see what we get up to.

Posts from Easters past here.

Wishing you a happy Easter!

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Photo A Day

Instagram lately.

Road hockey.
Greek Yogurt Jello Bites.
Clothes shopping.
Library haul.
Easter flowers.
Food and drink.

Hubby had to spend a week overseas.  And Easter was a thrown-together-at-the-last-minute affair, after our plans were de-railed due to a little emergency surgery.  

Life has returned to a semi-normal state, although we're still waiting on Spring to stick around.  There's snow in the forecast.  Typical April.

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Easter

Another Easter come and gone.  

Housecleaning and grocery shopping.  

Rosemary and oranges, for a marinade.  

Eggs.  

Guess who's been eating egg salad sandwiches this week?

Smaller kids thankfully still interested in helping with the colouring of the eggs.  

Grown up kids were in and out... sharing the day with their girlfriends' families, one celebrating his birthday, another at work.  

Lazy Easter brunch, and spending all day in the kitchen.

Easter egg cups put away for another year.

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Friday Photos, and Easter Planning

We had more snow this week.  I can't even describe how annoyed I was to see it falling.  Thankfully, it has since melted and the Easter weekend promises some warmth and sunshine.  We are hosting Easter again this year and I'm looking forward to a few days spent unplugged... well, aside from a few Instagram shares maybe :)

I'm still working on the menu for Easter dinner...I am a master procrastinator after all.  I was tempted to make stuffed pork loins again.  The two recipes I love are here and here, both tried and true.  Instead, I think I may do a marinated leg of lamb.  I'm thinking orange juice, rosemary... garlic... wine.  And I've got a few side dish ideas:

Asparagus Stuffed Eggs from Smitten Kitchen

Best Ever Broccoli Salad from Ali @ Jam Hands

Scalloped Potatoes from Oh, Sweet Basil

My Mom is a master dessert maker, and I know she'll bring a couple of desserts, but I plan to make the Best Ever Carrot Cake again.

I know my kids will be looking for Spinach Dip.

And these two favourite breakfast items will be perfect with all the eggs we'll be colouring.

Buttermilk Belgian Waffles

Overnight Oven Baked French Toast

Happy Easter!

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Easter Eggs and The Best Ever Carrot Cake

It's been a long time since I spent an entire day in the kitchen.  We hosted Easter this year, and spending an entire day in this kitchen was not exactly a hardship.  It was a great day of cooking with my Mom, my husband and my brother... without running out of counter space or bumping into each other.  I think I'd be happy to spend many days like that in  the kitchen.

Priority one was coffee.  Then the colouring of the eggs for Easter breakfast.

Next up, French Bread and Spinach Dip.  We'd need plenty of snacks to get us through our cooking marathon.

Crusty French Bread and the BEST Spinach Dip

This year's choice for Easter Dinner - Stuffed Pork Loins.  Recipes here and here.  I also give you two great video clips to illustrate exactly how to cut, stuff, roll, and tie up your pork loins.  This guy demonstrates it very well.

Of course, there were veggies, potatoes and gravy to prepare.  Plenty of snacks.  And wonderful family time.

My favourite part?  Dessert.  The star of the show for me was this Carrot Cake.  It was amazing.  Seriously, this was the best carrot cake I've ever made.  I slightly adapted this recipe by Trish at Mom on Time Out:

Best Carrot Cake Ever

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

2 cups sugar

3 eggs, whisked

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups grated carrots (mine were heaping, so likely closer to 2 1/2 cups)

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 cup crushed pineapple in juice (not drained)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine vegetable oil, yogurt, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients, then add in carrots, coconut, and pineapple.

Pour into a greased bundt pan or a 9 x 13 pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 8oz package cream cheese (softened)

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar

Beat the butter and cream cheese until fluffy.  Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.  Allow cake to cool before frosting.  And if you love cream cheese icing as much as I do, double the recipe.  Extra icing is a good thing.

To-Die-For Carrot cake at Mom on Time Out

   

Thank you for featuring me!

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Easter

Working on an Easter post.  In the meantime, colouring Easter eggs... seven years ago...

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