Easter

Nothing says cooking like a few family gatherings and when Easter is early the celebrations tend to merge all together.   This week we had grandma Cookie and Grandpa Bob over for dinner for Grandma’s birthday and to end out Steve’s birthday week, and then we had a minor change of venue for Easter dinner – our house.  Grandma did give me a few days notice at least and thank goodness we had the house cleaned up more than usual with Sunday dinner so I was able to spend a little more time prepping for cooking than trying to figure out where the paperwork from my desk should hide while company is over. 

Sunday Birthday dinner consisted of “easy” comfort food – Chicken Fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and fruit salad for dinner, for dessert grandma made her famous apple cake.  I learned that sometimes using the number of people plus one for the pot on mashed potatoes does not always come out to a good amount – I don’t know if the potatoes we’re really small this time or if everyone was just really hungry.  It was also my first time trying out my new cast iron skillet and it did beautifully – now trying to convince you girls and Steve that it doesn’t need soap to clean up will be the tough part.  

Saturday – Easter eve on top of getting things ready for the next day we had the annual Rocky Mountain Oyster gathering at Grandpa Dale’s.  Fried chicken, fried “oysters”, Fried pickles, BBQ beans and I’m not sure what else since  I left early but you guys didn’t come home as hungry as you have in the past so I’m thinking, there was more chicken this year than in previous times.  Sabrina you also tried fried pickles for the first time, and although I don’t think they’ll be added to your favorite list I was pretty happy that you were open enough to try the “abominations”.

Easter was a little more than I bargained for – Steve and I have decided that holidays should be passed down from mother to daughter,  so I guess you two will have to decide who get’s Christmas and who get’s Thanksgiving, Auntie Paula and her girls can keep Easter – I don’t even have spring themed serving dishes that could have been used, (I know this was a one time offset – Auntie had to go back into the hospital for a few days – and I’m very thankful for that, it is one of the harder gatherings to pull off).  Let’s see food wise we had a pot luck, Grandma Cookie brought the ham and potato salad – Although we did end up “cooking” the ham at our house,  Auntie Carol brought her spinach Salad and Chicken Wings,  I love her Spinach Salad, Nana brought Brussels sprout casserole – I know neither of you like it but hopefully it’ll be something you’ll grow into – Grandma Maude brought over tri-tip that we marinated and BBQ’d  and of course there was an assortment of candy and home made cookies and cupcakes to go around.  We made rolls, grilled asparagus, fruit salad, Ambrosia salad, chocolate dipped strawberries, marshmallows and a new favorite – the Marshmallow Peep cake. 

Things we learned this week – Chicken Fried Steak really does taste better from a Cast Iron skillet, you should always read the directions before starting a cooking project – that comes from the pickles – first time I had tried to make them, buttermilk wash then cornmeal not mix the two together and use as batter.  It’s also always good to read the ingredient list twice since I forgot to add baking powder to my first cake attempt and couldn’t figure out why the cakes didn’t rise or why they felt like they weighed a ton.  Not only should you pray over bread when baking, you should pray over the cake. Your grandma does that with bread making each time – she’s so worried that things won’t rise or taste good – for me it has to be cakes – either from them sticking to the pan or being too dry I’m always worried I’m going to screw something up.  So just for good measure – drop a prayer while mixing. 

Since you two are out and about this week I’m not sure what food will unfold for Steve and I in the house alone – one would think I’d go wild and make exotic things for us but you know Steve, he’s more of a picky eater than you two ever have been.  I love you both.