Easter Meal

I didn't post any blogs for awhile towards the end of April and end of May, so you may have noticed that I am backtracking for a bit of catching up.  We had almost all of our family here for Easter this year.  Missing were daughter Bethany Jean and grandson Zach.  We had a great time with those present, including an egg hunt for a few of us who wished to search (I was among those this time....... it's been over 40 years since I hunted eggs).  Easter was a warm, bright and sunny day for once, and with little Emerson's arrival this year, we all had a grand time!

For a salad we had a Wilted Spinach and Apple Salad from the Celebrate the Rain cookbook. Please notice the beautiful colored eggs adorning it, compliments of DIL Nancy.

Besides roasted asparagus, the main course was Rosemary Walnut Chicken, from the Simply Classic cookbook.   Really, quite delicious!

Also from Simply Classics I made this Sparkling Pineapple Sangria.  Yum!

I did not snap any pictures of the wonderful  Orange and Lemon Sour Cream Cake!  Can you believe it?!?!  It hailed from the Celebrate the Rain cookbook, and was one of the most moist cakes I have every had, as well as scrumptious all the way around!

El Dia de Madre

For Mother's Day this year Darrell, Bethany and I cooked up some of the dishes that we made at cooking school in Mexico this year. I forgot to take a picture of everything, so for the soup and dessert I used our photos from the class.

Lots of tomatillos, onions, corn, tomatoes, hot peppers and avocados.....

Putting together the Tamales de Frijoles 

Sopa de Poblano 

Roasted Chicken in a Chipotle-Piloncillo-Tomatillo Salsa and the Tamales 

Salsas (top to bottom): Salsa de Pepitas, Guacamole, Salsa Frita and Salsa de Habenero 

Tarte de Chocolate

It was all very tasty and great to have the 'kids' over to enjoy it!

Cousins

 Grandchildren Olivia, Micaela (holding Emerson) and Owen. 

 Zach was not here.

Emerson in her Easter outfit

Birthday Tea

My two Bethany's took me into Seattle this week for a surprise early Birthday Tea at the incredible Queen Mary's Tea Room! The decor was opulent and the food was a delicious treat for the palette! 

Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea is served anytime, includes a pot of

Queen Mary Tea and each of the following:

Fruit sorbet trio

Queen Mum’s gingerbread cookie

English crumpet

Cranberry orange scone

Gingerbread

Pecan pie bar

Snickerdoodle

Cherry chocolate shortbread

White chocolate candy cane mousse

Assorted fresh fruit

Bacon, mushroom, scallion quiche

English cucumber and radish tea sandwich

Chicken almond with mustard butter tea sandwich

Q.M. smoked salmon tea sandwich

Pork sausage roll

Served with whipped cream, butter, jam and marmalade.

Thanks Ladies :-)  I totally enjoyed the experience and the company!

Birthday Breakfast and Concert

Anna Lyn's birthday is actually Dec. 20, but Joy and I celebrated it a bit early with a birthday breakfast in early December.

Joy made the cutest, most delicious individual omelets, full of vegetables and meat!

On her actual birthday, Reba and I went with her to the beautiful Covington Library to hear erwilian, a Renaissance Musical group that plays a wonderful assortment of instruments!

There are 5 musicians.  One man plays a variety of percussion instruments, two men play different stringed instruments such as the guitars, mandolin, viola and the mountain dulcimer, as well as the bodhran.   The woman plays a recorder, the mountain dulcimer, and the larger hammer dulcimer.  The young man plays the other smaller hammer dulcimer, the xylophone, the celesta (the instrument that plays the Sugar Plum Fairy dance in the Nutcracker Suite), the marimba, the melodica and the recorder.  Not only ONE recorder, but TWO recorders at the same time!  He was absolutely amazing!  They all were! Someone played an auto harp as well.  Very beautiful music! 

It made for a great evening out to celebrate the birthday of a great friend :-}

 

Happy Birthday, Anna Lyn!

Thanksgiving 2011

I am truly posting another SmileBox........ not a scam, though family may be the only ones interested in it :-}

This free photo slideshow created with Smilebox

Candy Cane Brownie Trifle

Over Thanksgiving, my niece, Molly, whipped up this incredibly delicious dessert! 

First, make up a batch of brownies, from a box or homemade, as well as this rich, decadent chocolate sauce (recipe posted at the conclusion of the blog).  Crush your candy canes as well.  Whip the cream.

Layering the ingredients

 Pouring  the yummy chocolate sauce over the layers

 Peppermint whipped cream

Sprinkling on the crushed candy canes 

Dig in and take a bit!!!  Such a taste sensory delight!

Micah couldn't wait to try it out :-}

Molly with her amazing dessert!

Candy Cane Brownie Trifle

Serves 16

1 19-20 oz brownie mix

1 recipe chocolate sauce

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1-2 drops red food coloring

1 cup crushed candy canes

Chocolate Sauce

6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 Tbsp butter

1 1/4 cup 1/2 & 1/2

3/4 cup sugar

3 Tbsp corn syrup

1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Prepare and bake brownies according to package instructions.  Cool completely. Cut into bite-sized chunks and set aside.

For whipping cream, in chilled bowl combine whipping cream, powdered sugar, peppermint extract and food coloring. Beat with chilled beaters on medium speed until soft peaks form.

For chocolate sauce, in medium sauce pan combine chocolate and butter.  Cook and stir on low heat until melted.  Stie in 1/2 & 1/2, sugar and corn syrup.  Bring to gentle boil over medium heat.  Boil gently, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes or until reduced to about 2 1/3 cups.  Remove from heat.  Stir in peppermint extract.  Cool to room temp (will thicken as it cools).

Place 1/3 brownie chunks into a serving bowl.  Drizzle with 1/4 of chocolate sauce and sprinkle with 1/4 of crushed candy canes.  Top with 1/3 of whipping cream.  Repeat twice.  Drizzle with remaining sauce and candy canes. 

Serve immediately and ENJOY!

Murder Mystery Dinner Cruise !

We had a great time Friday night on the Murder Mystery Dinner Cruise celebrating Darrell's 60th birthday!

We caught the boat at pier 56 and toured around in the Puget Sound while the dinner and murder took place.

Unbeknownst to Darrell, we had set him up to be one of the 8 suspects!

Suspect information after interviewed by the detectives (based on the form Bethany J filled out beforehand)

The buffet dinner was delicious (seafood, beef tenderloins and pasta).  We were supposed to be figuring out the clues during this time.

As it turned out, both Darrell and another suspect, Joe, were arrested for the murders of Mike Steal and Captain Skippy! (the dinner/murder theme was loosely based on the old Gilligan's Island Show, so beach was the theme).

The Solution!

I believe a good time was had by all :o}

Birthday Clues, Part VI

Have you figured it out yet?  What will we be doing for Darrell's 60th birthday?!?!?!

Scroll down to see  =O}

  Can't wait! Tonight is the night to celebrate!

Birthday Clues, Part V

Though we have experienced many great vacations, this one is among his favorites!

Birthday Clues, Part IV

Becoming enthusiastic about reading later in life, he loves a great detective story!

Birthday Clues, Part III

He has become an excellent cook over the years, and truly enjoys a lavish meal!

Birthday Clues, Part II

 He and his wife reside near a big city, their children all living nearby.

Birthday Clues, Part I

 Sixty years ago a rambunctious baby entered the world on August 27th.

The second son in a string of eight boys born in rapid succession, he managed to grow up into adulthood alive, though not without many a mishap along the journey.