In Search of Easter Recipes

We're having a few friends over for an informal Easter brunch spread.  I currently have a plan to make my usual egg casserole we devour on Easter, but I'm always eager to try out new recipes, especially when entertaining.  

Have a favorite Easter recipe you're dying to share?

image/bloom

Friday Link Love

Spring has sprung in Seattle, the flowers are bright and colorful, the air is perfumed with the scent of fresh blooms, even was even a balmy 71 degrees on Thursday afternoon!  Here are a few favorite links from around the web this weekend.

+ lovely carrot bouquets for your Easter brunch spread

+ giant bubbles on the beach, my daughter would be mesmerized

+ DIY bunny ears for kids' ice cream cones

+ darling cards for the birthday girl

+ Tom Hanks reenacts all of his movies in 6 minutes - hilarious!

+ must add this to my flavor repertoire in the kitchen


+ spaceship canopy, anyone?

+ giving up social media (fb/instagram) for lent has me wanting to try this app

+ homemade macaroon ice cream

+ pretty dress for a spring soiree


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Dinner Last Night: Spanakopita

Spanakopita has become one of our staple weeknight dinners, mostly because the recipe has become familiar enough that I don't need to pull out a cookbook or reference a pinterest page to recall the ingredients.  

This particular version of spanakopita (pictured above) happened as a fluke.  Typically I buy phyllo dough sheets and make a spinach pie of sorts with a phyllo crust below the filling and a crust above. However, my husband picked up phyllo dough shells, they individual little puff pastry nests that hold filling. Behold 6 little individual spanakopita pies.  

Tasty little devils, we might never go back to the traditional format after devouring these!

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Dinner Last Night: Corned Beef Brisket Pitas with Parmesan Potatoes & Creamy Radish Dressing

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day and my husband's birthday on Sunday evening - all wrapped up into one Irish themed meal, since corned beef is one of his favorite foods.  I found this recipe for corned beef brisket pitas with parmesan mashed potatoes and creamy radish dressing and just couldn't say no!  While it's not your traditional preparation of corned beef, honestly the words "slow cooker" made this recipe more appealing than the others I considered.

My mom ended up doing the cooking (bless her) and I provided the mashed potatoes.  We used garlic naan instead of pita but I think the end result ultimately was the same - delicious!  The saltiness of the meat is balanced by the cheesy potatoes, crisp cabbage, and refreshingly tart radish sauce.  Perhaps a new St. Patrick's Day favorite!


Currently...


Reading this slowly, a few pages at a time...

Listening to this new podcast thanks to Jenny & Teresa...

Craving burgers looking forward to sampling these for the first time when we visit in May....

Making my way through this cult series (7 episodes in)...

Thinking of starting this series...

Loving this print for my moon-loving daughter...

Enjoying scouring the archives of this lifestyle/design blog...

Appreciating these pretty spring stamps...

Moved by this emotional read about a dying man's last days...

Wanting to try this recipe for homemade granola bars...

Eyeing this swimwear for spring...

Contemplating cooking this for St. Patrick's Day dinner...

Surprised this sequel is happening...

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Celebrating Pi Day

For all you nerdy types out there - Saturday, 3/14/15 is "Pi-Day."  My husband looks forward to announcing this holiday every year.  Perfect for him, this year his engineering firm is celebrating their own Pi Day by having a pie potluck for lunch.  While I was prepared to bake this pie which has proved itself a unanimous crowd-pleaser, I'm off the hook as enough people already volunteered.  (Insert sigh of relief here) Besides...I'd rather catch up on House of Cards anyway...

However, if I was baking a pie, I might make this little diddy I saw over at Smitten Kitchen today, just for creativity's sake - black bottom oatmeal pie. I have never heard of this type of pie before, and I'm intrigued.

Happy Pi Day!

image/smittenkitchen