My daughter Tricia's birthday is this weekend. Her birthday has fallen on Easter Sunday a few times. That's not the case this year, but it's close. We're combining her birthday with an Easter dinner at Katie's house this year. I remember one year when Tricia was a very little girl. She was able to choose her favorite meal (the kids always got to choose dinner for their birthdays) and on this particular birthday she wanted Kielbasa. We had never had Kielbasa. She'd seen Martha Stewart prepare it during a television show, and she was insistant. The horse-shoe-shaped sausage was roasted in the oven, cut on the diagaonal into oval slices, and served on a platter of curly lettuce. Tricia had to have it. I don't remember if she liked it or not, but that's what she got!
When I think of Easter dinner, I think of an oven-baked spiral-sliced ham, glazed in a brown sugar/mustard/pineapple concoction, with side dishes of au gratin potatoes and carrots, and a cheesecake or a pineapple-upside-down cake for dessert. My sister-in-law Carolyn and her husband Billy make this almost every Easter. I've served my share of spiral-sliced hams, too. No need to spend $75 for the over-priced honey-baked version. The pre-sliced hams you can bake at home are wonderful, and you can get a terrific one for under $20. No need to fear the ham.
In addition to a cheesecake and Easter sugar cookies, I'll be baking Tricia a birthday cake. It will be something simple and pretty. One year I was just tired of baking. I'd hit the wall. So I bought a Carvel ice cream cake for her birthday. I don't think she's ever forgiven me! Here I am, baking cakes for anyone who asks, and I couldn't muster one up for my own daugther's birthday. I won't make that mistake again! I have become much more discriminating about saying "yes" to requests. I only bake for people I know well and care about.
I look forward to this weekend. Russ will be here, and we'll go to church. Henry will hunt for Easter eggs, which should be especially exciting for a 23-month-old. I'll have one large, collective basket on my table, filled with the things my kids loved when they were young (including Cadbury Eggs - I don't get it, but they loved them!). I'll call Meghan in California and wish her a Happy Easter. I'll think of my Mom, and Russ's Dad, who both passed away around Easter time. They will be happy memories, because they were both happy, joyful people.
Whether you are celebrating Passover, Easter, or simply the arrival of spring, I hope you look forward to a beautiful weekend. Go make some happy memories!
Photo Credit: http://www.theflowerexpert.com/media/images/aboutflowers/exoticflowers/tulips/muti-hued-tulips.jpg
I remember this! It brought back to me the time I bought Brigitte a Carvel cake for her birthday. We purchased the cake ,it was lovely! We unloaded the car of groceries and party goods. It was my job to bring the cake into the house. Not thinking I set it on the counter out of harms way, well there it sat. Well needless to say,we had a very runny but cake..it wasn't the candles that melted it . CKJ
ReplyDeletecorrection Birthday not but lol
ReplyDeleteLove drifting back in time with you Jeannie...time marches on and circumstances change, but memories live on in our hearts forever. Happy Easter my friend, will we have a chance to see you and any/all of your family for brunch? All are welcome....
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter to you too, Di! I will try to stop by on my way home from MA. Russ will be away and Katie's throwing her own brunch shin-dig later that morning. Hard to be in 3 places at once, but I try!!!
DeleteGlad you like the memory ~ And this was the Easter morning that Katie and Bill announced that Henry was going to be a big brother! Hard to believe he's going to be three in October! :)