Welcome Baby Cake and a Broccoli Salad!

Yesterday we celebrated the upcoming arrival of our family's newest member, a baby boy, due to arrive in mid-April. His parents, Jack and Kristin Bishop, are excited and ready to meet their little man. He will be the first grandchild for my sister Anne and her husband John, and this baby is already loved beyond measure by both families who can't wait to meet him!

To celebrate, we held a baby shower for Kristin. Baby Bishop has already had two parties in his honor! The first was in a restaurant in Brooklyn near where Jack and Kristin live, and was hosted by Kristin's Mom and three sisters. Yesterday's celebration was hosted by my sister Anne at her home, for those of us who live in the Saratoga Springs area where Jack grew up. It was a lovely welcoming party for the baby and a celebration for Kristin.

Kristin is an exceptionally beautiful mom-to-be, and she and Jack will be terrific parents, no doubt about it. I am so excited for my sister and her husband John, and for Kristin's parents. There's nothing like that first grandchild, and every grandchild thereafter, to experience again the beauty and wonders of the world, to see things with fresh eyes, things that may have escaped our notice as the demands of life and work have taken over. For me, becoming a grandmother was a life-changing experience, and continues to bring joy to my life that I never could have imagined. I so look forward to meeting Baby Bishop, and witnessing how his presence will bring that same joy to my sister and her family. Blessings to this little fella!

Below I share photos of the cake I made for Kristin's shower, as well as a recipe for the party. It's for a Broccoli Pasta Salad, and is so delicious, There were left-overs, so I had it for dinner tonight and didn't need another thing!

Two cakes, yellow and chocolate fudge, split and
alternately stacked to make a striped cake

I was up to 3 am working on the detail
for the fondant pieces. Labor of love!

Kristin loved it!

Aftermath!

My broccoli pasta salad!

Hope you enjoy the photos. Here's the recipe for the broccoli pasta salad - it was de-lish!!!!

BROCCOLI PASTA SALAD
Early in day or day before

• 12 oz. pasta, cooked al-dente and drained (I used gluten-free penne pasta but you can use anything you like)
• florets from one head of fresh broccoli, cut into smaller florets
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked crisp, and crumbled*
• 3 tablespoons very finely minced red onion
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Dressing (much like a cole-slaw dressing):

• 1 cup mayonnaise (I use regular Hellman's)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup milk

In large bowl, toss together pasta, broccoli, crumbled bacon, red onion, dried cranberries, and walnuts.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over tossed ingredients, mix until everything is well-coated. Refrigerate overnight or for a few hours. Before serving, toss and if it seems dry, add some milk a bit at a time until it's moistened again.

ENJOY!

*vegetarian version - omit bacon and substitute pan-fried provolone cheese - slices are heated up on a sprayed skillet until browned on both sides. Let cool and break into small pieces. This provides the same smoky element as bacon.