SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
annie1992_gw

Easter Dinner, you're invited

annie1992
10 years ago

As usual, I invite all my friends here to Easter Dinner. Virtually, of course, since we ate all the actual food, LOL.

The Monkey Princess was there, of course, with her new Easter outfit. Lots of pink going on, and the black dots on the skirt were sequins. Sparkly......

Brother doesn't dress up, and although the Easter Eggs I hid were full of chocolate, he was very busy with his "Treasure Detector". My front yard now looks like a prairie dog village and he found two dimes, a penny, a quarter, an old pocket knife, a Mountain Dew bottle cap and an old button, which he is certain is a "civil war button". (grin) Maybe....

The Smallest Princess got royal treatment, her eggs were hidden inside, as there are still patches of snow outside. She required the Monkey Princess to clap and cheer with every egg she "found". Hey, someone has to cheer for a small princess.

Dinner? Yeah, we had that. I was tired of the old standby, ham, so we had....

Yup, brisket. In the smoker and then slathered with my stepfather's "secret" BBQ sauce. No one has that recipe except my brother, and he's not talking. He sent me a jar, though and so Elery smoked the brisket and put some wild caught sockeye salmon on the grill with a maple glaze.

Macaroni and cheese, potato salad, homemade rolls, you've all seen those. The obligatory devilled eggs.

Lots of homemade peanut butter eggs, some in semi-sweet chocolate, others in white chocolate because Kevin doesn't like chocolate. Yeah, I know. Weird....

Dessert? Yeah, we got that covered. Boston Cream Pie from the Cook's Illustrated cookbook, the cream filling had 4 egg yolks and some heavy cream, the ganache had dark chocolate and more cream. It wasn't quite sweet enough, so we added Peeps for decoration:

Still not sweet enough for you? OK, then I made homemade ice cream, both vanilla and chocolate. More egg yolks, 6 for each batch and more heavy cream, the organic stuff from Hilhof Dairy, a local place, yummy and still comes in glass bottles with a deposit.

OK, enough with the sugar. Well, maybe not, I also made a rhubarb pie....

Happy Easter. I'm going to waddle off now to have a Diet Coke...

Annie

Comments (35)

  • dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow! what a party! Of course I am not surprised. You have such a way with having the right food for the right occasion. You are the ultimate event planner.

    Lovely brisket. The price is right. $0.01 a lb. LOL.

    Both Princesses are very fashionably attired. So cute!.

    dcarch

  • Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow! Everything looks soo good. I would love to have one of those peanut butter eggs right now. You can keep the peeps....lol

  • Related Discussions

    NEW: You're invited to a Bridal Shower! (irishrosegrower)

    Q

    Comments (46)
    Hi gals. Trish, I'm sorry I didn't see your posts until today, I thought this thread was gone... I am so happy it is spring myself! Daffs are finally open. I like the pic of you smelling your first spring bloom. Jess sent me a lovely package from bath & body works with my favorite fragrance --sweet pea--. It is so nice, has body spray, bubble bath, gel, hand lotion, etc. it's in a pretty green ceramic planter too! Jess == you are very thoughtful and this was very sweet of you to do. Thanks a bunch. Trish - thanks for the iris. Glad it's warming up for you. It did start to warm up here, then yesterday the rain turned to snow for a while ??? it's arpril isn't it? Hugs Maureen
    ...See More

    You're all invited

    Q

    Comments (51)
    Working three jobs and on the road ALL my waking hours, or I would have been there in a heartbeat. Was thinking of you all week and weekend. Congratulations, Best Wishes for a long happy life together!! Have fun on your honeymoon! I know it will be a bittersweet time, but I hope you enjoyed yourselves in honor of your dad and have some good memories for the future. Lpink
    ...See More

    What are you making for Easter Dinner?

    Q

    Comments (35)
    First we start off with antipasto, and stuffed mushrooms. Then the pasta dish, it will be homemade ravioli, courtesy of my Italian MIL. Then the salad, arugula sald topped with baked stuffed gorgonzola pears. Then the main dish, grilled lamb chops with grilled veggies, and a roast leg of lamb roasted with rosemary potatoes. All served with a lovely homemade red wine. I love my in laws, but I love them more after a few glasses of red :P DH and I are hosting this year to take the burden off my MIL who hosts everything. There will be 11 adults and 6 children, and 1 infant who is still just bottle feeding, no lamb for her! For desert mini coconut cupcakes and traditional grain pie and italian cheesecake. I'm most looking forward to the egg hunt with the kiddies though. I love holidays with our huge Italian family!
    ...See More

    Easter Dinner and a gift from Brenda

    Q

    Comments (8)
    Shelley, you know you are ALWAYS invited, just knock on the door and come right on in. (grin) That goes for everyone here. The food was good, especially the salmon which Elery cooked on the grill. I could have lived without the store-bought cupcakes, LOL, but Mother brought them and who am I to turn down a gift, especially one made with sugar. (grin) We do usually have fun, we all manage to get along pretty well pretty much all of the time. That means everyone recognizes my authority as Empress of the Universe, LOL. Cathy, she's sure getting big, isn't she? I've been invited to her very first school concert in a couple of weeks. She's excited and tells me that she's going to sing "B-I-N-G-O". ROFL I'm sure it will be wonderful... Annie
    ...See More
  • tami_ohio
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yum! My sugar just went sky high without taking a bite! And the kids are darling as usual. Wow has Mikayla grown! They are all so cute, yes even Bruver. We went to Columbus to M's sister's. There were 18 of us. The only one who couldn't make it was DS, as he started a new job a couple of weeks ago, and of course he had to work. But his fiance and her boys got to go. Tons of food and desserts. I made the Heavenly Rolls, and muffin tin cheese cakes. And took home made horse radish.

    Tami

  • jadeite
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oooh, I feel stuffed!

    Cheryl

  • pkramer60
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That brisket looks wonderful! But the GK's look even better.

  • annie1992
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    dcarch, that's a bit misleading. It's my home grown and grassfed beef, of course, and it costs me per pound to have it cut and packaged, based on hanging weight. Still more than .01 cents per pound, LOL, even for packaging, I think I paid 35 cents per pound hanging weight for packaging last year, it used to be cheaper but I like the plastiv shrink wrap which costs more.

    Tami, some homegrown horseradish would have gone perfectly with the brisket. Unfortunately I've managed to kill the horseradish every year for the past three years I've planted it. So much for those people who say you can't kill it and it's invasive, LOL.

    BB, Ashley was peeling the Peeps off the cake and eating them. I told her there were still some in the package and she said they weren't as good if they didn't have the chocolate ganache on them. Sugar on sugar.....

    Annie

  • annie1992
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Peppi, they're sure getting big, aren't they? Makayla is nearly as tall as my Mother now, of course Mother is 4'9". (grin) It's every grandkid's ambition, to be taller than "Little Grandma".

    Annie

  • vic_wa
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lovely! Dinner and kids! I love those colored eggs, how did you do it?

  • annie1992
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    vic2ree, it's very easy, I got the idea from Marilyn, a prior poster. Just boil the eggs, cut in half and remove the yolks, then dye the egg white halves just like you would eggs in the shell. The food coloring is used for frosting, etc., and is safe to consume, so it works for eggs too. Let the colored egg white halves dry, then fill them like regular devilled eggs.

    Actually, it's an older picture, I think from 2 years ago. They've become a tradition, and they always look the same, on the same plate, LOL, so I stopped taking new pictures!

    Annie

  • foodonastump
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow the Princess has grown! Or maybe the new addition just makes her look older?

    Food looks great! I'll be conservative and take some rhubarb pie please!

  • beachlily z9a
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm jealous! I want a kitchen to cook in! Darn it. I want to make food as good as you do. This isn't fair.

  • compumom
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for including us, I do feel like a guest at the table! The kids are so big, I don't think it's possible! Makayla is so grown up now, and Bud is always a cutie. It took me a minute to see the littlest princess and her tiny pigtails!

    Dinner looks great, ham doesn't really appeal to me, but smoked brisket and salmon, that's dinner! And the Peeps cream pie would blow me away!

  • annie1992
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sorry, Arlene, but your kitchen is going to be jaw dropping gorgeous when it's done, it'll be worth it.

    FOAS, The Monkey Princess is actually getting that big. (sigh) She's in Middle School next year and she's 4'5". Still the smallest kid in her class, but nearly as big as Little Grandma.

    Ellen, I had to laugh when Ashley brought Maddie in and I saw the pigtails. I wonder how long it took to get those rubber bands in her hair, LOL.

    Peeps Cream Pie. Oh yeah, that might become a tradition too, although Mother likes her Peeps stale and Ashley likes hers chocolate covered. I like mine toasted, Peeps on a stick!

    Annie

  • ann_t
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Everything looks good Annie.
    Seems like yesterday that Princess was the size of "Small" Princess.

    Your rhubarb pie has me craving my first rhubarb of the season. We have had a couple of warmer days and my rhubarb is up about 8 inches. I'm hoping for a pie before the end of the month.

    Ann

  • centralcacyclist
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My Princess left on Easter morning. Your many Princesses and one Prince leave me envious. :) I haven't hidden eggs in many years. I love the tiny pigtails and Makayla's very cool outfit. All of your girls are beautiful and Bud is holds down the handsome category quite nicely all on his own. My son had a metal detector. Bud's finds far exceed Daniel's. Daniel mostly found rusty nuts and bolts.

    The food looks fabulous as always, too. I will need to track down rhubarb now.

    Eileen

  • mustangs81
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gotta love those family traditions; I hope the kids enjoy and carry on. Agreed, they are growing too fast! I measure my babies height on special occasions; Beau grew 1 inch in 3 months.

    Funny, I used Marilyn's dyed egg whites this year. It always amazes guests just like the square eggs although the kids aren't buying the "special" chickens lay square eggs any more they want to see the eggs in the shell.

  • arabellamiller
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Annie, your family pictures always make me (grin). The kids are getting so darn big and your meal looks tremendous, as usual.

    It's on my bucket list to have a family meal with your family. I think our Princesses would get along famously!

    A very happy Easter to you and your family.

    AM

  • chase_gw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Annie I can't believe how big MP has gotten, she's quite the young lady!

    Where does the time go?

  • triciae
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Annie, your Easter celebration looks like a fabulous time! The kids have grown so big. I love Little Princess's dress and the pigtails are just too cute! I bet she adores her cousins. Bud's metal detector looks like fun. He'll spend many hours searching for lost "treasure". Monkey Princess looks like she's got her eyes on fashion!

    The rhubarb pie looks good to me also. The pie and a fork and I'd be all set for Easter dinner! :) I'll bet that brisket has made some great sandwiches. Leftovers are always my favorite part of a holiday meal.

    Don had emergency dental surgery at 7:00 am yesterday morning after spending a miserable weekend with a screaming toothache so we didn't cook Easter dinner since he couldn't eat. Been having trouble with holiday meals around here the past six months - no T-Day, Christmas, and now Easter dinner. Don goes back to the dentist today and I think that appointment will determine WFD around here the rest of the week.

    Great pictures as always! Thanks for sharing.

    /tricia

  • sally2_gw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It looks like a great time and even better food was had by all!

    Sally

  • Rusty
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The kids are adorable,
    The food is very enticing.

    But that rhubarb pie! ! !
    Totally over the top.
    I'm afraid I would grab a fork.
    Sneak off into a corner,
    And devour the whole thing by myself!

    Oh, what I'd give for some fresh rhubarb!

    Rusty

  • dedtired
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow, the Monkey Princess is growing up. Bud is the rascal I always knew he would be and the Baby Princess is a doll. It;s always good times at your house. I wish I knew where to buy a brisket for four cents. I also wish I knew how to prepare one. How did you do yours?

  • tami_ohio
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Annie, check your local farmers market or a similar place for fresh horse radish root. If either of us will be going anywhere close where we can meet, I can go to West Side Market in Cleveland and get you a root or two if you want. I have no idea what our travels will be this year, between work for M, and keeping Mom every other Sunday, but if we are going to be up close to you I would be happy to get you some. Same goes for anyone else here at the CF!

    Tami

  • annie1992
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    dedtired, that's 1 cent per pound, or 4 cents for 3.67 pounds, LOL, the packaging place just puts 1 cent per pound on everything because their label making machine won't compute a zero. I figure (without labor) that it costs me about $1.50 a pound on the hoof to raise it, another 37 cents or whatever to package it, and a bit more because I pay a guy extra to come to the farm to slaughter so I don't have to truck them off somewhere. Final cost is somewhere around $2 to $2.50 a pound, I think, but that does not include my work and time, or the taxes on the farm or fencing supplies. It's definitely not a money making opportunity but I know what I'm eating. (grin) That particular brisket got put into the smoker for about 4 hours, smoked to 165F, then removed and wrapped in foil where it spent another 3 hours in the oven at 225F, then sauced. It was good.

    Tami, I have 6 horseradish roots waiting to be planted, I never give up, I have to try again. Thank you very much for the offer, though, if I can't get mine to grow you never know when I might take you up on that. (grin) I'd love to see you and M again, even without horseradish, so if you get anywhere near me, yell loud!

    Tricia, I hope Don is feeling better.

    AM, I'd LOVE to have a dinner with you and your family. I'd be ecstatic, flattered, honored to have you for dinner, any time!

    Sharon, she's gotten big, hasn't she? (sigh) Where does the time go?

    Ann and Rusty, no fresh rhubarb here yet either, there's still snow. It'll be coming though, and last year I put some in the freezer just for Christmas and Easter dinner. Mother only gets rhubarb pie when I make it now, rhubarb doesn't seem to be as popular as it once was. Mother also loves the old fashioned "Farm Journal" pie crust, and the pie gods were kind to me, it rolled out perfectly.

    Annie

  • tami_ohio
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Annie, if you can get it to grow this time, remember you can't harvest it for 5 years. M planted some a couple of years ago, but we are still getting it at WSM to make for a few years yet. He burried a 5 gal. bucket and planted it in that. Remember not to plant it by a black walnut tree, and it likes damp sandy soil. My grandfather had his planted on the crick bank, but we can't find any sign of it anymore. We had hoped to find at least one plant so we had some of his, but it wasn't to be.

    You know if we get close I'll yell real loud! I have your number and I think both of Ellery's!

    Tami

  • wizardnm
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nice dinner Annie, I can't believe how those GK's are growing, it must be all that good food.

    No peep's around here but I did get a chocolate bunny. :)

    My best to everyone!

    Nancy

  • annie1992
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, Nancy, and a "Merry Easter" to you and Kim!

    Tami, 5 years? I was told 3 years, but I couldn't get the stuff to even grow one year.

    The first time I planted it, it was by the butternut tree. I didn't know then that butternut trees give off the same juglone that black walnuts do, and of course it didn't grow. I planted some more here in town out by the pool, but it never came up at all. I tried at the farm again, in the far back of the pasture by the pond, but nothing, maybe the cows ate it, but I wouldn't think so.

    So, three times and nothing, but you know I have to try again. I also need to get some of that lovage that Nancy gave me, I liked it a lot and now I have a place to plant it where it an just settle in and get comfortable, out at the farm.

    Annie

  • mitchdesj
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    thanks for sharing your family with us, it's always a treat !

  • tami_ohio
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good luck!

  • ruthanna_gw
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Dinner looks festive, Annie, and it's great to see how the kids are growing. Thanks for sharing both with us.

  • jimster
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the invitation. I enjoyed it a lot. Glad I could (virtually) be there.

    Jim

  • Solsthumper
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm sure you provided a wonderful Easter dinner, AB.
    But, in all honesty, I couldn't get past the mini-princess' pigtails.

    Twee!

    Sol

  • artsyshell
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What a fabulous looking Easter dinner!

    Can't get over how much the kids have grown! I guess it's been awhile since I've seen pics of them :)

  • annie1992
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, everyone!

    Sol, I can't even imagine how long it took Ashley to get pigtails in that baby's hair, LOL.

    BTW, I've taken to calling her Mad Lizzie, her middle name is Elizabeth. We'll see if it sticks, you know she's going to earn her nickname one way or another.

    Annie

  • lakeguy35
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mad Lizzie, I love it! Man, those kids sure are growing up fast Annie. Little ML is too cute with here pigtails and Easter Dress. The food looks great and now I'm craving rhubarb pie thanks to you.

    David