Easter Memories Past

As we celebrated Easter yesterday with my mom it brought back memories of the past.  This Easter I took mom and my daughter to a movie and out for dinner.  It is funny how traditions evolve. 

I can remember as a little girl, my mom would take my sister and myself out to find those coveted patent leather shoes.  She had been busy weeks earlier making our fancy Easter dresses, once in awhile my Grandma Peck would make our dresses.  Sometimes we would even get hats and purses.  

Easter morning we would wake up and find little plastic eggs scattered all over the place and candy too.  Then usually hidden behind a big chair would be those wonderful colorful Easter Baskets full of toys and candy.   One year the Easter Bunny did something different... he hid penny's!  Mom said Dad had hid the candy in the garage and the mice got into it.  They didn't have a lot of money to go out and buy more candy so they thought penny's would be good to hide.  After that it became the norm for the Easter bunny to hide penny's and some candy.  

Easter dinner was held at one of our grandparents house or our house.  Seems like everyone took turns having Easter dinner.  I can remember it would consist of a ton of food.  Both my grandma's and my mom were great cooks.  We never went hungry. lol

Then we I had my daughter Stephanie Easter changed again.   It was my turn to be the Easter bunny.  My husband never really got into holidays like I did so I got to do it all by myself.   I wanted to make it special for Stephanie so I would fill eggs and hide penny's like I had when little.  I had so much fun filling and hiding eggs that in a few years I was filling 500 colorful plastic eggs!  Then we had cats so I tried to hide the eggs up higher so the cats couldn't get them, but yet low enough for Stephanie to find them.. I always loved a challenge.  

After the great egg find we normally would go to mom and dads for dinner.  When my grandparents were able they came to but as time progressed my grandma ended up in a nursing home and grandpa would come for a bit until he passed away.  We would sometimes go after dinner to visit grandma but she wouldn't really know who we were.

Now it is just mom, Stephanie and me who get together for Easter.  Sometimes we celebrate with my sister and her husband.   Just depends on what is happening with everyone.  Seems strange that our little family has gotten even smaller.  I really miss the days with my grandparents and my dad.  It seems holidays are a little harder as you get older.  More memories of those loved ones who are no longer sitting at the table in conversation. We have only good warm memories of them still  there with  smiles and love.   

Hope all of you had a wonderful Easter.. one that can be stored in  good memories for years to come.

Until tomorrow... take care

Spritz a Book Review

I am always looking for different types of drink recipes and when I saw one on Spritz, I thought it sounded interesting.  After receiving it and thumbing though the pages, I found many drinks I can't wait to try.

The book starts off with a history of the spritz.  It was a little lengthy but interesting.  I never knew that the spritz started way back in the Greek and Roman days, and became popular in Italy in the 1920's.

There is a chapter on making different kinds of syrups.  Some have simple ingredients while others are a little bit more complicated.  These syrups are used in spritz drink recipes though out the book.

The Spritz recipes start out with the classics such as Necroni Sbacliato from Milan Italy.   The next chapter is on Modern Spritz, followed by a chapter on Cousins to the Spritz.

The last chapter has recipes for appetizers  to serve along side the drinks.   

There are a total of 50 Spritz drinks to try.  The book is 165 pages long. 

I feel this book is a nice addition to any bar

More -
ABOUT SPRITZ
A narrative-driven book on the surprising history and current revival of spritz cocktails (a wine-based drink served as an aperitif), with 50 recipes, including both historical classics and modern updates.

From Milan to Los Angeles, Venice to New York, the spritz—Italy’s bitter and bubbly aperitivo cocktail—has become synonymous with a leisurely, convivial golden hour. But the spritz is more than just an early evening cocktail—it’s a style of drinking. In Spritz, Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau trace the drink’s origins to ancient Rome, uncover its unlikely history and culture, explore the evolution of aperitivo throughout Northern Italy, and document the spritz’s revival around the world. From regional classics to modern variations, Spritz includes dozens of recipes from some of America’s most lauded bartenders, a guide to building a spritz bar, and a collection of food recipes for classic Italian snacks to pair alongside.

 About the author -
Talia Baiocchi is the editor-in-chief of Punch and the author of James Beard Award–nominated Sherry. She has written for Bon Appétit, Saveur, and many more. She lives in Brooklyn.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Cravings by Chrissy Teigen Book Review

I was very excited to get Chrissy’s cookbook.  Looking though the pages I found many recipes  that I could make with out having a long list of items that I didn’t have at home.

In the very  beginning of the book she has a chapter Before You Start Cooking, where she explains the different spices and other ingredients she uses.  The next chapter starts with breakfast, there you will find colorful pictures of the finished product. Check out the more common type recipes with a little twist.  I am really looking forward to making the Dutch Baby Pancakes and the Yellow Cake Baked Oatmeal.

The next chapter is on soup, with seven different soups I am sure you will find one you will love!  Of course following soup is salad with nine different ones to choose from.  Next up is  a chapter on noodles and carbs with a section of fourteen different dishes.  I loved the Sweet and Salty Coconut Rice.  You will also find chapters on Thai, Party Recipes, Vegetables, a chapter called Things That Intimidate People But Shouldn’t and the last chapter is Super.

I really like that the ingredients aren’t to exotic and most are affordable.  Many recipes can be made quick and easily.  Simple instructions and pictures.  A very colorful book!

Out of five stars I would give this cookbook a 4 1/2.

A little about the Author.
Chrissy’s is a model who travels all around the world, but her favorite place to be is in the kitchen.  She enjoys cooking all the time.  She has been collecting her favorite recipes for this book for a few year.   Cooking is one of the loves of her life.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review