Happy Easter!

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!

If we look half asleep, it's because we were.
(We were determined to get a seat at mass...)

I’ve been MIA this past week because work has been brutal extremely busy. I don’t think I’ve been this stressed since two days before my wedding, haha.

However, this past week did include a big highlight – I received a promotion! I’ve worked really hard to earn it, so I’m quite pleased with my accomplishment!

Happy Birthday to my husband!

Yesterday we celebrated Mike’s 31st birthday. Unfortunately, most of the day was spent getting things done, which was not exactly high on the thrill-o-meter. But we did enjoy a very nice dinner with family and got to see his sister’s new townhome. We’re so happy for her...she’s excited to have bought her first place, and it’s perfect for her.

(We toured and wondered aloud if there was anything for rent in the neighborhood … it would be perfect for us, too! Unfortunately, we’ve pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that the commute would be a deal-breaker.)

Today is, of course, Easter. One of my favorite holidays! Mike and I hosted our first holiday meal, and his parents, sister and a family friend joined us. Below are two easy recipes that were big hits at dinner.

Applesauce

1 bag Red Delicious Apples

Cinnamon

½ cup no-sugar-added apple juice (I use Mott’s Natural)

1. Peel, core and slice apples (or use an apple slicer)
2. Combine apples and juice in a large pot
3. Cover, and cook on med-low for approximately 2-2.5 hours, stirring occasionally
4. When apples start to break down, help them along, mashing with a spoon
5. Turn heat to low, uncover and add cinnamon to taste. Cook another 15 min or so.
6. Enjoy!

Pineapple Casserole

Note: This is the type of dish that you mention and people give you the polite, “Oh that sounds interesting” look. They put a small, polite spoonful on their plate. Then they taste it and get the “Holy crap that’s good!” look on their face. Second (larger) servings are common, as are thirds. Pretty soon the dish looks like this:

In other words, trust me about this recipe!

1 can Dole pineapple chunks, drained (Packed in 100% juice)

3 T flour

Scant ½ cup sugar

4 oz cheddar cheese (used a Kraft white-yellow cheddar mix)

12 Ritz crackers, crushed

1. Shred cheese. Please don’t use pre-shredded cheese for this dish!
2. Mix pineapple, flour, sugar and cheese in a 1 qt baking dish
3. Top with crushed Ritz crackers
4. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes
5. Scarf J

Another great thing about Easter? My Lenten fast is over! As you might recall, I gave up sweets (except for Sunday dinner dessert). Well, that morphed into giving up dessert during the week and eschewing chocolate entirely. Umm, yeah, that was hard! So yesterday my sweet husband took me to Godiva to pick out a few yummy chocolate treats. Isn’t he wonderful? J