National Peeps Day

Twin Peeps floating in my afternoon cup of coffee.

Source: National Peeps Day

National Peeps Day

The day after Easter is National Peeps Day, dedicated to those sugar coated marshmallows shaped like chicks and bunnies this time of year. I had bought several packages in different colors, thinking I’d have a weekend with my granddaughter and we would make those cute little bunnies-in-Twinkies-with-chocolate-dipped-miniature-pretzels-for-steering -wheels-and-halved-tiny-sandwich-cookies-for-wheels-race cars. You can look on Pinterest and find them. So, I had all of these bunny peeps; what to do with them?

Well, it’s coffee time. Floating a few on top is cheering, after a long day at work. Waste not want not goes the old adage. Of course, I don’t believe Peeps ever really go bad.

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Twin Peeps in my afternoon cup of coffee.

Springtime blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.

Candy Carrots or Easy Easter Favors

Clear disposable pastry bags, filled with seasonal candy make easy Easter favors. Jelly beans go in first, then marshmallow bunnies and chicks. Miniature assorted chocolate bars make the top layer. Twist closed and tie with curly ribbon.

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Disposable piping bags can be found in the cake decorating section of your local craft store.
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These are extra Candy Carrots, dressing up a bowl. Handy for guests who pop in.

Trying To Spark An Appetite

Not only am I recovering from the flu, my mother is getting over pneumonia. We have both been wiped out, no energy and neither of us has had much of an appetite. Mom says she’s hungry, but half way through her meals she tells me that she just doesn’t feel like eating.

So, tonight I’m cooking one of my favorite side dishes on her, to try to spark her appetite. Apples, butter, honey, cinnamon, pecans and raisins stewed down till the apples are tender. Great with pork or chicken. I sometimes top my oatmeal with this simple side.

Keep your fingers crossed that Mom cleans her plate.

Stewed Apples w/ raisins and pecans

Ingredients:

3 medium Gala apples, cored and cut into even pieces

5 pats of butter

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons raisins

2 tablespoons pecans

What to do:

Sauté everything in a  small skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts, turn the fire down to low and cover. Stir every few minutes; won’t take long for the apples to soften. This makes a light sauce that’s great over pork chops. Tasty sitting next to a buttery biscuit, too. If you’re not a fan of raisins or nuts, just omit them.

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Place everything in sauté pan. Cook over medium heat till butter melts, then turn fire on low and cover.

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Great as a supper side or topping a buttery biscuit.

Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.

Dead Eggs

I haven’t posted anything for a couple of weeks. I have had the flu; and I took the flu shot! Never do I remember feeling as badly as I have the last two weeks. I am ready for influenza to be outfluenza.

It’s close to Easter and Easter is a little early this year. A memory of my oldest son greeted me this morning.

We had been visiting at my former in-law’s one weekend nearing Easter and my son was about 3 years old. His gran told him to go to her kitchen. She had a surprise for him on the counter. In the center of the blue laminate was a bowl of brightly colored Easter eggs.

My then three year old looked shocked at what he saw.

“Mama,” he asked me, “did the Easter Bunny come to Gran’s house?”

“No,” I answered. ” The Easter Bunny hasn’t come early. Gran dyed these eggs herself.”

“Well, can I have one?”

“You need to go ask Gran,” I told him.

Down the short set of stairs he flew to the den where his grandparents were.

“Gran! Gran, can I have a dead egg?”

Dyed eggs/dead eggs. To a three year old they’re the same thing. My oldest loves this story and so do I.

Easter blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.20160318_183828-1

Something Simple and Familiar

Spring break has officially started in our part of the country. College man made it home this afternoon, full laundry basket in tow. Some things are never changing; college students always have ditry clothes that need washing. And boys are always hungry.

I try to cook my son’s favorites when he is home and this evening I began to list what I could put together for supper. A beautiful pot of homemade chicken soup, leftovers from last night, was suggested.

He considered it, but asked, “What else ya got?”

“Well, I’ve got hot dogs,” was my answer, half expecting him to wrinkle up his nose.

“Yeah!” was his enthusiastic reply. “I haven’t had a hot dog in about three months. I missed Hot Dog Nite at the caff, because of night classes.”

Easy to please, he is. So, hot dogs it was. Tator tots graced the plates for the side. Simple and familiar and hard to beat for a college student home for spring break.

The buns were put in a pie plate and then on top of the pot of the boiling hot dogs to steam. A skillet of chopped onion, cooked down in a little olive oil, would garnish the franks.20160304_174203

Loaded dogs and tots. Chili, onions, sweet relish, mustard. 20160304_175158

Mom’s dog had mustard, chili and look, Trina. Your sour crout!20160304_174739