meat

I'm a vegetarian sometimes. But Adelle Davis advises "the housewife who wishes to maintain maximum health in her family is wise to serve meats at least five times a week." She says going without meat can lead to depression. I've noticed that. Off to the market for a juicy rump roast!

thanksgiving

There is much in my life I am grateful for. Three darling children. A well-appointed home. And a husband whom many regard as a savior. All this gratitude calls for another gimlet. Cheers!

casserole cozy

Isn't this darling? I bought it at our block party a few weekends ago. A newcomer to the neighborhood sews them and was selling them from a card table. So handy! Just tie up your potluck contribution in the bonnet and it stays fresh and warm til you cut the first slice. Best of all, it's washable! (Thanks to modern appliances, doing laundry is a chore I don't mind.)

pansy cake

A friend sent me a recipe for her pansy cake and I made it for a block party yesterday. It was a big hit. Chocolate and bourbon are a divine combination. Start with a chocolate box mix, add almond cream and plenty of whiskey. (Don't skimp.) Decorate with white frosting and pansies from the garden. Kids love it, too. I had to keep Sally from taking a third!

rereading old letters

There's a bittersweet pleasure in coming upon correspondence from the past, don't you think? Usually, you see more than was apparent the first time you read it. What is it about Sundays that makes me nostalgic?

sun tea

As a little girl growing up in Philadelphia, the first sign of summer was a jar of sun tea glistening on our back porch. It's the easiest way to make tea. No muss, no fuss! All you need is:

a large glass covered jar (not plastic)
Lipton tea bags or loose tea
a sunny day

Fill jar with water. Add tea bags according to how big the jar is. (For 8 cups of water, use 4-6 teabags.) Cover and steep outside in sun for 4-5 hours. Serve over ice. You can add mint, sugar, lemon, whatever your fancy. Francine and I doctored it with a touch of Smirnoff's yesterday. Very refreshing!

devilling Easter eggs

Easter Egg Trees were the rage this year, did you try one at your house? Such a festive way to glamorize kids' handiwork, but what to do with the leftover eggs? Devil them of course! (Don't worry if whites are stained by dye, all the more decorative.) Here's my mother's recipe. To take eggs to a potluck, wrap each in waxed paper and twist the ends tight.

6 hard-cooked eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp dry mustard

about 3 TBSP salad dressing or cream

Cut eggs in halves. Slip out yolks. Mash with fork or electric mixer. Add other ingredients, continuing mashing until smooth. Fill whites with yolk mixture. Ready for company!

Special thanks to dear Heather for clipping this ad!