Mother's Day Medley

“I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”
― Marjorie Pay Hinckley 

 

 

 

     This sweet little wall quilt has a little bit of everything-paper piecing, applique and regular piecing.  This pattern was designed by Vicki Bellino from Bloom Creek. It's called Remembering Annabelle.  I love birdhouses so naturally I love this quilt; perfect to display for May.



     Everyone gathered at our home again for Mother's Day today.  How very blessed I am to have wonderful women in my life; my mother, mother-in-law, sisters, daughters and a daughter-in-law.  We had a great visit together.  My husband made the main dish and everyone else helped with the meal in some way.  My youngest daughter made the dessert that I requested; Chocolate Drizzled Strawberry Cream Pie. Yummmmm!  This recipe comes from Our Best Bites.

Chocolate-Drizzled Strawberries and Cream Pie

Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 quart fresh strawberries
 1 8-oz. package cream cheese at room temperature (light is fine)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 9″ graham cracker crust (store-bought or homemade)
1-2 ounces chocolate

In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate large bowl, beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Add about 1 c. of the whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth and well-combined. Add the remaining whipping cream mixture and mix until just combined. Spread in the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for a few minutes while you prepare the strawberries.

Wash the strawberries and cut off the stems. Blot dry with a paper towel and then gently press, cut side down, into the whipped cream mixture. Set aside.

If using a chocolate bar, break it into equal pieces and place in a small Ziploc bag. Microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes, stopping the microwave every 20 seconds to mash the bag. You want the chocolate to be melted but not hot at all. When the chocolate is melted, snip a corner off the bag and drizzle it over the strawberries. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving. Serves 8.

 

     A nice recipe for the Spring and Summer months is Chicken Pasta Salad.  I made this to serve last Thursday at our 70's Ladies Luncheon.

Chicken Pasta Salad

1 8 oz. faralle (bow tie pasta)                            1 small package raisins

1 8 oz. tri-colored spiral pasta                           2 chicken breasts

1 cup cashews                                                  3 green onions, chopped

2 cups red grapes, sliced in half                      1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

2 cups chopped celery

 

            Cook the pasta and drain well.  Cook the chicken and drain thoroughly; cut into small pieces.  Mix all ingredients together well.

Combine:

1 16 oz. bottle Kraft coleslaw dressing

1 cup mayonnaise (Do not use salad dressing.)

            Pour dressing mix over salad.  Toss and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

 

 

     Since today we are celebrating wonderful women, I chose the book Sister Chicks on the Loose by  Robin Jones Gunn.  This was a fun book about two friends who took off on a trip to Finland and ended up traveling  to a few other places on a whim.  Sometimes the funnest times we have are the times that are unplanned.