Happy Easter Sunday!!!

Hello, hello! It's been a long time since the last time. Miss me? I know I miss you. How have you folks been doing? How've you been so far? Anything special that you want to share-- any events or projects that you have been working on? Birthdays or anniversaries that I missed? My apology but if I hadn't greeted you, I am sending you my best wishes now with kisses and hugs. Whoops! catch it if you can. But don't get me wrong, you are in my heart when that special day happened. I wasn't physically present, that's all. Coz down here, our little family couldn't have been busier if you may ask. My honey and I have been working so hard lately that most of the times, we find ourselves slouching on the couch and falling asleep with the TV blasting as soon as we finish dinner. You can hear my honey snoring sweetly while I try hard to stay awake just to catch on a re-run of CSI episode. I don't know... Since I started this new job and my honey with building a big barn, we hardly find ourselves some time to even relax for a while. Have you felt that way? Like everything is go, go, go and not much time to breath and enjoy the moment. Oh, we still talk because we do need to release the day's work events. We have no children to scream at so it's just the two of us at the end of the day. After all the frustrations and a few good things at work, we have no energy for more stress so we just find ourselves talking about them. I guess my honey and I have finally reached the point where we are getting into a deeper relationship. Huh?! Like you know, like serious? Oh no, not that kind. Oh mind you, we lost weight too since I don't think we've been eating (or cooking) much lately. It is that hectic our lives here in this little family of ours....

So, we decided, we should have an early Easter Dinner and eat abundantly! How's that Chinese saying go again? You live to eat or is it vice-versa? Can't figure it out but I know there's a big difference between the two and one is supposed to be better than the other. Oh, well, and so we did manage to have a feast last night. It was a good timing too or was it an excuse so we could have a special dinner? Anyways, for you my dear Johnsons, we had Marlene and Gary and their darling Shaina over. We were expecting the star of the night, Cody but I guess he figured that it's more fun to hang out with his Hockey team. Can't blame him but hey, Cody, you missed out. That goes to you too, Don and Teresa! What a lovely, delish, abundant dinner we had! Mom never makes homemade anymore unless you are on her "very special people list" and she has to be in a real good mood at the right moment. And for this event, we managed to request her to make her world famous "scallop potatoes" to go along with our Spiral Ham (huge one!). I don't know how we did it but she did. I think the last time she made this dish was last year or two years ago when Gary, Cole and Kelsey gave her a visit. I do remember Cole hitting so much on the potatoes and the ham for a couple repeats. This time though, it was Marlene's Gary and thank God I served myself enough to get ahead of the game. But Gary still won-- finished the last bit left. And thank you so much mom, for doing this for all of us-- and for sharing your recipe to me. For you great chefs out there, I'm sure you know the rule. Recipes are meant to be generously shared and cooked with love and passion or you are not getting them. In Argentina, when you ask the cook as to what special ingredient she added, she'd reply with a smile and say, "cocina con amor". And they have to have the owner's permission so I have to ask mom about that before I post her recipe here for you, ok.

Meanwhile, we got stuck on the dinner table and you'd think we're full after we almost finished a big ham with different sauces, empty bowls of scallop potatoes, baked asparagus and mixed greens, and 2 and a half bottles of wine? Nope! everyone's eyes lightened up when I announced that we have dessert. Us, like us? we never ever have dessert. It has to be a special moment for me and my honey to have dessert. Unlike in Argentina or even the British in HK where I savoured every type of sugar served on the table for 10 long years, dessert is part of the meal-- always in all ways. No questions asked. So I thought maybe that would be a good idea since we are having the kids over. I did my fresh strawberries as we would in Argentina, cut in quarters and mixed with little sugar then let it sit in the fridge. Normally, we would whip cream for this but to save my energy, got a good Ice cream to go along with the Eastery Pumpkin pie. You will never, ever catch me buying ready made ever in the past but since I moved here, I'm cruising along with the pace of life. Yumm! It turned out delish and success after all. Tune in for pics that I will be posting in my Picasa Album. I think we'll make you work a bit this time coz you guys have been spoiled. You never even say anything into my comments section after maybe reading bits and pieces of my news. Some of you would reply by email which I highly appreciate- thank you so much to you who take the time and share- but how about the rest? I hope it's nothing to do with me boring you after a while. Oh well, whatever, to each his own and I am still sending this to you --right here, right now. Hope Easter Bunny was good to you this time.Hugs and misses...