Growing up, my mom was always really into Easter every ear. We did it all; the easter baskets, the egg hunt, the big easter meal… She didn’t stop making my sister and I search for eggs until some time in middle school. I still remember my father telling me “Just find the eggs. Do it for your mother.” She always did get a kick out of it.

One of the traditions we also had was a yellow lamb cake she’d bake and decorate. She’d even dye shredded coconut green for the grass. This tradition died some time ago but came back this year. Alas, we did not have shredded coconut and couldn’t justify the thirty minute drive to the market (my mom lives in the boonies); and there was some…. difficulty removing the lamb from the pan which required some decorative gluing….. but it was good to see all the same.

Easter Lamb Cake

I hope you all had a great Easter.

Scenes From Easter

Hello, hello! I hope that, if you celebrated it, you had a Happy Easter! For my husband and I, it was filled with lots of food and family!

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Since I got the new camera a few months ago, I can’t help snapping away at everything. The little decorations that appear on the Easter table at home were no exception.

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I always love my mom’s Easter table setup and place settings. We typically do Easter brunch instead of dinner.

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She made a tasty new grape punch this year. In the past we’ve had mimosas or smoothies.

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We have some really neat Ukrainian style eggs that have been in the family for years.

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They’ve been hollowed out and are very delicate. I believe they were decorated by my aunt and cousin, who are both very talented at it.

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I also learned that the family cat, Emma, loves to pose.

emma

She wouldn’t stop rolling around and showing off in the sun patch.

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Easter is not complete without the kielbasa.

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When we moved to Virginia years ago, we eagerly embraced the southern tradition of ham biscuits. The biscuits are brushed with stone ground mustard; they’re my favorite.

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After Easter brunch it’s time for Easter baskets.

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We finished off with a sneak peak at the baby bird that hatched in the wreath on my parents’ front door.

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It’s a good thing holidays only come once a year, because every holiday comes with decadent array of goodies that are oh so bad for you. Grandma’s easter eggs are no exception. God, I love these things, but god are they bad for you. I suppose the coconut eggs are slightly better for you, but really, once you’re in this stratosphere of unhealthy food, does it really matter?

Coconut Mix

There’s not much I can say that I didn’t say yesterday. These things aren’t really complex; they are awesome in their simplicity. I prefer the coconut a bit. Make them, share them, enjoy them.

Coconut Easter Eggs

Grandma Bachetti’s Coconut Easter Eggs
1 bag sweetened shredded coconut
1 stick butter
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
2 tablespoons vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Mix the bag of coconut, butter, evaporated milk and vanilla in a stand mixer under low speed. Slowly add the powdered sugar to avoid the dust cloud effect. Scrape down the sides occasionally and continue mixing until well combined. Taking about two hand fulls, form an egg in your hands and set on a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. These will be a it wetter/stickier than the peanut butter eggs, but you shouldn’t have much trouble. If you do, add more powdered sugar.

Put your eggs in the fridge to chill while you prepare your ganache. When the ganache has cooled but still liquidy, pour over your eggs and let harden back in the fridge. Enjoy.

My grandmother was the glue on my father’s side of the family. Every so often for one reason or another the Bachetti’s would gather at her home in Front Royal; catching up with people we probably hadn’t seen since the last get-together. My grandmother would send letters, make phone calls… do what it took to keep the family together. As a boy I never recognized all the work she did behind the scenes. When she passed away we didn’t just lose her. We lost our family.

Lotta Peanu Butter

When you grow up you make your own family, your own tribe. You meet people, you build something, you foster a community, a support system, an ecosystem of love. These are made in part by your blood but also by others you meet in your life. When my grandmother passed away the “looser” family members in each person’s tribe started to slip away, and I’m sad to say no one took up the reigns. I don’t remember the last time I talked with my uncle.

Mixing Peanut Butter, Butter and Powdered Sugar

Eventually I learned that most relationships can’t survive without upkeep; not the ones that really matter at least. Without attention they wither and eventually die. Most don’t take much. A letter, a phone call, a photo over e-mail. We all have our ways one one of mine is of course food.

Grandma's Peanut Butter Eggs

Every Easter we would visit my grandmother and every Easter she’d have for us these delicious peanut butter and coconut eggs. Oh, how I loved them. A few years ago I took up her tradition, making them for my friends and family. The recipe is amazingly simple. If this Easter has you thinking about rekindling some past relationships, consider these as a possible method.

Grandma's Peanut Butter Eggs covered in chocolate

Grandma’s Peanut Butter Eggs – Makes approximately 8 eggs
2 lbs peanut butter
2 sticks butter; room temperature
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
2 tablespoons vanilla
4-5 cups powdered sugar

Mix the peanut butter, butter, milk and vanilla together in a stand mixer on low speed. Slowly add the powdered sugar (to avoid a sugar cloud), scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Don’t worry about over mixing, there’s no flour to over mix. The peanut butter should start pulling away from the bowl, but still stay together. Try balling it in your hands. If it sticks, you need more powdered sugar.

Grab approximately two handfuls and shape into an egg. Place on a wax covered baking pan. Let chill in the refrigerator while you make your ganache (grandma didn’t have a chocolate ganache recipe and honestly neither do I). Pour over your eggs after ganache has cooled but is still liquidy. Let harden in fridge and enjoy.