Easter Weekend and a Recipe

                                          Late afternoon as Easter Sunday wanes.



First, let's start with a gorgeous piece performed by Yo Yo Ma; I can't stop listening to it and did all morning and last night and I want to share it with you!

The first weekend in April is always General Conference for our Church, where instead of attending regular Sunday services, we watch it on satellite TV or over the internet at home or broadcast (from Salt Lake City UT) via satellite in our church building.  This year, GC coincided with Easter so we were probably the only Christian denomination that didn't have a traditional Easter Sunday service but the talks or sermons that were given over two days were certainly centered on Jesus Christ and his life, death, resurrection and atonement and many other wonderful topics to strengthen and uplift us all.  And I kept myself busy before, during and after all four sessions.  Busy, but relaxing too.  Since we arrived home from Down Under, I have been exhausted yet unable to sleep more than four, five hours a night.  At 4 am or so I unfailingly wake up, can't go back to sleep, so I head down stairs and start puttering around doing things or reading.  I've even taken some naps in the middle of the days a couple times this week just to make it through the day - yikes!  Anyway, here are some pictures of things that went on around here this Easter weekend.   I didn't do Easter baskets this year for Dane or Dan because we brought home so much candy from Australia it seemed a bit much to go buy and present more.

I started a painting on Saturday morning while watching conference on the iPad and finished it that evening.  I really like how it turned out.  I saw a rug in a catalog that inspired the pattern so I drew it free hand -  it was a delightful project.

Hanging in the dining room for now.  I put it there to dry after I varnished it and I think it fits.  I 'll see if Dan agrees with me. 

I started perusing this fabulous new cookbook today while listening to Conference - I can't wait to try many of the recipes and the pictures are delicious.

I got a walk in on Saturday when the rain stopped.

Saturday night I made cinnamon rolls and then put the dough in the refrigerator at the second rise so I could bake them this Easter morning.  I used a different recipe than I normally do and I won't do that again.  Stick with the tried and true!  This recipe called for adding the eggs, cinnamon, sugar and butter to the dough before forming the rolls for the second rise instead of the usual roll out the dough in a rectangle and add the melted butter, sugar, cinnamon etc.  So they ended up tasting like frosted cinnamon rolls instead of sticky buns.  What was I thinking? Not bad, but not what was expected.  

I made a strawberry crisp for Easter dessert.  Really easy and delectable.  Here's the recipe:

STRAWBERRY CRISP:

Slice 3 cups fresh strawberries
Add 1/2 cup of sugar and stir gently - set aside

In a bowl mix together:
1 cup regular oatmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
pinch salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Then pour in a stick of melted butter and stir until crumbly.

Pat 1/2 the crumble dough in the bottom of a greased 9 inch pan.  Pour in strawberries.  Top with remaining crumble.  Bake 350 for 45 min.

Dane made the crumble while I prepared the berries.

I baked a ham for Easter dinner and tonight the removed ham bone is bubbling away with a pot of beans.  Growing up I hated when my mom made ham and beans and now I just love that dish.  Leftover ham for sandwiches and other dishes and a pot of ham and beans to put in the freezer for future meals.  I had such a fabulous time gone and traveling for almost all of March but it is so good to be home and doing homey things!