Our First Polish Easter

This morning Bo and I headed to New Jersey to enjoy our first Polish Easter with lots of extended family!

trainfun Luckily, I had some quality reading for the hour and a half train trip from Penn Station to Hamilton, New Jersey. If you haven’t ordered Tina’s new book, Carrots ‘N’ Cake, I highly recommend it! It’s a fun light read that gives a great deal of background to her wonderful blog.

IMG_1760 (478x640) (478x640)When we arrived the house was already alive with children’s laughter and long conversations. The wine and beer was also already out for the taking! There was a great array of beer, wine, and liquor but I stuck with water the entire afternoon.  

IMG_1762 (640x478) (640x478)This little heartbreaker, Gavin, kept us all smiling the entire afternoon. He discovered the cat toy early in the afternoon and this remained his favorite toy all day!   IMG_1765 (640x478) (640x478)Meredith, my cousin, decorated her house perfectly with eggs and flowers everywhere! How cute is this napkin and flatware holder at the end of the buffet?

IMG_1766 (640x478) (640x478) The buttered lamb was another Polish tradition which I had never seen before! It is traditional addition to the Easter meal for Polish Catholics and is a symbol of Spring and the new beginning.

IMG_1768 (640x478) (640x478) The deviled eggs were a family favorite, as always! This lovely display was bare within five minutes!

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In Polish tradition, the lovely Easter buffet included far more than just ham! There was delicious kielbasa and sauerkraut, cooked in beer and applesauce, rye bread, and babka. In addition, there was grilled asparagus, mixed green salad, and macaroni. Everything was delicious but the sauerkraut and kielbasa was my favorite. IMG_1770 (640x478) (640x478) After a relaxing lunch, enjoyed while catching up with everyone, it was time to break into the desserts! As you may recall, I gave up sweets for Lent, and was more than ready to enjoy some homemade baked goods. Luckily, Meredith and Rich’s niece is an amazing baker and brought macaroons and rum cake.

IMG_1771 (480x640) (480x640) IMG_1772 (478x640) (478x640) IMG_1773 (478x640) (478x640) I enjoyed a little bit of everything including a small slice of angel food cake, a small slice of rum cake, and one macaroon. The macaroon was definitely my favorite and ten times better than anyone I’ve made or tried before. Maybe she’ll share the recipe!

It was so nice to be with family today and out in suburban New Jersey. The warm air, blue sky, and sunshine was a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of the city. But, by the end of the afternoon we were ready for a nap back to the city.

sleeptrain I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and enjoy it in the best way possible, with good food and family!

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A Great Week

It’s been a busy but great week so far! Easter is on Sunday which means some quality time with my family in New Jersey and, if the weather cooperates, I’ll get to sport my first Lilly Pulitzer dress of the season! I bought this little frock when I was home in Savannah two weeks ago!

In addition, this week has been filled with lots of healthy breakfast, lunches, and dinners including a few homemade ones!

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After such a wonderful week of food, we were inspired to cook last night too! But, unlike our other meals, this one included some amazing ingredients from one of our favorite places in New York City: Grand Central Market! The market is always a convenient stop on our way home from work since the 6 train takes us through Grand Central. It includes over 20 different vendors ranging from bakeries to florists!

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Last night’s ingredients created an easy, simple dinner which was ready 15 minutes after we got home. Even though it took us a few minutes to put out this crazy fire! Luckily my smart husband had the forethought to use the pot of peas to put it out since the pot smothered the fire!

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Dinner is served! Perfectly seasoned lamb and pork, spring peas, and a small salad!

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Delicious!

 

Question: What have you loved about this week?

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Heading Down to the South Land…

Two flights later, I’m finally in Savannah!

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I slept for four and a half hours on my flight from Las Vegas to Charlotte. It’s amazing how hard I can sleep on planes, trains, and automobiles.

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Upon landing, the first thing on my mind was lunch!

Luckily, the Charlotte airport delivered once again!

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I ordered a naked grilled chicken salad complete with salsa, a small scoop of guacamole, and plenty of vegetables. It was delicious and the perfect lunch!

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I spent the next few minutes before my flight grabbing an unsweetened iced green tea with a splash of lemonade. This is definitely my new favorite warm weather drink! I was a happy camper!

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My flight left on-time and landed 15 minutes early! Smooth, quick flights are definitely my favorite type.

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By 4pm, I was back in my parents home sweating it out in their new home gym. Over the past few months my parents have put together an amazing gym in my brother’s old room. It includes a 32 inch flat screen television, treadmill, elliptical, exercise mat, and weights!

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The views are also better than anything I can find in New York City!

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Evidently my legs appreciated the few days off from running as today’s run was amazing! I’m not sure whether it was the brand new treadmill, enjoying the excitement of the 2011 Masters, or the rest but the whole run felt great!

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Our plans for the rest of the evening are to enjoy a family dinner complete with my greek salad and my mom’s homemade chicken casserole. She has made this dish my entire life and it’s one of my favorite comfort foods.

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Question: What is your favorite food you enjoy when you’re home?

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