Sunday Dinner

Last Monday Mr. B&B told me he wanted a boiled dinner for St. Patrick's Day. He said maybe we could go out to dinner. I told him that probably wasn't a good idea with the sinus infection he was fighting. "How about inviting your parents over for a belated St. Patrick's Day celebration?" I found myself saying. "O.K. That'd be fun!" my husband replied. I called to invite the in-laws who eagerly accepted.

During the week I looked up dessert recipes and settled on Irish Tea Cake, Potato Candies and Dessert Soda Bread (minus the Caraway Seeds).

Fast Forward to Friday. I went to Target for photo frames to hang up some things that have been sitting in a box too long, 2 nine inch round pans, and four beer mugs. Then I stopped at Russo's Market for fruits and vegis. Lemons for lemonade, strawberries to top the tea cake, potatoes and carrots and cabbage and onions were among the most important. Russo's is this vegan's mecca and the prices can't be beat. They have the most amazing varieties of mushrooms (Black Truffles anyone?), but even at the rock bottom prices I haven't yet been able to justify the cost. Some day. Finally, Stop & Shop for the corned beef and everything else. Normally I am a Trader Joe's girl, but the Stop and Shop is right next to Russo's and I doubted Trader Joe's would have corned beef.
Three hours later, I arrived home with my spoils.

Saturday I did all of my baking and prep. of the vegi's while Mr. B&B did a deep cleaning of the bathroom and picked up other odds and ends.

Sunday I got up, cleaned the kitchen, and began boiling the meat. Then I scurried from room to room making the bed, dusting, and sorting piles of my stuff that had accumulated over the week. Mr. B&B and I went through the box of art that has been sitting in our office for the past year. We decided where things should be hung, framed what needed framing, and Mr. B&B kindly hung them up. The last of the Christmas things and a couple of well-sorted, organized bins of things were brought to the basement for storage. I set the table and went outside to gather items for a Spring'y' centerpiece. Half an hour before in-law arrival, the vegi's were put on to boil. Just as I was transferring the vegi's from the pan to the Corningware for serving, the in-laws arrived.

It was a really nice afternoon. Good conversation. Good food. Good people. I'm so grateful for family.

But isn't amazing how three days of preparation is over in three hours?

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I had Irish Breakfast Tea and oatmeal to start my day.

Happy Birthday to my Auntie (Pa)Tricia, too! I am Irish on my dad's side and, from what I hear, her parents were just tickled when she was born on THE Irish holiday.


Via National Geographic

More Irish Landscapes here.