Today on Weekend Meanderings, you won’t believe my girlfriend’s amazing Easter decorations, a yummy muffin recipe you’ll want to make this weekend, and a new dessert cookbook I think you’ll love.
Happy weekend, friends!
It’s Saturday and I’m joining Kim and Elizabeth for Weekend Meanderings.
Our weekly roundup of inspiration and goings on.
This post includes affiliate links for your convenience at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
How was your week?
I spent a good portion of it in bed and on the sofa.
With the worst cold, or flu, ever.
I’m regaining my sea legs.
Slowly.
And just in time for Jim’s favorite weekend.
No, not Easter.
The Masters.
Image via Sports Illustrated
My mother frequently, and ironically, observed that the most beautiful television pictures seemed reserved for football games and golf tournaments.
No, she was not a sports fan.
Are you ready?
Let’s do it …
EASTER AT SHELLEY WELLEY’S
Remember my friend, Shelley? I call her Shelley Welley because … well, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that Shelley graciously shared her Halloween home with us last fall. And today, she’s doing it again with a few snippets of her all-out Easter decorations. Enjoy …
Shelley’s young grandson is enjoying time with her (and her husband) this week … amongst all the fun decorations, neighborhood Easter egg hunts and the yummy food Mimi (Shelley) has prepared. The Easter Bunny told me that cream puffs are on the dessert menu! Lucky boy.
You sure know how to bring it, Shelley. Thanks for sharing and Happy Easter!
MORNING GLORY MUFFIN RECIPE
Muffins are one of my favorite breakfast foods … after raisin toast and alongside hot cocoa. In my work-in-an-office days I’d make a batch every Sunday and freeze in pairs. Weekday mornings I’d grab a bag from the freezer on my way to catch BART. These days I don’t make them as frequently. But I should. Recently I made several batches of Morning Glory Muffins from this recipe torn from a magazine nearly a decade ago.
They’re so good and freeze really well. They’d make a nice addition to an Easter brunch buffet.
Youngest grand-niece, Haddie, approves. You might remember her parents intimate, summer wedding last year. Since then Haddie has become a big sister. Congratulations, Haddie! As a fellow big sister, I know you’re up to the task and Auntie is always available to offer advice and guidance.
Haddie approved!
GIFT WRAP SOURCES
This is a random topic out of nowhere but it’s been on my mind. I love a beautifully, wrapped gift. Who doesn’t? But gift wrap options aren’t what they used to be. Many of my go-to gift wrap sources have dried up. Or, to be more accurate, closed up. Papyrus, a regional paper goods store was a favorite … for gift wrap and beautiful, fun cards. Not the trashy cards you see in check-out lines. There was a time I sent and received lots of cards … for all occasions and for no reason. But I rarely send or receive them anymore. It’s such a shame.
But back to gift wrap. A couple weeks ago I needed to wrap this cute green bag for my sister’s (St. Patrick’s Day) birthday. These days I tend to default to ‘wrapping’ gifts in cute gift bags stuffed with colorful tissue and fun ribbon. This box was too big for that. So I pulled out a roll of boxwood topiary gift wrap that I purchased five or six years ago from The Enchanted Home. Then I tied it with 5″ wide burlap and stripped grosgrain ribbons.
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- Love the bag!
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- Oops, this is before I cleaned up the edges with pinking sheers.
It’s that time of year … Easter, Mother’s Day, wedding and baby showers season and my mom’s birthday … and I can’t help remembering how much my mom loved a beautifully wrapped gift. So much so that it pained her to open a pretty package, no matter how fabulous the gift inside. During the holidays, or any other gift giving occasion, my mom would wince as children (and adults who should have known better!) tore into the wrapping. She’d crawl around behind gift openers salvaging unripped, beautiful wrap, ribbons and bows to be saved for later. The day after Christmas, she and my grandmother, her mother-in-law, would leave the house early in search of wrapping paper bargains which they squirrel away in grandma’s basement until the next year.
Of course, my mother’s been gone for 24 years and I wonder if she were here today where she would go to find what she’d consider suitable wrap. In our area, Brian M is still in business, the Paper Source is similar to Papyrus and has beautiful (pricey) sheet wrap. Of course the sheets only work for medium size gifts. The Container Store sells gift wrap, but they don’t stock seasonal wraps other than Christmas. And since the pandemic I feel like their selections have been less than stellar. We have a new Barnes & Noble and they have a gift wrap section. I’ve found beautiful ribbon online, and I’m currently searching for a particular color for an upcoming baby shower. But I miss the days when I could stroll the aisles and see and touch it myself without playing the hit and miss game online. Article: Where to Buy Wrapping Paper. After reading this, Society6 appears to be a source for pretty paper … but, again with the sheets. Not workable for larger packages. Very pretty though and I like this one.
Champagne Collection from Society6
Anyway, I’m not sure what I’m getting at … but gift wrap is another one of those things that has changed a lot over time. One factor is the different ways in which we shop for gifts. So many gifts are purchased online and sent directly to the recipient. Don’t get me started on the current wedding ‘registry’ trend of cash for honeymoons and home purchases. My mother would faint dead over such a development. But times change and what was once ‘not done’ is now the standard. Remember when good department stores had gift wrap departments and you could count on them to beautifully wrap gifts? Those days are gone.
Yes, I sound like an old lady dinosaur (I know it’s redundant). I’m curious, where do you source wrapping paper, ribbon and all the gift giving accoutrement?
ALISON ROMAN’S SWEET ENOUGH DESSERT COOKBOOK
Last week I mentioned the cookbook creep situation going on at my house and this is the lastest culprit. It’s my first Alison Roman cookbook. I think. Everyone raves about her and I see why.
This is an all-dessert cookbook and there are so many great looking recipes. Like her Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (‘for people who don’t eat carrot cake’) published in People magazine this week. I do eat carrot cake and this looks delish.
Image via People.com
Before being struck down by the cold of of century, I made Alison’s Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe from the new book (not available to link). Why did I choose it? I haven’t had pineapple upside-down cake since high school. I remember it so well … it was a hot summer day and I was bored. Midway through an unauthorized biography of Farrah Fawcett-Majors (yes, I remember), I was hungry. After pulling out my mom’s well-worn The Joy of Cooking (could have been a Betty Crocker cookbook, my memory isn’t THAT good) and rummaging through the cupboards, I settled on pineapple upside-down cake. It was easy and it was good. Very good. But I never made it again. When I saw the recipe in Sweet Enough I knew I had to give it a go.
A couple of notes on the recipe –
- Alison recommends a 10″ round cake pan and that’s what I used. Fortunately, the sides of my pan are 3″ high, because they need to be. If using a 9″ pan, or smaller, I’d definitely leave out some of the batter.
- Alison mentions that using a yellow box cake mix could be just as good, if not better. I considered it, but didn’t have one on hand. I might try it next time just to compare.
- The recipe calls for real pineapple. I expected a note that it’s fine to substitute canned pineapple rings. Not a word. Anyway, that’s the route I took, drying the rings slightly on paper towels before adding to the pan.
- And finally, the recipe calls for those dreadful bright red maraschino cherries used in Shirley Temples and kids sundaes. That was a bridge too far, even for me, so I substituted the fancy Luxardo Maraschino cherries that Jim uses for Manhattans and Whiskey Sours.
Anyway, the cake was really good … video Reel here.
WHAT I WORE TO LUNCH IN SONOMA … AGAIN
A week ago Friday Jim and I had lunch in Sonoma. Again. I wrote about our last visit and things to do in Sonoma here. As usual we were in town to pick up our French Bubble Club selection at Chateau Sonoma. On this trip we booked a lunch reservation at an old favorite, El Dorado Kitchen. We weren’t sure about the weather so we requested in indoor table.
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- Focaccia & Cornbread
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- Apple Cranberry Crisp
Yes, we had real food too. Jim had tortilla soup and the marinated carne asada plate. I had filet mignon with roasted Yukon gold potatoes. Good heavens.
That was a long preamble to the real matter at hand. What I wore. It was a clear day – hallelujah – but still chilly which called for an outing of my favorite Veronica Beard Miller blazer. An easy way to elevate jeans and a t-shirt, and in this case, a light weight cable knit sweater. Pretty much my going-somewhere-decent-for-lunch uniform. Sorry about the mess behind me, I was selfie-ing and making the bed at the same time.
Can I tell you how much I adore my woven green tote? Adore it. It’s a perfect size to carry everything I need but not feel bulky. And the handles are just right for tossing over my shoulder if need be. It comes in so many colors and I may order the caramel, or the gold. Tough call.
VB Blazer | Tee | Cable Knit Sweater (similar) | Denim (similar on sale) | Layered Necklace | Sunnies | Woven Tote | Loafers
When we walked out of El Dorado Kitchen we noticed the line to get into Sunflower Caffe, next door, was still going strong. At Sunflower, orders are placed before going through a breezeway to their secret garden patio. My second mother, Ellen, told me about a recent visit she made to Sunflower with her granddaughter and great-granddaughter. It sounds delightful. Next time we’re in town to pick up our bubbles we’ll give it a try. Have no fear, I’ll provide a full report.
Image via Sonomasunflower.com
Our day in Sonoma was a dry one … right after and just before a series of storms. The cover crops are blooming and you can see the standing water … and Sonoma is as beautiful as it ever.
That’s what’s on my mind this week.
Let’s go see what’s inspiring Kim and Elizabeth …
If I may ~
Last week I expressed my doubts that the Nashville shootings would bring about meaningful change. And I was wrong. The Tennessee Legislature acted swiftly. To strip their citizens of elected representation by expelling two state senators for decorum violations. Decorum? These state senators spoke out against gun violence by representing the views of their constituents in a highly charged environment. Don’t say they don’t take the slaughter of their school children seriously.
I know this is a difficult and unpleasant topic, and I don’t mean to be flip. I’m frustrated, and angry, and feeling helpless. This is a lifestyle blog. And like me, you probably come here to enjoy a few quiet moments and a brief respite. That said, some things are too important to ignore. And from time to time I do plan speak my mind on matters other than sofa pillows. I hope that’s ok with you. And we don’t have to agree. It’s an honor for me to have you here as a valued reader and subscriber and I appreciate that we can engage with one another respectfully.
Current Favorites ~
If you missed last weekend’s post, I shared a few spring home updates and a buttermilk biscuit recipe.
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Cheers from Snowberry!
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