Easter's on its Way

Okay…….. it’s here!  It’s officially here!  I am declaring today the official start of spring in the Midwest. 

 

 

 

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, baseball opening day is Thursday, and we have had two days in a row of temperatures over 50°. 

Perhaps the most important indicator that spring is finally here is that I’m not wearing any shhhhh…………..socks! 

You know what that means, girls.  We’re just one small step away from open toes.  What a celebratory day this is!

 

 

 

 

I call this elation - spring fever. 


You may have caught it too and are daydreaming about relaxing on your patio, planting some annuals, catching some rays and riding your bicycle around the neighborhood. 

 

 

 

Although it may be a bit early to partake in these activities, we can rejoice in knowing that Easter and the sense of renewal it brings is on its way.

 

 

 

 

I wanted a little Easter cheer for my island, so I looked to the garden for inspiration. 


The brightly colored spring plants and the moss runner that I found led me to create a bolder display rather than using the traditional pastel colors for Easter. 

Here’s to inspiration, renewal and a Happy Spring………….officially!

 

 

 

Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Pie

Can you believe it?  The first day of spring is less than three weeks away.  You wouldn’t know it though from the tundra that is my backyard and the below freezing temperatures that we are still experiencing.  I did see a chunky robin yesterday which was chirping away – that’s got to be a good sign.

 

 

 

But until the Big Thaw and before the foot of snow melts off our grill, we still have time to enjoy some warm and comforting dinners.   

Baked Spaghetti Pie is one of our favorites.  It’s saucy and cheesy, and the preparation is much less involved than lasagna, making it an easy weeknight dinner. 

 

 

 

So, before you say adieu to your winter blues, make some Spaghetti Pie……. and hang in there – spring is on its way.

 

Baked Spaghetti Pie

6 oz. uncooked spaghetti
(or about 3 cups cooked)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 c. grated parmesan and Romano cheeses
2 well-beaten eggs
1 lb. ground beef
16 oz. of your favorite pasta sauce
1 ½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese
More grated cheese for the big finish

Heat oven to 350°.

Cook spaghetti al dente according to package directions.  Stir in butter, grated cheeses and eggs.  Coat a 10” pie plate with cooking spray.   Pour in spaghetti mixture.  Using the back of a spoon, make a shallow well in the center of the mixture.  Fill the well with ½ c. of mozzarella cheese.  Leaving a ring around the edge will give you a nice crust on your pie.

In a skillet, brown ground beef.  Drain well and mix with pasta sauce.  Fill the crust with the meat sauce.

Bake pie for 20 minutes.  Add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle grated cheeses over the meat sauce.  Bake 10 more minutes or until cheeses are brown and bubbly and the crust is crispy. 


Pour yourself a glass of Cabernet and have a wonderful week!

 

 

A Stroll Through a Spring Garden

What a lovely break it was from this snowy and cold Midwest winter.   It was like we had been transported back in time - back in time when we visited Paris last spring.   

 

 

 

We found it a bit of a coincidence that the Louvre’s Tuileries Garden exhibit was brought to our town’s museum almost one year after our visit to Paris and the Louvre.   

 

Once private gardens for French royalty, the Tuileries is now open for the public's enjoyment and serves as a grand, red carpet-style entrance to the Musée du Louvre.  The garden is a museum in itself with very old sculptures as well as contemporary art.
 

The local exhibit is a fine display of sculptures, paintings, tapestries and drawings - which gave us a sense of strolling through Paris’ most famous garden.

 

As fleeting as it was, it was a wonderful visit - just long enough to escape the cold, get a glimpse of green, and be reminded of the beauty and warmer days of spring to come.

Have a wonderful week!

 

The Many "Ways" to Eat Chili

During our office chili cook off last Friday, there was a bit of a disagreement among my fellow co-workers regarding what is and what is not considered chili.  While placing our votes for our favorite, someone made a comment about one of the entries, “It’s good, but it’s not chili.”   Upon further discussion there were more comments that chili is only chili if it has a tomato base and ground beef.

Homemade Cincinnati-style Chili

 

Is this really true?   What about those who substitute turkey for the ground beef?  What about white chicken chili?  How about vegetarian chili?  Or chili made with bison, veal or venison?  I have to believe that what you deem is real chili has a lot to do with where you grew up.  Chili made in San Antonio is probably going to be very different from chili made in Detroit.  And Cincinnati chili is going to be a lot different from chili, say from Chile.

 



The bridge we used to drive over to get downtown

Nevertheless, chili is in the eye of the beholder.  I was fortunate to spend a good chunk of time living in Northern Kentucky, a short drive across the bridge to downtown Cincinnati.  It was in Cincinnati where I developed a taste and these life-long cravings for the region’s very unique style of chili.  Cincinnati chili, brought to the city by Greek immigrants, is known for its myriad of spices – cinnamon, cloves, allspice and chocolate.  Yes, cocoa powder.  It’s usually served over spaghetti, or you can take the Cheese Coney route which is topped with finely grated cheddar cheese, mustard and a bit of onion. 

 

All of these spices are what give Cincinnati chili is unique taste

 

In Cincy, chili parlors are abundant - Skyline, Empress, Gold Star and Dixie are just a handful of chains to choose from.  There are also many “ways” to eat your chili.  Ordering your chili is as easy as one, two, three...

……or four

……or five

Bowl: chili in a bowl
Two-way: chili and spaghetti
Three-way: chili, spaghetti, and cheese
Four-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, and onions
Five-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans

I’ll take a Three-way, please. 

Simmering chili

 

Although I no longer live near Cincy, nor do I live near any Cincinnati chili parlors, I will always hold the city’s chili close to my heart.  Now, there are canned versions in local supermarkets, but I think we can do better.   You can check out the recipe from Food.com http://www.food.com/recipe/skylike-chili-skyline-chili-copycat-110548

By the way, I heard a co-worker mention that we should do other types of office cook offs in the future - like a mac and cheese cook off.  But aren’t the ingredients in mac and cheese just macaroni and cheese? I guess it depends where you’re from. 

 

Have a wonderful week!

 

Pre-flight Jitters

I love the night before the big event.  It’s when all of those butterflies really kick in and you wonder how in the world we are going to pull this one off. 

 

 

 

I am fortunate in that I work for a wonderful organization that does great things for thousands of families and children in our community.  One of the most rewarding (and stressful) times of the year for our Spirit Committee, is when we pull together the final details for the Y’s annual fundraising campaign kickoff.

 

 

 

This year’s kickoff theme is centered around travel - We’re Going Places.  The event venue will be filled with maps and globes, airline jargon, and vacation destination vignettes. I happily volunteered to work on the props for the French/Italian café street scene.   

 

 

 

With all of the snow and cold weather we’ve been experiencing, who wouldn’t welcome thoughts of strolling through an outdoor market or relaxing at a bistro table while sipping wine and sampling bread and cheese?

 

 

 

So I say to myself and our committee, do as they would in France - relax, take a deep breath, it will all work out fine….. just like it does every year.