Resurrection Rolls

Resurrection rolls are a fun (and tasty) way to share the Easter story with your children.  The hollow roll represents the empty tomb and all of the other ingredients used represent a part of the Easter story as well.  

Happy Easter!

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Quinoa Salad with Asparagus & Almonds in Balsamic Vinaigrette

My back door was sending me conflicting information a few days ago - snow in spring?  It can't be!  Even though spring hasn't quite started out as I had hoped, I am still in the spirit.  We have already started on our spring cleaning and I have been admiring the pretty little robins pecking away at the suet from my back door.  How lovely it will be to open my windows and let the sweet spring air pour through to freshen my house.  How happy I will be when I can harvest and cook with fresh ingredients from the garden again.  As I found myself daydreaming, I decided to make a light, healthy and fresh salad for lunch today to help quench my thirst for the spring weather.  

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Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars

Just as I was about to post another fish recipe a few days ago, it was kindly brought to my attention that maybe I should consider holding off on posting it because I have been posting a lot of fish recipes recently.  The thought hadn't even crossed my mind, so I was very thankful for that hot tip... which got me thinking - it has been a while since I've posted a dessert.  Upon asking my husband what kind of dessert he would like me to make, he found himself reminiscing about a dessert that his mother used to make for him as a younger boy.  Now, in case you don't know my husband, he is not a sweets kind of guy and there are very few desserts that he enjoys.   He described it as "peanut butter bars with chocolate on top that would harden".  This prompted a phone conversation with his mother, who informed us that it was a store-bought mix that was discontinued a long time ago.  I did a little playing around in the kitchen over the weekend and came up with these delicious bars.  The verdict?  My husband finally has his childhood dessert back.  Score!

Ingredients:
Yields approximately 24 bars, depending on how you cut them
150 calories per serving

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Saint Patrick's Day Recipes

How do you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day?  I am in no way Irish but my husband is half Irish, so I always make something fun.  Here are dessert, dinner, lunch and drink recipes that my family enjoys around this time of year.

1. Homemade Irish Potato Candy - The actual name of this confection is two-thirds a lie.  Irish Potato Candy is neither Irish nor does it contain any potato.  It is, however, a candy that is made to look like a potato.  
2. Corned Beef & Cabbage with Potatoes and Carrots - Serve this with horseradish or Dijon and crusty bread.  Don't forget to use the leftovers for corned beef hash or Reuben sandwiches!
3. Reuben Sandwiches with Homemade Thousand Island Dressing - Prepare your taste buds for a ride... there are so many wonderful flavors packed into this little sandwich!  
4. Irish Coffee - A delicious and refreshing drink to celebrate St. Patty's Day.

Baked Haddock with Balsamic Spinach & Tomato Topping

What does a Sunday afternoon look like for you?  If you were to peek into my house, you would see my husband and I rummaging through our fridge/pantry/cabinets while making a detailed grocery list and planning out our meals for the upcoming week... coupons fluttering about.  When planning meals for the week, I always purpose to make at least one chicken dish, one pork dish, one fish dish, one salad dish and one red meat dish.  Fish was on the menu for tonight and I wanted to make something light, fresh and healthy for dinner.  The fresh and tangy component of the balsamic spinach and tomato topping is a perfect complement to the warm, flaky fish.  It's simple, healthy, delicious, fresh and can be made in under 30 minutes.    

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Reuben Sandwiches with Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

Is it really the middle of March already?!  With Saint Patrick's Day not very far away, I decided to whip up one of my favorite hot sandwiches for dinner, the Reuben sandwich.  Prepare your taste buds for a ride... there are so many wonderful flavors packed into this little sandwich!  

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Baked Cod & Asparagus Rolls with Garlic Beurre Blanc

Flaky fish enveloping tender asparagus served with buttery, garlicky beurre blanc - my heaven on a plate!  Delicious, healthy and easy to make, it can be served as a weeknight meal or a special occasion.  I served this with a side of baby spinach salad and a glass of white wine.

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