Easter

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!  We had a wonderful (but exhausting) day at church and with new friends.  Park Street Church has 3 morning services (8, 9:30, and 11) and one evening service on Easter Sunday, and is jam packed for each one.  This year I didn't play in the orchestra since we were having friends over after the service for lunch, so I just went to the 9:30.  Poor Travis was there from 7-1 pm.  Whew.

The service was beautiful, music was fantastic, and they once again had my favorite flower arrangements of the year.  I LOVE Park Street's regular Easter flowers - puffy pink hydrangeas, daffodils, orange tulips, and purple hyacinth in terracotta pots, tall yellow bushes on either end, and Easter lilies in the center.  It's just beautiful!

After church, Travis brought our new friends Bill and Lauren back to our place for Easter lunch.  We had pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, "pan peas", and broccoli...followed by Key Lime Pie with strawberries and Cool Whip.  I've had a great time enjoying some tulips I picked up this weekend.  They were beautiful!

Later that day, we opened a package from Travis' parents that included some candy, my new favorite kids' book, and treats for Toby.  Toby got two big cookies - one looked like a bunny, and the other an Easter bone (below).  He looooved licking (licking...licking) the frosting before devouring part of the cookie.  What a lucky little guy.

The book was super cute - about Pretzel the dachshund that was abnormally long and his love interest who "doesn't like long doggies".  *Spoiler alert   Eventually he rescues her and they get married.  It's really cute - check it out!

What did you do for Easter?

Key Lime Pie

This weekend I was going back and forth about what to make for Easter dessert.  Cheesecake?  Strawberry Shortcake?  Something chocolate?

Then, thanks to the power of Facebook (aka my friend Dan asking where he could buy a good Key Lime Pie)...it hit me.  :)  Duh...Key lime pie is one of my favorite desserts.  It screams spring - something we NEED a little of here in New England.  Cool, sweet, tangy, and green - doesn't get much better!  The best part is, this is an incredibly simple pie to make - just mix, chill, and serve.

Ingredients
1 package (3 ounce) lime Jello
1 cup boiling water
2 Tablespoons grated lime rind
1/2 cup lime juice
1 egg yolk, well beaten
14 ounce can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon Aromatic bitters
1 egg white
9" graham cracker pie shell

Directions
Dissolve Jello in boiling water.  Add lime zest and juice.

Pour gelatin mixture slowly into beaten egg yolk, stirring constantly.  Add condensed milk and bitters, then chill until slightly thickened.

Beat egg white until stiff peaks form.  Fold into gelatin mixture, then pour into pie shell.

Chill until firm (at least 3 hours).  Then cut with a sharp knife and garnish with lime slices, strawberries, or Cool Whip when serving.

Enjoy!