Easter Sunday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 08:54:00 AM EST
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Happy Easter to those of you celebrating the holiday.

I'm not wild about ham or lamb, but if I could have these for dessert, I'd be a happy camper.

Are any of you cooking today? This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

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Easter Sunday Open Thread | 121 comments (121 topical)

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If you love Peeps... (5.00 / 2) (#1)
by Anne on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 08:21:06 AM EST

then you should get a kick out of the WaPo's annual Peeps contest.

And...did you know there's a Peeps iPhone App, too?

Today, the Washington Post announced the winners of their fourth annual Peeps Diorama Contest. Over 1,100 readers obsessed with the sugary-marshmallow treats submitted diorama scenes featuring Peeps as "actors," including recreations of popular movies, books, and TV. The winning entry, "Eep" recreates a scene from Pixar's Oscar-winning animated film "Up." Some of Speakeasy's favorites include scenes based on Margaret Wise Brown's children's book "Goodnight Moon," a tribute to Andy Riley's "Bunny Suicides" series, a ballroom sequence based on Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith's popular mash-up book retitled here "Peeps and Prejudice and Zombies," and an homage to China's terra cotta statues (renamed "Marshmallow Warriors).
The contest is also looking to connect with the digital age, through entries like a recreation of the popular YouTube Viral video JK Wedding Entrance Dance and the introduction of a WaPo Peeps iPhone app. Within the app, readers can see (and zoom in on) images of all previous winners and read insights about various scenes from their creators. Sounds like a non-fattening way to get your Peeps fix all year round.

It's worth a look...

My daughter brought peeps (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:11:18 AM EST

over with Zoey a few days ago and told me that Zoey needed to eat these before they go bad. I was doing babysitting detail. This was a set up. Daughter's money is tight, so when the peeps sat around I guess she figured NaNa would get Zoey to choke these things down that mom sprung for. No such luck though, Zoey hates peeps. So does NaNa, and peeps went to the trash.

Parent

eat them before they go bad? (5.00 / 1) (#104)
by CoralGables on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:20:48 PM EST

when did she buy them 1990? I think you follow the 20 year rule with Peeps. After that they just taste like sugar.

Parent

I can't stand the things either (none / 0) (#21)
by cawaltz on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:14:22 AM EST

Hubby and kids like them though so we always have them in the baskets. I'm a sucker for Cadbury Cream Eggs and black jelly beans.

Parent

: yum to both things you're a sucker for (none / 0) (#82)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 03:09:05 PM EST

Parent

That's one of my favorite things! (none / 0) (#116)
by BrassTacks on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 01:10:14 AM EST

I look forward to that Peep contest every year. It is amazing what folks can do!

Parent

vote on your favorite! (none / 0) (#117)
by BrassTacks on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 01:12:58 AM EST

My favorites were the Goodnight Moon room and the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/magazine/peeps2010/index.html

Parent

Nobody wanted a big dinner this year (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:06:08 AM EST

here. Growing up, Easter dinner for me looked the same as Thanksgiving and we never had lamb because nobody cared much for it. We used to have about eight to ten separate families show up every year at the ranch and my family had been agnostic for a couple of generations by then. I always thought that Easter was a celebration of the arrival of Spring, with eggs and tulips and bunnies and lambs. And even though we did not enjoy mutton, we raised a lot of sheep because it is a double crop of wool and meat. And lambs show up in the spring. Easter has always been a pagan holiday for me.

Our Easter dinner is a collaborative (5.00 / 2) (#7)
by Anne on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:32:22 AM EST

effort...we're going to my older daughter's, and she is doing the lamb (marinated overnight in garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, oregano, and then patted dry, rubbed with sea salt, pepper, oregano and rosemary and slivers of garlic inserted all over before going in the oven), asparagus, and roasted potatoes. I'm bringing the garlic mashed potatoes (because some people don't like lamb, and the roasted potatoes will carry the lamb flavor, and because the mashed potatoes are so good they are a must-have at every big gathering), fresh green beans that will get a garlic/lemon gremolata topping, and two strawberry pies. My mother is bringing a garlic/hummus dip and pita chips, my sister-in-law is bringing salad, some kind of dip and the drinks. My daughter's mother in law is bringing a baked ham (because some of the attendees don't care for lamb - me, I don't care for ham!), a small green bean casserole because her husband insists (I do a made-over, from scratch green bean casserole that is to die for, but it's very labor intensive and I didn't want to volunteer it this year), ham gravy and a pre-dinner fruit platter.

I think there will be twelve of us, but it looks like there will be enough food for an army!

I just took the pie crusts out of the oven; I made the filling last night and will assemble, topping with fresh whipped cream, when the crusts are fully cool.

Bonus: it's a beautiful Spring day - clear and warming up, expected to be mid-70's.

Parent

I want to come with you! (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 10:00:13 AM EST

Parent

It IS beautiful out. (none / 0) (#18)
by cawaltz on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:08:26 AM EST

Your Easter sounds like what I am hoping my Easter will be like in a couple of years. The oldest turns 18 this year. Lord, how time passes.

Parent

It is. Until the earthquake: 6.9 in Baja Cal (none / 0) (#96)
by bridget on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 06:45:31 PM EST

Mexico - was a long one and strongly felt in SouCal - shook for over a minute - fortunately ca. 20 miles deep

info is coming in slowly but hope that people close to the center are ok and not hurt - the region should be not heavily populated AFAIK

just watched 2012 a few days ago and thought the whole time: Hope we don't have another earthquake ....

Parent

Earthquake upgraded to 7.2 epicenter (none / 0) (#97)
by bridget on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 07:02:19 PM EST

I am not surprised to hear it ....

this was a big one.

Parent

as far as the richter scale it was (none / 0) (#100)
by Dadler on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 07:22:02 PM EST

As for damage here, not so much. There are 5.0's that can do much more damage than a 6.5, it's all location and how deep the fault is. I remember riding out the Sylmar quake in L.A. in the early 70's -- literally, I rode my bed from one end of the room to the other.

The really big one is still to come for SoCal, IMO.

Parent

: Did not notice it in Santa Ysabel. (none / 0) (#102)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 07:25:44 PM EST

Parent

Half pagan-half religious here (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by cawaltz on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:06:04 AM EST

Hubby was raised Catholic but is presently agnositic. I'm Christian. I don't make a big to do out of the religious aspect. The kids know what I believe and why I celebrate but they also know that other people have different belief sets and celebrate this time of year as well.

I've ony had lamb once. I didn't care for it. Most years we have turkey. My family LOVES turkey. Last year though I made ham and everyone raved about the glaze so I figured I'd do a repeat this year. The toughest part is going to be making sure the hybrid kid locusts I have raised leave food for dad. The oldest already has been helping himself y forkful to some of the ham and mac and cheese.

Parent

Pretty much all supermarket (5.00 / 1) (#60)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:52:30 PM EST

lamb these days is really mutton, or verging on it, and not good. I don't know why the producers are doing this to themselves because they're turning off generations of people to lamb. I picked up a couple of lamb shanks in the market the other day even though they were monstrous-- almost 2 pounds each when they should be only 1-- because they're the only ones I've been able to find for months and I love braised lamb shanks. These were mutton. Yech.

Parent

I've noticed that too. (none / 0) (#61)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:54:47 PM EST

Now I know why people say they don't like lamb !

Parent

Yes, because they've (5.00 / 1) (#86)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 04:48:47 PM EST

never had it. Just like anybody under the age of 35 or 40 has never had really good flavorful pork, like it used to be before the fat panic stampeded the producers into raising lean "other white meat" instead of real pork. Sigh.

And then there's what real chicken tastes like, when you can get it...

Parent

I have had lamb (none / 0) (#87)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 04:52:21 PM EST

It is okay. It does not excite me terribly though, and the difference between lamb and mutton is only degrees of gamey flave :)

Parent

The minute the meat (5.00 / 1) (#89)
by Inspector Gadget on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 04:55:41 PM EST

cools to less than really hot, I start to gag. Probably the texture, but it sure makes me sick.

Parent

Real lamb isn't gamey (5.00 / 1) (#98)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 07:07:32 PM EST

at all, or it shouldn't be if it's raised right, etc. Mutton, otoh, tastes like sheep smell... The "lamb" sold in supermarkets these days is halfway between.

Parent

: I've never had supermarket lamb (none / 0) (#109)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:53:14 PM EST

Sometimes we would have a lamb or a calf break a leg, and it was not wasted but we usually gave the lamb to someone who would enjoy it. I don't care for lamb and really don't even care for veal. Veal seems somewhat tasteless, and I know that that is something that makes it desireable for some recipes along with the tender texture. But as I.G. writes, the texture of both bothers me a little bit too. Don't know why, it just does.

Parent

Goat on the other hand is very yummy (none / 0) (#88)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 04:54:13 PM EST

though I don't think I've ever eaten a Billy :)

Parent

Goat is fabulous (5.00 / 1) (#99)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 07:09:51 PM EST

Tastes the way actual lamb should taste. I've had it a couple of times, but I'm sort of glad it's not more widely available as a temptation because eating a moronic sheep is one thing, but a bright, highly intelligent goat is another thing altogether. Pigs are also apparently very, very smart, but I've never met one so food hypocrite that I am, I'm not as bothered about it, I guess.

Parent

Intelligent? (5.00 / 1) (#103)
by squeaky on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 08:03:46 PM EST

not so much, otherwise they would be eating us.

Parent

Hmmm.. I have tried goat and enjoyed it, (none / 0) (#101)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 07:23:45 PM EST

but I didn't find the taste that similar to lamb.
My mom used to make fabulous legs of lamb. One of the techniques was to coat it in a dijon/soy sauce/who knows what else cover, which hardened and kept the juices in. mmmm.

Parent

I have the same affinity for goats too (none / 0) (#105)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:34:05 PM EST

My experience with them has been one of them endearing themselves to me, they are quick witted little animals....much sharper than sheep. Sheep on a hot day will stand with their heads in shade, full bodies lined up side by side in the sun, panting like dogs. Sheep think that if their head is in the shade the whole of them is in the shade, not a brilliant mammal :) If you put a few goats in with the sheep they quickly become the herd leaders and are much more clever around predators like coyotes, and will quickly bring the herd in or lead the herd to greater safety if it is available.

Parent

: My grandmother (none / 0) (#112)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 10:02:43 PM EST

a country doctor, was crazy for lambs (not lamb, lambs) and took any excuse to bring the newborns into the house for tending. But she always said there was nothing more wonderful than a lamb or more awful than a sheep. Funny story about them putting only their heads in the shade!
I'm crazy about goats, and particularly kids. I'd love to have a couple here, but it's just not in the cards.

Parent

I pay whatever it takes to get (none / 0) (#92)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 05:26:31 PM EST

chicken which tastes right.
Most of the stuff out there just makes me gag.
I grew up in the Seattle area, where there was a lot of local grown chicken which was pretty good.
Little did I know how lucky I was.
Since I've moved away, I've thrown away whole chicken after whole chicken---after I cook them---because the full vileness is only evident when they're cooked.
The taste of some of these animals is indescribable.
I have found some excellent "organic" chicken in the freezer at a nearby premium market.
It's Sanderson farms, and the meat is plump, juicy and tastes like chicken---but not too much.
That's the chicken which I cooked in the Berber spices this afternoon. Boy, that spice mix was good. I kept on scraping it off the meat so I had to add more.
(Count yourself fortunate if you don't know what it's like for chicken to taste too "chickeny".)

Parent

Not cooking easter dinner, but (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:16:15 AM EST

planning something yummy.
I picked up "Berber Spice" at the market yesterday.
IT's got coriander, cinnamon and a lot of other spices. I'll saute chicken and red peppers in it, then maybe cut up the chicken, put it in hummus and serve it with pita bread.
I was talking to a friend who actually spent time in Morocco some years ago, and said the food really is as good as they say. I was soooo jealous.
Morocco is one place I used to think I'd like to live in. I think my project for the next year should be to learn to cook some tagines.

Last year I made a dish which may have been moroccan: coat chicken in cinnamon and turmeric, brown it in olive oil. Then take a large oven-proof pot and put in the chicken, onions, chopped kalamata olives, chicken stock, ginger, a little bit of honey. That was super. The cookbook with that recipe is packed away somewhere but I think I'm going to try it again anyway, by memory.

I'd subscribe to your recipe newsletter (none / 0) (#22)
by addy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:16:46 AM EST

If you had one. My mouth watered just reading that.

Parent

It does make sense (none / 0) (#39)
by brodie on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:07:01 PM EST

to be eating a more Meditteranean-type meal this time of year (and most of the year, for that matter; very healthy). Olive oil based, plenty of greens, and spices to go with the veggies and whole grain foods. Fruits for dessert instead of sugary-sweet American stuff.

Red wine for late afternoon.

Basically your Jesus type diet.

Parent

What Would Jesus Eat? (none / 0) (#41)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:07:59 PM EST

Parent

Yep. (5.00 / 1) (#44)
by brodie on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:12:41 PM EST

That DFH Jesus.

And don't forget he walked it off too, daily -- both on land and on water ...

Parent

Not only that, he got an amazing amount of (none / 0) (#47)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:14:54 PM EST

food out of those loaves and fishes and turned water into wine.

Parent

THen there is the recent study of (none / 0) (#48)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:15:50 PM EST

portion sizes, starting w/the Last Supper.

Parent

Are you talking about the painting? (none / 0) (#50)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:18:17 PM EST

Do elaborate, please!

Parent

: Yes. (5.00 / 0) (#54)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:28:04 PM EST

LAT

Parent

Right, portion sizes (none / 0) (#55)
by brodie on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:29:24 PM EST

have gotten ridiculous in the US.

Also we eat too fast. Probably something to do with the quickened pace of life since, what, the 70s at least. Computer Age necessitates speed, modern media and cable have reduced about everything to 3-second sound bites when it used to be 48-seconds back in the 60s.

We don't stop to chew each bite thoroughly, and so miss out on savoring the taste and getting the body time to properly digest. Big Pharma loves this of course ...

Parent

We ate fast in the '50s, too (5.00 / 1) (#63)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:57:13 PM EST

trust me.

Parent

Ah the 50s (none / 0) (#68)
by brodie on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:20:57 PM EST

(a little before my time actually). Wasn't that the beginning of the fast food chain and McDo's and the burger carhop drive-in? And the marketing of the nutritionally suspect frozen teevee dinners to go with that newfangled new teevee contraption.

Probably it was with the arrival of tv's in most homes that led to families increasingly not sitting down en famille to eat their evening meal.

Parent

I think al lot of familieis with early TV (none / 0) (#69)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:23:14 PM EST

sets watched while eating dinner together. I was very surprised as a newly-wed from a non-TV'd family that my husband watched the news during dinner. Grim stuff. But that was his family's tradition.

Parent

: Avalon (5.00 / 1) (#94)
by daring grace on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 05:53:14 PM EST

I really liked that Barry Levinson film and the end where the family dinner has devolved to in front the tv set is very sad in the context of what family life had been.
Link

Parent

Could be (none / 0) (#84)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 04:39:36 PM EST

but all I remember was Dairy Queen for after-dinner ice cream and the occasional take-out pizza. TV dinners I think came in in the early '60s, at least ones that were remotely edible. But my family wasn't typical in some respects. We didn't even get a TV until late '50s, and we certainly never had it on during dinner.

The fast food and TV dinners and the like tended I think to become ubiquitous when two-income families became more common and "wives" weren't available to spend the day cooking.

I'm very lucky in that it never even occurred to anybody in my family that we shouldn't sit down at the table for dinner together. On the rare occasions we had to eat separately, we were really unhappy about it.

Parent

: TV dinners came out around 1950 (5.00 / 1) (#91)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 05:10:18 PM EST

and were immediately very popular.

Parent
: Weren't TV trays all the rage though? (none / 0) (#106)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:40:01 PM EST

When I was around five, my mom's parents still acted like they were the coolest chic thing. And allowed us to eat the canned but heated Chung King (bleh) while watching Kung Fu :)

Parent

Isn't the end of the 9-5 workday (none / 0) (#58)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:47:01 PM EST

a big part of this?
Not sure what nutrionists say, but my personal feeling is that eating and sleeping at the same times every day is important to regulating your appetite.
Many times people eat when the job allows, rather than when they are hungry. As this time varies, their appetite gets distorted.

Parent

Maybe the change (none / 0) (#70)
by brodie on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:34:05 PM EST

in formerly regularized work hours.

Also the industrialization of our food starting big time post-WWII. More mass production and processing and pesticiding, less real food with natural taste and full nutrition.

Americans increasingly distanced from the source of their food and the country became more suburbanized. Contrast with the 30s when 1 out of 4 Americans lived on the farm, iirc.

Parent

I actually suspect (none / 0) (#85)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 04:43:02 PM EST

Americans have pretty much always eaten faster than the rest of the world, whether on or off-farm. The big deal about coming to America has always been striving to get ahead and work yourself out of poverty, and that means productivity, whether you're employed by someone else or own your own business or farm.

Parent

It's designed that way (5.00 / 1) (#90)
by Inspector Gadget on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 05:01:24 PM EST

Especially breakfast and lunch. Hurry, or you'll miss your bus. You only have 40 minutes to eat and play before returning to class...or an hour for lunch and errands...or that meeting is starting at 1:00 and you've been preparing right up to the wire.

I eat much slower when I'm at a table with others and conversation is part of the event. People don't eat so fast at holiday gatherings, or family dinners.

When I was in elementary school, I would stuff my entire lunch in my mouth and run out to be the first on the playground for the pick of what to play on (unless my teacher caught me and made me sit, chew and swallow until my cheeks were no longer stretched into a giant circle). My grandson does the same thing when he's both hungry and in a hurry to play.

Parent

Not a racist statement (none / 0) (#107)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:42:00 PM EST

But have you ever had lunch with someone Asian eating with chop sticks and due back to work?

Parent

:) I can honestly say (5.00 / 1) (#110)
by Inspector Gadget on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:54:34 PM EST

I have not had that experience. Might be the way to cure Americans of eating too fast, though. Force us all to eat with chopsticks. :)

Parent

Even worse (5.00 / 2) (#114)
by CoralGables on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:32:58 PM EST

ever had lunch with a non-Asian using chopsticks when you need to get back to work?

Parent

If noodles involved--slurping? (none / 0) (#115)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:44:18 PM EST

Parent

Yes, and I guess it isn't bad manners either (none / 0) (#118)
by Militarytracy on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 08:13:09 AM EST

One of our very good friends here is Korean, but she went to culinary school for sushi and then opened a place in Daleville outside one of the gates to Fort Rucker. It is sort of a date place for us, but she is such a wonderful good energy high energy person we spend most of the time talking to her :) When she is in a rush though, a spoon couldn't keep up :)

Parent

: Definitely not considered "bad manners." (none / 0) (#119)
by oculus on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 10:10:46 AM EST

Seems to be a necessary adjunct to eating noodles in broth w/chopsticks.

Parent

I'm sure he would have enjoyed (none / 0) (#46)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:14:36 PM EST

pulled pork with barbecue sauce.

Parent

What I like about this kind of food (none / 0) (#45)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:13:34 PM EST

is the use of fruit in main courses.
And there are some fascinating combinations.
A while back I found an Armenian lentil soup recipe with eggplants AND apricots.
I was a little scared to try it then, but I think I'll give it a whirl, if I can still find the recipe.

Parent

Happy Easter Everyone (5.00 / 3) (#6)
by MO Blue on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:26:21 AM EST

The family will be going out for bunch. Oldest grandson home from college. Will be a great time to catch up with what is going on with him and my youngest who is finishing up his first year in high school.

Cooking here (5.00 / 2) (#12)
by cawaltz on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 10:39:04 AM EST

I love, love, love having teens when holidays roll around. They get to share in the labor. They got their baskets last night(oldest went skating so everyone was up when Easter rolled around. This morning we got up I supervised while the youngest started a veggie tray and made devilled eggs. Meanwhile the 13 year old popped in cinnamon rolls. My daughter and I've finished making the rosemary dinner rolls,homemade mac and cheese, and presently working on brussel sprouts and basting the ham. The eldest had dish duty. I'm trying to hold off on the egg hunt til hubby gets home. I even saved some of the more interesting eggs the kids colored for him to look at(even though I suspect he'll go uh huh and say devil em). The younger kids are playing Spore Hero. All in all it looking at I'll be able to put my feet up by noon time.

Happy Easter (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by KeysDan on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 10:45:15 AM EST

to all. Off to our next door neighbor's annual Easter Hat garden party--a coveted invitation, I am told. For many years, she and her husband have been hosting a great champagne buffet along with an Easter Hat competition, of sorts. We are the proud holders of two awards, consisting of re-treaded bowling and golf trophies. So, the pressure is on to maintain our pace. The hats are pretty clever capturing a range of local and national events..last year, for example, there were a lot of innovative "octo-mom" hats as well as TARP fund spoofs. The group is politically diverse ranging from progressive to liberal, although there is an occasional, sensible centrist lurking in our midst. Our hats, this year, will be army helmets (theatrical versions) with "ASK and TELL" letters cut out from rainbow paper, including a "general's star". A good time should be held by all.

happe eastern (5.00 / 2) (#14)
by Capt Howdy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 10:46:51 AM EST

I will take ham lamb or chocolate thank you.
celebrating eastern by working.

I hope that was not the easter (5.00 / 3) (#15)
by Capt Howdy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 10:53:13 AM EST

bunny one of my dogs was burying this morning.

Parent

: Heh (none / 0) (#19)
by cawaltz on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:11:48 AM EST

One year my father served rabbit for Easter and told us kids it was a bunny he caught in our yard with a bunch of darn baskets. He always did have a pretty warped sense of humor.

Parent

Pork shoulder marinated with Mojo Criollo (5.00 / 1) (#20)
by addy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:13:49 AM EST

and bag cooked for about three hours. Plus a turkey breast, fresh made bread, roast peppers, mushrooms onions carrots etc...and twice baked potatoes. Tried to find yucca root but no one in town has it this time of year. Kind of a bummer. At family gatherings they always put the yucca next to me knowing I'd eat most of it.

Happy Easter all (5.00 / 1) (#38)
by ruffian on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:06:08 PM EST

Enjoy your day.

No cooking for me. One consolation of being single with no family in the area for holidays is getting invited over by great hosts and hostesses, as many of you seem to be. Looking forward to a nice dinner later.

Just did a spring closet cleaning/reorganization, complete with hanging new shelves, racks, etc.. Painful, but well worth it. The closet was driving me crazy!

Nap time!

Happy Easter to all. (5.00 / 1) (#57)
by Dr Molly on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:45:28 PM EST

Not religious, but love to celebrate Easter as a Happy Spring holiday, and love to cook what's in season. Menu:

Grilled Lamb (marinated overnight in dijon mustard, white wine, olive oil, lemon, garlic and rosemary.
Small Ham for those who don't like lamb.
Roasted new potatoes.
Asparagus
Homemade rolls
Salad
Strawberry shortcake.

Beautiful spring day in Virginia. Enjoy.

"When April.. (5.00 / 3) (#64)
by jondee on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:03:49 PM EST

with it's sweet showers
Has pierced the drought of March to root
And bathed every plant vein in such liquid
As has the power to engender the flower;
When Zephyr also with it's sweet breath
Has in every grove and field inspired
The tender crops, and the young sun
Has run half it's course in Aries the Ram,
And small fowls make melody
That sleep all the night with open eye
(nature pierces them so in their hearts)
Then people long to go on pilgrimages
And palmers to seek foreign shores
To distant shrines, known in sundry lands
And specially, from every shires end
Of England they travel to Canterbury
To seek the holy blissful martyr
That has helped them when they were sick.."

Geoffrey Chaucer

Parent

Did you secondary educadtion include (none / 0) (#66)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:08:27 PM EST

reading this in Middle Englsh? Mine did. link

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: Oy.. (5.00 / 3) (#67)
by jondee on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:13:53 PM EST

Yys, itt dydd (or something like that) :)

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Finally watched Brokeback Mountain - OMG. (5.00 / 2) (#59)
by Dr Molly on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:47:29 PM EST

I must have used two whole boxes of tissues! I had no idea it was going to be so heartbreaking - why didn't someone tell me.

I had read the short story years ago, I've read everything Annie Proulx has written. But had never gotten around to seeing the movie.

Unutterable sadness at end.

A love story though through and through (5.00 / 1) (#108)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:47:50 PM EST

Devastating love story. And when he visits Jack Twist's parents and they show the highway on the way to Laramie, it has to be the actual area it was shot in. I've been on that highway so many times, and watching that movie and the visual accuracy of various shoot locations...Riverton...outside Laramie...the mountains, only made it that much more heartbreakingly real for me.

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The scene in the trailer where he smells the (5.00 / 2) (#111)
by Angel on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 09:56:37 PM EST

shirt....that just kills me. I need to see this movie again, definitely.

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I think I've seen it about three times (none / 0) (#113)
by Militarytracy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 10:03:10 PM EST

I don't think I'll ever stop crying. I watch a few movies, I wake up in the middle of the night often. I will have a couple of hours where I can't go back to sleep so I'll toss in a movie. I wonder if I will ever stop crying? My Aunt went to see it again in the old refurbed theater in downtown Co Sprgs. She said that this very old woman sat behind her with her daughter who had brought her. My Aunt said that she complained about being brought to this movie about gay cowboys and that she did not want to watch some movie about gay cowboys. At the end of the movie though when they lights came up my Aunt said she was very moved when she noticed the probably 70 or 80 year old woman's face covered in tears and her saying it was the best movie she had ever seen.

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: Did you ever see Longtime Companion? (5.00 / 1) (#120)
by Angel on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 10:39:00 AM EST

It's a beautiful story set in Fire Island and chronicles the beginning years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic amongst a group of gay and straight friends. A tearjerker for sure. Rent it if you can find it and if you haven't already seen it. I saw this at a theatre by myself when it first came out, couldn't find anyone interested in seeing it with me. Their loss. Again, one of my all-time favorite movies, quite moving and beautiful.

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I've read everything she has written (none / 0) (#62)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:55:47 PM EST

also. A friend gave me DVD of the movie but I never watched it. Thanks for the warning.

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I only saw it fairly recently, too (none / 0) (#65)
by gyrfalcon on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:05:12 PM EST

and was also very moved by it.

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: Couple short one's from Rumi (5.00 / 1) (#74)
by jondee on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 02:00:13 PM EST

"Come to the orchard in spring
There is light and wine and sweethearts
in the pomegranate flowers
If you do not come, these do not matter;
If you do come, these do not matter"
"Since you will come
and throw kisses at my tombstone later,
Why not give them to me now
this me
that same person"

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Oh how I loved that movie. So very sad at the (none / 0) (#76)
by Angel on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 02:12:21 PM EST

end, and how I cried. But it is truly a beautiful and magnificent love story. One of my all-time favorites....

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A very quick (5.00 / 2) (#72)
by Zorba on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:47:22 PM EST

Happy Easter to all. We're in Bavaria right now visiting relatives, and travelling around (Austria, France, Italy). Having a wonderful time, absolutely love the Alps, will check in later. I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday.

: Jealous! Buzz my hometown Spfretali-alp, would'ja? (none / 0) (#77)
by Ellie on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 02:12:39 PM EST

... or give a friendly moon if you whoosh by on a funicular.

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Happy Easter to you all!! (5.00 / 1) (#79)
by desertswine on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 02:31:55 PM EST

According to TMZ, Conrad Murray's (none / 0) (#2)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 08:35:39 AM EST

defense is going to be that MJ killed himself by self-injecting a lethal dose of anesthetic, because he was so frustrated at the teeny dose Murray gave him.

Esoteric product, too. (none / 0) (#10)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 10:00:09 AM EST

wanna see a fun movie? (none / 0) (#16)
by Capt Howdy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:04:31 AM EST

Clash of the Titans

Most fun, "guilty pleasure" (5.00 / 2) (#40)
by jondee on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:07:13 PM EST

movie for me this past was Zombieland.

Who does that kinda-lovable-while-teetering-on-the-edge schtick better than Woody Harrelson?

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: Agreed (5.00 / 1) (#123)
by Raskolnikov on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 03:47:19 PM EST

Perfect casting with Woody, born for the part.

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We will see it for sure (none / 0) (#25)
by addy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:22:33 AM EST

the original was lots of fun.

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this is my (none / 0) (#27)
by Capt Howdy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:31:08 AM EST

genre. when I saw they were remaking Ray Harryhausens last mojor film I thought, why.
but it was worth it.
the cg magic makes the story come to life.

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did they keep the owl? (none / 0) (#29)
by addy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:35:06 AM EST

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not telling (none / 0) (#32)
by Capt Howdy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:41:28 AM EST

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: Fair enough (none / 0) (#36)
by addy on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:55:29 AM EST

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very clever, I wasn't sure till (none / 0) (#23)
by Jeralyn on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:18:02 AM EST

I saw the spam at the end. Thanks!

Digby on eating chocolate for your (none / 0) (#24)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:21:06 AM EST

health: Digby

Dark chocolate is definitely (5.00 / 1) (#42)
by brodie on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:10:41 PM EST

better than the milk choc that's offered 95% of the time in this country, though the overall trend in the market probably shows dark on the uptick.

A little dark chocolate and a little red wine both have healthful benefits.

Problem is, most folks either can't stop or they have some very liberal notions of "moderation."

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Unless you're (5.00 / 1) (#53)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:25:19 PM EST

a migraine suffer like me, in which dark chocolate and red wine are poisons that can keep you in bed debilitated for days.

I really think that anything a migraineur is sensitive to is probably not good for anyone (it's just that others aren't as sensitive to them). The idea that these are health foods is a distortion, likely perpetuated by industry. Regardless of whether one can dance on the head of a pin to determine that these foods are "good for you", there are much better foods to eat (grapes with skins rather than wine, sweet potatoes rather than chocolate).

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I completely agree, Teresa (none / 0) (#80)
by bridget on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 02:53:08 PM EST

I have migraines and found out early on that red wine more than white wine or champagne can bring on a bad headache. Just a glass will do it. Then I started to read the warnings. Gave it all up.

I never cared for dark chocolate but it was hard to give up my fav treat: milk and white chocolate. But in order to keep my blood sugar steady, I have given that up for over 20 years now. Same with coffee. I couldn't make it out of bed without it and remember the nasty migraine that followed when I stopped coffee cold the first day without it. By 11.oo A.M. I was v. sick. It took ca. two weeks until I felt "purified." :-)

Fortunately, I do like tea and my treat is now a nice cup of Earl Grey. And muffins with no sugar but lots of fiber, oats and nuts - self-baked.

Ok, lol, I could go on and on, but I still wanted to say: SWEET Potatoes, yes, a wonder food. And broccoli rocks.

P.S. Every Easter I colour a bowl of eggs. A family tradition :-) So far I haven't missed a single Easter.

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: Happy Easter to all my fellow bloggers here :-) (none / 0) (#81)
by bridget on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 02:57:36 PM EST

and PEACE and LOVE to all mankind!
:-)

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red wine headaches (none / 0) (#121)
by CST on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 10:48:33 AM EST

are due to sulphites which are a preservative added to the wine. It is required by the FDA for all wine sold in the U.S, including imported wine. In order to avoid it you have to buy wine in a foreign country. The bottles will tell you if they "contain sulphites" (indeed you will see this label on all red wine in the U.S.).

Obviously alchohol and dark chocolate aren't really "good" for you compared to things like vegetables. But they are better than many other things that are bad for you. We all have our vices.

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: What? (5.00 / 3) (#122)
by squeaky on Mon Apr 05, 2010 at 10:51:22 AM EST

Obviously alcohol and dark chocolate aren't really "good" for you compared to things like vegetables.
And I thought alcohol and chocolate were vegetables..

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My local Tuesday Morning store (none / 0) (#51)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:21:58 PM EST

has a huge stash of "Elephant" chocolate bars for $1.59/per bar. So I am gradually buying their entire supply. But one of my friends sd. it isn't as good as we've all bought before. I sd.: it's old and only $1.49. She sd., why are you giving us old chocolate. Oh well. I should have sd., because it's good for you!
link

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I think I'll take Chris Hemsworth's ears. (none / 0) (#26)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:23:58 AM EST

Watching a movie with him now.
Damn!

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happy easter, all. (none / 0) (#28)
by jeffinalabama on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:34:10 AM EST

I'm thinking about making chicken enchiladas today. Made my ham last weekend.

Sigh. someone had posted a link once to Raymond Chandler's "Red Wind." Not only did i read it, but explored the site and found lots of great books online for free. Anyone have links to free online libraries?

Should have added, I deleted the link (5.00 / 1) (#30)
by jeffinalabama on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:35:59 AM EST

by mistake.

I've been on a Chandler kick, on and off, for a few months. Next will be Dashiel Hammett, probably. Any suggestions of classic detective novels?

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Not exactly classic, but 80's (none / 0) (#31)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:41:24 AM EST

crime fiction from Florida.
The title might have been "Blue Oasis", but I can't find that with a search.
The author was a military veteran who lived in Florida and died a few years ago.
It was so true to life---the criminal was SOOO stupid, but thought he was a genius.

Sorry I'm not more helpful, but I really liked the book. Maybe I can remember more later.

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Are you thinking of John D. MacDonald? (none / 0) (#34)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:49:01 AM EST

Just learned his novel "The Executioners" became the movie "Cape Fear."

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: No, that's too early. (none / 0) (#35)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:51:49 AM EST

I'm pretty sure the book I read was published in the early 80's, definitely not earlier than that.

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: Got it. Miami Blues. (none / 0) (#37)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:56:38 AM EST

Charles Willeford. This was made into a movie with Alec Baldwin, I found out while searching.

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Hmmm, this MIGHT be the guy (none / 0) (#33)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 11:48:25 AM EST

but the biography doesn't sound right.
Carl Hiaassen.
I have read a book by him and he's great.
Found him on a list of favorite crime authors in the UK Telegraph.

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Weather.com says it will be (none / 0) (#43)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:10:48 PM EST

mostly sunny in the local mountains, there is an art exhibit calling me to some see, and my friend who can never make up her mind decided she would like to go along. This is the epicenter of fresh baked pies though.

For Oculus (none / 0) (#49)
by squeaky on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:16:26 PM EST

CSM breaks down the Exchanges: Exchanges 101. The answer to your question, would be appear yes, other would be able to use the same exchanges that COngress uses.

According to this, the US gov is not setting up its own exchange but helping the individual states do it. If a State does not want to cooperate, the US gov will step in and open its own, which would be presumably only for those living in the state which refused to open one itself.

So the Congresscritters will be insured by their respective states, the same exchange that would be open to others in the state.

Link doesn't link on my computer. (none / 0) (#52)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:24:59 PM EST

Thanks, though. What I am interested in is the escape clause langugage in the statute. Looks like Congress and its staff must be in the exchanges unless Congress opts out within the language of the statute--timely and as an amendment to the HCR bill.

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Sorry (none / 0) (#56)
by squeaky on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 12:37:15 PM EST

Here is the link

The Congress and their staff:

Bill says "Members of Congress and congressional staff" will only be offered plans created by the bill or offered through exchanges established by bill. The bill states that "Members of Congress and congressional staff" will only have access to plans that are created by the health care bill or offered through the exchanges established by the bill. From H.R. 3590, the health care bill signed by President Obama on March 23:
- Hide quoted text -
(D) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN THE EXCHANGE.-
(i) REQUIREMENT.-Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after the effective date of this subtitle, the only health plans that the Federal Government may make available to Members of Congress and congressional staff with respect to their service as a Member of Congress or congressional staff shall be health plans that are-
(I) created under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act); or
(II) offered through an Exchange established under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act).

Media Matters

Politico has a different view, although sounds like nit picking to me:

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Also (none / 0) (#71)
by squeaky on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:45:57 PM EST

It appears that the only ones arguing your implied point about "escape clauses" for congresscritters and WH, are FOX, WSJ (john fund) and other wingnuts.

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The wingnuts seem to be arguing (none / 0) (#75)
by oculus on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 02:03:00 PM EST

Ccongress won't have to comply with the mandate.

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: Yes (none / 0) (#78)
by squeaky on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 02:31:00 PM EST

And they are soooo credible, aren't they?

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: Not Just The Mandate (none / 0) (#95)
by squeaky on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 06:42:26 PM EST

But all congresscritters and their staffs will be required to join the exchanges:

Currently, government employees and qualified retirees can get health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), a "marketplace" with more than 250 plans, with at least 10 national fee-for-service plans. Government employees, including members of Congress, the president, vice president, cabinet members and White House staff all participate in FEHBP. That won't change - except for members of Congress and their personal staffs. In 2014, they will instead have to enroll in the new insurance exchanges.
Some Republicans, led by Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, argued that all members of Congress and staff should be subject to the same coverage that they set up for other Americans.
The provision has provoked confusion, sparked emotions and even caused the White House to announce that the president will voluntarily participate in the exchange, although he would not be required to do so by the new law. Walton Francis, a health economist and main author of "CHECKBOOK's Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees," said the requirement will be controversial and may come up again for consideration: "My guess is the FEHBP exclusion for these members and their staff will probably not survive." he said.
Kaiser

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An Easter Message from Mel Gibson (none / 0) (#73)
by Ellie on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 01:56:06 PM EST

... now with homilies! Mad Pax: The Passion of the Easter Bunny. The dead links from above have arisen! With rec notes!

Just be sure, when you invite your Special Dinner Guest with the come hither Viens ici que je te Saute!, that everyone's on the same page (so to speak.) Here's a good Franglais version of Cassoulet Lapin au Romarin. (I like to add a few spuds and such.)

Based on: Kilww da Wabbit?!?

But that's on deck (with Greek-style slow-roasted lamb) for later. Our traditional after-church brunch is a sweet-Italian sausage frittata and homemade, wood-fired anise seed foccaccia ("baked" off the coals to roast the stuffed lamb).

What can I say? I'm the black-sheep veggie most of the time but my from a cult that worships animal protein. Good Friday's all about cod fritters from resurrected salted baccalà. Worth going to Hell for ...

Isn't it funny how Easter falls close (none / 0) (#83)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 04:11:37 PM EST

to the number one holy day of the year?
What day? The end of March Madness!
GO BUTLER.

Feeling bad about your last (none / 0) (#93)
by observed on Sun Apr 04, 2010 at 05:32:48 PM EST

hair job?
Don't despair.
Bankrupt action movie stars have the same problem.

Nic Cage or Rod Stewart?

Easter Sunday Open Thread | 121 comments (121 topical)

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