I spent a quiet Easter with my 18 year old daughter (who is also recuperating from surgery) and my 19 year old son.  I decided that this Easter was a pivotal one.

With the separation having now been instituted, it was time to see how I could do in cooking my family a proper Easter dinner.

This is how I saw it, as I reported to a friend earlier:

Easter went well. 

I got up and started with a pork roast.  I rubbed it down in minced garlic, salt and peppered it.  Then I poked holes in it and rubbed it with a blend of brown sugar, Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce, Soy, Teriyaki and mustard.

Popped it in the crock pot on low.  Set it and forget it.  That was at 1130.

I then made a (box mix) cinnamon coffee cake.

The kids enjoyed the fresh coffee cake. 

I enjoyed the kids enjoying it

I had some coffee, a French roast I picked up with creme brule creamer.  Yummyness

Kinda kicked back all day for the most part.  Really, a nice relaxing day.

Nice and relaxing indeed.  I feel refreshed..

At 5 ish I checked the roast with a meat thermometer, it was over 200 hundred so very safe…very tender.  I decided I love crock pots.

Seriously.  I plan on wearing that sucker out.

I made a kinda last minute glaze of brown sugar, cinnamon and pineapple juice.  Poured it over the roast and added a bit of extra pineapple to the juices.

I wish we had smellavision, you would not believe how wonderful that roast smelled.

 On to the stove.  Cooked some bow tie pasta.  Then, I took a jar of Alfredo sauce, added some milk, some cream cheese, some fake butter and some spices to it.  I simmered it for about 15 minutes.  When the pasta was done, I drained it and poured it right into the sauce.  That and some frozen peas and garlic bread (yes I made the garlic topping myself) meant dinner was ready.

The pork literally fell apart on removal from the crock, so it was not sliced, just kind of pulled apart. 

Did I mention I love crock pots?  Tender….nom nom.

The juices in the crock made a great marinade for the served pork.  Kayla and Kyle and his girlfriend Nicki loved it.

 I loved them loving it.

That was the bottom line for me this Easter.  I did something special and something outside my normal routine.  I did it for them

They liked it.

WIN!

I will let others blog over the reason for the season, the religious implications and all that. 

For me, this was about family.  It was about independence.

It was about transition.

And it was about affirmation that I really can take care of myself.

Best Easter…ever.

Hope your’s was as special.

LSU

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