daffodils

Spring just isn't Spring without daffodils.

When I see daffodils in our local nurseries, then I know it's Spring. 

Their bright and vibrant hue is like sunshine . . . and their trumpet-like centers look as though they're singing, "It's Spring! It's Spring!"

I'm sure you would agree that daffodils (like most flowers) are the most beautiful when seen growing wild in fields.

I think that's why I love seeing daffodils growing in pots or buckets. They tend to look more natural with their uneven heights and tall green blades.

Daffodils are also quite beautiful clustered in bunches. My favorite way to display them is in bud vases and tea cups.

We've been enjoying fresh cut daffodils . . . yellow and WHITE ones . . . since they made their debut a few weeks ago.  One of my favorite photos is the one of the daffodils and the hand-blown brown eggs that my sister gave to me (above). Simple and natural. 

I hope daffodils find their way into your home this Spring.  

cake by i am baker

cake by i am baker

cake by i am baker

white daffodils

What's your favorite way to display daffodils?

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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Liebster blog award

Before crawling into bed late one night a few weeks ago, I thought I would take a look to see if any new comments had posted.  I read one from sweet Cathy at Three Kids & a Fish. She had nominated me for a Liebster award. It was such a lovely surprise. Thank you so much, Cathy.

"Liebster" (which is German for "dearest") is a nomination-based award granted to up-and-coming bloggers. It’s a lovely show of support and camaraderie from fellow bloggers. This recognition is truly heartwarming.

As a result of my nomination, I get to answer some questions that Cathy posed, and in turn pick 11 more bloggers for the Liebster & and give them the opportunity to share. 

eleven random facts about me

I have FOUR uhhhhmazing kids that I love to pieces.

Prior to being a full-time stay-at-home mom, I was a Bereavement Counselor & Coordinator

in a hospital and Hospice. It was my favorite job (outside the home) ever.

I learned so many life lessons working in the field of death and dying.

I made the vertical hike to the TOP of Waynu Picchu in South America.

I believe in the power of prayer.

I'm a member of The Cloud Appreciation Society.

I don’t wait for special occasions to eat and drink from pretty dishes. 

I use them all time, especially when I have a quiet moment to myself.

I’ll have a cup of tea from the china that my mom passed down to me.

Morning is my favorite time of day.

To me, mornings signify a new beginning . . . and I love what that means.

My husband and I got married early in the morning.

I told him that I wanted to see the sun rise over the hills, and we did.

I LOVE chocolate . . . and have a small piece (sometimes more) almost every day.

But because I'm a chocolate snob, I don't eat just any ol’ chocolate.

It has to be Belgian or Swiss. My favorite is Swiss dark chocolate.

I've ridden in a hot air balloon (quite amazing!) and the GoodYear blimp (also quite amazing)!

I've dreamed of opening a Bed-and-Breakfast since I was 18 years old.

I LOVE flowers . . . and buy FRESH cut flowers every week. 
It’s something that I've done since I was in my 20s.

My two favorite quotes . . . 

“Be still and know that I am God”

“The value of persistent prayer is not that God will hear you, but that we will finally hear God.”

eleven questions that I have been asked

Why did I start blogging

Please read the About Me section on my blog. It’s all right there.

What is your favorite vacation spot

My husband and I are excited to take our kids to Yosemite when they're old enough to climb rocks and hike. It is gorgeous there! Oh wait, there and Hershey, Pennsylvania. They would love it!

What is your favorite hobby

Hmmmm . . . I love baking, cooking, photography, and blogging.

What is your favorite post from your own blog

My favorite post is the tea party I had for my little girls. Although this tea party is a close 2^nd!

What is one thing you enjoy most about your family

The love and happiness that I feel when we’re all together. There’s really nothing like it. I am so grateful and blessed to have such a wonderful family. 

If you could stay the same age forever what would it be

I felt the most balanced and healthy (both mentally and physically) in my late twenties, after I had finished school and was established in a career.

What is your favorite holiday

Oh gosh, this is a hard question to answer . . .

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite right now. I've had the privilege of making a formal, traditional Thanksgiving dinner for my family the last two years.  Because I love to cook (and bake), entertain, and be with my family . . . I find this holiday absolutely wonderful.

If you could live anywhere outside of the US where would you live

Italy! Amazing food and beautiful country!

Do you collect anything

White stoneware and napkins

What is the most memorable gift you have ever received

My dad’s wedding band. It was hand-made and just beautiful. My mom gave it to me when he passed away. I had it re-sized  . . . and think of him every time I wear it.

What is one word your friends and family use to describe you

One word . . . I don’t know. I hope they would describe me as loving, caring, and happy, positive, and spiritual,.

I meet many bloggers through the comments they leave at the end of my posts. I try to respond to everyone, and by doing so I find new blogs and meet new, kind people. I have nominated a few of them today.

a few blogs that I have chosen

Sylvia's Simple Life
A Breath of Fresh Air
Normal Everyday Life
Tante Malis Gartenblog
Make Mine Lemon
The Style Sisters
Dwellings ~ The Heart of Your Home
Have a Daily Cup of Jann Olson

eleven few questions for you . . . 

Why did you start your blog?

What is your favorite movie?

Where was your last, best vacation?

What is the most memorable gift you have ever received?

What is the most delicious food you have ever eaten?

What is your favorite quote and by whom?

If you could meet anyone dead or alive, who would it be?

Do you collect anything?

What is your favorite post that you've written? (Please provide link!)

What is your favorite activity?

Cook or bake?

the rules

post 11 random facts about yourself

answer the questions your nominator asked

create 11 new questions for 5 to 11 nominees who have less than 1000 followers

link your nominees to your post and tell them

no tag backs

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

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smashed roasted potatoes & a simple lemon mustard vinaigrette salad

Tis the season for 'anytime' egg dishes . . . like this one . . . and this one . . . except that these Dutch Yellow baby potatoes are the feature of this post!

These darling baby potatoes are just a little bigger than a quarter! Perfect, I think, for making smashed roasted potatoes! 

They're cream-colored when raw, and then turn a warm yellow after roasting in the oven. They're quite delicious roasted with salt & pepper, chopped garlic, and olive oil!  

I love easy-to-prepare meals . . . and delicious ones too! And this is one of them.

Making smashed roasted potatoes can seem daunting with 1+ hours of cooking time, but if you split the boiling and roasting time to separate times of day, then it will feel quicker.

I boil the potatoes in the morning while I'm doing chores, and then I place them on a towel to dry and cool. It isn't until about forty minutes before dinner that I prepare them for roasting; and then while they're roasting in the oven, I make a simple lemon mustard vinaigrette for the bed of arugula that I rest the smashed roasted potatoes on.  The vinaigrette is a wonderful compliment to the potatoes too. And to wrap up the meal, I add an egg. My husband and I enjoy our eggs over-easy in this dish.  

I've also served smashed roasted potatoes with chicken and fish. They're even great all by themselves! And in the Summer, add sliced heirloom tomatoes for an extra special treat. Enjoy!

smashed roasted potatoes
Ingredients

12- 15 small yellow or red potatoes

salt & pepper

garlic, finely chopped

extra-virgin olive oil

Boil the potatoes

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan (preferably in one layer) and cover with at least an inch of water. Add 2 teaspoons salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook the potatoes until they are completely tender and can be easily pierced with a metal or wood skewer. Make sure they are cooked through but don’t overcook. The total cooking time will be 30 to 35 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, set up a double layer of clean dishtowels on your counter-top. As the potatoes finish cooking, remove them individually from the water, and let them drain and sit for just a minute or two on the dishtowels.

Flatten and cool the potatoes

Gently press down on one potato at a time with a meat or potato masher to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Repeat with all the potatoes. Don’t worry if some break apart a bit . . . you can still use them.
You can also smash the potatoes with the palm of your hand, or with the flat bottom of a glass, but I prefer a masher because it leaves a textured top that's perfect for the salt. pepper, garlic and olive oil to nestle into.

Smashed roasted potatoes 

Transfer the flattened potatoes carefully to the baking sheet and let them cool at room temperature.

Roast the potatoes

Remove the pan of potatoes from the refrigerator, if prepared ahead. Heat the oven to 400°F. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt, pepper and chopped garlic; and then drizzle with olive oil.

Lift the potatoes gently to make sure some of the oil goes underneath them and that they are well coated on both sides. Roast the potatoes until they’re crispy and deep brown around the edges, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.

Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette 

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. 

Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified.

~ OR ~

Combine the lemon juice, mustard and salt in a bowl; 

and drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously.

Taste and adjust the salt, and add more lemon juice or olive oil to achieve a pleasing balance of acidity.

Toss with arugula . . .  and enjoy!

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

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a Dora the Explorer cake for our Lauren Jane!

Our daughters shared their birthday at Powell's Sweet Shoppe. You can read more about it here and here.

  

When I asked our youngest daughter, Lauren, what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday I wasn't surprised when she excitedly told me "Dora! Dora!" 

And so began my hunt for Dora cake toppers. I found a Dora, Boots, and Swiper figure from an online shop. Luckily, Dora's outfit was pink and orange . . . which went perfectly with the colors that the girls chose for their party.

Because I made a chocolate cake for Charley, I thought I would make Miette's Lemon Debutante cake for Lauren . . . layers of a tender white cake infused with tart lemon syrup, filled with lemon curd, and frosted with silky & light Swiss Meringue Lemon Buttercream. It's my favorite lemon cake recipe, and always a hit with guests.

I dressed Lauren's Lemon Cake with pink flowers and candies similar to the ones seen on Charley's cake, so that even though there were two different themed cakes - there were a few commonalities, bringing the party together. I dressed the bottom of her cake with pink gumballs, and carefully placed pink & orange sixlets here and there.

The kids told me that I had to have grass, so I used green rock candy . . . and dressed each tier with 'grass.' I offset the top tier so that I could set Dora's dear friend Boots nearby.

And did you see Swiper peeking around the corner of the bottom tier? He's a sneaky little guy, who's always up to a mischief.

Our little Lauren LOVED her cake! And we did, too.

Lauren, our petite sprite.

A little love who adores her siblings, and spends most of her days keeping up with them.

She brings so many smiles . . . and much happiness to our lives.

With hugs that feel like sunshine, I feel so blessed every day to have another little girl.

Happy Birthday, Lauren!

I love you.

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

on Facebook

 

a pink candy cake!

We celebrated our daughters' birthdays at Powell's Sweet Shoppe, so it made sense that Charley (our oldest daughter) asked for a candy themed cake.

 

Charley requested chocolate cake (that's my girl!) . . . and pretty pink candies.

So I made a two-tier chocolate cake, and then frosted it with my favorite cream cheese frosting.

I visited Powell's Sweet Shoppe just before Valentine's Day and was able to find an abundance of pretty pink candies to decorate the cake . . . pink & white swirl marshmallows, pink & white peppermint sticks, sixlets, lollipops, and gumballs.

Although I didn't know how I was going to decorate it, I knew that I wanted to make it over-the-top . . . and that it was! I think this was the most fun I've ever had decorating a cake . . . and best of all, Charley loved it!

This beautiful little girl melts my heart.
She is so loving and caring . . . and has a heart of gold.

I am an incredibly blessed Mommy.  

Happy birthday, sweet girl!

I love you.

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home 

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