Spring has Sprung, and Im cooking up a storm!

A little pin on Pinterest caught my eye yesterday.  Flavored lemonade...mmmmmhhhmmm! Just in time for some unseasonably warm weather in Southern Maine!  Tonight we had some dear friends over and in addition to supper I made some Strawberry Basil Lemonade.  It was so delicious.  Refreshing and new...the basil just made it exciting.  This is super easy to make and I can't wait to try the Grapefruit Lemonade and the Cucumber Mint Limeade!  To help dress up the pitcher, I tore of a length of muslin and stamped the name on it with a set of tiny stamps I picked up at Walmart the other day for 97 cents.  I think it turned out so cute!

Strawberry Basil Lemonade
1 Can of frozen lemonade
1 or 2 Cups of Strawberries, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
3 or 4 large Basil leaves, torn

Mix frozen lemonade per instructions on can, add remaining ingredients.  The flavors are stronger the longer they sit. 

 To keep dinner light, we had a nice green salad and of course, my go-to dressing, Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette.  I like to add a little fresh ground pepper to this recipe and sometimes I'll omit the honey, depending on how fierce my mustard is :) Trader Joe's mustard, is pretty fierce!

 I also made BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, they were so delicious and the sauce was homemade and wonderful, a hint of spice, a hint of sweet, nice little zip to it.  I made sourdough rolls, they turned out delicious.

Lastly, I rounded dinner with twice baked potatoes.  These are one of my comfort foods.  Its a staple that goes great with lots of meals, and is also a hit at potlucks.


 








Twice Baked Potatoes

8 large Russet Potatoes, washed, and pierced
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2-3/4 Cups of Plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cup of milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bake the potatoes until done, about 90 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  When they are done, scoop them out into a mixing bowl, I use my kitchen aid.  Careful, they are hot!! Add the seasonings, yogurt and milk and blend until smooth, I'll use more milk if the texture seems dry.  Add the cheese, mix well.  Scoop into an oven safe bowl and put them back in the oven for about 20 minutes until nice and hot.  Great the next day too!




The weather has been amazing lately and our family has been enjoying it so much!  We've been packing our days with family activities since we know that our days with daddy being home with us all day are numbered...down to 5 to be exact....the boys aren't going to be pleased when they wake up Monday and daddy has gone back to work!  We've had such fun this week visiting the beach, going for walks, hitting the playground, raking and doing yard clean up, thinking about what plants we want for the gardens...just enjoying each other as a family.  The boys are growing so fast and changing so rapidly that it's nice to have time to just enjoy them.