Easter Sunday

I thought I’d share with you how we spent Easter Sunday.

It started early with war games.  That’s what I’m calling the Easter Egg hunt. But if this game isn’t available, sites like 먹튀검증업체 might have some suggestions.

Prior to Easter Sunday I made the mistake of thinking everyone was too old for an Easter Egg hunt and when I dared to vocalise this I was severely admonished.  So late Saturday it was off to the shops to try and find some Easter eggs and as it was the 11th hour, most shops had all but sold out and I  ended up having to race around five different stores to source enough eggs for a hunt.  Sure, there wasn’t a great variety but there were enough to scatter across the lawn.

No time to pull up his pants

No time to pull up his pants

It was Archie who turned the hunt into war games.  He threw himself across and all over the lawn trying to find more than his nine-year old brother who was struggling to keep up.  All the while Archie was yelling out, ‘Victory is mine; like every year before this one, I’ll be the 2014 Easter Egg Hunt Champion.  And this is a capitalist hunt; I won’t be sharing the spoils’.  He was killing himself laughing while poor Alfie was madly trying to find more than his older and more experienced brother.  I don’t know why it couldn’t have been more civilised.  Anyway, although Archie ended up with twice as many eggs, you’ll be pleased to know they were shared equally, even with Arabella who, having experienced this event of war games many times before, preferred to stay in bed.

No stone left unturned

No stone left unturned

After all that activity we sat down to homemade hot cross buns that were the very worst I have ever made.  I don’t know where I went wrong but I think when the recipe says, ‘rest in a warm place’ and you have nothing but a draught ripping through the house, that could be a factor.  We ate them anyway.

Hot cross buns

Hot cross buns

Then it was off to my parent’s home for lunch with my sister Milly and her daughter.  Yes, the numbers were down this year with three other sisters either overseas or on holidays but we still had a very enjoyable time and Sydney turned on a stunning day that was so warm and sunny we were able to bar-be-cue and eat outside – long may it last!

A beautiful Autumn day in Sydney

The Easter Sunday setting

My father was in charge of the bar-be-cue and he cooked eye fillet of beef and chicken sausages.

Eye fillet of beef with salsa verde

Eye fillet of beef with salsa verde

Milly brought a salad and I’ll later blog this recipe because it was a fantastic salad with rocket, feta, toasted walnuts, pomegranate seeds and a dressing made with pomegranate molasses.  And Millie said it was all so easy it only took her a few minutes to throw together – definitely blog-worthy material!

Hand action

Hand action

Rocket and Toasted Walnut Salad with Pomegranates

Rocket and Toasted Walnut Salad with Pomegranates

Somehow Milly didn’t get the memo that I was bringing dessert so she also brought a low-fat ricotta cheesecake with chocolate and glace fruits.  This cheesecake doesn’t have a crust and it’s very light and refreshing and I’ll later share this recipe as well because after Christmas, a lot of us have leftover glace fruits and wonder what to do with them.  There’s no better time to use them than with the next big family Christian get-together and that’s Easter.

Crustless ricotta cheesecake with glace fruits and chocolate

Crustless ricotta cheesecake with glace fruits and chocolate

I made a gluten-free and dairy-free almond, coconut and raspberry cake.  I found the recipe a couple of years ago on Hannah’s lovely blog, Wayfaring Chocolate.  Hannah told me it’s her most viewed and most popular and most commented upon recipe on her blog.  I’ve blogged about it before and it has become a cake that I churn out frequently at family events.  It’s dairy-free if you use a butter substitute like nuttelex but I make mine with butter.  You’re not able to see the raspberries because I heavily dusted the cake in icing sugar to hide the fact that the top of it was beyond golden.  It didn’t matter though; we served it with a side of clotted cream and fresh berries and the taste was sensational anyway.

Ready to go in the oven

Ready to go in the oven

Slightly over-cooked but I've hidden the evidence!

Slightly over-cooked but I’ve hidden the evidence!

After our big lunch we rolled out the door and headed to church.

Easter Sunday was full of fun, relaxation and family times and I hope yours was too.

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Comments

  1. You crack me up. You tell us about the things that go wrong and then show us a beautiful cake that you SAY you’ve hidden the bad bits. Methinks you just want us to feel good. I loved the Easter egg hunt with the pants falling off and I think Arabella got it right. Your Easter sounds like a brilliant day and Milly is a really good cook too. Are all the sisters handy in the kitchen?

  2. A fabulous Easter, Charlie! Good food, good fellowship, good people! Bless you, friend and your family! xo

  3. I highly recommend colour coded egg hunt like we did – was quite civilised – though I am not sure that your boys would prefer it – sounds like they had fun

    your hot cross buns look great (fresh baked at home is always good even if not perfect) and I am looking forward to the recipes (and you might want to check the link for the raspberry cake – I had problems with it)

    • Color coded egg hunt is exactly what my extended family followed when we had an Easter egg hunt for all of the cousins. That worked splendidly with eggs for the older kids hid in more challenging spots than for the wee ones.

      But it sounds like the drama is part of the fun at Charlie’s house.

      What a wonderful Easter with family, food and faith celebrated.

  4. Sounds like a great day. The buns look good; did they not rise enough? Look forward to seeing your sister’s recipes sometime soon.

  5. Your two boys are just too funny – I couldn’t help but chuckle at your story of their “War games Easter egg hunt”!
    And (having the hooooge sweet toothe I have) I couldn’t help but drool bucket loads at that “gluten-free and dairy-free almond, coconut and raspberry cake” and that “low-fat ricotta cheesecake with chocolate and glace fruits”!
    Glad yall had a wonderful Easter, Charlie!

  6. Yay!!! That’s fantastic you do a yearly egg hunt, big fan of cheesy family fun time traditions. 🙂 BBQ fillet, hot cross buns, rocket salad and cheesecake…. I want it all in my belly ASAP. Good to hear you had such a wonderful Easter. 🙂

  7. Those Easter egg hunts really can get spirited, can’t they? Sounds like Archie really enjoyed himself. 😉 And sounds like you all had a fun Easter. Those Hot Cross Buns look mighty good to me. Fun read — thanks.

  8. You know we always love what you put out. Who cares if it was beyond golden? You seem to have had an amazing Easter 🙂

  9. Sounds like a fabulous day! Arabella is the clever one, I think I’d stay in bed too! And what a beautiful spot your folks have. Food looks fabulous as always, even the HXBs! 🙂

  10. Looks like you had a fabulous holiday and I love the war games! What fun that has to be to watch. 🙂

  11. It sounds like a wonderful Easter celebration with family and good food.

  12. My hot cross buns were atrocious – heavy and stodgy – never again!

  13. It looks like you had a fantastic Easter Sunday Charlie, so glad it was good weather too. The Easter Egg wars also looked like great fun, I could really imagine Archie yelling and poor little Alfie just trying to keep up. I read on someone’s blog that they use specifically coloured easter eggs and that each child is only allowed to collect ‘their’ colour which makes a lot of sense.
    Your lunch looks fantastic, glad you had such a successful Easter Sunday .

  14. Yikes, Charlie. I have been traveling and just noticed today that I haven’t received a post from either you or Lorraine since April 7. I can’t imagine what happened. I’ll resubscribe now.

  15. Those hot cross buns look good, despite what you say!

  16. I love your family stories Charlie! You should be writing a book. Your Easter meal looked gorgeous, regardless of what you think. This year it was just my husband and I for Easter. This was the first time in the last 21 years we have not spent it with our son and the first time in the last 45 years I have not spent it with my mom. It was quite unsettling. We’re in our way back to family though, and I think that maybe next year, we may just have to institute your Easter egg war games. Sounds like fun! 🙂

  17. I can see the headlines now Charlie… “Suburban Egg Hunt turned Hunger Games”. One day Alfie will be bigger than Archie, then the real fun will begin 🙂
    It sounds like you had a lovely day indeed. We had a nice quiet one, with BigJ cooking roast lamb and littlej making an epic chocolate trifle- yummo! Xox

  18. What a fun Easter. Your hot cross buns look pretty good to me, even though you call them a failure.

  19. Easter Egg Hunts bring out the worst and the best in people, so glad he shared! Must check out Hannah’s blog for that lovely cake. I feel like Christmas was only yesterday!

  20. Your first caption just made me burst out laughing.

    Yay!! It delights my soul that the cake is such a recurring figure in your baking-life. Wheee!

    PS Don’t tell anyone, but I prefer making it with butter too.

    Happy Easter! xoxo

  21. Great family Easter gathering. Your father made the perfect eye fillet of beef, my mouth is watering looking at the platter. looking forward to your sister’s salad recipe.

  22. Certainly could not have been that bad if your hot cross buns were eaten anyway 😀
    Delicious looking ricotta cake as well, so much food and fun times!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  23. What a delicious day, Charlie!

  24. I remember Hannah’s cake. It looks divine. Perhaps I should give it a go because it sounds like it would tick a lot of boxes 😀

  25. Haha I just LOVE reading your captions!!! I can relate – I was last minute this year too, as we had house guests and thought everyone (including mine 6 and almost 8) were too old for egg hunt… I ended up with the same situation you were and struggled to find the eggs and materials to put in! Ah! Well, but you pulled off such a nice cake and even hot cross buns! 😉

  26. Well how is Alfie going to learn the ropes from his older brother unless the games are allowed to go on. Arabella is the one that needs the medal- she’s got it sorted. You had a lovely family day. i didn’t even see one of my family members all Easter.

  27. What a fantastic BBQ feast!! 🙂 It always makes me laugh to see brothers compete. I have three and they’ve been competing since they were old enough to walk. 🙂

  28. It sounds like that you had a fabulous tasty Easter with your lovely family! I love all the recipes & dishes in here! Yum yum Yummm! 🙂

  29. wow! what an amazing day! and the food looks so yummy!

  30. What a lovely family Easter day Charlie,
    🙂 Mandy xo

  31. Bill thought it was ridiculous that we still had an Easter egg hunt, so we stopped a couple years ago. I’m glad you still have one…especially for Alfie. Mine still get their fair share of candy, though. Sounds like you had a delightful and delicious day!!! xo

  32. I laughed at your war games Easter egg hunt. I remember well the horror my siblings and I expressed when my parents proposed stopping the Easter egg hunt. It is only in the last few years they have managed to lay it to rest, and my younger siblings are far into adulthood now! It sounds like a lovely day and you should credit yourself with making hot cross buns at all – I didn’t.

  33. Happy belated Easter! Your cake looks incredible!

  34. Perhaps after such a huge party for Archie he is still feeling he’s the man of the hour! LOL! Poor Alfie. He must be such a sweet little soul, finding his way with such accomplished and popular siblings. In truth, I am totally positive that his brother and sister think he’s wonderful. 🙂 Your Easter, and the wonderful meal served, sounds like it was a lovely family day. I am sure you must miss your sisters when you can’t all be together, Charlie, but you really do have a lovely family. I adore hearing about them! ox

  35. I had a feeling that Archie would share his spoils with Alfie, his words nothing more than taunts. I endured an older brother, too, though mine would have kept the eggs. How nice that you spent Easter with family and that the weather cooperated. I’m sure the hot cross buns were better than you’re letting on. Besides, you worst baked good is probably far better than my best. 🙂

  36. I’m outrageously behind on commenting so there’s no point wishing you happy Easter any more, but I hope you had a fun day! I saw some pictures from a friend of his kids doing an “easter egg hunt”, except it wasn’t really a hunt… there were about 200 eggs just thrown all over the ground, so you couldn’t take a step without treading immediately on an egg… seems like this whole obsession with instant gratification has even ruined Easter these days!

Trackbacks

  1. […] for the salad I promised quite a while ago.  This is the salad my sister, Millie, made for our Easter Sunday lunch.  She made it with feta cheese but I’ve made it with grilled haloumi – because I saw a […]

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