Last week, we celebrated our daughter’s birthday with her at her home with a nice visit, a PB/chocolate pie (Yum!!!) & gift-opening. It’s always a bittersweet moment when the realization of your children no longer living under your roof and yet seeing them so happy making a beautiful home of their own. Such a joy to see her so happy in her own life with a man she loves along with their pets. We love to see all of the decorating and home improvements she does and hear about all of their adventures.

After a nice end to the week, my knee started to hurt, badly. On early Saturday morning, our car stalled. I had to go rescue my hubby, luckily not far from home. And I felt the pain worsen, A LOT. A couple of hours later, I was off to the hospital. I had a torn miniscus!! Gah!! So here I am, in my brace, and unable to continue my list of Spring cleaning 🧽🧹🚜and To-Do’s as well as continue helping with our renovations around the gardens/yard, kitchen and smaller projects. The option right now? Surgery. I’m hoping for another option.

Here I am a few days later and feeling a bit better, but unable to do what I was doing. I am still dealing with other health issues as well at the same time, so hence that roller coaster feeling. All of this was a reminder to step back and reassess and take my time. 🛌

This is one of my favorite times of the year and Easter is my very favorite holiday, so that is boosting my spirits and keeping me hopeful for brighter days ahead. I’ve already planned out my Easter Menu and begun shopping for ingredients and planning out the scavenger hunt. I’ll be making some homemade chocolate eggs and baking very soon as well. My children are adults now, but I still like to have fun!! I become a kid again during Easter time!! 🥚🌈

Yesterday I decided to make for dinner a different type of shepherd’s pie. I had some help from my awesome son while the hubby worked on some projects outdoors and inside the cottage as well. The recipe is below. I’ll be getting plenty of rest for the Easter preparations and the week of, I’ll pace myself. It’ll be so nice to host my mother and stepfather, daughter and her boyfriend as well as us three at home again! I’m really looking forward to it!! What are your plans this Easter? Do you celebrate? Enjoy your week and hope you all stay healthy and well.

Another Shepherd’s Pie:

Ingredients:

1 small red onion

1/2 bag Gardein beefless ground

2 cans organic black beans, rinsed and drained

ghee

1/2 bag frozen chopped spinach

1 small bag of frozen peas

1/2 cup gluten free flour

1 stick grass fed butter

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 box organic vegetable broth

1/2 tsp garlic powder

14 small- medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut in medium chunks

1 stick grass fed butter

1 cup Better Half, unsweetened

1 cup unsweetened creamer

1 Tbsp seasoned salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 Tbsp dried parsely

2 tsps dried dill

ghee for topping

nutritional yeast, to taste, to spread on top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Peel and chop potatoes. Place in large stockpot with water filled to above potatoes. sprinkle some salt in water. When it begins to boil, set timer for 12 minutes.
3. While potatoes are getting cooked, in a small saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter. When it’s melted, take off heat and stir in flour, 1/2 tsp pepper & 1 tsp salt. Set aside off the heat. This will be thick.
4. In a large saute pan, cook the spinach and peas in water for about 5 minutes, after it begins to boil.
5. While waiting for the vegetables to boil and cook, rinse and drain the beans. Pour in a medium saucepan with water to top of beans and cook, bringing to a boil and boiling for 5 minutes. After beans are done set aside, leaving in hot water.
6. When vegetables are done, drain and set aside. Chop your onion. Place ghee in that same saute pan and when it’s melted, place onion in and saute until the onion softens and caramelizes, for about 6 minutes or so. don’t burn the onions. Add the beefless ground until it softens and cooks for a few minutes. Add the spinach and peas back into the saute pan.
7. Drain beans. Add the beans into vegetable and beefless ground mix. Cook all for a few minutes.
8. While you’re cooking the vegetables mix for a few minutes, place the flour and butter mix from small saucepan back onto heat and pour in a little at a time up to about a few tablespoons, until it smoothes out. Take off heat & set aside again.
9. Put the flour/butter mix into saucepan. Add in vegetable broth a little at a time until all of the broth is in, stirring with each addition. Cook together until creamer, not too soupy, but not cooked all the way out. Set aside.
10. Drain potatoes. Pour back into large stockpot and mash on hot burner that it was just on but with heat off. Put in another stick of grass fed butter, while mashing in. Add the better half and creamer. Mash in with it. Add the seasoned salt, pepper parsely, and dill. Mash in and stir. it should be creamy and ready. Set aside.
11. Butter a large 15″ x 10″glass baking dish. Pour in the vegetables & protein mixture. Pour the potatoes on top and spread around with rubber spatula. Place ghee on top and spread on top. Sprinkle some nutritional yeast on top along with more salt and pepper all to taste.
12. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until browned and slightly crispy on top.

Such a delicious and comforting meal. 🤤