This week is all about Cinco de Mayo and the big all day celebration we have for friends and family. The cottage will be a buzz with all the preparation for the big day. I will be going to my annual spiritual retreat this weekend and am really looking forward to that time of renewal. Meal planning gives me the opportunity to have all my shopping and some meal prep completed before my travel date giving me an opportunity to be more relaxed for the trip.I just love my meal planning, it always gives me more time and money.

I am so happy to see you today on this beautiful spring day in the country. I hope that you enjoy looking at the lovely spring flowers on your way out today, they are really showing off their colors. Spring is new and fresh and brings wonderful new recipes and fresh goodness to our tables. I always look forward to your wonderful creations that you share with us each week. Lets get the party started the tables will fill up fast!

We were having a Mexican Food theme for one of our covered dish suppers recently and wanted to take something different. I thought why not have a Mexican Skillet Pie. I have a large collection of Iron Skillets and everyone is always excited to see the surprise that I have in the skillet. It was so much fun developing this recipe, it is so easy and delicious. This recipe is very flavorful and I am so happy to share it with you today.

We love Tex Mex flavors here at the cottage and our Grilled Chicken Fajita Roll Ups recipe is filled with that south of the border flavor. As soon as grilling season is here we head to the outdoor kitchen with a tray full of these roll ups. This recipe is very easy to put together and full of Tex Mex flavors and will serve a nice family dinner or a fun grilling party for friends.

I picked early peas from the garden yesterday so we will be having those on our meal plan this week. I just love the fresh smell of the peas when they are being picked and I always have to try a couple right there in the garden and these are delicious. I took a spring inventory of the pantry this week, just checking the items that we used during the winter months and making a list for the pantry items we will be needing for the spring and summer months. Taking periodic inventories of the pantry and freezer helps with making our meal plans every week.

Hope you all had a wonderful Pass Over and Easter season. We are enjoying such beautiful weather this week and some great left overs. I thought we would meet on the patio by the upstairs garden today. I am about ready to pick the early pea's in the garden, they look beautiful. It is so good to see you at the party this week and can hardly wait to see what you are sharing today. Be sure and look at the delicious recipes that are featured this week.

When we have beef short ribs it is a real treat on our table. I have used several different recipes through the years, but the Apple Braised Beef Short Ribs recipe is definitely  our favorite. These ribs are cooked slow and easy with a mix of flavorful vegetables and a kick of apple. The spice mix for this recipe is simple yet leaves these ribs something to remember and ask for again and again. We are serving the ribs on a creamy polenta and drizzled the gravy on top. This is a wonderful meal.

When we bake a Country Ham we always have some left over. Through the years we have developed several recipes for the left over ham and Creamy Ham and Pea Soup is one of our favorites. This is a very creamy soup with a very fresh flavor topped with a hint of cheese. It only takes a few minutes to put this soup together and can be on the table in no time. We just love this soup anytime, but is really good on a cold rainy day.

The cottage is all a buzz preparing last minute details for our Easter weekend. We are very excited to have some family here for the holiday and are looking forward to some great food and visiting time. Advance meal planning makes it possible for us to do just that, we have serve great food to our family and yet have time to enjoy being with them.

I am so glad to see you today at Full Plate Thursday. We have a very busy cottage this week as we prepare for Easter. We have been cooking all week to get some very special dishes prepared for our feast. We have been looking forward to Thursday because you always bring some delicious recipes for us to enjoy. As we come into our time with you today we wish you and folks all over our world a season of renewal and peace.

We really enjoy a weekend brunch and often invite friends to share a meal and just relax. This Crock Pot Brunch Frittata is a perfect dish for a weekend gathering. The recipe has a fresh combination of peas, asparagus, onions and ham, all those wonderful flavors in one dish. I just add some fresh basil from the herb garden and this dish is ready to cook and serve. If you are making this for two, just cut the left overs in individual servings, pop in a freezer bag and freeze for a quick breakfast later.

I can remember when my Mother would ask my Dad what kind of pie do you want me to bake, he would most of the time say Coconut Pie. The pie was clearly one of his favorites. When I make this pie for my family I always remember my Dad and how he loved this pie. The love for this recipe has certainly stood the test of time because we still love this pie. I enjoy making this for my husband and often times can't get it to the refrigerator before it is sliced, as was the case for this pie, you will see what I am talking about. Hope your family will enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

The weather will be awesome this weekend so we are going to be grilling out, and that will sure be a part of the meal plan this week. This time of the year I always look at the extended weather to make my meal plan, so we can cook outdoors whenever the weather is good. I am going to be using some of my frozen fruit from last year to make room for the new fruit that will be coming on soon. Meal Planning helps me keep my food products current and that means less waste because of expired products. Lets head to the kitchen and get the plan started!

Spring is really here, the storms have been everywhere and our hearts go out to all those who were in the path of the spring storms. Today the sun is shinning and we are going to enjoy a great time with all of you and the wonderful spring recipes that you are sharing with us today. We have some awesome recipes featured from some of the greatest cooks on the planet so be sure and check them out. We are excited that you are with us today so lets get the party started!

Sometimes we have a big crowd for Easter Sunday Dinner. It is a great time for us to get together with close friends and family. We like to have a variety of foods that our folks will really enjoy. Some of these recipes have been passed down from generation to generation and are traditional at our dinner. These are some of the favorites that we may be serving our guest for a Easter Sunday Dinner.

What is in season now and how can I use it? That is the question that started our Food and Recipe Basket. This month we are looking at some wonderful April fruits and vegetables that are in some of our gardens and also in the markets. I love looking forward to all the fresh fruits and vegetables that we will be having in the spring and summer months.

Happy April, spring is really here! We have had spring storms all around us but we have been so fortunate to come through without damage to our tiny cottage. Our meal planning this week is out of the freezer, making sure to use some products up before I take my spring inventory in a week or so.Who knows I may not have to go to the market at all this week. Just think of the money and time we save when we plan our meals.