Wednesday's "What We Ate March 25-31, 2013"

For as long as I can remember, for every Thanksgiving, Easter & other special holiday, we used these deep crimson dishes for our meals. Christmas was only excluded because my mom had special Christmas dishes, complete with Christmas trees, stars, & the like. I was always so excited to use these dishes on holidays because they just seemed so fancy to me. It made me feel very grown up to be sipping my cataba juice out of a little wine goblet & using an actual butter dish instead of a tupperware container.

These dishes have always been destined to be mine. Each year, my mom would plant the idea deeper into my head. She knows that I'm not a very sentimental person & that I don't really like having things I only use once or twice a year, so I think she just wanted to get that thought good & seeded before they became mine.

That time came around last year when my mom was moving. She carefully wrapped each dish & scribbled my name on the box in huge letters so that the box wouldn't accidentally get donated to Goodwill. I joked about doing that myself, mostly to get a reaction, but partly because I just didn't see us using them.

Don't get me wrong, I think these dishes are kind of cool & they do have special memories, it's just that my line of thinking was that maybe those memories are best left as they were. I didn't know if they would fit into our world, or if I even wanted them to. Plus who wants to store another complete set of dishes (we're talking salt & pepper shakers, candle holders, olive & pickle trays... the whole nine yards).

But we finally gave them a whirl. I didn't even decide to use these dishes until I started setting the table for dinner on Easter. Our plain white IKEA dishes just didn't seem right, nor did our eclectic mix of mis-matched plates (my favorite 60's inspired floral garage sale finds). The only other fitting option were these inherited dishes. The beloved "red dishes."

We used them & completely enjoyed the few moments of fanciness. Then we cleaned them off & shoved them back into their rightful cupboard to await the next fancy holiday. I think they would be the perfect way to celebrate from here on out. Can you believe I'm saying that mom?

And for our meal, we decided to do a total non-traditional Easter meal. John & I really get a kick out of eating what we want for holidays (not what you're "supposed" to eat). We weren't excited about ham or scalloped potatoes this year, so we grilled & made curry & it was scrumptious.

What did you & your family eat for Easter this year? Do you like eating traditional meals on holidays?

 Easter kabobs- grilled chicken, red & green bell peppers, & yellow onions

Sunday's Easter dinner: butternut squash curry with rice & naan & 

chicken, bell pepper & onion kabobs on the grill

What We Ate March 25-31, 2013
Monday: Tofu stir fry with white & brown rice
Tuesday: Chicken enchilada pasta with fresh fruit & tortilla chips
Wednesday: Portobello mushroom sandwiches with butter & almond tossed green beans
Thursday: New Taste of India (we had family in town for the weekend so we ate out a lot)
Friday: Papa Murphy's gourmet vegetarian pizza with salad (spring mix, cherry tomatoes, & cucumbers)
Saturday: Fayzes Restaurant & Bakery
Sunday: Butternut squash curry with rice & naan & chicken, bell pepper, & onion kabobs on the grill

I also made whole wheat crackers & whole wheat bread this week.