The Family Girl Blogs (aka "The New Working Girl Blogs") Blog #42: Easter Backyard Picnic To see all of Bobbie's Family Girl Blogs, click on this link: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/28818/family-girl-blogs

I am a second-generation Italian-American (well, one-half of me is), and I am sure that those of you who have Italian roots and celebrate Easter in the traditional way, you'll know that the big deal thing is (aside from the morning High Mass) is lunch.   Lasagna, hard-boiled eggs and green salad with asparagus (or salads with tuna), and then roast beef and lamb and roast potatoes, and for dessert - sweet Easter bread and chocolate eggs, and then ending with an espresso or a nice cappucino.

But, of course, none of that for me this time as I'm not at home. Darn...

It's no big deal for MoeMoe coz Easter isn't really celebrated in Japan, except when they share chocolate or candy bunnies (anything involving bunnies are always popular in Japan).

Anyway, since Tintin and her sister were unable to go home to their folks (they are from a town in Palawan (that's somewhere in the southern part of the country, I think), we had decided to get together and have an impromptu backyard picnic at our house.   So, after high mass, Moe, Manny and I went and bought lasagna, bread, cheese, little chocolate eggs wrapped in foil, and a couple kilos of beef.

By eleven, we were home, and Moe did her magic with the veggies and made a nice asparagus-spinach-cabbage salad with sliced hard-boiled eggs and (unfortunately) store-bought vinaigrette.   She also boiled up a bunch more eggs and shelled them when they were done.

I sliced up the beef thinly and soaked them in ma's special marinade, but since it wouldn't have enough time to soak, I made a thicker version of the marinade that I can trowel on to the beef as it cooks on the grill (just so you know, it's a thick gunk made of A1 sauce with brown sugar, pineapple juice and salt-and-pepper).   I also brought out some hot dogs and sausages I found in the freezer which should cook quickly and tide us over while the beef cooks.

In the end, there were six of us that enjoyed lunch in our little back yard, and we listened to some mellow music from the radio as we enjoyed coffee - Tintin's boyfriend showed us how to make Irish coffee with cheap supermarket gin and evaporated milk.   Not to be outdone, I served cappucino using instant coffee and Milo.

Everyone was in warm weather clothes, but since Moe and I were cooking, she was in a tanktop and I was in a tube and shorts (otherwise we would have melted).   Tintin's boyfriend and his buddy couldn't stop their eyes from wandering, though, and got multiple shots in the shins - couldn't blame them, being surrounded by four girls in abbreviated summer outfits and all.   (Just exaggerating! They were actually perfect gentlemen.)

Anyway, at least we got to have a "proper" Easter lunch.   

It's about 11:30PM Sunday, almost midnight.   Moe's gone to bed, pooped, but I'm staying up til about one AM so I can make a skype call to ma and dad during Easter lunch.

From all of us here to all of you there, hope you have a happy and meaningful Easter!
  

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