A Novel Creation www.WatersWords.com

We have certainly “turned the corner.” We can   begin   to meet   with others who are vaccinated . With warm weather providing a backdrop for outdoor gatherings, it’s time to get together with family and friends. It’s time to put our hospitality hats on and take our masks off to share a meal.     We may still observe a bit of social distancing, but we can still gather.    Eat. Talk. Laugh.   A couple of weeks ago I posted a  breakfast  menu to wow your guests, be kind to your wallet, and give you the time to enjoy your company. I’ve always been a fan of the simple life. If you missed the “breakfast pizza” post,  CLICK HERE .     The next week I offered an “easy-peasy” lunch menu. Both were intended to be simple and fun and appealing to the eye as well as the taste buds. To find the lunch menu post,  CLICK HERE .   That brings us to this week. For the dinner menu I considered a grilling out menu, a pasta dish or o...

  So What’s For Lunch?   Last week I proposed we are entering a time when we can start thinking about entertaining once again. It may be outside or we may able to share a meal in our dining room with a small group of family or friends who have been vaccinated.    Personally, I miss having people over for a meal. Any meal. I shared a popular, no fuss menu last week for breakfast. This week I am sharing an even easier to prep lunch menu. I don’t want to spend all my time in the kitchen. I want to spend time with my guests. Again, I’m including an  appetizer, main course, and dessert .    Lunch Appetizer:  Veggies   Choose the veggies you like. I chose carrots and celery drizzled with ranch dressing. I served them in individual small cups. I bought a bag of baby carrots and a bag of celery. Of course, you can purchase the celery already cut into small pieces, but cleaning and cutting it is no big deal.   Don’t like carrots and celery? How a...

I enjoy having people in my home for a meal, a visit, and perhaps a game. I know many who like to entertain, but feel it is simply too much work. I get it. As a young bride I found having people over to be overflowing with stress. That was before I learned the secret.    I wrote a story that appeared in two editions of  Chicken Soup for the Soul    called “The Secret to Being a Good Hostess.” The latest  is in the Magic of Moms. It featured wise words my mother once gave me.    “Treat your family like company and your company like family.”   As more of my family and friends are getting the COVID vaccine and the weather is warming where we can gather outside, I decided to share some of my favorite easy meals for entertaining. Each has an  appetizer, a main course, and a dessert . We’re starting with breakfast.   The focus is on simple, fun, relaxing, entertaining, and affordable. Ready?   Appetizer:  Our breakfast appe...

  What a difference a year makes.    This time last year, we were all getting our sea legs so to speak, as we navigated the uncertain waters of quarantine. My oldest daughter delivered my groceries and I washed every item before putting it away. I wore gloves and scoured each and every surface with disinfectant.    We hadn’t learned the language of COVID-19 yet nor the protocols. We were learning as we lived through it. We made masks out of anything and everything. I even tried the “sock” mask before breaking out the sewing machine and stitching masks for myself as well as my family.    We muddled through. Remember? Rumors about the whole thing ending when the weather warmed gave us hope. Then growing numbers of those infected and the many succumbing to the virus dashed those ideas.    I don’t need to relive it. We were there.    And now we are here.    Easter 2020, my youngest daughter hid eggs in my backyard for her own ...