Absense Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

My apologies, dear reader, for the lack of posting. Home Fries has been burning it at all ends and has felt too swamped to post. A travesty, I know.

But no more!

The folks at Farm Fresh Delivery have me snapping out of my blogger ennui. The service, available in the Midwestern hamlets of Indianapolis and Cincinnati, allows subscribers to bring the farmers market home through its delivery service of fresh fruits, vegetables and other dining delights. Home Fries particularly loves the vintage feel of having milk (yes, real honest-to-God milk straight from the farm) delivered on my front porch.

It nearly inspires me to tie one on (an apron that is) and call myself June Cleaver. Nearly.

Pomp and Circumstance

Bakerella has put us all to shame with her creativity...again.

Check out her smart little graduation cap pops...perfect for all those graduation parties coming up. So easy that even I can make them, these little pops would be great for a party or gift.

INSERT YOUR NAME, Come on Doooowwwwnnnn!

Well, going to the grocery store isn't quite as exciting as winning the Showcase Showdown on Price is Right.

But, it can be made slightly less painful (or even kinda fun), thanks to the shopping gurus over at The Grocery Game. For a few bucks a month, they take all of the work out of coupon shopping. With their List, they'll show you what to stock up on now, and what to wait on. They monitor retail trends and even let you know which newspaper to buy for certain deals.

All in all, it can save you some major cash at the grocery. If you choose to shop while wearing a bright yellow price tag name tag, far be it for me to judge. Come on down!

Spring Chickies

Home Fries will be the first admit, I'm not the tidiest baker. So I do really well on things that don't require precision or loads of patience. But, Bakerella won me over with these cute little spring chicken cake pops. What's a cake pop, you ask? It's a cake that's been baked, cooled, rolled up into a little ball with icing and then covered up with candy melts.

So last night, there I was making little chickies until about 10 p.m. I have to say, mine don't look nearly as neat and tidy as Bakerella's, but they do, in fact, resemble chickens. (well, mostly--there is one that looks like a blob. I prefer to think he is simply big boned.).

I'm hosting an Easter egg decorating party tonight (photos to come), so these chickies will make the perfect little favor for guests to take home....or eat right then.

Be sure to check out the Bakerella archives; she's got all sorts of good ideas, no matter the season.

Meals for Baby Mamas and Daddies

Like any good Midwesterner, I've been part of more pot-lucks, church suppers and pitch-ins than I can count. During times of change (i.e. baby's birth, surgery, etc) and as part of our Hoosier membership terms, we also make meals to drop off to families. This has generally required more time and effort in the arranging of meals than the actual cooking.

Finally, someone had the bright idea to make all of our lives simpler. Reader, MealBaby. MealBaby, Reader. You can create an account, send out an email and move on with your life.

Baby Shower Love

I love a good baby shower. Being an auntie, and not a mom, for me it means all of the fun of tiny clothes and no child to take home at the end of the night. This past weekend, Home Fries college roommate and bff Abbey was in town so we could shower her and her baby girl.

The shower was quite the hit, complete with a diaper cake....


and the diaper napkins....


and the So Sweet Candy Bar for guests to choose some sweets to take home...

Label Me Happy

Recently inspired on a trip to IKEA, I picked up some new shelving and spice jars--and created some extra space in my kitchen cabinets. By taking out those bulky spice jars and canisters of flour, sugar, etc, I've got a whole set of cabinets to fill. My handy little label maker (I've never met a label maker I didn't like) helped me organize the spices, and everything is looking nice and tidy (if I do say so myself).

See below for the fruits of my labor:

It's a Party

It seems like there is always a reason to party in the spring. Valentine's Day, St. Patty's, Mardi Gras, Easter--the list goes on and on.

Home Fries is currently eyeing the goods for sale at Plum Party for an possible Easter Egg dying get-together.

Check out these cute plates:
And these eggs would be so cute stacked together in an old hurricane vase.