Homemade Coconut Cream Easter Eggs

Happy Easter Week to everyone!

We arrived at the Farm on Sunday April 5th....you already know that the TV wookalars were with us!!! That "little" project is well underway....updates later!

Paul and Katie welcomed us home with this sign on the Farm lane when we arrived ..........

No, it's not Happy Hour yet!

.....the kids often call us when they leave work around 4 PM, .....so we, of course, can't chat long, as we would be heading up to Social or "Happy Hour" most days. Do you think they were worried about us????? It's good to have kids with a great sense of humor!!! :)

It has been mostly cool....no.... COLD and rainy since we embarked on Springtime in Virginia.....just following the course of this colder -than -normal winter.....Gee, Summer, hurry and show up!!! I can't wait for 85 degrees!!

Bob and Paul started Farm "projects" last week and have already completed the fencing for Heaven's new pasture. There's going to be an addition to the family....yes, indeed, I'm going to be a "grand-something" to a little foal soon! Katie has tiny pink and blue halters ready for the occasion! We have been busy....as there's always something to do!

Last weekend took us up to Catonsville, MD to spend Easter weekend with Tiff and Scott. We love our visits with them and the time always flies......we all cooked Easter dinner together, with Ham, Sweet Potato Souffle, Butter Beans, Spoon Bread, Fruit Salad and homemade bread. Their friends, Adam and Shoshonna joined us for dinner with their sweet little girl, Sophia. It was a lovely Easter day, and Spring was trying to bloom in their pretty neighborhood. Everything is lush this year...rain, rain rain!!

Coconut Creme Cherry Pecan Easter Eggs

1 cup butter (2 sticks softened)
4 oz (1/2 block) cream cheese, room temp
1/2 tsp. vanilla and/or 1/2 tsp coconut flavoring
1/2 tsp. salt
2 lbs. confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz.) maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup coconut
Semi-sweet and milk chocolate morsels, melted, for dipping/coating eggs

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt. Mix well with electric mixer. Beat in the confectioners' sugar gradually. Stir in the chopped cherries, pecans and coconut. Add just enough cherry juice to moisten and hold the mixture together. Knead the mixture until well blended (I use a KitchenAid mixer with the heavy duty paddle). It should be easy to handle and shape, but not sticky. Use the palms of your hands to roll the mixture into egg shapes. (Spray hands with Pam to prevent sticking to fingers) Place the egg shapes on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for several hours. Melt the chocolate as desired, dip each egg in the melted chocolate to coat, then lay on a waxed paper lined tray and allow the chocolate to harden. Decorate as desired.

Years ago, I would make homemade Coconut Easter Eggs with cherries and pecans. They were always very rich and yummy......so I made them this year for the kids and Bob. The recipe is shared, just in case you feel the need to gain a few pounds in this good, old fashioned way!!! (They are addicting...so you are forewarned!) Remember, the four main Southern Food groups are Butter, Sugar, Chocolate and Cheese.......we got three out of four in these...life is good!!

Scott and Tiff
So, it has been wonderful to see the kids and their "fur kids" again, and to enjoy the lush green fields and farms...it's good to be back in ol' Virginia!