Going on a Egg Hunt

The week leading up to Easter is always a busy one, here in the Barefoot Hippie household. The Annual Easter Egg Hunt is on Saturday, and I have my own hunting to do to get prepared.

this doesn't really capture the amount of jelly beans we are using. the bowl holds at least 2 gallons.

We started out small, 9 years ago, with our local nieces and nephews. At the very first Easter Egg Hunt there were four cute hunters. With little sand buckets. Picking up plastic eggs in the side yard of our apartment. We had a 3 year old, an almost 2 year old, and 2 at 18 months...

still empty

This year, that batch is approaching the age when Easter Egg Hunts will be considered passé, and so "last year." But, we have plenty of newbies filling in the ranks. Now the ages run from 12 to less than 12 months, for a total of 24 kiddos, the youngest of whom will still be sitting this year out.

At a baker's dozen plastic eggs per kid, I clocked out at 300 eggs this year. Filled with 20 pounds of jelly beans, and almost 2 pounds of robin's eggs. The lucky offspring should each go home with about a pound of candy.

the egg fillers...and official jelly bean tasters

Which they will then beg to eat for successive days, until there mom has enough (!) and throws the rest of the candy in the garbage. Oh wait, that's what I do.

just because I didn't want you going in to sugar shock

I use a mix of brachs regular jelly beans, plus a few pounds of starburst flavored jelly beans. After forgetting on multiple years which color of eggs I out the special beans in, this year I decided to mix them all. Then, I can raid each (of my kids') egg for the special flavors and no one will be the wiser.

We wait until everyone arrives and then we set the kids on finding the eggs. It usually doesn't take but a few minutes, whereupon they spend a while downing as many jelly beans as they can before their moms put a stop to it.

and, what's a post without a new pic of Meres?

Then the kids play and the parents talk. It is the highlight of our spring. We hibernate over the winter, and this is our first big hurrah. We get to catch up on news and views, and it is loud and fun.

2012

Being a holiday, and a gathering, there is a lot of food. I make the traditional offerings I grew up with, saving our own Barefoot Hippie new traditions for Easter itself (lamb, couscous, asparagus). I bake a ham and baked beans, and whip up my mom's recipes of potato salad and marshmallow jello. I've shared the jello recipe before. It works for every holiday, but is really pretty at Easter with the pastel marshmallows and green filling.

2013-Freckles is still wearing the same shirt. I think it has been washed...They have all grown!!!

But, the potato salad...this speaks spring to me. As much as longer days and smiling daffodils. All winter we have had mashed potatoes and baked potatoes. Now it is time to haul out the potato salad.

I have modified my mom's recipe. See, she has a thing for miracle whip, which is just an abomination. Except in her potato salad. I make mine with mayo. Pure and simple. It does change the taste a bit.

Oh, and mom never measures. At least, not for potato salad. I really don't measure for potato salad either. But these are my best guesses, and I think you will like it. Mom's potato salad does not contain mustard, and it does have white vinegar. Between the miracle whip and the vinegar it has a nice tang.

Btw, on my blog, I refer to my mom as the original hippie. She did all the things that I do (where do you think I learned them?), plus she had long, flowy, hippie hair.

The Original Hippie's Potato Salad-Modified
12 large potatoes
8 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped
1-1/2 c celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped (you can use white or red, or a combination)
1 c mayo (or miracle whip-if you must...)
1/3 c white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 t celery salt
1/2 t onion powder
1t dill weed

Scrub and boil whole potatoes until they just fall off a fork when pricked-depending on size 30-40 minutes. Let cool. Peel, and cut into 1/2" cubes.

Hard boil eggs- boil for one minute, turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 11 minutes. Pour off boiling water, cool with cold. Peel all, and chop 6.

Layer 1/3 of the potato, chopped egg, celery and onion. Repeat layers twice.

Add mayo, vinegar, and seasonings. Mix well, until all is coated evenly. If necessary, add more mayo. Slice the remaining eggs and arrange artfully on top. Cover and refrigerate. For best flavor, let chill overnight.

What is on your Easter menu this year?