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Photos: Deviled Eggs courtesy of Food and Wine and Butter Cookies by Debra Turner On the left are classic deviled eggs topped with paprika (plus I added freshly ground nutmeg). On the right are my (baked this morning!) butter cookies.  We can taste vanilla, butter and a hint of pecans in every bite.  Into a recipe for butter cookies, I threw in a cup of ground, uncooked oatmeal and about 1/3 cup of pulverized pecans.  [Note: I reduce the butter to  ½   cup (1 stick) and the sugar to  ¾  cup.]  So tasty, there's no need for frosting.  A chocolate chip eye is the perfect finish.   We served the more perfect-shaped bunnies to guests.  From the same batch, I made some star-and-heart-cookies for an after Easter tea party.  Those I can decorate with a dusting of powdered sugar. You may also enjoy: The Health Benefits Of Tea Ted Baker Opens A New Fifth Avenue Store Are You A Downton Abbey Fan? Health Care Reform: A Doctor Weighs In...

Photo by Orbmiser/flickr Easter is a holiday of bright, lively colors  ... from dyed eggs ... to budding flowers ... from baby ducks ... to Easter dresses. Photo by Almaharri Easter is a time of renewal and new beginnings ... in nature and religious faith. Photo by Handful Of Quietness This little bunny reminds me of A Tale Of Peter Rabbit .  He is perfectly content resting in gentle hands unlike Peter Rabbit, who was chased after by mean, old Mr. McGregor after entering Mr. McGregor's garden and eating his "lettuces, green beans and radishes."  Had Peter not gotten away, Mr. McGregor would have hit him with a rake and served him up as a pot pie!   This little guy is in much safer hands. 1909 Wessler Easter postcard - on Ebay for $2.99 here Now that a new season is here, stop to notice the f l o w e r s ... enjoy the s p r i n g ... and a H a p p y E a s t e r Everyone! You may also enjoy: It's Easter Sunday Happy Easter This Sunday Papyrus Greeting Cards T...

Photo by EatMoreBalance.com Recently I stopped buying canned soups.  As I said in previous posts, either my tastes have changed, or canned soups have changed.  I used to like them; now not so much.  These days I make a batch of homemade soup, eat a meal, then freeze the rest in 16 ounce containers to be nuked (i.e. microwaved) later for quick meals.  One of my favorite soups to prepare is hearty split pea.  Sometimes I make it with smoked ham, and sometimes I make it vegetarian.  Even without meat, you have a complete protein by pairing the soup with corn bread or Irish soda bread .  It's definitely a stick-to-your-ribs-square-meal.  Below are my recipes:  Split Pea Soup Ingredients: 16 ounce bag of dried split peas 8 cups water 1 large onion, diced 3 large carrots, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 small tomato, diced (if you have one, if not omit) 1 bay leaf 1 ½ double bouillon cubes, or 3 small cubes (contains salt, so don't add salt, separat...

Greeting cards by Papyrus Recently my mom said, "Now that everyone carries a phone everywhere, you can't get ahold of anyone!!!  Years ago when you called someone at home, a child ... or someone answered the phone and it lead to a conversation!"   Imagine that.  You didn't need to text, email, or tweet a "friend," nor wait for a typed reply.    No peck, peck, pecking ever. Goodness, I know we can't live in the past, but let's keep it simple ... and meaningful. Personally, I'd rather have one telephone call in lieu of 50 text messages, a face-to-face chat over 100 emails and a handwritten card instead of a column of electronic greetings.  To tell you the truth, sometimes I don't even open electronic greetings.  But I would never leave a handwritten card unopened, plus I save cards with heartfelt notes.  They become memories. Several years ago, an elderly neighbor sent me an Easter card that I still have.  She said, when my parents first mov...

Photo by  All About Food I can't claim much Irish ancestry, but aren't we all Irish on St. Patrick's Day?  I do love meat and potatoes, Irish stew, cabbage, root vegetables and Irish soda bread.  I started making soda bread because it tastes similar to buttermilk biscuits, but you can substitute healthier ingredients: like butter instead of lard and whole grain flour in lieu of all white flour.  Soda bread is delicious served warm.  Here is my recipe: Irish Soda Bread For Savory Ingredients: 3 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup all purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 eggs, lightly beaten 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed 1 ¼ cups buttermilk -  I use low fat (1.5% milkfat). optional: 1/3 cup caraway seeds For Sweet You will add  ½ cup sugar, 1 cup raisins. (= Irish American soda bread) Directions: 1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Stir the first 5 dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. 3. Mix ...

Photo: itv I am spending far too much of my leisure time re-watching seasons 1, 2 and 3 of Downton Abbey .  It's so well written and cast that I catch little details with each viewing.  Isn't it the best series to air in a long time?  Unlike so many other shows, Downton's twists and turns make perfect sense while being totally unpredictable.  Worth the price of the Blu-ray or DVD . Each season the cast has grown, both in numbers and as a result of their experiences.  There are 24+ characters featured-in-detail, and I love the ensemble acting.  Even the bad characters are layered and gain your sympathy as plots thicken.  I truly appreciate how neither the series, nor the characters are black and white.  The creator, Jullian Fellowes, writes about times and a class system he knows very well.  Mr. Fellowes' wife is the daughter of an earl. Downton Abbey is a series in which you invest in the characters.  As complicated as events get  ...

It's been 50 years since the world lost one of its most iconic singers.  Because there will never be another talent like Patsy Cline, let's take a moment to remember her. Patsy began singing on a radio show in Winchester, Virginia as a teenager to help support her family.  She had perfect pitch, and through determination and hard work went on to become one of the most respected and influencial female singers of the 20th century.  She was a pioneer, crossing over from the country charts into pop music and leading the way for female artists to headline music concerts ... which was unheard of for women in her day. Patsy's lively personality, emotionally expressive voice and pivotal role in the music industry will never be forgotten by anyone who listens to her songs. Photo: Patsy Cline website here Aside from Cline's remarkable contralto voice, people who knew her always mention what a geniune and likeable person Patsy was.  Often described as generous and big hearted...

Photo courtesy of   pinkcakebox.com THE SAVVY SHOPPER turns 4 years old today.  Where does the time go?  This site started because I wanted to see what all this blogging business entailed.  My least favorite part of blogging is futzing with photos and the layout. In the print world, it takes a team.  Either you work on the editorial,  or the business side.  On the editorial side, staffers work as reporters, writers and editors.  There are separate art, photo and copy departments within the editorial side.  All these separate, but linked departments worry about different aspects of a magazine (or newspaper), with all their roles and efforts coming together to close (i.e. publish) an issue (or edition). Until I began this blog I didn't worry about pictures, layouts or copy editing.  I don't think fussing with layouts and spotting misspelled words are my forte, but I like trying ... and stretching myself, as well as, succeeding. And, I lov...