St. Patrick's Day

Call me crazy, but I grew up loving St. Patrick's Day.  My mom always made it special.  The leprechaun always visited my house.  We would wake up to chocolate gold coins and green candy on our pillow cases.  My dad and brothers would spend hours making leprechaun traps the night before.  I honestly think I believed in the leprechaun longer than Santa Clause. 

Having a baby has made each holiday that much more exciting.  I have had some of my old baby clothes hanging in Penelope's closet, for awhile now.  I have been dying to put this particular green dress on her, along with the shoes.  Since she hasn't been to church since her RSV, I thought St. Patrick's day was the perfect day to dress her up.

I am so happy my mom saved my special dresses for my daughter to wear.  I remember dreaming of the day she would let me take them  out of her cedar chest and into my home.

Our Home Teachers stopped by before church and brought their darling daughters.  I couldn't resist getting a picture of all of these lucky ladies with their daddy's.

We had Sunday dinner at Tyson's parents house.  We ate delicious home made Cafe Rio Salads.  I volunteered to make the dessert, seeing as I am a much better baker than cook.  I tried to think of a green desert to go along with the St. Patrick's theme.  Pistachio Pie came right to my mind.  This dessert is light and refreshing and if you ask me you can't go wrong with pecans, cream cheese, and pistachio flavoring.

Pistachio Pie

Cut like pastry and press into 9x13 pan:

1 cube melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup flour

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Top with cheese layer:

1 8 oz. cream cheese

1 and 1/4 cup cool whip 

1 cup powdered sugar

*blend till smooth

Add this layer to top of cheese layer:

2 small pkgs. Instant pistachio or chocolate pudding

3 cups cold milk

spread remaining cool whip on top of dessert

Refrigerate

The crust....

cream cheese layer....

pudding layer....

Cool Whip layer....

Garnish with a few crushed pecans

and enjoy!

I hope you all had a great St. Patrick's Day!!!!