I always love cooking for holidays and get-togethers, and yesterday was no exception.  Usually, I decide the dishes way in advance and have a 3-day prep list in order to make my life easier and, quite frankly, less stressful for the event.  This Easter Sunday, not so much.  I bolted awake Saturday in a panic and interrogated my husband to figure out what to make.  His response was classic and came as no surprise in their usual casserole form: “shepherd’s pie and stuffing and I really don’t care what else you make.”

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I feel like dates have gotten a bad rap – conjuring thoughts of trail mix (not that there’s anything wrong with it…) and other dried fruit and nut products.  The image is a super dry, chewy nugget, indiscernible in true taste other than a vague sweetness – not really special or noteworthy.  I think this notion of date needs to be cleared up, particularly when it comes to one type, medjool dates…

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Avocados as dessert?  Yes, yes, and yes.  I am still reminiscing about my trip to Brazil, and there, avocados (which are fruits, mind you…) are often eaten as a dessert – sometimes sprinkled with lime juice and sugar and other times blended with cream or condensed milk to produce a thick pudding, amongst other ways.  In the U.S., we have gone so far as to add them to milk shakes or protein shakes, why not take it a step further and embrace this creamy fruit as dessert-worthy…

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