Sunday dinner....

In the country, most folks call the noon meal "dinner."  It used to be the biggest meal of the day, and might consist of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, a veggie, jello and always a dessert -- probably pie.  But traditions have changed some.  We are an on-the-go culture even in the country where one would think life to have a slow trot, but not so.  Cowboys and cattlemen want to keep moving and get their work done before sundown and so now the noon meal  is a quick meal consisting of left-overs or a sandwich, a taco or a hamburger and chips.  No more the sit-down meal with a 10 minute nap in the easy chair like I remember my grandpa doing back on the farm.

In the good ol' days "lunch" was a snack.  I remember going to Ladies Aid with my mother-in-love  when I was a young bride.  The hostesses reminded us that after Bible study they'd serve lunch.  There might be tea-sized sandwiches and always a sweet dessert and iced tea or coffee.  Today, we'd call it a snack.  The 70's-and-over country folks still call a mid-day bite "lunch."  I like it.

I call the Sunday noon meal "Sunday Dinner" because it's the main meal of the day.  The rest of the day we snack or make popcorn or have dessert and coffee instead of a meal.  It has been this way at our house for a long time and I like it.  It gives this country cook a little breather in her three-square-meals-a-day routine.

Today we had A & J and lil Hazel Peach over for Sunday Dinner.  I made some typical things and a couple  new-to-me things.

The Menu 

Romain & Olive salad with mock Olive Garden Dressing

Grilled Sirloin Tips

Ravioli Alfredo

Buttered Rosemary Buns 

made with the Shepherd Bread from Joyce

And for dessert

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares 

from Pioneer Woman's collection

HP decided she liked the bread best and ate mostly bread.  I would have been happy with just bread and salad, but I ate the other things too, of course.

When we were done and cleared the dishes, we sat down for a bit and listened to HP's  new word collection.  She turns two in July and she's yakking up a storm.  Some of her newest releases are:  star, moon, side (outside), bubbles (while doing dishes), flies (flowers), wing (swing), ush (push), JoJo (uncle Joseph).  It's so much fun to hear all the new words she comes up with day by day.  

Next it was time to crank up the stereo and dance.  "Dance" is another favorite word Hazel Peach likes to say and do.  I turned on one of our favorite CD's, You are My Sunshine by Elizabeth Mitchell.  It's simple, sweet, and I never grow tired of it.  She danced whilst we all nodded our heads and tapped our feet to the beat.   I'm So Glad I'm Here is the first song, and it is one that I love more and more every time I hear it.  It reminds me to be glad right where God has me.  Click the playlist below if you'd like to hear some of HP's and my favorites.