Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I love St. Patrick's Day.  I always enjoy listening to some Irish music today, and having a piece of Irish soda bread with a cup of Irish breakfast tea.  And I have it in my favorite tea cup, which once belonged to my Irish grandmother. 

Besides that St. Patrick is one of my favorite saints and that he helped spread Christianity throughout Ireland, I also enjoy this day just thinking of tradition and the Irish part of my life.  A lot of fun legends and lore (such as leprechauns, fairies, banshees, selkies...), and lots of green shamrocks.

I love putting up holiday decorations around the house, yes, even for St. Patrick's Day.  I have a green ceramic Celtic cross hanging outside on our door.  I have two Beanie Baby teddy bears in Irish theme (nope, never did collect them, but I do love collecting seasonal and holiday items).  I have two figurines of an Irish lad and lass, dancing.  But my favorite St. Patrick's Day decoration is a small little porcelain piggy....all dressed up with a green bow and shamrock.

My Irish grandmother gave this piggy to me a long time ago, when I was probably around 12 years old.  It was a March day, and my mother was taking my grandmother out on some errands and to do a little shopping, and the plan was for me to go with them.  But I ended up getting sick and couldn't go.  When my mother came home later in the day, she gave me this little piggy and said Grandma got it for me to cheer me up while I was sick.  I thought it was just the cutest little pig, all decked out for St. Patrick's Day.  And it did cheer me up.  It made me feel that Grandma missed seeing me as much as I had missed seeing her.  She passed away many years ago, and I still wish I had more time with her back in the day. 

And so this little piggy has been with me ever since then. Back when I was a kid, I kept it on a shelf in my bedroom. These days I keep it peeking out of in my china cabinet, but in March it gets lovingly displayed among my other St. Patrick's Day decorations.  And I sit and have a delicious cup of Irish breakfast tea, in my grandmother's tea cup, and remember good times ~ and good people.

May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, 

and nothing but happiness come through your door. 

We are nearing the end of Lent.  How many of you don't eat meat on Fridays this time of year?  Do you start to find it hard to plan something meatless for the whole family?  Well, this old Italian family recipe of mine is great for meatless Fridays.  A sneaky way to have seafood that is both inexpensive and widely appealing, even to the kids. 

Tuna Spaghetti 

Click here to visit my Everyday Recipes and scroll down to the Tuna Spaghetti to get the recipe.  Give it a try and let me know how your family liked it.