Happy Mother’s Day to you if you are a mother. If you are trying to become one, struggling with infertility, grieving over the loss of your child or your own mother, I send you lots of love as I know this is an especially hard day.
My three children sent me the most gorgeous flower arrangement (above) I’ve ever received and it even contains my favorite flower, lilacs! I absolutely love it.
I’m also missing my mom. She’s been gone almost 32 years and I still miss her like crazy some days, especially on holidays and special occasions.
Buffy, a good friend from high school, messaged me the following through Facebook, as we always let each other know that we’re thinking about the other on Mother’s Day and missing our moms.

Words from Donna Ashworth:
“There will never be a day when you don’t miss her.
Never a day where you don’t wish you could hear her voice or ask for her advice just one more time.
There will never be a moment that you don’t regret all the times you screened her call, or missed a visit, simply because life was too busy. And now you realise busy is fake. It isn’t real. She was real and she is gone. And you are alone. And the feeling of abandonment and loneliness is huge. Mind-blowing, no matter how loved or surrounded by family you may be. None of it is her.
When the woman who brought you into this world is no longer here, it is a lonely place. And now you are she.
You are now the one expected to guide, to discipline, to love, to handle everything, for everyone. And that is a shock.
But you got this. Because she taught you well.
She made you right and she made you strong and she filled you with enough love to share around, even after she was gone. So go on. And make her proud.
And remember, look out for the little girl who still lives inside you somewhere, she misses her Mama very much.
Be kind.”

We weren’t able to see the Aurora Borealis from our apartment here in RI – too many clouds and lights here in the complex, but I know lots of others did. I’ve seen some pretty spectacular pictures in my FB newsfeed of people who saw them all around the world. I also asked people to share pics of them on our 365 Facebook page, so if you saw them, I’d love to see, so please share them there! I’m hoping we’ll be able to see them tonight. I hope you have a great week ahead. Spread some love this week! Hugs, Lynne

New Recipes This Week:

From ​Easy Recipes From Home​:

I do believe it’s officially strawberry rhubarb season since I’ve seen LOTS of fresh rhubarb in the stores lately. I love the balance of sweetness and tart in this flavor combination. These ​Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars​ are very easy to make and perfect for when you want a quick and easy dessert.

It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy a cool, no-bake dessert with these fruity ​Strawberry Lemonade Dream Bars​! With sweet strawberries and fresh lemon juice, all the flavors of your favorite beverage can be found in these creamy dessert bars!

Add this ​Pear Danish​ to your weekend breakfast or brunch menu. You don’t even need fresh pears to make it, so you can make it all year long. It’s easy with store bought puff pastry, a marzipan cream cheese filling and has a drizzle of cinnamon honey on top for a bit of additional sweetness.

Recipes to Enjoy for Mother’s Day:

​Strawberry Cream Muffins​ are made with just the right amount of sour cream and lots of fresh strawberries.

One bite of this ​Lemon Poke Cake​ and you’ll fall in love! The combination of tangy lemon and soft white cake is simply irresistible.

This ​Chicken Piccata​ is a delicious, tender chicken dish with lemon, capers, and paprika that will awaken your senses! You’ll be asked to make this classic Italian dish again and again.

​Strawberry Nutella Crepes​ – Stuffed with Nutella and dusted with powdered sugar, serve these strawberry crepes for both breakfast or dessert.

​Taco Casserole​ is made up of layers of Frito corn chips, taco-seasoned beef, cheese, spinach, and tomatoes for a delicious dinner.

Menu Plan This Week:

Sunday: ​Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake​

Monday: ​Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells​

Tuesday: ​Brownie Mix Cookies​

Wednesday: ​Pepperoni Pizza Pasta​

Thursday: ​Caprese Tart​

Friday: Date Night

Saturday: ​Pina Colada Milkshakes​

Favorite Product of the Week:

I said I would never buy jeans on Amazon, but I caved and I did it! My favorite pair was on it’s last leg (), and I had no desire to go to the store to try any on. I didn’t like the way three of the four I ordered fit, but this one pair of MetHera Women’s Le Mel Classic Stretch Skinny Shaping Jeans in Blue Rose…I’ve seriously fallen in love with them. They’re super soft and comfortable, stretchy, and have a bit of an elastic waistband to help with the muffin top. I’m definitely going to order another pair, and maybe one in black, too!

I may earn a small commission from products purchased when you shop through my Amazon links at no additional cost to you. Thanks!

Tip of the Week:

We’ve discussed putting a piece of bread in your brown sugar to keep it soft, but did you know you can put it in a container holding your cookies, too? I don’t know about you, but I prefer a soft chocolate chip cookie to a crunchy one. Add the heel of the bread to the container and the cookies will absorb the moisture, making them fresh and chewy! Just make sure it’s a white slice of bread and not one that’s strongly flavored. I’m not sure how a chocolate chip cookie would taste with when sitting with a slice of rye for a while.

I’d love to hear any tips you have, and what has helped you be more efficient and organized in the kitchen! If you would be interested in sharing them with all of us, and if I choose to share them in our newsletter, I’ll give you a first-name shoutout!

The post 💐 May 11 Newsletter 💐 appeared first on 365 Days of Baking.