Happy Easter.

I'm the one on the far left in the cool shoes.

For dinner today we're having spiral ham from the grocer's, a version of The Naked Chef's Asian Salad, Aunt Robin's refrigerator rolls, strawberries that Chad's picking up from the neighborhood strawberry stand, and Dave's birthday cake (the lemon cake from the Silver Palate cookbook, via Aunt Rachelle). Putting on a meal at my house is always a it-takes-a-village-affair.

What's a celebration without two cakes? The Carrot Cake (above) is from the blog The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I'm half in love with her recipes and half in love with her commentary--witty without being snarky. (We tried the cake today for lunch. It is amazing--lighter than the 1970s version I had perfected.)

The Asian Noodle Salad is also from her blog. How can I not make after reading her story about her baby and her vegetables?