For the next 30 days, I'll be taking a break from posting recipes, and spending my time making FABRIC MASKS FOR HEROES!  Not that I won't be cooking and baking - my family would be so sad!  But with two daughters that are nurses working the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, my time is better spent in front of my sewing machine making masks for medical personnel and their families.  

For those of you that are able to, I urge you to help make as many fabric masks as you can - the need is SO GREAT!  I'm happy to share the patterns for all sizes (Mens, Ladies/Teenager, Child (ages 7-12) and Small Child (ages 3-6) - just let me know!  And if you aren't able to create, PLEASE HELP KEEP OUR MEDICAL STAFF AND THEIR FAMILIES SAFE by wearing a mask and keeping your social distance while in public!

​UPDATE:  Over 200 masks made, contributed and distributed to medical staff - triple layer (with a pocket for a filter) and stainless steel nose bands.  I've now switched over to making fabric masks for family, friends and others.  It looks like we'll be wearing masks well into the end of the year, so we might as well have fun wearing beautiful and FUN masks - especially for the little ones!

During this period of uncertainty, one of my favorite ways to remain calm is to create and bake.  Baking not only gives you a sense of direction and channels your energy into something positive, but it also gives you hope.  

Sharing my homemade treats is very rewarding, and with the help of family in the kitchen, the joy is even greater!  We have been baking LOTS of sweet treats and love sharing them.  Whether it's safely dropping off a box of homemade bakes for one of my kiddos, or a elderly neighbor living alone, it always brings a smile.  Which got me to thinking - every one of us can make this world a little bit sweeter!  

Today Snowflakes & Coffeecakes is launching ​HOMEMADE FOR HOMETOWN HEROES as an initiative for YOU to create and share homemade treats to share with YOUR Hometown Heroes!  

For young and old alike, an Easter Basket Sweets Board has everything you love finding in your Easter Basket!  When I first started putting together an Easter Sweets Board, I was thinking about my little ones…but it turned out to be a huge hit with EVERYONE. 

​Filled with your favorite Easter cookies, candy and all things sweet, nothing is more easy, fun and perfect than sharing a sweet treat with your Easter bunnies! ​

HERE COMES THE SUN!  Since I was a little girl, one of my favorites at Easter was Sunshine Salad, which was also called California Salad or Ambrosia Salad, depending on who you asked!  Easter was the only time of the year that we had this, so it was always a special treat.  My sister and brothers loved mandarin oranges as much as I do, and today, our little ones love them too!

​Mandarin oranges are a slightly smaller relative of a standard orange - did you know that tangerines and Clementines are both varieties of mandarin oranges?  Cuties and Halos are also different types of mandarins depending on what time of year it is. Small, sweet and seedless, we love that these have no seeds and are so easy to peel that even the little ones can do it!  And at only 50 calories each and with 2 grams of fiber and half a day's worth of vitamin C and other antioxidants, what's not to love about these little gems?​

Now that Easter is quickly approaching, it's time to pick out our favorite holiday ham!  With four to pick from, you're sure to find the perfect recipe for your Easter dinner as well!

Whether you like your ham with a traditional glaze, honey glazed, brown sugar glazed, or a sweet and savory fruit glaze, you can't go wrong with any of these.  I always make more ham that we plan on eating on Easter, because there's always ham sandwiches, Scalloped Potatoes & Ham, and Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham in the days to come!