It's all good

Today being 3.14 = Pi Day! All you math geeks know this and truly, although I enjoy a bit of algebra on occasion, I really love pie. Yes, this is one of the days I feel very justified to have a couple of luscious wedges of fruit pie for breakfast.  No kidding, my roots hail from Down East (Maine, Connecticut & Massachusetts) and "back in the day" pie was and acceptable breakfast food. It's a bread, fruit and goo that is truly wonderful with a cuppa coffee or tea; beats a jelly filled donut hands down! This morning we all had pie smooshed into a bowl and covered in cream, microwaved or cold, it was marvelous... Of course to celebrate Pi Day one should really know a bit about the mathematical value so I refer you to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi for an interesting synopsis. Those not so fascinated by math scroll through the formulas and you will find some very cool trivia to impress your friends. Oh, and do have some pie to honor Archimedes...

Snow is gone although we have had flurries, the temps are not sandal worthy. My son and I did get the bird houses cleaned, reassembled and hung in our sugar maple. I went over to our local farm store, El-Mel, for a look and came home with some radish seeds. I am hankering for some crispy veg so while waiting for my radishes to sprout I may whip up a summery salad to feed my longings. Nothing like a fresh potato salad or a crispy salad to spice up the dietary dreariness between seasons. This recipe is an easy quick fix and since I saw some new potatoes at the grocery this might be on the menu soon:
                                           
  3lb new potatoes, cut into 1" pieces (any potato red or yellow works, no peeling)
Cook in saucepan 10-12 minutes until fork tender. Drain.
  1/2 purple onion, slice thin
  1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved  (do I measure, NO! just add til it looks good)
  1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (No garden grown, substitute fresh spinach or celery)
  1/4 cup diced radish
  1/4 cup bacon bits  (can add individually as topping instead)
Toss all  in a bowl and stir with a fork. Now in a measuring cup combine:
  1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
  1/4 cup Miracle Whip or mayo
   2 tsp. dijon mustard
Whip dressing ingredients together then pour over veg & mix a little. Refrigerate until ready to serve but this salad is good warm too. Makes 8 generous servings of picnic salad and feeds the fresh craving.