Thank you oly, walnut and liz! I did some of the shopping today and couldn't resist a 10 lb. bag of russets for $1.97. A store sale, not old potatoes, so russets it is. I really want to make Crispy Roast Potatoes but don't know how to do it ahead. Similar to Hasselback potatoes but in a casserole. Posted by oklamoni (My Page) on Sun, Apr 29, 12 at 22:44 I am so sorry, to see this so late. I found the following at pinterest... and did it myself. Turned out GREAT. The picture is from pinterest. Crispy Potato Roast Serves 8 Ingredients: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled 4 shallots, thickly sliced lengthwise Coarse salt 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional) 8 sprigs thyme Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Brush bottom of a round 9-inch baking dish with some butter mixture. With a sharp knife or mandoline, slice potatoes very thinly crosswise. 2. Arrange potato slices vertically in dish. Wedge shallots throughout. Sprinkle with salt and red-pepper flakes (if using); brush with remaining butter mixture. Bake 1 1/4 hours. Add thyme and bake until potatoes are cooked through with a crisp top, about 35 minutes more. *Please note that the recipe is the photo is doubled. Walnut, I am sure that casserole tastes delicious but alas, I am one of those who doesn't use cream of canned soup. Either way, the corn casserole is creamy and ideally, I want something not creamy. I am actually leaning towards a recipe that I casually found, only because I know everybody will love it regardless of lacking texture contrast. At least it's not a hot casserole. This: Posted by trixietx (My Page) on Sat, Apr 28, 12 at 8:20 My family loves this potato salad. Loaded Baked Potato Salad 8 baked potatoes, cubed (half peeled or half with skin) 6 slices bacon, diced & crisp cooked 6 green onions 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 16 ounces sour cream 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 cup Miracle Whip Crumble bacon and slice onions (including tops). Combine sour cream, pepper and Miracle Whip. Add to potatoes. Add bacon, onions and cheese (reserve some of each for top). Mix with potatoes. Top with reserved cheese, onions, and bacon Bake or serve, as is. We prefer it cold or room temp.

How about Moniqueb's Choc Cream eggs? Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Candy & other confections Easter Cream Filled Eggs ======================== 1/2 cup softened butter pinch of salt 1 can eagle Brand milk ( sweetened comdensed milk) 1 teaspoon vanilla 2-1/4 lbs of icing sugar(yes) 1 pound semi-sweet choclate melted au bain-marie Food Coloring if desired . 1.Cream butter and salt until fluffy 2.Gradually beat in eagle Brand vanilla..and food coloring*if using. 3.Slowly beat in icing sugar 4.Knead mixture w/hands until totally homogenous and flexible. 5.Roll into egg shapes 6.Put on wax paper lined trays and chill until firm.. 7.Resting each egg on a 2 pronged fork dip egg in melted chocolate ..Drip off excess.Place back on paper lined tray.Let rest until firm Decorate. * When the girls were little ..I colored a smaller portion yellow..and wrapped the uncolored white around it..to make like the famous Laura secord eggs..they are very similar in taste. You can also use a wood skewer to dip the eggs..touch up the wee holes after.. You can also make peanut butter ones.. they're fun..it makes a lot.. posted by Moniqueb

Less is definitely more here, otherwise it all begins to look cheap and tacky, and that would be a shame. I have a rather similar fireplace, although mine at least has the firebox in the middle. I hope you don't mind if I add a picture of mine because it's so very similar to yours. I tried to keep it simple. If you don't use those fireplace tools I would eliminate them. Don't have anything that you don't love or that you think is beautiful.

KARA: Yayyyy you just made my night. Thanks for the response, and for the info! I was actually kinda wondering if it could've even been the temperature change when bringing them back into the cool air conditioning from the heat outside. About watering and schedule... I don't REALLY water on a schedule. Just, 'this plant took around 6 days to be thirsty last time so....'. When you say that you 'go by how the pot feels', do you mean weight? Or do you use Terra cotta with them, and judge by the dryness of the pot sides?? I am still figuring out how to judge the dampness without digging my finger all around in the soil. I'm never content to check one spot. So, I am trying to find out other ways of knowing. I have noticed the weights change, but I've gotta get used to the DON'T WATER YET weight compared to the NEEDS WATER weight. I'm actually a new plant parent. Well, new-ish. In March\April of this year, I decided I wanted to try my hand at plant caretaking. I always failed my plants when I was younger, but really want a house full of plants. I went overboard, and treated little battered plants at stores as puppies in the animal shelter.... Only I brought too many home. I went all out. By memory, not counting things in water or propagating, it's around 50. Definitely overdid it. Fortunately, having so many when I'm still learning about each of them makes it easy to underwater, since I'm a little prone to overwatering and checking each one often like they're newborn babies 🤣 I've dedicated myself, and have yet to lose a plant or cutting thus far because I keep a log so I don't make too many big mistakes with watering. But these holiday cacti are extra special to me so I really hope to save this one. My grandmother always had a HUGE Thanksgiving Cactus, and an epiphyllum oxypetalum (I think), along with tons of arid cacti, so I want to grow mine big and healthy as well (I also bought and rooted some epiphyllum cuttings). Something to spark happy memories whenever I look at them. Anyway, I'm still finding each one it's perfect spot, and I think you're right... I'm pretty sure my little r. rosea was happy where I had her to begin with. Lesson learned... I should stop moving all of my plants around if they're happy where they are. I'm lucky I've only had this one mishap I'm thinking. Thanks again, and sorry about the long reply. I really don't know how to write a short post haha