Firstly. Go Sox!
I live in Boston, I’m pretty sure I’m legally obligated to be excited that the Red Sox made it to the World Series (and won last night’s game 13-1).
Okay, moving on.
A remuda is a herd of horses. Did you know this? Why do I know this?
Pasta with Pumpkin Sauce
Salad
The Food Network is my default TV choice. It’s what I watch when I just want something on in the background. It’s what I watch when I’ve just gotten up on weekend mornings and I’m not coherent enough for anything with a plot. It’s what I watch when it’s 11:30 pm and I don’t quite want to go to bed yet but there’s nothing on TV.
The other night my roommate called out to me from the living room, “Hey, look! I’m watching the Food Network of my own volition.” This, I think, says more about the appeal of Ace of Cakes and the limited number of things on at 10:30 on a Tuesday night than about my ability to convert her to an obsession with the Food Network. Although, she doesn’t usually complain when I watch the Food Network for hours on Saturday morning so maybe my subtle plan for world domination is moving along on schedule.
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This is the end of the Fall Birthday Season. The weather cooperated and we had a cold gloomy day on Wednesday which went nicely with the beef stew and bread pudding that was requested for dinner.
Beef Carbonnade
Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli
Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
There’s a story from when I was a wee young thing in which I was given a homework assignment to come up with three sentences using contractions. Allegedly, I returned to school the next day with the following three sentences:
I don’t eat broccoli.
I won’t eat broccoli.
I can’t eat broccoli.
Ham Biscuits
Devilled Eggs Hard-boiled eggs
Tomatoes & Mozzarella
Curried Chicken Salad
Melon
There are two kinds of people in the world. People who can make pie dough, and people who can make biscuits. I don’t really understand this, since in theory biscuits and pie dough require the same skill set, but experience suggests that if you can make one, you can’t make the other. I make excellent biscuits and lousy pie dough.
First off, I should note that this came from Petra’s famous handwritten cookbook and I think it might have been the first dish I ever made from it. It is also, perhaps, the most requested dish that I make. I know that JM would eat it as often as I felt like cooking it. Unfortunately(?), this makes tons of leftovers… which is great for the first three days. And then I start thinking that if I never see chili again, it’ll be too soon.
On the other hand – BIG.VAT.OF.CHILI…. and there’s no wrong there. So, thanks, Petra for passing this one along.
Also note: do not make this during Passover. I’ve never felt so bad in my life. Just a head’s up so you don’t make the same mistake.
Menu
Black Bean and Espresso Chili
Sweet Cornbread with jalapeño
Plain, old ordinary cornbread
Lots and lots of wine (courtesy of Matt, Ruth, and Goofy)
Sarah and Stephanie joined us on Sunday (okay, so this post is a few days late) for gossip and fried cheese. Haloumi with Spiced Leeks was actually one of the first things JM ever cooked for me, so it has a special place in my heart. That, and it’s awesome.
This week’s menu:
Haloumi with Spiced Leeks
Baguette with Olive Oil and Balsamic dipping sauce
Strawberries with Vanilla and Chocolate Frozen Yogurt
It was another Birthday Dinner this week, and Miss A requested macaroni & cheese.
Menu
Macaroni & Cheese
Cold Roasted Chicken
Sliced Tomatoes
Salad
Sangria that was left over from the party on Sunday
Berries that remained after the Sangria was finished served over ice cream for dessert
(I highly highly recommend saving the berries and retasking them for dessert when the Sangria is gone)
Picture the scene. I’m at our local craft store picking up some paper plates (gold) and plastic cutlery (pink) to go with the paper tablecloth (pink) and paper napkins (pink, and emblazoned with stars and the word ‘princess’).
Nice lady at the counter: Oh, having a party?
Me: Yes . . . . it’s a princess party.
Nice lady at the counter: Oh, my daughter loves princesses. How old is yours?
Me: 30. It’s my roommate and a friend of ours.
Nice lady at the counter: Oh. . . . . . well that’s nice too.
<repeat several times over the course of the week>
What can I say? We embraced the kitsch. It was pretty. It was pink. It was strictly Bring Your Own Tiara.
I contributed the savory portion of the festivities, everyone else brought the sweets (and if anyone wants to share the recipes . . . . )
Within reason (by which I mean, no I won’t make pancakes for dinner for more than 3 people) I will make pretty much anything requested for a birthday dinner. It was Lady R’s birthday earlier this week – and Happy Birthday Lady R – and upon inquiry her request was bangers ‘n’ mash.
Sausages
Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli
Apple Sauce
Baking has definitely always been my MawMaw’s domain. Every holiday each member of the family got their own favourite dessert, and not just a slice: whole cake or pie. It was very impressive. And intimidating. How will I ever match that!?!?
Until this cake, I’d always settled for a fairly easy cakes that could be done in one layer. Or cookies. I’m good with cookies. But, for my birthday last month, I decided to bake my own cake. I was never going to learn if I didn’t try, you know?
I was just slightly ambitious, because I set out to make two cakes: one chocolate and one vanilla. Yea, that didn’t work out as well as I’d hoped. But despite my lack of experience in baking, I thought the strawberry shortcake turned out rather well. I found the recipe on my favourite foodie blog: Smitten Kitchen. Hers turned out, of course, much, much prettier than mine. But I was happy to have successfully baked a cake…and with only a few problems with deflating egg whites.
Monday Night Dinner 