the menus are set

next week my parents arrive. i am so excited i can hardly stand it. they will be here for a whole week. of course i have to work a few of those days, but they understand it is what i have to do during the holidays.

anyone who knows me, knows i'm a planner. well about certain things. menus for upcoming visits, outfits to pack for trips that are months away, knitting to take on those trips...yeah, a planner.

i've got the dinner menus set for my parents visit.

the night they arrive, kev is working late. so it will just be the three of us for dinner. a few months ago kev made an amazing baked ziti with scallops and shrimp. i think that would be a great first dinner of the visit.

the next night we are having my best girls (from college) over so we can all visit. chunky black bean chili in the slow cooker. i'll make a double batch of corn bread, too.

on thursday that week my plan is to make a bean and corn soup. i am thinking there will probably be corn bread left over.

friday is the main event and i am going all out. a molasses brined turkey, mushroom and bacon stuffing, mom's potatoes, green beans, rolls, ginger snap gravy, with shoo-fly pie for dessert.

saturday we will not want to think of cooking so kev will bring home pizza from work.

sunday we have reservations at The Chart House. i've never been, but mom and dad went last time they were here. they have friends who moved out here a few years ago. she actually was my science teacher for about a week in jr. high school.

monday, their last night in town, kev is going to make his amazing vodka penne. i crushed some tomatoes this fall and added seasonings so kev could make it for them. it's so damn good.

like i said, i can hardly wait!!

today

The house is almost ready. Our friends will be showing up between an hour from now and 6:00. It all started out as me wanting to show my friend how to knit a hat. Then I figured I had a few other friends who should meet, I think the group will meld well. But after I got to thinking about the ladies I was inviting, I got to remembering who their significant others were...gamers.

It seemed only fitting that I suggest a knitting/gaming party. Almost all the couples can make it (and those who can't are missed!!).

I made brownies this morning. Fudgey Wudgey Blueberry Brownies. They are fabulous from what my friend tells me. She'll have to tell me if I did okay. I probably will only allow myself one bite of one because of my cocoa allergy (for those who don't know, man...it's ugly). If they turn out as good as proclaimed, I'll share the link. :)

I'm pretty excited about the day. I hope it's a success.

Off to set the lighting.

a girl could get used to it

I called to check in with Kev today and he said he was going to look in our favorite cookbook and go to the store for dinner. Did I have any particular cravings? All I craved was something that would be good leftovers. I came home to him making baked ziti with shrimp and scallops. Oh Em Gee! So good.

Last night I had dinner with my yoga teacher (and dear friend) whose boyfriend made us dinner. Enchiladas Lawrence. They had quinoa with toasted pecans and other amazing ingredients.

The night before? Kev made stew for us and our neighbor Ian. He made my mom's beef stew recipe, the one from growing up, but added a splash of balsamic vinegar.

I could totally get used to having dinner made for me. Wonder what is on the menu tomorrow night.

sore thighs and tiny pies

It's not like you think.

Kevin just got home from two and a half days of hiking and camping. He and two friends were dropped off at Eagle Creek trail head late on Saturday. They hiked in four miles and set up camp. Yesterday morning they got up, packed up, and hiked up. They hiked UP for about 10 more miles before setting up camp for the night. That meant they had fourteen miles to hike DOWN today. Kev's in a bit of pain. But he had a lot of fun, and that is what matters.

Yesterday I got up and went to my friend's house and we made five dozen tiny pies. Our other friend joined us, otherwise it would've only been four dozen. We each got 8 chicken pot pies, several apple, a few peach and a couple pear/apple. What are tiny pies? You take 8 oz wide mouth canning jars and line them with crust (you can let the crust hang over because after you fill it, you flip it up as a top crust). You can fill then with anything you want. Although we don't suggest custard pies (not that we've tried them). You can either freeze them or put them in the fridge for a week or so and then you bake them on 400 for 45-60 mins. If you freeze them, put them in the oven as you preheat, then keep an eye on and pull when the crust is golden through the side of the jar.

Now Kev's home and we're going to sit and relax together. It was a lovely quiet two days, but I'm glad he's home...so are the trio. Each have taken their turn meowing, sniffing, ribbing against the closed bathroom door, waiting for him to emerge.

morning

better beans

This morning as I was attempting to put together a lunch that would be substantial enough I looked outside at my garden. I had 20 minutes before I needed to leave to get to work on time. What could I pick to take with?! BEANS! I ran out, grabbed a handful and came in to boil them.

I just opened the container of beans and ate one. I swear, our whole garden could be green beans and I'd be happy. They are the perfect side for so many dishes. Right now I'm eating leftover ravioli and a green bean is perfection alongside.

I know I can't shut up about these damn beans, but let me expand on why they are tastier than those you find at the grocery store...

They squeak when you eat them. Not a crunch, like they are undercooked, but squeak. They are firm as you bite into them. The aroma they make as they cook (both boiling and steaming) is heavenly. Enough to wake Kev out of his slumber this morning, actually.

And now...they are all in my belly.

first beans blanched

I have done it. I forced myself to NOT eat the beans I harvested today. Instead I blanched them and froze them for Thanksgiving dinner. There was probably about one healthy serving (two smaller) picked with many more on the plant that will be ready in a couple of days. I WILL be serving my home grown greenie beanies for Thanksgiving with my family. I am so proud of these beans (yeah, that feels as odd to write as it reads).

We just got home from a burger out. We've been really good about not eating out as much, but tonight I was tired from working, I didn't want to cook anything, and I just got paid.

the green bean debacle

I currently have sitting in front of me a container of green beans. They were picked yesterday and steamed to perfection last night. Today, cold and pre-salted, they are tasty and crunchy and perfect. What is the problem, you ask?

I am supposed to be saving some for Thanksgiving with my family. Now, I know that the season has just begun for beans and my plants will be producing more, BUT I am feeling like I need to go ahead and save some (blanching and freezing) but am having a hard time doing so. They come off the plant and my belly hears them singing their siren song.

I will be saving some because they are just! that! good! and I want to share with my family the deliciousnesses of our bounty.

Perhaps instead of calling it a debacle, I should have called it a conundrum?

the zucchinis begin

This is our first zucchini of the season. It was perfect. The right size, the right texture, the right amount of firmness to the meat. We paired it with some fresh garlic (also from the garden), some onion, and pasta. It's a recipe our friend told us, as it's a staple in their half Italian house. Her husband is Italian. So you saute' the veggies (I started with the onions, added the garlic, then added the zucchini, allowing each to have some time to cook before the next was added, sprinkle with salt and some white pepper). While that was happening Kev was grilling some chicken tenders to the perfect moistness and the pasta was on the stove boiling.

When pasta is done, drain. Add veggies to pasta pan, two eggs, a good sized handful of Parmesan cheese, return the pasta and stir like crazy (essentially cooking the eggs). We added the chicken to the top of our bowls of pasta.

After yoga Kev rode his bike down to the store and got a small baguette to share. It was an amazing dinner. It's pretty basic, but downright filling.

as promised

The muffins were met with great gusto from all involved. So, as promised... here is the recipe.

One of the reviewers at that site suggested using brown sugar for the topping and I did. I would do so again and again and again. :)

carnage and orts

We had an amazing, albeit not the healthiest, dinner last night.

And it was gooooo-oood! I decided to add nothing to the butter. We had three between the two of us.

My question is this though, where to artichokes fall in the world of food. It's not a vegetable, is it? I mean, it's sold in produce sections of grocery stores, but it really is a flower bud.

We're going to head down to Aurora today to take a look at an old dresser that, if it meets expectations, it will be coming home with us to use in the kitchen for the microwave and storing all the tuberware, etc. I am hopeful that it will make it home with us.

We also have to go to Ikea to exchange one handle I purchased for the cabinets. We decided to hang them differently than I'd imagined so the larger will work on the door.

After Ikea, we must go to a hardware store to get the screws for affixing the handles to the cabinet doors in the kitchen. I think we also have spoken of getting more paint chips since Kev's not a fan of the one I am in love with. We'll see if we find any others that grab my attention even more. We must get a miter box as well, to cut the trim we have to finish off some edges. Already have the stain to match the cabinets we have.

When we get home from these adventures, we must do something to help our shasta daisies stand upright (they are all so tall...almost as tall as I am...and are falling over). We also have to clean the hell out of the house. It's gotten a wee bit messy with the kitchen reno happening. Now that we're nearing the painting time, we must get it under control.

We woke last night to the most beautiful and loud thunder/lightening storm. Josie didn't even blink. I was amazed as I lay there in bed watching the light show, listening to the thunder following closely behind. It was just like being back in the midwest. Probably the biggest thunder storm we have had since moving here 8 years ago!

chicken and dumplings

About a week or so ago we had our neighbor and his brother rip out three shrubs so we can plant healthy foliage we prefer. This is the second meal I have made Ian (first for Seth) for doing stuff for us.

I think they think they're getting the better deal. But I know I really am. I mean think about it. I am getting work done to the yard. Some of it hard (which I know since I ripped out the butterfly bushes, which they hauled away for us). Some of it easy...aka fun (pulling out a bush with your truck). But it's the chores you don't want to do yourself because on the DIY scale of easy to hard it's about an annoying. And on top of all that? I get to cook. Cook meals from scratch for two men who have worked hard all day. *And they appreciate it.

I just hope the dumplings weren't little lumps of nasty. I've never cooked this recipe before today. I told them if it sucks, I owe them another.


*This is not to say that Kevin doesn't appreciate it, because he does and he always raves about meals I cook. But there is some other kind of satisfaction I get by cooking for bachelors. They have a different kind of appreciation.

a little something like this

Yesterday I came home from work to find Kevin working on the laundry. This made me extremely happy as I am normally the laundry doer. It also made me nervous as all hell. There are a few things he dried that I never dry, so we'll see if I have to go shopping Sunday...I've yet to investigate the basket of folded clothing (he "folded" things, too!). It was at this time, we started talking about dinner and what to make. Kev announced he was hungry for mac-n-cheese.

Anyway, I was home, doing a boat load of dishes that are still covered in dust (hell, the dog is still covered in dust it seems) and was still trying to think about what to make for dinner. When dishes were done I opted to put on my lounge pants. Kev says, "And how is that going to help us on the quest for Mac and Cheese?" I informed him I was not going to go to the store that if he'd wanted me to get something he could have called while I was at work and asked me to stop on my way home. Gas conservation at its best...lump all errands together!

I jumped online to search for a pasta and cheese dish using Parmesan cheese (since he'd gotten a lovely block of it for our Caesar salads the other night). JACKPOT! We opted for penne pasta instead of shells (working with what we have, people) and it turned out fabulous!!! I also decided that we couldn't simply eat mac-n-cheese for dinner, we needed protein and a little vegetation. I cooked up some chicken tenders in a pan with some olive oil, seasoned with kosher salt, white pepper and a dash of paprika. I sent Kev out to the garden to get some romaine for a simple lettuce salad.

We sat down to eat and Kev said, "who knew we had all this food in this house?" I'm proud when I can pull together a meal without having to leave my house (other than popping out to the garden...which is so damn cool!!). Especially when we both think we really don't have that much food in the house. I realized I could have taken a photo of one of our plates, but it was too late when that thought occurred...both plates were empty.

So, another dish to put into regular rotation. Next time, however, I will use more white pepper. Dad, I expect you to say you look forward to having some of this when you are in town in November. I think the family would enjoy it.