...if a parsnip makes you smile. I know the line is about squash, but I haven't made any squash lately. I did, however, make parsnips. And carrots, and salad with candied pecans, blood oranges, avocados, red onion and pomegranate vinaigrette, and steak au poivre(fancy talk for "steak tenderloin with shallots and cognac"). I also made (nearly)flourless chocolate truffle cake with whipped cream and fresh raspberries which I didn't get a picture of because I was too busy being a neurotic weirdo and throwing my own birthday party. That's right. I like to think that I'm not uptight, but I am. Uptight to the point that I would rather spend my birthday cooking all day than let someone else do the work so I can relax and have the food come out differently than I want it. I turned 25 on the 19th and agonized for quite a while over how I wanted to spend my birthday like it was the last birthday I would ever have and this one had to be It. Finally I decided I'd call a few friends, ask the ones with kids to get babysitters and come over for a late dinner(after my kids were asleep) of just adults. That's not what happened. Aaron cleaned all day(even the toilet) and entertained the boys while I cooked and cooked and went back to the store multiple times when I forgot ingredients, but finally the house was sparkling, the dessert was perfect and done ahead of time, and the rest of the cooking was well underway. Then came the phone calls. No one could get babysitters. I decided to let Jack stay up, we fed the kids dinner and then the party really got started. With ten kids. 'Cause that's how we roll.
It was a great party, lasting into the wee dawn hours. The kids eventually all fell asleep but the party didn't end until about three a.m. So it didn't happen anything like I'd planned, but in retrospect I think it was very appropriate that I spent my birthday doing what I love: cooking beautiful food for close friends amidst oodles of children.
There were no good pictures of me from the party. There were in fact only two pictures at all, and the other one is worse. I'm wearing the shirt Aaron bought me on Wednesday, The Day of the Perfect Latte.
A few mornings ago I awoke to find this mallard couple in my driveway. I presume they were looking for a love nest. I told them this one was already taken.
On my birthday, Albert and Anna's oldest daughter Elizabeth informed me that Matteas had a tooth. I thought maybe she was seeing things because, being the one who breastfeeds him, I thought I would have noticed such a thing. She was right. He cut one tiny tooth on the bottom and although it's small and lone Matteas knows how to work it.
Jack loves puzzles. Uncle Tristan got him this one for Christmas and he's getting really good at finding the missing pieces. His favorite is sorting out the edge pieces at the beginning.
Matteas and Mattea, who gets fatter on a daily basis. I can't blame Matteas for wanting to eat her; she's quite the cream puff. Her dad Shane calls her his little Chub Scout.
Jack playing in the mud. He informed me that he was making cookies for his kids.
In preparation for making salsa for tonight's tacos I put several tomatoes on the counter. When I went to chop them I noticed that one was missing. Then I hear Jack singing the theme song to Veggie Tales. I found him sitting at the top of the stairs, carefully cradling his tiny tomato and trying to shield it from my vision. I asked him if he wanted a Larry to go with it. He was thrilled, and wanted his picture taken with them.
Aaron brought me these tulips today for no particular reason other than the fact that he's generally fabulous.
This was an amazing taco. Normally I prefer hard shells, but I grilled flank steak for these and soft shells just seemed better. I also make the pico de gallo fresh which is the thing that really puts any Mexican fare over the top. I do like to talk to tomatoes occasionally, and to these tomatoes I said, "Hey, tomatoes, meet cilantro and his friends; jalepeno, lime juice, and red onion. I think you'll like each other." They were kind of shy at first, but after an icy margerita they gelled nicely.
...if a parsnip makes you smile. I know the line is about squash, but I haven't made any squash lately. I did, however, make parsnips. And carrots, and salad with candied pecans, blood oranges, avocados, red onion and pomegranate vinaigrette, and steak au poivre(fancy talk for "steak tenderloin with shallots and cognac"). I also made (nearly)flourless chocolate truffle cake with whipped cream and fresh raspberries which I didn't get a picture of because I was too busy being a neurotic weirdo and throwing my own birthday party. That's right. I like to think that I'm not uptight, but I am. Uptight to the point that I would rather spend my birthday cooking all day than let someone else do the work so I can relax and have the food come out differently than I want it. I turned 25 on the 19th and agonized for quite a while over how I wanted to spend my birthday like it was the last birthday I would ever have and this one had to be It. Finally I decided I'd call a few friends, ask the ones with kids to get babysitters and come over for a late dinner(after my kids were asleep) of just adults. That's not what happened. Aaron cleaned all day(even the toilet) and entertained the boys while I cooked and cooked and went back to the store multiple times when I forgot ingredients, but finally the house was sparkling, the dessert was perfect and done ahead of time, and the rest of the cooking was well underway. Then came the phone calls. No one could get babysitters. I decided to let Jack stay up, we fed the kids dinner and then the party really got started. With ten kids. 'Cause that's how we roll.
It was a great party, lasting into the wee dawn hours. The kids eventually all fell asleep but the party didn't end until about three a.m. So it didn't happen anything like I'd planned, but in retrospect I think it was very appropriate that I spent my birthday doing what I love: cooking beautiful food for close friends amidst oodles of children.
There were no good pictures of me from the party. There were in fact only two pictures at all, and the other one is worse. I'm wearing the shirt Aaron bought me on Wednesday, The Day of the Perfect Latte.
A few mornings ago I awoke to find this mallard couple in my driveway. I presume they were looking for a love nest. I told them this one was already taken.
On my birthday, Albert and Anna's oldest daughter Elizabeth informed me that Matteas had a tooth. I thought maybe she was seeing things because, being the one who breastfeeds him, I thought I would have noticed such a thing. She was right. He cut one tiny tooth on the bottom and although it's small and lone Matteas knows how to work it.
Jack loves puzzles. Uncle Tristan got him this one for Christmas and he's getting really good at finding the missing pieces. His favorite is sorting out the edge pieces at the beginning.
Matteas and Mattea, who gets fatter on a daily basis. I can't blame Matteas for wanting to eat her; she's quite the cream puff. Her dad Shane calls her his little Chub Scout.
Jack playing in the mud. He informed me that he was making cookies for his kids.
In preparation for making salsa for tonight's tacos I put several tomatoes on the counter. When I went to chop them I noticed that one was missing. Then I hear Jack singing the theme song to Veggie Tales. I found him sitting at the top of the stairs, carefully cradling his tiny tomato and trying to shield it from my vision. I asked him if he wanted a Larry to go with it. He was thrilled, and wanted his picture taken with them.
Aaron brought me these tulips today for no particular reason other than the fact that he's generally fabulous.
This was an amazing taco. Normally I prefer hard shells, but I grilled flank steak for these and soft shells just seemed better. I also make the pico de gallo fresh which is the thing that really puts any Mexican fare over the top. I do like to talk to tomatoes occasionally, and to these tomatoes I said, "Hey, tomatoes, meet cilantro and his friends; jalepeno, lime juice, and red onion. I think you'll like each other." They were kind of shy at first, but after an icy margerita they gelled nicely.
1 comment:
Happy Birthday! Looks like you guys had a fun day!
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