Cooking
So, I finally have a big, gorgeous house, with an enormous yard, filled with old trees and flowering bushes. Our yard is so big, neighbors are often coming up to us and suggesting we sell off a section. Um...no.
Unfortunately, as part of the package deal, the house and yard also comes with unrelenting heat and humidity...and oh, yes. Mosquitos.
So, my dream of hosting large, outdoor dinners, and tea parties is still very much that; a dream.
At least until we find enough change under the couch cushions to spring for one of those fancy skeeter-killers.
Being in the mood for a picnic last week, I decided we were going to have one...but set it in the dining room!
We had sandwiches made on nice, thick, rosemary ciabatta rolls; salami and Fontina for Matt, and veggie ham and smoked Gouda for Alex and me. I made cole slaw for Matt, and potato salad for the two of us. Dill and bread & butter pickles, and the rare addition of potato chips rounded out the meal, and we (horror!) allowed pop in the house, too...Alex and I had grape, and Matt drank Coke.
What I think I'm going to do is this: when November rolls around, and it's still warm enough to wear tank tops, I'm going to have an outdoor dinner. Even if it's just for the three of us. The bugs will be gone, the humidity as well, so we'll drag out a table, spread a cloth, and have a picnic. Right before Thanksgiving!
- My Salami Story
In my parent’s kitchen there was a hook near the door. It pretty much always had Columbus Italian dry salami hanging from it. It never occurred to me that this was not the case in every house in America. When I was growing up it was my sister who had...
- One Of My Favorite Things
My grandparent's house was the one place I always felt I was 'home'. Lots of love there, growing up. Theirs was a great place to be a kid, too...big yard with trees and a garden. I loved the white birch tree in the front yard, tearing those...
- Blog Party#21: Let's Have A Picnic
Here in Tennessee it's absolutely beautiful. Sunny skies, trees and flowers in bloom, warm weather without the buzz-kill of humidity (for the moment). Everything sings "Spring is here! And Summer's coming, soon!". A walk through the produce section...
- Spring's Surprises
Ignore how long our grass is. You just can't mow when it's raining, people. But, having not spent much time in the yard (see above, plus the addition of mosquitoes), it was such a treat to see most of the yard covered in these tiny wild strawberries....
- Grilled Flank Steak Sandwiches
Grilled Flank Steak Sandwiches; something Matt's been looking forward to. Flank steak (or Morningstar Farms Meal Starters, faux beef) marinated overnight in Dijon mustard and red wine. Next day, pat dry the steak, grill about fifteen minutes. Let...
Cooking
Indoor Picnic
So, I finally have a big, gorgeous house, with an enormous yard, filled with old trees and flowering bushes. Our yard is so big, neighbors are often coming up to us and suggesting we sell off a section. Um...no.
Unfortunately, as part of the package deal, the house and yard also comes with unrelenting heat and humidity...and oh, yes. Mosquitos.
So, my dream of hosting large, outdoor dinners, and tea parties is still very much that; a dream.
At least until we find enough change under the couch cushions to spring for one of those fancy skeeter-killers.
Being in the mood for a picnic last week, I decided we were going to have one...but set it in the dining room!
We had sandwiches made on nice, thick, rosemary ciabatta rolls; salami and Fontina for Matt, and veggie ham and smoked Gouda for Alex and me. I made cole slaw for Matt, and potato salad for the two of us. Dill and bread & butter pickles, and the rare addition of potato chips rounded out the meal, and we (horror!) allowed pop in the house, too...Alex and I had grape, and Matt drank Coke.
What I think I'm going to do is this: when November rolls around, and it's still warm enough to wear tank tops, I'm going to have an outdoor dinner. Even if it's just for the three of us. The bugs will be gone, the humidity as well, so we'll drag out a table, spread a cloth, and have a picnic. Right before Thanksgiving!
- My Salami Story
In my parent’s kitchen there was a hook near the door. It pretty much always had Columbus Italian dry salami hanging from it. It never occurred to me that this was not the case in every house in America. When I was growing up it was my sister who had...
- One Of My Favorite Things
My grandparent's house was the one place I always felt I was 'home'. Lots of love there, growing up. Theirs was a great place to be a kid, too...big yard with trees and a garden. I loved the white birch tree in the front yard, tearing those...
- Blog Party#21: Let's Have A Picnic
Here in Tennessee it's absolutely beautiful. Sunny skies, trees and flowers in bloom, warm weather without the buzz-kill of humidity (for the moment). Everything sings "Spring is here! And Summer's coming, soon!". A walk through the produce section...
- Spring's Surprises
Ignore how long our grass is. You just can't mow when it's raining, people. But, having not spent much time in the yard (see above, plus the addition of mosquitoes), it was such a treat to see most of the yard covered in these tiny wild strawberries....
- Grilled Flank Steak Sandwiches
Grilled Flank Steak Sandwiches; something Matt's been looking forward to. Flank steak (or Morningstar Farms Meal Starters, faux beef) marinated overnight in Dijon mustard and red wine. Next day, pat dry the steak, grill about fifteen minutes. Let...