Sunday Night with the Family

Enjoyed having Martha Rhodes for dinner.  Pictures compliments of Mason.  Standing rib roast with homemade mashed potatoes (YUM!) and mixed greens salad with delicious balsamic vinaigrette.  Comfort food to end a fabulous weekend.

Breakfast Break

Homemade granola cereal always starts the day off right.  It just looks pretty......

Santa Baby

My favorite thing this weekend?  A fabulous new find.  McClure's Bloody Mary Mix.  Made by a small family owned business that makes pickles, they take the pickle brine and make this most delicious and quite spicy, very flavorful, chock full of herbs and good stuff mix.  I can't get enough of this stuff!  Check out their website for some alternative uses for this special concoction.  Be prepared - it bites!  Not for the wimpy!  Served with quiche.
Thanks, Santa Baby, for a nice day!!!!!!!!!!!

Liquid Lunch

My honey took me out today to play. A little holiday shopping, visiting friends, a long walk on the golf course and now a new restaurant to try and critique.  Got an awesome burger we brought home and split with the kids....just wanted to have a bite of one....called an "Angry Bird".  It was awesome!  A turkey burger with habanero pimento cheese and sriracha spicy lime mayonnaise.  YUM! Hope I can figure out how to duplicate that one soon.  Just loved the name and I wasn't disappointed. The best part of the bar was the THIRTY TWO draft beers!  Here comes the holiday!!!!!!!!!

Cocoa to Start the Day

Can't get those little peepers open this morning.  Maybe some homemade hot cocoa will help.  (Maybe not).

Friday Night Cool Down

A four day weekend and the kitchen's getting cozy.  Starting it off with a little liquid refreshment and some warm crab cakes and fresh green beans.  Comfort food.  Hitting the hay early.......

Tough Week

How sad about the shooting and the loss of so many innocent lives earlier this week.  This week has been tough as two families we love lost members of their own families as well.  I have not done much cooking this week and have not been good at taking pictures of the fabulous food we have enjoyed at holiday parties.  Although I promised to be committed to posting regularly to the blog, you will just have to cut me some slack once in a while.  In the meantime, thought you might enjoy a few pictures of the liquid lunch Kevin and I had between funerals today.  As you can probably tell, I am a bit tired.  The hot toddy helped.  Here's to the memories of two wonderful people we have lost, Bruce and Doug, as well as prayers of comfort for the families of all those who were taken too soon from their families.  

Honey Sesame Chicken

Enjoyed this with both white and black rice (we really love that rice!  Also known as forbidden rice as it was only given to emperors centuries ago due to the fact that it was rare and expensive).  Everyone was happy.  Another successful meal and time to go view the meteor shower now...

After the game....

OK, because of the basketball game dinner wasn't on the table until 10:00, but it was worth the wait.  Fish tacos with honey cumin  cilantro slaw and chipotle mayo.  The kitchen was a mess, but our bellies were happy.  The Corona is a must! 

Remnants from the Garden

I love my fresh herbs!  Rosemary is probably my favorite and I can never have enough.  Wouldn't dream of wasting a single plant, so here are my spoils for the winter.  I see soup in the near future!

LEFTOVERS

Went to the co-op today and got some delicious fresh spinach.  Even Mason said he liked it much better than "regular salad" as he put it.  Enjoyed leftover tenderloin (which was really moist and I believe I might have to change my mind about the cooking method here; the grill really works well to keep it moist) and delicious black rice that our friends Lisa and Hayden turned us on to a few weeks ago.  YUMMY is all I can say.  That is my new ingredient for the month so be on the lookout for "how many things can you make with black rice" in upcoming posts.  

MOOOOOOOO

OK, just rub it on my hips!  Loving this homemade butter.  It didn't last long around here.  Thanks to my foodie friends, Bob and Fran.  The only people I know who actually take the time to make things the old fashioned way.  Thanks, guys!

Monday night at the races

Did I mention that our typical dinner time is 9:00 - 10:00 pm?  The kids think it's a holiday if we eat by 7:00.  Well, tonight was par for the course and we sat down at 9:30.  Cuban Pork Tenderloin on the grill.  It was pretty good, but I don't think I will be making that again.  I prefer my standby tenderloin recipe.  The best part of dinner was the delicious pie that my bestest ever dentist makes me every year!  It got rave reviews (as always!)!  Thanks, Caroline!  You saved me tonight!  Have a great week!

Dinner in Danville

Spent 24 hours hanging with my friend, Kristin, and her awesome family.  Fabulous friend, good times and good food.  Thanks, my friend.  The Thai chicken rocked!

Sunday Night Comfort Food

Beautiful day and not much desire to cook.....decided to do something warm and filling.  Chicken and Italian sausage in a tomato base with red wine mixed with bowtie pasta.  Yummy.  After several glasses of wine and warm food in my belly, I am feeling very fat and sassy.  Looking forward to going to bed early and reading a good book.  Another fabulous weekend.  More delicious food.  Life is so good!