So...whats for dinner?

Minus, I give out little bags of pretzels.

Minus, I don't turn the light on.  When we moved here 20 yrs. ago, I bought the miniature chocolate bars (that dh and I like) the first few years and got stuck with them.  For a number of years I delivered treats a day or two prior to Halloween to the few small kids who lived close by.  Now one of those kids is a senior in high school. 

I'll never forget the delicious popcorn balls one lady in our neighborhood made every year when I was growing up. 

DH and I went through a soufflé period.  We bought a balloon whisk as recommended by Julia Child and a pretty soufflé dish.  We made some delicious cheese soufflés.  That dish hasn't been used for a soufflé in a long time!   Maybe I'll get out Julia's book and re-read that section for inspiration. 

Nance, I'm envious of the comfort food weather.  It was hot and humid here today.  I played golf without a lot of enjoyment and even considered quitting.

I have a yen for salmon so went to Fresh Market and bought some Pacific salmon.  Plan to review Alton Brown's method of searing on both sides in very hot cast iron skillet and then resting the salmon for 5 min. under alum. foil.  I think the cooking time is 3 min. on both sides.  There should be some leftover for salmon salad since the piece I bought is almost 1 1/2 lbs. 

One side will probably be sweet potato oven fries or baked sweet potato.  And a salad.

It was wonderful! The two of them stood in front of the assembled family and spoke from their hearts. I should not have stuffed all the tissue boxes into drawers. They were very much needed. It is moments like this when you see completely unadulterated love. It was incredibly emotional for everyone in the room.

The schedule on the other hand, was not followed even a little bit. My kitchen help didn't come at 3pm. I didn't see her until 4:30. I was still in front of the stove, sweating 30 minutes before the service, and guests were already arriving. So, I had 20 minutes to shower, dress, organize my bag for the restaurant.... my hair was never touched. I think it was standing on end with frizzy ends going every which way. The justice of the peace didn't show up until 5:40 for a 5 o'clock ceremony. Because the kid was running so far behind at her hair appointment, we were running around lighting the thousands of candles. I was left to figure out where the flowers would live.

And then, besides my hair, it just all worked. Toasts were made with champagne. The "nibbles" I had spent two days preparing were munched with gusto. The stuffed mushrooms were a huge hit. Turns out his Grandmother used to make some just like this and everyone had a nostalgic moment. The cheese puffs, gorgéres, were scarfed! And then the cabs came, and we were off to the restaurant. His family, so scared of French food, loved everything. The wait staff replenished waters, and topped off wine, and managed to be right there without interfering.

This morning I served them pancakes with sausage. They put the furniture back and were off to Provincetown, leaving a ton of dishes for the two of us to finish. I don't have many photos yet, but here are a few:

p.s. those are the same pearls I wore for my wedding, a gift from my parents that my grandmother had been given as a young woman when she was a student at Smith. And now they are hers.

Oh Susan - I'm sniffing & tearing up just reading the story.  How perfectly beautiful.  Of course the food went well - you are a food goddess.  And how fantastic that you have been able to pass along the pearls.  Thanks for sharing.  Wish I lived close enough to help with the dishes.

Almost forgot today's daily roo - this is me today feeding Julia a snack:

Oh....sweet photo, Special! Fun!

lacey - I have taken both  Arimidex and Femara, started on Femara and developed a trigger thumb, then switched to Arimidex, was good for a year, then had some of the same issues, so switched back to Femara since it is the med the doc likes.  I learned several things - exercise decreases any joint pain and the more I moved the better I felt, sometimes switching manufacturers of the same drug can make a big difference - I took two different makers of Femara (letrozole) and felt very different on the second one - much better - the additives and fillers can have different effects, and the anti-inflammatory diet I started in January allowed me to lose weight and I have no joint pain at all.

carole - thank you for noticing!

Love the Roo.

Dinner tonight is Shepard's Pie.

I can definitely appreciate the urge to roo nap that little cutie, Special!

Thanks for your supportive info, AI taking sisters!  I am just so worried about ruining my qol, which I have worked so hard to improve over the past year and a half...with some success. But I feel like the arthritic joint issues are always on a banana peel as far as becoming intolerably painful, and at this point have been able to avoid shoulder and/ or knee surgery.  Just don't want to go there.....      You are right, the threads are full of bad side effect stories....I wish there was a thread where people reported success.....e.g., no bad joint pain, no weight gain, no cog fog, no vag dryness/infections, UTIs, skin issues, allergies, moodiness, etc. I know I am asking too much, but am beset with worry about further reduced physical and mental functioning.  Nancy, I admire your continuing to cook and bake so much with arthritic hands. I feel like crying from the pain some days.....and that was true even when I took celebrex.

Anyway, it all seems like a big crap shoot.....since we don't know if any of those renegade cells are lurking anywhere, to know how important it is to follow this regimen.   Also, Carole, I assume since you take benedryl for sleep that it is safe with the AIs unlike the contraindication with Tamox I've read about. Congratulations on completing your AI years.

Think I'll take a long walk and admire the northern foliage to try to clear my head. Again, I so appreciate your support!

Oh, another good distraction....., I just saw Lidia B. make a corn walnut cake on a PBS channel. Looked really interesting, but I couldn't find the recipe on her web site...will research further. Yum!

Power of suggestion. I had CREATE.tv going last night as I pushed some data and they did a chili. Well, you know what I had to make today, right? It was like Super Bowl Sunday in the kitchen as this huge pot of chili cooked. And, surprise, it was pretty darn good! Of course, I modified the recipe to up the heat and flavor. Mr. 02143 thinks this is the best chili I have ever made, so I need to make some notations so I can make it again!

Lots left for the freezer. This winter will require some fast suppers.

*susan*

Thanks for your AI input, Susan and Moon. Decisions, decisions.....    And I am particularly perturbed to think that for all of your seven years on it, you didn't get the benefit, Susan. #€%!&#!!

Glad you are able to sleep, Moon!  The trigger finger thing is just so odd. I already get that sometimes now. Looks/feels like a horror movie posture! I have invested in all sorts of interesting (and useful!) contraptions to open cans and jars, which keep me cooking.

Yesterday, we had a good long walk to a local organic farm stand, then to the lake, where the color is pretty, if not brilliant. Then for dinner, we ordered pizza, or I should say, DH did......and he snuck in an order of crabcakes as well. I didn't mind. Pretty amazing that this local joint has decent pizza and crabcakes! I made an arugula salad to accompany mains.

Today is DH's absolute favorite day on our beach! The forty-something guys do a lobster fest......steamers, king crab legs, two lb. lobsters, and corn. We are slated to have bright sun all day long, so the forecasted 60 degrees should feel fine. And I'll bet someone rigs up a TV feed and screen so no one misses the Patriots' game while chowing down. 

Susan, I envy your chili stocked freezer.....way ahead of the game (so to speak!).

Lacey, I would love to join that lobster fest on the beach!  What a treat! 

Moon, the trigger finger sounds like a major inconvenience not to mention the pain.  

Dinner last night was individual 10 in. pizzas from a local Italian place, Isabella's.  I had the spinach pizza with herb oil sauce, tomatoes, feta cheese and mozzarella.  It was delicious.  The crust was good, crunchy on the bottom, but wouldn't have passed the test for those who insist on a paper thin crispy crust.  DH had the Isabella Suprema which had pepperoni, ground meat, Italian sausage, onion, peppers, cheese, and tomato sauce.  He likes the traditional tomato sauce on his pizza and almost insists on Italian sausage.  I prefer the veggie pizzas (minus onions) with olive oil and fresh chopped tomatoes. 

Tonight's dinner will probably be take-out again, maybe from a burger place.  DH and I will again be working all day at the Madisonville Wooden Boat Show in the Woodworkers Guild tent.  Children line up at the tent to make their own little wooden boat out of many parts that the woodworkers, including dh, make during the year.  They can make a sailboat, fishing boat type, or a gunboat.  You should see some of the boats!  The men assemble the parts the children select.  Spouses assist the kids in picking out sails from a wide spectrum of colors, tie down the sails, write the name on the bow, etc.  There is a huge tub of water outside the tent where the boats can be floated.  It's fun but a tiring day.  The boats are free but the parents are generous in putting money in the donation jars. 

Lacey, that would be my favorite day on the beach too!  Arthritis and the AI means I can no longer knead bread dough but rely on my mixer. My knife skills are still ok so far and opening lids and jars are out of the question.

Carole, the pizzas sound wonderful!

Susan, please take pictures of your pantry to show us!

Food and Wine informs me that it's Gumbo Day, so that's what it shall be, along with a baguette. Last night I tried my hand at bear claws, although not with my own dough (frozen puff pastry). Still pretty darn good. Next time I'll make my own.

Pictures of the pantry!  Please, please!

Moon, you sound so good-natured.  Your complaints never sound like complaints! 

Nance, what kind of gumbo did you make?