Guacamole

I like to make guacamole.

But I have never used 

this recipe!

I use:

avocado,

onion,

tomato,

cilantro,

jalapeno,

cumin,

and lime juice.

I could eat it all day!

Love: the menu

I know...

Two weeks late.

Here is our Valentine's Day menu:

Heart-shaped pepperoni

It's expensive,

but totally worth it for LOVE.

Placed carefully onto homemade

heart-shaped pizza dough,

a little wine for the grown-ups...

Sister lit the candles...

Viola!

Dinner that says LOVE.

Yum!

Then, 

Red velvet cake for dessert.

Pizza choices:

Mr. chose onions, mushrooms, olives, pepperoni, cheese

Sister chose pepperoni, onions, cheese

Sister Too had mushrooms, onions, pepperoni, cheese

Mrs. chose onions, fennel, olives, cheese

What's your favorite pizza topping?

French Bread

I'm obsessed.

With bread making.

I use a recipe from this book.

I have not BOUGHT bread in the year 2012.

It's totally true.

Bread making is THAT easy.

Crispy on the outside,

warm and chewy on the inside.

Lately I prefer mine with fig jam.

Fig jam is the best thing on earth.

I mean it.

It's great if you spread it over goat cheese,

or cream cheese,

 or just on a spoon.

Also,

I just learned of this blog,

which I will now read until my bread is cool.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Mr.'s family is full of stories.

Here's one:

One day Grandma made a pineapple upside down cake.

It was greatly anticipated*

as she had several children

and all were raised with a proper sweet tooth.

*This was in the olden days 

when children 

did not eat

sugar

all day.

A lady friend stopped to visit

and admired the cake,

mentioning that it is 

her favorite 

in all the world.

Having the grace of a lady,

"Take this one," says Grandma.

"Oh no, I couldn't!" exclaimed the lady friend.

"No, really, you must," insists Grandma.

"My children don't LIKE 

pineapple upside down cake."

And so, lady friend skips home,

cake in hand.

Grandma waves goodbye from the porch,

with several sets of teary eyed children,

clinging to her skirt,

and no pineapple upside down cake.

I saw this video, 

and thought I might make one. 

pineapple upside-down cake from rachelchew on Vimeo.

Now you want to make one too,

don't you.

Dinner

Tonight school is hosting 

International Night.

Sister is playing her trombone.

(The Can-can...once it gets in your head it stays...)

Sister Too is one of the MC's.

Sister Too really wants us to go.

"Mom, you don't have to make dinner,"

she persuades.

"Hmmm, sounds good," I think.

Sister Too says,

 "And, I told my teacher 

how great you are

at making

 homemade French bread.

So I volunteered you

 to make

 a dozen loaves."

I'm not sure 

but I think making dinner 

*might* 

have been easier.

Once again, the easy way

is not the right way.

Even my hair smells like bread.

You want cream with that?

I found a cool store in Pittsburgh.

It has this:

A GIANT creamer...

It's pretty cool.

  

Reminds me of a Greek diner.

This I Believe

I am an NPR nerd.

Personally, I loved it in Cincinnati.

they do all my favorite shows.

Pittsburgh is called Essential Public Radio.

They do not carry all my favorite shows.

I subscribe to the podcasts.

Each week I love to listen to the series 

"This I Believe".

It is inspiring, and touching.

Last year, I was so inspired,
I wrote one too.

It was the holiday season, 

and I tend to get a little sentimental around that time. 

Here is my essay:

I believe in friendship forged over food. We have relocated many times to many states, and sharing meals has been the way we forge new and lasting friendships wherever we live. Even busy people find time to linger over a meal with friends. Meals encourage entertaining conversation, and can soothe tempers after heated and polarizing discussions. Food links us together in a chain that spans time and tradition.

I read somewhere that Jewish people are commanded to share their meals with others. While I am not Jewish, I think this is a very noble calling. I entertain though my house is not in order, without any planning or menu consideration, without advance notice, and I am known to serve an impromptu dinner party while in my pajamas. I have learned that no one comes to see the house, or to see me in my Sunday best. And while I believe that I can show my love for people by cooking from scratch, I also have learned that sharing a meal of take-out Chinese is just as wonderful as sharing a mock-Thanksgiving dinner that took all day to prepare. The sharing is the most important.

I cook for a family of four, and I have learned it is just as easy to cook for 6, or 8, and so many nights, I do. While often our friends and neighbors are delighted and grateful for the invitation, even sometimes feeling guilty because they do not reciprocate, I am honored and humbled to share my meal with those who share my life, my successes and defeats, and while my words fail to convey my deep thanks for their friendship, I believe a bowl of hot, saucy pasta consumed while sitting around my imperfect kitchen table shows them how much I care for them.

I am proud that my daughters never hesitate to invite someone to dinner, and though they are but 11 and 13 years old, they will make French chocolate mousse to encourage friends to linger for dessert. It’s just what we do.

And if you want to see it on the official site, 

Click here.

Now that we are here in Pittsburgh,

we have only hosted one meal

with Cousin Mark.

I am so happy in Pittsburgh,

it is a wonderful city.

Reading my essay reminds me of the fond times

around my oak kitchen table,

or my walnut dining room table,

and I miss my dear friends in Cincinnati.

Lucky for me, some arrive next week,

for football and fellowship.

It will feel like old times.

Almost.

Grinch

You may remember that yesterday

 I lost my purse.

I had a busy day.

Our church hosts homeless families

for one week each month.

It takes an army of volunteers.

We decided to be an army of 4 and help out.

We signed up to make dinner.

Salad, chicken, green beans, apple sauce, and pumpkin bars.

Yum.

Except I decided to cut the sugar in the pumpkin bars.

To NONE.

I forgot to add sugar.

So yeah,

we make dinner for two homeless families,

people who have so little,

and I deprive them of SUGAR?!?!

Who do I think I am?

The Grinch?

Luckily, the recipe calls for a caramel layer.

So it is a little sweet.

Healthy?

That's how I'm presenting it.

Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes

Okay,

so you guys know this isn't a cooking blog like this or this.

So, there won't be detailed photos of how to do this.

But do it anyway,

because it was delicious!

First,

I added about 4T to my pancake batter.

Just mix it right in with the whisk.

It is a bit lumpy at first but stirs right in.

Once you griddle them 

(is that a word?)

add sliced bananas.

Cook them the same way you usually do, 

serve them on a plate

with a few slices of bananas on top.

They were delicious,

and super filling!

No one finished hers.

Neither sister prefers maple syrup 

but I had some.

Mmmm.

Next time I think I'll invite Elvis.

I'll bet he would have LOVED this breakfast!

<3

Cooking for fun

This house inspires me to cook.

It could be the fancy gas stove.

I haven't cooked on a gas stove in at least 14 years.

It could be the giant sink 

(which our old house had and I loved).

It could be the massive storage 

(we have empty cupboards).

Either way, I made this quiche.

I relied on THIS recipe, 

but made these changes:

1 c. 1/2 & 1/2 instead of the milk and heavy cream

and 4 eggs instead of 3 eggs and 2 egg whites

and 1/2 c. parmesan cheese instead of fontina.

Mr. says it was my best quiche ever.

I also made pea and basil soup.  

It is supposed to be served chilled 

but it is delicious warm

in a drinking glass, if you are impatient like me!

Beautiful cherries.  

All I did was wash them.

Stacked brown tomato, 

basil, and

fresh mozzarella salad

drizzled with basil olive oil.

Have you ever had brown tomatoes?

Me neither.

They are so sweet.

Thank you new Pittsburgh grocery!