RUN, DON'T WALK

Free grand slam breakfast to any and all at Denny's until 2pm. 'nough said.

ROCKIN' HARVEST PARTY

I read an article in Real Simple this weekend that offered an interesting party idea. Have your friends bring their own tomatoes and everyone hangs out in the kitchen and makes pasta sauce to take home with them. This, of course, would only work if your friends liked to talk a lot and everyone enjoys everyone else's company. Done. And done.
Nate and I have quite a few tomatoes from this year's harvest and we anticipate swimming in even more in just a few weeks. In addition to the tomatoes, we have jalapeños growing in abundance. In order to use our harvest wisely, we talked about hosting a rockin' harvest party where our neighbors/friends bring their own tomatoes/peaches/mangos and we'll make yummy fresh salsa that everyone can take home. And to provide additional entertainment, we'll plug in Rock Band and let the brave ones entertain us.

SMOTHERED IN SYRUP WITHOUT THE MESS

Two working people with busy schedules that don't yet have kids...not really the recipe for elaborate breakfasts. Unless you consider cereal or yogurt elaborate. Nate and I have actually tried to eat indulgent breakfasts on the weekends; It's a way to spend time together and get a good start to a labor intensive day {read yard work and house cleaning}.
I love this gadget from freshfinds.com. Dispense your syrup or honey without the drippy mess.

CEDAR PLANK SALMON

While I was listening to the dessert menu at the restaurant at Hotel Monaco I got to thinking. What would happen if words could affect us. I mean, really, really affect us. I guess they do already. If someone says I look pretty I stand a little taller and I definitely smile wider. If a boss tells me my ideas are stupid, I hate him. If someone mentions how brilliant and smokin' hot my husband is, I regard them as wise and noble {and I pay someone to keep an eye on them}.
But what if there was such a thing as a fattening word? As the waitress was saying things like creme broule and watermelon sorbet I was really grateful that hearing those words didn't pack on extra pounds like putting them in my mouth would. I was also glad I had ordered the cedar plank salmon for dinner because that just sounds completely smart, delicious, beautiful and healthy.

SUPER BOWL: SOUP FOR A GROUP

February 3 is bringing us the biggest game of the year. Giants vs. Patriots. There is a great soup article in the Jan/Feb issue of Blueprint "Soup for one, two, four, or a group" that gives some delicious sounding suggestions for serving that which warms the heart.
I'm thinking about hosting a super bowl party at our house and serving the Tuscan White Bean soup just like the article suggests. Consider a pot of white bean soup with items like toasted Tuscan bread, grape tomatoes, red onions, olive oil, parmigiano-regiano cheese, red pepper flakes and sauteed pancetta to personalize each bowl. I mean, my mouth is watering at the thought of it.

THANKSGIVING FEAST

Thanksgiving was a success; good food was eaten by all. Nate's parents, Emma, Jon and James came in Wednesday night and we spent the evening baking pies, sweet potatoes, and anything else that could be done the day before. After a few hours in the kitchen we all relaxed in front of the TV and watched one of the best movies of all time; Elf.
On Thanksgiving morning I got up early and pulled the turkey from the cooler. Nate was good enough to put the savory brine together the day before and that's where the turkey spent the previous 24 hours. The bird was pale and freezing cold. I followed a recipe I got from Martha Stewart for roasting. It came out golden brown with crispy skin; just the way it was supposed to. Ryan and Holly came with their darling girls Lydia and Violet and we feasted around 2pm.











I didn't have the most dramatically set table but it fit everyone around it {along with a companion table} and that's all that mattered. After I described it to my mom she said it was elegantly simple which I embraced whole-heartedly.











After all the family left on Friday, Nate and I went to see Dan in Real Life which was really sweet and we applaud Steve Carell's more serious performance. By the time the movie was over I was officially sick. Watery eyes, runny nose. My body had waited until the last possible moment to get sick.
Saturday Nate and I spent the morning putting our Christmas card and gift lists together so we could shop with purpose. We then spent the next 45 minutes at the gym so we could work off all that turkey and stuffing. Then I managed, in my sickly state, to fall asleep on the couch and I didn't wake up 'til it was dark outside. We hung some wreaths on the top and main level street-facing windows, watched The Godfather, and went to bed.
Sunday we went to church, visited with some friends, and put up our 7.5 foot tree. It is currently without trimming but it's still pretty and adds to the festive feeling when we play The Little Drummer Boy by The Dandy Warhols.









All in all, a very good Thanksgiving holiday. I so needed it.

THERE'S A 20 LB BIRD IN MY FRIDGE!

I rushed out on Saturday night, after a long day at work, and purchased an enormous butterball turkey. After removing a shelf from my refrigerator to accommodate the frozen gobbler, I put him in the 99 cent flimsy foil pan to thaw. I keep giving him the poke test. He's getting softer and softer. I think he'll be ready to brine tomorrow. I was originally going to go with the standard salt water mix but this recipe from Martha won me over. I'm going to buy the ingredients tonight so that I can start the 24 hour soak tomorrow.
Andrew, if you want me to save you some dark meat I will.

THANKSGIVING PRACTICE

I've never made pie before. To be clear, I did help my mom a lot when I was younger. I'd sift the dry ingredients and spread flower out on the counter...but I never actually MADE the pie. So a few weeks ago I decided to try it; for the first time; as an adult.
Two things I discovered: 1) I don't own a rolling pin. 2) I don't own a pie dish. So with a little innovative thought, these treats came out of the oven, piping hot and ready to be enjoyed.
I rolled the dough using my Pam cooking spray can and I made eight tiny pies in my cute little ramekins. They made the perfect little personal sized desserts.
Someone told me I should never try a new recipe the day I'm serving it to guests. But honestly, I don't really want to brine a turkey and make stuffing if i don't have to. I'm a working girl!

MARKET STREET BROILER

Nate took me to dinner on Friday night at Market Street Broiler in SLC to say both "farewell" to my days of leisure and "hello" to my structured days at work. I had the cod which was a yummy and seasonal piece of fish and Nate got a tuna steak that was to die for. We ate light, had no dessert and both scored a point in ultimate frisbee the next day. I think we should prepare for every Saturday morning game the same way on Friday night with a good meal at Market Street Broiler. Oh, and I got to debut the new dress. I LOVE it.