Cooking for the Cambridge Crowd

From Kami:
8:09 am: I think Ashley left her phone somewhere so I might come home to eat dinner and grab it.

Me: ok.

10:08 am: would it be a possibility for other people to come to dinner as well?

Me: sure

In reality we had no plans for dinner. We have been eating Thanksgiving leftovers, and moved straight into production for a shower I hosted Saturday, so not a lot of regular grocery shopping has been going on. But, I mean obviously we are going to eat. And obviously, I'll never turn down a chance to have my girlie and her friends come to dinner. The last of the Thanksgiving turkey is in the freezer. I'll make a turkey pot pie.

Phone Call from Kami:

2:08 pm: So, remember that guy Spencer who came over last week? The one who doesn't eat gluten, dairy, or sugar. He's coming.

Me: ok. Talk, talk, talk, okay I'll figure it out.

Ok. I'll do 1 pot pie, and 1 with no crust, just mashed potatoes on top. Hmmm, mashed potatoes with no butter or milk? Ok. I'll use a little olive oil and chicken broth. He's not vegetarian right? Nope, not vegetarian. Ok. I've totally got this!

Text from Kami:

3:15 pm: AHHHH I just remembered we have one vegetarian coming. Is it too late to do something about it?

Me: ummm, do something about her being vegetarian? Probably. Or too late to do something about the fact that we're having Turkey Pot Pie, with or without gluten? Oh, the latter, I thought so. ummmm, ok. I'll figure something out.

Solution?

1 pot pie with gluten and turkey and lots of veggies, 1 pot pie with gluten and lots of veggies, and dairy (cheese) and no turkey, 1 pot pie (is it a pie with no crust? Or is is it a casserole?) with turkey, and no dairy, and no gluten. Did you get that?

Yep, done by 5:00 when everyone showed up. Kami brought cut up veggies to roast, since my only fresh produce option was a fruit salad, which is high in sugar.

It was all delicious, and everyone was thrilled with the pie of their choice.

And I was thrilled to have a house full of kids for a few hours.

And Tagg was thrilled to have a houseful of people besides me.

And Dave was thrilled to have dinner, because it's been an exhausting few days for him as my chief hostessing assistant.

All in all, a culinary success! Have a dietary restriction? Come on over, I'm your girl!

Location:Hull, MA

Thank you! You're too kind.

Look what Superstorm Sandy brought me!

It may not look like much now, but once I put legs on it and turn it into a really cool bench, you'll understand the value of driftwood.
Although Tagg, who pulled it from the rocky beach behind our house before someone else could! will verify it's unlikely something this heavy will drift much.
I'm feeling pretty lucky that we received this kind gift and no destruction.
At least I was feeling special until I saw what the first Nor' Easter of the year brought the neighbors!

Yes, this was taken from my back deck this morning. Hello boat! What are you doing here?
Someone's gonna want that back, but the wood is mine to keep.

Location:Nantasket Rd,Hull,United States

Cake-ation

Have you ever wondered how much cake is too much cake?

Have you ever discovered the answer to that question?

Do you just hate cake?

If the answer to that last question is yes, you're just weird. As for the other questions, I have my own theories.

What could be more fun than hanging out with your sister making your other sisters daughter a wedding cake? How about hanging out with your sister making your other sisters daughter a wedding cake AND making your other sisters other daughter a birthday cake!

Not an ordinary birthday cake, mind you, a birthday cake that for some reason is more than the wedding cake. And by more I don't mean better, just more. More cake, more fillings, more frosting, more layers. You know, just more!

Don't ask why, there is no one who can answer that question.

Sometimes when sisters get together things can get a little crazy.

And, a little sticky. Or, really sticky!

Let me share with you the things I learned from my cake-ation:

1. Not everyone travels with cake pans in their luggage
2. Sugar is sticky
3. When you are filling a 6 inch cake, 2 cups of lemon curd is too much
4. The 4th batch of buttercream is considerably less tasty than the first batch, even when they are identical
5. The 4th day of cake making is considerably less hilarious than the first day, and they are never identical
6. On the first day of cake making, anything seems possible
7. Cake from scratch is so much better than store bought cake that you cannot ever, ever, ever compare them. So please don't try!
8. Did I mention that sugar is sticky? Sorry Kriste, you will be finding sticky patches on your table, counters, and floor for a while yet
9. Making cake for your nieces is worth every minute!

If you're wondering what's inside, the wedding cake is white cake with cream cheese filling and vanilla almond buttercream.

The birthday cake is (big breath) white cake with lemon curd filling, white cake with cream cheese filling, and chocolate cake with strawberry pastry cream filling, all covered in vanilla almond buttercream. You know, more!









And as for how much cake is too much? Well, as far as i know there are no leftovers, so you decide.

Location:Somewhere between Utah and Massachusetts

Adventures in Painting

The sun was so hot
there was no time to play!
So I went to the store
On that nice summer day.

I went to the paint store
I drove in my car
To buy pretty blue paint
But I didn't get far

On the project I planned
For that bright sunny day
To paint in the closet
Then put it away

Because
something went bump
And that bump made me jump!

Then I looked
And I saw it all over the floor
I looked
And the paint was all over, and more
And I said out loud
Aaah, you stupid stinky store!
You did not put the lid on
Now that is not right!
You did not put the lid on
It was not at all tight!

I wanted to paint
I do not know good tricks
For picking up paint
From my floor made of sticks!
I do not want to vacuum
To mop and to scrub
I do not want to ruin
The white of my tub.

I haven't the time
For this kind of trick
I do not like it
Not one little bit!

But I wiped and I mopped
And I used all my tools
To pick up the paint
That was was spilled due to fools!

I got out a toothbrush
To clean out the cracks
And the steam mop helped too
And them came the wet Vac!

And I spit and I shined
And my family helped too
Till the only thing left
Was the tub
Which was blue

And I got out the cleaner
And wiped it away
And finally I could
Move on with my day

Do you know what I painted
That bright sunny day?
The floor in the closet
Six inches away



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Let's have a Pantry Party!

Welcome to my pantry. I had a pantry party today.  My friend Esther came over.  She is a brilliant organizer.  She is also from England and has a lovely accent. She is also a lovely person and very fun to hang out with.  You should try it sometime.





This is the alternate pantry entrance.  If you are an appliance, or a very, very small person.





These are the appliances that live on the other side of the alternate entrance.  They like to hide here when not in use.





This is where my baking supplies live. Another lovely friend, Heather, helped me organize these baskets. You would like her too. So really I had two pantry parties this week.





This is my pantry floor. I painted it myself. I really, really like it. I didn't sweep  before I took this picture.  I didn't want anyone to feel bad if their floor wasn't spotless like mine.  I'm sensitive that way.






Esther had a genius idea to color coordinate these shelves.  The color gradation is beautiful. The top shelf is clear glass objects. I never, in a million years, would have come up with this plan. I love it!!!  Thanks, Esther.  Sorry my photography is so incredibly hideous.





She even kept the groove going in the 'less lovely stuff' section.





Yes, we do have food in the pantry

By the way, if you're wondering what to serve at a pantry party. Serve this. It's delicious!!!

Avocado, tomato, mozzarella salad for 4:

6 cups lettuce (I used butter lettuce)
2 ripe avocados, diced, tossed with a little lemon or lime juice
3 ripe tomatoes, diced
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, diced 2 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, or 1 teaspoon dried
Brieanna's Blush Wine Viniagrette

Just mix everything togetherer, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add dressing as desired. Yum, yum. Serve with some delicious artisan bread and enjoy! Good friends, good food, good fun, and good organization.

February 1st, 2012; a day that will live in infamy

Possibly the most abnormal day of my life.

Let me share it with you.

4:22 am: the phone rings, I run to the base to find it's not there.

4:23 am: the phone rings, I run downstairs to answer it. It's Tim saying it's time to come watch little Ginny while they go to the hospital for the birth of baby number two. I'm twenty minutes away I say.

4:27 am: I glance at the clock while brushing my teeth.

4:32 am: in my car on the way.

4:53 am: I call Tim to buzz me into the building. Not a moment too soon he says.

4:54 am: I enter the apartment. Many moments too late, I think.

4:55 am: I call 911. I'm with a friend who is not going to make it to the hospital in time to deliver her baby I say. They say many, many things in reply. Which I relay to Tim who is DELIVERING A BABY!!!!!! He and Rebecca are very calm and in control. Ginny doesn't ever wake up. I'm grateful for this.

5:00 am: Baby Girl is born!

5:04 am: EMTs arrive. Somewhere between 4:57 and 5:02 a police officer arrived. He was not the most important person at the time, so I really don't remember exactly when. I just remember running desperately for the front of the building to let him in, thinking it was the EMTs. I'm glad they lived on the first floor!

5:05 am: I text Dave 'the baby was born IN THE HOUSE!!!'

Basically the rest of the day: blur, blur, blur, take care of Ginny, blur, blur, blur.

7:00 pm: Relief Society Enrichment Night. We talk about Strenghtening Marriage. Someone may or may not have suggested sleeping naked and having sex 2 or 3 times a night. I may or may not have considered suggesting no sex ever as it may lead to having a baby, which may not be a good idea. Don't worry, I steered the conversation to safer ground.

The End

What's right with the world

Thursday night was Dave's company party at House of Blues in Boston.

I learned a few important lessons.

1. I must find somwhere in my house to put patchwork silk wallpaper and patchwork Persian rugs. The Foundation Room they use for private parties is AMAZING. http://www.houseofblues.com/venues/clubvenues/boston/foundationroom.php

2. Kami's Lady Gaga tutorial on our drive to NYC came in very handy.

3. Attending a Holiday Party (no offense intended by the use of the "H" word, don't even get me started.) as the President's wife is very similar to chaperoning my kids high school house parties when we lived in Holliston. Mass of bodies, loud music, can't hear what people are saying. Only difference being, no one was trying to sneak in alcohol, they were just drinking it openly.

4. If you're ever in a jam, what you probably need is a sausage vendor.

As we left House of Blues at 10 pm, things were just heating up there on Lansdowne street. For those of you unfamiliar with Boston, Lansdowne Street is the home to Fenway, where the Red Sox play, as well as a variety of nightclubs. What I didn't know, not being a big club person (shocking, I know), is that Sausage vendors can apparently set up all year long, and not just on game days.

Immediately after noticing the food cart, I noticed what I would consider a little girl, although I'm sure she was one of the thousands of local college students, standing on the other side of the sidewalk. She was notable for a few reasons. 1st, she was wearing a cute little pink and white outfit with high heels and no coat, and 2nd, she was simultaneously mumbling under her breath, texting, and crying. Uh oh. Just as I started to ask her what was wrong, I heard the vendor behind me, in his full Boston accent, say 'ah sweetheart, whatsamattah? Did your friends leave ya behind?" Lest you are a sceptic like me, don't worry about ulterior motives, he was working his cart with what appeared to be his wife and son, and there were lots of people around. None of whom seemed the least bit worried about this cold, sad young woman standing on the side of the road crying. But he noticed, and cared.

I had the distinct impression this was not his first rescue. As I drove away, he had her sitting on a stool behind the cart, under the overhang, and had found something for her to wrap around her shoulders. I feel sure she got safely home that night.

Thank goodness for wonderful people everywhere who still care. The Mom me sleeps a little better at night after seeing that.

'Twas two weeks after Christmas . . .

and all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Really, absolute silence.

Weird.

Let me just give you the highlights of our Christmss vacation.

Kami came home!
Tagg came home!
McKay and Annie came home!
Chase called!

That's the good parts version, folks.

Other things of note.

We have a kitchen!

Definitely short on finish work, but We have a kitchen!!!!!

We have a living room!

With furniture!!!

We have a Dining Room Table!!!!


. . . and to all a good night!

p.s. Sorry about the exclamation points, but . . .

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!