highlights

This is a compilation of the most notable dinners occuring in the gap of time between this post and the last. It seems like the more I get one thing together, the more another falls apart. Can't I just get everything together all the time? Recently blogging hasn't been the priority. But the winds are a-changing, methinks. Poor laundry, it might not make the next season...(it's my main weakness as far as housekeeping goes)

My Birthday Dinner. I made paella with shrimp, mussels and chorizo. I screwed up and bought ground chorizo (hey! it was wrapped to look like a regular sausage) so instead of bites of spicy sausage, the spiciness invaded the whole dish. Great for me, not so great for the kids and select guests. It was good but since I've never had paella before (one reason I wanted to try it) I can't say how good.

I was also going to make a coconut cream pie but my friend offered to make me a cake so I took her up on it. I asked her to make her famous Peanut Butter Truffle Cake. Oh so good and rich!

New Regular Meal Addition. You know that book I made the awesomely rich macaroni and cheese from? Well it had this other recipe called Thai Wraps in it. We tried it and it was soooo good and so incredibly simple. A pound of ground beef plus whatever veggies you want to saute up with it (bell pepper, carrot, celery, etc) then season with a couple tablespoons of fish sauce and soy sauce. Wrap it up in a romaine leaf and chomp away. The kids eat lettuce like crazy with these babies. I love it so much we eat it probably twice a month. (which, if you know me, is quite often) Edit: Add a cup or so of cooked rice, as well.

Really lovely beef, spinach and sweet potato stuff over rice.

Hubby outdid himself. Every Saturday my man makes us all waffles. This weekend set himself apart as a supreme waffle master. He made these delicious oatmeal waffles and then created an orange honey butter to go with it. He took a cup and a half of fresh-squeezed orange juice and then reduced it to TWO TABLESPOONS!  He added a teaspoon or so of this concentrated orange essence to a half cup of softened butter and then threw in enough honey until it "tasted right". It paired perfectly with the maple syrup. When I took a bite, all at once I completely understood what all those people on the Food Network mean by the "acid cutting through the fat and sending a burst of flavor right to my tongue." Bravo, hubby!

Pretty meals make you feel special. Although this recipe is super simple, look at the results. I made a double batch of my pizza dough, rolled it into a rectangle and put this sausage-cream cheese filling inside. After cutting little fringes and gently folding them over each other, dabbing on a good egg wash and sprinkling with poppy seeds, I baked it for a bit and voila! Look at that gorgeous thing! (It tasted really good too!) ps-I got the recipe from that Family Feasts book.

mac & cheese, the good stuff

Macaroni and cheese. Really good, homemade with 2 c sharp cheddar, 1/2 c romano and 4 oz cream cheese macaroni and cheese from this book. No picture. Sorry. But just imagine a pale yellow, very creamy dish made with cavatappi (my favorite pasta shape) that is sinfully delicious.

Oh, and carrot sticks.