Sunday, December 27, 2009

27 December 2009

The dinner table set with tablecloth from Jim's mom
and beeswax candles made from Jim's dad's beeswax.










Christmas morning buttermilk pancakes!


The holidays have come and gone, and I have been in the kitchen for days it seems! I have not posted a Sunday Supper lately because I have been cooking a lot of holiday meals that seem to fall on other days. Last weekend, I had my entire family down for Sunday brunch. I baked a Coca-Cola glazed fresh ham, salt and pepper cream biscuits, au gratin potatoes, and a German chocolate cake. My sister make sausage balls, green beans and macaroni and cheese. My brother smoked a turkey, and my nieces made hot slaw, death by chocolate, cornbread stuffing, pecan pies and other items. Several members of my family came down the night before, and we stayed up until 4:30 am. We had a blast, but it made for a long day on Sunday – hence the lack of a post last weekend. We spent Christmas Eve with our friends Jeff and Cory. We went to a new Thai restaurant that was good and came back to their house to bake sugar cookies and decorate gingerbread houses, and a fun new holiday tradition was born. Speaking of Christmas traditions, I made scratch buttermilk pancakes for Christmas morning, and they were divine. We went to the North Georgia mountains to have dinner with our friends Steve and Amado, and I made a cream cheese almondine appetizer and baked a Red Velvet cake. Steve made some delicious individual chicken pot pies, and we had a blast. So, that brings me to last night, Boxing Day. During all of the festivities of the past couple of weeks, I really have not had an opportunity to cook a complete meal, so last night we celebrated Christmas with Jeff and Cory with a Boxing Day feast! I roasted a standing rib roast for Cory, Jeff and I and made a roasted chicken over homemade croutons for Jim. For the sides, I made horseradish mashed potatoes and another cream cheese almondine for an appetizer. Jeff and Cory made wok seared green beans and some amazing Parker House rolls. For desert, I made yet another Red Velvet cake. Earlier in the day, I made another German Chocolate cake for Jeff to take to his family Christmas gathering since I had promised his father one over the holidays. All in all, it has been a great, but busy, holiday season in the kitchen. I will try to get back on schedule with my Sunday Supper posts in 2010, and I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday. May the new year bring you joy, good fortune and delicious suppers prepared from the heart!

Boxing Day 2009 – The Menu:

- Standing Rib Roast With Cabernet Au Jus

- Roasted Chicken Over Homemade Croutons

- Yorkshire Pudding

- Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

- Wok Seared Garden Green Beans

- Cream Cheese Almondine With Toasted Baguette

- Parker House Rolls

- Red Velvet Cake

Sunday, November 29, 2009

29 November 2009






We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our friends Steve, Amado, Jeff and Cory! This year's gathering was much smaller than past ones, and our other friends were missed. Hopefully, the big feast will return next year, but our smaller crowd was simply fabulous. I made the turkey, dressing, gravy and orange ginger carrot cake. Steve made a relish tray with wasabi sauce and perfect mashed potatoes. Amado made a wonderful phyllo baked appetizer and broccoli salad. Jeff made his famous pecan pie and some amazing Parker House rolls. Cory made a delicious cranberry relish with jalapenos. The meal was amazing, and I am thankful to have great friends and family in my life. The kitchen is so alive when it is shared with friends, and you can taste the love in the food. I am also thankful to have lots of leftovers! I love Thanksgiving leftovers, so I roasted an extra Kosher turkey! For tonight's Sunday Supper, I used the rest of bird number one to make Turkey pot pies! Tomorrow, we will have turkey sandwiches for lunch and reheat the leftovers for dinner. I've included photos of tonight's supper plus a few from Thanksgiving since I used those ingredients in the preparation. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and wish you a very happy beginning to the holiday season.

The Menu:

- Turkey Pot Pie

- Leftover Orange Ginger Carrot Cake

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

24 November – Countdown to Thanksgiving!



No, I have not had to much wine to drink – yet! I know it is Tuesday and not Sunday, but the countdown and prep for my favorite meal of the year has begun! I love cooking for Thanksgiving, and I usually begin a few days before. Tonight, I made some homemade chicken stock for my mother's Southern cornbread dressing! Her recipe denotes chicken stock "from a real chicken," so I guess store bought stock is not – lol. I typically use the whole poached chicken to make sandwiches for dinner, but tonight I had the idea further honor my mom's memory by making one of her signature dishes: Chicken å la King! It is basically a chicken in cream sauce served over toast points. It is a little more involved than chicken sandwiches, but what the hell – the holidays are here. So, now I am stuffed while I wait for my cornbread to finish baking in my mom's iron skillet. I will also use the cornbread for the dressing. Last night, I retrieved not one but two fresh Kosher turkeys: one for carving at the table and one for leftovers. I LOVE turkey leftovers for sandwiches, turkey pot pie and soup. Last year, I even cubed and breaded some leftover dressing and deep fried it! I topped it with turkey and drizzled with gravy...

Hoping your Thanksgiving prep is also going well and that it is filled with fond memories of great food and loved ones.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

22 November 2009



It has been a rainy cold day in Georgia, so Jim requested Mac-n-Cheese for dinner. While this dish seems simple, it is actually one of the most difficult dishes to make well. I have tried many different recipes and versions, but I am still seeking perfection. Tonight's version was pretty good. Without a doubt, there is no better comfort food to be had. Since the baked macaroni and cheese is so rich, I made a simple fresh salad with Parmesan crisp to lighten the meal.

I had a crazy week, so it was nice to escape to the kitchen today. I met with our outdoor furniture client in LA on Wednesday and flew back on Thursday. It was a quick but successful trip. Now I am planning to cook my favorite meal of the year, Thanksgiving dinner! We are having a much smaller gathering this year than usual, but I look forward to sharing my kitchen with a few dear friends. I reserved my fresh Kosher turkey today and will make my mother's Southern cornbread dressing. The rest has yet to be determined, so a little obsession will be required. May all your Sunday Suppers be filled with thanksgiving, and best wishes for a holiday season filled with joy and comfort.

The Menu:

- Classic Baked Three Cheese Macaroni

- Organic Spring Mix Salad with Homemade
Sherry Vinaigrette and Parmesan Crisp

- Old Fashioned Hot Caramel Sundaes



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Sunday, November 15, 2009

15 November 2009 - Shafel and Shelley






Our dear friends, Shafel and Shelley, are visiting us from Vashon Island, Washington. Jim has been friends with them forever, and I have grown to love them as well. They are quite the duet! We had a wonderful weekend in the North Georgia Mountains with them, and Jeff and Cory. We rented a cabin, cooked, laughed, made outfits and played games. I just bought a new cookbook by the Lee Brothers: Simple Fresh Southern. They are amazing connoisseurs of Southern Cuisine, and I have followed them for years. I decided to cook the girls a Southern dish from their new book, so I made an updated version of chicken and dumplings. It is lighter than the old fashioned version – a cross between the original and chicken noodle soup. You actually make a thick hand rolled pasta to use as dumplings. It was really nice. I began Sunday Supper with one of my own creations, Cream of Pinto Bean Soup with a touch of super hot chow chow and country bacon crouton. It was divine. Shelly made another appetizer from the book, radish butter, and it was also wonderful. For dessert, I prepared the Lee Brothers' buttermilk cake with raspberries. Time with great friends and loved ones should be cherished and nurtured...

Hope your weekend was full of life, love and fresh experiences!

Bill

The Menu:

- Updated Fresh Chicken and Pasta Dumplings

- Cream of Pinto Bean Soup with Super Hot Chow Chow and Bacon Crouton

- Radish Butter with Assorted Crackers

- Buttermilk Cakes with Marinated Raspberries

Sunday, November 1, 2009

01 November 2009





It's the day after Halloween, and we're having leftover lasagna for tonight's Sunday Supper. It's become a tradition to have lasagna on Halloween with lots of red wine! We had two trick-or-treaters all night long, but it was a rainy night. Our friends Jeff and Cory came over and helped decorate with jack-o-lanterns that we carved on Friday night and luminaries from the Store at Grant Design Collaborative. We had a great time, but I have been moving in slow motion today. Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

The Menu:

- Lasagna with Turkey Bolognese

- Garlic Bread

- Grilled Kripsy Kreme Strawberry Shortcake

Sunday, October 25, 2009

25 October, 2009


Well it is the last Sunday in October, and time just keeps flying by. The holidays will be here before we know it. I am looking forward to making lasagna for Halloween next Saturday. For some reason, it has become a ritual. Speaking of Halloween, we went to a costume party last night and had a great time. Jim and I went as Taylor Swift and Kanye West! I made some handheld masks, and we accessorized accordingly. Jim wore a curly blond wig, and I made him a red baby doll dress out of cellophane. He wore it with cowboy boots and held a VMA moon man trophy and a microphone in his hand. I wore some bling and carried a bottle of Hennessey around. I kept grabbing the microphone from "Taylor" all night to spout off about how Beyonce had one of the best videos ever made, had the best costume ever made, threw the best Halloween party of all time, etc. I think you get the drift! It was a lot of fun, and everyone seemed amused.

Unfortunately, I caught a terrible cold at some point, so I have been feeling crappy all day. I have a lot of writing to do for a brand strategy presentation on Wednesday, and it is very difficult to focus with such a mushy head! I worked at the office all afternoon and decided to bring my work home while I made some homemade chicken soup with matzoh balls. Hopefully, it will make for a productive and healing Sunday Supper. Now, I feel like putting on my pajamas, taking some Nyquil and watching Yentl...

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Next stop, November!

The Menu:

- Homemade Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls


Taylor Swift and Kanye West

Monday, October 19, 2009

Monday, 19 October 2009 - Leftovers


A rare Monday night post on Bill's Sunday Suppers! Actually, it is just a follow up to last night's dinner. Like the love of a dear aunt, great food just gets better! So tonight I made a salad with the leftover Southern Fried Chicken. I also used the leftover milk to make a Buttermilk Chive Dressing. Since Jim does not eat red meat, I usually cook something decadent when he was away. On Saturday before he got back, I made a homemade Bacon Cheeseburger. It was divine, of course. I love French hamburger buns, but you have to buy a whole pack, so I used the leftovers to make homemade garlic croutons for the salad and to adorn a side of tomato soup. Our cat, Leo, loved the leftover chicken too. I am also happy to report that today brought some good news for Jim and his family. His niece, Jill, gave birth to her daughter! Welcome to the world Piper Elizabeth Randall! Tonight's Theone Fried Chicken Mashup is dedicated to you!

Have a great week everyone.

Piper Elizabeth Randall

Sunday, October 18, 2009

18 October 2009 - Tribute to The One








Tonight's Sunday Supper is dedicated to Jim's Aunt Theone who passed away last week in Fargo. She was a great lady, and her daughter, Tonya, and grandson, Hans, decided that I should cook Southern Fried Chicken as a fitting tribute. I took this video of Theone, Tonya and Jim last February when we were visiting. Theone loved to play cards and tell stories. She was always very kind to me when we visited, and she was as quick witted as they come! She will be greatly missed, especially by her loving family. So, comfort food is definitely in order! Plus, there is a freeze watch in Atlanta for tonight. It has been cold all weekend, so a great, hot Southern meal was just what we needed. I have been asked why I do not publish my recipes on the blog. Honestly, it would just take to long, and I do not always follow recipes. However, there are three key tricks to making fried chicken. One, brine it in salt water (1/3 cup per quart of water) for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Next, remove the brined chicken from the refrigerator two hours prior to frying until the chicken comes to room temperature. If it is too cold, it will cool the oil down to fast. That brings me to the third and final tip: maintain a constant frying temperature of 325 degrees. If you follow these steps, your fried chicken will be crispy on the outside and very moist on the inside!

Here's to a better week ahead for everyone.

Cheers!

The Menu:

- Southern Fried Chicken

- Mashed Potatoes with Chicken Gravy

- Green Beans

- Franny Betty's Buttermilk Biscuits

- Lemon Meringue Pie

Sunday, October 11, 2009

11 October 2009






It has been a sad weekend. Jim's dear aunt Theone passed away on Friday. He will be going to Fargo on Wednesday for the services. She was a great lady and lived life to the fullest. Jim was very close to her and spent a lot of time with her growing up. Otherwise, it's been business as usual. We had the Taste of Canton event on Thursday this week, and over 1700 people attended! It was great to see that many people in the Historic Downtown Loop. I volunteered to be in the dunking tank, and every kid that took a turn got to dunk me! I still have water in my ears! I made a big mess in the kitchen tonight by cooking a "simple" Chinese dinner! I always forget how intense Asian cuisine can be to prepare. Lots of prep work but very little cooking time. For some reason, all of my pans were sticking tonight. Maybe it's the humidity? However, it all turned out pretty good. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

The Menu:

- Cashew Chicken with Steamed Rice

- Broccoli in Oyster Sauce

- Turkey and Chive Potstickers with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce

- Ginger Ice Cream with Fortune Cookies


The Dunk Tank!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

04 October 2009




It's been a busy, strange and beautiful week. I was in Greensboro, NC most of the week for a lecture and workshop for business and design professionals. It was interesting, and I met some great people. I also got to spend some time with old friends, my fellow designer Elliot Strunk and my dear friends of 21 years, Chris and Scott Skidmore. I had dinner on Thursday night with Chris and Scott. It was Chris's birthday, and we had a great time. Thursday also marked the day that Jim and I met in Seattle 14 years ago. It's been an interesting and great 14 years. In addition to all of this, Jim's dear and totally fabulous aunt, Theone, was released from the hospital to hospice care. She is an amazing lady, and I feel so honored to know her. She has lived her life at full speed, and I really admire her. Speaking of great ladies, Barbra Streisand released her new CD, "Love is the Answer," this week! Diana Krall produced it, and Babs sings with Diana's quartet on ONE version – exquisite! The other version features a full orchestra. Kids, they don't make them like this anymore! Perfect music for a cool, early Fall night by the fireplace...

So after a hectic and scattered week, comfort food was definitely in order for Sunday Supper! I made chicken pot pies with a side of French green beans. For dessert, I welcomed a rainy Fall night with a homemade Apple pie. Still sitting on the porch, and a gentle rain is beginning to fall. If you go away – please don't go away...

The Menu:

- Rustic Personal Chicken Pot Pies

- Simple French Style Green Beans

- Homemade Apple Pie Ala Mode

Sunday, September 20, 2009

20 September 2009





Jim's sister, Monna, is visiting from Seattle. Tomorrow is her birthday, so tonight's Sunday Supper celebrated her birthday. Tomorrow is also the birthday of our friend and colleague from Grant Design Collaborative, Matt DeFrain, so we invited him to dinner with his squeeze, Krissi. Of course, Jeff and Cory joined us for supper on the porch! It has been raining here in Georgia for over a week, and there is no end in sight. We dined on the side porch, so the rain was comforting. I decided to go French for tonight's Sunday Supper. I made Coq Au Vin for the entree, and started the meal with an herb baked goat cheese salad. For dessert, a classic Creme Caramel sufficed. Great to have Monna here, and all the friends on the porch are merely an added bonus...

Bon Appetit!

Bill

The Menu:

- Updated Coq Au Vin with French Baguettes

- Organic Green Salad with Baked Herbed Goat Cheese

- Classic Creme Caramel

Sunday, September 13, 2009

13 September 2009





We're awaiting the season finale of True Blood! We were in Cabo the last two Sundays, so tonight's Sunday Supper is the first for September. Last night, we cooked dinner at Jeff and Cory's house, and our dear friends, Steve and Amado, came down from Blue Ridge to join us. We had a great time! We recreated a great meal that Jeff had at La Fonda in Cabo: Filet with Ancho Chili and Cabernet reduction sauce, savory mashed potatoes and carrots and sweet peas. We started with Diablo Shrimp tostadas and homemade guacamole and pico de gallo for appetizers and sopapillas with ice cream honey and molasses for dessert. It was a great meal, so tonight's Sunday Supper needed to be a bit simpler. It is slowly transitioning to Fall, so I made Turkey Chili and Cornbread for dinner. We ware having Rice Krispy Treats for dessert with True Blood! So, hope everyone is doing well, and may all of your Sunday Suppers be filled with great food and dear friends.

Adios amigos,

Bill

The Menu (Saturday, September 12 2009):

- Homemade Guacamole and Pico de Gallo

- Shrimp Diablo Tostadas

- Grass Fed Filet Mignon with Cabernet and Ancho Chili Reduction

- Savory Mashed Potatoes

- Carrots and Sweet Peas

- Fried Cinnamon Sopapillas with Ice Cream, Honey and Molasses


The Menu (Sunday, September 13 2009):

- Turkey Chili with Assorted Toppings

- Cornbread

- Rice Krispy Treats