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