Thursday, February 10, 2011

14 Days of Valentines: Dinner for your Sweetheart

(Blackberry Almond Torte)

Okay, I am breaking down meals and recipes ideas.

FOOLPROOF: If you are intimidated in the kitchen, or if you want easy, this is the meal for you. Alton Brown's Pan-Seared Rib Eye Steak. It. Works. Every. Time. Pair this with a loaded baked potato and whatever your lover will eat for a veg. If you have a Costco card, get the Lobster Bisque in the refrigerated section for your first course and then head to their freezer section for their cream puffs (drizzle them with chocolate and top with fresh berries) or the bite size Cheesecake factory cheesecakes. Easy, easy, easy.


(Halibut Oscar)

SEAFOOD WITH AN ATTITUDE: This is Mr. Wonderful's favorite. Halibut Oscar using the rescipe from Utah's Gastronomy restaurants. Add previously mentioned lobster bisque or a green salad topped with shrimp. Dessert is Creme Brulee or the Raspberry Almond Torte (I prefer fresh blackberries). Yes, it requires a little confidence in the cooking department. But this is not rocket science. You can do this. I will - because Mr. Wonderful actually requested it this year! I know! Will wonders never cease? (Okay, I know that pic isn't plated well. Just trust me, this recipe is delicious.)

(Creme Brulee with Blackberries)

CHICKEN UGLY: Actually, it is called Chicken Aglio e Olio and it isn't ugly. It's easy, restaurant quality, and it is divine. Serve it over rice with sauteed green beans on the side. We call it Chicken Ugly because that is what The Love Magnet calls it. She can't pronounce the other. The name stuck.

(Chicken Aglio e Olio)

VEGETARIAN DOES NOT MEAN BORING: Ignore the pork chops in this recipe and make the Pumpkin Polenta. Top with Wolfgang Puck's version of Roasted Root Vegetables. Yes it makes a lot of veg, just half it or love the leftovers. Serve chocolate fondue for dessert. Feed each other. The colors of the veg are gorgeous in this. I would add some sauteed mushrooms.
There you go. A menu you didn't have to think about. Let me know how you like them.

Saturday, February 05, 2011

14 Days of Valentines: Days 4 and 5


The 4th Days of Valentines included movie tix with a note to take me to that manly-man flick coming soon that I know he wants to see. I didn't buy Red Vines since I noticed he had a stash in his truck.


The 5th Day of Valentines was something completely new wrapped around an old idea. A note involving a complicated romantic math equation (new idea) with the solution being the old idea. That's all I'm going to say about that.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Tea party coming soon.....and HUGE thanks!

I apologize for blogging this so late. This is a huge thanks to Cookie Jilly. She had a tea set from Thailand and knew that somebody was looking for a teapot and a few more items to expand the tea set collection.
Look how gorgeous these are. The Love Magnet was excited as she watched me open the package. She thought is was from a princess.
Isn't this absolutely gorgeous? I've never seen anything like it.

It's being displayed in my double display case near the kitchen. And I am anxiously awaiting an excuse to give a tea party. Which means I need guests. Any volunteers?

Jilly, thanks so much. You are so incredibly generous.
Will the rest of you please pray for Jilly's family? She has loved ones who live in Egypt. With all of the fighting going on in Egypt right now, we are praying for their safety.

Birthday Celebration of Firstborn

I tried to document Firstborn's 18th Birthday dinner. Unfortunately my broken camera has decided to be really broken or at least contrary to my wishes. Blurry pics. Bleh.
But the memories are there. Secondborn wasn't too thrilled to be relegated to the family table while the other teens sat by themselves.
J, S, A. Oh my heavens, I love these kids. They have been awesome friends.
C, Firstborn, and V. Love these kids. Love, I tell you!
We took everyone out to Brazilian Barbecue. Churrascaria. The best thing (besides the food) is that they make the birthday boy stand up on the bench....
and dance for the entire room. Firstborn was a good sport. 'A' got a great vid of the entire experience and promised to send it to me.
I am thrilled that Firstborn has good friends who keep each other in line.
After consuming mass quantities of meat, and even more mass quantities of pasta salad, beans and rice, and mashed potatoes, The Love Magnet lay back and declared
"Oh, I DONE!"
Firstborn asked if she had a big belly to prove it. She complied. It took some explaining that she shouldn't lift her shirt too high.
It was the boys first time at a Churrascaria. Thirdborn was done, too. Everyone stuffed themselves silly. It was the ultimate carnivore birthday party.

14 Days of Valentines: Days 1, 2, and 3

Day 1 ended up being a surprise on his truck seat early in the a.m.: a cute box of icecream flavored Jelly Bellys with a cute note telling him that his kisses turn my belly to jelly. I know, corny. But cute. But no picture, a.s The Love Magnet absconded with the jelly beans soon after Mr. Wonderful arrived home.

Day 2 was The Triathlon Training Bible and a stick of Body Glide with a very cheesey poem about how cute he looks in his fit body and the presents are supposed to help him ride and glide. I can't quit laughing over that one!) He thought it was great.

Day 3 is Firstborn's bday. Today I left a note on his side of the bed about the memory of the day our first child was born. Mr. Wonderful held me and cheered me and consoled me when the labor got difficult. Then he named our son after my brother who is now in Heaven. It really touched my heart. He knows how much it meant to me.

Tomorrow will be a very simple creation of our first dance together along with a note of that memory.