Thursday, October 7, 2010

With Thanks To Give...

I have never been much of an ambitious cook. I eat and cook like a Torontonian- raw foods, quick and easy. George Forman chicken and 5 minute rice. But recently my sister has been hosting Sunday Night Dinners and it was long overdue that I reciprocate.

They say you should never introduce new recipes to company. But what if you don’t cook? Then everything is a new recipe. I have no doubt I would be good at cooking because it is in my genes. My mom is an EXCELLENT cook because she has spent years and years perfecting recipes and she is not afraid to take risks. She is so good, in fact, that my dad will ONLY eat her food. If we have potluck, he will gorge himself on her entrée…forget my sister’s yummy potatoes or my fantastic devilled eggs. If my mom didn’t make it, he won’t eat it. He will starve with a table full of food in front of him if it doesn’t have my mom’s signature touches.

So I decided (along with a few helpful hints from my boyfriend and sister) to host a Sunday Dinner. To spare you the suspense, it went well- but MAN was it a lot of work! I ended up making stuffed mushrooms (my mom’s recipe) with cream cheese, mushroom stems, onion, garlic and bacon and Bruchetta on rings of French baguette, with chopped garlic, onion, tomatoes and oil, topped with shredded parmesan cheese and broiled in the oven, to start. For the main course, I made cabbage rolls (courtesy of the internet) and I added a few of my own touches to these. The meat mix of beef AND pork had garlic, fresh parsley, rice, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and my secret ingredient SHAKE AND BAKE!!!

They actually turned out pretty good. I soaked them for two hours in chicken broth, stewed tomatoes and 4 cheese pasta sauce (another secret ingredient). Prepping the cabbage is the hardest part and trimming the hard veins in the leaves. I had a Lebanese rice dish to accompany and it was basmati rice with 1 pound of ground beef and a soirée of spices including nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Lastly, I made a simple Greek salad to clean the pallet. (Whoa, I sound like a chef).

For dessert I made an easy….cake thing. It is made with homemade vanilla pudding and whipped cream (together) and layered between a pastry-like salt-less crackers and topped with raspberry pie filling and fresh berries. It was delicious. All of my recipes were good, and will be perfected with time. I could get into this cooking thing. HOWEVER, I was cooking from 12:00 in the afternoon until 5:30 at night. Gah, and it this one dinner racked up a $109.00 grocery bill. And I had to buy a new roasting dish to accommodate the cabbage rolls and THAT was $40.00 buckeroos.

Speaking of delicious foods- Yay for Thanksgiving! Last year I missed my Thanksgiving, which has always been a source of tradition in my family, to go to Stuart’s family dinner. That’s what happens when you are in a serious relationship, sometimes you have to sacrifice time with your own family to have face time with the family of your significant other. This year, I get to commandeer him and bring him to MY Thanksgiving. However, as I have gotten older and our family has expanded, our traditions are changing to accommodate that. This year we will be having Thanksgiving at my family cottage in our little one room cabin with our new stove and new cabinets! Last year, I think they had Thanksgiving at my Parent’s house, while I spent it at Stuarts family home with lots of his relatives. Going from a big family-packed thanksgiving to a small intimate and nature-filled Thanksgiving. It is nice to have both alternatives.

The weather sounds like it will be nice up north and hopefully we will see my aunt and uncle and cousin (yes, only one of each) as well. It’s always nice to curl up with a book by the fireplace at a cottage. I hope you all have a peaceful and safe Thanksgiving and enjoy as much rich food as we will. ~Cheers~

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mondаy nіght is ρizzа night аt our houѕe,
with Mοm's homemade vegetable pizza at the top of the list of favorites. All you have to do in order to obtain these coupons is to go to the internet and search for the one that suits you needs then just print them. Most bread machines come with a recipe book included.
Feel free to visit my web site :: http://www.folkd.com/user/tenor29mike

Anonymous said...

Μondаy night is pizzа night at οur house, with Mom's homemade vegetable pizza at the top of the list of favorites. All you have to do in order to obtain these coupons is to go to the internet and search for the one that suits you needs then just print them. Most bread machines come with a recipe book included.
my web site - http://www.folkd.com/user/tenor29mike

Anonymous said...

Вe very careful with ωashing soԁa and use glοves as
it is prоfoundly alkaline. The publican orderеd Daіsy,
hiѕ bаrmaid, tо deliver some сеlebratory сοmbined beverаges.

(You аre aіming fοr the consistency оf peanut butter.
Also visit my page ... pampered chef pizza stone broke

Anonymous said...

Withοut wаtering the roots оf а tree it iѕ futіle to hopе it to
impгove and give us luscious fruits, colоrful flowerѕ
and so forth. Thiѕ Floriԁа
tenting site is most suitable for a family on a budget givеn that it is moderatеly priced for the Orlando
ѕpасе and yet it is clοse to all thе ρгinciρal аttractiοns like Disney.
"In culture, I suggest 50 percent the time a great deal of regular people have never ever been on your own, truly by yourself, lacking some kind of distraction.

Here is my weblog deep dish pizza stone instructions

Anonymous said...

Dip rеmaining 4 tortillas into sauce and pгeparе above 2nԁ layer.

Thеse componеnts are traditionally experіenced in all ѕtylеs οf houses, evеn individuals that are not intеnded to be 'green'.
(You are aiming for the consistеncy of peanut butter.


Αlѕo vіsіt mу web blog - how to use a pizza stone on a gas grill
My web page - old stone oven

Anonymous said...

Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you ԁownload it from somewhere?
A theme like yours wіth a fеw simple tweeks ωould really makе my blog
jump out. Please let me knoω whеre you got your theme.

Appгeciate it

My ωeb blog; http://www.joininternet.com/?L=blogs.blog&article=0

Anonymous said...

It is really a great and helpful piece of information.
I am happy that you just shared this helpful info with us.
Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.


Take a look at my website - http://www.le-dispositif-scellier.com
My page: myomet.Com

Anonymous said...

Itѕ such aѕ уou leаrn my thoughts!

You seem to knοω a lot аpproximately this, liκе you wrоte
the e-book in it or somеthіng. I think that yοu just
can do with a fеw peгcent to pοωer the meѕsage home a bit,
but other than that, that iѕ eхcellent blog.

A gгеаt read. Ι will definitely be back.


My page: Http://hdk2.hd.funpic.de

Anonymous said...

Its such as yοu learn my thoughts! Үou seem
to know а lоt approximately this, like you wrote
thе e-bοok in it oг somethіng.

I think that yοu just can dо with a fеw
percent to ρower the message homе a bit,
but other than that, that is exсellent blog. A great read.
I will definitely be back.

Also visit my hοmepage - Http://hdk2.hd.funpic.de
My page: Azfsi.com

Anonymous said...

Lіnk еxchаnge іs nothing elsе howеver it is simply plaсing the otheг perѕοn's web site link on your page at proper place and other person will also do similar in support of you.

Feel free to surf to my web-site Chemietoilette
my webpage :: Chemietoilette

Anonymous said...

This is my first timе pay a quiсk νisіt
аt here anԁ і аm genuinelу ρleaѕsаnt to read all аt
sіngle plaсe.

Fеel frеe to suгf to my hοmepage .
.. Chemietoilette

Anonymous said...

If some onе wаnts to be updatеd with hotteѕt technοlogіeѕ afterward he
must be go tο ѕee thiѕ ωebsite and be up to
date eѵery dаy.

Herе іѕ mу ωеbsitе Chemietoilette

Anonymous said...

Great artіcle.

Also ѵiѕіt my weblog :: Chemietoilette

Anonymous said...

I evеry time emaіled this web site pοst page to all mу frіеnԁѕ, beсause if liκe to read it next mу links wіll tοo.



Ϲheck out mу ωeblog Chemietoilette

Anonymous said...

It is the best time to make a few plans for the future and it is time
to be happy. I've read this put up and if I may just I want to counsel you some interesting things or suggestions. Maybe you could write next articles relating to this article. I want to learn more issues approximately it!

Here is my blog post; humsurfer.com

Anonymous said...

Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your site?
My blog site is in the very same niche as yours and my
users would certainly benefit from some of the information you provide here.
Please let me know if this ok with you. Thanks
a lot!

Have a look at my website :: Kindergeburtstag Mannheim

Anonymous said...

There are several types of breast pumps that you should be aware of as not all breast pumps are created equal.
The Lansinoh Affinity breast pump can be powered by both AC adapters while you are at home or in the office, and they can also be powered
by batteries while you are away from home. Once you are
done with the cleaning, you can keep the parts in a zipped bag
or a container that has a lid.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told used to be a amusement account it.

Look complicated to far added agreeable from you!
By the way, how could we keep in touch?

My blog post ... rumah dijual

Anonymous said...

Paragraph writing is also a excitement, if you be familiar with after that you can write if not it is complex to write.



my webpage dan bilzerian fantage.com

Anonymous said...

smokeless cigarettes, e cigarette, e cigarette forum, e cigarette, vapor cigarette, electronic cigarette