Dinner Party for Eight

About seven years ago I was asked one of the most cliche questions and I didn't have an answer.  "If you were to have a dinner party, and you can select three people from any era, who would you invite and why?"  My response?  Lame..so lame that I won't even repeat it.  Why, why, why did I not have an answer for this question?  Not having an answer has bothered me because I felt as if for some reason or another not having an answer meant I had not established my instrests or who I was as a person.  For seven years I have thought about this imaginary dinner party, invited and uninvited many a person.  It has only been recently that I have confidently set a table for eight.  Will this list change?  Of course.  I like to think of this list as ever changing, just like me.

Caesar Augustus

first (and favorite) emperor of Rome

Amanda Hesser
New York Times food editor, author of great cookbooks, founder of http://www.food52.com/

Marie Antoinette
Queen of France, wife of Louis XVI, lost her head, had great fashion taste, gets a bad rap

Michelangelo
Sculptor, artist, architect, genius of the Renaissance

Mario Batali
chef, love his food, also had brain surgery

St. Paul
 messenger of Christ, Roman, changed the world

Alexander the Great
 ancient warrior who changed the world
Tina Fey
makes me laugh, favorite funny person

Pilgrims

Over the past two months the White House has been filled with pilgrims stopping by to enjoy and give their love to our Katherine. How wonderful it's been to see our little one be loved and praised by those dearest to us. There are no words available to express the love Randy and I have witnessed, only images. So thank you dear, sweet family and friends for coming by and loving on our girl.

We are looking forward to the years to come.

Food Therapy

It's amazing how therapeutic cooking can be.  Since the birth of Katherine I've been wanting to get back into the kitchen and create.  This, of course, has been difficult.  Any spare moment is typically resting or picking up the house.  Sunday was different.  Randy took charge of Katherine and I went to the grocery store and cooked.  What a refreshing feeling.  The windows were open and it was just me in my kitchen.  Mushrooms, a variety please.  Cream, yes!  Shallots, a little extra perhaps.  Add 4 cups of chicken stock and fresh herbs....bliss.  Creamy mushroom soup that has been aiding me all week.  Mushroom soup wasn't the only smell wafting through our house.  There were smells of roasting meat, onions, carrots and thyme.  Pot roast.  So on this fallish day food took hold of me and my house.  We relaxed.  It was the perfect ending to a beautiful weekend where family and friends enjoyed our home.

http://www.food52.com/recipes/923_creamy_mushroom_soup

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pot-roast-recipe2/index.html    

Laurie and Mike visiting for OU/TX weekend.



Mindy and Lindsay stopping by after the game.



Pantry Clean Out

Recently life has been a little more hectic.  Juggling a new baby and a new job schedule has left me in my pjs till 2 pm without having brushed my teeth and eaten anything substantial.  The last thing I find time to do is to go to the grocery store and cook a meal, which are two of my favorite things to do.  Well today is pretty consistent with any other day.  I'm still in my pjs and the teeth are not brushed.  However, Katherine  being infatuated with her swing has given me time to cook.  Of course it's nothing extravagant because A) i have a short window of time to cook and eat  B) my pantry is kinda empty.  I do have eggs and a craving for something tex-mex so here comes a pantry clean out. I am pretty pleased with my Clean Out Scramble.  I don't have a picture of it due to a lost camera battery so a picture of Katherine will have to do.  Enjoy! 

Clean Out Scramble

Two tablespoons of unsalted butter

half an onion diced

can of green chilies

small can of corn (drained- use half if you would like, it kinda turns out with a big corn bite)

handful of cherry tomatoes quartered

three eggs (or more, depends on how eggy you want it)

2% or whole milk (enough to mix with the eggs)

salt to taste

cumin to taste

cayenne to taste

1.  Saute the onions on medium heat until clear (salt).

2.  Then add the green chillies (salt!).  Cook for about three minutes.

3.  Add the corn and tomatoes.

4.  Season liberally with salt, cumin and cayenne

5.  In a separate bowl add the eggs and whisk in salt and milk (if I had some cheese I would have added it, shredded, into this mixture).

6.  Pour in egg mixture.

7.  Cook until scrambled.

8. Serve with tortilla chips and a cappuccino! 

(now race to eat it if you have a sleeping newborn)

Sleeping Beauty



Perfection

Katherine Livia White

August 19th, 2010

8:15 am

7lbs 11oz

21 inches

"O Lord, you are my God, I will exalt you and praise your name,

for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things,

things planned long ago."

Isaiah 25:1

Katherine Livia, our little miracle, has been home at the White House for almost four weeks now. She is a blessing, a joy and the perfect addtion to our family. Everyday we watch her grow accustom to her new world and I am amazed. By God's grace we have a beautiful healthy daughter. Praise to the Father for his faithfulness, plan and marvelous works.

Morning Inspiration

I woke up this morning bright and early with the strangest thought..."today could be the day." Well, the more I woke up and moved around, I realized today probably won't be the day. BUT if it is the day I better start cleaning.

Alas! My morning turned into cleaning, organizing and laundry. While these are not my favorite activities I did sit down to enjoy a cup of peach green tea and make my dinner plans for the week. I put on my rose colored glasses and surfed. With only three weeks left before lady Katherine arrives I do get tired very easily and cooking sometimes gets put on the back burner (hence the rose colored glasses). However, I have a burst of energy this morning and why not attempt a handful of new recipes this week? I'll let you know how they go...if today isn't the day.

What the White's plan on eating this week

1. farro salad with roasted mushrooms and parmesan (www.food52.com)

broiled salmon with citrus glaze (www.foodnetwork.com)

2. parmesan-roasted green beans (www.foodnetwork.com)

porcini rubbed butterflied roasted chicken (www.food52.com)

dessert: strawberry refrigerator cake (www.food52.com)

Little Surprises

A few weeks ago Randy's closest college friends dropped into Dallas to hang-out. I always enjoy seeing these guys because they have become like family. During a delicious brunch at Breadwinners we began to talk about what I plan to do once Katherine is born. Having "retired" from teaching I have begun to contemplate what lies in front of me (and us). Seeing that cooking is one of my favorite activities (and that I have already begun to record my original recipes) I mentioned that I would like to write a cookbook.

Rob, a fellow kindred spirit and foodie, brings up My Life in France. Now, the title was floating in my mind but I could not place the book itself. With a confused face I ask..."Who wrote it?" Ah yes...Julia Child (with Alex Prud'homme). At that point the conversation moved on to another topic.

And then it happened, a few days later, a little present was sitting in my mailbox. Yes, Rob sent me a copy of Ms. Child's memoirs, My Life in France.

So thank you Rob. Thank you for encouraging a dream and being a great friend.

Bon Appetit!

Pot Pie

Sitting at the community pool last week in 100 degree heat I had a strange craving. Yes, in the heat of summer I was craving fall comfort food. Have no fear, when I got home I started to do my research and came across a few recipes that inspired my version of Chicken Pot Pie. Ina Garten's became my base recipe. I went from there...

Out came my grocery (and new dishes) list and off I went. First stop, Williams Sonoma to purchase a set of four large double handled soup bowls--made of course to withstand baking. Next, I went to Market Street to select the ingredients that will be used to create the pot pie. As always, the initial prep time exceeded how long it should actually take. Nevertheless, it was relatively simple and I expect next time it will be a little bit easier and in the fall...

Chicken Pot Pie--revised

*This recipe makes a lot. If you're cooking for two, only bake two and save the left over filling and puff pastries for the next night. It's a great left over, but it's hard to reheat puff pastry.*

1. used rotisserie chicken- took meat off bones when got home. (Save the bones to make chicken stock out of it!)

2. used one onion (instead of two) and one stalk of celery

3. bought chicken stock, but still added bouillon cubes

4. added only one stick of butter

5. did not use fresh carrots

6. added frozen veggies- green beans, carrots, corn

7. added three russet potatoes, diced, not peeled. These potatoes need to be cooked slightly before added to the filling. I didn't do this, and they were too hard. So cook the potatoes!

8. did not make my own puff pastry, but bought it.

9. baked the pot pie at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes

Bon Appetit!

Summer Goals

Not since college have I done what I just did. It's taken me five years to sit down and just let my mind and heart put down on paper what my intentions are for a brief moment in time. Goals. I made a list of goals to encourage, and perhaps, push me to accomplish what I truly want to gain from life this summer. So, in the name of accountability (and inspiration for you?) I have listed my goals below.

Summer 2010 Goals
1. read the following books
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Babery
Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes
Hadrian and the Triumph of Rome by Anthony Everitt
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet
The Lady in the Palazzo: at Home in Umbria by Marlena de Blasi
Not Built in a Day: Exploring the Architecture of Rome by George H. Sullivan
2. not to waste my days
3. organize the shoes in my closet (with a box and picture of the pair)
4. begin my “Learn Italian at Home” lessons
5. go to the pool at least three days a week
6. make sauces, dishes that can be frozen in order to prep for baby arrival
7. keep my house clean
8. hang out with family and friends

Recent Kitchen Success

I know you've been wondering where all the cooking updates have gone. Never fear. Since the first trimester has passed, I've been cooking away with the help of Randy, Auggie and my oh so close unborn daughter. So, here's an update on the most recent kitchen activity.

Chicken and Shrimp Meatloaf

Food52 I love you! This is about the fourth or fifth item I have cooked using http://www.food52.com/. I know the title of the dish may not sound appealing to you all. However, this is a new spin on an old classic. The cooking technique is also unique. I suggest enlisting a helping hand in the kitchen when you make it for the first time. Changes to this recipe:
1. No red peppers (I don't like them)
2. To make more dipping sauce I added Greek Yogurt instead of more mayonnaise.
3. Added cayenne to the sauce to give it an extra kick

http://www.food52.com/recipes/3592_chicken_and_shrimp_meatloaf_with_whole_grain_mustard_dipping_sauce

Creamy Dijon Chicken and Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Talk about a perfect dinner on a perfect Saturday evening. This dish was restaurant style, mop up the plate amazing. Randy and I couldn't get over how rich the sauce was and how infused the flavors were on the mashed potatoes. What to love about this dish:

1. The chicken reminds me of chicken with forty cloves of garlic...but it's way easier

2. Heating half and half with a bay leaf and one garlic clove made the mashed potatoes unlike any potato I've ever had. The caramelized onions on top also added to its perfection

http://www.food52.com/recipes/1104_chicken_with_creamy_dijon_mustard_sauce

http://www.food52.com/recipes/3012_mashed_potatoes_with_caramelized_onions_and_goat_cheese

Chocolate Dump-It Cake

This has become a yearly tradition at the White House. Not being a huge chocolate (or cake fan) Randy gets an entire chocolate cake all to himself, if someone doesn't stop by to visit, for his birthday. The mood around us almost feels like Christmas. I can't wait to make this delicious homemade cake and icing and Randy can't wait to smell and eat it. I just look forward to the day when I get to make it more than once a year...

http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2003/jun/latte/