Fancy That!

Friday night was Parents' Night Out!!! John and I got dressed up and went on to the BHB. It was so cold, and I was sooo glad that we weren't outside with everyone where the entertainment was happenin'. I like a party, but I'd need to be next to the heater! The guitarist seemed like a cool cat, and he played very well. Our service was very nice. The waiter's name was Aaron. Aaron, didn't we used to date? I was too shy to actually ask you any questions about yourself. Hahaha! I dated an Aaron who was going to school in Murphysboro, TN and it didn't last long because of the distance. Distance relationships weren't my thing. Ok, so PROB-BUB-Ly it wasn't the same person.

I endulged in the venison chili. Wow! If I could make chili like that I'd win every contest I entered. It was sweet and tomato flavored, yet so spicy hot I had to ask for a little sour cream to tone it down. My DH, John, was salivating at the thoought of ordering the onion rings. I've already tasted them, and I'm not a fan. Maybe those fast-food breaded onion rings have my vote. For the main course, I sampled the swordfish and shrimp. It was perfect in the mushroom sauce. The spinach bed base was a little overbearing. John ordered the supreme pizza. I think we both could've eaten that together. I stole a bite of it from him, and the tomato sauce was very flavorful. I have to admit, I did go online to preview the menu. I took a survey to print a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert. It wouldn't print. I'll bet there is a block on it to stop that from happening. I had my heart set on dessert; the creme brulee had my name on it. The creme brulee was smooth and crunchy with a buttery finish. I sampled John's sweet treat- a banana pastry, and I was blown away by the rich syrup accenting those soft bananas. The pastry was thin and flaky. We had a great evening. The stuffed elk seemed to enjoy looking down into the room. I'm sure they are people watchers.

As I get older into different seasons of my life I keep finding things I wish I would've learned from a family member. Some things I know they wouldn't know how to do. No one knows how to make fried apple pies in my family and I think you need to live in the south to really know how to make light, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits. I'm getting better at making biscuits now. I'm frustrated and saddened that my Grandma Covert never taught anyone how to make HER bread. I've got a xeroxed copy of making yeast w/ hops and boiled potatoes in her handwriting. I don't have an actual recipe of how much flour or salt, nothing like that. I did a google search and found there was a group of ladies who have compiled a cookbook called, "The Foxfire Book of Appalachain Cookery". I have ordered it because I found on another article from About.com that there is a bread recipe in that book that talks about the boiled potatoes and hops method. Maybe thru some research I can finally be able to pull a loaf of bread out of the oven one day that brings back memories of being young again. Grandma would pull out that hot loaf and butter a piece for Lena and I that was HEAVENLY!! Bread is a symbol for hospitality. So hospitality, come and be my teacher. I pulled up someone's article on how to make fried pies. I know a lady in my church that makes good fried pies. I'm going to have to invite her over for a cooking lesson. I already bugged the pastor's wife to show me how to make her famous sawmill gravy w/ sausage. I got a lesson one morning, and I have yet to try to make it myself. I guess I haven't been around the right group. It'll happen. I love cooking. It makes me feel like I am at home, a real home. I want that for myself and for my husband and baby Jared. I want them to have fond memories of food. I do, and I feel love when those memories come to my mind.

Oh, yes it's true.. . Jared needs to eat more veggies and less cookies. I am trying to accomplish this by trying new things. The Dr. said he needs to get more iron in his diet.

This week I tried recipes from Food Network's Everyday Italian, and I have some progress to report: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_30882,00.html

This recipe was good, but I had to separate it out because I didn't want to give the baby pine nuts that are in the pesto sauce. When Jared tasted the squash, he put down the spoon and shoveled it into his mouth with his hands. I added a touch of sugar and it tasted just as good as sweet potatoes. Next time I'm going to leave it chunkier than a puree.

This recipe for Coconut Cake by Alton Brown did not turn out well at all!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_37190,00.html
Oh the cake was dry like cardboard. I couldn't get the coconut open or the shell off to even grate it. My food processor melted in the dishwasher top rack. I had to grate what little coconut I could harvest with my Pampered Chef slicer. I was practicing this recipe for the annual dessert auction for the Smokey Mtn Children's Home benefit. Did I mention that the icing was thick and gritty?
I'm glad I practiced the weekend before I actually had to make the cake. I ended up using a recipe for Pina Colada cake from the Cake Doctor and just omitting the pineapple. I used Coffee Mate Coconut Creamer instead of coconut milk (mine was nasty when I opened the can). The cake was soooo much more moist. Wow! For the icing, I used a recipe from Cooking Light. It was for an Italian Meringue. I was elated when I tasted how smooth and creamy it melted in my mouth! I decided to use a coconut instant pudding w/ less milk added to thicken it for a filling. I made 3 layers; putting 2 together for the benefit auction cake and cutting one layer into 2 halves stacked for a 1/2 cake for me and John. Our half cake was gone in 2 days.