She's Back and She's Hungry

Hi! Did you miss me? Okay, maybe not; but I missed you and I missed writing to you about the food that I'm making and the meals that I'm eating. Where have I been? Have I been okay? Well, yes. Thanks for asking. I've been fine, but busy. Happily, part of what has kept me so busy has been cooking for people that I care about; and nothing boosts my bliss better than time spent cooking, baking, chopping and stirring.

In mid-September, we hosted a picnic for some friends from the Seattle Tibetan community. I began cooking and baking for that event a couple of weeks in advance. I'll admit that I was a little nervous. These are new friends and this was the first time we had invited them to our home. And this was the biggest crowd that I've cooked for in a number of years. Although our lovely guests offered to bring food, I was determined to do all of the cooking. We have been fed and cared for at many of their social functions and I wanted to pay back. In the end, the food was fine and the event was great fun. Remind me to tell you more about it later - especially the Monkey Bread! Monkey Bread, oh how I love you!

We also had a wonderful visit from our dear friend, Jimi. Jimi "gets" food and foodiness. Put a plate in front of him and he will probably eat all of whatever is on it. He graciously put up with a week of vegetarian food and I got the joy of some time off from work to visit and try out some new recipes. Don't let me forget to tell you about the lasagna!

Last weekend, our son came by for a visit and I made some homemade pizzas with a new crust recipe. It was the best ever and the technique for baking it was interesting. I REALLY have to tell you about it sometime! Seems like I have some blogging in my future.

And WHAT is that bowl of gruel at the top of this post? And just WHAT does it have to do with anything? Why, that's my supper and it has absolutely nothing to do with anything except that its food and I enjoyed eating it. It was all I needed after a lovely lunch at a fave spot, the 74th Street Ale House. The homey surroundings, satisfying food, and good pints made for a nice break. I'll fill you in on the details later!