Kids Aplenty (and why did I not photograph them?)-3/11/10

Most of the cooking I have done for this blog has been eaten by 3 people. That's Richard, Eyrleigh, and me. I would love to have people over more often but there are a few things that give me pause. First, I'm never 100% sure how each meal will taste. I'm usually very impressed with most things I make from Bon Appetit magazine but every once in a while, I get a dud. I'd hate to make a dud for guests.
Next, I make a huge mess when I cook. I can't help it. I use too many dishes, don't clean as I go, and often spill something while trying to go quickly. It's very embarrassing to have guests see my really messy kitchen.
Finally, I never think to invite people until the last minute. I just don't think that far ahead most of the time. When I do invite people ahead of time, I get nervous about the two other things I just mentioned.
Well, tonight I had my friend, Jenn, over and her kids, Christian and Callie. Jenn's husband, Gregg, has been in New Zealand for work for the last week. On the rare occasions that Richard is out of town, the evenings are the hardest. Eyrleigh's starting to get tired and I'm not as patient as I was earlier in the day. It's a bad combination and I was hoping I could spare Jenn some of the same difficulty. It was great to have her over and I was pretty well prepared for tonight's dinner. The kitchen was reasonably clean and I'd warned Jenn that the risotto would take a bit of stirring.
I had a yummy kid friendly menu planned from the Family Style article in March's Bon Appetit. The menu began with an Edamame Dip with Pita Chips. This is where I wish I'd taken pictures of the kids. Callie was in love with this dip. Her mouth was ringed with green and she sat by the table asking for more. This dip was super simple and very good. The store was out of fresh basil so I just skipped it altogether. I made my own pita chips but there is not a big difference between homemade and store bought. This dip will definitely resurface in my resume.

The Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds was creative and had great crunch. The kids weren't real fond of it but the adults enjoyed it. The Parmesan cheese was a nice balance for the rather mild flavor of the fennel and celery. The light citrus dressing was easy and allowed the other flavors to balance.
The Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Eggs were good but a strange main. I could see this meal making a good brunch. The risotto was chock full of vegetables while still having a rich creaminess to attract the kids. The fried egg added protein but as Richard commented, once you ate the egg, you wanted a bit more. Without the egg, the risotto became more a side than a main. The dish was good but something was missing. It sure wasn't the kids!
Edamame Dip with Pita Chips-A
Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds-B-
Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Eggs-B

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