Sunday, July 24, 2011

Meal of the Week - I didn't have to cook a thing!

We went to pick up Bev from a slumber party at her best friend Zainab's house around noon today, and didn't leave until ten o'clock.  While six squealing girls from age 5 to 11 played in the kiddie pool and watched The Wizard of Oz, we spent the entire day getting to know her parents, Majid and Diana.  We talked about food so much that Majid, Zainab's father and as an enthusiastic cook as I am, decided to make a traditional Iraqi meal of ground lamb kebab cooked on swords on the grill (really!), freshly-made hummus and yoghurt dip (both made by Diana), toasted pita, Persian cucumbers, grilled tomatoes, and I know I'm forgetting something.  It's midnight and I'm in a food coma as I type this.

I joked to Lou that we just made our first grown-up couple friends.  Everyone else we know worth hanging out with are single folks.  It was a really nice day, getting to know each other, and Diana joined up for my test kitchen crew.  I couldn't believe that it was 10:00 p.m. when we left.

What a warm, relaxed family - so welcoming, and it was one of the best meals that I've ever had.  Sorry, I don't have any photos.

Ess, bench, sei a mensch,

'Zanne

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Scram, bitch, I'm on a break.

Recent Meals

  • Grilled (in the rain) marinated top sirloin w/my Steak Frite and London Pub Sauce
  • Fried chayote
  • Roasted aubergine, zucchini, and yellow squash
  • Soft garlic sandwich rolls, and we made meatball sandwiches
  • Sirloin rubbed with cardamom-laced Turkish coffee
  • Chocolate truffles w/rum and bourbon
  • Petit fours
  • Florentine cookies drizzled with chocolate
  • 13-Bean soup w/parmesan rind and leftover ham
  • Apple spice cardamom muffins
  • Guinnes-injected pot roast
  • Cran-blueberry corn muffins
  • Spaghetti and meatballs - basic, but always a hit in this house
  • Hummus w/roasted garlic, olive, red pepper, and smoked paprika
  • Veggie stirfry w/julienned baby carrots, green peppers, garlic, chickpeas, and balsamic, served over Chinese Black Forbidden Rice
  • Ginger-carrot cake
  • Ginger cranberry mojito
  • Lime-cranberry-mint-strawberry seltzer
  • Lavender-mint iced tea
  • Trip to Beirut: Shish taouk, shish kebab, halvah, garlic naan, rice pilaf w/figs, raisins, and pecans, w/my famous lemon-mint-garlic Lebanese potatoes
  • London Broil w/a wilted spinach and mustard green salad with a bacon, balsamic, and mustard dressing
  • Sweet and red potato pancakes w/zucchini and peppers w/chicken apple sausage
  • Italian wedding soup w/homemade croutons and meatballs
  • "Rock the Casbah" Cardamom, Ginger, Apple Pork Roast w/Armadillo Rice (for you fans of The Clash who remember the cover of Combat Rock)
  • Individual Quiche Lorraine
  • Prosciutto-wrapped beef cubes w/mustard pan sauce
  • Chicken Sausage w/garlic naan and dijon mustard - Lou and I were really drunk.
  • Salt potatoes, mixed fingerlings, lightly mashed, with lot of butter
  • Focaccia w/garlic, onions, mozarella and cherry tomatoes
  • Rosemary and lavender bread
  • Spicy greens and spinach salad w/fresh mozzarella pearls, strawberries, and a strawberry vinegarette
  • Polenta casserole w/cheese and squash baked IN acorn squash halves