Christmas Eve

2 people working 6 hours- the tree alone represents12 man hours of labor

Not every inch of every corner was decorated for Christmas this year. I don't think anything was lost in translation for a family so pleased to be together. Eric and Billie's family supplied us with delicious appetizers to tide us over until the main event. Christmas Eve dinner.

The weather was so nice- we could have eaten on the patio. However, that is our norm for entertaining. For Christmas, it is nice to change things up.

Instead of the usual dining room table as buffet cart- serving stations were set up around counter tops throughout the main living level. Just the last minute seasonings, bread and butter were on the table. The sewing machine held ice water,  the relishes and  napkins within the arms reach of seated guests.

Gerald's younger brother, former MLB pitcher Eric Plunk, masterfully  carved the turkey breasts. With my husband's hand not quite ready for this sort of exertion and both our son's missing from the table- I was so grateful for his help. 

Being short an oven and the repairman short the part, the menu was shortened to just enough to feed 8 Sumo Wrestlers for the 12 days of Christmas.  It has been  decades since we celebrated this holiday here - and I wanted my husband's relatives to know that there was no expense too great or line to long to prepare a memorable feast just for them.

A short blessing was said for the food and for those who could not join us this year.

  The Menu  Actual Menu

 (as in  when I had to stop cooking because my feet gave out)

Cream of Watercress Soup

Butter Lettuce Salad with Candied walnuts and Dried Cranberries

with  Hazelnut-Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

with butter and lavender honey

Sweet Potato Casserole

with Bananas and Pineapple

Brined and Smoked Turkey Breasts  

with Gluten free Cornbread Dressing

and Gravy

Boars Head Ham with Pineapple Sauce

Crème Brule

Assorted cookies

Berries

The odd plate was because forgot to count myself in the head count when setting the table):-  Rather than have everyone scoot away from the china cabinet so my plate would match- I just reached in the kitchen cupboard.

 

After dinner, we gathered in the main room, with the children fascinated by the gallery wall.

Abigail was particularly interested in finding out who was whom. When were her cousins (our sons) so skinny?

So I did what any Aunt would do. Get out her 36 year old wedding album to show the kids that their father wasn't always 6' 6" of athletic prowess.

 

When Gerry and I were married- Eric was about the height and weight of his teenage professional model daughter. It was time to open presents.

 

Eric Jr and his girlfriend- Sara Lynne- enjoyed a private joke.

Alden is into animal prints.

My favorite gift  just may have been the pair of rolled pillows I had made for my mother -in- law. For her living room chairs, the main fabric was leftover from our reupholstering her dining chairs. 

Did you have a favorite gift you gave?

Bat Shit ~Rebirth ~ Artistic Expression

Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.

- Danny Kaye

It was planned as a romantic end to a day moving to their dream home in Diamond Bar. After a long day of unpacking, Cathy's husband met her in their master bedroom suite, where she settled in to what else- a love seat. Freshly bathed, Ed carried up the stairs a silver tray with 2 crystal glasses and a favorite sherry. 

It was near dusk. The stereo was tuned to soft music, Ed opened the French doors leading to their balcony. He massaged Cathy's shoulders. The fresh air and sherry worked in concert to let the massage ramp towards some marital bliss.  Ed began to tell Cathy how much he loved her, when in flew the bats.

According to Dirt Works, which sells bat poop (i.e., guano) "Many civilizations have used guano as a soil amendment and considered it sacred, so much so that disturbing rookeries was once a crime punishable by death. Fortunately, you can buy Bat Guano from us and only good things will happen when you do."

It took awhile for the new butterfly to shake its wings out to fly

Earlier in the month I watched the striped caterpillar park on this post. Soon, a green acorn shaped chrysalis was glued in its place. Some days later it turned brown and ugly- like a tumorous growth.  Just when I wondered if a butterfly died en utero, somehow this beautiful winged wonder worked its way out of the encasement.

Not strong enough to fly, I gently lifted it to cradle in soft planting until it flew away.

The actual pattern with our garden features

Enlarging the photo of the inspiration piece 400 % rendered a pattern to manipulate for the stained glass insert in the dutch door. Personalizing with a replica of our Victorian bird feeder, changing the birds to western US species and colorizing closer to our personal vision of paradise. 

As this is a collabortive piece to be displayed in our home,  I gave my husband the final thumbs up on the color, texture and light qualities of the glass selected. 

It didn't used to be this way in our home. My husband has always been an intensely busy man. For many years he spent more time with his suitcase than with his recliner. During those years I made lots of arbitrary decisions. My intent was to smooth things out for him. Turned out this was exactly the wrong thing to do if a man is to feel important to his wife. 

Fortunately, I learned to use some discernment in decision-making.   Young brides, I am not saying this is an easier process- however, the results are richer. 

The artistic use of glass enriches a humble setting 

It was probably 50 years ago, before Knott's Berry Farm had a real roller coaster, charged for parking or admission. This stained glass window in Knott's Chicken Diner  was the seed that grew into a love of windows adorned with stained glass. There is something comforting to see these windows still in place all these years later.

The choir of Mt Calvary Lutheran Church, Diamond Bar

The purpose of life's downturns may be to keep us humble. To keep us aware. To remember to include God as collaborator of how our lives are painted. It has been so long since Gerry and I were both in church at the same time, I'm glad the topic of the sermon was "The world is going to end" with our presence was used as proof. 

The choir sang Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God. " The battle hymn of the reformation still inspires strength in chords nearly 500 years after it was first sung. 

Never doubt the power of words and music. From  his unimaginable personal pain, Martin Luther could not have imagined the lasting impact of his artistic expression. 

Caffeine and Mental Health

Coffee by Gene Sasse

" A new study finds that well-caffeinated women have a key health advantage over their more abstemious sisters: They're less likely to become depressed.

 -Melissa Healy

Chambord coffee maker, double walled image from Bodum

A very good  Southern California morning to you.  Outside it is 64 ° F. Fog obscures the distant view, forcing focus on the close- in details of the garden.  As the sun pierces the  filmy pewter veil, the temperature will percolate upwards. Today should reach the mid 80's.  As the blue sky seeps forward, what we see will change, but be no less glorious.

Illy espresso image courtesy of Sur La Table

This month I started spiking the morning pot of java with a half scoop of espresso.  The study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine and publicized in Jewish World Review by Melissa here explains why I have felt so good despite an onslaught of reasons to feel otherwise.

Flowering coffee plant as seen on Wikipedia

 When life seems out of control; when you do not recognize where you are headed- STOP. Re-evaluate. Not everything is best left  in our personal control. Asking for help is honorable.

Understand that not every road is repairable. Sometimes we need to take a different fork in the road. 

Focus on where you are, not where you planned to be. Cherish good memories. Pick new goals and move on. To allow malaise to mire your path is never productive.

Praise God for every breath, even when you don't feel like it; for you will.  

On the eve of Rosh Hashana- the Jewish New Year- may this Christian woman share a Jewish toast

“Leshanah tovah tikateiv v’teichateim"—May you be inscribed for a good year!”

Spa Water

There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved. It is God's finger on man's shoulder. ~Charles Morgan

When the weather is hot, don't we all appreciated simplicity in a way that escapes us on winter days? We need to stay hydrated both for physical health and beauty.


This summer in particular, I find we are all looking for refreshments that are light, refreshing, and inexpensive.

At an interview on the history of Diamond Bar, long time community activist Sue Sisk served me this spa water that her massage therapist introduced to her. It is simply

In a crystal pitcher add a handful each of 

• Mint
• Cucumber
• Lemon

Gently pour ice cold filtered water and allow to steep. Refill with more water as needed.

I could not get enough. I can't wait to serve to Gerry. It is so good in and of itself, I'm looking for company to fix it for.

GOOD Friday- Eggs

Nesting hummingbird as seen from my desk

A little hummingbird nest found Wednesday on the sidewalk near the woodpile. My diminutive garden guest has been in action since I posted her picture. The evidence pointed to her demise. In a lesson that evidence is not stand alone, but must be taken in the greater whole in which facts exist- guess who turned  hunkered down this morning?  "Our" hummingbird. is hunkered down, barely visible through the blinds.  

As Eggs are inseparable to Easter lore, and a good many of you will be wanting for something other than the usual devilled eggs and it is something I so enjoyed on the cruise, here's a recipe for Deep Fried Boiled Eggs. A perfectly wonderful way to take something as healthy as a plain boiled egg and turn it fast-food tasty. Heck- From Passover through Easter- this is a holiday. Celebrate!

Deep Fried Boiled Eggs

4 eggs - Boil for 5 or 6 minutes. Let them cool completely in a bowl of ice water.
             Gently Peel away the shells, saving them to add calcium to your greatful garden soil. 

Vegetable oil- Heat to temp in a fry baby. Trust me, this under $20 gadget is sooooo much easier than watching the thermometer on a sauce pan. 

Set each of the next 3 ingredients into separate shallow bowls. This shall be be your assembly line. Set up near the fryer.

1 Beaten Egg
1/ 4 Cup Biscuit Mix with salt and pepper to taste*
1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs- homemade or Panko-style

When the oil is bubbly  hot, roll boiled egg in flour, the beaten egg, (repeat if needed to get a thin, but solid coating) then one last roll in the bread crumbs.

Drop gently into the oil with a slotted spoon. You can do one at a time as this step goes very quickly- probably in under a minute. Fry until the eggs jacket has turned into the desired golden color where your brain screams "delicious" at you. Then carefully lift to drain on a wire rack. 

For brunch - what would round out a fine meal? First- pick out the setting. No question here, it is our patio. Then set in ice something light and bubbly to drink. A California Brut is classic. Then generously slice your favorite heated ham  into generous chunks. Add a handful of roasted spears of asparagus with just a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce over which a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts completes entry to Nirvana.

 To tempt  your man to the point where he indulges to the point where he must undo his belt at the table (as a sign of appreciation, of course) perhaps thick slices of tomatoes topped with just a confetti of chives, fresh pepper and sea salt. 

Hand feed your beloved with strawberries or sweet grapes.... then if you over-indulged at the mall- this is the best time to confess):-

*Fine with just salt and pepper. you can season these up with a bit of Parmigiano- Reggiano and freshly grated  nutmeg added to the biscuit mix.

Charming Valentines

As Valentine's Day approaches, ye olde memory bank clicked in about Mom helping us make cards for family members and neighbors even before we started going to school. I remember how thrilling it was to see the very large satin See's box pulled out and placed on the dining room table a couple of weeks before the big day!

The white paste pot sat next to it I still remember that paste smell, as it was used thru elementary and Jr. High school, unless for special projects we used Le Page's amber flowing, always with a dark red rubber slanted applicator or someone brought from home airplane glue when there was a builder of those in the house. Dad built models that were very large with real engines and rubber tires.




Back to the Valentines...Mom saved bits of ribbon, lace, all sorts of stuff all year and it was divided up between making May baskets and valentines. New supplies were purchased at the "Five and Dime"- Dennison's Crepe Paper and fresh construction paper.

 Of course the "special big box" of crayons with 64 colors" were saved for special projects. Almost forgot the paper doilies.We were busy bees because we had two sets of grandparents, many aunts and uncles- and some great grandparents as well as a gaggle of cousins, the neighborhood kids, etc.

The final job was decorating our own Valentine Box for our home. The ones we received in the mail were added to those in the box and the grand opening was St. Valentines Day.

Image from Martha Stewart. Link below

Mom made her famous Devil's Food Cake cupcakes and what celebrations we had. Dad would come home from work with a red satin heart from See's for Mom and special things from there for us. Call me a combination Hershey's/See's kid. :) See's candy was a big thing in my generation.


Thanks for letting me share a warm memory of way back when. XO Happy Valentine's Day!

Edda Gahm

Thank you back. The reminiscence affected how I feel about the infamous- dare I call it as an overworked friend in the floral trade used to call it after one last minute run on the store by a dozen too many desperate men afraid of offending their significant other ordered bouquets- VD- Day? So many bad jokes that flow from that acronym....

 I haven't decided quite what I want for the holiday. We've never been into high glamour, crowded restaurants or forced romance. But after 35 years of marriage to the same man- something charming is authentic.  

Sharon Lovejoy's Homemade Cheese ball

I don't think I've ever seen anything more charming than Sharon Lovejoy's cheese ball.  

So tomorrow I start. Shhh. Don't tell Gerry):- Just because dinner is at home doesn't mean it is going to be dull.

After the Feast

"Who practices hospitality entertains God himself'

-Proverb

Prime Roast from Orchard's Fresh Market in Whittier

The star of the Super Bowl Feast was neither team nor entertainment. 

Was it the food? Close. It was the guests we shared our home with, John and Trisha Bowler.


Blanched green beans kick up the quality of 3 bean salad


 Our TV is large, but the  family room is small. To make viewing equally enjoyable for 4 adults and 2 Chihuahuas - the recliners and love seat were scootched and a footstool brought in.

Being as casual an event as can be served this side of a pajama kidnapping- the emphasis was on ease of self serve.

 A bar sink filled with ice kept the Asti Spumante, beer and soda cold.

The appetizers were set on the dining table. Never know when a dog will forget its manners- hence the chairs were escorted to where their potential function of doggy-ladder would not become an issue. 

The main course covered the center island.

The desserts were on  a sideboard.

My heart goes out to Christina Aguilera on her forgetting (oops) the words to our National Anthem. I would rather write about the totally awesome red and diamond high healed shoes that changed an all black outfit from funereal to party-time.

Alas, perhaps the good which will come from this mishap is future artists will come to treat their performance of the Star Spangled Banner with more reverence than if it were the musical equivalent of a cross stitch sampler. This music is as sacred as can be without church ownership. This song is not about the singer- let go of the narcissism which is a hazard of  performance related profession. Just sing it plain and simple. With heart and conviction. Think Whitney Houston and Faith Hill.

The Black Eyed Peas performance at half time: it made leaving the room to catch a breath much easier. What were the event planners thinking? Perhaps they decided their is life on Mars and they wanted to capture it. Not only don't I not get it- I don't care to get it. You?

Congratulations to both the Packers and the Steelers. I'm still mystified about how briefly getting on your knees in honest thanks to God came to be viewed as unsportsmanlike rule breaking. But when wide receiver Greg Jennings closed the broadcast with giving all glory to God, I was supremely happy. And hopeful.

When our friends left, thoughts of thankfulness filled my heart. Enjoying convivial comradeship in our home has become increasingly rare. This evening reminded me how good it is to have a home to welcome friends to. God has been good to me beyond what I deserve. As Joel Osteen said in a recent sermon,  it is better to His glory not to hide His blessings away. 

Seasoned Greetings Awash with Wine

Auld Lang Santa Bottles+

No time or money to sip and shop in Napa Valley? No problem. Santa is bringing Napa to just the other side of the "Orange Curtain" County Line with FREE Wine tastings!

Mark your calendars to take your unfinished holiday shopping list to South Coast Plaza. Premier winemakers are bringing luscious  libations to try before you buy at one of my favorite shops, NapaStyle. Here's the schedule, hot off the press from store manager James Franklin

Friday, December 17th: From 4-7

Vellum Wine Craft. With a name like that, Jeff Mathy must be serving smooth vintages

'07& '08 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Saturday, December18th: From 1-4



Darm’s Lane

Tricia Bump Davis will be available to explain the
’07 Cabernet Sauvignon
’09 Chardonnay

Sunday, December 19th From 1-4
(The Italian wine specialist) Mission Wine Company's founder Ciro Cirillo will be showing off these fine wines 
’06 IL Burchino “Super Tuscan”
’09 Casal Moro

’09 Col Reale

Monday, December 20th from 1-4

Prager Port Works

Petite Sirah Port

Aria White Port

Noble Companion Tawny Port

To understand the devotion to enjoying their work, you simply Must click on the Prager Port Works Prager Port Works web site.

The Tawny Port inspired me to get in the kitchen and bake a gingerbread cake. While it was cooking, a vintage cookbook was pulled off the shelf to remind me how to candy citrus peel. Strip the peel from citrus, scraping away the pith. Drop stripped strips into  boiling water for 15 minutes. Rinse, repeat. The bitters are gone,  leaving you with these lithe little bits of intense citrus flavor. A simple sugar syrup got very lucky. A package of opened walnut pieces was in the frig with nothing else to do. About a half hour later, the nuts and bright peels of  one each tangerine, orange and lemon were lifted to a rack to dry into scatterings for atop a dollop of whipped cream on the cake.  Candy fruit once and understand what the grocery store sells is just jerkified junk.

 Tuesday, December 21st From 12-4

B Cellars- Jennifer Hallock will be on hand to represent the foodie focused winemaker with their worthy Napa Blends. These are professional wines not hindered by cloying names. Instead, they are referred to by their style/sweetness number. If you are new to matching food with wine- this is the winery to get to know.

#23

#24

#25
#26

Holiday Hint: Have friends and neighbors you want to give something more than a card to, but out of time and not much money? One of my favorite special gifts is a food ingredient- one with special twist that raises from ordinary to extraordinary. Drop it in a gift bag with a personal recipe paired with it. NapaStyle has a great collection of seasoned salts to play in the kitchen with. 

Don't you just adore the Napastyle catalog description of  the bottles pictured on top.... "Santa Claus artwork on red and green glass, these festive little bottles look great lining a console, mantel or sunny windowsill. Fill them with hand soap as a wonderful gift, a single poinsettia or leave them corked as standalone décor." Having put a new ornament on the Christmas tree for every member of the family for 34 years- this is one terrific change of pace. Out of stock online- they are IN STOCK in COSTA MESA. If you hurry!

Brussels in Bloom Story

Judy Duvall sent the "Brussels in Bloom" pic. One thing about old Europe- I'm glad they are more into high maintenance gardening than we are in California. She also sent over a GREAT idea for those of us who would rather not be on the road past midnight local time, when the parties and bars let out on New Years Eve. An anglophile active in Welsh choirs, her group of friends coordinate a celebration with the UK's midnight, which is 4 pm local time.


With 'Snookie'  scheduled to be dropped in a ball at Times Square in New York- being tucked in bed and asleep before that spectacle of bad taste happens sounds like the right thing to do.

Image by Gerry Plunk

 If the sunset is like tonight. What entertainment could possibly top this thrill?



NapaStyle South Coast Plaza


3333 Bear St.


Costa Mesa, CA


(714) 825-0445

Fried Chicken Forever- Sunday Savoring

Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart.

Thomas Fuller

Growing up in the '60's meant walking home from church to find mother standing in front of the alter of our home: a four burner white O'Keefe &; Merritt stove. Mom would be dressed as if she was going on a nice date.Mom looked like a movie star then. Her Donna Reed dress played up her hour glass figure. Nylons hugged her legs, practical pump elongated them. Her curly hair was lacquered in place with Aqua Net hairspray. Her face was powdered, her cheeks rouged in the same fire engine red as her lips. Only the apron, crisply pressed and starched,  gave away that she would not be going out.

Over the rings of dancing blue flames, 2 large skillets of hot Crisco oil bubbled with chicken frying.  The thought of how my mother's chicken scented the air makes me nostalgic for a time which really is better in my memory than it was in real life.

Cut up, rinse, then trim a plump fresh chicken of excess fat.

Prepare the brine by combining in a large bowl

1 1/2 cups Buttermilk

1 rounded tsp. Salt

2 good splashes Tabasco Sauce

1 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tbsp Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1 Tbsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper.

Turn the chicken pieces to individually coat. Cover and soak in the refrigerator 4 hours to overnight.

Prepare the dredging

1- 3/4 cups Biscuit Mix
1/4 cup Rice Flour

1 Tbsp Pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

1 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning.

About an hour before you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400° F .

Heat enough quality oil in a deep skillet to come up more than half way on the fattest chicken piece. When the oil reaches between 350- 375° F - a drop of water instantly sizzles.

While the oil  comes to temp- Pull the chicken pieces through the flour mixture to coat all sides.

Starting with the largest pieces and avoiding crowding the pan, carefully lay the chicken in the hot oil .

 In 3-4 minutes- a crispy crust will form- turn carefully. As each piece becomes encrusted in an amber brown, place on a raised rack set atop a roasting pan. 

Repeat with the rest of chicken pieces. Slide the pan into the oven to finish cooking.  Check in 15 minutes- pull the pieces out as they reach an internal temperature of 160 ° F on an instant read thermometer. As a rule of thumb- 15 minutes for the wings- 20 minutes for the legs and thighs. The breasts might need another 15 -20 minutes- like a bra- it all depends on how buxom the breasts you started with.

The current Cook's Illustrated (Sept.- Oct. 2010) is much like my own- crisping cut up chicken marinated in a buttermilk brine, then finishing in the oven. If you want to know WHY all this works- get a copy.

What we do today should be worthy of a memory. My window is inching towards completion.. By the next Sabbath it should be ready for framing. My husband is experimenting with a technique for his part in our collaboration.

This Sunday- I wish you beautiful sunsets and a life creating memories. May today's gift be future memories  which will be remembered as  past perfect.

Amen.

The Writer's Life

Welcome to a typical day.

One thought leads to another. Studying images of fine masonry work, the outlines of  pyramids wanders into my mind, which quickly detoured to thoughts of  Cecil  B. deMille movies of Egyptian highness es being fed grapes.

Juicy, sweet grapes. Like the ones in the colander? No. Seedless grapes (says a cursory slide through the Internet) are a modern invention. 

Immediately we have 2 things to be thankful for.

1)  To Hollywood  for editing out scenes of Cleopatra spitting out seeds.

2)  For hybridizers who developed these darling seedless varieties.

Writer's block is nothing more than unfulfilled intention. Some times the best thing to break the dreaded "Silence of the Keyboard"- you know, where letters are not tap-dancing their way into being- is to stand up. Move around. Stretch. Put all your attention on some unrelated project. Besides my garden- my glass work takes my mind away from where it got stuck.

To keeping creative juices flowing, relaxation is necessary  Even on deadline. However a writer needs exercise caution- including as regards alcohol- other people depend on our part in their commerce.  Because a bottle of champagne is opened doesn't mean it has to be drunk to be put to use.

There was still fizz when the stopper was pulled out- but writing requires diligence- there is a thing as too relaxed. What to do? There was a bit of the Basic citrus marinade left. Okay. Repeat after me:

Put on the surgical gloves.

 Carefully open some slits under the skin of a prepared roasting chicken.

Side some of the rosemary laced  potion  into the cavities. Lay the chicken in a casserole dish like it is going to take a bath- in champagne. Let it luxuriate there.

Try not to envy the chicken too much. She's about to be speared and trussed and rotisseried until she reaches 160 degrees. At which time she's going to need a bit of rest  before that first taste when we have a 3rd  thing to be thankful for. Or at least I do. I am not a vegetarian.

There you have the basic push and pull of a day in the life of a writer. Struggling to stay creative while diligently stressing discipline.

Beguine with Basil

You could say dinner preparation began at 4:00. Or you could say dinner began a dozen years ago in Solvang. A little red wagon filled with pairs of herbs were divided between myself and  friend, Glenda Bona. The miracle to be discovered was African Blue Basil-  a Jesus-with-fish- and- baskets kind of plant. One plant blesses multitudes with delicious abundance.

Left in the ground, the plant might or might not over-winter in this mild climate. But a bouquet of the exotic looking herb from the mamma plant sprouted roots. Since that summer- we close the season with bouquets made with the secret mission of procreating next year's crop.

For now, I carefully weave the clippers through the long wands of African Blue Basil. Careful not to anger the bees which hover about.

In the kitchen, some of the leaves are severed from the stems. The sharp edged pizza wheel will fill the air with the scent of the herb's essential oils.

Into the Baby Cuisinart goes 1/3 cup butter. Whir.
An equal part of sun dried tomato spread- Whir.
The handful of shredded basil leaves- Whir.

The spread's color is not unlike peanut butter- only the aroma.
There is nothing to suggest childhood treat. This is a dish best savored in adulthood.
Served as it is now- slathered generously across torn off chunks of a crusty multi-grained loaf of bread fresh from the oven- it would make a man afraid of commitment so weak in the knees he would get down on one to propose.

But I'm already married. So I made something I don't do often these days. Something that keeps my man remembering  why he keeps me when I can be so much trouble. Fresh pasta.

 Baby Portabella mushrooms are sliced and sizzled with black olives and pine nuts while the pasta comes to life in a quick boiling bath of water. A generous dollop of the roasted tomato butter is thinned with a touch of cream- and all tossed together. Allowing  freshly fallen grated flakes of Parmigiano-Reggiano melt onto the mound of pasta....

Elegant and rustic. Divine yet earthy. A dish of quiet elegance that speaks on every level of love.

Bon Appetite.

Chick Flick 3- UP with grilling

Having lived my entire life in Southern California qualifies me as a Southern hostess.

What do all Southern hostesses know? Nothing says welcome like counter tops groaning under an abundance  of food.

 The Chick Flick night menu was planned and presented to show the guests how much their friendship means.

3 bottles of bubbly to split between 4 ladies, iced
iced tea

• 
  
  Seafood salad with choice of Pita Chips or Baked Crackers.
• 
  
  Summer Fruit Salad
• 
  
  Cucumber Salad
• 
  
  Seasoned Turkey Breast
• 
  
  Chili Relleno Quiche
• 
  
  Grilled Vegetables in Citrus-Rosemary Marinade
• 
  
  Cookies and Sweets Assortment

Tip. Ahead of  "event"  jot the menu on a 3x5 card. Read out loud. If you are salivating- you hold a winning ticket. Post it on the frig- notate condiments- refer to when setting out the food; this is the hostess equivalent of a "cheat sheet."

The citrus grilled vegetables are so easy- I hope no one is disappointed this aphrodisiac is fool proof. 

Ahead of time, rough chop and de-seed  2 oranges and 1 lemon, rinds and all (peel away the pith and toss if  really thick) . Whir citrus in a blender with equal part extra virgin olive oil drizzled in. Take a length of rosemary leaves- say 6 inches long- pull the needles from the stem and roll over with a good pizza wheel until all that is left are tiny bits of green. Add to the citrus-oil. 

You can wait up to 2 weeks for the next step. Maybe 3: have never had any not devoured after 2.

At least a half hour before you are ready to grill whatever lengthwise sliced vegetables you fancy- thickly coat the slices with the citrus-rosemary oil. (For Chick Flick Night we went with a trio of squashes). Sprinkle with gray salt and pepper to taste. Have the grill master turn on the heat. Serve him a glass of whatever keeps him happily hydrated while he tens and flips the veggies- which turning all those pieces can be a bit time consuming. However: let the cook taste test- this is one of those recipes which makes men giddy that they are expected to all but wear a sign, "Will Work For Food". 

 When the hosts and guests are having such a great time, there is no reason to end the evening as planned. It may seem an unlikely double-billing;  following  a Judy Dench movie with an animated feature- with 5 Academy Awards Nominations- Up  would have been my vote for Best Picture. It's a movie you will never be too old to watch for the first time.