So...whats for dinner?

minus - do you think this is also where the word "tent" came from? It kind of sounds like the same concept.

susan - ugh - hate that your good vein is blown, and that the Xgeva is bleh, but good that your MO is pleased with how you are doing overall.

Last night was our neighborhood party at my house for our friend turning 50. It was a fun and relaxed gathering, but always a bit of a skirmish to get the surprisee into the house under some false pretense. Everyone walked over (yay - could have a glass of wine and not drive!) and she was out walking her dog before leaving (thinking she was going out to a restaurant for dinner) so everyone had to dodge her as my house is on the corner! For apps we had a baked Brie, artichoke spread and I made some deviled eggs with a filling that had bacon, sour cream and chives - kind of a twice baked stuffed egg. I made a bunch of salads - my usual suspects (red potato with dill, sesame noodles, a green salad with chicken breast and a brown sugar dressing and cranberries/spiced pecans, another green salad with strawberries and yellow tomatoes and a poppy seed dressing, Greek orzo salad) and a variety of desserts - I made lemon cupcakes and my neighbor brought a sampler with mini eclairs, white chocolate and dark chocolate petit fours with raspberry jam, and frosted brownie bites, and a butter cake. We had a LOT of food - the neighbor between us brought Indian food - vegetable fried rice, some chicken, stuffed eggplant and a yogurt dish with vegetables. DH and DD are gone at the wedding so we hung out and ate by the pool with music and candles - it was fun!

Special we were obviously posting at the same time....

What a tasty fun feast of a party you all had for your neighbor! Enjoy your reflections on it today....:)

Special - I wish I could come help you with the leftovers.

special in my dreams I am sitting by your pool with all that great food! Just dreaming of the day we can sit outside...forecast for the wind: cold, wind and more snow! Bought some steaks today and chicken quarters but will save them until I can grill. Tomorrow I will make lasagna. Not my favorite but the hubby will be happy and using the oven will help warm us up.

Minus. Liked the tenterhook story. Never heard that word

Special, that is a wonderful image....and it's making my stomach growl! I wrote my last post quickly and realized later that you would also be enjoying great leftovers. Wouldn't it be nice if we could invent a "food sharing" service that would be as efficient as Amazon delivery! I'd love to share my morning glory muffins with all of you. In fact, three sets of neighbors are enjoying them. I never consider freezing a moist muffin like that (was surprised that even with half whole wheat flour they came out super moist and delish), and we certainly cannot afford to down 18 large muffins in this house!

I'm marinating chicken breasts in a Peruvian marinade which DH will grill for tonight. I'm also making chicken broth from our leftover store bought chick, which will probably be base for a kale and lentil soup...to have for quick dinners this week. Yes, Carrie, Spring has left us for a while too....so the urge for hardy soup remains.

I will make a big salad and not sure which veggie to go with our grilled chicken tonight. Our fridge is loaded with greens.

Tomorrow we are taking DH's college student niece out to brunch...to the Cottage Restaurant in Wellesley, basic American food. I will probably go light for dinner since I find that brunch stays with me for a long time.....

DH has been starting the shredding and throwing process in "one" of his home offices. He keeps coming across really interesting, touching things that our sons have written to and or about him. Very sweet.

But right now he is watching golf (which I just cannot do!) so I've been thinking of you Carole, since you might have also just screamed at the "almost" hole in one that someone just got! Pardon that pathetic English usage.

Hoping that Bedo is healing well, and wondering how ChiSandy is doing.....

Susan, that is really funny since I changed hearty to hardy, why I do not know, (overthinking incorrectly perhaps!) since I'm sure that I have used hearty to describe food before, but it didn't seem to fit today!

Love tenterhooks! And the idea to head to Tampa now even tho I resist being a snowbird all winter

Also, here are DH and DD at the Derby themed wedding. Funny story - the wedding was outside under a big oak with Spanish moss hanging down and half way through the ceremony a spider fell out of the tree and went down the front of DD's dress!!

Thanks! It's a daughter and dad date

lacey - I think that is actually her hat and when the pic was snapped she was in the process of putting it back on. It was super windy and I think people were making adjustments right after they came in. The hat was on sale for $15 and matched the dress, which has been hanging in the closet for several years - purchased it for another wedding, but she wore a different one. Still had the tags on, from Macy's and was clearanced and with a coupon was also $15! Seemed perfect for this event and DD made the $30 investment look good

Special - wonderful picture. Thanks for sharing. But not funny about the spider. Yikes.
Lacey - what is in the Peruvian marinade?

Susan - I had to discipline myself not to get caught up in the grammar quiz. I'll save it for a rainy day.

I too am wondering about Bedo. I don't think we've heard from her since she "fired" her friend/helper.

And Eric - what's up in AZ? It must be very close to Senior Prom time. I hate that this darn arm has pre-empted my trip to Phoenix. Was supposed to have been there the end of this month.

Carole - I saw on another thread that it's almost time for your summer Northern migration. I can't imagine how you'll resolve leaving with your Mom still in therapy. Thinking of you.

Well we successfully (mostly) got dad home Thursday. Of course this is the day when he felt weak, unlike the previous two weeks when he was 'rarin' to go. I could hear the physical therapists saying to themselves "I told you so." They didn't think he was quite ready to leave. We installed some helper handles and bars in his apartment and on his bed to try to make things a little easier but in spite of this on Friday, he ended up using his lifeline after losing his balance and sliding down to the floor. He was unhurt but I fear this is the way it's going to be. He's set up with a visiting nurse, a physical therapist to come to his home, and a housekeeper/helper five days a week for a while. He was feeling stronger yesterday. It was rather amusing to see when we picked him up, how many of the therapists and CNAs (the same people he'd been complaining about) came to give him a hug and tell him goodbye. It seems he had a little fan club. The case manager, whom he bugged to go home on a daily basis, told me that he was her favorite. In addition, the "old guy" in his room, whose name is actually Charlie, was quite pleasant and it was obvious that they had hit it off just fine. Dad may have changed his opinion about Charlie when on two separate nights dad's blood sugar dropped pretty dramatically and Charlie was able to call the nurse when dad couldn't.

Great minds think alike Carrie -- I made lasagna yesterday too. I have always been pretty lukewarm about lasagna until I started making most of the components myself -- ricotta, pasta, sauce and grinding the meat. It has made a tremendous difference in the quality but also in the amount of trouble it is to make. I don't do it often.

Great pic Special -- she really looks like you! I want to come sit by the pool and eat food too.

Minus -- I have loved and used the word tenterhooks many times but I must say I never knew the origins so thank you for that. There are a number of old fashioned words that I like to use from time to time just so they don't fade away. When I was working, I amused my staff by telling them it would behoove them to do one thing or another.

Oh how I hate an incompetent blood letter. There used to be one at my cancer center whom I called the "vein whisperer." She could coax blood painlessly from the most stingy of my crappy veins. Sadly, she is no longer there but the newest one seems to be ok. Not completely painless, but she left no bruises.

Carole -- what a dilemma about your trip north. And this is the year you're working there, right? At least you have siblings. I'm terrified to go anywhere for any length of time.

Lacey - do tell about morning glory muffins - sunflower seeds? Also Peruvian chicken please.

DH and I just saw two red foxes in the back yard! We've had pair in the past who raised kits which we sneaked up on to see one day -- so cute! One year, DH also got a short video of two of them hunting mice underneath the snow in our yard. Such amazing hearing. We don't see them often so it's exciting when we do. Of course, we don't have chickens . . .

Hello to everyone I missed. Hope all the parents are doing ok. We're all in this together :-)

Tonight is chicken in a creamy garlic sauce, broccoli with lemon and some homemade pappardelle.

The Boston area's best Peruvian chicken rotisserie spot is just blocks from my house. I always forget how much i love their chicken. One of the best parts of this chicken are the sauces. There are two traditional sauces. I will try to find some recipes. You have to have at least the green sauce with your Peruvian chicken!

I made some buttermilk pancakes and eggs for our Sunday "brunch." I then did our taxes. OUCH! I knew this would be a hard year for taxes, and in fact, it could have been worse, but it is still sobering. We have decided that I have made meals all week, even when I felt like crap, and tonight someone is going to make us dinner. Still under negotiation, but it will either be our favorite Chinese, or our favorite Mexican. I want the Chinese and he wants the Mexican which probably means we will have Mexican.

Nance, the Dad roller coaster continues, eh? Kind of funny that all his complaining, and he was well liked! I suspect he just hated feeling like he had no control over this life. Sharing a room with a stranger, mediocre food, people poking and prodding all the time-- it is all so invasive and you can't do anything about it.

Carole, when is your departure date? Will the siblings cover while you are gone or are you having to consider adjusting your own schedule?

Lacey, ugh. You can't get sick just as allergy season begins. That is JUST not fair.

Special, your husband and daughter are just stunning together. What fun a themed party is! I do notice that your daughter is the only woman in that picture with a hat. Clearly she is better at following directions. :-)

*susan*

Oh, I hope that you find the recipe and share it Nance.

*susan*

http://mobile.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/peruvian-style-grilled-chicken-with-green-sauce-recipe.html

Here is one with far fewer calories. I still think my local place doesn't use mayo or sour cream, but maybe they slip a bit in.

Aji Verde Sauce

Yield: 1 cup

2-3 Jalapeños, seeded

3 Tablespoons fresh Cilantro

2 Tablespoons fresh Italian Parsley

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 Tablespoon White vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

2 Tablespoons Sour Cream

1 Tablespoon Homemade Mayonnaise

Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste