Marlene

All right, here I go. Jack, my apologies for the heresy I'm about to commit with trifle, but I just don't have the time. I am however, going to use your recipe for pastry cream. If I don't show up again tonight folks, I've either spitted myself to the BBQ, or disappeared under a mountain of triffle. Wish me luck. In a perfect world, I'll be back.

You want me to flame cherries? Do you really think that's wise?

You're probably right. How about a just a touch of chocolate sauce drizzled over the cake, whipped cream, raspberries and maybe banana slices?

Ok, so I could make up some pudding, chocolate or butterscotch. Pick up some fresh raspberries at the store, maybe drizzle the cake with a little raspberry liqueur or something like that. Make up some fresh sweet whipping cream, layer and I'm done?

I made the one fifi showed from the Houston Chronicle. The cake is actually very good. I just need a very simple trifle recipe as I'm kinda running out of time here. I swear. This stuff only happens when I blog. Or at least less often. I wonder why that is?

Trifle! You're brilliant! I have heavy cream. I have several jams. I doubt if I have fruit. Excuse me. I have to go hunt down a simple trifle recipe.

By the way, I should add, Ryan is actually at his father's this week except for today. His dad had to go out of town on business so Ryan is spending the night with us, which is partly what prompted me to make dessert in the first place.

Well, well. The fun just never stops in this house! I've been wanting to make Texas Sheet Cake for some time now. I liked lovebenton0's take on making it in a bundt pan and I wanted something pretty to take to the hospital. I happen to have several bundt pans so off I set to make the cake. Today is the day my sifter decided to stick. Fill sifter with flour mixture, pull back on handle, watch handle stick and not release. Pull again, handle releases with a "snap" and flour dust rises up all around me, on my clothes, in my hair. Forge on! I divided the cakes evenly between these two cute little pans: The first cake: Look pretty huh? The second cake: Obviously did not release from the pan, although both pans were greased. Now, what's a mom to do? The first little cake will go to the hospital, but that leaves no dessert for my family tonight. Not that I really care, but I'll be Momma non grata to Ryan if he finds out I made his Uncle a cake and not him. Sooooooooo. Wash up all my pans and measuring implements and try this one more time. I'll use the big bundt pan this time Right after I get this flour out of my hair.

And just remember what we've already got on the menus to come: chicken and spring veggies tonight Italian restaurant tomorrow pasta and meatballs (your ground beef component) on Friday. Sat's sort of open, because I'm having a housewarming party that is being catered. Speaking of which I finalized the menu today and will post details on that later.

Most of my leftovers are going to the hospital to be gobbled down by my brother. My brother cringes at the thought of vegetables. (kinda runs in the family). So just remember, you'll be starving my brother if y'all insist on vegetarian. On the other hand, I'm always up for champagne.

No, no, no. I'm going to do it myself. It's that or have Ryan do it, which might be worse. My husband gave me detailed instructions on how to do this last night. Ha. At the very least, it should be entertaining!

Back from the volunteer tea. Nothing like a bunch of sugar to kickstart my morning! Apple Rubarb cake Selection of cheeses Brie with red pepper jelly More cheese: Cinnamon rolls Cheesecake: Brownies, coffee cake and cinnamon muffins Fruit with various dips Bagels Thankfully, coffee. This is the coffee urn I donated to the school last year. I apologize for some of the lousy pictures. I had to work quickly as the hordes were already decending upon the various platters of food. Now I'm off to bake a cake of my own and clean up the kitchen from last night's dinner.

Must we? ← I'm a bit surprised you don't know a meatloaf recipe you like, but no-one's forcing you. ← Oh I could probably find one. I haven't made meatloaf in years though. Morning all. Time for coffee while I contemplate the day. It's a beautiful sunny day here. I'll be off to the volunteer tea in a little while so I won't eat anything until I get there, so reports of breakfast when I return.

Had I given any thought to this beforehand, I could have arranged to fly to NY to cook with Sam. Now that would have been awesome. Although I have a bigger kitchen, so feel free to fly up here. Come for the housewarming on Sat! Stay over and cook with me on Sunday. In the meantime, I'm off to bed ladies and gentlemen. Tomorrow's breakfast will be a volunteer tea at the school. I'll do my best to take pictures. Once a year the teachers at the school honour the parent volunteers with a tea. It's usually heavy on the desserts (at 8:00 a.m) but hey, it's the thought that counts.

Hey! No fair!

this is bad because...? If you say tuna loaf, I will track you down and stomp on your flower garden or something equally mean. Ew. K ← Bless you Kathleen.

Please tell us more about cooking by weight. Is it easier, harder, or just different? Does it make more of a difference when you're baking rather than cooking? It's different. I'm used to measuring out a cup of this etc. The recipes I've been using this week call for a pound of this, a half pound of that, 4 oz of cheese etc. It just requires different thinking, and it's not something I do without thinking about it, which means, I'm new to it, so I have to read and measure several times before I'm comfortable. I haven't done a lot of baking this week although that will change over the next day or two. I'll let you know how it goes with baking. I do think it's probably more accurate. Are you kidding? Just wait till I try to spit a whole chicken tomorrow. I'll be lucky not to impale my whole hand! Must we?

Meat is my best friend.

A vegetarian tasting menu? Oh dear. My household would go into shock.

I'm loving that cocktail shaker. After this week, I may never eat again!

*smacks forehead*. Of course! I never even thought of it. The recipe said, throw into the blender, so that's what I did, totally without thinking. It was pretty spectacular though. Tonight's dinner was Roasted Garlic Soup, Pan Seared Pork Chops with Mustard-Shallot Sauce and Parsley Butter Rice. First of all though, I bought one of these last week. I've used it every day of this blog so far. Cooking by weight is new for me, but most of the recipes I've used so far have been by weight. This is the beginning of the soup. Roasted garlic and onions sweating. I made garlic croutons to go in the soup. The finished soup. I was supposed to take the bay leaf and thyme sprig out before I blended it, but I was so flustered after the blender explosion of the first batch, I completely forgot. Oh well. a few sprinkes of twigs never hurt anyone. We first tasted this soup during our cruise last month, and we really liked it. I bought the Royal Caribbean cookbook while on board (and I got the executive chef and sous chef to sign it) and lo and behold, the recipe was in there. For my first time making it, I thought it turned out rather well. I think it needs some chicken stock or something though. The recipe called for water, but next time I'd use stock I think. The main course, pan frying the chops. Finished and plated: Now, I've pan fried chops before, but I've never made a mustard sauce to go with it, so another first for me tonight. I really really liked this. Ryan is at his Dad's and Don's dinner is in the oven in the event he makes it home in time to eat something tonight!. In the meantime, I figured I deserved this: This is a Wolf Blass Shiraz. Here's my little birdie for tomorrow night's dinner: this is a four pound roaster and I've put him down to brine overnight. Bye bye birdie.

Pics after dinner, but the soup is made. Taking a 5 minute break to put ice on my hand where I burned it on the soup when the lid of the blender blew off. Oops. Garlic soup in many places, and I'd just done the last cleanup on my kitchen from last night. I think blogging is dangerous to my health.

the shin is bruised, but as long as I don't press against it, it's not too bad at all. Time to start some prep work for dinner tonight and for tomorrow's dinner as well. My pork leftovers were destined to be taken to the hospital, but I've got some ideas for leftover steak on Wed.

Even worse, brocoli was $189 lb! Ouch.

maggiethecat gets the credit for the potatoes. See here for her inspirational thread. Now, what's a Canadian doing a blog without peameal bacon? I had some sharp cheddar cheese in the fridge so i cut some up to go on the sandwich, all washed down with water. And more water. Today's asparagus, sherry vinegar and crusty bread. nap time. When I awake, I'll make garlic croutons for the soup and start roasting the garlic.