eG Foodblog: Anna N - Thirteen Steps to Dinner

[Susan in FL]

Oh my!

"Nana! My heart in my stomach!"

... Out of the mouth of the babe!

Don't be concerned about the foodblog right now, and take the time with your family. That's most important.

Wishing you well....

[patti]

Anna, all the best to your darling Miss Jess, and hopes for the quickest and smoothest of recoveries.

[spaghetttti]

Anna, the very adorable Miss Jess is the spitting image of her Nana and sounds like quite the trouper! Hope everything comes out okay. Wait, that probably didn't sound right, but I hope you know what I mean

All the best,

Yetty

[Pan]

That really is a shock! I'll bet she never does that again...

Hang in there and let us know what happens.

[Anna N]

Thanks for all the good wishes. I am sure Jess will be fine. She knows better than to put things in her mouth that don't belong there but she was playing with her cousin and I'm betting she was showing off! She was one scared little girl when she realized she couldn't breathe and even more scared when she saw the xray showing the heart in her tummy! Now she just wants her heart back since no one can see how pretty it is when it's in her tummy! I think she has learned now why we tell her not to put things in her mouth.

So, after a good night's sleep I uploaded the photos from yesterday and will tell you about them.

The plan for Sunday was that after the party crowd left in late afternoon, we would have Monica Bhide's Chicken Tikka Masala for dinner. This is one of my son-in-law's all time favourite meals. Saturday I had marinated the chicken pieces in yogurt and spices and first thing Sunday morning I broiled them. This is how they looked coming out of the oven:

Then I made the sauce and this is how the completed dish looked ready to go into the 'fridge to be re-heated at my daughter's in the evening:

Then I made pita bread to hold the masala. Fusion cuisine? I have never liked pita bread but that is because I always bought it from the store and it tasted like old cardboard. But after a thread on egullet suggesting that it could be made at home I began doing just that. I also fuse cuisines by mixing and kneading the dough in a wide, open bowl a method I also learned from Monica and find just as easy and far less messy than doing it on a pastry board:

And the pita bread as it comes out of the oven. I still consider this "magic":

My son-in-law cooked the burgers and we all made up our burgers and ate them around the fire.

Then it was time for the birthday girls to blow out the candles. This is a store-bought cake! Didn't want anyone thinking I could actually bake. The girls are wearing one of their birthday presents, fancy dresses. They just love to dress up and were delighted with this gift.

We decided that Jess and her Mom and Dad needed some down time after their harrowing morning so we left before dinner and so I can't tell you how the chicken turned out. I skipped dinner altogether and The Dane had a fried-egg sandwich. After hamburgers for lunch neither of us was especially hungry anyway.

[Marlene]

Those burgers look amazing Anna! And isn't Sick Kid's hospital just the best? My son spent several weeks there when he was three,and it was discovered he couldn't stand up one morning, so I can relate to the heart in the mouth concept. Best wishes for Miss Jess and a full recovery.

Beautiful blog by the way.

[RSincere]

Wow, Anna, that must have been scary for Jess (and everyone else)! Good that she looks none the worse for wear.

That's cool that you all like Indian food. I can't wait to try the Chicken Tikka Masala, looks great. If you haven't tried Monica's Butter Chicken recipe, you must. It's amazing.

[Anna N]

Mmmm, roasted red pepper and sausage salad...  Sounds delicious and I wouldn't have thought of that.  Did you make a basic oil and vinegar type dressing?  That is now on my list of things to make, thanks.

P.S.  No problem on calling me Suzanne.  I am called many things, and answer to most of them.  It was nice of you to attend to that, though. 

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Thanks for cutting me some slack on your name - I felt really badly when I realized it.

The original recipe for the roasted pepper and sausage salad called for capers to be scattered over the roasted, peeled and chopped peppers and no additional salt be added but I am no fan of capers. So I reserved the bit of juice that came from the roasted peppers, added some oil, balsamic vinegar, finely minced garlic and pepper and salt, whisked that together and poured it over the peppers and sausage and tossed as usual. The orginal also called for a garnish of chopped oregano (which would have been good!) but since I hd no fresh oregano I used a mix of flat and curly-leafed parsley. It is amazingly good and I often grill extra sausages just to make this. I use mild Italian but you could certainly make substitutions.

[Anna N]

Wow, Anna, that must have been scary for Jess (and everyone else)!  Good that she looks none the worse for wear.

That's cool that you all like Indian food.  I can't wait to try the Chicken Tikka Masala, looks great.  If you haven't tried Monica's Butter Chicken recipe, you must.  It's amazing.

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Rachel, I only wish we ALL liked Indian food but The Dane will just tolerate one or two Indian dishes! And I have to tell you that I have tried most of Monica's recipes and aside from the lentil dishes (I just don't LIKE lentils) have found them all to be delicious. Her Shrimp Fritters (Jhinge Ke Pakore) are a permanent part of my repertoire for appetizers and my daughter has served them to just about everyone she knows with rave revues. These shrimp are an Indian dish that The Dane requests (all too frequently).

[Anna N]

Those burgers look amazing Anna!  And isn't Sick Kid's hospital just the best?  My son spent several weeks there when he was three,and it was discovered he couldn't stand up one morning, so I can relate to the heart in the mouth concept.  Best wishes for Miss Jess and a full recovery.

Beautiful blog by the way.

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Yes Sick Kids is truly a blessing! I did a brief internship there many years ago and worked in consultation with the doctors there for almost 10 years. When we counted our blessings yesterday one of the things we counted most was the accessibility to the experts at Sick Kids.

Son-in-law deserves the kudos for the burgers and thanks for the compliment on the blog.

[Anna N]

Lunch was leftover steak on toast with a side of pickled beets and a cold beer:

Nice.

Wait... What's that tingling?

I sense skinless/boneless chicken breasts somewhere on this thread.

Still, a nice lunch and a good blog, Anna.

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Hope the tingling has passed by now - but give the blog a miss today - more of the same - but in Chicken Tikka Masala - even breasts gain some character.

[Jinmyo]

Thanks for the warning.

[Jensen]

Wonderful blog, Anna. You've inspired me more than once in the past week...thank you for that.

I'm also keeping fingers, toes, and any other crossable appendages crossed for a speedy and happy resolution to Miss Jess' problem.

[Chufi]

I am really enjoying this blog and I wanted to let you know Anna, that I made your Frikadeller yesterday because I was very intrigued by the recipe. I usually make meatballs with lots of herbs and spices (and no cream!) and I was surprised how fantastic yours were!

[RSincere]

Anna, thank you so much for your blog. Those meatballs are going on the "must try" list!

Rachel, I only wish we ALL liked Indian food but The Dane will just tolerate one or two Indian dishes! And I have to tell you that I have tried most of Monica's recipes and aside from the lentil dishes (I just don't LIKE lentils) have found them all to be delicious. Her Shrimp Fritters (Jhinge Ke Pakore) are a permanent part of my repertoire for appetizers and my daughter has served them to just about everyone she knows with rave revues. These shrimp are an Indian dish that The Dane requests (all too frequently).

I am just the opposite. I like lentils, but just do not like shrimp at all. I've tried it many different ways and it's not the recipe or my cooking at fault, it's just that I can't stomach shrimp, both the texture and the flavor.

[Lexica]

Poor Miss Jess! When I was about 10, I accidentally swallowed a "chewable" vitamin C tablet that was so big it lodged partway down my throat & partly obstructed my breathing until it dissolved. Very scary. Glad she seems to be coming through it unscathed.

Anna, your blog has been very inspirational to me this week. I think I have to go find a recipe for pita now.

Is there such a thing as chicken tikka masala with no tomatoes? Or is it something where removing or substituting the tomatoes would change it to a different dish entirely? (For example, "That may be a meat sauce for pasta, but without tomatoes, it's not bolognese, no way, no how.") I love chicken tikka masala, unauthentic as it may be, but tomatoes don't agree with me.

[Mottmott]

Thanks for your wonderful blog, Anna. Be sure to update us on Miss Jess's adventure.

[Susan in FL]

This isn't over already, is it? Wow, if so -- and adding up the days I guess it is almost over -- time flies when you're having fun. Thanks so much, Anna. This was one of my favorites.

[Anna N]

This is it! The end of the blog. My meals yesterday. The Dane's lunch and my breakfast (half of his sandwich). Cheddar cheese on white bread.

My lunch. I was incredibly overloaded with editing yesterday and so this very fast pasta dish which I can always make from pantry stock. Pasta with a walnut sauce.

And finally dinner with a return to a Danish theme. Pork with apples and onions. This is a family favourite and one that shows up on my table many times both for just the two of us and for company.

Normally I would make some glazed potatoes with it but all I had left was some russets so they became a mashed potato dish with cheese and bacon.

I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing with all of you but there is also a sense of relief that it is over! I have nothing but admiration for our bloggers having walked in their shoes for a week. How some of them manage it with a young family is amazing. Despite one's very best intentions and lots of planning, life does not stop for blogs. Many, many thanks to all of you for your interest and to Soba (Stanley!) for guiding us bloggers through.

Edited because I can't even remember my own name this week! Sorry Soba Addict.

Edited October 26, 2004 by Anna N (log)

[Anna N]

Is there such a thing as chicken tikka masala with no tomatoes? Or is it something where removing or substituting the tomatoes would change it to a different dish entirely? (For example, "That may be a meat sauce for pasta, but without tomatoes, it's not bolognese, no way, no how.") I love chicken tikka masala, unauthentic as it may be, but tomatoes don't agree with me. 

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I cannot quite imagine it without tomatoes but perhaps you could pose the question on the Indian forum.

[Pan]

I really enjoyed your blog, Anna! But what happened to your granddaughter?

[RSincere]

Thank you, Anna! The food looks wonderful. Loooove the bacon on the potatoes.

And please keep us updated on Miss Jess!

[patti]

Last night's dinner looks wonderful. In the words of an old Maxwell House coffee commercial, your blog was, "Good to the last drop." Thanks for sharing!

[Anna N]

I really enjoyed your blog, Anna! But what happened to your granddaughter?

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The latest update on Miss Jess: Her family doctor received the xrays from the hospital and has asked that she be brought in today to see him. Her appt is for 2:15 today and I will be sure to give you an update when I get one. Thanks to all for your concern.

[Smithy]

Anna, I add my thanks and admiration and prayers to everyone else's. Thank you for sharing your week with us - and recipes, too, especially the lemon ice cream and spicy shrimp! Know that a few prayers for Miss Jess are coming from my direction, and do keep us posted.

Thanks for a great blog!