(Or, I Was Too Lazy To Download The Pictures From The Camera)
The first yeast bread I made in our house: Mom’s Fast and Easy rolls recipe, to go with…
Potato and Kale Soup, which actually wasn’t that good – too much celery. (But oh well, I guess I can’t be a perfect cook all the time! 
)
)And then, moving onto last Friday night (a week ago). Ryan, Dan G., and my friend Julie came over for dinner. Did we take a picture of our friends? Of course not! But here’s the food, which included Pumpkin Sausage Pasta from Simply in Season, p. 212. This was good!!! I also made the garlic bread recipe from Cooks Illustrated. The bread was cheap and so it was really dry, but the garlic part was the best I’ve ever had.
Here’s how to do it. Grate 5 (yes, five) cloves of garlic on a Microplane so they’re very fine. Melt a tablespoon of butter and slowly cook the garlic in it until it’s straw colored, about 10 minutes. Combine this with 7 T of softened butter, salt (if the butter is unsalted) and a good bit of black pepper. (Unless you’re Zona, then you leave out the black pepper because you love Todd. Otherwise, leave it in – it’s really good!) Spread this butter onto a baguette that has been sliced horizontally. Put the loaf back together, wrap in hot foil, and bake in a 400 oven for 15 minutes. Then, unwrap the bread and bake it, buttered side up, for about 10 more minutes, until it starts to brown. Take it out, sprinkle a little bit of cheese on top, and broil for about 2 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the bread is crispy.
I know this sounds like a lot of work for garlic bread but it was absolutely the best garlic bread I’ve ever had. I couldn’t stop eating it. And that was with not very good bread either!
Moving right along…
We decided to compromise our arteries to celebrate Nik’s successful classroom observation on Tuesday morning. The only suggestion the principal could come up with was to tell him to go to more workshops. So basically, he was perfect. Way to go Nik!! How better to celebrate than with homemade hot dog buns, Nathan’s hot dogs, and Alaska Winter Ale onion rings! Also, please note the fried pickle in the back ground. (And a little arugula salad to keep us semi-healthy.)
(Almost finished, I promise!)
That same day, the temperature got up to around 70 degrees. So we actually sat out on our porch after dinner. (Our house smelled like fried food anyway.) So here are Nik and I, documenting our porch sitting experience in the beginning of February.
And me, hiding my “I just fried onion rings so my face is shiny” face from Nik!
(This is the end, I promise)
And announcing, the Long Awaited Un-boxing!!
Maybe now, I’ll actually sew some curtains! (And finally use your present, Dad. Thank you!!)
Salmon and Souvlaki 
I think the photo of you hiding your face is cute…it reminds me of Selah! Miss you guys! Love, Leah
oh, a sewing machine! I love all the food you make, you really seem like you find joy in it.
Todd used to call me “Martha Stewart of the Klondike” when we lived in Glennallen…so now you’re the Martha of – Baltimore? Hmmm – have to work on that, but one thing’s for sure – you are quite the homemaker! Very nice! Fabulous looking food, dahling.
Its 70 degrees and you have your sweaters on? Unbelievable.Love you guys.eric