I realize that it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. However, my life since May hasn’t really been too exciting. I moved back in with my parents (thanks Mom and Dad for housing me for seven months!) and took a class at the University of Oklahoma last fall. Some very kind friends allowed me to sleep on a cot in their living room every Monday night. I moved back to Norman at the beginning of January and things have definitely picked-up. I’m a full-time graduate student now. My plan is to get a dual Masters in Social Work and Public Administration. I’ve applied to the School of Social Work and am waiting to hear if I’ve been accepted or not. This semester I am taking the public administration classes. They’re all at night which isn’t my preference, but that’s just the way this program is set up. I also have a 10 hour a week job at a local daycare. Since I have to be at work at 8:00, it gets me up and going in the morning. Then I spend two hours with three and four-year olds and let me tell you, that is enough to wear me out! I’m amazed by the full-time teachers; 15-18 three and four-year olds is a handful!
Last night I had some ladies over for a little dinner party. It was a lot of fun. I made Supremes de Volaille aux Champignons (Chicken Breats with Mushrooms and Cream), Gratin Dauphinois (Scalloped Potatoes with Milk, Cheese, and a Pinch of Garlic), and Souffle Au Chocolat (Chocolate Souffle), and not to toot my own horn too much, but it was pretty delicious. However, I think the true credit belongs to Julia Child. She spent eight (ten?) years on Mastering the Art of French Cooking, testing each recipe in an attempt to make it fool-proof. I have yet to make anything out of her cookbook that comes out badly or tastes awful. However, I have not attempted any of her aspics, nor do I intend to. Jellied beef, veal, chicken, or fish stock just does not say “yum” to me. Anyway, back to dinner. I also served canned pickled beets (kudos to my Dad for his gardening skills and to my Mom for her canning skills) and they were a huge hit. To accompany dinner was a bottle of Bordeaux-medoc. It was good but a little too intense for the chicken, I should have gone with Cotes du Rhone. There’s always next time. And, as my Grandma says, if it’s good we’ll drink it, if it’s bad we’ll drink it. (Not that the wine itself was bad, just not the best pairing.)
I wish I had pictures of dinner to upload, I intended to take some but forgot until after we had eaten. Oh yes, and I also managed to burn my finger on the oven rack when I was putting the souflee in. So I ate dinner with my finger either wrapped up in a wet paper towel or dipped in a glass of cold water. All in all, a great evening.
Actually, it was your Aunt Mary who made the wine quote, but since she is no longer with us, we keep it going! Your menu sounds delicious. A big improvement on the Martha Stewart chestnuts.
Hey Laura,
What a menu! Makes my mouth water. Things sound like they are going well and that’s great.
Also, Happy Birthday!! Almost forgot, but not quite. Lots of different things going on here so that’s my excuse. Hope to see you soon. And I miss those beets, if I remember correctly the recipe Judy uses was our mother’s.
Sounds like dinner was great. I may have to crash the next one. The pickled beet recipe was your grandma’s. You’ll have to keep that tradition going along with the Aunt Mary quotes! I too recall eating dinner (Thanksgiving) with my finger wrapped up, although due to an unfortunate chestnut incident and not a burn. So, ditto on the above chestnut comment.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ♥♥♥♥♥
OK, we have to keep Aunt Mary’s wine quote, Grandma Maxine’s pickled beets. and Nana Florence’s Kewanee salad all going. It’s all good.
Wow! When did you get so frenchy? Sounds delicious!
Welcome back to the bloggysphere.