Yesterday I had a picture of baked beans on this site but it looked so dark and dreary that I took it off. Actually the dish looks, in real time, like it would be delicious and it is stored for consumption for Monday, July 4th. We are expecting 40-50 people, the list keeps growing and we are glad to have everyone celebrating JD's accomplishments. I have a slow cooker going again with another ham and bean concoction. If there are left overs, the Cincy gang likes to take the left overs home to enjoy all week so they don't have to cook. Yesterday was busy in the kitchen. Andy brought in a large head of cabbage from the garden and I had a pork shoulder in the crock pot along with carrots potatoes. kale, onions...you know the bubble and squeak kind of goodness? Well, in went the cabbage for another hearty party dish. All of this is not just for the party. JD, David, and Johnna are coming Saturday for several days, from Florida, and they too have to eat (or so they hope.) I don't want to spend every minute over the stove.(JD's thank you note.)
I had to bake another maple pecan cake with maple icing. It has cream cheese in the batter and people went wild over it. I have this file of 'to make' dishes and this scrap from the Dispatch paper (Cook's Corner) was among the clippings and I just read it and thought that sound lovely and easy and so I made it. I took a bite and called Andy to try it and that was all it took; soon the entire family was tasting and then, some how, it was gone. If you want the recipe, just email me.
I am cleaning out the kitchen frig today making room because soon it will be pasta salad day, cheese ball day, and who knows what else will appear on the party buffet. I am cooking like this is my last event, I pray that it is not. lol
Have a great day. Ours is cool and sunny and after the rain the plants are jumping out of the ground. I have to make my rounds outside and pull the spent flowers off the plants so they will looking lush on Monday.
Note: Keep checking back. I keep adding to the post all day long. No pictures so far, nothing pretty enough to show you, yet,... besides my phone is up stairs.
These thank you notes are so cute. This one is from JD. We celebrate him on Monday.
Pasta salads obviously, with pepper jack cheese, and salami and vegetables... With corn, black beans, and couscous
