Friday August ??, 2012

Dinner for 4

Spicy Ground Pork Lettuce Cups

Stir Fried Bok Choy

Watermelon Salad with Thyme

So again I am stuck in trying to catch up my posts.  I can find no notes on this dinner. This dinner was made to include the kids and not the hubby but I can't figure out which weekend in August it was. I know it was August because the photos fall between our summer vacation trip photos and the first day of school photos.  Friday Night Dinners are usually missed a lot in summer because we spend a lot of time away from our house and this year my dear Hubby spent a lot of time traveling for work.  

I remember the salad well, as I loved it (I like watermelon with a little savoy application) but no one else in the family did. It was carefully cubed watermelon with olive oil, lemon and thyme. Yummy!

The 2 of 3 of my kids will usually eat ground meat in a lettuce cup and 1 absolutely loves stir fried bok choy.  It is often served in our house.

Friday June 29, 2012

Dinner for 18

Stir-Fried Saucy Shrimp

Scallion-Ginger Chicken

Grilled Lemon Grass Chicken

Korean Beef BBQ

Wilted Greens with Spicy Garlic Dressing

Spicy Garlic Brocolli with Pine Nuts

Sweet and Sour Cucumbers

Freah Corn and Roasted Bell Pepper Salad

Cinnamon-Honey Orange Slices

Poached Pears in Cinnamon-Ginger Syrup

Canada Day long weekend has been celebrated at my parents place as long as I have been alive, and probably before that too.  After they moved to the cottage on the river we changed the name to Riverfest.  It is where family and friends gather over the long weekend some camping (with access to bathrooms and kitchen) others just visiting for a day.  We assign family groups different meals to share with the entire group.  I have traditionally done breakfast.  One because I was living overseas and it was much easier for me to get breakfast items once I arrived in the country and two because I don't mind getting up early even after a night of staying up late drinking (maybe it was jet lag) and before that probably because I wasn't much of a cook.

This year however, because of my Friday Night Dinners, I was assigned, you guested it Friday Night Dinner.  I put together a huge Asian Banquet hoping I would satisfy all the picky eaters in the crowd from little kids to adults.  It went over great.  I should have taken an after shot of the empty platters and bowls.

 Yes my parents' place is under construction, good thing the weather is so fantastic to eat outside.

Friday June 22, 2012

Dinner for 2

Shrimp Sambal with Rice
Wilted Greens with a Spicy Garlic Dressing
Strawberries and Melon in Plum Wine

Dinner for two with my Hubby.  Simple Shrimp stir fried with sambal, snow-peas and onions served over plain rice.  Wilted Asian greens with a dressing made with garlic, sesame oil, rice vinegar and chilli paste.

I am not much of a dessert maker.  Don't get me wrong I love a good decadent dessert but I am just not much of a baker.  For my meals I tend to end with some sort of fruit dish.  This is just a simple mix of melon balls and beautiful Ontario Strawberries with a little Japanese plum wine poured over them.  Simple, refreshing and sweet.

Friday June 15, 2013

Dinner For 2

Today is the day before my Wedding Anniversary and normally I would plan something rather fancy for the two of us and then tomorrow (on the actual day) we would go out and really celebrate.  However this year, on our anniversary, is my sister and brother-in-law's house cooling party.  They are moving from around the corner from us to 3 hours away by car.  So we are celebrating our Anniversary today so we can say good-bye tomorrow.

We had a fantastic 6 course Surprise Dinner with Wine pairings at The Other Brothers Restaurant . Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures. Take my word for it, it was great.  Plus we ate on the patio which is always lovely when the warm weather hits.

On the topic of my sister and her family moving, it will be hard. They are my anchor couple at most of my dinners.  Not to mention she is my sister and I have lived so far away for 6 years that it was nice to be close.  I know there move will be great for them, and I know I am usually the one moving away, so it is probably only fair.  I am just not sure Friday Night Dinners will be the same without them.  Change can be good right?

Friday June 8, 2012

Dinner for 5 (well sort of)

Crispy lamb with lettuce
Tea-smoked chicken salad with pickled red onions
Vegetable Pakoras
Seared scallops with chilli bean paste
Sweet won tons with lemon sorbet

After taking last Friday off and eating with the kids at Montana's we are back at it with a fantastic menu.  It was dinner for Five sort of.  Our oldest was to join us with my sister and brother-in-law, but my brother-in-law was late arriving (only enjoyed the last two courses) and my son was off after the first two.

 

Friday May 25, 2012

Dinner for 7
Beef & Potato Curry Puffs
Chargrilled Lemongrass and Coconut Chicken
Rice and Herb Salad
Vegetable Pickle
Prawn and Pineapple Curry
Seared Fish with Chilli and Garlic
 Orange Coconut Sago with Lychees and Passionfruit

Part of the reason I have gotten so far behind on my blog was because I was stuck on this meal.  The only thing marked on my calendar was dinner for 7.  After matching up some pictures I cam up with these photos.  Then I found a group of printed recipes from a Malaysian Buffet that matched the photos but for the life of me I can't remember who was over or much about the meal.  I do remember that I didn't love the dessert because I thought the Sago was too chewy and should have been cooked longer.  So I am leaving you with pictures and little else.  Sorry.

Source for recipes was Taste.com.au

Not a Friday Night Dinner

July 15, 2013

I have been a little slack in getting my Friday Night Dinners on the Blog.  I have plenty of rough notes and pictures to work through. I am hoping the next month and a half will get me caught up. 

This last week I have been reading Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan and got very inspired to make some pickles to serve with up coming meals.  My Saturday morning shopping at the local Farmer's Market inspired me further.  Today I have Pickled Cherries, Baby Carrots, Baby Fennel, Ghost Chillies, Shiitake Mushrooms and Garlic Scapes. Waiting a few days to further develop the flavours before I tuck in.