Mostly about food

No blog last night because at eleven o’clock I found myself making an overnight salad. No, not a congealed salad nor what you think of as a layered salad—remember those, with layers of lettuce, peas, cheese, tomatoes, and so on, and a top layer of mayo that you let sit overnight? This is a lettuce salad with a vinaigrette dressing—you put the vinaigrette in the bottom of a 9x13 glass dish, with avocadoes, stir the whole thing; then, without stirring, layer lettuce on top, and finish it off with Parmesan. Cover with clear plastic wrap and then foil, let it sit overnight, and stir just before serving. Delicious. Got raves at the dinner table tonight.

But last night, as I chopped garlic and scallions, washed lettuce, and so on, a blog was the farthest thing from my mind. Yes, with some trepidation I used romaine, but I washed it thoroughly using a trick my mom taught me—dousing it in salt water, then rinsing thoroughly and drying. Couldn’t use the wonderful soft lettuce from my garden because this salad needs something with crunch.

Blatant cookbook promotion: the recipe will be in my new cookbook, available next fall. With a thank you to my neighbor Amy Brown who first served it to me.

Now that I’m working seriously on “Gourmet on a Hot Plate,” I’m having fun rediscovering recipes. Made tuna-stuffed zucchini for my supper last night and had the leftover tuna stuffing for lunch today. One day this past week I intended to make an avocado and cucumber salad for Jordan and me—turned out the avocadoes were too hard (they ended up in tonight’s salad). But a salad of cuke and tomatoes and scallions, dressed with lemon and lime juice, is nothing to sneer at.

Megan and her boys arrived just in time for happy hour before supper tonight, a quick visit for Mothers’ Day, but I don’t mind quick because she and her whole family were here for a long weekend two weeks ago. Blessed to spend so much time with them. Even after two weeks we have lots to catch up on—a new pair of shoes I want her to see, an upright walker I want her to look at, exciting new developments in her career and in the growth of one of her sons. Life is full and wonderful.

Right now, after a great supper of hamburgers and salad, Megan and Jordan are off to say hello to a school chum of Jordan’s. I, who always want to be included, begged off. I think the main reason is that I fear they’ll stay longer than I would want to, in spite of their protests. And truth be told, I’m reading a book that I really enjoy.

So now I’m off to brush my teeth, get a glass of wine, and settle down with my book. Happy Mothers’ Day to all out there—there are all kinds of mothering, and the gratitude of the day should go to many more than actual mothers. Then again, I think there should be a Children’s Day, honoring all the richness children have brought to our lives. I know they have mine. Of the many hats I’ve worn in life, I have always said being a mother was the most important and the most rewarding.