Week 8 Sunday October, 4th 2009

Mac-n-Cheese, Cinnamon Rolls

It was our first week back cooking together after our trip. (See catch-up post below). In true form we had not yet decided what we were making until it was time to make it. I really need to get better at planning ahead. We found a several recipes that were serially rejected for one reason or another. Pesto Gnocchi-- too much work and we didn't have a ricer (whatever that is)
Chicken Fajitas-- we didn't have a bell pepper, or cilantro, or most of what it called for so.... We finally settled on.... a Mac-n-Cheese from an online website. Slightly more sophisticated than the Kraft kind it was decadent and sounded delicously creamy. After a week of meat and potatoes, It was time for a good pasta. Complete with a bechamel sauce to start, and a list of cheeses to which we substituted our own, yum yum.

As for dessert this may be cheating but we counted the cinnamon rolls we made for breakfast as dessert. Making cinnamon rolls on conference weekend is tradition. We did try a new recipe this year so technically it is keeping with the rules. There is no photographic evidence because I had fully inteded to make a different dessert for dinner. But then we ate cinnamon rolls for breakfast, lunch and I'm pretty sure the kids would have had them for dinner, but that's where I drew the line. Even I have limits on sugar consumption. The thought of making dessert was sickening and so we were left without the photos. There are plenty from dinner however. Starting with this handsome devil.

Being silly



Karate chopping the butter

We bought the Julia Child's Mastering the art of French Cooking.

It is more like a text book than a cook book. It's awesome

I wish there was one like it for all
international cuisine, starting with our own.

We used her suggestions in making the bechamel sauce.

Look at that beautiful Bechamel --

Thank you Julia Child

Much of the time the most memorable aspect of the experience isn't the cooking but what they are doing before, during, and after the cooking

The Before...

While JJ and I were deciding the dinner menu. The kids were doing a magic show. JJ brought home two very large boxes from work a few weeks ago and they have been an endless source of entertainment providing such useful functions as a forts, rooms, trains, and now a magicians box. Isabel cleverly figured out she could create a false bottom by stacking one inside the other and make her siblings appear in the "empty box." This video is Lane and Jordan's version of the trick. They called themselves "The Magic Magicians." Kinda catchy, JJ and I contemplated renaming ourselves "The Cooking Cooks." Maybe next time.

During.....

Laney and Isabel changed their outfits several times while dancing to the Italian Opera playing in the background. Their costumes are as follows...

Regular clothes

Laney as the dog

Video-- Dancing as the dog

Who can resist the Brindisi?

Then Isabel became the dog

Then she became a .... I'm not sure, but I like her style.

Then Laney ended as a fairy.

Thankfully Jordan stayed in one set of clothes. Believe it or not, Jordan often is the worst when it comes to changing his clothes during the day. He has a thing for layering, sometimes I catch him wearing 4 shirts... in phoenix.... in the summer!

Silly kids.

The final product.

It was rich

It was creamy

Survey said it was too rich and too creamy.

Actually Laney and Jordon who are usually lucky to finish one plate, had several.

Isabel, JJ , and I who usually go back for seconds and thirds were done after one. I'm not sure what that means but, I never thought I would see the day when Isabel would say emphatically that she didn't want the pasta leftovers!

After....

Jordan chowed about 3 bowls of pasta.

By the time bowl 3 hit bottom he started to suffer from what is known as

"pasta shock."