Sunday dinner is one of those family traditions that seems to have fallen by the wayside. Remember those days as a kid when you'd go to Grandma's house for a slow-cooked Sunday dinner with the family? The feeling was like a big, warm hug full of love that made you feel loved, important and protected.
We've resurrected Sunday Dinner at our house. This day is reserved for family time at home. With three teenagers, our weeks are pretty busy these days and it's easy to get lost in our own little worlds. Sunday Dinner gives us the protected time and space so important to nourish, center and unite ourselves as a family. It gives us the strength to get through another week.
Our Sunday Dinner menus typically include slow-cooked or indulgent specialties that we might not ordinarily make during the week. One of the kids' favorites is beef tenderloin with bearnaise but grilled ribeye and sweet potato oven fries are a close second. Some nights you just cannot beat roast chicken and veggies but for a great spin on Sunday Dinner, DadNextDoor makes a rockin' Thai red curry with basil.
Tonight MomNextDoor remembers Sundays at Grandma Dorothy's house. Slow-cooked brisket and buttery mashed potatoes will warm our bellies as we gather around the table and find our family's center. This is where we find our strength.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Holiday Cocktails
Every holiday calls for a special cocktail. A little treat once in a while is what life's all about after all. This Labor Day I'm breaking out one of my favorite recipes, the pineapple upside-down cake martini.
This simple nectar calls for one part vanilla vodka, two parts pineapple juice and a squirt of homemade grenadine. If you like the flavor of this martini you might also like to enjoy it over ice with a bit of club soda. Incidentally, I do not prefer Smirnoff and I can't get into the red sugar water that passes for grenadine at your local market.
So what about that grenadine? The homemade stuff is just too easy to cut corners. You just grab a 16 oz. bottle of pomegranate juice from the store, put it in a saucepan with a cup of sugar and then simmer until slightly reduced and thickened. Pour the syrup into your squirty bottle of choice and keep in the fridge for use in your favorite cocktails and teas.
Happy Labor Day!
-- MomNextDoor
This simple nectar calls for one part vanilla vodka, two parts pineapple juice and a squirt of homemade grenadine. If you like the flavor of this martini you might also like to enjoy it over ice with a bit of club soda. Incidentally, I do not prefer Smirnoff and I can't get into the red sugar water that passes for grenadine at your local market.
So what about that grenadine? The homemade stuff is just too easy to cut corners. You just grab a 16 oz. bottle of pomegranate juice from the store, put it in a saucepan with a cup of sugar and then simmer until slightly reduced and thickened. Pour the syrup into your squirty bottle of choice and keep in the fridge for use in your favorite cocktails and teas.
Happy Labor Day!
-- MomNextDoor
Sunday, August 21, 2011
School Lunches
School kicks off tomorrow morning, bright and early. Our kids will each be making their own lunches to take along. Thankfully, they've never been very interested in school cafeteria food.
They're big enough that they can decide for themselves what they would like to have on a given week and then contribute to that week's grocery list and shopping trip. They've also been big enough for a long time now to make and pack their lunches. Their favorites seem to rotate each year, but sometimes it's bento style boxes, lots of times it's wraps or sandwiches and frequently it's leftovers. We've always had good eaters and we do not keep junk in the house so we're usually happy with whatever they choose.
What's up with school lunches at your house?
They're big enough that they can decide for themselves what they would like to have on a given week and then contribute to that week's grocery list and shopping trip. They've also been big enough for a long time now to make and pack their lunches. Their favorites seem to rotate each year, but sometimes it's bento style boxes, lots of times it's wraps or sandwiches and frequently it's leftovers. We've always had good eaters and we do not keep junk in the house so we're usually happy with whatever they choose.
What's up with school lunches at your house?
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Kids in the Kitchen
Feeding yourself is probably the most basic self care skill. We are constantly in amazement at just how many of our own peers "do not cook" or "don't know how to cook." Well... um, why not?
We've always felt that one of the greatest gifts we could give our kids is to send them off into the world with at least a basic understanding of where ingredients come from, how to acquire them and how to put them together into a decent meal. Since they were tiny we've always sought their input for the weekly meal plan, taken them along to do grocery shopping, involved them in caring for the family garden and kept them active in the kitchen.
They've been preparing basic things probably since kindergarten, but having the freedom to create independently has inspired them to try new things. One of our teenage boys bakes a much sought after tres leches cake that he has been perfecting for the past couple of years. The other served our family the most beautifully complex tikka masala for dinner last night.
Help your kids learn to be competent in their own home kitchen. It gives them confidence, it makes them proud and it's important.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Nammi Truck Rocks Bahn Mi
We tried both the pork and the chicken deliciousness. Our favorite part of this tasty sandwich was the homemade pickled vegetables. Actually, next time we might ask for half the meat and double veg.
Make sure you are hungry because these sandwiches are a generous portion. This is such an amazing improvement over typical bahn mi or chain sandwich shops. It's worth every penny and then some.
Great service from really nice people. We love supporting local small business owners too.
Check their schedule to see where you can catch your own modern version of this Vietnamese classic!
Favorite of the Week - Tyler at Plano Cycling
Tyler is our favorite guy this week. If your bike just doesn't feel right, if your ride is uncomfortable or if you're a cycling newbie, call Plano Cycling to schedule a bike fitting. In the long run, the investment will really save you a lot of time, expense and unhappiness.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Back to School Immunization
Getting shots is probably the very last thing on every family's back to school to-do list. We put it off until the very last minute every time, don't we?
The past couple of years news coverage has highlighted parents standing with their children outside health department clinic sites in long lines. The thing is, there are only so many hours in a workday. Just because you might be standing in line before they open does not guarantee the clinic will have the capacity to see you that day. And make no mistake, schools will not allow children to attend without immunization paperwork in order.
The Dallas County Health Department is urging parents to bring their children in now. Plenty of other free or low cost options are available throughout the area. If you are in need of an exemption form, be aware that you cannot get those last minute.
The past couple of years news coverage has highlighted parents standing with their children outside health department clinic sites in long lines. The thing is, there are only so many hours in a workday. Just because you might be standing in line before they open does not guarantee the clinic will have the capacity to see you that day. And make no mistake, schools will not allow children to attend without immunization paperwork in order.
The Dallas County Health Department is urging parents to bring their children in now. Plenty of other free or low cost options are available throughout the area. If you are in need of an exemption form, be aware that you cannot get those last minute.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Another Night at Nana
Every time we visit, we leave feeling that there's just little to dislike about Nana. From the moment you walk in the door, managers Mark and Cesar treat you with care, tending to your every need. From high atop the Anatole, Nana has arguably the best view in Dallas.
Our entrees were the highlight of this delicious dinner experience. The scallops were sweet and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The huge ribeye was cooked to juicy perfection, as always, and was served with the most heavenly bearnaise you've ever tasted. A side of seared asparagus was the perfect complement.
After dinner cocktails in the bar are a fun way to wrap up the perfect date night. With live music playing and amazing artwork on display, we can't imagine anything more romantic than enjoying that fabulous view with martinis in hand.
Our entrees were the highlight of this delicious dinner experience. The scallops were sweet and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The huge ribeye was cooked to juicy perfection, as always, and was served with the most heavenly bearnaise you've ever tasted. A side of seared asparagus was the perfect complement.
After dinner cocktails in the bar are a fun way to wrap up the perfect date night. With live music playing and amazing artwork on display, we can't imagine anything more romantic than enjoying that fabulous view with martinis in hand.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Is Bigger Better? Nah.
We couldn't agree more. Nothing is more disgusting than sitting down to a sloppy mountain of food. Bigger is not always better, y'all.
We'd much rather enjoy just enough of a dish done well than take home a doggy bag of something so-so. Actually, we just had an interesting discussion with a food service owner recently about the fact that we'd be willing (and even prefer) to pay the same price for a moderate serving as we paid for a huge one. Finesse and visual appeal are so important in a dish that restraint has value.
Smaller portions please. :)
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