Friday, June 25, 2010

June 27th adventures

Hello California!

Brian and I are on vacation this week, so no cfd on Sunday. However, we WILL be back for July 4th and are going to have a front yard cookout that evening. Ina garten's bleu cheese burgers...potato salad...watermelon..plus great parking for the fireworks at lake eola afterwards! So come out and join us for a fun cfd on the 4th, hope to see you then!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Menu: June 20th

Ahhhh....now this is more like it. THIS is when i should plan my cfd menus.

I have left the office after a long day and week at work, walked into my home, leashed up Hanna, and strolled out the door for our evening walk. As I walk, I am starving. So, of course, my mind turns to food and the delicious things that i can create and afterwards enjoy. By this time I am salivating over everything edible....and loving it. This menu is born of desire and imagination.

Appetizer:
Perfectly ripe watermelon salad
Caipirinhas

Main Course:
Roasted Tomatoes Studded with Garlic over Pasta
Sauteed Green Beans
Garlic Bread

Dessert:
Irene's Peach Baked Alaska (care of Richard Burkart and Real Simple)

Just as a heads-up, the chambersesesses are going on vacation next week, so no CFD. However, this spurt of inspiration has also planned the meal for TWO weeks out, on July 4th. It's going to be awesome, so stop by and eat some great food before going to watch some fireworks!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

CFD: June 13th, 2010

Hello all!

Cheers to the US of A on a tie with England today! The ups and the downs....sometimes soccer is hard to watch. Anyway. Dinner on Sunday night. hmm.....once again I am struggling to set the menu. While it may seem that I am simply not feeling culinary, it's just not true. This week was one of multiple kitchen exploits! From the Summer Fruit Crostata last Sunday to my pork chops and Berry Pavlova on Monday, to my homemade bleu cheese dressing over sweet tomatoes and seared pineapple for dessert on Thursday.....whew. I'm feeling pretty good, but the ideas just aren't flowing as usual.

I know that we're going to have some first-timers this week, so I am excited to make something that will be representative of our ongoing Chambers Family Dinner. Not sure what it is going to be, but if you embrace mystery and surprise, or special Barefoot Contessa cocktails, then show up on Sunday evening at 6:30pm!

email chambers.brianandleah@gmail.com for directions. :)

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Chambers Family Dinner Menu Tonight!

Alright, I know I'm slacking, but i am having the hardest of times selecting the menu for this week's extravaganza. A special guest is going to join us tonight, a good friend who moved away to connecticut before we started CFD....and i think that's adding to my analysis paralysis. What meal to make her that sums up almost 9 months of Sunday night cooking?

Well. I've come up with a few ideas. I have this friend from college, Ryan Renuart, who gave me one of the best 'just because' gifts this week: Canal House Cooking cookbooks!! And let me tell you, they look amazing. But not as amazing as my friend who has generously blessed me with such a gift. So. In honor of friendship and food, this week's menu is going to be based on recipes that remind me of those blessings.

All the recipes will be either from Canal House Cooking and my friendly favorite, the Barefoot Contessa, or they will be past crowd favorites.

To see the selections, come by and join us at 6:30!!!!

See you soon.