Life in Dishes

We get in a rut. Husband and I sit in the house weekend and week out – together, enjoying cable TV. So, every now and then, it’s fun to invite other people over for fellowship.  Now of course I can’t do that without feeding them. Even when I try, I’m never successful at just collecting store bought food. I always end up cooking.  On a recent Friday night, we decided it was about time for a little get together. We called around and managed to get two couples to confirm. I would make spaghetti. It’s so simple for a last-minute get together and the ingredients are easy to find and affordable. …

My husband bought raspberries and blueberries from the market on Sunday. We don’t usually eat berries, but he was apparently inspired by a dessert I served at a recent spaghetti dinner.  I topped slices of angel food cake with the berries and some whipped cream – a simple no-bake dessert. But those berries in the fridge will spoil if we don’t eat them soon. It’s been a week. I asked Husband about his intentions for the berries. His reply indicated he expected me to whip something up with them. “Didn’t you make something good with them last time?” he asks. Sure I did. But last time I bought additional ingredients.…

Chicken Parmesan (Recipe below) I’ve had house guests for two weeks now. My mother-in-law, her father and daughter. During their stay, I’ve felt a bit dethroned. The kitchen is my favorite room in the house. That’s where I am queen – feeling very regal and authoritative over my domain. The tension, of the day is sucked into the oven hood’s fan right along with the fumes rising from the searing ingredients. My scented candles burn to neutralize the smell of spice-laden air. It sounds contradictory that laboring over a hot stove is relaxing, but it allows me to disconnect momentarily from everything else. It really energizes me to transform raw ingredients into…