Characteristically, I forgot to take pictures of the actual, freshly-prepared food. Well, I remembered. Then I forgot again. Sigh. So you'll have to settle for 10:15 at night "after the party" pictures when I read Karyn's comment. Those of you who faithfully clean your kitchens after dinner every evening - I salute you. I wish that I were like you. But I just have to cope with being a messy. Please forgive the mess...
Okay, so we like to take chiabatta rolls, halve and butter them, then sprinkle them with...
... this. We buy it at Costco and use it sparingly but shamelessly, chemicals and all. A few minutes under the broiler and you have garlic bread heaven.
Yes, it's an empty, used pan. But it was the first time I tried broiling this way, and it worked brilliantly. Foiled a sheet pan, put in a cooling rack, sprayed it with Pam and preheated it under the broiler. For the rib eye steaks (bone in of course!) I made a marinade of low sodium soy sauce, worchestershire sauce, garlic powder and kosher salt. I oiled the marinade pan (different sheet pan), laid out the steaks and brushed them liberally with the marinade on each side. Laid them on the hot grill pan and grilled a few minutes on each side with the oven door propped open until the meat and fat were crispy brown on each side.
Priscilla made a beautiful green salad and broccoli. BTW, we bring the water with broccoli pieces in it just to a boil, then turn the heat off and let it set a few minutes. Then drain, butter and salt - tender and pefect every time.
So one of our family's favorite desserts is Chocolate Pudding Dessert, known when I was younger as Better than Robert Redford. Some of you reading this may never have seen the young Redford. Please, go rent Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and drool with me over Redford and Newman in their finest hour (assuming that you are female...). But I digress.
First the crust: Melt a stick of butter. Add about 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans and 2 cups of flour, mix well. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a bit toasty. Cool very well. Now, I have made this recipe with Jello instant chocolate pudding for years, then in a fit of Martha-ness made her really a lot longer than instant pudding. Hers was better, but I have a life. So - I use both sugarfree chocolate and chocolate fudge instant pudding mix. Beat it far longer than necessary, because then it turns into something more like a silky, air-filled mousse. Pour onto cooled crust, refrigerate. Just before serving, whip up a pint of whipping cream with a squirt of real vanilla and about 3 Tbsp of sugar. Whip until pretty firm, spread over chocolate pudding, and let the groans of rich chocolate appreciation begin.
A surprising amount of the dessert remains refrigerated, but then Michael is working tonight, and that makes a significant difference in the volume of leftovers.
The kitchen definitely is not cleaned up, but is likely to get that way tomorrow morning.
Wish you could have been here!
Okay, it was great to see him! Nothing like family.
"So where were Todd and Tyler?" you may ask. Todd was behind the camera (no surprise there) and Tyler is at his first ever summer camp. We pick him up tomorrow morning east of Cottage Grove, if any of you are familiar with the area. Can't wait to hear about his week.
