Fud and family
Apr. 7th, 2007 08:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ar_wahanOK, the kitchen floor is washed, the kitchen table has been moved into the dining room and butted up against the dining room table to create a table long enough to be worthy of Hoggwart's, and -- gasp! -- I have discovered I have enough cloth napkins for everybody!!! That really surprises me -- they even match. I must have bought two sets with a Linens-n-Things coupon at one point.
I am feeling better about Easter dinner (at 2 p.m . tomorrow) than I was earlier today. Earlier, I was an extreme grump. Maybe because even with snow on the ground, the trees know it is spring, and they are sending invisible allegens into the air that are giving me, my kid and my husband bad sinus headaches.
I was also annoyed last night to learn from a SIL that her daughter and two kids want to come, after daughter originally said no. This is a slight improvement over two years ago, when the daughter said no and then, when I had the table all set and the food ready, called and announced they wanted to come after all.
Last night's revelation meant I had to make another trip out to buy more food today. That's OK. At least we will have enough.
Eleven people will be here tomorrow.
The menu will be untraditional for this family, which is used to having what I call "the beige meal" every holiday: turkey, mashed potatoes, squash, boiled onions, stuffing, cheese and crackers, snowflake rolls, gravy, Jello, canned peaches in heavy syrup, boiled canned peas, MAYBE a tossed salad, pies. Since my FIL's death (he was the one who did the cooking), the daughters have become a little more daring, with one trying rack of lamb one year, another a ham. Along with shrimp and fresh fruit and veggie platters.
Also, two of the daughters now have Type II diabetes, and are aware of carb counting. (The one diagnosed just a few weeks ago said, "Ya know, I would hear you look at the food and say, "That's a carb, that's a carb. that's a carb" ... and I'd think, 'There is no pleasing this woman.' Now I get it.") In case you don't know because you are a new LJ friend, I have Type I diabetes.
But it's interesting how the food tradition has its hold, as you will see by the additions people offered to bring.
Yesterday I went to the Salvation Army to find a "new" outfit for Easter. No luck. Today, after getting the rest of the groceries, Samurai and I went to TJ Maxx to see if we could find suitable attire. She found two pairs of slacks and a blouse. I didn't find anything. But I did buy two tea pots! I have a very small pot that will only brew 2 cups of tea. I got a larger red pot that will go with our Asian-inspired red plates. But since I don't have enough of those for 11 people, but I do have a white china set for 12 (picked up at two different yard sales years ago -- they match!), I also bought a white tea pot that will go with that set nicely.
The only thing is, the shape of the pot, from the spout to the little base it stands on, reminded both of us of something.... and when we got to the cash register, the cashier made the same observation:
"That looks like the tea pot in Beauty and the Beast!"
Yes, we now have Mrs. Potts on our side table. Just as long as she doesn't start to sing and dance, we should be OK.
I am feeling better about Easter dinner (at 2 p.m . tomorrow) than I was earlier today. Earlier, I was an extreme grump. Maybe because even with snow on the ground, the trees know it is spring, and they are sending invisible allegens into the air that are giving me, my kid and my husband bad sinus headaches.
I was also annoyed last night to learn from a SIL that her daughter and two kids want to come, after daughter originally said no. This is a slight improvement over two years ago, when the daughter said no and then, when I had the table all set and the food ready, called and announced they wanted to come after all.
Last night's revelation meant I had to make another trip out to buy more food today. That's OK. At least we will have enough.
Eleven people will be here tomorrow.
The menu will be untraditional for this family, which is used to having what I call "the beige meal" every holiday: turkey, mashed potatoes, squash, boiled onions, stuffing, cheese and crackers, snowflake rolls, gravy, Jello, canned peaches in heavy syrup, boiled canned peas, MAYBE a tossed salad, pies. Since my FIL's death (he was the one who did the cooking), the daughters have become a little more daring, with one trying rack of lamb one year, another a ham. Along with shrimp and fresh fruit and veggie platters.
Also, two of the daughters now have Type II diabetes, and are aware of carb counting. (The one diagnosed just a few weeks ago said, "Ya know, I would hear you look at the food and say, "That's a carb, that's a carb. that's a carb" ... and I'd think, 'There is no pleasing this woman.' Now I get it.") In case you don't know because you are a new LJ friend, I have Type I diabetes.
But it's interesting how the food tradition has its hold, as you will see by the additions people offered to bring.
Tomorrow we are having:
Appetizers:
Shrimp
deviled eggs (ISIL -- she likes to make them, and as she just discovered, THEY AREN'T CARBS! She still doesn't "get" that fat needs to be watched, too. Ah well. It's a holiday. )
veggie tray
Main course:
Baked salmon fillets
wild rice (Uncle Ben's)
steamed fresh asparagus
hollandaise sauce -- we don't really need it, but some folks might like it for the salmon and/or asparagus, and God knows the table will look empty without GRAVY, so this kind of takes its place! :P
snowflake rolls (one of the diabetic SIL's contributions)
mashed potatoes (WHY??? The niece wants to make them. Here. I was hoping to minimize last-minute kitchen prep. Oh well. This is the first time she has ever offered to make or bring anything, so I should just be happy that she is finally turning into an adult at, what, age 32? And maybe her kids are scared of wild rice.)
salad (by the other SIL)
canned peaches fresh fruit? Hope, hope... see below.
Dessert:
Unknown something being provided by SIL, who will probably show up with brownies. I may have some ice cream in the freezer I can add to the offerings.
Looking over the selection last night with the other SIL, I noticed that we didn't have any fruit. She suggested that when her mom finally called to ask what she could bring, I assign her that.
At 11 a.m. today, MIL called. I suggested fruit.
"Oh, like canned peaches?"
Sigh.
I said I was thinking more along the lines of one of those small, store-made trays that have a little fresh pineapple, watermelon, honeydew, whatever. But she should bring whatever she wanted.
Appetizers:
Shrimp
deviled eggs (ISIL -- she likes to make them, and as she just discovered, THEY AREN'T CARBS! She still doesn't "get" that fat needs to be watched, too. Ah well. It's a holiday. )
veggie tray
Main course:
Baked salmon fillets
wild rice (Uncle Ben's)
steamed fresh asparagus
hollandaise sauce -- we don't really need it, but some folks might like it for the salmon and/or asparagus, and God knows the table will look empty without GRAVY, so this kind of takes its place! :P
snowflake rolls (one of the diabetic SIL's contributions)
mashed potatoes (WHY??? The niece wants to make them. Here. I was hoping to minimize last-minute kitchen prep. Oh well. This is the first time she has ever offered to make or bring anything, so I should just be happy that she is finally turning into an adult at, what, age 32? And maybe her kids are scared of wild rice.)
salad (by the other SIL)
Dessert:
Unknown something being provided by SIL, who will probably show up with brownies. I may have some ice cream in the freezer I can add to the offerings.
Looking over the selection last night with the other SIL, I noticed that we didn't have any fruit. She suggested that when her mom finally called to ask what she could bring, I assign her that.
At 11 a.m. today, MIL called. I suggested fruit.
"Oh, like canned peaches?"
Sigh.
I said I was thinking more along the lines of one of those small, store-made trays that have a little fresh pineapple, watermelon, honeydew, whatever. But she should bring whatever she wanted.
Yesterday I went to the Salvation Army to find a "new" outfit for Easter. No luck. Today, after getting the rest of the groceries, Samurai and I went to TJ Maxx to see if we could find suitable attire. She found two pairs of slacks and a blouse. I didn't find anything. But I did buy two tea pots! I have a very small pot that will only brew 2 cups of tea. I got a larger red pot that will go with our Asian-inspired red plates. But since I don't have enough of those for 11 people, but I do have a white china set for 12 (picked up at two different yard sales years ago -- they match!), I also bought a white tea pot that will go with that set nicely.
The only thing is, the shape of the pot, from the spout to the little base it stands on, reminded both of us of something.... and when we got to the cash register, the cashier made the same observation:
"That looks like the tea pot in Beauty and the Beast!"
Yes, we now have Mrs. Potts on our side table. Just as long as she doesn't start to sing and dance, we should be OK.
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no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 01:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 01:57 am (UTC)Just as long as she doesn't start to sing and dance, we should be OK.
LOL!!!!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-13 10:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 03:10 am (UTC)Are you insulin dependent? I guess your expertise in diet (granted unwanted but necesssary) will come in handy for those who are newly diagnosed in your family. I'm sorry to hear that.
Wishing you a peaceful kitchen tomorrow!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 11:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 09:26 pm (UTC)My MIL has type II but she controls it through diet. We are seeing a large increase here in south TX, particularly in the Hispanic community, of diabetes of both types.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 12:32 pm (UTC)