Before I get any more emails from My Worried Readers, I am fine and so preoccupied with visiting family, I didn't realize it had been a week since an update on this site. Apparently, I do have some sort of personal life. Here is a quick recap:
Lenny: thumbs up. Lucy: flipping the bird?Lisa and Lenny had a bad start to their trip from Los Angeles to Portland Friday afternoon due to a last-minute plane change... and I mean the airline changed planes and the second plane didn't have quite the same amount of seats as the original. There was a possibility the kids were going to get skunked, but it all worked out in the end.... except they arrived several hours late... and Portland (auto) traffic was terrible. Just terrible. Our usual 45-minute commute to the airport turned into a two-hour crawl on the freeway. No accidents. No obvious reason for the hold-ups. DT and I were not in great moods when we arrived at PDX, but as soon as we saw Little Leo and Lucy, we cheered right up again. Cheered up enough to sit through a TWO HOUR drive back to our house where I had dinner waiting.
I had spent the previous three days prepping Chicken Confit (which only requires a few moments of actual labor, but does require a 3-day minimum advance notice), which would just need a quick browning while asparagus roasted for ten minutes in the oven. Salad was already made. Table was set. However, I did not take enough time to get the cast iron skillet hot enough and the chicken skin stuck to the pan, ruining my three day plan for a beautiful presentation.
Thank goodness it was family coming for dinner and not the President of France (that's next week) and thank goodness, the chicken was absolutely delicious and fell off the bone and Lenny loved the dish. Polite Readers will recall the picture-perfect attempt from last month:
Everyone pretty-much crashed after our long commute/late dinner. Dave and Lenny went to the Duck game Saturday, while Lisa and I volunteered to remain at home and watch the game on TV to avoid the rain and cold weather.
Someone named Leo could have been in his pajamas until noon. Someone named Leowas very busy. Bubbe has a lot of interesting toys to play with. (Nearly every toy in our toy box belonged to Lisa during her childhood.)The Oregon Ducks beat Colorado. Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota moved up the Heisman Trophy ladder. One more game left on the regular-season schedule. Always a Big One. This rivalry goes back to 1894 - one of the longest rivalries in college football history.
Oregon v Oregon State.
120 years.
Civil War.
Everyone, but Lucy and I, went to Big Al's on Sunday afternoon to watch Lenny's Redskins. Leo won three plastic dinosaurs playing arcade games and the Redskins did not win a damn thing.
While the gang was away, I was supposed to get everything ready for a gathering at our house Sunday evening - Dave and I had invited friends to pizza (pizza and salads from a local joint) at our house so everyone could meet Lucy. Problem was, I could not get even one task accomplished except holding Lucy because - though she was so sleepy - every time I put her in the crib - Lucy screamed. Lucy wanted to be held.
I sent a text message to Mary and Kathy kindly suggesting they politely ignore the messy state of our house as I could not get ready for the pizza party because a certain Little Princess demanded to be held 24/7, instead of politely napping in her crib while her Bubbe prepped for a party in her honor. Fifteen seconds later, my doorbell rang and there was Kathy! Experienced Grandma, ready to cradle Lucy while I tidied for the party. Steve even volunteered to pick-up the pizza order!
Best. Friends. Ever.
Mary & Kathy holding LucyWe had a great evening with our friends. No one noticed our mess, they only noticed our beautiful new granddaughter and her equally-adorable brother.
And totally awesome pizza.
A few of our beautiful daughters
A few of our beautiful husbands (and one son)
I prepared a dessert tray with chocolate chip cookies, canales, peanut butter cookies, salted pumpkin caramels, lemon rosemary olive oil cake and chocolate hazelnut shortbread bars.Mary's daughter-in-law, Laura, made Lucy a gorgeous quilt and gave it to Lucy Sunday night:
Laura and Lucy
Hugs and Kisses for Little Lucy!
I was able to spend quite a bit time with my grandchildren today. Lucy is an super-sweet baby and Leo is a super-active toddler. I can barely keep up.My sister joined us tonight for a quiet family dinner at home. The menu included Roast Leg of Lamb with Basil Cream Sauce from Mimi Thorisson of Manger. (NOTE: do not read Mimi's blog if you have fantasies involving an idyllic life, copious vegetables and flowers growing in the garden of your French Chateau, walking through woodland paths with your gorgeous family, or keeping your figure after birthing many children - the latest one delivered unexpectedly at home - and writing a cookbook in your idle hours. You Have Been Warned.) The Basil Cream Sauce was divine, but my (nearly six-pound, organic, raised-in-Oregon) leg of lamb needed more than 45 minutes roasting time to reach medium-rare. We also enjoyed fingerling (Oregon!) potatoes, and a salad made with Oregon pears, Oregon hazelnuts and Oregonzola.
I do not to need to mention DT paired the Oregon lamb with Oregon pinot noir?
My sister, Renee, with Lucy - and an old Bubbe relaxing after dinnerTomorrow we are going out for dinner!
Until my next update, I remain, your cooked correspondent.