Happy Easter 2013! I'm finally getting my life in order after all the stress and traveling of the past few months. One of the things on the list was getting back into learning new recipes and trying them out on friends. But first, I had to clean up my apartment. Notice the distinct lack of piles of papers and overdue library books on the table:
Our Easter dinner this year started off with a citrusy salad with avocado and almonds – served in our new salad set!
For my bridal shower, a very generous family friend gave me a Le Creuset dutch oven. I love the color – and the way in which it inspired me to learn to make SHORT RIBS.
The short ribs were tender and delicious, and the sauce was addictive (recipe here). Spring asparagus from Charlotte and mashed potatoes and parsnips completed the plate. But plating and food photography are not yet my strengths. I'd like to work on that.
And to finish, a dark chocolate mousse with raspberries. I now wish I had made a lighter dessert, since we all went back for seconds of the short ribs. But it's a mistake I'm learning to live with. ;)
During my first two years at Michigan, I had no one to share an official Easter dinner with. Weirdly enough, I ended up running into the older brother of a college friend (who had dated my brother) at church and going to brunch at a diner, two years in a row. It wasn't exactly a warm family meal. So this year, I especially appreciate the opportunity to get REALLY full with Dave and two good friends! It was homey and satisfying – not least because I've added a couple new recipes to the dinner party repertoire.
Our Easter dinner this year started off with a citrusy salad with avocado and almonds – served in our new salad set!
For my bridal shower, a very generous family friend gave me a Le Creuset dutch oven. I love the color – and the way in which it inspired me to learn to make SHORT RIBS.
The short ribs were tender and delicious, and the sauce was addictive (recipe here). Spring asparagus from Charlotte and mashed potatoes and parsnips completed the plate. But plating and food photography are not yet my strengths. I'd like to work on that.
And to finish, a dark chocolate mousse with raspberries. I now wish I had made a lighter dessert, since we all went back for seconds of the short ribs. But it's a mistake I'm learning to live with. ;)
During my first two years at Michigan, I had no one to share an official Easter dinner with. Weirdly enough, I ended up running into the older brother of a college friend (who had dated my brother) at church and going to brunch at a diner, two years in a row. It wasn't exactly a warm family meal. So this year, I especially appreciate the opportunity to get REALLY full with Dave and two good friends! It was homey and satisfying – not least because I've added a couple new recipes to the dinner party repertoire.
MMMM looks yummy :)
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see a relaxed, domestic post after all your frantic busyness before! YAY!
Yay, I agree! It's taking me longer to decompress from the job search than I had anticipated, but I definitely feel that I'm moving closer to some idea of 'balance.' Stephen gave me his old ice cream maker, so now I'm dreaming of homemade ice cream...
Deletewhat a great meal!:)
ReplyDelete