Week 10! Tonight was interesting - Chicken with Apple, Red Onion & Cider Sauce, rice and Grandma's fried okra. I wasn't so sure about the Chicken with apple and onion - certainly willing to try it though. It was pretty good - not one of my favorites, but edible. The okra was darn near perfect - just like my grandmother's except not quite as crunchy. I'll let it cook a little longer next time.

We had a smaller crowd this week, too. It was nice to be a little more intimate, but I missed all the young people! Other than Lilly, I was the youngest one here - that sure doesn't happen very often these days. LOL

I've found myself thinking more about Fall - good soups and stews. What are your favorite Fall dishes?

Next week: Chicken Chesapeake with chicken, mushrooms and crab in a cream cheese sauce. It sounds really good! In the meantime, I have to come up with something for a covered dish celebration at Church this Sunday.

Week 9??

Tonight was Oven Baked Beef Stroganoff and Squash Casserole - the squash was really good! Good food, good friends and good wine - what could be better? Then we topped off the evening watching "Master Chef". New ideas! LOL

We had a good crowd, too, even though a couple of guys dissed us. :-) (You know who you are)

I want to try scallops one of these days - never had them.

Next week, Chicken with Apple, Onion and Cider Sauce and I'm going to attempt to duplicate my Grandmother's fried okra.

Okay, I'm a little late. Obviously, this week's Tuesday Night Supper was not inspiring enough to motivate me to write about it. Chicken Tetrazzini, salad and garlic bread. The garlic bread was good! LOL Actually the Tetrazzini was okay, but just okay. Rather bland, although a little salt and pepper helped.

I'm looking forward to next week - Oven Baked Beef Stroganoff and Squash Casserole.

Week Seven - the Shrimp Scampi and Asparagus Risotto were both fabulous! I messed up and bought unpeeled shrimp, so I spent the first half hour peeling, but that just worked up an appetite! All kinds of new adventures this week - first time buying brandy (with a wonderful, fun salesman at the ABC Store in Thomasville), searching for shallots (finally found some at Ingles in Thomasville), first time peeling shrimp and first time burning off alcohol in a pan. (It burned a lot longer than I thought it would.)

Next week: Chicken Tetrazinni with Roasted Red Peppers, perhaps with Squash Casserole (it was requested, but I'm not sure that's a good combo). We'll see.

Richard suggests green beans with bacon and brown sugar - not sure about that one, either. (Yuck?)

Now I need to get back to the gym to work it off!

Lisa

It's been over a year, but I'm back! I'm switching directions and writing about our Tuesday Supper Club. Several weeks ago, I was complaining to my sister-in-law about all the great recipes I'd like to try, but my family is NOT creative eaters. Her boyfriend feels the same way. So, we decided to all get together once a week and try something new and different. Thus far, we've had six amazing menus (some better than others) and I'd like to share.

Week 1: Shrimp & Sausage Paella - so-so...I think I chopped the artichoke hearts too small - would've had more flavor if they were more chunky

Week 2: Pasta Jambalaya, corn on the cob and New England Molasses bread - this was pretty good except it was a microwave recipe and the pasta didn't do that well

Week 3: Mediterranean Chicken Pitas - our hands down favorite so far!

Week 4: Creamy Lemon-Pesto Chicken and Linquine with garlic Texas toast - Yum! We also had Weathervane Tropical Wave wine slushies.

Week 5: BBQ-Bacon Stuffed Meatloaf, roasted new potatoes and Brussel sprouts, yeast rolls - catering to the picky ones, we made one with mushrooms (per the recipe) and one without - look, Ma, no leftovers!

Week 6: Spinach & Feta stuffed roasted Salmon, corn on the cob, yeast rolls, frozen strawberry margaritas - this was simply amazing...

Coming up: Shrimp Scampi and Asparagus Risotto...

So, grab a couple of cookbooks and start your own! Good fellowship, good food, good wine - what could be better?

Happy Tasting!

Bidibidus

I heard a great sermon this morning at Pleasant Grove Camp Meeting in Mineral Springs, NC. Jesus loves us and we need to fall in love with Him every day. Rev. Marilyn Wooten used the movie "Fifty First Dates" as a point of emphasis - where Adam Sandler's character loves Drew Berrymore's so much, he makes her fall in love with him over and over again, every day. (She had an accident that resulted in short term memory loss and wakes up each day thinking it's the day of the accident.) What a concept! I have been so caught up lately feeling unloved, unliked, worthless (although I know I'm not any of the three - I've been on a pity party), that I've completely forgotten the incredible, undescribable, unimaginable LOVE my Savior has for me. Wow. What a timely, amazingly NEEDED message (and how often THAT happens! I think there's some divine influence there. LOL)

I desperately need to keep in mind AT ALL TIMES that I am loved and I am a valuable child of God.

It's been a soul-searching week and I have discovered at least one big thing. I am honest to the point of being sinfully proud. I am so careful to cover every angle that, rather than coming across as sincere and trustworthy, I come across as cagey. My excuses are full of "not that I recall" and "not intentionally". Have I repeated something someone told me? "Not that I recall" (I 'honestly' don't remember every word I've ever said, and I do try not to talk about people, but in reality, some things can be shared with innocence and I truly don't remember.) Have I betrayed a confidence? "Not intentionally". (I have NEVER purposefully or knowingly betrayed a confidence. Have I ever repeated something not thinking, or not realizing that it was MEANT to be confidental? I'm sure I have.) Therefore, I cannot honestly say "No". The problem is that the person asking doesn't know my thought patterns and where I'm coming from, they only hear the vagueness and cageyness. Maybe one of these days I'll just learn to keep my mouth shut and not talk about other people, be it good, bad or indifferent.

Happy Friday!