Decided to make it easier on myself and give the children a self-serve lunch - cold cuts, cheeses, crackers, fruits, and nuts. They thought it was glorious. Not sure why it took me this long to come up with such a basic idea!

It was gratifying to see them consider one another, asking if they could take the last piece and graciously assenting to each other.

They tried more foods than usual - my 8 yr-old even said "salami tastes better than I thought it would" and my son took tangerine (not his favorite) because of the creativity that buffet style eating sparked.

They didn't have to keep asking for seconds, thirds, etc., yet they seemed to know when to stop eating.

The next step is getting them to assemble the buffet...judging from my track record, that will happen by the time they're teens ;)

When I got out the red onions at at 1pm to make egg salad (my 3rd attempt), I noticed they were going moldy...so I consulted the slow cooker French onion soup recipe I had pinned to Pinterest, sliced the onions (4) and put them in the crockpot with 1/4 cup butter, 4 cups beef broth, and a splash of worcestershire sauce. Then we had to leave for piano lessons, so I (yet again) didn't have time to make the egg salad (I need the colored eggshells for a mosaic project - also from Pinterest - I'm leading in our co-op art class next week. I also need to use up the lox from Costco whose expiration date was last week).

When we got back home, I thought my husband must have made something really savory for lunch (he had come home right when we were leaving) until I remembered I was cooking soup.  About four o'clock it occurred to me to beef it up - literally - with that leftover uncooked slab of pot roast I had saved in the freezer. So I defrosted the meat in the microwave, put it in the soup, and turned it up to high. At 6:15, I pulled the meat out, cut it into smaller pieces, and put it back in. I tasted the broth and decided it needed more flavor, so I added a half cup of red wine and another cup of beef broth, as well as more worcestershire and a good shake of granulated garlic (it's my go-to ingredient). I turned it back down to low.

No gruyere in the house (never is) nor any oven safe soup bowls (been meaning to get some for over a decade), so I got the sliced sourdough out of the freezer, defrosted four large slices in the microwave, meanwhile grated sharp white cheddar and mozzarella (in the form of multiple string cheese sticks) into a gallon ziploc bag (yet another Pinterest find, but I think it may have originated with Cooks Illustrated - it all blurs together after the last million websites or so). I lined a cookie sheet with foil, put the bread (each slice cut in half) on it, and sprinkled the cheese evenly on all the pieces. I stuck it in the broiler and then grated a bunch more cheese which I put at the bottom of each soup bowl. When the cheese toast was done, I ladled the soup into the bowls, floated a toast in each bowl, and topped with the rest of the grated cheese. 

With freshly ground pepper, a glass of the aforementioned wine (the soup gave me an excuse to open the bottle), and the oohs and ahs of the whole family (at least in the beginning until my picky ten year-old began to complain of soggy bread), including raves from my husband who deemed it restaurant quality (he used to work in some posh ones), I sat down to a very enjoyable dinner I hadn't expected to make. And that is why I will never be someone who menu plans ;)

In the summer, one of my favorite ways to have tomatoes is Pan Am Tomaquet - much simpler than the name sounds, but just as grand tasting.  This morning I decided to try a twist on the original. I added a fried egg and slices of tomato.  It was delicious.

Egg Tomato Toast
1 egg
1 tomato
1 garlic clove
1 slice of sourdough bread or French baguette
olive oil
salt 

1. While the bread is toasting, fry an egg (I like mine with the yolk poked - gooey but not runny). 
2. When the toast is done, rub the whole surface with a cut garlic clove.  
3. Cut a tomato in half - cut one half into slices and set aside momentarily.  
4. Press the other half into the toast all over the surface (like you're stamping), so the bread soaks up the juices. 
5. Drizzle olive oil over the toast and sprinkle with salt.
6. Top with fried egg and tomato slices. Sprinkle with more salt (I used truffle salt).

Enjoy!

 Kale Artichoke Salad for Two
(picture next time!)

4 cups of Tuscan / Dinosaur Kale (preferably), chopped 
1 cup artichoke hearts, water packed, halved
2 (or more) cloves of garlic, crushed
4-6 anchovies (canned kind), diced finely
3 T grated parmesan
3 T olive oil
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T melted butter
1 t lemon juice
1 t Dijon mustard
1 t honey
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t pepper
cooked chicken strips (optional)

1. Using your hands, "massage" salt into kale to release its natural liquid and "soften" it.
2. Add oil, vinegar, garlic, and artichoke hearts. Combine well.
3. Stir in anchovies, lemon juice, honey, and dijon mustard.
4. Top with cheese, pepper, and chicken (if using).
5. Pour in the butter and mix well. 

Fry one large onion and a pound of chicken in butter w/s&p in cast iron pan.  Move to baking pan.  Add more butter to pan. Saute garlic, chard, mushrooms, potatoes, 1.5 cups rice, curry powder, garam masala, ginger, garlic powder, s&p, and chopped pickled jalapenos for a few minutes. Add 2 cups chicken broth, bring to a simmer. Simmer with a lid for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, season chicken with all of the above spices. Mix veggie mixture in with chicken and add a cup of water.  Cover tightly with foil and bake in oven at 450 for 20 minutes. Top with chopped cashews and broil for 3 minutes or until browned. (maybe you could skip the baking step if you simmered longer with more broth/water? or skip the simmering if you bake longer?). Posting for safe keeping - will post pics next time :) 

Concocted a new way to make pork tenderloin - roast in the oven on 475 for about a half hour (still a little pink in the center), then put butter, maple syrup, and morello cherries (with some of the juice) into the pan and broil to finish off cooking. On my plate, I stirred dijon and habanero berry jam into the sauce (I kept it separate for the kids' sake). I served it with mashed potatoes and an invented salad of cucumber, cooked beets, avocado, gorgonzola, and onion, with orange-infused olive oil, cider vinegar, dried dill, and a touch of honey. Salt and pepper on everything. Posting for safe keeping - pictures next time :)