Nice Work If You Can Get It!

Sometimes I am so lucky, it makes me feel ungrateful for complaining about anything in my life. If you’ve been around for long, you know I love food and I love to cook. I love putting together menus – and I love sharing this passion with other people. There are two parts though that I don’t especially love – spending the money and doing the shopping. Each year for Christmas I give out MitMoi Gift Certificates to a select group of people. The certificates are good for me planning menus, pairing wine/drink, and cooking for up to 8 people. But really, if you live in Raleigh, or somewhere I travel? You don’t have to wait for a certificate. If you promise to do the shopping – and have MOST of the proper equipment, I am happy to show up – and cook for you and eat/drink with you. A few friends have realized how serious I am about this offer – and they take me up on it on a regular basis. Tonight was one of those nights. Late last week I sent them a choice of 3 different menus. They selected what they wanted, she did the shopping – and I showed up after work tonight and did the cooking. Now since it’s a work night, that requires menus that are “quick and easy” – so we’re not eating at 9 o’clock at night. (“hellooooo Jenee!”) The menus I sent earlier the following main dish options: Cumin Grilled Salmon with Roasted Corn Relish Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Peach Relish Udon Noodles With Grilled Flank Steak Side dish choices were: Black-Bean and Tomato Quinoa Thymed-Garlic Roasted Asparagus Asian Cucumber Salad with peanuts All of these dishes can be on the table within an hour and a half (including marinade times) – and usually in 45 minutes to an hour. For dinner tonight they choose: Udon Noodles w/ grilled flank steak Asian Cucumber salad w/ peanuts Thymed-garlic roasted asparagus To some people this may not sound like much of a deal, but to me? Well, I was singing the words to “Nice Work if You Can Get It” in my head all this evening as I sipped my wine, directed my two sous-chefs and we all sliced, diced, and chopped. While preparing the meal we dissected our current economic issues, the Real Estate market, and Credit Reports. During dinner we moved on to the status of the new John Deere cotton harvester/module maker, how God is moving in our lives and in our church's life, the Democratic debates, the Republican leaders, Iraq, and how good the wine, food and friendship were. I don’t know if we solved all the world’s problems like CSWeq’s group did over the weekend, but we made headway. Next cooking appointment is September 6th. I can’t wait, and neither can they!