This week was my library's holiday lunch/dinner. Second annual, even. Instead of doing a Progressive Dinner like last year, all food was on the fourth floor. Mostly in Archives, though dessert was in a separate room on the same floor. Unfortunately I thought our party was on Tuesday.
So Monday evening I busied myself in the kitchen with two recipes from Barefoot Contessa at Home (2006): Tomato feta salad and portobello mushroom lasagna. Then Tuesday I waited to come into work late so I could schlep warm lasagna into the building. Oopsie. Wrong day. I returned home with the food, froze the lasagna and parceled out the tomato feta salad; a third to mom and another third to Amy, because I knew it wouldn't last in the fridge until Thursday.
Instead of repeating the tomato feta salad, I made Ina's old-fashioned potato salad. It was a hit, as was the lasagna. I wasn't sure at first about the lasagna. I used whole wheat noodles and it appeared rather dark and unappealing. But just underneath was all the yummy goodness of portobello and white sauce. So yeah, I like vegetarian dishes. There are a few who work here, vegetarians, that is. And regardless of being a carnivore or not, most people don't always want meat; we had turkey and ham. But, I try to make dishes that all people can eat and enjoy. We like lots of options in the library.
Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh, the delicious potato salad. This was a hit. Several eaters quizzed me on ingredients and asked that I share the recipe. I think it was the mustard seeds that made it so good. That and the buttermilk. Whole buttermilk. I went out of my way NOT to buy the reduced fat buttermilk. What is reduced fat buttermilk? Nothing I'd cook with. I doubled the recipe to have enough. But still, I brought home enough to keep some for myself and pass along a plastic container filled with it to Mom. And those deviled eggs behind? They were awesome, but I don't know who made and brought them. A holiday meal is nothing without deviled eggs.
Here's a better photo of all the food we had:
And I must share Amy's most delicious dessert offering, a selection of cheeses, apple, and crackers--it was my favorite dessert:
Last but not least, the wonderful Amy (and me, yes, that is a mother-in-laws-tongue coming out of my head. Notice her awesome new glasses; I'm so envious):
Next year, my department will make appetizers or desserts. It's our turn to do less. Less? What is that? I'm hoping for desserts, actually, so I can spring some homemade goodness all over the place. Too many of the desserts were store-bought, and that doesn't appeal to me. And after a heavy meal--I even had seconds--I don't want a heavy dessert, either. That's why Amy's cheese tray was out of this world good. I can work with appetizers, though, too. And really, I think it's time for other departments, who've gotten off lightly in the past two years, to really do their part, hunker down in the kitchen, and whip up marvelous main dishes and super sides.
A little bit of trivia: In sixth grade I named my school's cookbook and won a vanilla Pet ice cream cup for everyone in my class. We ate them with those little wooden spoons. And that included my dear, sweet husband, though likely he doesn't remember. Unfortunately I've always been a major fan of alliteration: South Side's Savory Specialties. How could they not give the award to me?
But then in fifth grade, I won the prize for most creative/inventive witch's brew recipe. I don't still have a copy. My best friend Toni and I argued over the correct spelling of boogers. I said it was boogers; she thought it was bugars. Like, who is right? There's a reason why I won, Toni, I could spell better than anyone else. Now, don't go finding any spelling mistakes in this entry to prove me wrong.
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