Matt's got a show up! Come see The Three Wise Men on Thursday 5/10 at The In on Capitol Hill.
https://www.facebook.com/events/344902242241165/
C.A.C.A
Presents: The Daddy of Rock and Roll's Shoe Alone in a Letraset Tunnel;
a group art exhibit featuring an original drawing by Wesley Willis,
drawings by Hache Bellizzio, paintings by local Seattle artists Mike
Force, Casey Doherty, and Natalia Czajkiewicz, sculpture by Malaki Stahl, and 3 large scale illustrations of the "3 wise-men" by Matthew Brennan.
Bonus Instillation by C.A.C.A.
Entertainment by: Chandly Burres
Music provided by: P.E.W.P.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Bienvenido de vuelta - Welcome Back!
After a few weeks off, Family dinner started back up last night with a big crowd and a great meal. Since Ted & Johnnie spent the last couple weeks in Mexico and Jessie's birthday is on 5/5, the theme of the night was SEA-MEX (think tex mex, Seattle-style). The dining room table, and kid table, were decorated with new authentic mexican table cloths that made the night immediately festive.
First things first. The drink of the night was inspired by Johnnie's vacation drink - the mango margarita. While Ted perfected the recipe, we all enjoyed the taste of summer and the catch up conversations began. Turns out if you don't see this family for a few weeks, lots of stuff happens.
New jobs, vacation stories, summer plans and graduations were discussed. People have been busy and spring has been treating the family well. It feels as if we have come out of the clouds (pay no attention to the fact that it's currently grey and raining) and hit spring with new energy. Don't you just love when things start to fall in place!?!
We had a big crowd that included some first-timers. Kristy and Mike made their way over the pass to join us. They contributed Quincy asparagus (which we didn't get time to cook so I got some to take home, YES), a cooler of beer, a salad and chips & salsa. It's always exciting to have new blood at the table.
Courtney and Jordi also made it to their first family dinner and Jordi knew just how to win over the crowd. He made his way through the packed kitchen with a beautiful antipasti plate. He must be a good guy because rather than take the credit for the delicious appetizer, he let us know that his mom was responsible.
Aside from our newbies, we had the core: Ted, Johnnie, Grandpa Pres, Eddie, Jess, Mark, Charlie, Morgan, Chelsey and me. Matt was at dodgeball practice and couldn't make it, but it's ok because he's practicing for a big tourney taking place in LA in a couple weeks. I bet you didn't know you were friends with a National Top 10 Teams d-baller!?!
Ok, back to the SEA-MEX. Ted cooked us a great meal. We had a taco buffet that included brined and smoked dark meat chicken, smoked beef (sorry I didn't get a better description of this, but take my word for it - delicious), corn & flour tortillas, stewed beans, brown rice, avocado salad, green salad, corn chips and salsa and a bunch of different hot sauces.
As we settled around the two tables - we had 13 people, hence the kid table - we quickly realized these were going to be fork & knife tacos. Too much good stuff, tortilla blowout inevitable. Topics of conversation included the last weekend at Baker and the epic sledding hill built for the occasion, the Alaska cruise that's just around the corner, the info structure or lack thereof in Ethiopia, the jam-packed weekend Jenna has planned for her graduation, the phase out of calling people by nick names and the tricks of the trade for how to win at Emerald Downs.
Jessie topped the meal with two theme-inspired desserts. She made Flan and Peach Gelatina. Did I get that second one right? Either way, they were both tasty and the perfect sweet note to end on.
I'm sure there were a lot of other very important topics discussed, funny things that happened and mysteries solved, but the combo of cocktails from last night and not yet having any coffee is preventing me from recalling anything more.
There are some things you don't realize you enjoy so much. For me, family dinner is one of them. Pictures to come.
First things first. The drink of the night was inspired by Johnnie's vacation drink - the mango margarita. While Ted perfected the recipe, we all enjoyed the taste of summer and the catch up conversations began. Turns out if you don't see this family for a few weeks, lots of stuff happens.
New jobs, vacation stories, summer plans and graduations were discussed. People have been busy and spring has been treating the family well. It feels as if we have come out of the clouds (pay no attention to the fact that it's currently grey and raining) and hit spring with new energy. Don't you just love when things start to fall in place!?!
We had a big crowd that included some first-timers. Kristy and Mike made their way over the pass to join us. They contributed Quincy asparagus (which we didn't get time to cook so I got some to take home, YES), a cooler of beer, a salad and chips & salsa. It's always exciting to have new blood at the table.
Courtney and Jordi also made it to their first family dinner and Jordi knew just how to win over the crowd. He made his way through the packed kitchen with a beautiful antipasti plate. He must be a good guy because rather than take the credit for the delicious appetizer, he let us know that his mom was responsible.
Aside from our newbies, we had the core: Ted, Johnnie, Grandpa Pres, Eddie, Jess, Mark, Charlie, Morgan, Chelsey and me. Matt was at dodgeball practice and couldn't make it, but it's ok because he's practicing for a big tourney taking place in LA in a couple weeks. I bet you didn't know you were friends with a National Top 10 Teams d-baller!?!
Ok, back to the SEA-MEX. Ted cooked us a great meal. We had a taco buffet that included brined and smoked dark meat chicken, smoked beef (sorry I didn't get a better description of this, but take my word for it - delicious), corn & flour tortillas, stewed beans, brown rice, avocado salad, green salad, corn chips and salsa and a bunch of different hot sauces.
As we settled around the two tables - we had 13 people, hence the kid table - we quickly realized these were going to be fork & knife tacos. Too much good stuff, tortilla blowout inevitable. Topics of conversation included the last weekend at Baker and the epic sledding hill built for the occasion, the Alaska cruise that's just around the corner, the info structure or lack thereof in Ethiopia, the jam-packed weekend Jenna has planned for her graduation, the phase out of calling people by nick names and the tricks of the trade for how to win at Emerald Downs.
Jessie topped the meal with two theme-inspired desserts. She made Flan and Peach Gelatina. Did I get that second one right? Either way, they were both tasty and the perfect sweet note to end on.
I'm sure there were a lot of other very important topics discussed, funny things that happened and mysteries solved, but the combo of cocktails from last night and not yet having any coffee is preventing me from recalling anything more.
There are some things you don't realize you enjoy so much. For me, family dinner is one of them. Pictures to come.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Happy Friday!
People are filtering back into town this weekend so we will resume normal weekly dinners next week. Can't wait to see everyone. And rumor has it Courtney will be in town to join us next week!!!
Friday, April 6, 2012
MMMM More Oysters
Just what I need, another food blog to follow. At least this one is all about my favorite thing, OYSTERS.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Spring Break
For the next few Wednesdays, our people are busy with all sorts of adventures. If there are any posts in the next few weeks, they will be random and not the normal family dinner rundown.
In the meantime, get on Facebook and check out the Omak Stampede fan page. There are some AMAZING photos of the festivities over the years!
In the meantime, get on Facebook and check out the Omak Stampede fan page. There are some AMAZING photos of the festivities over the years!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Revenge of the (food) Nerds
Melanie told me yesterday morning that she was bringing carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, so I went to the gym and ran FAST before heading to Green Lake last night for family dinner. I'm not a huge dessert person, but carrot cake is my weakness. Love it. Totally worth the cherry red face I wore for the duration of the night.
As usual, Charlie dog greeted me at the kitchen door and lead me into the crowd standing around enjoying happy hour. It was a small gang this week - Grandpa, Ted, Johnnie, Mel, Morgan, Eddie and I - but we managed to have a great time. This should come as no surprise.
Ted made me a mango and hooch cocktail, garnished with a wedge of lime and it quenched my after-gym thirst perfectly. We had exciting family news this week - Courtney got into nursing school! I talked to her a few days ago and got the whole scoop so I could update Grandpa. He tried to break the news to me and I had to give him a hard time. She's my sister, of course I've heard the news already! And I got all the details so I could give him a good report.
My investigative journalism skills held true because I was able to give him more information than he had AND answer his questions. I even updated him on her new job. It's not often I know more than him, so I'm counting it as a win.
As Ted finished up the cooking, we migrated to the table. Dishes passed around the group and plates filled with green salad, Something Something Broccoli (that's Broccoli Diablo Au Gratin minus the Au Gratin), brown rice, baguette and Halibut TWO WAYS!!!!!!
We are at the beginning of halibut season and apparently Johnnie had to remind Ted that it was time for some tasty white fish. He was a little taken back that she had mentioned it first, seeing as 'that's the kind of shit he talks about'. We all had to laugh, because really, that's the kind of shit we all talk about.
As we dug into our plates, we were trying to identify one of the characters in the salad. Was it a water chestnut? No! And in unison, Morgan and I named the mystery veg - heart of palm! Another round of laughs for the fact that we are indeed food nerds.
And now to give the star some attention. We had halibut fillet sauteed in lots of garlic and butter and finished in the oven. We also had halibut cheeks in a buttery sauce that I did not get all the components of because I was too busy enjoying the end result. After gladly taking the last cheek, I decided it was my preferred piece of the halibut. It had a completely different texture and flavor from the fillet. But honestly, I'm splitting hairs here. Both ways were delicious.
Turns out Johnnie's dad was quite the fisherman and she told us about the parties her folks would throw when he brought home a big catch. Can you imagine thinking of halibut or troll-caught salmon as a poor person meal? With all the emphasis we now put on the protein we eat and the money we pay for it, it's crazy to think of these catches being the undesirable/cheap option for feeding the neighborhood.
As we cleaned our plates and cleared the table, Melanie brought forth her entry into the dessert category. Our normal dessert maker is in Spain right now and Mel was brave enough to step in and make sure we all got something sweet to finish the meal. Like she had told me, she made carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and they were the bomb. I'm not the only one who ate more than one. Totally worth being that girl at the gym huffing and puffing to finish out the night with a great dessert. Thank you Mel for taking the dessert maker title this week.
Over the course of the evening there was lots of talk about lots of things. Boyfriends, bike rides, family, food, comicon, Tacoma, more food, restaurants, hiking season, allergies, Thanksgiving, turkey, work, vacation and the different ways in which people travel. Big parties on Wednesday nights are fun, but there is something special about a smaller group. Last night was a testament to being able to hear everyone sitting around the table.
PS: I took pics. I will upload them tonight. This will be standard protocol.
As usual, Charlie dog greeted me at the kitchen door and lead me into the crowd standing around enjoying happy hour. It was a small gang this week - Grandpa, Ted, Johnnie, Mel, Morgan, Eddie and I - but we managed to have a great time. This should come as no surprise.
Ted made me a mango and hooch cocktail, garnished with a wedge of lime and it quenched my after-gym thirst perfectly. We had exciting family news this week - Courtney got into nursing school! I talked to her a few days ago and got the whole scoop so I could update Grandpa. He tried to break the news to me and I had to give him a hard time. She's my sister, of course I've heard the news already! And I got all the details so I could give him a good report.
My investigative journalism skills held true because I was able to give him more information than he had AND answer his questions. I even updated him on her new job. It's not often I know more than him, so I'm counting it as a win.
As Ted finished up the cooking, we migrated to the table. Dishes passed around the group and plates filled with green salad, Something Something Broccoli (that's Broccoli Diablo Au Gratin minus the Au Gratin), brown rice, baguette and Halibut TWO WAYS!!!!!!
We are at the beginning of halibut season and apparently Johnnie had to remind Ted that it was time for some tasty white fish. He was a little taken back that she had mentioned it first, seeing as 'that's the kind of shit he talks about'. We all had to laugh, because really, that's the kind of shit we all talk about.
As we dug into our plates, we were trying to identify one of the characters in the salad. Was it a water chestnut? No! And in unison, Morgan and I named the mystery veg - heart of palm! Another round of laughs for the fact that we are indeed food nerds.
And now to give the star some attention. We had halibut fillet sauteed in lots of garlic and butter and finished in the oven. We also had halibut cheeks in a buttery sauce that I did not get all the components of because I was too busy enjoying the end result. After gladly taking the last cheek, I decided it was my preferred piece of the halibut. It had a completely different texture and flavor from the fillet. But honestly, I'm splitting hairs here. Both ways were delicious.
Turns out Johnnie's dad was quite the fisherman and she told us about the parties her folks would throw when he brought home a big catch. Can you imagine thinking of halibut or troll-caught salmon as a poor person meal? With all the emphasis we now put on the protein we eat and the money we pay for it, it's crazy to think of these catches being the undesirable/cheap option for feeding the neighborhood.
As we cleaned our plates and cleared the table, Melanie brought forth her entry into the dessert category. Our normal dessert maker is in Spain right now and Mel was brave enough to step in and make sure we all got something sweet to finish the meal. Like she had told me, she made carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and they were the bomb. I'm not the only one who ate more than one. Totally worth being that girl at the gym huffing and puffing to finish out the night with a great dessert. Thank you Mel for taking the dessert maker title this week.
Over the course of the evening there was lots of talk about lots of things. Boyfriends, bike rides, family, food, comicon, Tacoma, more food, restaurants, hiking season, allergies, Thanksgiving, turkey, work, vacation and the different ways in which people travel. Big parties on Wednesday nights are fun, but there is something special about a smaller group. Last night was a testament to being able to hear everyone sitting around the table.
PS: I took pics. I will upload them tonight. This will be standard protocol.
Friday, March 23, 2012
The Our Family is Very High-Mantenance Dessert
Some of us are trying to fix GI problems, other have
allergies and one just wants to take the gold at sporting events. But whatever
the reason some one in our dinner group is always cutting something out of
their diet. This week, I made an effort to accommodate everyone's needs and fit
in with the Thanksgiving theme. Here is what I came up with.
The Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Marbled Pumpkin Cheez Cake
Crust:
1 Bag gluten free ginger snaps, crushed finely (about 1 1/2
to 2 cups)
About 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp melted Earth Balance spread
Filling:
2 8 oz containers of Toffuti spread, softened
3/4 cup raw sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 15 oz can organic pumpkin
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
What to do:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix
together the crushed ginger snaps, applesauce, melted earth balance and ginger.
Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch pan. Bake the
crust 10 minutes the in preheated oven. Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the softened Tofutti, 1/2
cup of the sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Mix eggs in one at a time, blending
well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Into the remaining mixture,
blend 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and apple cider vinegar.
3. Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and
drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a
marbled effect.
4. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven to set the fill. Cool
and then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
(This post is brought to you by Jessie, I just had to play with some formatting, so give her all the delicious credit)
Enjoy! We sure did.
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