MENU FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 3, 2010

It is now in the 80’s here and the nurseries are doing land office business.  Still, two weeks till frost date.  However, am planting some things on the deck a little early – I can cover them if need be or bring them in. It is interesting to watch the faces of the customers poking around the flats at the nurseries.  Almost everyone (myself included) is smiling - to themselves, to their companions and to total strangers!  The renewal that Spring brings to us is very visible here. We all have such great hopes for ripe tomatoes and other fresh vegetables and flowers – partially forgetting what the deer and the woodchuck did to the lower forty last year.  As they say, hope Springs eternal….

Looking forward to firing up the grill. We’ll do some of that when Warner is home Thurs. and Fri. Then it is supposed to be cooler and rain over the weekend.

As expected we ate well this past week.  Two highlights were Lydia’s – here tilapia in red wine and her spare ribs roasted in stock and vinegar…. They were good as was Thomas Keller’s Garlic Sausage dish.  The French toast was good – I have found whether doing a standard recipe or a Pain Perdue, the addition of some orange zest does wonders for this dish. Couldn’t tell you where I picked that up.  The pancakes were also good, but they needed to be a bit smaller and have a bit more flour. We are looking forwards to the game hens this evening – post Kentucky Derby.

Sun.            Cheese Platter

Chilled Braised Beef with Salsa Verde

                   Lemon Pasta

                   Tossed Salad 

Mon.           Mu Shu Shrimp FW 2007

                   Tossed Salad with Ginger Dressing 

Tues.           Game Hens with Tomatillos and Chipotle Sauce

                   Spicy Yellow Rice

                   Green Beans 

Weds.                   Braised Beef Revisited 

Thurs. AM  Cold Cuts 

Thurs. PM    Thai Grilled Chicken FW 7/91 61

                   Cold Soba Noodles AN 24

                   Kirby Salad with Dijon and Sesame GM 7/83 100 

Fri.              Udon with Grilled Hangar Steaks GM 8/07 60

                   Tossed Salad from the deck 

Sat              Guacamole with Toasted Tortilla Chips CCI      

.                  Craig Claiborne’s Key West Pork Chops CCI

                   (Pork Chops Cooked on a Bed of Spanish Rice and Topped with Chili

                      Sauce and Lime)

                   Tossed Salad 

Sun.            Patricia Wells’ Roquefort Dip AHIP

                   Thomas Keller’s Brined Roasted Chicken B-TK

                   Steamed Rice

                   Chicken Gravy

                   Steamed Asparagus 

Cookie of the Week:  Chocolate Chip Pecan