July 8, 2011

Wow...time is flying by! We've already been out here visiting my family for 2 weeks. You know how it is with vacations....you spend forever planning for and waiting for the time to arrive, and then before you know it, you blink and it is nearly over and behind you!

My sister asked me a while back if while I was in could I watch her three boys while she and her husband worked two days. Tuesday this week was one of the days, and it was a busy day with 6 kids under the age of 10! We had a great day, and even found time to cook dinner and dessert. So...don't complain you don't have the time, or can't cook with the kids underfoot. Recruit them to help you - everyone will win! The 4 big kids took turns helping me make meatballs and sauce for chicken Parmesan meatball subs (remember that recipe from a while back?), and then we tried out a new one - thin French apple tart! After taking them for a walk, then over to the beach, we had lunch and put the babies down for a nap and got cooking.

11 of us had dinner that night, and everyone gave the complete meal two big thumbs up. Even my oldest, who is convinced she hates apple pie, tried it (because she helped make it) and loved it! She told my brother in law it was delicious - high praise indeed! During dessert my 2 year old nephew turned to us and said "I like this pizza", and thus, the French Apple Tart was renamed Apple Pizza. I would definitely be comfortable serving this EASY dessert to company.

And of course, it was 4th of July!!!! We had a couple of great appetizers, two of which were major keepers. The funniest thing is that given the ingredient lists, I would never have independently made either of these dishes. But, take my word for it, both the salsa and the dip were scrumptious!!!!

Hard to believe that next week I will be cooking in my own kitchen again. It always amazes me that time really does fly by...

New Recipes
Apple Pizza
I Can't Believe I Love This Buffalo Chicken Dip
Corn Avocado Salsa