I have set up a new category to start speaking about called In the kitchen. It only seems appropriate that I have this category since I spend nearly half of my days in the kitchen. I know I've been in there half of today. I walked into my kitchen to do work at noon today, and I just now exited the kitchen and sat down.
I've been going to town preparing for our rib party tomorrow - which just happens to coincide with the Oscars...which will be turned on during ribs.
Our get together, I thought, was going to be on a small scale. We are now having 23 people over for dinner tomorrow night - including us, it's food for 27 people. So, so much for my small scale.
I really love to have people over. My favorite part is planning the menu. With ribs being the main item, I can seem to think of endless yummy sides to go with them. Tomorrow, we're having the following - fried green tomatoes (which I've never made before), loaded potato skins and guacamole for appetizers. Along with our ribs, I am making Ina Garten's macaroni and cheese - which Iwatched during my Jet Blue flight to NYC. Also going to throw together some spicy coleslaw - vinaigrette, jalapenos, kick, kick! And can't leave out the baked beans. My baked beans are basically a bunch a different beans and spices added in until it gets the taste I like.
That unfortunately seems to be the way I cook most of the time. I love all the blogs I read where people share their very detailed recipes and photos to go along with them. That's a bit too challenging for me when I just sprinkle here and splash there. I'm going to work on that...
There was one thing I made today, though, that used very specific measuring. When I was in New York, my friend introduced me to the bakery Baked ... Holy Mama of Goodness, Batman! This place was unbelievable. It is why I still cannot shed those two pounds (of probably butter I consumed) I gained during my trip. I had a sweet and salty cupcake when I was there. I bought a peanut butter and chocolate rice krispie treat to go. I ate my PB & C rice krispie treat on the airplane on the way home. The poor guy sitting next to me that had to listen to my mmmm's and ooooo's. It was insane.
So when I found out we were having people over, I scoured the internet to try and find the recipe. I think I found it. It sure looks like it. I was so set on making these babies, I even went to two stores to find a candy thermometer (never used one of these before either).
I made the heavenly goodies this afternoon, and in all honesty, it wasn't that hard to do. But I did feel like a bad-a** with my thermometer and being all bakery-ish. The verdict will be in tomorrow evening on how I did.
Welp, it's date night with the Hubby. I have no idea what we're doing yet. But I need to go cleanse myself from my afternoon in the kitchen. An active Saturday, indeed.