On June 1st, my wonderful grandfather ("Papaw") turned 82. Fortunately, by a lucky coincidence, I was off work that day, so I was able to go to my hometown and cook a meal for him, my grandmother, my mom, and my stepdad. I did the cooking and preparing during the day, and my mom came home and handled the grill after she got off work.
It turned out to be a day I will always cherish. My grandparents knew that I had taken an interest in cooking in the past few years, but I had never cooked a meal exclusively for them. My grandmother ("Mamaw") told me that she never thought I would turn out to be interested in cooking and gardening like she is and that she was happy to be able to share those things with me. Hearing that from her made me so happy. And she was right: I never thought I would be interested in cooking, either. I have enjoyed baking since I was a little girl, but I have only recently enjoyed cooking new things and trying new foods in the past few years. This is mostly thanks to my mom and I discovering The Food Network a couple of years ago and to the adventurous palates of my friends, who have always pushed me to try sushi, food containing NUTS, scary new vegetables, and other things I once proclaimed eternal hatred for but now enjoy.
I am so glad I was able to come home and do something I love to do for people that I love. I know that some may wonder what the big deal is, but because I'm a working girl who is usually at the restaurant most nights and weekends, I rarely get a lot of quality time with my family. When I am able to get it, I try my best never to take it for granted. It makes life even more sweet.
It turned out to be a day I will always cherish. My grandparents knew that I had taken an interest in cooking in the past few years, but I had never cooked a meal exclusively for them. My grandmother ("Mamaw") told me that she never thought I would turn out to be interested in cooking and gardening like she is and that she was happy to be able to share those things with me. Hearing that from her made me so happy. And she was right: I never thought I would be interested in cooking, either. I have enjoyed baking since I was a little girl, but I have only recently enjoyed cooking new things and trying new foods in the past few years. This is mostly thanks to my mom and I discovering The Food Network a couple of years ago and to the adventurous palates of my friends, who have always pushed me to try sushi, food containing NUTS, scary new vegetables, and other things I once proclaimed eternal hatred for but now enjoy.
I am so glad I was able to come home and do something I love to do for people that I love. I know that some may wonder what the big deal is, but because I'm a working girl who is usually at the restaurant most nights and weekends, I rarely get a lot of quality time with my family. When I am able to get it, I try my best never to take it for granted. It makes life even more sweet.
These are my maternal grandparents. Both are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met. They both have a kind heart, a great sense of humor, and are never quick to judge.
Homemade salsa! Recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman, of course. Thanks to the jalapeno included in the recipe, it was perfect for Papaw. He loves spicy food! So do I.
On the menu: Pioneer Woman's potatoes au gratin, grilled chicken, burgers, grilled corn, and caramelized onion crostinis.
These are Creamy Grilled Onion Crostinis from Rachael Ray's summer grilling issue. I love onions, so this was something I made pretty much for my own enjoyment. I was glad that my grandparents and mother tried them and enjoyed them, though!
Burgers and corn! I made the burgers a different way than I usually do: A1, crushed saltines, heavy cream, onion powder, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning mixed into ground sirloin. Before the corn was grilled, I covered it in butter seasoned with paprika, salt, chili powder, and pepper.
I marinated the chicken in white wine, fresh garlic, Italian dressing mix, and olive oil before grilling. It was good, but it needed more salt. I would definitely use the marinade again, though.
Finally...I made a cake that I didn't even take a picture of. I know...major blogging fail! It was an angel food cake with tropical fruit compote, and making it was a very...interesting experience. I had never worked with tropical fruit before, and I had to laugh at myself as I tried to cut a pineapple and peel and cut mangoes, papayas, and kiwis for the first time. I was surprised that I liked the cake since I'm usually not a fan of tropical flavors. Guess I'm changing my stance on that one!
In other news, I have changed my hair color! I dyed it a shade called "Light Intense Auburn," and I'm quite happy with it. I've had bad experiences with red hair dye before (think "burgundy" or "tangerine," perhaps), but this came out how I had hoped.
I am considering maintaining my redhead status. :)
I have some big news, also...but first! Look at my basil.
I'm happy that it's growing, but the big leaves look like they might be blocking sunlight from some of the little seedlings under it. When is a good time to replant? Any advice would be appreciated!
But now, for the big news: I'M MOVING TO MEMPHIS, TN! I start my new job June 21st. When is my last day at my current job, you ask? June 20th. Yep. I have applied for an apartment and if I get it, I can start moving my stuff in on June 15th. And here I am, writing a blog entry when I may be moving in 7 days. Priorities, people! That's what I'm about.
I'm unfamiliar with the rules about blogging about jobs, so I will just say this: I have secured employment as a server at a popular fondue restaurant! I love visiting this restaurant, and I'm excited about the challenge of working in a more upscale restaurant than I'm used to.
Life is changing rapidly for me, but here's hoping that it's all for the best!
