Dinner Plans

With all the social websites out there there's more opportunity than ever to reconnect with the past; a good thing I think - it enriches ones' life.

So, what with Facebook linking old high school colleagues together I've got a friend coming over for dinner on Saturday. Someone who I haven't seen since attending her wedding oh these many many years ago (about 30). And she's bring that same guy along that she married back then! That's incredible (well, it's unusual these days - congratulations you two). They've crossed from the other side of the country to go to a wedding out here in our neck of the woods - - here's hoping that maybe their good example will rub off on the wedding couple.

Anyway, it's an opportunity to reminisce; chat about the past, what everyone's experienced in the last nn years. And, it's a chance to throw together a dinner (which I always enjoy having an excuse for). Now that the Cordon Bleu French cuisine cookbook is "done" for the season (at least, the first semester of it [we'll resume after the summer]) we need a new theme - which is to be "southwestern" - as epitomized by the Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook: Explosive Flavors from the Southwestern Kitchen cookbook (that's quite a too long name for a book).

So, we've put together some ideas for a little menu for Saturday:

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Mesa Grill Margarita
Jalapeño Pretzels

Black Bean Soup
Tomato – Serrano Relish Grilled Red Onion Relish
Avocado – Tomatillo Relish Toasted Cumin Crema
18 Hour Bread

Frisee Salad
with Chorizo and Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Red Chile Pesto Mussels

Spice Crusted New York Strip
Twice Baked Horseradish Potatoes
Corn with Roasted Chiles

Vanilla – Lime Crème Brulee

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All from the book (except the 18 hour bread). And amazingly simple to prepare once you get some prep-work done.

I love the casualness of this style of food. It maybe looks like a lot; or a lot of work - but it's not. It's closer to being like a barbeque than a dinner party.