a new recipe

So even though I stayed up a bit later last night I still got up at a decent hour: seven am.  It’s so nice to be able to just relax and take my time.

Upon waking I couldn’t help but partake of a fresh cup of coffee dad made.  I’ve been craving it for a while but haven’t felt like making any.  One b/c I don’t keep our house as cool as dad does and second I just don’t feel like doing it.  It’s not one of those things I need like some peeps who need the caffeine.  I just enjoy the flavor. 

I sat around and had a couple of cups and then got up to shower.  After showering he and I went up town to Kroger and the donut shop.  He had to go to Kroger to get some of the best macaroni salad to go with our dinner (BBQ chicken, potato salad, corn on the cob, and of course the salad). 

Dad bought lots of wonderful, yeasty, fried, fattening donuts.  He got three each of four kinds: bear claws, apple fritters, long johns, and butter rolls.  The bear claws are a bit different than the kinds you get a grocery store.  The ones at the stores are pastry like with cream cheese or fruit preserve like stuff with cream cheese drizzle (almost like a Danish).  But these are bigger than your hand, almost the size of a bear’s print!  The outside dough is crispy, the inside is still a bit doughy, and there’s an apple cinnamon filling in the middle.  These are my favorite from this little shop.  To make them even better dad asked the peeps to make fresh ones and they did.  So when we got home they were still warm on the inside!  It was P-E-R-F-E-C-T! especially with my cup of black coffee. 

Then we went in the kitchen and started our cooking/baking session.  Dad bought two whole roasting chickens and instructed me on the best way to quarter em’.  I thought about typing this out, but that’s a bunch of mumble jumble for you to ‘hear’/read, especially if you already know how to do it, so let’s hope that I remember in my mind.  He put the dark meat in a brine solution and took the four breasts to bake to make chicken salad. 

While that was baking I played on the net and tried to get caught up on my 700+ back read blog entries as well as tried to find some recipes to include apples (since I bought two bags for so cheap). 

After the chicken was done baking I got in the kitchen and made my pie for Father’s day.  I got out all the ingredients and dad still didn’t have a clue what I was making.  It wasn’t until I asked for a zester that he had an idea.  After he figured out that it was one of two items I had to ask for help.  It took around four hours to make the pie, but that includes making the meringue using a hand blender, instead of the kitchen aid; letting the filling set, washing dishes while filling cools, and rewhipping meringue that ‘fell’.  If I’d used a kitchen aid and only whipped the whites once I think I could have knocked off close to an hour (as well as find a way to let the filling chill more quickly).  After a while, when I went back to the pie there was a sugar liquid that started to ooze out the side due to the stupid meringue collapsing. 

In the middle of making the pie dad and I made a team effort to create the chicken salad.  He cut the celery and cubed the chicken while I made the mayo mix, cut the grapes and apples.  This was around two o’clock, which I thought was strange considering we were going to eat dinner in a little bit.  Nobody, but me ate any of the chicken salad and I only had a little less than half a cup.  Dad said he expected us to take some home which I’m kind of weary about b/c it’s got full fat mayo, miracle whip, and sour cream.  I know it’s going to taste better, but my waist line and body doesn’t appreciate the extra fat, especially after such a rich week (the vineyard, wine tasting, donuts, pie, full fat food at dads).  If we take some home I really hope that Aaron will eat some. 

Dinner was as amazing as we thought it was going to be.  The pie tasted amazing, way to go me, but I think the liquid from the meringue made the filling run instead of gel like it supposed to. 

We watched The Mechanic and I am Four.  I enjoyed both movies.  I figured the end of the Mechanic before it was over.  And I think the other movie left an opening to make a second one; which is strange b/c I don’t remember it being in theaters.  It seems like a decent B-rate movie, which makes me wonder if I should call it a B-rate?

I also tried to get caught up on all my blogs, but this laptop is being super slow so I only made it through 500, 200 more to go.  I also had another tab opened looking at apple recipes which might have slowed it down a bit too.  I’m a bit disappointed with the apple recipes.  The majority of them are either applesauce, applesauce themed, or extremely fall themed with roots and soups.  So why were these two varieties on sale?

I’m so ready to pass out.

High today: dad and I in the kitchen and making a successful pie!

Thanks for taking a minute on your weekend…