Cajun Potatoes

The past week has just been so busy, but packed with lots of festivities!  With Valentine's Day and all of the beautiful flowers and cute crafts, Mardi Gras was kind of lost in the mix.  So I just wanted to take a day, and revisit this year's Fat Tuesday celebration!

Of course we had another family dinner,  a smaller one, but still a get together that gave us a chance to sit down, relax and enjoy the day.  We went for a somewhat southern menu, since we were on a short timetable, we settled for BBQ sandwiches, coleslaw, cornbread, cajun potatoes and hushpuppies!  I tried a new recipe with the potatoes, and while they were still crispy and delicious, if I'd had a little more time they might have looked at little better!

After all the food was on the table and place settings were made, everyone took their place at the table, even Einstein had his own chair and behaved so well I could barely stand how cute he was.  He wasn't even interested in the food (he doesn't like BBQ after he tried a bite), he just wanted to be part of the family!  He even looked at whoever was talking like he was paying the upmost attention!

Here's the recipe I used for the Cajun Potatoes and my how-to photos below, if you were interested in trying it too!  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Crispy Cajun Potato Wedges:

Prep: 15 mins                 Bake: 45 mins                      Yeilds: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 4-1/2 teaspoons ranch salad dressing mix
• 3/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, divided
• 3/4 cup crushed cornflakes
• 2 medium russet potatoes

Directions

• In a shallow bowl, combine the milk, mayonnaise, dressing mix and 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. In another shallow bowl, combine cornflakes and remaining Cajun seasoning. Cut each potato into eight wedges; dip in mayonnaise mixture, then coat with crumbs.
• Arrange in a single layer in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, turning once. Yield: 2 servings.
((source))

15

Christmas Family Dinner

Happy Friday Everyone!  I hope this weekend starts off a great holiday week for you and yours!  Last night we had our Greensboro Family Christmas dinner!  If you didn't see our Thanksgiving Feast, we have a dinner for almost every holiday; since we all go in different directions, its nice to all sit down at a table to talk, and laugh, or watch a movie together like civilized adults, not just a group of kids who met in college.  The ladies have fancy beverages and the boys talk on the porch until everything is finished cooking and we take our seats at the decorated table setting.

This time Vlad made lasagna, Emma & Eric brought rolls, Lindley (sadly Nic was still resting from knee surgery and didn't dare try to make it up to my third floor apartment)  made the mashed potatoes, Garrett & Jaklyn sponsored the green beans and I put together the salad and cranberry sauce.  We watched The Polar Express and Charlie Brown's Christmas, ate candy canes and cupcakes, and argued over which year an old movie came out or retelling old stories.  

Einstein, who has become the mascot of our family dinners, was thrilled to have the boys there!  Between Derek, Coley and Garrett he never got a moment's rest and proceeded to instantly fell asleep on the TV stand once everyone had said their goodbyes.  But our family dinners always seem to end to soon, but is always a perfect addition to our own holiday festivities!  (Thanks Coley for the amazing photo above!  It captures the night perfectly!)

Happy Holidays Everyone, From Mine to Yours!

Early Thanksgiving

         Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday!  It marks the start to a new season, and since I've lived on my own, its a time to enjoy with my family!  This is the week that marks the beginning of all the holiday festivities!  As Thanksgiving is this Thursday, most people travel back to their hometowns by Tuesday or Wednesday to spend time with their families and have a few days to eat good food and relax a little.  I can't wait to spend the week with my own family in Concord!  

          So to kick off the holidays a little early,  we had our own traditional Thanksgiving dinner before we all left Greensboro in different directions!  We each chipped in to put it together: Vlad cooked the rosemary and sage turkey, David brought the rolls, Derek helped with the mac & cheese, Lindley and Nic made the stuffing, Eric and Emma brought gravy and cookies!  As a party of 10, and having a Christmas movie as a background, not to mention all the extra mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pasta salad and pumpkin or apple pie for dessert, our family dinner was a perfect setting to say hello to the holidays, as this season is all about realizing what you're thankful for and cherishing the family and friends dearest to you.

Date Night … Double Style

         Since our family dinner is bi-weekly,  Vlad and I took Friday night to spend time with two of our dear friends. Vlad made baked seasoned salmon, and I added green beans & mashed potatoes to the mix!  We spent a few hours telling funny stories, discussing the local gossip, and recharging before the long weekend really began.  Sometimes quiet evenings, with people close to your heart, are just good for the soul!
         I hope everyone is having a great and exciting Labor Day Weekend, if you are celebrating!  Sorry for such a short post, but I promise some great ones next week! :D

        

Our pretty table, Nic working on dinner, and Vlad's delicious salmon!

All Things Yellow

        This Friday marked the beginning of our weekly (or biweekly) "family dinners"!  It's a time when we can all get together as a group of friends, 8 of us this week, and sit down to watch a documentary, talk about the week, and eat a home-cooked meal.  It also gives me a chance to try to new recipes and see how they turn out!  With everyone pitching in, whether its bringing something to share, helping me cook, doing the dishes, or taking out the trash, it becomes an event that we all can take part in and enjoy.  Vlad surprised me with flowers too, which were so beautiful!  Different flowers, but all such a vibrant yellow, they looked amazing in my green and yellow kitchen!  It started off a perfect weekend, which will hopefully be followed by many other perfect weekends in the upcoming fall!

Easter Weekend Snapshots

           Thursday night marked the 22nd year of my lovely friend and old roommate Whitney, so Clayton and I drove from Greensboro to Charlotte to celebrate with her!  Since Clayton and I are traveling souls, where ever we go together, becomes an adventure, even if the drive is only an hour.  We use every excuse possible to let the road and wind strengthen our friendship and our sense of wanderlust.

           Whitney had chose to go to Luce in downtown Charlotte, which had not only creamy carbonara, but of course what I enjoy most, an amazing tiramisu!  After dinner with her family and friends, we all wandered down the next block or two, arriving at Howl at the Moon, the piano bar, and spent the rest of the evening singing along to requested songs and dancing around the table.

 

 

Easter Dinner

with my Greensboro Family

          I've been looking for an excuse to have a dinner party for a while now, and since I didn't go home to Concord for Easter Sunday with my parents, I thought it was the perfect reason to clean my apartment, and decoratively arrange fruit!  I even splurged and bought a bouquet a flowers to brighten up the table!

          Serving Chicken Alfredo garnished with my personally grown parsley, the meal was complete with green bean, and a fruit medley. Everyone pitched in with beverages and helpful errands, with a special thanks to my chefs (since though I try, I still haven't mastered the skill of cooking chicken) Manning and Doug, and for the excellent garlic bread from David!  It was such a pretty night we all ate on the porch with the perfect breeze and good conversation though Einstein fought Derek and Vlad for their pasta, and as a true ladies man, loved Lindley!  It was the perfect Easter away from home, sharing the evening with people who make me smile!