Saying Goodbye to Warren

Sidecar

Our friend Warren is moving to California for a few months. We had him over for dinner last night. The meal was very simple. Pizza was ordered from Pizza Luce. Warren brought a salad and some frozen pizza rolls. I drank sidecars, Dale drank red wine, and Warren drank his usual drink of rum, soda water, and Rose's Lime Juice. It's hard to say goodbye to friends. In this case his move might turn out to be permanent. We'll find out.

Happy Anniversary Dale

Happy anniversary! Here's to at least 20 more years of meals together...

Christmas Season 2013/2014 - Holiday Brunch 4

Dale and I invited Phyllis and Julie & Regina over for our holiday brunch this year. Dale made the egg-bake, I made the pistachio rum cake pudding, Julie and Regina brought cinnamon rolls, and Phyllis brought the makings for mimosas. 

Top left: Athena smelled lots of good smells coming out of the kitchen.

Top right: My martini. I had a mimosa with the meal.

Bottom left: Dale serves up the egg-bake.

Bottom right: Stairs leading to the front door. Yes, our holiday brunch occurred at night time (long story).

Christmas Season 2013/2014 - Holiday Brunch 3

Photos from our holiday brunch hosted just a couple of days ago. 

Left: Dale's egg-bake.

Top right: Veggies for the egg-bake.

Middle right: Cinnamon rolls brought by Julie and Regina.

Bottom right: Pistachio rum cake pudding.

Christmas Season 2013/2014 - Holiday Brunch 2

Pistachio Rum Cake Pudding

Top left: Just out of the oven.
Top right: Glaze poured on bottom.
Bottom left: Pre big reveal.
Bottom left: The big reveal.

Christmas Season 2013/2014 - Holiday Brunch 1

We hosted our holiday brunch today. I made a pistachio rum cake pudding and Dale made an egg-bake. The rum cake is was quite easy and fun to make. The recipe comes from family friend Judy and is as follows:

Pistachio Rum Cake Pudding

1 package pistachio pudding mix

1 package yellow cake mix

1/2 cup light rum

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

Beat all ingredients together at medium speed for 2 minutes. Bake in a Bundt pan at 325 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

Rum Cake Glaze

3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup light rum

1/4 cup water

During last 10 minutes of baking, combine glaze ingredients in a pan. Boil 2-3 minutes [I stirred it the whole time]. Reduce heat [I continued to stir and removed from burner a couple of minutes before removing the cake from the oven]. After removing cake from oven, poke holes in the bottom with a knife to allow for seepage and then pour glaze over it while still in pan. Remove cake in 45 minutes from the pan.

Russian Tea Cakes

My friend Noel makes Russian Tea Cakes every Christmas just as her mother did and, I believe, as her grandmother did as well. Her grandma, who was of Czech descent, refused to call them Russian Tea Cakes because of what the Russians did to the Czech people. I believe the family still calls them pecan crisps or something like that. Pictured above are some of the actual cookies made by Noel. She sent some home with us after her most recent holiday fete.