My in-laws live on a lake in Michigan and we spend a fair amount of time there when we can during the summer. I've already sent one of my kids off to college but we had the other three, my brother-in-law and his 3 kids, grandma and grandpa for dinner tonight. For some reason, I've been the designated cook recently- and tonight's dinner re-emphasized how much I actually enjoy the role.
Dinner tonight was :
Grilled strips - simple - coated with salt pepper and garlic and grilled to 130 deg over charcoal.
Salad - Simple - roasted asparagus, fresh farmstand tomatoes, green onions dressed with yogurt/parmesan/dijon mustard
Veggie - my take on julia child's green beans provencale - onions, garlic, and fresh farmstand tomatoes cooked down with herbs and red wine leftover from last night - beans blanched and added at the end.
Not a complicated dinner but all of us ate on the porch watching the sun go down. Washed it down wth a 2001 Vacqueras - Domaine Couroulu. Nice little wine with flowers/garrigue/blueberries. As I watched my nephews and kids go for seconds on the salad and veggies and my mother-in-law complimented me on the dinnerl, I realised how much fun it is to cook for people who like to eat what you like to make.
Sandy and I still had time for a sunset sail. School starts next week. Sigh.
Similar here. Yesterday my son hosted a picnic with about 40 people, including the parents of his girl friend of 4 years (first time I met them, as they live in Florida). I contributed about 25 lbs. of BBQ pork (thank you Chef Carey), home made apple sauce from the tree in my yard, baked beans (my grandfather's recipe - over 100 years old), cole slaw and some home made wine (of course).