February 13, 2005 - 12:57 p.m.

Fabulous Weekend of Friends and Food

After a week filled with little annoyances that caused big grumpiness, I have had a weekend that has been just what the doctor ordered. It has involved lots of low key hanging out with friends, loads of really good food, plenty of silliness, and a dash of planning a surprise for a friend. It did wonders for dispelling the little funk I have been fighting for a couple weeks and relieving the stress in my life.

Friday evening, spent at a friend's apartment eating fondue and pecan rolls and chatting and playing video games, kicked off the wonderful, social weekend. The highlight for me, though, was hosting dinner for 7 here last night. I spent the afternoon preparing for the meal in a leisurely way, while listening to 80's music. Since I had done so much ahead, there was only minimal work to be done after the guests arrived, so I could cook and chat at the same time. I also timed the various dishes much better than I normally do, so nothing ended up overcooked, dried out, or cool. We had Oven-Roasted Tomatoes with Pesto and Brie along with more brie with crackers and quince paste as starters. The main meal consisted of my signature Hazelnut Crusted Chicken with Cherry Sauce, Broccolini with Orange Butter, and Boursin Potatoes Au Gratin. For dessert I made Poached Pears with Hazelnut Cardamom Filling. All the dishes, except the chicken, were things I had never made before, and all turned out well. The potatoes need a little tweaking, and the Orange Butter could've used more orange. The pears, other than being a little tippy and difficult to eat, were a smashing success, as were the tomatoes, despite my most garlic-y batch of pesto ever. :) So, the meal was a great success.

It was followed by a particularly hilarious round of Oracle, a game which would take me far too long to explain here. It is a game that, when combined with my friends and their creative and quirky senses of humor, never fails to have me in stitches. We also watched a couple episodes of an anime show called Fruits Basket, which has me intrigued. So it was an excellent night. So much so, that I didn't even mind cleaning up the mess this morning. :)

Today I need to get back to the more serious aspects of life and do my homework for class this week. I suspect I will take frequent breaks to nosh on leftovers and watch more Fruits Basket. though.

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