A veritable cooking marathon!

We got home, grabbed lunch and parted ways; Tom went to get the boys, while I ran to the market. I wanted to cook for our new parent friends and also whip up some more ricotta. In short order I made: a large batch of John's Jambalaya (such a good, good Louisiana recipe!); a pot of ribollita; a batch of ricotta; and two turkey sandwiches. I still want to finish things off with some cocoa and brown butter brownies for our friends, and T and I plan to keep things simple with a grilled pizza (and Friday's Real Time) for our Sunday meal. Jack recalled that he had a homework assignment due so started in on compiling lists of attributes that characterize him as well as things in the natural world that might also be described by his traits. After some explaining of all that, he had to craft a name for himself. We brainstormed and came up with Voluble Eagle based on the fact that his primary attributes were loving to talk, loving to run and go fast, and loving to eat. T thought Chatty Hyena might also work but J didn't want to associate with a carrion eater. I get it.

It really is stunning how whiplashy is my settling back in after time away from the boys. Slow -> full speed. Quiet -> non-stop talking and noise. Bedtimes a'comin soon!

Energizer bunny cooking

Ok, good progress over here. 24 mini-cupcakes and 15 large ones, all chocolate, are cool and will await tomorrow's frosting.  A pan of pecan brown butter brownies is cooling; these smell to the heavens. What a perfect recipe! For dinner tonight, I'm making a collards, corn and bacon recipe that I'm peer-testing for food52 and also a summer squash couscous with sultanas, pistachios and mint dish that sounds absolutely lovely. Both will really highlight all the gorgeous produce that's out right now! I also have 2.5 pounds of 50/50 chuck/sirloin with which I'm going to make kofta burgers for our beach trip.

Jack and Tom are watching MythBusters- it's a cool and educational show, and it's pretty darn cute to listen to them debrief about the experimentation and methodology. Everyone is tired over here this afternoon, so we're having a lazy one. Amen! Off to pit and freeze the cherries. Or maybe I'll just sneak to the couch and read the paper.