Sunday Dinner

Taking a break from my kitchen........ I've been in there for hours now. We invited our antique-shop-owner friend J for dinner tonight, along with L, the lady who works with him, and our around-the-corner neighbor B. Just the five of us, for an Italian dinner, to soothe J's heartbroken holiday feelings because my husband and I aren't "doing Christmas" this year. That's the phrase J has been using for the past couple of weeks. Translation: We're not hosting our usual Christmas Open House. Poor J.... I've been telling him he's got to get out more, if all he'd been looking forward to all month was coming to our Open House party.

His answer to that: "Well, it's the next best thing, considering that Barry Manilow isn't coming to Houston anytime soon for a concert." J is the biggest Manilow fan I've ever seen.... that man is just insane at a Manilow concert.... standing up at his seat and singing all the words to all of the songs, right along with Barry. He came to a concert with us the last time Barry came to Houston, and J was a sight to behold.

Anyway... the table is set.... and taking a cue from one of the decorating shows, I walked around my house and gathered a few things to make a pretty centerpiece for the dining room table--- one of my little Christmas trees, and some of the Christmas angels. I put some tiny votive candles around the angels.... I've got vintage Christmas postcards for placecards.... green and white china, and two of my green glass sherbets to hold grated cheese.... the table looks great.

I was inspired by our neighbor V last night, so I tried something different with chicken cutlets for tonight's dinner. I dipped them in egg and breaded them, then cooked them in a tiny bit of olive oil. Then I arranged them in a baking pan, on top of some of the spaghetti sauce.... and on top of each chicken cutlet, I sprinkled some smoked baby clams, then topped it all with grated cheese. I had a very teeny-tiny cutlet that I cut into three bites.... I tasted one bite and gave my husband the other two. My impromptu recipe came out pretty good, and should taste even better once it bakes in the oven for about twenty minutes. I don't eat much chicken, and I've already had my one bite, but everyone else will enjoy the cutlets along with the spaghetti. (Who needs a cookbook.... just open up your pantry and see what starts whispering to you.)

The weather has gotten a little warmer since yesterday, which is a good thing. Still is cloudy out there, though, and we haven't seen a drop of sunlight since the day before yesterday. What on earth (pardon the pun) is happening to the weather these last couple of years? I remember the first few years we lived here... my "winter coat" was a blazer or a very light jacket. Now I go out to walk Gracie in a lined coat down to my knees, with a sweater and scarf under that, and with the hood pulled up. We're in mid-December, in southeast Texas.... we should be having Spring-like weather here, for goodness sake.

I'm not complaining, mind you.... just telling it like it is. And speaking of telling it like it is.... I told my sister that I had invited our friends for dinner tonight and she exploded into the phone: "You what?! Sunday night is the last episode of The Amazing Race! What is wrong with you?!" Well, pardon me, but I forgot. My sister suggested that I tell everyone to eat fast, then say I had a dreadful headache so they'd all go home. Of course, she was kidding. (At least I think she was.) Not to worry, though...... my husband has already put a tape into the VCR so the machine can record the show while our friends are here. And I told my sister not to call me and tell me who won until I call her after I've watched the tape. I'm hoping that the Alabama team wins.... but if it comes down to a foot-race, then the two male models are going to beat Alabama. But we'll see.... it's not over till Phil sings out which team has won.