Adventures in dining

I don't eat out much. I kind of like my own cooking. I really like to know who's hands were in my food, however one cannot live on soups, fabulous as they might be and chicken and potatoes. If my boys had it their way we would eat pizza everyday. The only times I get to eat something a little different are when I go out. It's usually Tai, or Chinese. Well tonight we are sticking to good old meat and potatoes Canadian. The sisters are off to dinner at the Keg. Barb, my youngest sister is driving, so by the time she picks up Alice, Alice will need a double of something. Alice is a very nervous passenger. Barb is a very fast and free driver. Barb will have water, because she will have talked alot and need refreshment. Donna will be somewhat late. Donna is always busy. And they will be picking me up at a craft store. Dinner will be lovely. We'll all talk a lot and need water. I always find it amazing that even though we were all raised in the same home our own kitchens are so different. Alice makes full blown meals for company and her family, you know, roast beef, meat on a stick, lasagna, salad with too much dressing. Donna does the more English, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding boiled vegetables and lots of gravy, Barb is pasta first kinda gal. I on the other hand always like to start with a soup, pizza soup, or leek and mushroom. Yesterday at my mothers I made her Celery and Pear soup. It was quite good. She had a neighbor in to visit and her PSW and they both wanted the recipe, a sure measure of success. Today she will have bean and bacon, also a crowd pleaser. Mondays soup will be sweet potato and parsnip, Doris' recipe. That one she eats a little reluctantly, I think it might be a stronger flavor than she likes. Tough. My kids were not hearty eaters when they were young, so I always tried to slip some nutrition into the meal, you know, like shredded apple into your coleslaw, or mashed cauliflower with your potatoes. They always caught on, but so far my mother has not, so even though she says she can't eat and apple or and orange, she gets it some how. I find it an enjoyable challenge to do these things. Zucchini chocolate cake is a good one. I tried to slip her a glass of orange juice yesterday, she caught me. I'm not sure why she thinks she can't have orange juice, but she does. If she keeps this up we'll be playing the mystery fruit game. When Daniel was little he didn't like his fruits touching each other, like in a fruit salad. So we would put on a blind fold, usually a ninja turtle head band so you could be a ninja at the same time, and he would eat his fruit and try to guess what it was. Could you imagine me doing that with my mother and some authoritative figure coming into this scene and think what is going on? Well I'll reserve the ninja head band for more desperate times. I have only received one comment on favorite drinks, so tonight I may be indulging in a Lichee Martini. Cheers. (perhaps my readers are not drinkers, you liars you!)