C is for Cooking (and Company)

I had guests over for dinner.

I rarely have dinner guests. I rarely do anything like real, proper cooking.

So on Wednesday I did all the prep-work that could be done, so that for the event I could throw things into the oven (bing, bing, bing, clockwork) and have a meal for guests. So here was the menu…
Chicken Cordon Bleu

Recipe courtesy of French Club, back in high school. My first high school, the one where French class was dedicated to actually learning French, and if you wanted to focus on French food or French art or other aspects of French culture, that was an after-school activity. As opposed to my second high school, in which –  based on my experience in my first month there – I would guess that French class was more about French culture than about language. As evidenced by my answering a question in French and the entire class (including the teacher) looking at me incredulously. And by the fact that not one of the students in my class had been taught to say even the alphabet in French.  I wish I were kidding.

Rice Pilaf

No relationship is a total loss if you get something out of it. My short-lived and ill-fated marriage didn’t offer me much but I did learn how to make a good rice pilaf that is suitable for serving guests. See? Not a total loss.

Oven-Roasted Green Beans, with almonds

I debated green beans or asparagus. I like both. Wasn’t so sure about my guests, and went with the safer green bean option. They came out fine.

Salad

Barely counts. Not only was this bag-of-salad. (Was that not like the best idea ever, or what?) It was undoctored bag-of-salad. Basically it was bag-of-lettuce, and I didn’t put anything else on it. Whatever. It was a second almost-veggie… neither their mothers nor mine could complain on that count.

Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake

Thank you, Bisquick, for making this easy. Add a mix of frozen and fresh strawberries, and some Cool Whip, and this was 15 minutes of easy.

I made too much food. It seems to have been edible.

More importantly, it was lovely and a blessing to have their company and to hear about the work they are doing, are preparing to do, have been being prepared for.

God is good.