"I cook like Betty Crocker, and I look like. . ."

I started off the morning yesterday with my usual household tasks and by cutting lilac from our tree in the back yard. They are just so beautiful, and so fragrant that I simply cannot resist hacking the yard to bits and filling the house with them.

A little while later, Gabrielle called from her work asking if I would be able to throw together a business meeting dinner for twenty five people by 4:30pm. I agreed, somewhat begrudgingly, and we came up with a simple menu, and I ran to the store and got cooking. I usually ask for at least 24 hours advanced notice for any order, so was a little concerned about the time crunch. But I put my mind to the task and in under five hours I received the order, shopped at two stores for the ingredients, mixed up and baked off three dozen chocolate chip cookies, sliced up a couple of loaves of bakery French bread and put some whipped butter in a large white ramekin, made and assembled three large salads, packaged everything up, did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, and delivered it all to her work. Just like freakin' Donna Reed! (Pats self on back)

Grilled Chicken Caesar
grilled chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, shredded Parmesan cheese, and croutons with a creamy homemade Caesar dressing
Greek Salad
tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, raisins, feta cheese, with a tangy red wine vinaigrette
Pasta Pesto and Peas
farfalle and rotini pasta, pine nuts, peas, Parmesan cheese, in a creamy lemony basil pesto dressing