Birthday Fun

[htmb]

Though I was still not feeling all that great, I decided the birthday dinner for my son was going to happen now, or it would need to be forgotten until next year. With Christmas just a week away it's gotten to be a crazy time. The stores are a mess and filled with shoppers. My son is a good guy and was really looking forward to a nice meal, a birthday cake, and a few little gifts, so I gave myself a "get tough and ignore your sinuses and your cold" speech and headed out to shop for food.

First, I went to the expensive market to buy ground beef for hamburgers. Their meat is excellent, but I only shop in the store on special occasions. All the fresh fruit and vegetables are beautifully displayed.



But prices are quite high.



While I waited for my package of ground beef, I noticed some speciality items, all ready to be popped into the oven.




There were many different cuts of beef on display.




Having made my purchase, I drove down the street to my regular grocery store. But first, I had to get into my car on the passenger side and climb over the console because some idiot had parked within inches of the other side of my vehicle, even though I was on my side of the parking space line. And here I thought I could just quickly run out to the stores! Apparently, I was going to have to run a series of obstacle courses.




The best part of the trip was receiving a couple of very nice Christmas cards at the post office. I even got a card from Canada!





Inside the grocery, the aisles were packed with older folks blocking the aisles with their scooters. More obstacles to run!!! One of the retirement centers had just dropped of a large group to do their shopping. Nice happy folks, but the timing for me was not good.

With all the weaving in and out, trying to get my items as fast as I could, and hoping I wouldn't run into anyone I knew - and, of course, I did - I failed to get more than this one picture in a back aisle where, miracle of miracles, the crowd seemed to have disappeared.

[htmb]

The first thing I did after getting home was start the Chocolate Tunnel of Fudge cake since it should cool for at least two hours after baking.


      


      



If prepared properly, the cake should turn out like a chocolate pound cake with a gooey, nutty center.

[htmb]

Next, I started a large pot of black beans.

I sautéed some yellow pepper and onion, and, having been shamed here on anyport for not cooking with fresh garlic a few years ago, I made sure to have a bulb on hand. Into the pot went the beans, some seasonings, and a few other bits. Here I did use canned and drained beans.

      

Of course I ran into another obstacle. I found the sausage was still in the fridge, so I had to fry it up a bit and add to the pot of beans later.

[htmb]

While all this cooking was going on I was fielding calls from S in NYC, because Lilly the dog is ill and she's not responding to care the way she should. Plus, S has been exhausted with trying to take care of the dog and work, too. My son called to say part of the group would be running a bit late for dinner, a good thing, and I think my coworkers believe I've already retired since they haven't really seen me in a week.

Meanwhile, the cake came out of the oven, smelling and looking very nice, and the beans were on simmer with the rice and meat patties just waiting for the appropriate time to be cooked.

[htmb]

Tunnel of Fudge Cake


1 1/2 cups butter
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
One 12 1/2 ounce can of frosting
2 cups chopped nuts

The frosting and nuts are critical and make the fudgy center. I've used homemade frosting before, but usually just buy a can of premade, ready to spread. I use pecans for the nuts, but have made the cake using chocolate chips when making it for someone with a nut allergy. It turned out fine.

Cream butter in a large bowl, with mixer on high speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually add sugar, continuing to cream until light and fluffy. By hand, stir in flour, frosting, and nuts until well blended. Pour into greased bundt or tube pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 60 to 65 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan.

[breeze]

More fun for us than for you, I imagine. But once the family gets there it will all be worth it.

Your supermarkets are photogenic, especially the high-priced one.

[htmb]

The high priced supermarket is a visual delight. I had to be careful with the photos since I was afraid they'd kick me out of there, but I wish I had taken more pictures. The store is packed with all kinds of specialty items, good wines, and baked delights. The only thing that drives me crazy is the odd way they set up many of their displays, making it hard to get around the store.

Somehow, it all got done. There were a few poorly wrapped gifts, and the "Happy Birthday" banner was hanging over the crèche, next to the Christmas tree.

[htmb]

Everything turned out well. The food was nothing special, but certainly good enough. We even had a cheesecake made by a friend.

      

      

      

Plenty of food, with leftovers for lunch tomorrow, too, and everybody seemed to have a great time, especially the birthday boy.

Now we can move on to Christmas.

[breeze]

It all looks delicious.

Pretty much everything is round. Coincidence, or were you going in circles all day?

[htmb]

Breeze, you are so right! I hadn't noticed. Going in circles is a perfect description for the day, though, in the end, everything worked out as it should.

I apologize for the blurry, off centered pictures. I was using my cell phone for some quick snaps.

[breeze]

I also want to say you had a great idea for a thread. I liked following your steps to the finished meal, starting with the grocery store.

Is this the first anyport cooking show?

Actually, I have a memory of Don Cuevas doing some cooking in his kitchen. Since I've only recently gotten serious about anyport, I've probably missed some good cooking demos.

[htmb]

Honestly, I'm not a cook, so can't stake a claim there, but because I've been sick I decided to pace myself for the day and to make it fun. Every time I posted pictures I was also sitting down for a rest before going on to the next task. It was done more as an incentive to keep me going than anything else. Plus, the moving around was good for me and I'm actually feeling quite a bit better. I think I've finally turned a corner, but still need to quit the coughing.

I like threads showing the day to day tasks in member's lives. I think they're very interesting and have found so many excellent little gems just waiting to be savored, or enjoyed all over again. Just when I think I've read everything here, I'll stumble on another report that's new to me.

I think you're on the right track with your interesting thread on the Perche, Breeze, and I look forward to seeing many more of your wonderful photos.

[htmb]

And here are my birthday boys when they were just little people...

[

[htmb]

And one with their older sister, feeding bread to the birds at the beach.

[bixaorellana]

This was so much fun to look at, although I don't envy you doing all of that when you didn't feel well. The fancy supermarket would have tempted me to get it all premade, so doubly wonderful that you made it a mom's home-cooked day. Thanks for that recipe. Does the frosting separate into a "tunnel" or is that a reference to the shape of the cake? Adorable kid pics!

[Deleted]

This is a really delightful report with all of the litte details that I love about daily life. I know all about sneaking pictures in supermarkets because they all seem to have a "no photo" policy -- probably because they are afraid that people are trying to take pictures of mouse droppings, roaches or random filth for some sort of exposé.

The childhood pictures are great, too.

[bjd]

You do realize how much your daughter looks like you in that picture, don't you?

[htmb]

Thank you very much!

Yes, Bixa, the frosting and nuts go to the center and make it gooey.

Though our eye color is quite different, oldest daughter really does look a lot like me, Bjd. Even now..

[tod2]

I loved your supermarket, then kitchen report Htmb! You had to be feeling better to include that in your shopping spree. Well, I certainly hope so.
Your boys look very much like my son at that age. I will try and see if I can't scan the photo and show you.

[htmb]

Tod, I actually have those last two photos stuck on my bedroom mirror. They're pretty good pictures, so I snapped them with my cell phone out if pure laziness. It was easier than dealing with the scanner.

[mossie]

All this talk of food is making me hungry. And, yes, your daughter looks very much like you. I showed someone a picture of my daughter recently and she immediately saw a resemblance, which I had never noticed.

[tod2]

Htmb - I was actually thinking of circumventing that scanner issue....thenks, I will snap away!

[htmb]

Here are a few more photos of the organic market featured at the beginning of this thread.

[tod2]

I like the look of those steaks to the right of the fillet mignon. Look like Rib-eye to me. My favourite steak of all.

[htmb]

Rib-eye is my favorite steak, too. Yesterday, I bought a couple of strip steaks that were on special. They were very good.

[tod2]

We don't have those here. Maybe you could find out where on the beast they come from so I can get our local name?

[htmb]

The strip steak, also called New York strip steak, is a cut of beef steaks from the short loin. It consists of a muscle that does little work, making the meat particularly tender,[1] though not as tender as the nearby rib eye or tenderloin. Fat content of the strip is somewhere between the two cuts. Unlike the tenderloin, the short loin is a sizable muscle, allowing it to be cut into larger portions.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_steak

It's a cheaper substitute for the rib eye.

[tod2]

Thanks! I'll have a talk with my butcher man.

[mossie]

Rib-eye is my favourite steak, in fact had some for lunch today. Fried with oven chips, battered onion rings and boiled asparagus and broccoli. I buy a decent piece with the bone in about 10ozs, and cut it in two. Have the slightly larger piece today and keep the other in the fridge for Tuesday.

[htmb]

Mmmmm. Sounds perfect, Mossie!