What are you been cooking today

[cookie1]

Yum, I wish I had your children in my class. I had a couple of Mum's who would do that and it was always so lovely.

[cathy79]

Over the last few days, and finishing up today, I'm preparing for my "Thanks for helping me through uni" family dinner.  Menu is as follows:
Nibbles
Yoghurt Cheese balls marinated in herbs or sweet chilli sauce (accompanied by olives and semi dried tomatoes)
Herbal Chicken Hors-Doeuvres with my homemade bbq sauce or sweet chilli sauce

Main
Honey Soy Winglets
Beef Stroganoff with Mashed Potato
Prawns - peel yourself kings caught fresh yesterday (no not by me)
Best Ever Salad - http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/03/my_most_favorite_salad_ever_ever_ever_ever/
      (will post conversion but basically chopped cabbage in TMX)

Dessert
Paul's Chocolate Tart (with biscuit base)
Violet Crumble Cheesecake (used Pauls chocolate biscuit recipe for base).
Salted Caramel Maple Icecream or homemade Vanilla Icecream

Coffee with Chocolate Salami

It's an eclectic menu - I started with what I wanted, and added things to cater for allergies eg father in law allergic to prawns so made beef stroanoff, dh hates cheesecake so added chocolate tart.

The only thing I didn't make myself is the sweet chilli sauce, crackers to go with nibbles and the biscuits for chocolate salami and chocolate tart.

Hope the family is hungry tonight!  Ohh, and wine from a local winery so that we could taste before buying.

[judydawn]

Oh CB79, that sounds a wonderful meal - well done to you and your TMX.  I'm sure your guests will love it.

Have printed out Pioneer Woman's Asian Noodle Salad - like the look of that.  Think I would use glass noodles (bean thread vermicelli) instead of linguine though.

[cathy79]

Oh CB79, that sounds a wonderful meal - well done to you and your TMX.  I'm sure your guests will love it.

I don't think I would ever have undertaken something like this before TMX.

[Thermomixer]

Good work CB79 - massive undertaking and time well spent procrastinating on the forum -  is it all over with uni now? 

[cathy79]

Good work CB79 - massive undertaking and time well spent procrastinating on the forum -  is it all over with uni now? 

Yes, uni is finally over.  I am the proud owner of a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting).  So now my forum use is my downtime from work, motherhood etc.

[Thermomixer]

Congratulations !!!! 

[judydawn]

Congratulations from me too CB79 - bet your family is proud of you.

[cathy79]

Thank you, thank you.  Definitely couldn't have done it without a very supportive family, the dh and kids family, and the original parents and siblings, and inlaws.  My parents are excited that they have now finished the uni saga, as all three kids are through uni.  I'm the eldest, but last at the uni frontier.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Congratulations Cathy.  It is certainly a wonderful feeling to be out the other side.  I just can't imagine how you managed it with a young family - well done and enjoy!

[cookie1]

Well done on a wonderful achievement.

[faffa_70]

Congrats Cathy and well done!!!  I know how much of a slog it is as I still have DH going through uni as well. A credit to you all to have got through it all in one piece.  (frazzled and jagged maybe but still one piece  )

[cathy79]

Well everything was a huge hit last night.  Mum has a TMX and enjoys it, but doesn't use it as much as I do.  Everybody was astounded by how much food there was and thought I must have been cooking for weeks.

Herbal Chicken Hors-Doeuvres - these were delicious by themselves, but everybody skewered an olive or semidried tomato on the end as well.  A fabulous combination - highly recommend it.  I'll definitely always do these in combination.  My brother is on nibbles duty at Christmas and wanted me to make them for him.  When I explained how easy they were, I think he'll try himself.

Desserts were both fantastic, and my brother made off with 1/4 of a chocolate salami and begged for more at Christmas.

It was a fantastic night.

[I Love Bimby!]

Congrats CB79!  On finishing uni and doing such an amazing meal for your family!! 

[cathy79]

Thanks ILB.  Here is a photo of the cheesecake and the yoghurt cheese balls.  The photo of the cheesecake is day after being half eaten so looks a touch sad, but you get the idea.