Saturday night, The plan was to have dinner with 4 other couples at Cafe' Buff(my house!). The menu was card party food stuff... I had made the cheesecake, made up a hearty pasta salad(spiral colored rotini, green and black olives,sliced, chopped onion, chopped pepperoni, chopped ham, chopped hard cooked eggs, and two kinds of cheese- in an appropriate sauce!), Those plain, but tasty Bisquick sausage cheese balls, deviled eggs, a home made pizza, and munchies...
We had cleaned the house, and were pretty much ready for our guests.. The reason we had done all this, is a dear, old friend of ours was diagnosed with cancer. We thought it would be nice for him to play some cards with us, as four of us had played cards together since ninth grade!
The best laid plans of mice and men... I got a phone call about three hours before we were to start from his wife. They were not going to make it to our house, as my buddy was just feeling too poorly. The chemotherapy he gets every other week is really kicking his butt... We were disappointed, but certainly understood.
The rest of the guests arrived, and we all ate, then husbands and wives all played Texas Hold'em. A good time was had by all, and it broke up around midnight. My wife took 1st and 2nd a lot, and I did OK too!
Sunday is clean-up, and with leftovers- food won't be a problem!
Enjoy your upcoming week, everybody!
P.S.- The last photo is a chicken spaghetti we had Friday night.. I've got a new computer, and I'm still getting used to the features, and how they work!
29 comments:
I wonder if you could mix a little pot into that cheesecake for you chemo friend?? I hope he kicks cancer's ass!!! Cancer and Autoimmune diseases are the tops on my list that I want a cure for in my lifetime. Maybe, drop off a funny video for him to enjoy. Just stopping by for a few minutes will mean so much to him.
...ok I went to bob evans for the first time in about 6 years. Not bad. The dessert still sucks, but the pot roast sandwich was fabulous. (My kid got the dessert. I just had one bite. I knew better than to order one. He ate all of it. Yuck!) How the heck do they get the pop roast to just fall apart like that?? Any ideas on the meat selection or cooking method?? I make pot roast that is outstanding. However, it does not shred up like this for sandwiches.
Hit 40- My pot roast is always tender- heres how; Take a 3lb.- 3-1/2lb. chuck or English roast, lay it on a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil(big enough to wrap the whole thing up with no leaks!). Season with salt, pepper, and any other spice you enjoy. Dump a packet of dry brown gravy mix over the roast, then one can of cream of mushroom(or celery) soup, undiluted. Wrap the whole works up and put it in a 300F oven for 3-1/2 hours. It will be moist, tender, and you will have stock for a great gravy too!
Wishing your friend the best... glad the night was a success! You can't ever go wrong with good food and cards :-)
Your posts make me soo hungry dammit. Sorry bout your buddy, I hope he gets better soon and kicks your butt in poker!
Sorry that your pal wasn't doing well on card night. Hopefully he bounces back soon. My mother was an oncology certified nurse, so I know how things can change so quick from day to day when you are going through treatment.
Glad you guys had fun!
It all looks great, especially the pasta salad! Praying for your friend.
LiLu- Thanks! Food cards and old friends...
MrC.- He and I played cribbage by the hour in 9th and 10th grade..
Chris- I hope he pulls through, but they won't know if chemo is working for about another month..
Gene- Pasta salad is great stuff.. Thanks for your well wishes..
I never considered throwing chicken on my spaghetti, but again, you make it sound better than ground beef or minced clams.
Sorry to hear about your friend and that he wasn't up to making the card game. You all sound like a good bunch and you sure know how to entertain your guests!
Scarlet- It was made from extra left over chicken, in home made red sauce, sprinkled with a bit of Parmesan and shredded Mozzarella- over spaghetti.. Fast, cheap, and easy!
Sure, blame the computer....
Sorry your friend had to miss the shindig, but your food looks outstanding anyway. There's a lot to be said for quasi-finger-food. Even if you can't eat rotini salad with your fingers, unless you're my 9 year old, of course, and delight in being covered in grub.
too bad about your buddy...but the eats look good...especially that cheesecake!
awwww, so sorry about your friend...but I'm sure that all of that great food would have cheered him up!
Jeanne- On top of that, T-storms for three days in a row here!
Marjie- Sunday we had leftovers from the party, and it worked out great!
DogB- Yeah, he has his chemo treatment today(Mon.) so won't be taking visitors at the house for about a week... Cheesecake was a hit...
Beth- After talking with his wife, he hasn't had much appetite for some foods..
That was a kind thought to cheer up your friend, what a shame he was too poorly to attend. Glad you all had a good time. :)
I haven't played cards in...well, ever. Why is that? How is it possible that I missed that boat entirely?
You seem to be gifted in a culinary sense. Since I'm pretty new here, is there a chef background or something or are you one of the lucky ones that just has a way with food?
So sorry to hear your friend wasn't up to speed to play cards with all of you. Those bisquick sauasage balls really take me back. All of the the party food our parents used to serve is back YUM!
Ake- Thanks... I'll being seeing him soon, with my cribbage board in tow!
BlueV- No chef.. I became interested in cooking when I found out my wife wasn't! Self taught from cook books(except a couple of culinary classes I won in cooking contests!), I try now to learn from everyone I blog with!
Katherine- A blast from the past! If you have never had one, you aren't from America! Still, they are easy, tasty, and quite versitile- in the meats and cheeses you can use..
Oh man--those bisquick sausage cheese balls were my favorite growing up!! Loved them!
All looks good, Buffalo :)
Tavolini- Lately I have be revisiting old, 50-60s style appetizers.. Made a pile of those sausage balls-gone, deviled eggs-gone, home made pizza-gone, cheesecake-gone! The one thing with a little imagination(the pasta salad)we had some left-overs!
Thank you for the roast tip!! I will try it this week. I've been in the mood to cook again. Where is the cat in the dryer post?? It sounds like a winner. My fat cat got trapped behind the washer today. I have no idea how he got back there. Stupid cat. I had to pull the whole unit out for him.
Hit40- The cat and dog stories were my July 19th,2008 post...You'll laugh!
Also, if that pot roast isn't tender enough for you(it will be!),another method is to pressure cook it(with seasonings!)and add a gravy after it is torn up...or simmer in a tightly closed pot, filled with 3/4" of water...
Love those gorgeous swirls on the cheesecake.
Wishing your friend the very best.
I love that you cook like I do... :)
Your post has made me very hungry...and it's closing in on midnight! :)
Good food, cards and good friends are all a winning combination. :) Sending warm thoughts for your friend.
I hope your friend gets better...
I hear you on the 50's and 60's dishes--I've been eying these olive ball appetizers and thinking about individual casseroles for an upcoming dinner party ;)
Donna- The good news was, it wasn't just pretty, it was creamy and tasty too!
Stacy- Thanks! I just have to remember to take a photo before the food gets half eaten!
G-Man- Me too... thanks.
Tavolini- I've got an old book of appetizers I found in a used book store- helps me remember party food from when I was a kid..
Hope your buddy pulls through, and gets to enjoy your hospitality and great food eventually!
Man I have not had chicken spaghetti in a long while...one of my first out of the box (my mom's box) attempts at new food in college!
I made a chicken-Canadian bacon lasagna once that was featured in our local newspaper..met the local food editor at a swim meet- I recognized her, and we chatted... She said, "You're a guy, and you cook?" Yup.. "Would you like to be in the press?" Yup. "We will be in contact"... It was kind of fun!
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