Cooking & Eating & Holding New Babies

I wanted to provide a Spring inspired menu for my clients this week.  I started by marinating an organic, humanely raised ham in pineapple juice, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame seeds.  The next day, I baked it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Scalloped potatoes.  Thinly sliced yukon potatoes, sauteed with a little butter, minced garlic, half n half, cream fraiche, nutmeg, salt, pepper and thyme.  I sprinkled in a tablespoon of flour and let it just come to a boil.

Transferred the mixture to a greased casserole dish and baked at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Fresh asparagus, blanched in boiling water and tossed with a champagne vinaigrette.  I LOVE asparagus!

Paula Deen's Corn Casserole.  I lightened this recipe, using another can of corn instead of creamed corn, light butter and low fat cheese.  Still sinfully delicious.

In other news, I finally went to Akasha in Culver City.  I really, really wanted to love this place.  I did not.  Above was my skillet macaroni and cheese.  No flavor.  I ate the breadcrumbs and called it a day.

I saw these onion rings on The Best Thing I Ever Ate and was so excited to try them.  No flavor.  Onions were raw and tough.  I had to salt everything we ordered.  Boo.

Dessert was the best part.  I had an assortment of baby cupcakes and a tiny scoop of salted caramel ice cream, all made onsite.  Ice cream was solid, and I liked all the frostings, except for the cream cheese frosting (too cheesy).  The vanilla cake was super dry, the chocolate cake was decent, and the carrot cake was too dense.  Weird.  This is a hugely popular restaurant, critically acclaimed...what happened?

Also, I hated the seating.  We are booth people.  I do not want to sit across from my husband at a tiny two-top, with strangers 5 feet away to the left and right of us.  I don't need to hear about their sexploits and they don't need to know that I salt my ice cream.

In a final, non-food moment, this is Peach Head. Actually, this picture makes me want to call him Waffle Cone, but I won't. Don't worry.

I love him and I love his mom and dad. They are kind enough to let my biological clock run wild and hang out with them way too much and ask way too many questions. Peach Head is better than cake.