So, it's been a while since I got all foody up in here. My kids have taken to saying "Mom, should you take a picture of your food?" before we start eating if they think it is a particularly nice looking plate. Lest ye think we eat well all the time, I confess that last night the kids ate frozen waffles at about 9PM for dinner. Wasn't the first time, won't be the last.
But on the 4th we laid a particularly patriotic palate-pleaser that deserves some technicolor attention. Guy made a great thin sliced pork with Asian Sweet Chili sauce and served it on artisan bread with white cheddar and his own creation of ginger mayo. The combination was amazing. He paired all of that heaven-in-your-mouth with bacon potato salad and corn on the cob- Mexican style (with spicy mayo and grated Romano cheese on top).
Kathy brought an American flag made of fruit skewers and a gorgeous mango and strawberry green salad in a strawberry vinaigrette. We even made little blue star ice cubes. It was so patriotic, we had to eat the whole dinner standing up, just out of respect.
For dessert I got all tricky.
I made a cake I saw on Pinterest.
Well, I tried anyway.
The outside was pretty simple... partly because I am lame and started late so there was no time to be fancy, and partly because it was the Leaning Tower of Pisa right out of the gate. If the Italians are interested, they may be able to make their tipsy tower appear to be balanced correctly by piling a mountain of frosting on the low side.
Yes, simple outside, but the inside was a tushy-load of work. And I didn't notice until just now that I somehow got my layers wrong at the top with two reds and no white in between. Also, it was a huge pain in the keister to make, and nothing went as easily as the tutorial let on it would.
Curse you, Pinterest Scum!
First off, when making red velvet cake, please plan for your kitchen to look like a crime scene. It's not red, it's somebody-call-an-ambulance red. Also, don't think the toothpick is going to come out "clean" when the cake is all done. It will come out looking like you stabbed the cake in a fit of jealous rage. I don't want to even think about how much food coloring was in this thing. It's vanity I tell you, plain and simple.
(Peeps and eats)
We fed the good people of the town, including Jensens, Dave, Dan and the Missionaries, some of whom were so gorgeous and/or handsome that they made my camera go all blurry and could not be photographed. We sat after dinner and listened to Dan tell some great stories (I love Dan), and before long it was time to head off to the fireworks.
There is always a band playing at the park before the show, and after we get glow-bands on the kids, I always take them up to the front of the stage. We slam dance like we are in a mosh pit. Well, we don't really, but Tessa and Kaylee danced with me a little while Ellie shyly looked on. Owen cracked a smile once, and Jonah just yelled "toooooo loooooud!"
Natalie wasn't bothered by the fireworks show at all, even sitting right below it in the park, and though I started with my hands on her ears, she soon pulled them off. Jonah pulled his third repeat performance of sleeping through the show. I know whenever I hear "the bombs bursting in air", I think "nap time", don't you? There is nothing that says nighty-night like a crowd of a thousand people cheering to the sonic boom of a grand finale. I say it every year, but I think this was the best one yet.
Sweet dreams.
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