Chilling outside.

Some of our fondest memories from living at UCR student family housing was having our meals outside on the patio. Most of our meals were eaten outside, although we had a nice dining room set. Our neighbors would ask what was the attraction. We lived in a two bedroom house with all of 805 square feet of living space.  It felt so much better to eat outside.  When P got this job, it was one of the first things that came to mind. We probably ate on our patio in the town where JJ lives a handful of times. It was always raining or too darn cold. Then in our last home, the heat could be so oppressive. As much as we wanted to dine al fresco, it took us this long to purchase a patio set.  What can I say, we procrastinate.

P woke up with a nasty cold this morning. He had spent two days with a serious headache, poor guy. But P does not like taking medication, so even though he has cough and cold medicine available, he chooses to keep hacking away. As cruddy as he was feeling, P put the table together, and SS was one excited little girl when she came home from school. We spent about an hour outside, because it is a bit cold. Our house shades our back yard, good in the high heat days, not so good days like today.  Still, we are looking forward to many meals in the back yard. 

Grandpa's latest gift arrived yesterday. I have blue kitchen tools! SQUEAL!

From Sur la table, of course.

Dinner yesterday, Indian-spiced chicken with chickpeas and spinach, made in my eggplant colored braiser. Grandpa gave us a subscription to Bon Appetit magazine. Those rich recipes are going to be the death of us. We really enjoy reading and learning about techniques and pointers. As a result P has become a Kosher salt guy, no longer finding table salt acceptable for his delicate palate.