Mom's Birthday Diner

a gratuitous self-promotion . . .

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Mom's birthday was actually December 7th  but she has such a busy schedule that the first time she could come over for her birthday dinner was last night. We asked her what she wanted for her special dinner and she asked for rack of lamb.  Not long after she informed us that she couldn't eat anything with nuts or seeds because of some new dietary restrictions. This sure limited our choices because my favourite recipe for rack of lamb has a ground hazelnut crust.

Saturday was going to be a busy day. We had to shop, clean the house, prepare the dinner, and get the Christmas tree up and decorated. Believe it or not most of it was done by 4:20 when the phone rang as we were decorating the tree.

It was mom and she was experiencing a hot water heater disaster (also know as a huge flood). We stopped what we were doing and raced in the car to her rescue. Of course the hot water heater folk are unable to come until next week so we have a house guest until then. We told mom to load up herself and her cat and to be at our place for 7:30.

True to form, she was late.

The table was set and waiting when she finally arrived at 7:40.

We started off with three hot appetizers:

Coconut shrimp with an orange marmalade dipping sauce, Italian Saffron Risotto Balls stuffed with fresh mozzarella and a meat sauce, and cheddar olive puffs. We also had butter toffee cashews that I had bought the last time I was in the US and of course, martinis. I made the Mudslide martini that I had made a few weeks back. The birthday girl enjoyed them, although she did NOT wander about with a pot on her head! LOL

Next we made our way to the table where we had the most incredible salad to start:

 

Orange, Spiced Walnuts and Dried Cranberry Salad. It was one of the most refreshing things I have eaten in some try. This recipe is definitely going into the 'keeper' file!

For the main course we enjoyed the lamb which was prepped by Paul.

Cranberry-crusted Rack of Lamb on an individual Yukon Gold Gruyere Galette and steamed green beans with pancetta and sage on the side.

After we relaxed for a bit we enjoyed the birthday cake brought by Ruth. YUM

White Chocolate Mousse Cake.

Luckily today we were able to relax and take it easy because of all of the snow!

Comments

[Kbg]

My dad's birthday is also Dec. 7 (1933).

Any chance of posting that individual Yukon Gold Gruyere Galette recipe for me? Sounds like a winner, looks like a winner, but there is only one way to find out...LOL! Thanks for the orange salad and the molasses cookies recipes, btw. Winners, definitely winners.

Love all the Christmas photos.

[Jerry]

Kathryn, ask and you shall receive. I will post the Yukon Gold Gruyere Galette recipe onight!