bringing dinner back

“My favorite animal is steak.” — Fran Lebowitz

We have entered new territory. When I started this blog, committing with my family to eat at least one meal a day together for 53 weeks, the only caveat was that we’d have to change the rules when one of us was out of town. Noah is gone most of this week, on a rock climbing trip to Hueco Tanks State Park, reportedly the best bouldering in the nation. So, after 56 days of foursome dining, the three of us are left to carry on.

While we miss our snarky vegetarian (well, Clyde and I do; Sawyer is digging only child status), we have embraced his absence in a most appropriate manner — by indulging our carnivorous ways.

Here’s this week’s schedule:

Sunday: While Sawyer and I slept in, Clyde got up at an ungodly hour to deliver Noah to the rock climbing team. We awoke to the smell of breakfast wafting up the stairs. Clyde prepared his favorite, biscuits and gravy. Instead of deciding the eternal breakfast question — bacon or sausage — he went with both, and brewed a nice Earl Grey for us. Clyde and Sawyer had canned Cincinnati chili for lunch while I scarfed down two chicken legs on the way out to visit my grandmother in the hospital. They had the same over hot dogs for dinner (the chili, not my grandmother), while I enjoyed leftover mousakka, Greek salad, and tzatziki. Meat Week was off to a good start.

Dinner at Judy & Al's

Monday: Our main meal today was with dear friends from church. Sawyer had a school assignment to interview the oldest and coolest person he knew and chose Al Kline, a retired Lutheran pastor, woodworker, and builder of concrete block homes in Juarez. Al has a twinkle in his eye that would give Santa some stiff competition. His wife, Judy, came up with the crazy idea that we should go to Rwanda in 2008, forever changing my life. We had shrimp jambalaya, “good enough” wine (as described by Judy and perfect for a Monday afternoon), homemade eggnog, peanut butter cookies and ice cream. It was a wonderful three hours that could’ve too easily been replaced by an email or a phone call to get Sawyer’s assignment done. I’m so glad it wasn’t.

Tuesday: Clyde goes back to work after five days off and I’m headed out to a movie with friends in the evening, so breakfast it is. It’s supposed to snow tomorrow. Perhaps some oatmeal by the fire before Clyde hits the hopefully-not-yet-icy roads?

Wednesday: Clyde and I might catch another movie with a friend tonight, so we’ll do another breakfast or maybe Clyde can come home for lunch. I could whip up a little mid-day BLT to appease my blond bacon lover.

Sawyer lights the cool German advent piece at Al & Judy's. The heat from the candles spins the blades above.

Thursday: Our usual New Year’s Eve plans with old friends. In years past, we got together at a B&B and played games until we were falling over (laughing and sleepy, not drunk). Times and economies changes so the last couple of years, we’ve done it at our house. We make a dinner of snacks: cheese, crackers, Chex mix, homemade cheese balls, and any kind of sugar we have left from Christmas. Since it’s Meat Week at our house, perhaps we’ll throw in a little pâté.

Friday: As Noah and team make the 11-hour drive home, we’ll have one last carnivorous feast — steak. My absolute favorite food and one of Sawyer’s. I don’t believe I’ve ever gotten full on steak. I once did one of those steak challenges with a friend in Syracuse. Steak the size of the plate. I ate every bite. I’m not proud, just sayin’. We’ll have some sides but they truly will be afterthoughts so as not to interfere with the main event.

Saturday: Noah gets home early in the morning, no doubt looking like he’s been on a three-day binge after riding in a van all night and a week of too little sleep and too much sugar. To celebrate his homecoming, I’ll make his favorite Indian soup with naan and — our American twist on this ethnic favorite — hot chocolate with homemade whipped cream on top.