ole!

[verbicide]

So, my bookclub is meeting to discuss the chick-lit-cious In Her Shoes tomorrow night. We decided it would be fun to gather and watch the movie in addition to our standard dinner. I invited everyone over to my place since I have the movie and wanted to cook dinner for them. I haven't entertained in ages, so I'm really excited!

Colleen requested Mexican food. And I suddenly realized, I've never made Mexican food! I mean, sure, I've added an El Paso packet of seasoning to ground turkey and called it tacos, but not real Mexican food. I felt suitably challenged.

So I researched some recipes and decided to make one of my favorite restaurant dishes, roasted tomatillo enchiladas with chicken. I also want to make some refried black beans and vary my favorite French herb pilaf with Mexican flavors (hopefully this won't flop miserably). I'm going to start with chips, salsa, and guacamole. And I'm going to make a pitcher of pomegranate martinis.

I'm still debating on dessert. Jeff's incredulity was effective enough to dissuade me from trying to make a potentially complicated Cuban Opera cake, but I've saved that recipe for another time. I think I'm going to try a flan, but if it goes all wrong, I'm going to have the makings for a quick Mexican chocolate sauce on hand with some dulce de leche ice cream, strawberries, and fresh cream for whipping. I'm tempted to make my simple French chocolate cake, dusted with powdered sugar, but that is cheating, I suppose.

I've even taken the day off for tomorrow because my place is a mess. I did bring home a user guide to edit because they need it by tomorrow morning, but I really love editing, so I can do that in-between cooking tonight.

I need a schedule or everything is going to go kablooie. So.

Tonight:
- make salsa verde
- make veloute
- shred chicken
- combine enchilada filling
- collect trash, place by front door
- clean out the graveyard that is the fridge
- edit manual

Tomorrow:
- shred cheese
- re-fry beans
- toss trash
- drop off manual
- make flan
- assemble enchiladas
- tidy living room, kitchen, hall bathroom
- clean galactic amounts of cat puke
- make rice
- set table

Wish me luck! I hope the food doesn't suck!

Comments

[greyaenigma.livejournal.com]

Good luck!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

YUM!!! Good luck!!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Thanks, roly!

[artemis77.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of a Cuban Opera cake - but the name is intriguing and I'm Googling it immediately!

I saw the movie version of the book you're reading... it was a good story.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I really love that movie for some reason. Toni Colette is so awesome.

[artemis77.livejournal.com]

She is! I've liked her ever since Muriel's Wedding...

I liked Shirley MacLaine in it, too.

[trtle.livejournal.com]

Good luck! I'm sure it will be a success! FYI Haagen Dasz (however it's spelled) makes an Aztec chocolate ice cream that sounds amazing...if you decide to go with the ice cream.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I've had that--it's really good! Great suggestion! :)

[margotheangel.livejournal.com]

The flan should be fine - it's very similar to a regular custard. And, um, those enchiladas sound delicious. Do you have a recipe? I make cheese enchiladas, so I'm sure I could just mess with my recipe, but I always like stealing someone else's recipe. That all sounds delicious and fun, although I didn't like In Her Shoes all that much. =)

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

What I'm most worried about is the 'flip' into the dessert plate. Since it's not like a cake that's risen to fill the cooking pan, it has a farther distance to fall. I'm afraid it's going to break and fall into big unappetizing chunks.

And absolutely, here's the recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35924,00.html?rsrc=search)!

[margotheangel.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see. I think it'll work out okay - if not, it'll still taste good!

Thanks for the recipe.