What the hell do they call this Saturday?

I forget!

Hmmm... Holy Thursday, Good Friday and _____ Saturday?

Or is it Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday? As an ex-Catholic, I guess I suck...

I went back to sleep and woke up at 8:00 AM. I put on a pot of coffee and started making that vinegar-based coleslaw (see March 6th in archives for recipe). We are having Easter Sunday dinner one day early today at Jake and Carla's and that's what I am bringing...

While I was letting the heavily-salted cabbage wilt for an hour, I did a bunch of small tasks, including replacing the furnace filters. The furnace hasn't run since I got up, so today's a good day for it.

I finished the coleslaw just before 11:00 AM and stuck it in the fridge. Then I cleaned up the kitchen, so I won't have a big mess when I get home.

I got dressed and left the house at 1:00 AM. I don't need to be at their house until 2:00, but I wanted to pick up a hostess gift. So, I went to the nearby florist and bought a bouquet of purple tulips. My Mother always loved them and somehow they say "spring" to me.

So, I swung back to the house, grabbed the coleslaw and headed out. It was just about this time that a cold front moved through and the winds dramatically picked up. On the drive there, I saw mini tornadoes of dirt being sucked up from parking lots, tree branches blowing off and occasional rain drops.

I got to their house seven minutes early which didn't make up for the last couple of visit screwups, but I was pleased. Carla liked the tulips and immediately put them in a deep blue vase that really set them off.

She already had their appetizers set out: Crostini, with a homemade ham spread (Jake) and shrimp bruschetta (Carla). Excellent tastes, but the crostini is a little hard for a guy with a bridge to handle, lol!

Carla said they wanted this to be an easy Holiday dinner. No muss, no fuss... Well, you be the judge, lol!

While I was wolfing down appetizers, Carla was making her Honey Glazed Carrots. In the oven were some Honey Baked Ham warming up and Scalloped Potatoes with three cheeses (Bleu cheese, parmesan and gruyere). They had already roasted fresh asparagus (beautiful char, BTW). And Jake was just starting his homemade (craggy - don't ask) biscuits.

Finally everything was done and set out buffet-style. This plan was momentarily stalled by their dog, who thought she should be lying at the front of the line (even though she doesn't eat people-food). She was eventually persuaded to move and we plated our food.

Now, I gotta tell you I only took a little of everything, but found I still couldn't finish. I thought the honey-glazed carrots were fantastic (and I don't really like "sweet"). The roasted asparagus was perfect (although I might quibble that just a little minced garlic might have added the finishing touch, but that's just me). Oh, and topping that with a poached egg is orgasmic (as much as I can remember orgasmic!)

The Honeybaked ham was excellent (Jake loves ham, apparently - hey, who doesn't?) and the scalloped potatoes were deceptively good. Why? You would think (at least I did) that the Bleu Cheese would overpower this dish. I don't know the ratios or recipe, but it was just a subtle tang.

And the biscuits? Oh, the craggy biscuits! I split mine and added a pat of butter, but it was really unnecessary. They were excellent (and craggy!) None of us finished our plates, so the dessert had to wait.

Instead we played a board game (The Game of Life, Twist and Turns). Unless my memory fails me (and it has recently), this was the first time I ever won a game with Jake and Carla! (Yeah, I'm bad...) But, the damn thing mirrored my life... I ended up with four kids and being laid off... I still won, though!!!

After a while, when dinner settled down, I realized I never brought out the damn coleslaw! I had to laugh, as it reminded me of my Mom, who usually forgot a dish or two at holidays. It was a standing joke, and I guess I am carrying on the family tradition...

So, after they cleaned up everything (as one who says, "I'll get to that in the morning!" I am always impressed with their method of clean-up), we went to watching movies.

After a l-o-n-g discussion about possible movies to watch, we started out with "The Sting" with Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

After a break, we switched to "Death Proof," but the Directors Cut, of a movie we all went and watched at a theater a few years ago.

We took a break and tasted Carla's dessert: It was three mixed berries (Strawberry, Blackberry and Raspberries) served on top of a meringue Carla made. Sweet Jesus, that was excellent. It tasted like crunchy strawberry shortcake, only better.

It was late by then. I'd finished the pint of Jim Beam they'd bought for me. Jake was talking to his mother, so Carla broke out the 16 year old Single Malt Scotch she'd bought for Jake two years ago. I tried it over ice and for the first time, I understood that description of "peaty." Now, I can't afford shit like that, but it was excellent!

None of us were that sleepy, so we watched Nicholas Cage in "Adaptation." That finished at 2:30 AM, and I went to bed...

Happy Easter to all!