I can’t believe it’s already March in Michigan! I also can’t believe how unseasonably warm and pleasant it has been this week. Usually March in Michigan is still pretty miserable, so I was so excited to be able to get into my garden for a little while yesterday and start clearing away some of what winter left behind.
Like most months, I spent what I am hoping was the remainder of winter cooking. I decided at the end of 2020 that I would continue my “Menu of the Month” dinners because they brought me so much joy- especially during a year when joy was sometimes hard to find, but for 2021 I have decided to change things up. I will still be having family and friends over for a special dinner once a month, but this year, I have assigned them all a special task. Their job is to select a dish- any dish- that they love to eat, and I will learn to make it for them and a guest or two, and have them over to enjoy the menu they picked out.
I ask my family and friends all the time what I should make and the answer is pretty much always “whatever you want!”, but this year, it’s all about what they want (don’t worry- I’ve saved a month or two for myself!). I’m hoping to expand my repertoire and make a few things I may not have thought to try. I’ve already had the opportunity to try out a few new dishes and techniques I hadn’t tried before, and so far the results have been delicious.

My mom was the first to claim a month and a dish, and in January she requested Mushroom Risotto. She had some on a trip to upstate New York and honestly, had asked me to make it a few times before. Still trying to rely on my ever growing collection of cook books for as many recipes as I can, I turned to “Cravings” by Chrissy Teigen for not only the risotto recipe, but for an amazing marinated steak recipe to go with it. Technically, it seems the steak recipe belongs to her Grammy winning Husband, John Legend, but the two dishes made a perfect combination. The steaks were marinated over night (I LOVE a recipe that I get to tackle at least partially the day before) and my mom, dad, younger brother and I hung out in/near my tiny kitchen and drank wine while I slowly and carefully added stock to the risotto, stirring all the while. I had heard risotto was difficult and fussy, but honestly- I really enjoyed it! I love babysitting something on the stove or in the oven so it didn’t bother me one bit. Although, if you don’t love to hover over your stove all night while your guests have all the fun in the next room- don’t worry! The fussy stirring part really only lasted fifteen minutes or so.

I made a simple arugula (my mom’s all time favorite salad green) and parmesan salad which really, there is no recipe for, and berries with Limoncello Cream by Ina Garten (we were craving something “light” for dessert after the holidays) and it was probably one of the most elegant meals I’ve ever made. We all agreed that mom made a good pick.

In February, my little sister made her pick and I definitely saw this one coming- she requested Pad Thai. She loves Thai food, especially the amazing takeout we get from the little place in our neighborhood so we were all excited to try a homemade version. Like the risotto, I had heard that Pad Thai was difficult mainly because it supposedly consisted of a thousand hard to find ingredients, but it really wasn’t complicated at all! I found a simple recipe online and only had to order one ingredient (tamarind paste!) online ahead of time. So, my sister, her boyfriend and I had a great time eating Pad Thai, and a simple cucumber and sweet chili salad which I will absolutely be making again. For dessert, she requested key lime pie ice-cream which I served with graham cracker crumble (because everyone knows the best part of a key lime pie is the buttery graham crust anyway!) and some little coconut drops from my Sister Pie cookbook. Then we drank a bunch of red wine (my little sister and I tend to do this together…) and for some reason danced to a lot of Phil Collins?

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Side note- I also made the most amazing cocktails on this night! A week or two before, I ordered something called a “Lotus” at a local restaurant and loved it so much I went back a week later to order another one and ask the bartender what was in it. It was a combination of gin (my favorite), elderflower, blackberry and lemon. I made a bunch for my guests during cocktail hour and they were so pretty! But also so tasty that we never stopped sipping long enough to take a picture, so I guess I’ll just have to make them again!

I’m already pretty much “booked” through May, and I am looking forward to some of the dishes and menus I am going to get to try!

A lot of my family and I have been lucky enough to receive the COVID vaccine and are starting to be able to safely spend more time together- so between that, some delicious meals and some warmer months, I feel like I have so much to look forward to!