The Jewel Box™Home: What's for dinner?

Thursday Night Dinner

Flank Steak
Risotto with Asparagus
Red and Yellow Tomatoes with Basil and Olive Oil

One of the greatest joys of small home living is the time "freed up" for the daily rituals that bring friends and especially family together. In our home, an important part of the day is dinner. Most nights we sit down to eat as a family and often one of the boys will have a friend join us.

Our dinners are simple, but simple is not the same thing as quick. I don't care how fast Rachel Ray can whip up a meal, it takes time to make something that tastes good. I usually spend at least one hour or more in the kitchen. That does not mean, however, that I am slaving away. Making dinner is not about racing to put food on the table. I cook at a leisurely pace and the boys stop in grab a snack and chat, or my husband joins me to share a glass of wine.

Still, don't get the wrong idea and picture this perfect family sitting down to dinner. The reality is that I dirty a lot of dishes when I cook, one of the boys usually doesn't like what I make and someone is always complaining about school or work. And don't forget that my husband is Italian, so our dinner conversations often border on yelling.

Yet the routine of making a meal and eating together is an important way in which we connect as a family. So what do I make at dinner time? Monday is reserved for fish, Tuesday is pasta, Wednesday is Chicken, Thursday is beef or pork and Friday is pasta again or pizza. I usually don't plan weekend meals in advance.

The dinner pictured above is a family favorite - Flank steak, risotto with asparagus and red and yellow tomatoes with fresh basil and olive oil. The tomatoes and basil are from my garden. I like the look and flavor of the sweet yellow tomatoes combined with the sharper taste of the red variety. Let me know if you would like the recipes.

Until next time,

Genevieve