Mmmm, all this sounds so good--well, maybe not that pork roast that got this thread started (you go out with your oven on? You have an amazing sense of adventure). I've made Wellington a couple of times and while it turned out fine, I finally decided I don't like to go to all that trouble. So I'll just come to your house and eat yours. I'll bring the cosmos to make sure no one will notice whether it turns out wonderful or merely terrific. I want to know how the standing rib roast turned out, so please post an update. We had a crown roast of pork--mindless preparation: season, put in oven, cook until done--plus garlic-mashed potatoes, and veggies (my fave was the braised red cabbage with apples, yum). The topper was my DIL's pumpkin pies which thankfully she didn't do lo-fat this year. I whipped heavy cream to go with it. Ice cream is nice with pie but there is nothing like freshly whipped cream. I must get back to my ordinary and a lot more abstemious diet, starting soon--but not today. I'm taking my "girls" (daughters, DIL, granddaughters) out for an elegant lunch today. Maybe next week. . . .

I'd make Eggs Benedict with your ingredients. I have a great foolproof recipe for Hollandaise sauce- stir together (over heat) the juice of one fresh lemon and three egg yolks, cut a stick of butter into half-or three-quarter inch pats, add one at a time, plus a dash of hot sauce.The rest is easy- you'll need English muffins, eggs and Canadian bacon.

For a side with the taste of summer I usually serve grape tomatoes sliced in half with cucumber drizzed with olive oil and a splash of lemon juice and if I have it on hand a crumble of feta cheese. Sometimes just grape tomatoes with a pinch of salt and lots of pepper. In the winter I like to make dishes like Swiss steak and serve it over egg noodles - no sides necessary. I'm also partial to fruit as a side if I am having meat. Homemade chunky apple sauce with pork chops or sausages is my favourite. Jello salad - my favourite is the one made with lime jello, cream cheese, pineapple and celery. Sooo refreshing. Sunshine salad made with orange jello, shredded carrots and mandarin orange slices. I know many people won't eat Jello but I love it. How about couscous or coleslaw or tabhouli? I also love frozen corn cooked for a couple of minutes in the microwave and then topped sprinkled lemon juice and lots of pepper and a little salt. I don't overcook the corn. I also like to saute some red and green peppers with some onions and throw in some fresh mushrooms for a side. Anne

I REALLY wish GW had better search features - like, a lot of people here know your kitchen plans, while others (like me), don't. Sorry. It sounds like you live on a farm and want a country kitchen. Well, I'm from the Northeast - and Soapstone has been used here - in farmhouses - for CENTURIES! Ditto wide plank pine floors. That being said, if you are going with dark cabinets, it may be too dark for your tastes. Personally, I LOVE retro tiled countertops, but a LOT of people hate them because grime gets in the grout. If you go with tile make sure NOT to use white grout - impossible to keep clean (even if sealed). I love wood counters too, but still I would never put them next to a sink or stove - I really want to be able to put a hot pot on my counter without needing a trivet. And, well, even though I am obsessed with Tung Oil, and yes, it has been used for centuries to waterproof boats, it will need to be re-applied too often if wet dishes are left on it - therefore it is more work than I intend to do in my new kitchen. My main countertops will be soapstone or concrete simply because they require the LEAST amount of maintenance in the long run and only get better with age and wear. If you like gray but soapstone is too dark, ordinary gray Portland Cement (no color added) works, but it is more modern. Ground / wet-sanded to a fine polish and dirt won't get stuck in the pores. I'm not even planning on sealing mine if I go that route - why bother - I have no intention of re-sealing it at a later date. And hey, if sidewalks aren't sealed and I'm not planning on walking with muddy boots on my counter, any "dirt" will only add to the patina! I also LOVE stainless counters with integrated sinks - but they are expensive. My Grandmother had this as the countertop on the sink side of her kitchen and butcherblock everywhere else - it was a VERY country kitchen with pine cabinets and brick floors and it worked! This is by far the LEAST maintenance countertop choice. I'm going to have to compare costs of this vs. soapstone with a sink cut-out - it might just work out to be the same cost, but I already have a lot of stainless, so it will probably feel too cold in my kitchen. If I go with charcoal grey base cabs, maybe, if I go with stainless base cabs, no way! As for sinks, do yourself a favor and get a big DEEP sink! But fireclay or porcelain enamel over cast iron is NOT the best choice - chips too easily. I actually have a giant antique Art Deco double-bowl sink with a drainboard that clips over either bowl; one bowl is 8" deep, the other is 15" deep - but I really don't want to put it in the new kitchen because it already has a couple nicks in it and I don't want to have to worry and carfeully "place" my dirty pots and pans in it. I think I'll just buy a big stainless farmhouse sink instead and not worry about ruining the finish.