I'm back from dinner. It was great visiting with our snowbird friends and we talked for over two hours. We were neighbors when we both lived in the boonies and they moved back to Ohio shortly after we moved. We went on a cruise together with others from the neighborhood and had so much fun with them once. So now we e-mail and get together once a year :-( Dinner--not so good. I ordered the fettucini alfredo with bacon-wrapped sea scallops. The salad that came with it was very good,the scallops cooked just right but the alfredo was disappointing, to say the least. It was a big plate of angel hair pasta with a huge glob of alfredo sauce out of a jar. Ick, ick, ick! What could be easier than alfredo sauce? It's just a little butter, cream, garlic and lots of parmesan. They had little rolls that came with the salad that looked a little like those biscuits at Red Lobster, but were floury and dry. Now I remember why we don't like to eat out. Harry had fried oysters, baked sweet potato and hush puppies. He said on the way home it wasn't very good, but if it's dinner time I swear that man would eat plastic! Guess we won't be eating there again any time soon!

I'm still getting an occational asperagus spear from the garden, but I haven't cooked any of them yet. I eat them raw, standing up in the kitchen after I bring in whatever I've picked. Leftover enchiladas for me tonight. Last night for them. Have no idea what I'll make tomorrow but all the bbq talk on recent threads made me, I'm sure, buy a pack of pork ribs the other day. Maybe I should thaw them out tonight.

You all writing about chili make me want to make a batch. I wish I had a pretty red pie for our dessert. Yum! A group of us single ladies are getting together tonight to celebrate our friendship. It will be here. Not much decoration, but it will do. I decided to roast lamb shanks and vegetables, and had a difficult time finding 5 shanks. Apparently lamb isn't readily available right now... don't know why. That and dressing the table are my job and the rest others are bringing. The shanks are now in the oven for their long afternoon roast, and, hopefully, will be wonderfully cooked by 5ish. (We eat early... or whenever the meat is done.) I'm also doing roasted vegetables and am wondering how early to start roasting the potatoes, onion, and ....... (suggestions?) I'm thinking they need about an hour. ??? I was going to do more of a variety, but then found out that someone is bringing a multi-vegetable mixed salad. (More dishes needed.) I'll try to remember to take photos and post later.

Neely, your plating is so much more appetizing than the recipe card. I think of jerk seasoning dark like yours. So busy Annie. In the kitchen and out on the farm. What a cutie calf. I have forgotten about potato chips for a crust. I keep wanting to try pork rinds but i . always eat them before i get the chance. A local empanada shop (hand pies) sweet and savory, has one that uses a cornmeal crust. A bit thick for my likes, but i bet a fine cornmeal or mixed with another GF flour would work in a tortilla press. DH thought my strawberries were weeds. But my blueberries are big shrubs and the new ones i put in last year are looking good, (and well marked) For some reason i've been avoiding anything fussy, rolly, stuffed, pleated. But this was easy. I just made four quick sushi rolls. Used the last of the sticky rice. -sleeve