A new year for the Cosmic Spatula

So, it was a spur of the moment idea.  Rita contacted everyone to see if they could get together Sunday.  Sometimes, this is the best way to pull it off. Just do it!

So we had yet another great feast. Chicken wrapped in phyllo pastry, vegetables spiced with some fiery hot sauce, a great tossed salad with all kinds of greens and some red things, wonderful bread, and great carrot cookies with icing (where are the left overs?).

But what was this? --------------->



It was lurking nearby, watching all of us while we had dessert, conversation, and laughs.

Were you able to identify the thing above?

Was it some left over from the meal?

Was it left on someone's plate?


Did it come in on someone's boots?


.


..

...


....

Can you find it in one of the pictures below?

It is Charlie's nose...

Hey?

What's up with this Cosmic Spatula thing? 


Where everybody go?


Did our spatula get stuck in something?


It has been a quiet as a mouse in a cat convention.


As silent as a deaf mute in outer space.


As empty as my popcorn bowl five minutes after I've filled it.


As lonely as ... as.... I need help here.....


As slow as congress in passing good bills,


Could I generate some excitement if I were to declare my self a New England Patriots fan?


What about the Indianapolis colts?


Well, I will just wish all you active people a happy holiday.


Fred

Okay so apparently the Cosmic Spatula Blog no longer exists. It has been changed to "The Fred and Jan Show". Anyway the latest meeting was at the abode of R & J with the occasion being the kick off of the Steeler football season.It was brunch at noon 'cause the game started at one. It was a nice day so we were able to eat on the back veranda.Showing our true fanaticism the table was totally Steeler black and gold. We had Mimosas- the most important item. There was typical brunch fare- two egg puffs (one being of egg beaters for the faint of heart.) There were sorta good for you chicken sausages,
a variety of pastry and bagels, and Vera made a fruit, yogurt and granola dish. Rita's famous tomato pie was in attendance (see recipe below) and yippee there was enough left for R & J to have some the next day. Sorry Fred. We all squished in to our somewhat diminutive TV room with our somewhat diminutive TV, and the true fans began to yell, Barb knitted, and others stifled their yawns until it was time to make a get away. In case you don't know- the Steelers won. Actually that means we need to do the same thing every week to maintain the mojo. But alas we have not and as of this writing the team is two wins and one loss, but it is a long time and MANY games until the Super Bowl. See ya' then.

Cosmic Brunch

Normally we all wait until after the Cosmic event to post our blog or pictures. 


It is time to be different!


This is a before the event post. 


It shows the preparation that some do to get ready for the event.  This is why Rita (and Fred) will be late to this event.  


Preparing the ingredients for the tomato pie is not a trivial task. Below, after the picture,  you will find the recipe.

Recipe:

1. Prepare a pie crust in advance.
2. Cut this stuff up, or get your partner to do it for you while you run around the kitchen doing other stuff.
3. Sprinkle season stuff on the cut-up stuff
4. Pull pie crust out of the oven when you get the sprinkle part done (step 3), but not before you get the cutting part done (step 2).
5. Throw this sprinkled stuff in the pie crust ... well... may you just put it in gently.
6. Put in oven at 350 or 400 or somewhere in between, depending on how fast you can do the next step.
7. Take showers.
8. Pull pie out of the oven and boogie to the event.
9. Ops, you forgot to dress, so back home and do that, then speed to event.
10. Arrive at event and walk in like you been really busy.

Better late than never??

Figured I'd better get my two cents worth in about the last Spatula before we moved on. Hopefully we can count on Fred, our own paparazzo, but where has everyone been? Personally I fogot my password. I know that Tim & Barb have bigger fish to fry, but I thought that Bob had enough frivolity in his system that he would not abandon us even though he has his very own blog now.
The last event was quite special as Tim and Barb took the plunge. The group was enlarged with special family and friends. Fizzy drinks with sugar on the rim and home made maraschino cherries were served by Barb's niece and husband from Pittsbugh along with ceviche. So advanced. I didn't even recognize Tim's brother, Jeff for about 15 minutes. White hair does become him. The table out on the deck looked like a picture from Gourmet Magazine. And to think I often wondered, "Who are those people?"
It was very hot and sunny, but Rita was so kind as to be late so that the sun went down exactly on cue as we sat down to enjoy our repast. Thanks Rita. Also all lateness was forgiven as when she did arrive she was accompanied by a WONDERFUL tomato pie, a gorgeous cake with chocolate icing and ganache and an equally gorgeous daughter.
The main course was a wonderful filet with a "slightly reduced" reduction. Aside from the temptations mentioned above there were garlic mashed potatoes, a wonderful green bean almondine (I love friends with gardens) and a Waldorf salad that Ron and Jeff couldn't help pretending was part of the appetizers. Thanks to one and all.
I don't mind bragging that we finished every bottle of wine in the joint. Well- we had to toast didn't we? The ceremony was inspiring and Libby's poem brought tears to every eye.
This was also the debut of Bob and Vera's exchange student, Guzya. I'm sure you will hear more about her as she will be spending a year with "the hippies." So thanks to one and all- You know who you are and how special you are......

Memories made in August 2010

It was a warm, sunny, evening in August.  The invitation list was extended to include a number of friends.  It was a event to remember: the wonderful food, friends, weather, surroundings, music and a commitment service.

The hosts

A walk before dinner

The Table

The Friends

The Tomato pie

The Service

  

flying cookware and slippery ribs

Hi Gang:

Ron and Jan, you were missed, and here is what you missed.

The grilling of the ribs was taking too long and with time running out and rain on the way, I headed for the oven with a platter of ribs. I arrived to find my pre-heated pan sitting on top of the stove put there by my lovely wife (what is this empty pan doing in the oven?) Ahem, so forgetting that it might be hot, I grabbed, and it flew! Once it was retrieved before melting through the linoleum, time to get the ribs in. While tilting the platter to slide into the baking pan, (now cool and returned to the oven), the ribs slid right off the platter, missed the pan entirely, and went to the bottom of the oven onto the 450 degree surface. POOF. Instant smoke and billows of it filling the kitchen. (Didn't I do that on the first Cosmic Dinner?)

Rita and company to the rescue! Potholders flying, oven grate flung into the back yard, remove the squash from the near flaming oven, spatulate the smoldering remains off the bottom of the oven, return squash to oven and smoke for 20 more minutes with the ribs. Thank heavens we took the batteries out of the smoke alarms weeks ago. (I think I better take care of that today).

Damn! still not done. Off to the microwave for perfect ribs. Asparagus on the grille never take off cause all the coals are gone, they go in the microwave too for that perfect microwaved finish. Yikes, I gave myself over 3 hours to orchestrate this latest disaster/gourmet feast. Ah well, adaptability is my motto.

Well, that's about it. I'll let Rita and Barbara contribute their additions to the meal because the salad and squash and dessert were of course, fantastic, but I don't know the particulars.

Thanks all for another eventful evening.
Bob