Last weekend, I had dinner at the home of a childhood friend of mine that by good fortune, happens to live close by. She and her husband invited my fiance Brian and I over for dinner and insisted we bring along our dog Winston (they have a golden retriever). Over the phone, Lauryn told me she was a little nervous to cook for us since I write a food blog. That made me laugh... I don't consider myself a culinary expert - just an admirer of good food. I told her not to worry. She asked me if I liked lamb and I said yes. I haven't had lamb in ages so I was looking forward to trying something "new" and I was impressed by her choice. I had a feeling she was just being modest about her cooking.
Turns out I was right. Everything was seasoned beautifully and prepared thoughtfully. First, she won us over with pastry-wrapped baked brie with cranberries. For the main course, she seasoned the lamb with salt and pepper and rolled it in sesame seeds. Then her husband, Chad, cooked it to perfection on the grill outside (much credit due to his grilling skills). The lamb was moist and flavorful, accompanied on our plates with rosemary roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach.
For dessert, Lauryn made a really delicious rice pudding, flecked with fresh vanilla bean and garnished with a berry compote.
All this, she accomplished with a three year old by her side and a one year old at her hip. Her children, by the way, are just the sweetest and cutest kids ever. I could also write a whole paragraph here about how beautifully decorated her home was - stylish and modern yet down to earth and welcoming – like she and her family are. I had such a wonderful time and I'm really looking forward to having them over for dinner at our home. I have to say though, I'm a little bit nervous now to cook for her .