Sunday Dinner

Sunday dinner at my house has changed dramatically over the last couple of years.  When our kids were home they knew that nothing, and I mean nothing, got in the way of Sunday dinner.  During the week, we always tried to sit down together for dinner but with basketball, soccer, baseball, concerts, plays and everything else our 5 kids were involved with it mostly happened but it was a little difficult.  Sunday everyone was expected home at 6:00 and we had dinner together.
I will never forget the first Sunday dinner Dave and I had alone.  I was in the "cook for Sunday dinner" mode and made  3 lbs. of meatloaf, 10 lbs of mashed potatoes, 4 cups of gravy, 2 loaves of bread and a couple pounds of green beans.  Dave and I sat down to dinner, just the two of us, I looked at the food on the table and at the two place settings and burst into tears!
Well, I've gotten better at moderating the amount of food I make, but I do love to fix a big dinner for family.  We are lucky that Dave's mom and brother live in town.  We also have a dear niece and nephew who will be good sports and come over for dinner often.  So, while most Sundays are now just Dave and I, we do have family dinner a couple of times a month.
We had a family dinner last night.  Dave grilled a flank steak, I made citrus halibut and crusty french bread, a salad and broccoli rounded out the dinner. For dessert I made a grapefruit pound cake with berry compote.  It was all delicious, warm for our cold weather and fun to visit with family.  After the busy week we had it was good to reconnect, fill ourselves with good food and family love and get ready for the next week.

Grapefruit Pound Cake
Cooking light - January 2012
9 oz. all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
1 tsp. baking powder
5/8 tsp. salt divided
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
6 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. grated grapefruit rind
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325º F.
Coat a 10 inch tube pan with baking spray.  Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dty measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour, baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Stir well and set aside.  Place granulated sugar, butter and cream cheese in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time.  Beat in oil, rind and vanilla.
Add flour mixture and milk alternately to batter, beginning and ending with flour.  Spoon batter into pan, bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging.  Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.  Invert cake.  Cool on rack.
Place juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.  Cook until reduced to 3 tbsp. (about 4 minutes).  Cool slightly.  Stir in powdered sugar and remaining 1/8 tsp. salt.  Drizzle over cake.

Mixed Berry Compote
12 oz. bag frozen mixed berries
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbp. corn starch
1 Tbsp. Grand Marinier

Mix berries, sugar and corn starch together.  Place in baking dish.  Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes.  Cool slightly, stir in Grand Marinier.  Serve over cake slices



January 9, 2012   Daylight 4 hours, 31 minutes, 47 seconds     Current Temp -34º F