I had a couple of people over for dinner yesterday, and although I am not one to make New Year's resolutions, I made one about an hour before my friends arrived. I was going to make a hot and sour Thai soup, and a red curry, neither of which I'd made before. So an hour and a half before my guests were due to arrive, I found myself running around, trying to get things ready and having no idea if everything would work out, and kind of freaking out. And knowing that dinner would be late, and realizing that it would not be the first time, and just not having fun at all. And just like that, something snapped. I knew I had the ingredients for a seafood casserole in the fridge, and that I could make it in time, and that it wouldn't be the perfect meal (no bread, no salad, nothing but the casserole) but that it would be done and tasty and allow me to enjoy the evening. So that's that! Resolution: When I'm having guests, I will never again plan to make something I've never made before. I'll make something I know and that can (unless I'm absolutely comfortable with it) be made in advance, and I'll get to spend the hour before people arrive lighting candles, and turning on music, and doing all the fun anticipatory things one does when guests are coming.
So, in this newfound spirit of keeping things free and easy, I took a chance with dessert. My sister and I cater a party every year, and this year I made a vanilla pound cake shaped like a ring of Christmas trees. There was extra batter, so I put it in a small loaf pan and promptly forgot about it. Last night, I remembered - and doubted that there was any way the cake would turn out after 5 days in the refrigerator. Boy was I wrong. It was delicious! While it was still warm, I poked holes in it with toothpicks and drizzled a syrup made of the zest and juice of the tangerine and orange all over the top. Heaven. And here it is:
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