The View From Mrs. Sundberg's Window

A lovely meal for a lovely girl

April 25, 2011

Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. I'm tempted to say I was out shoveling, but there wasn't quite that much snow and no one would laugh at what would have been intended as a joke. Let's just put it all out there — I'm sick of snow and the sooner it stops appearing the sooner that first round of flowers will bloom. Some of which already are, only to die miserably if it snows yet again.

I'm not complaining. Not a lot, anyway. All we really want is a stretch of warm, sunny days with a breeze and no gutter clogs or ants in the basement or worm carcasses in the garage. Even one day like that is all I want. That, and for prom to be over.

Yes, our oldest daughter is going to the prom on Saturday, and once prom is over, life will find its normal again. Until Sunday morning, her list of things to do is both complicated and strange: pick up dress; find beige underwear without lines; pick up his corsage; check on dinner progress; paint nails, clip toenails; rent movies, etc. There is more. And it has become my list, too. Because I know where to find the underwear, and I'm the one cooking dinner for the happy couple.

It's tempting to be obnoxious and serve barbecued ribs with corn on the cob, but there would be consequences and I want her to have a happy evening. So it's spaghetti carbonara complete with garlic, mushrooms, and bacon, and some good bread and a nice salad and French silk pie for dessert. A lovely meal for a lovely girl, and for the boy with the matching tie. I remember the excitement of a night like that. For a girl, anyway. Filled with hopes and dreams and that feeling of being adored.

It's hard to let go. I hope it doesn't snow. If it does, it won't matter much to her. You can be sure of that.

Here's about the best recipe for pizza dough I've come across in all my years. That's a lot of dough recipes. This is one you ought to hang on to.

Really Fine Dough

1 1/2 T yeast
1 1/4 T salt
6 1/2 cups flour
3 cups of the hottest tap water

Mix salt and yeast with water.
Pour into flour and mix until uniform.
Let rise.
Keep in covered container in fridge for quite a while.
Use for pizza crust, or shape into loaves and bake at 350 until crust is soft brown.
Add seasonings for variety.

Enjoy!