Out with the old, in with the new

I really don't believe in New Year's Resolutions (seriously - if you truly want to change, do you have to wait for January 1???), but I kind of like the idea of a fresh start. (And, I read once that it's not a goal if you don't write it down.)  So to that end:

• Go to the gym five days a week, and work out a minimum of 45 minutes a session;
• Use my new "Big Boy" KitchenAid mixer at least once a week (hmmm, may need to increase the gym thing to a minimum of 60 minutes a session); 
• Laugh more; 
• Bitch less

So, my friends and family, here's to a Happy and Healthy New Year to all!

Another Year

This has been an eventful year for the Hinkelgrubers.  Here's hoping for a prosperous and happy new year!

The Solstice is Near

The Hinkelgrubers look forward to the winter solstice every year.  It means we will begin to see slightly longer days and can start thinking about the promise of spring.

Welcome Home Nick!

This week's menu has a remarkable absence of chicken, shrimp, and salmon.  Our youngest son, Nick, is coming home for Christmas break and we are concentrating on his favorite dishes.

I love to bake!

The only thing that makes winter worth it is it's baking season!

I don't like the cold, I don't like the wet (don't care that it's the rain that keeps it green here - it's still wet, dank, and cold!), but I love the baking.

It's Mr. Hinkelgruber's workmates' bad luck that they're my lab rats. Friday was 'snack-day' and they got a pumpkin roll - never have made a jelly-roll, and it's a twist on one - but wasn't the most difficult thing I've tried.  Gonna try a giant Hostess Snowball cake again - last week's attempt was a giant failure - so, I'm regrouping and putting my own twist to it.  I'll let you know how it goes.  There are garlic knots rising and ready to bake (if they're any good, my Thanksgiving guests will have these to choose from in the bread basket) and later I'm thinking cheesecake.  (Well, in the spirit of full disclosure, the young college boy is coming home and cheesecake is his favorite!)

Got a request?  Post a comment, and see what happens!

Heading fast to the holidays

Halloween is officially over - the Hinkelgruber home looks strangely empty with the decorations taken down and put away. But you know what that means - the holiday season is in full swing.  Oh, I know...you're thinking, "It's not even Thanksgiving, yet!"  But we all know that the next three weeks will fly by (ooh, got to sample dinner roll, pumpkin pie, and other various dessert and pastry recipes - Beau, get my new workout planned!) and we'll all be in full scale panic mode (panic already beginning).

Halloween - Mrs. Hinkelgruber's Favorite Holiday

The house is festooned with spiders, bloodshot eyeballs, and skeletons.  We had a great time this year at the pumpkin carving party.  Mr. Hinckelgruber thinks it should be renamed to 'eating chili and drinking beer' party, but why change the name of one of the best days of the year?

Update to the menu!

It turns out that Mrs. Hinkelgruber turned another year older this week, and to celebrate, her eldest son is taking her to breakfast on Sunday. So, to those of you accustomed to joining the Hinkelgrubers for pancakes on Sunday...you'll have to join us on Saturday!  Yes, I know, it's the day of the annual "Carve a Pumpkin for Mayhem Makers" party, but that's in the afternoon.  Pancakes are in the morning - let's say 8:00 am - just as if it were a Sunday.

As for breakfast Sunday, well you'll have to check with (as my old client Mr. Jedwab would call him) "The Crown Prince."

Fall in Portland really can be the best!

I've said it many times:  there's no better fall anywhere than Portland, OR!  When it's not raining, it's really the best weather anywhere.

And, in keeping with our own tradition of either wine or apples, today was wine!  Mr. Hinkelgruber and I drove to Carlton and the northern Willamette Valley's wine country and bought our wine for the fall.  (To quote Mr. Hinkelgruber, "Well, this should last until about Christmas...")

Perhaps next week will be apples....

Fall really HAS arrived!

So last week seemed more like summer, but I guess fall really has arrived since the rain is rolling in.  I have a love/hate relationship with fall - love it because when the weather is good, it's spectacular; hate it because when it's bad you really know that winter is around the corner.

The good thing about fall means the food gets 'fuller', the kitchen gets warmer and the baking happens more often.  Might have to bake this season's first loaf of bread this week!

Fall has arrived - sort of!

Heading into fall (my favorite season, by the way) the menus are becoming heartier.  And, maybe, that's what I like about fall - richer, heartier fare.  Chillier weather gives Charlie an excuse to really cook more and me an excuse to bake - hmmm...wonder what I'll bake this week...something chocolate, I'm feeling.

Happy Birthday Molly

Our dear friend, Molly, chose Sunday's menu.  We were betting on Baked Ziti with Pork and Sausage Ragu, but the world is full of surprises, isn't it?

Empty Nest - Again!

Week 3, and yes, I did forget about posting the menu (thanks, Mol).

Returned Nick to Duckville yesterday, and now, it's back to normal for Mr. Hinkelgruber and me.

Well, week two of "Mon Ami Charlie" and I haven't forgotten to post the menu!

Just in case you might be curious, we tried a new restaurant for our anniversary, "Carafe Bistro".  While appearing to be nothing special from the outside, the food was genuinely marvelous!  Terrific french food (Canard aux Peches - duck confit with peaches; Rabbit Cassoulet) and a really good wine list.  In downtown, near the auditorium and, I highly recommend it.  

This is Nick's last week in town before he goes back to school, so beginning next week, unless you join us for dinner, we'll likely not have to worry about the following day's lunch.

Menu Change - oops! no pork!

In the spirit of keeping the menu up to date, we seem to have a menu change for tomorrow:  seems that Charlie used tomorrow's pork chops to augment the ragu on Sunday, so we are without dinner!  And, while we all could possibly use missing a meal or two - that really would not be like the Hinkelgrubers...
So, those of you interested, we'll be dining tomorrow at 3-Doors -Down for Happy Hour!

The Inaugural Week

Because back-to-school always seems to signal the true new year for me, it feels most appropriate that this should be the inaugural week of the Hinkelgruber's family menu to hit the internet.  As a homage to our favorite Las Vegas restaurant, Mon Ami Gabi, we've chosen to call the blog Mon Ami Charlie.  With luck, we will receive neither a cease and desist letter nor lawsuit from the owners of Gabi.  Check back often - you never know, I may feel the need to spout wisdom about something other than the menu!