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Friday, January 21, 2011

Friday Night Dinners (FND)


Image: freedigitalphotos.net

Several months ago we started up what we call Friday Night Dinners-FND for short. Every Friday we get together with our close friends (besties-really) and take turns hosting. Three of us work near each other and work the same hours, so we go the grocery store to pick up ingredients and start dinner. The ones who work later do the dishes. We try out different themes-such as Greek, Italian, India, Vietnamese. Sometimes we don't feel like cooking and we order takeout.

At first, I was hesitant to host dinner parties on a Friday worried that I wouldn't have time to clean the house and get everything ready. But it's worked out really well. I just tidy up Thursday night and don't stress. As long as the bathroom is clean and the living room/dining room is tidy-who cares about the rest. By now, these friends are close enough we don't really care anyway. Nice to have those kinds of friends. The best part about FND is that it gives us a chance to de-stress after a busy week, and it sure makes the weekend seem longer. We keep it casual and fun. Sometimes we watch a movie, play a game or go for a walk. Sometimes we just sit and talk. Whatever we feel like doing. We keep it casual.

For me, the added bonus is the incentive to try out new foods. I am a terribly picky eater, and this way I can test new recipes and cuisines.

By the way, if you are wondering-tonight's theme is Mexican.
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5 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 22, 2011 at 11:03 AM

    FND NIGHT sounds amazing, glad you have those people in your life who make it truly worth living.Love the blog and keep posting,
    maybe it will inspire me to try cooking one night ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    fnd....hmmmm...thinking about the money I would save if we cooked rather then did take out.... any hit recipes you'd like to share?

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  3. Mary Beth AtkinsonFebruary 11, 2011 at 10:54 AM

    So far, favorites have been tacos-use whole wheat tortillas and ground chicken or tvp (textured vegetable protein) more filling and less expensive. I make the taco seasoning myself-you can control the salt, and no preservatives.

    Taco Seasoning:
    1 tbsp cumin
    1 tbsp paprika
    1 tsp garlic powder ( or more if you love garlic)
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp chili powder (or more to you taste)

    Gaucamole:
    1 ripe avacodo, cubed
    1 tomato, diced
    1 cloved garlic, crushed
    1 handful cilanto, washed and torn up
    juice of 1 lime

    I don't put salt, there is enough flavour w/o, but feel free to add a pinch if desired.

    I don't like pureed avacodo, so I cube it instead, nice chunky texture.


    Another fun night is to make your own pizzas.
    I am too lazy to make the dough, so I either buy a prepared crust or use whole wheat pitas for the base, to make mini pizzas. That's a good way to try out different combos.
    Spread tomato paste on the crust, sprinkle with italian seasoning (rosemary, orgeno and basil).
    Add some shredded part skim mozzarella. Then topppings of your choice.
    My favourites: chicken, sun dried tomatoes, green or red peppers and roasted garlic. I don't eat pepperoni cause too much fat and salt-but i have been known to sneak in a bit of bacon now and then.

    They don't need to bake long, maybe 15 mins or until the cheese is melted. I like crispy crust, so I put them straight onto the oven rack.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mary Beth AtkinsonFebruary 11, 2011 at 3:53 PM

    Sorry! Forgot the green onions in the gaucamole: add 1-2 green onions, sliced. You can use a spanish onion or sweet onion but I find it too intense.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 9, 2011 at 10:42 AM

    Thanks for the recipes!
    Also you can use refried beans, either canned or homemade, as a filling.
    Yummy!

    ReplyDelete