It Could Have Been Worse

(Ariana, after taking a bite of the barley - kale risotto. )

"It tastes like throw up"

 (Arny, after he stopped laughing, but while still chuckling)

"Well, I can understand how the combination of artichoke and Parmesan cheese can seem like throw up to an immature palette".

Thank you family. I am so glad my culinary adventures are a source of amusement to you.

Though I must admit, I was not a big fan of this recipe (Let's leave my cooking out of this for a moment). First of all, I would have preferred using Arborio rice for a more traditional risotto. And, I would loose the artichokes and just use the kale.

As far as my part goes, I have always had a problem with timing in the kitchen. The challenge of making sure everything is done at the same time is not easy for me and this was a perfect example. Arny was grilling the steak and he was finished when the risotto was still about 30 minutes away from being the creamy goop it is supposed to be. With a very hungry husband waiting, I pulled it off the stove with probably another ten minutes to go.

While the dish was a bit of a "dish"aster, the dinner experience itself was a rounding success. With our new room finished and the sound system hooked up, we had music playing as we ate. Halfway through dinner, "Soul Man" came on and Arny got up and started dancing. If you knew him, you would know this is a very strange occurance, especially during a meal. We all joined him and for about ten minutes the three of us were dancing and singing around the house. Perhaps it was a way for them to avoid eating the risotto, but I didn't care. The site of them singing and dancing and laughing more than made up for my culinary disappointment.

After dinner, while I did the dishes and disposed of the offending food, Arny took Ariana is his arms and danced to "The Sounds of Silence". My family was deeply satisfied....them by doing, me by watching - so what if it was the movement and not the food that did it......there is always tomorrow.