Indian Dinner Party Night

Last night I had my long awaited Dinner Party fundraiser! And boy was it good times!

I had six wonderful friends over to partake in a tasty five course meal to raise a few dollars for the ride to conquer cancer. Because two of the attendees are pretty close to popping out some babies, I had to re-work the menu to be, shall we say, pregnant friendly. And since I am brown, and most of the attendees were white folk, I thought "Let's Go To India!"

Corrie and I pretty much spent the entire day on our feet cooking and preparing the feast, which included shopping, and making sure my daughter didn't accidentally end up in a pot of curry. We took a few pictures to document the evening. Take a look:

My very special In-Laws not only made their home available to us to host the dinner, they also staged the house with a beautiful table setting, flowers, and lots of room in the fridge for me to use, not to mention a truly massive donation to the ride. Thanks Roger and Sandy!

It may seem cruel, but this was really the best way to ensure she didn't find a way either into the fireplace, or out the door to the car for a joyride. Also, she enjoyed the cookies...

1st Course: Carrot Salad - cucumbers, cilantro, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, sesame seeds, papadum.

2nd Course: Lamb Seekh Kebob - ground lamb, cilantro, onions, eggplant puree, mint chutney, tamarind chutney, naan. Corrie was the evening's saucier (and photographer), and did a fantastic job. The eggplant recipe is one that I actually got from watch "The Everyday Exotic" on the food network. Ironically, I ran into the host of the show, Roger Mooking (also known as MC Mystic from the 90's band Bass is Base), at the Longo's in Oakville last week and told him I was making it for my fundraiser. He got so excited! I almost asked him to drop by in his Funkmobile.

3rd Course: Chana Masala - chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, cucumber raita, spinach and cilantro pancakes (my healthier version of pakoras)

4th Course: Kuku Paka - coconut chicken curry, basmati rice, naan. Kuku Paka is Swahili, and is a common dish amongst East Indians that at one point emigrated from East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania). This was my mom's wonderful recipe.

5th Course: Chocolate Mousse - dark chocolate, raspberries, naan khatai (cardamom butter cookie). Okay, there isn't really anything indian about chocolate mousse, but it tasted pretty decadent. The naan khatai is another one of my mom's recipes.

It was truly a lovely evening, and I really have wonderful friends that were able to indulge my culinary hobby while supporting a very worthwhile cause. In the end, we were able to raise $450 for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, and amount that allowed me to reach my minimum fundraising commitment to participate in the Ride in June, and puts me almost 80% of the way to my fundraising goal of $3,500! Thanks everyone!

I still love to cook, so if you are interested in participating in a future event like this, please let me know, and I will be at your service!

Now, lets all ignore the fact that this post was eating lots of food, and nothing about my diet or training. Carry on.

Pants

Well, it only took two months, but I am finally in full training mode. In the week since my initial f*cking spin class, I have been at it three more times: once on my trainer, and two more spin classes, including a disgusting 6am class on Friday. Ugh.

I am happy to report that the weight loss program has been going really well. I am down just over 11 pounds since I started in mid-January. While I don’t think I really look any different, I have noticed one significant downside: DPS, also known as “droopy pant syndrome”.

I think I may have lost an inch or two around my waist, which is very satisfying. However, the consequence of this is that I constantly look like a slob. It is magnified by the fact that I have always also suffered from FAS, also known as “Fat Ass Syndrome”.

You see, I have always had a large ass, one that is larger than my waist. This means that buying pants has always been a colossal hassle. I always have to get pants that have a slightly larger waist in order to accommodate my rear. Dress pants are the worst. If they have pleats, they stretch wide open. If they are flat front pants, the side pockets pull way out, and I look as if I am walking around with pockets full of cheeseburgers and shortbread cookies.

When I get dressed in the morning in front of the mirror, they look normal. Once I have taken about four paces, they will have already drooped at least an inch. Doesn’t matter how much I tighten my belt. In fact that is worse, because then I have these big bunches that make it look like I am wearing track pants. Next thing I know, the cuffs of my pants are dragging under the heel of my shoe, and presto, I look like a hobo.

It could be an excuse to do a little shopping, or at least take get my pants taken in a bit, but my hope is that I haven’t finished trimming down, so I guess I need to be patient.

In other news, I am proud to announce my first official fundraising event for the ride to conquer cancer! As some of you may know, I LOVE to cook, and it has really become a favourite hobby of mine. And since I can’t really cook for myself while I am in rabbit food purgatory, I want to cook for you! Here is the plan: I am going to turn my house (er…rather my in-laws’ house) into a fine dining restaurant. I will prepare a five course menu for your enjoyment, in return for a generous donation to a great cause. The menu is as follows:

I. Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella, Olive Oil, Basil, Sourdough Crostini
II. Sesame Crusted Yellow Fin Tuna, Wasabi Mayo, Arugula, Lemon, Honey
III. Spaghetti, Cremini, Shitake, King Oyster, Button, Portobello, Chili, Parmesan, Parsley, Butter
IV. Crusted Lamb Popsicles, Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, Dijon, Mint Pesto, Potato Pancake, Asparagus
V. Chocolate Mousse, Almost Biscotti, Mixed Berries, Lime, Honey

How does that sound?

The suggested donation for attending is $100 per head, or $125 if you will be partaking in a few cocktails during the course of the evening. We are tentatively scheduled for March 26th, and I am still looking to fill a few seats. If there is overwhelming interest, I will add another date in April.

I am really excited about doing this, and if you are interested, I would love to have you. It will be an evening of great food (I hope), and great friends (guaranteed) all for a good cause. PLEASE let me know if you like to attend.

See you at dinner!