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Want to hear a funny story?
Saturday, CD and I planned on having guests over for dinner. While Chris and Summer attended Max’s 1st birthday party that afternoon (Max is a friend’s son and one of Summer’s many possible suitors), I stayed at home to get everything ready.
The house was clean. A pitcher of iced tea along with a serving platter of brown rice chips and homemade basil hummus graced the kitchen table…
Basil Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained (save liquid)
- 1 TBSP tahini
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- handful fresh basil
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in food processor, slowly drizzling in saved chickpea liquid until you reach desired consistency.
The vanilla almond flour cake was fresh from the oven and still warm…
I’d spent the majority of Friday cooking this red beans and rice recipe. Since I was making a double batch, it wouldn’t all fit in the crock-pot. So instead, following Kristen’s grandmother’s tried and true method, I simmered the beans on the stove-top for 6 and 1/2 hours, stirring twice every hour and added cooked chicken Andoulle sausage during the final 30 minutes. Before re-heating, I stirred in 4 cups steamed brown Basmati rice.
When Chris got home, he began cooking the veggies: chopped carrots and Brussels sprouts with lots of Kerrygold butter and Woody’s Gourmet Black Truffle and Fresh Thyme Herb Sea Salt.
Dinner was almost ready, and our guest were due to start arriving at 4:30 PM…5:00 and no one was here yet. 5:15…hmm, this is strange, and I turned to CD saying, Today is Saturday, right? We checked my email to confirm the date…turns out our guests were not running late…we were just running 24 hours early. Oops. Dinner was scheduled for Sunday night, NOT Saturday. Can I still play the new mom brain fog card on this one? Yes, I think so.
We simply returned the red beans and rice to the fridge. It’s always better after a couple of days of flavor mingling anyway. Then, after drooling over the cake for a few minutes and sneaking a few chips and hummus, we decided to stir-fry some beef to eat with CD’s veggies.
On Sunday afternoon, we cooked a 2nd batch of veggies, reheated the red beans and rice, set out the chips and hummus again, and finally got to enjoy a big slice of cake with vanilla bean ice-cream…
Leslie, thanks for the sourdough rolls – delicious. Can’t wait for my starter!
More importantly, we finally got to enjoy an evening with good friends…even if CD and I were 24 hours early. 
{ 62 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh man, how funny, Heather! Don’t think I’ve ever managed to do that before. New mom brain fog is a totally valid excuse.
Hahaha, aww! Better to be early than late, I say! I bet you had a shorter prep time on Sunday.
too funny heather! the food looks delicious though and i bet it tasted even better the next day. i am amazed you guys did not dig into the cake though-that is will power!
hahah that is too funny! You put on quite the dinner for a get together, I’m thoroughly impressed! I bet everything tasted amazing
Haha sounds like something I would do! I’m glad all your hard work wasn’t wasted, and that you all had a fabulous time on Sunday!
Heather, that is hilarious! I have actually done that before and I didn’t have new mommy brain
That is hilarious — and totally something I can see myself doing.
I’m glad you had a nice dinner!
I have a really random question…but I was just catching up on posts from the weekend and I was reading through your post where you had a photo of your master bedroom “yoga room.” Where did you get your bedding? I’m looking for new bedding and something like yours is exactly what I have in mind but I can’t seem to find any!
Kate, Our quilt and sheets are from West Elm, and I got the plain white goose down comforter off of ebay. We received everything from West Elm as wedding gifts almost 4 years ago. Garnet Hill is another one of my favorite places to check for bedding, and overstock.com usually has great deals.
Mom brain is the worst! I swear, I have gotten dumber with ever kid I’ve had! Dinner sounds delicious! I’m glad things ended up well! I hope you have a great week!
Sarena,
Oh no, don’t tell me that. I cannot get any dumber!
Haha…that’s something I would do WITHOUT new mom brain fog
That’s too funny! I always fear doing that… so I triple check. It gets a little annoying, but has saved me a couple of times…
Haha…this is too funny! At least you got to eat some of the chips and hummus (which looked amazing). The barbecued chicken that we were supposed to eat on Fri until my little garbage-disposal mishap was definitely consumed my roommates and I on Fri.
Ironically enough, last night I left work completely not realizing that I had not given report to the next nurse on one of my five patients. I drove home and she called me and was like, “Hey, I’ve had Mrs. X before and was just wondering if anything changed?” Thankfully she knew the patient so it was not a big deal, but talk about an Amelia Bedelia moment! LOL.
Annd you were so right before-I’m totally a Davidson county girl. I can honestly say that I lovelovelove the Lipscomb/Belmont/Green Hills area. So much character/charm and not just generically new and shiny. I think I could happily stay close to the neighborhood I’m in for a long time
(I’ll stop now that I’ve written a book!)
Jill,
So glad the BBQ chicken was enjoyed, and I cannot wait to see your new place when we get back in town. I knew you would love your new ‘hood!
Hahaaa brain fart moment, glad you two made the most of it with the impromptu beef+veggie stir-fry,
That is too funny! Totally sound like something I would do.
Aww, too cute. It’s okay, we all have brain farts
I’m so sorry that happened to you guys- how mad I would be! At least you can laugh about it now, though
Looks like you prepared a beautiful and yummy dinner- i’m sure you’re guests loved it!
Luckily, no, I have no had that exact situation happen to me- but i have messed up the time…
I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all! Being a whole day ahead of cooking gives you more time on the day of the event to enjoy your company and the food.
Jenn,
Very true and such a positive way to look at the situation. Definitely made dinner prep for Sunday night so easy!
Ohhhh no!!!! That is funny that both of you were preparing for guests on the wrong day. Hahaha!
Your food sounds incredible, though. I think I desperately need to make some red beans and rice, especially with andouille sausage. Heaven in a bowl, I’ll bet.
Tasha,
Yep, heavenly. I cannot stop making that recipe. It’s delicious!
Basil hummus sounds delicious!!
Liz,
’twas.
Ohh man! Frustrating! At least it makes for a cute story, and you seem to roll with it so well.
For entertaining, I love a simple cake, warmed and topped with vanilla ice cream. I’m going to Trader Joe’s later today and am going to buy my first bag of almond flour so I can make this and other almonderific treats. (Big moment in my baking life hehe) Thanks for the inspiration Heather!
Meghan,
That cake is our new favorite. I’ve made three times. So good and perfect warm and served with ice-cream. No frosting necessary. Enjoy!
Heather that is TOTALLY something I would do….except I wouldnt be early. Pretty sure I’d be on the other side…the late side. Seems that motherhood has changed everything to make me run LATE not early. At least you were early
And all the food looks…..awesome!
hahahah- I so would do something like that
It was just for uhhh dry run purposes, right?
Erica,
Yes! Practice makes perfect.
No lie. I have done that before. I cried about it and found a way to blame it on everyone but myself. You are a much better woman than I am.
Mama Pea…hard to blame anyone but myself when I just typed an email on Thursday confirming the day to be Sunday. I mean, I typed out the word “Sunday”. Not sure how it got written into my planner on Saturday. Just one more reason I need an iPhone, right? Time to go paperless.
Ha that’s hilarious! That happened on my birthday, I thought my parents were coming on Sunday and they showed up on the Saturday. Obviously I was in my PJs and the house was a mess!
Will have to try that dip, my basil plant is ready to be picked
Aine,
Oh well, at least you could play the birthday girl card.
oh no
But imagine what it would have been like the other way around? duh. dinner sounds great 
Michaela,
Oh gosh, so true. That would have been awful. Probably would have just ordered pizza or something.
Hee! At least you were prepared when Sunday rolled around, lol!
I’m STILL claiming Mom Brain, 10 and (nearly) 8 years after the fact. I’ll probably use it as an excuse for the rest of my life.
Oh gosh–too funny! I will forever be playing the new mommy fog card. It’s never going to go away. As a friend of mine says–babies steal your brains!
Better a day early than late. I went to a party on Friday….and it was actually on Thursday. Didn’t I feel stupid.
That is hilarious! Glad it all worked out in the end. . . and you got to enjoy that fabulous cake!
My brother just grew some fresh basil so this is exactly what the doctor ordered
Thank you!
Too funny, better to be prepared than late.
We’ve been known to show up at the airport on the wrong day to pick up incoming sailors since the time change doesn’t always show up on the itinerary as ‘local time.’
Have you ever made hummus without the tahini?
Katherine,
Yes, but I love tahini, and it definitely adds a little somethin’ extra to tahini. However, you can sub any nut or seed butter. PB and sunflower seed butter work great as well.
Oh Heather, that is hilarious. I guess better you were a day early than late! (and btw…I love the words “one of Summer’s many possible suitors”. So cute.
Have a great day!!!
Well, I had said I was back and then I went off to Europe for three weeks…. whoops (recaps on my blog if you want to see some pictures). At least I’m back for a bit
(off again in a week).
Haha, loved the story. Better to be early than late, right?
And can I please come over for dinner? You and CD look like you’re the BEST host and hostess and cooks that anyone could ever hope for! 
<3 <3
Alexandra,
You’ve had quite the summer and please know you are welcome at our house for dinner anytime.
Oh, how hilarious! And how brilliant that what you made could be easily stored/kept or remade without stress. Almond cake, brussels sprouts, hummus… I think I want to show up at your house 24 hours early sometime too
Hannah,
Come on over!
Sounds ( and looks) like a delicious menu!If I ever make it to Nashville, I know where I want to got to dinner.hehe:-)cc
Clairerose,
You are welcome anytime.
HA! I love that you’re already matchmaking for her. It makes me wonder about my own mother’s motives.
haha. better to be a day early than late, i guess.
This honestly sounds like something Billy and I would do! At least you made something that could easily save til the next night. Hilarious, HEAB!
Poor you! At least Sunday was easy :0) I once took my girls to school on a ped day. I was so confused when I saw that the drop off was empty. Lesson? always dig in their school bags for notes sent home.
Haha sounds like something I’d do… that basil hummus looks lovely, though!
I love how you take it in stride. I would have been so mad with myself – mostly because there’s no way the cake would have survived the next day
I really, really, really wish I could be a dinner guest at your house. Yum.
That was too funny!! At least you were 24 hours early and not. I call that being extremely prepared!!!
Hahaha. I love it. I see absolutely no problem with being 24 hours early. Late is a problem. Early is just… reeeeeally excited. Now if we could come up with an excuse for non-preg fogginess. :-p
hahaha! I love when stuff like that happens. I think it must have happened at least once to my parents as well. nice save however
and that dinner look LOVELY as always..
I say it’s a good thing you were a day early. I guarantee the red beans and rice where even BETTER! Your guests were moaning with delight, huh!?
Haha! Oh gosh! Well, at least CD was in on it too! And I’m just imagining how great those red beans and rice tasted! Yum!
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