A Birthday Dinner
To me, birthdays never were that big of a deal. I think life passes us by like a moving picture, not in blocks measured by 365 day increments. Celebrating milestones is one thing, but I don’t feel it’s necessary to make a big fuss about another year I’ve circled the sun.
That being said, my birthday fell on a Sunday this year. And what better excuse for a Sunday Supper than your very own birthday.
I love cooking. I think it’s a vitally important part of life that many of us have unfortunately pushed aside in lieu of other activities. I know that it is important for my physical health, and for the health of my handsome roommate, but it’s also something that helps keep me grounded. Even though it might feel like a chore sometimes, there’s nothing more therapeutic than letting the day fade off to some rhythmic chopping.
And if you’ve ever cooked anything you enjoyed eating, you know that there are few things more rewarding than to savor each bite of something you created. What might be even more rewarding, however, is watching others enjoy those bites.
To me, a perfect Sunday will usually involve the roasting of a chicken. You have the little bit of extra time it takes, your house will smell incredible, and you end up with one of the most comforting meals to close the weekend with. You also will have some great leftovers- just waiting to make your busy weeknights a little easier.
The only thing better than leftovers is sharing that chicken with a few good friends. So that is what happened on the day that marked my twenty-seventh year on this earth- we had the perfect birthday dinner. And it was pretty satisfying.
A lot of people dread birthdays, thinking somehow that turning a year older is a thing to fear or be unhappy about. But if you really had the choice, would you choose to be eighteen forever? Just think back to some of the decisions you made at that time.
Age is wisdom, is all I’m saying.
Plus, getting older is the single thing that all of us humans have in common. No one is exempt, so why not relish all the extra knowledge those days have provided you with?
The truth is, when you share a meal with good people, the food isn’t even all that important. When it happens to be delicious, that’s just a plus.
I think a bit of self congratulating is in due order on your very own birthday, ok?
But I either have made friends who are excellent at faking satisfaction, or this birthday supper was pretty satisfactory. I hope it’s the latter.
Every time I make a chicken, my husband says that it’s the best one I’ve ever cooked (smart guy). At that rate, I’m really looking forward to the one I’ll cook when I turn twenty eight.
Recipes:
Oven Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of potatoes, washed and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- few pats of butter
- few sprigs of rosemary
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- salt and pepper
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Add all ingredients to an oven proof dish. Toss to coat.
3. Cover dish with tin foil and place in oven for about 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, remove foil from dish and give potatoes a stir.
5. Continue to roast potatoes, uncovered, for an additional 30-40 minutes. Check periodically to stir and make sure no one is getting too crispy.
6. Optional: finish potatoes under broiler to get them nice and crispy.
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