I've found for larger dinner parties that I can't go wrong with Cook's Illustrated. My brother still has a subscription and I raid his stash at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also, I've had very good luck with Cooking Light. One of my best Christmas hams came out of one. Still, I am sj's mom in that I become so snappish cooking everything that anyone who offers to help is likely to get their head bit off. We've started to get a routine down, now, where my brother brings finger foods, the daughter brings a side dish, I'll do the main dish and veggie and a bakery pie. Less stress and still nummy.

It probably doesn't help that Mom's kitchen, or at least the cooking area, is super small and if you are even in there you truly are in her way. When I lived there I found it was less crazy to do last minute Christmas shopping than to try and help. Teacup Guy have talked about taking over the big Christmas Eve thing in a couple of years. I have no idea how Mom will be able to do it when she sells the house in the city and they're living in the beach condo full time, there won't be enough room for everyone. Of course, my family, being typical Rhode Islanders, will likely think it is too far to drive an hour to Worcester for Christmas Eve dinner.

Suzi, the proof that there are more obsessed sports fans than yourself

Yo! That is whack. Though I do know a family who named one child "Hudson" after Tim Hudson and another child "Maddux" after Roger Maddux.

Yo! That is whack. Though I do know a family who named one child "Hudson" after Tim Hudson and another child "Maddux" after Roger Maddux.

At least those are names. ESPN is not a name.

I don't like cooking, but i do like entertaining. My parents had people over a lot and liked getting together with friends. They belonged to what was called "Gourmet Club". Each month they would have a theme dinner and the hosts for that month would pick a menu and assign dishes to each couple. They had lots of fun with it and in ujsing us as guinea pigs--I remember egg drop soup practice, which went horribly wrong. Our house was always a big casual gathering place--people came over for Redskin games every week and my dad would make a big pot of chili.

I, on the other hand, am taking a break from having to cook every day. I made a big thing of green chile enchiladas a few days ago and have been living off that.

I have a love/hate relationship with dinner parties.

vw, thanks for apologizing, and no hard feelings on my account. If you would like me to, I'd be happy to write up something for your assignment.

And now, flickrspam from our trip to the zoo today: Old men in the village square [link]

The place was overrun by rabbits,http://www.flickr.com/photos/zonewombat/262969147/ and this poor guy was in the middle of silflay. He just hunkered down and let the kids pet him. [link]

Unfortunately, I decided to cut the day short after Mallory threw his sippy cup into the coati pen. Last I saw, the coatis were playing rugby with it.

Though I do know a family who named one child "Hudson" after Tim Hudson and another child "Maddux" after Roger Maddux.

I got my DH a set of magnet letters in Greek (they are really for kids) and the first thing he did was spell ZITO on his office door.

Suzi, are you still working on an assignment about funding sports but not arts in school? I've been trying to find an article my dad wrote about how sports and arts are similar, and I found this list of things the arts teach [link]

I don't like cooking, but i do like entertaining. My parents had people over a lot and liked getting together with friends. They belonged to what was called "Gourmet Club". Each month they would have a theme dinner and the hosts for that month would pick a menu and assign dishes to each couple. They had lots of fun with it and in ujsing us as guinea pigs--I remember egg drop soup practice, which went horribly wrong. Our house was always a big casual gathering place--people came over for Redskin games every week and my dad would make a big pot of chili.

Teacup Guy and I really want this kind of home someday.

I, on the other hand, am taking a break from having to cook every day. I made a big thing of green chile enchiladas a few days ago and have been living off that.

Other than last night, I really haven't cooked much this week at all. At the beginning of the week I made a huge baked ziti which we ate for three days and Wednesday I brough home leftovers from Mom's which we ate on Thursday. Even with sending some food home with Dave's family last night we have enough leftover for dinner tonight and enough appetizer type items to have one of our clean out the fridge night's on Monday. Sunday we're going to a craft/art show with my parennts and will likely eat out.

I like throwing parties, though I'm much more likely to have brunches than dinners.

I need to have one soon, in fact.

Oooh, I haven't had a good brunch get together in a long time. I actually like doing brunch better than a dinner party.