Hi.... Happy Monday.. and Happy Day before St. Patrick's Day...  I am IRISH you know....  yep..  

I love that...  knowing that I am Irish..  I even have green eyes..  

anyway, I digress..  

what a rainy wonderful weekend..   we really have needed the rain..  I think I actually saw my lenten roses grow and inch in front of my eyes..  wonderful....

so last week I was pulling out of my driveway on Monday evening on my way to one voice chorus rehearsal ...  anyway... the neighbors on both sides of us, Veejay and Veena and Ashook and Meera,  were at the bottom of the drive.. chatting..  Being spontaneous ..as I am sure you are figuring out..  I stopped and asked if they would like to come to dinner Friday night.  You see we do go back and forth to each others homes for dinner and parties.. (my christmas party) and well..  I feel like i am invited to their homes more frequently than I have them to mine.. soooooo  I took the opportunity and asked..  Well, Yes they all said.. yeah...  and they would get to see Daddy before he leaves for florida at the end of march....  Oh did I tell you that both sets of neighbors are Indian, India , Indian????  Yep.. and they are so wonderful..  I love going to their places for dinner cause I get real Indian food.. so good... so delicious..  I am tempted to learn to cook Indian but, I have them so......  

anyway. 

They are Hindu and subsequently, Vegetarians..   So, it is always a fun challenge to cook for them, cause We are Irish and therefore meat and potatoes kinda people..   I called Ariel, my photographer friend and asked if she would like to come..  She had enjoyed meeting them at my christmas party and thought she would like to share a meal with them and us..  

I go to rehearsal and guess what????   They sprang an extra rehearsal on us... Friday night..  so afterwards I called everyone and apologized profusely about changing the plans but, could they come Saturday night instead????   Veejay and Veena.... yes....  Meera and Ashook .... NO... dratit..  and Ashooks birthday was sunday night and so...  another time..  Ariel ... yes..  so all was a go..  Pallavi, Veejay and Veena's daughter is a really good friend of mine and cohort..  and she could come too..  A DINNER PARTY WAS PLANNED..  

oh....  now to figure out the menu..  hummmm  

well, after writing several hundred ideas down .. (that is how I figure out my menus)  I came up with: 

EGGPLANT TOWERS 

RED PEPPER SOUP 

MUSHROOM RISOTTO