Tammy's Recipes

(Joshua's Grilled Chicken Pizza,
which we served to guests on Friday)

No matter how much I try to prepare in advance, there always seems to be some last-minute chaos when we're expecting company. I already know better than to plan a bunch of foods that require last-minute care, since I can't visit with folks while I cook without forgetting something important.

But somehow, usually a number of things conspire together to ensure that the floor isn't too clean, the dishes aren't all caught up, my clothes sport a few stains, and my humility level remains intact.

Friday was one such day. Guests were scheduled for 11:30am lunch.

Thursday evening about 9 o'clock, our neighbor knocked on our door and handed me several gallons of dark red sour cherries. She asked me if we could make her two pies with part of them. I appreciated the food, but was already envisioning the many hours of labor required to wash cherries, pit cherries, make pie filling, make pie crust, and assemble the pies.

I got the children off to bed (our summer hours are shorter on sleep than our winter ones!), washed dishes, and cleaned up the kitchen. I was feeling a little overwhelmed knowing that we had to be ready for company the next morning, along with doing up all the cherries (which looked like they wouldn't keep for more than a couple of days... and the next day was Sabbath!).

I went to bed about 1am, leaving a note for Joshua about the cherries and the next day's menu (pizza, fresh bread, cherry pie!).

My AMAZING husband got up early and started on my work. When I awoke at 7am, Joshua had ground flour and made two loaves of bread, made pie crust, and washed the cherries. We pitted the cherries (we both worked for about 1 1/2 hours to pit them all!), finished the pies (recipe coming soon), and then started on the grilled chicken pizza for lunch. My pies were filled too full and ran over in the oven, so I had to clean that before we could bake pizza.

Joshua and I worked as fast as we could all morning and at 11am we were starting to wipe down the table, take out the trash/compost, sweep the floor, etc. I was still in my cherry-spotted shirt and my hair hadn't been touched. As I stepped out the back door with the trash, our guests arrived.

Oh, well, I guess it's not like we're the only people who make a mess of the kitchen when there's work that needs done.

And it's a good thing we have company regularly... it gives me a sort of "deadline" and keeps me on my toes! :) Also: see Meredith's related thoughts here. :)