Good Enough to Eat (31 page)

She turns to go, and despite the fact that I want to go meet up with my friends, something makes me hesitate.

“Are you sure?”

“I just, I thought, it’s silly, but . . .”

I unlock the door and pull it open. “Come in.”

I turn on the light and she looks around. “It’s a really nice place.”

“Have you been in before?”

“No. But I read the article in
Time Out
a few weeks ago, and I’ve been meaning to come. I walk by all the time on my way to my sister’s house, she lives near here.”

“I see. Well, I’m glad you finally came in. I’m Melanie. What can I do for you?”

“I’m Beth. I, um, well, it’s just . . . usually I’m out of town with my family for the weekend of the Fourth, you know? My folks rent a place in Michigan, and we all go, but this year they didn’t, they went to Vegas instead, and my sister and her husband decided to go see some of their friends in the Dunes, and none of my friends even would think to call, because I’ve been declining barbecue invites for the Fourth my whole life, so I just, I have no plans, which is fine, except . . .”

“Except all you can think about is four days on the couch watching TV and eating everything in sight.”

She smiles. “Yeah. I know it’s stupid, but I thought if I came here and bought enough good food to get me through the weekend . . .”

“I know the feeling. On the one hand having no plans for a few days seems like such a luxury. But then you end up sopping up the dregs at the bottom of a gallon of mint chocolate chip with a Twinkie, and suddenly home alone isn’t such a good idea.”

“Rocky road.”

“Excuse me?”

“Rocky road, not mint chocolate chip. Was your mom fat or something? You seem to know a lot about how we think.”

“I was fat.”

“Yeah, right. What, like fifteen, twenty pounds? You’re tiny.”

“I was two-ninety at my heaviest, four years ago.”

Beth’s mouth drops open. “No way.”

“Way. I’ve been there, sister, bigger than you. And I know exactly what you are going through. So how about this. Let’s set you up for some good delicious healthy eating this weekend, and then maybe next week, if you want, you can come back and we can talk some more.”

“Really?”

I smile. “Really.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

 

 

“More bubbles?” Kai asks, shaking the bottle at me after refilling Janey’s, Nadia’s, and Daniel’s glasses.

I hesitate. “Go on,” Nate says. “I’m driving.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Kai fills my glass, and his own. “When do you leave?” he asks Nate.

“A week from tomorrow.”

“And when are you back?” Phil asks, plopping down at Kai’s feet. Kai starts rubbing his neck.

“A year. I’ll be back once or twice to check in with things here.”

“That’s a long time to be gone.” There is a world of meaning in Kai’s voice.

“True enough,” Nate says.

“That must be hard,” Phil offers.

“It’s what I know, it’s what I do. But yes. Sometimes it is harder than other times.” He reaches for my hand and squeezes.

“So what are you going to do about Melanie?” Kai asks.

“Kai!” Phil snaps his head around.

Nate laughs. “It’s okay, he has every reason to be protective. I tried to get her to come with me, but apparently she prefers hanging out with you in the kitchen to hanging out in a Moscow apartment waiting for me to come home.”

“Well, she’s no idiot,” I say.

Nate leans over and kisses me. “No, she certainly isn’t.”

“We’re not up for the long-distance commitment thing, so we’re taking a break. When Nate comes home, if neither of us is involved with anyone else and we want to see each other, we’ll see if we think that makes sense. In the meantime, friends.”

“Sounds like a very wise way to look at things,” Phil says.

“Hey, guys! It’s starting!” Nadia calls over, pointing straight over our heads, where the first flashes are appearing.

And the eight of us turn our faces skyward and celebrate independence.

Here are the basics, both the original decadent versions and the healthier Dining by Design versions of the central recipes from the book.

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Put in pot and cover with cold water. When water comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and cook until potatoes are tender. Mash with ½ cup milk and the sour cream. Add more milk to get the texture you prefer. Add melted butter and chives, and season to taste.

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Put in pot and cover with cold water. When water comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and cook until potatoes are tender. Mash with ½ cup milk and the sour cream. Add more milk to get the texture you prefer. Add melted butter and chives, and season to taste.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350°F. Line standard-size muffin pan with paper muffin cup liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted, and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in a second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, vinegar, and salt, and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg mixture, and whisk until combined. Sift about ⅓ flour mixture over chocolate mixture, and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then whisk in remaining flour mixture until batter is homogenous and thick.

Divide batter evenly among baking cups. Bake until a skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

To make the frosting: In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Using paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter, and beat mixture at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla extract and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

To frost cupcakes: Mound about 2 tablespoons icing on center of each cupcake. Using small icing spatula or butter knife, spread icing to edge of cupcake, leaving slight mound in center.

Boil pasta according to package directions. Heat milk and Laughing Cow cheese in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking as the cheese melts to combine. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and cheddar. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and stir in cooked pasta.

(if you are skipping the famous blue box)

 

Preheat broiler. Cook pasta according to package directions.

Heat butter in pan over moderate heat until foaming subsides, then whisk in flour, mustard, and nutmeg, combining for about 1 minute. Add milk and whisk to combine, heating and stirring until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cheeses until melted, add pasta, and season to taste. Pour into a baking pan and top with bread crumbs. Broil to brown bread crumbs, about 3 minutes, then serve.

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375°F.

Heat butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming; add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and add tomato juice. Cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan, until thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside to cool.