Dinner for seven

Most of our good friends have teenaged children who we've known since birth and/or earliest childhood. Yesterday, two of them who are in college and home for a visit, decided to make dinner for Rik and I and their families. What a treat!

When we talked on Sunday about trying to get together during their visits home, we assumed it would be over food, but I expected to do the cooking. It totally surprised me these lovely young people wanted to be the chefs.

After much texting among the three of us, it all got figured out. I had rice paper wrappers, sweet chili sauce and other condiments on hand. They brought over vegetables, rice noodles, and tofu. While J taught himself how to use the mandoline in order to shred vegetables, A sliced and shredded and then began frying the tofu slices.

Banitsa

Hamentashen

The parents came over with A's younger sister (one mom had to leave and we sadly didn't get to see her other son). We ate homemade banitsa, more bread like than usual and no apparent cheese but so yummy, and Thai spring rolls (rice
paper filled with carrots, cucumbers, tofu, rice noodles, peanut sauce and chili sauce). I had picked up a bottle of sparkling apple juice to celebrate S/T and Rik's and my shared anniversary date.  I pulled out some Graeter's ice cream for dessert and we gobbled up the remaining hamentashen made by yours truly and J and his mom.

When your family of origin lives far away and you don't get to see your own niece and nephews frequently, it's especially wonderful when the children of friends step into that role. This is not the first time other people's kids have wanted to cook for us or spend time with us, just because they enjoy our company.

I call this "family of the heart."