Eating at my Mum’s table is always a wonderful experience. Guests are greeted with warm hugs and beaming smiles and ushered into her beautifully decorated living room where they’re regaled with jokes from my Dad as Mums bustles about getting everything ready.
Last week was no exception. Our cold weather made its first appearance and when I arrived just moments before our friends Art and Donna, I made a beeline for the heater in the corner. Mmm, the house smelled so good! We took our seats around the table and started on a fresh green salad topped with candied almonds, dried cranberries, mandarin orange segments and a Raspberry Pecan vinaigrette.
Next Mum brought out steamy bowls of Red Lentil Dal and a basket of grainy bread that we slathered with butter and dipped into our soup. It warmed us up beautifully and we happily chit-chatted through second helpings.
Dessert was a marvelous rum-drizzled Hot Fudge Pudding Cake and we tucked into it whilst watching the delightful A Month By The Lake that had us positively DYING to go to Italy!!! If you haven’t seen pictures of Lake Como, click here to be whisked away to a place of stunning vistas, welcoming villas, and, well, George Clooney. That guy shows up everywhere! 😉
Does your Mom like cooking? If yes, what is your favorite thing that she makes?
Mum’s Dal Soup
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp.turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
4 cans diced tomatoes
1 cup dry red lentils
2 tsp lemon juice
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/4 cup coconut milk
Sea salt and ground pepper
Garnish: cilantro and lemon wedges
Directions:
- In a saucepan saute butter, garlic and onion until onion is transparent. Add spices and coo, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add lentils, lemon juice, vegetable stock, coconut milk and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25-30 min. until lentils are tender. Season with sea salt and pepper.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.
- Serve with warm naan bread.
Mum’s Hot fudge Pudding Cake
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. oil
1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 3/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup rum (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Sift together flour,baking powder, salt, sugar, and cocoa in a bowl.
- Stir in milk and oil. Add walnut pieces, stir well then spread in 9″ prepared square pan.
- In small bowl mix sugar and cocoa and sprinkle over batter.
- Over the whole thing pour hot water and bake 45 min. Cake rises to the top, sauce settles to the bottom.
- Drizzle with rum and serve warm with ice cream.
What great food! It is always wonderful to share such moments with friends.
Cheers,
Rosa
Sadly my mom is missing the cooking gene and yet she makes a delicious flaky pie crust. My childhood favourite to this day is lemon meringue.
This red lentil dal sounds fantastic! 🙂
Oh how I wish I could have joined you for that delicious supper. As for George Clooney, not sure if you saw my Nespresso post featuring him, if not I have a feeling you would enjoy it 🙂
http://lindyloumac.blogspot.com/2010/10/nespresso-italian-advertising-series-no.html
I think so too, Rosa! Nothing like a cozy evening with dear friends to cheer the soul. 🙂
Ohhhh, flaky pie crust sounds amazing, Val!! I would happily take a slice of your Mom’s pie any day! 🙂
Thank you, Zita! It’s my favorite “Mum soup” at the moment. 🙂
You would’ve been VERY welcome to join us, Lindy Lou. 🙂 Thanks for the link to the video! That’s great! 🙂
Your mom’s lentils are totally up my alley. I’m bookmarking this one. I bet it reheats well too – perfect to make on Sunday and eat all week. Sadly, my mom, while certainly a foodie, and a great hostess, isn’t very interested in cooking. I guess she has never had to be… my grandma was an amazing cook, my step-dad is an amazing cook, and well, I won’t say I’m amazing, but I do feed her well too!
Fabulous pictures!
It reheats beautifully, Katie! I can’t wait to make my own batch. 🙂 How fun to have so many fabulous cooks in your family! Heck, if I had that many chefs around me, I’d happily let everyone make scrumptious things for me too. 🙂
Thank you, Duchess! So glad you like them. 🙂
Looks like good cooking runs in your family, lucky girl! If you go to Italy, please stop by & see us in France – can promise you some home-cooking 🙂 enjoy your evening Krista!
My mother HATES cooking so whenever I go home to visit, I’m the one who has to whip something up. I would love to see the look on her face if I made her a red lentil dal (she’s a very unadventurous eater). It looks delicious!
It sure does, Tuula! All my brothers are fabulous cooks too! It’s always good eating in the Bjorn house. 🙂
I would LOVE to visit you!! Oh, that would make my day. 🙂 I will keep you posted if I get anywhere near you. 🙂
That cracks me up, Joanne. 🙂 Good for you whipping up delicious things for your family – whether they like them or not. 🙂 You’re the best!
Oh yes Krista, my Mom is a huge inspiration for my love of cooking, just about everyone in our family is a foodie at heart & tends to ‘bring something to the table’ so family dinners are loads of fun. My Mom’s speciality seems to be a lot of traditional comfort foods but she’s a wizz at bread & preserves – even the simplest of meals seems to have that extra touch because her pantry is filled with choices.
My mom used to cook but now my Dad does most of it! Looks like a great Fall meal, just right for the cool weather. 🙂
That is my kind of meal. Gorgeous and healthy!
Wonderful meal to share with the family. The red lentil dish looks and sounds amazing. As do the photos.
Beautiful, beautiful and beautiful again. What a great way to spend an evening.
rockin the mandarin oranges with that blue plate krista! wow! also loved the picture of the lady looking out from her veg stall in cozumel. and of course your cute, cute goddaughters. xoxo. (haven’t been here for awhile, i missed you!)
Can I pop round to your mum’s place for dinner?? Pretty please?! 🙂