I had to give up Cooper and Stacey today because of my dumb cold. Cooper Cuteness! I didn't want to make him sick, of course, sigh. I feel so much better today than yesterday, I hope this is a short-lived annoyance. I must be in good shape for tomorrow night's Slumber Party! Since John and Nathan are livin' large for a long weekend in NYC, I'm having my minxes (aka Kim and Suz!) over for dinner, Sex and the City, podcasting, popcorn, continuous chatting and cackling, and perhaps a little sleep. Can't wait!

I decided to make a light, colorful dinner, very feminine, and very much centered around vegetables:

Avocado dip with yellow and red bell pepper
Artichokes sauteed with ham
Roasted squash soup
Chicken paillards on a bed of diced vegetables (leeks, mushrooms, carrots, potato, and garlic) with pan juices and fresh herbs
Sheep's milk cheese with Honeycrisp apples and toasted pecans

Hey, there's no reason why we can't feel indulged while enjoying a meal packed with antioxidants, fiber, monounsaturated fats, and healthy protein. Woo hoo! Add a few sips of bubbly, a few sips of a nice pinot noir, on a lovely fall evening (it's supposed to be a stunner again tomorrow) and I'm seriously looking forward to preparing - and enjoying! - all of it! More details tomorrow...