Brownies & Caramelized Onions

No, not together. Eew! That would be gross!

But that's what's cookin' in the kitchen right now. Brownies in the oven and onions on top the stove. I'm preparing for tomorrow's dinner with friends. On the Menu: roasted pork loin, garlic mashed potatoes, zucchini & summer squash gratin and salad. Then double chocolate brownies and vanilla ice cream for dessert. I know fruit is plentiful right now BUT I WANT MY CHOCOLATE. So just step outta the way and let me have it!

Feelin' a little hormonal today, can you tell?

The caramelized onions are for the squash gratin. I'm reading "Turning the Tables: An Insider's Guide to Eating Out" by Steven Shaw and he talks about this dish which sounded SO good. I'm hoping mine looks as purty as the picture online. I don't have fresh thyme but I do have fresh everything else.

Okay, just stopped and took the brownies out of the oven (Ghirardelli Double Chocolate, did I mention?) and put the garlic heads in to roast. Didn't think it would be a good idea to do both at the same time.

I'm trying something new after the son and daughter-in-law suggested I try roasting garlic with balsamic vinegar and honey. I'm roasting two heads 'cause I need one for the mashed potatoes tomorrow and it sounded so good I figured I'd better have a second one to eat as a spread tonight :-) Nothing like freshly roasted garlic right out of the oven, slathered spread thinly over a thick slice of french bread.

Haven't really felt much like cooking lately, what with all the packing going on. But Shaw's book helped me get my cooking groove back on. At least for tomorrow.

Normally I'd make a fancier dessert for company but sometimes a girl just has to get back to basics. And there's nothing more basic than good Ghirardelli chocolate. I really do think my girlfriends who are coming to dinner will totally agree. And the hubbies will be too busy trying to out-pun each other to notice what I serve anyway.