So my dad's cousin Judy (whom I've never met) is in town today and I'm making dinner for her and her husband and my dad tonight. This is interesting merely because she will be only the second member of my dad's family I've ever met. He was an only child and both his parents died before I was born, so I'm a bit light on family on that side. Anyway, they're from Ohio and my dad wanted me to make something regional for them, so I'm making jambalaya (which is Creole, not Texan, but close enough).

Damn, jambalaya is a lot of work. I always forget how long it takes, what with the chopping and the browning and the dicing and the reducing and the baking and all. Whew. But I've got that mostly done and set aside for later, so all that's left is the green beans and potatoes and peach cobbler. Damn, how do I get myself into hosting these dinner parties for my dad?