Inauguration and the big dinner (pics and video)

Yesterday was a big day for everyone, not just in the United States… but all around the world. All I had to do was consult my facebook to see people from various parts of the world express their joy, relief and happniness to see yesterday come and go. The end of the Bush era (or error, take your pick) and the beginning of the Obama administration. I watched the inauguration with complete joy, watching someone who many know will do a better job and be a much better leader become the leader of the free world. It was an amazing event, and despite a few hicups and some really boring religious ‘prayers’… it was a historic event that I am sure many will remember for a long time.

To celebrate the beginning of the Obama administration and especially the end of the Bush years, I put together a great dinner for everyone here at home to celebrate like everyone else was. I posted a menu of what I had planned in my previous entry, but I had to make a few last minute changes. Leah didn’t like the selection I made for the soup, so when I went to the grocery store to pick up fresh buns for the Bruschetta Bread, I picked up a new soup that I know was more to her liking. The Duck was very intimidating, I never had cooked one before but I was eager to give it a try. And I have pictures and this time even a video of what I was doing, check it out:

Believe it or not after that video I decided not to put anything into it. Instead, I took a brush and coated it down with canola oil and then sprinkled a ton of lemon pepper onto the bird. Yet I did stab about a few dozen tiny holes into it with that knife, and a whole lot of grease and fat leaked to the bottom of the pan when it cooked as a result. A ton of it. I did a lot of research online to find out the right (and easiest) way for me to cook a duck while taking care of two boys at the same time. I found this amazing video on you tube and this was the way I went with cooking my duck. Basically the cook in the video said cook the duck at 500 degrees for 40 minutes, and then cook at 350 degrees for an additional 50 minutes. He said by cooking it this way and at these temps, you wouldn’t have to baste it. I followed the instructions perfectly, and the bird turned out all right. Here are some pictures of that dinner and myself preparing it:

(Picture of my duck, pre-cooked.)

(This is the bowl I used for my new soup, I think it’s a good hint to what I decided to make…)

(This is the buttermilk squash risotto cooking on the stove…)

(Here is a picture of the Duck, post cooking. It came out dark, Crispy and very tasty…)

(Here is the first course: French Onion Soup and Bruschetta Bread.)

(And the main course: Roasted Duck with the Risotto and steamed veggies…)

The meal turned out better than I thought it would… and like the video said, the Duck was juicy and very tasty all without a single basting. That was wicked! So that’s how the family and myself celebrated the inauguration. I hope everyone else enjoyed the day well. So that’s it for now, everyone take care and I’ll be around…

Peter