Weekend Wrap-Up: Happy Birthday Dad!

{Roasted bone marrow with croutons and a parsley salad}

Today is my lovely father's 55th birthday. Not only does the man not look a day over 40, but also he is one of the most caring, loving fathers out of anyone I know. Okay, I'm a little biased - but he really is one of the most awesome dads in the world. Ask my friends. He also is one of the most humble people I know - he insists that instead of taking him out to a fancy restaurant, that my sister and I cook a "low maintenance, home made meal." Of course since he is so special to us, we find ways to spruce up the annual birthday dinner. This year with roasted bone marrow, pork with a white wine cream sauce, white wine risotto, and garlic haricots verts.

 It may be one of the best meals that we ever threw together (and I may or may not have thrown in some cute pictures of my dad from childhood until now)...

I am an avid blogger, and I love to read blogs and articles about food food food. One of my dad's favorite dishes is Osso Buco - primarily because of the marrow that gets left inside the bone. I came across Anthony Bourdain's bone marrow recipe, and I have to admit, this recipe is fool proof: easy, delicious, and bright.

On top of that, we made our "famous" Parmesan-white wine-lemon-garlic risotto (Dad's favorite - similar recipe here but omit carrots and celery and add shallots), blanched haricots verts (green beans for all you less fancy folk) sauteed in a garlic butter sauce, and pork with a white wine cream sauce (similar recipe here but omit mushrooms and onion and replace with shallots and garlic). Serve with a nice bottle of Pinot Noir and large hunks of baguettes. This is one meal that you'll want to sop up.

Happy birthday, Dad!

{Bone marrow ready for consumption}

{We always pile around a little table, family style. It's semi-white trash of us, but it's so much more intimate than our large dining table.)

{Parsley, shallots, capers, lemon juice, olive oil - makes the marrow sing!}

{Bone marrow - cleaned out}

Now for the embarrassing photos of my adorable father:

{Can you believe this little guy is 55? This photo must be circa 1962.}

{Dad and I in Florence, Italy summer 2006}

{Dad cooking bacon at my grandma's house one summer - best dad ever}