Rising To A Dinner Challenge

My sweet and inspirational RT friend, Missy, recently issued a dinner challenge that, for some strange reason, I couldn't pass up. She and her family were horrified by the Martha Stewart meal plan that involved this cauliflower and pasta recipe, so she offered this cookbook to the first person who made the dish and sent pictures of children actually eating the concoction. Personally, I didn't think it sounded half bad, and I suspected DD8 might actually be quite keen on it.

I was right :)

When DD8 saw the recipe on the counter, she gasped and said, "Are you going to make that?" When I answered in the affirmative, she said, "Oh, I can't wait!" When I took it out of the oven, she was there to exclaim, "Oh, Mom -- that looks soooo good! I can't wait to try it!" She served herself before I'd even had a chance to sit down and I had to make her wait so I could get the camera. Here's what it looked like fresh from the oven (the recipe didn't say to put it in the oven -- but I had to warm it up because I'd made it in advance):

And here's the proof that she really did eat it:

(BTW -- there were supposed to be other vegetables for colour on the plate -- but they boiled dry and when I set the pot on the glass cutting board, it exploded into a million shards!!!!! So, we skipped the colourful veggies!)

And this was the verdict:

She actually had several helpings!

DS3 was also anxious to try it:

And this was his response:

In fact, it's the only thing on his plate he actually finished!

Even DS11 liked it -- and he doesn't like vegetables! DD12 wasn't keen, and DH and I both thought it was rather dry and bland. I don't think I'd ever make it again -- at least not according to the recipe. I would have a wider variety of roasted vegetables (which I love!) and skip the bread crumbs. (Oh -- I used Ancient Grains crusts instead of the white sandwhich bread the recipe called for. But I just think the bread crumbs were unnecessary.)

Anyway -- the little challenge inspired me to get back at being a little more creative with meals. Lately, I've just been doing the last-minute-slap-it-on-the-table thing, and that's just not -- well -- very creative! I'd like family meal time to be memorable and enjoyable, and I think that takes a little more planning than I've been doing recently.

Do you have any favourite ways of making family meal time creative and special? Please share your ideas! I need some new ones!