This picture is a few weeks ago and now this area is much more organized. But here’s the reality of the mess when my husband was hand mixing all the concrete for the floor.
Tonight my middle daughter is having the first birthday party she’s ever really wanted. So of course I have to make ton’s of food from scratch. Yesterday I made Marek’s lasagne, her favorite birthday meal for many years. It’s rather meat packed so hopefully not too many vegetarians are coming to the party. I canned Spaghetti sauce last summer, forty quarts plus some large quantities in the freezer. Marek made it even better but I try. Basically saute onions, carrots, summer squash( all homegrown and recently picked) and any other veggies you want; cook until browned a little- then add to a large pot with tomato sauce ( mine was from Dennis’s parents tomatoes) and some salted capers, hamburger if you want . Cook until all the veggies are soft then put through a food mill with a coarse blade.
Then layer sauce, Barilla lasagne noodles, white bechamel sauce, thinly sliced ham, noodles, sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, repeat these layers.
Then brownies, richest ever are the recipe from the Silver Palate Cookbook. Of course I also will make a cake. She want’s it with Lime green and purple frosting, but chocolate cake.
We’ll be firing up the wood fired 
brick oven and baking bread ( later post) tonight. This area built by my husband has become a great party area a boon we didn’t realize as it was evolving. It will later have a sink for processing veggies. Tables and storage for bread baking.
The party was a success and the food was all slurped up. It’s so fun cooking for people that EAT !