the comedown

and now i am on vacation.

after almost a week of time with relatives, i am so thankful to have time back for myself. and then i think of all the people who are only by themselves and would love to spend time with relatives. the grass is always greener.

i had a great holiday spending time with loved ones but boy can those loved ones rub raw nerves. is that their purpose in life? to love you so much but continue to nag, suggest, impose guilt, blahblahblah? at what point do parents truly sit back and enjoy what they've created without asserting their parental rights, so to speak? is this everyone's cycle? i keep saying that if everyone was the same--thought the same, acted the same--it sure would be a boring world. it seems funny, then, that parents want children to be themselves but at the same time want them conform to family traditions, share similar opinions and points of view, follow their suggestions, blahblahblah. and as parents age they sure do get more stubborn. and as children age they sure do want the best for their parents. and the stubborness becomes a great challenge.

if anyone has any suggestions on how to become less affected by parents of all ages, i'm all ears.

until then here's a recipe for twice-baked aged goat cheese souffles with mixed greens

ingredients
1/2 pound aged (firm) goat cheese
4 large eggs
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
3/4 cup heavy cream

accompaniment: salad greens tossed with vinaigrette

preparation

preheat oven to 375°F and butter six 3/4-cup ramekins (3 3/4 by 2 inches). crumble goat cheese and separate eggs. in a saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes and whisk in milk. bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. remove pan from heat and add yolks, mustard, 1 teaspoon thyme, two thirds cheese, and salt and pepper to taste, whisking until cheese is melted. transfer yolk mixture to a large bowl.

in another large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until they just hold stiff peaks. stir one fourth whites into yolk mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites and remaining cheese gently but thoroughly.

divide soufflé mixture among ramekins and arrange in a large baking pan just large enough to hold them. add enough hot water to baking pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins. bake soufflés in middle of oven until slightly puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes, and transfer to a rack. let soufflés stand, uncovered, 30 minutes (soufflés will fall slightly).

lightly butter a baking sheet. run a thin knife around edges of soufflés. invert each soufflé onto palm of your hand and carefully put, right side up, onto baking sheet. soufflés may be made up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

increase temperature to 425°F.

in a small saucepan bring cream with remaining teaspoon thyme and salt and pepper to taste to a boil. remove pan from heat and keep cream warm, covered. bake soufflés in middle of oven until slightly puffed and heated through, about 5 minutes.

transfer soufflés to plates. Spoon 2 tablespoons cream over each soufflé and arrange salad decoratively alongside.