i had a blue, blue blue blue birthday

Hey, ya gotta be in a Christmasy frame of mind to get that title!
Keep in mind that I'm an Elvis fan...
and that I just gave the yuletide clue...
that's correct!
I'm talkin' 'bout "Blue Christmas"!
It seems particularly appropriate for my birthday during this time of pandemic...
perhaps even more so when I'm talkin' 'bout the Blue Apron gifts...
received from me, myself, and I - hahahaha! hahaha!
And, surprisingly, the number of those chef kits was the same as the number of coffee mugs that were also given by me, myself, and I!
What a cool coincidence!
I promise, that was not done on purpose!
I only just now realized that.
Also, since the first box with a coffee mug will be used for the first time on the 11th...
and the next coffee mug will first have coffee on the 12th...
then the sixth mug will be filled on the 16th!
Get it?
That makes these memory keepsakes even more special for my birthday62!
But, hey, let's get back on track, shall we?
I was talkin' 'bout some fancy meals for celebratin' this time in my life!

I've already waxed rhapsodic about the Grilled Cheese on Sourdough with Pear Salad.
Because of that one meal, I know keep slices of gouda around so I can treat myself to grilled cheese wraps - yum!

The second chef kit was for Seared Salmon & Sweet Chili Sauce, served with brown rice and sauteed carrots and sugar snap peas.
That one was made on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, when my birthday is 'gettin' started'.
(smile!)
That was all so very yummy!
Well, all except those peas - I'll leave them out in the future.
Too many strings involved!
The rest was enjoyed post-kissing!

The third, and last chef kit from my pre-birthday week was supposed to be Seared Chicken & Goat Cheese Sauce - nah, the cheese was not used.
It was also supposed to have Mashed Potatoes - nah, I served those beauties quartered!
The Carrot-Pepper Agrodolce was perfect just as it was!
I even ate it with chopsticks!
No, it was not according to the recipe, but it, and the second meal, was exactly as I wanted!
(smile!)

Then came my birthday week!
I've already spoken of the Seared Salmon Over Farro chef kit that I ate as brunch on my Birthday Eve.
(How'd ya like that Pharaoh pun? Pretty nice, right?)
I'm glad I'd thrown in some extra carrots - I do so love having lots of veggies in my meals!
The second meal from that kit made a lovely picnic lunch three days later.
What an absolutely lovely piece of fish, even without labneh!

Chef kit #5 boasted Italian-Style Chicken & Zucchini with Pesto-Pepper Rice, only it didn't quite work out because of the shipping mishap.
The zucchini had been trashed, so I sauteed carrots and broccoli - magnificent substitution, especially with a bit of the parmesan and Italian seasoning sprinkled in!
But my favorite had to be the pesto rice with those bits of sweet piquante peppers - bellisimo!

That was so nice, I had it twice!
The same is true for the sixth chef kit, too, the one I wrote all about a few days ago.
I can still taste that center-cut sirloin steak, cooked medium rare as Blue Apron suggested - so tender!
And those garlicky gnocchi and the scallion-kissed green beans - a meal for a queen!
No, make that two meals for a queen, from that single kit!
Now, what new chef kits to order?
(smile!)