I recently hosted (not catered) a small dinner party of 5 for my dear friend’s birthday. She has some strict food likes/dislikes as well as food allergies, so taking that all into consideration, I wanted to do something fun for her. Not wanting to be stuck in the kitchen when my guests were there, I needed to think of things that could be prepared ahead of time and/or could be finished quickly or reheated right before people arrive.
APPETIZERS
• Kale chips: Made the morning of the party: washed and dried well, flat kale leaves (no stalks!) tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Baked in one layer on low heat for a long time. Light, airy, crispy and salty. A great starter and conversation piece as they were served standing upright in a tall glass. *Caution*: Tough to eat in mixed company as they tend to get stuck in your teeth. Have toothpicks handy.
• Grandma’s Swedish Meatballs: Ok, so this was my version of Grandma’s recipe. And, frankly, they’re not classic Swedish meatballs, which are often in a cream sauce. These are actually sweet and sour meatballs. (I never did understand why she called them 'Swedish') My guests do not eat ‘beast’ so I used ground turkey. Earlier in the day I made a basic meatball recipe (ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg), formed them into tiny, single bite size meatballs. Baked in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes then transferred to a crock pot where the sauce was already waiting. Crock pot on low, these were ready and waiting for us once the party started 5 hours later. These were a huge hit.
• Cheese and Crackers: Yes, it’s more than ok to take some help from the store when having a party. 3 different cheese in varying textures and flavors – stinky, creamy, aged, etc. The plate was garnished with a mixture of dried fruit. *Note*: One of the smellier hard cheeses on the plate wound up in a little of the sweet and sour sauce on my plate. A delicious accident!
SALAD
Fresh baby spinach, dried cranberries and candied walnuts in a pomegranate vinaigrette.
Candied Walnuts
1 cup walnut pieces
¼ cup superfine sugar
Place both the walnuts and sugar in a dry, non-stick pan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until sugar has melted and walnuts are coated. Do not let burn.
MAIN COURSE
Chicken Pot Pie with a puff pastry crust (specific request by the birthday girl)
DESSERT
A giant cupcake-cake made by the same friend who made the chef’s hat cake to the left. We make a great team!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Gourmet Meal on a Budget
We’re all watching every penny we spend these days. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t eat healthy, gourmet meals. I, like many of you, do my staple shopping once a week, or even once every few weeks. I buy the same items to keep my fridge and pantry ready for many types of meals.
This week made Baked Shrimp Scampi with Oven Roasted Potatoes.
Items I already had in my pantry or fridge or were part of my staple shopping:
- Panko breadcrumbs (if you don't have Panko, regular dried breadcrumbs are fine)
- Butter
- Garlic
- Fresh rosemary and parsley (When staple shopping I buy parsley and one other fresh herb. Washed, wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in a zip top bag will keep for 1-2 weeks. Use any fresh herb you have on hand. Thyme, rosemary, tarragon, etc.)
- Salt/pepper
- Olive oil
- Lemon (When I do my staple shopping, I will buy 1-2 lemons and/or limes, depending what’s on sale)
What I had to buy:
Shrimp – I went with what was on sale. They were 25/30, peeled and deveined, which meant super easy prep! I bought about ¼ lb, which translated into 9 shrimp. For one person, this is perfect. Cost = $2.80
New Red Potatoes – 3 medium baby new red/waxy potatoes. Cost = $0.33
* Cut the potatoes in half and then again in quarters, creating bite sized pieces. Tossing with olive oil, salt, pepper and some chopped rosemary, the potatoes went into a 350 degree oven.
* Meanwhile, place the peeled and deveined shrimp (tails on) into a bowl with a little olive oil (to coat, ~ 1 Tbs), salt and pepper. Add ~1 oz white wine or good beer (I used an IPA beer)
* In a separate bowl, mashed 2 Tbs softened butter with the zest and juice of a half a lemon, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 Tbs chopped rosemary and about 2 Tbs chopped parsley. Slowly add breadcrumbs, continuously mashing/mixing until the mixture came together (~ ¼ - 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs)
* Place the shrimp into a shallow baking dish. Pour the remainder of the marinade into the baking dish over the shrimp and spoon the butter/breadcrumb mixture over the top of the shrimp.
* Add the shrimp into the oven (this should be about 15 minutes after the potatoes went in) and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. (Total cooking times: potatoes – 30 minutes; shrimp 15-20 or until breadcrumbs are lightly browned)
Serves: 1 (you could stretch this to serve 2 with a simple salad)
Total additional cost of meal (not including items already on hand): $3.13
This week made Baked Shrimp Scampi with Oven Roasted Potatoes.
Items I already had in my pantry or fridge or were part of my staple shopping:
- Panko breadcrumbs (if you don't have Panko, regular dried breadcrumbs are fine)
- Butter
- Garlic
- Fresh rosemary and parsley (When staple shopping I buy parsley and one other fresh herb. Washed, wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in a zip top bag will keep for 1-2 weeks. Use any fresh herb you have on hand. Thyme, rosemary, tarragon, etc.)
- Salt/pepper
- Olive oil
- Lemon (When I do my staple shopping, I will buy 1-2 lemons and/or limes, depending what’s on sale)
What I had to buy:
Shrimp – I went with what was on sale. They were 25/30, peeled and deveined, which meant super easy prep! I bought about ¼ lb, which translated into 9 shrimp. For one person, this is perfect. Cost = $2.80
New Red Potatoes – 3 medium baby new red/waxy potatoes. Cost = $0.33
* Cut the potatoes in half and then again in quarters, creating bite sized pieces. Tossing with olive oil, salt, pepper and some chopped rosemary, the potatoes went into a 350 degree oven.
* Meanwhile, place the peeled and deveined shrimp (tails on) into a bowl with a little olive oil (to coat, ~ 1 Tbs), salt and pepper. Add ~1 oz white wine or good beer (I used an IPA beer)
* In a separate bowl, mashed 2 Tbs softened butter with the zest and juice of a half a lemon, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 Tbs chopped rosemary and about 2 Tbs chopped parsley. Slowly add breadcrumbs, continuously mashing/mixing until the mixture came together (~ ¼ - 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs)
* Place the shrimp into a shallow baking dish. Pour the remainder of the marinade into the baking dish over the shrimp and spoon the butter/breadcrumb mixture over the top of the shrimp.
* Add the shrimp into the oven (this should be about 15 minutes after the potatoes went in) and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. (Total cooking times: potatoes – 30 minutes; shrimp 15-20 or until breadcrumbs are lightly browned)
Serves: 1 (you could stretch this to serve 2 with a simple salad)
Total additional cost of meal (not including items already on hand): $3.13
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Come On Baby, Give Me a Quiche
Growing up, I had a mixed relationship with quiche. The egg flavor was always so heavy that it overpowered any filling that was used. Even when I made it, I still had to choke it down knowing that I'd have a reward at the end (the crust, of course! Isn't that the best reason to eat any sort of pie?)
Then I learned how to properly whisk an egg. When most people make eggs, they barely mix the yolk and albumin (white) together and add it to the pan. Generally this results in dense, incredibly "eggy" eggs.
When 'scrambling' eggs, use a bowl big enough where you're not going to be afraid of overspill. Use a wire whisk and actually use the whisk to get air into the eggs. One tip is to tilt the bowl with one hand which will pool, or concentrate, the eggs into one 'corner' of the bowl. As you mix, gently lift the eggs. You know the cliche, "it's all in the wrist?" Well, it's wrong. It's actually all in the elbow.
That said, I just made a Kitchen Sink quiche chock full of leftover ingredients from my refrigerator. Here's how it went down.
I do take a little help with my quiche from Whole Foods - I buy an organic, frozen, deep dish pie crust. It's buttery, browns nicely and has a touch of sweetness that balances any savory ingredient I find to put into the pie.
I started with 4 slices of high quality, center cut bacon. To move things along, I cut it into 1/2" lardons before adding to a dry, cold pan. Over medium-high heat, the bacon cooked until brown. Removing the bacon with metal tongs, I let it cool while draining on paper towels.
Letting the bacon grease cool for about 10 minutes, I poured the grease into a glass jar to save for a later recipe.
In the same pan, I sauteed about 6 oz of sliced button mushrooms in the remainder of the bacon grease. I'd also dug up some fresh rosemary that was at the end of its life, which was chopped finely and added to the mushrooms (seasoned with salt and pepper.) Once the mushrooms were removed from the pan, the 10oz of baby spinach was added to the same pan in about 1 Tbs of olive oil. Once the spinach was sufficiently wilted and seasoned with salt and pepper, it was added to the mushrooms to let cool.
Once it was cool enough to touch, I gently squeezed the excess liquid from the mushrooms and spinach.
To the dry empty pie shell, the browned, cooled bacon was added. Then I sprinkled the mushroom, rosemary and spinach mixture over the bacon.
Earlier today I bought an intriguing cheese - a smoked, baked sheep's milk ricotta cheese. Delicious to nibble on but I thought it would enhance the smokiness of the bacon. About 1 oz was added to the pie shell (notice no egg has been added yet.)
Next I added a few handfuls of some shredded cheese that was in the refrigerator cheese drawer - an Italian mixture that includes Parmesan, mozzarella and Asiago.
Over the top of the mixture, I added 5 well beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper. Do not mix. My secret? Once the egg is added, I gently pour about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of skim milk into the egg. Still do not mix.
Add another scant handful of cheese.
Place the pie on a large baking sheet in case there's any overspill.
Bake ~30 minutes at 350 degrees or until it puffs up (think souffle) and the center doesn't jiggle when the pan is gently shaken.
I must say, I wanted to quiche this supper.
Then I learned how to properly whisk an egg. When most people make eggs, they barely mix the yolk and albumin (white) together and add it to the pan. Generally this results in dense, incredibly "eggy" eggs.
When 'scrambling' eggs, use a bowl big enough where you're not going to be afraid of overspill. Use a wire whisk and actually use the whisk to get air into the eggs. One tip is to tilt the bowl with one hand which will pool, or concentrate, the eggs into one 'corner' of the bowl. As you mix, gently lift the eggs. You know the cliche, "it's all in the wrist?" Well, it's wrong. It's actually all in the elbow.
That said, I just made a Kitchen Sink quiche chock full of leftover ingredients from my refrigerator. Here's how it went down.
I do take a little help with my quiche from Whole Foods - I buy an organic, frozen, deep dish pie crust. It's buttery, browns nicely and has a touch of sweetness that balances any savory ingredient I find to put into the pie.
I started with 4 slices of high quality, center cut bacon. To move things along, I cut it into 1/2" lardons before adding to a dry, cold pan. Over medium-high heat, the bacon cooked until brown. Removing the bacon with metal tongs, I let it cool while draining on paper towels.
Letting the bacon grease cool for about 10 minutes, I poured the grease into a glass jar to save for a later recipe.
In the same pan, I sauteed about 6 oz of sliced button mushrooms in the remainder of the bacon grease. I'd also dug up some fresh rosemary that was at the end of its life, which was chopped finely and added to the mushrooms (seasoned with salt and pepper.) Once the mushrooms were removed from the pan, the 10oz of baby spinach was added to the same pan in about 1 Tbs of olive oil. Once the spinach was sufficiently wilted and seasoned with salt and pepper, it was added to the mushrooms to let cool.
Once it was cool enough to touch, I gently squeezed the excess liquid from the mushrooms and spinach.
To the dry empty pie shell, the browned, cooled bacon was added. Then I sprinkled the mushroom, rosemary and spinach mixture over the bacon.
Earlier today I bought an intriguing cheese - a smoked, baked sheep's milk ricotta cheese. Delicious to nibble on but I thought it would enhance the smokiness of the bacon. About 1 oz was added to the pie shell (notice no egg has been added yet.)
Next I added a few handfuls of some shredded cheese that was in the refrigerator cheese drawer - an Italian mixture that includes Parmesan, mozzarella and Asiago.
Over the top of the mixture, I added 5 well beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper. Do not mix. My secret? Once the egg is added, I gently pour about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of skim milk into the egg. Still do not mix.
Add another scant handful of cheese.
Place the pie on a large baking sheet in case there's any overspill.
Bake ~30 minutes at 350 degrees or until it puffs up (think souffle) and the center doesn't jiggle when the pan is gently shaken.
I must say, I wanted to quiche this supper.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Breakfast at Tiffany's
While nobody I know can afford to shop at Tiffany's anymore, the film Breakfast at Tiffany's has long been my favorite. From the style and grace of Audrey Hepburn to several memorable quotes, including this classic.
"You call yourself a free spirit, a "wild thing," and you're terrified somebody's gonna stick you in a cage. Well baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself."
I know the movie so well I can explain the difference between "the blues" and "the mean reds" and I still wonder sometimes if you can grow so tall by "gorging" oneself on peanut butter.
But there is a mystery to this movie for me. In the famous opening scene, as Holly Golightly's walks down 5th Avenue at 6am, I often wonder, "What is she eating?" Obviously she has a cup of Street Cart coffee, but what is that pastry? Is it a simple butter croissant? Is it a chocolate croissant? It's not a bagel with shmear, that much I know.
Because this movie exudes class and sophistication to me, I've always dreamt it was a chocolate croissant.
As I sit here this morning in my decidedly unglamorous life, sipping my NYC coffee and eating a chocolate croissant, I think of Holly Golightly and silently thank her for making slightly crazy and neurotic seem simultaneously romantic and simply a passing fancy.
"You call yourself a free spirit, a "wild thing," and you're terrified somebody's gonna stick you in a cage. Well baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself."
I know the movie so well I can explain the difference between "the blues" and "the mean reds" and I still wonder sometimes if you can grow so tall by "gorging" oneself on peanut butter.
But there is a mystery to this movie for me. In the famous opening scene, as Holly Golightly's walks down 5th Avenue at 6am, I often wonder, "What is she eating?" Obviously she has a cup of Street Cart coffee, but what is that pastry? Is it a simple butter croissant? Is it a chocolate croissant? It's not a bagel with shmear, that much I know.
Because this movie exudes class and sophistication to me, I've always dreamt it was a chocolate croissant.
As I sit here this morning in my decidedly unglamorous life, sipping my NYC coffee and eating a chocolate croissant, I think of Holly Golightly and silently thank her for making slightly crazy and neurotic seem simultaneously romantic and simply a passing fancy.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Look What a Snow Day Cooked Up
Buried under 10” of snow and piles of work, that trip to the grocery store never happened. “I have nothing in the house.” Sound familiar?
Digging through the pantry, the cogs in my brain start shaking off the dust. Dried mushrooms, chicken stock, hey! Is that some Arborio rice behind the Great Northern Beans? It is! Suddenly, dinner takes shape in my mind.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
~1 oz. dried wild mushrooms (Chanterelle, Shitake, Trumpet, etc.)
4-5 cups chicken stock
1 medium shallot, chopped finely
1 large garlic clove, minced
¾ cup Arborio Rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1/3 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Place chicken stock in a small pot. Add dried mushrooms and bring stock just to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms. Let mushrooms cool and chop.
Turn heat back on under chicken stock to low and keep warm.
In a large, high sided skillet, heat 2 Tbs olive oil over medium to medium high heat.
Add shallot and cook until softened. Add garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant and soft, about 30 seconds.
Add Arborio rice, stirring until all grains are coated with the olive oil.
Add wine and stir constantly until wine is absorbed.
Add stock, ¼- ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly between each addition until absorbed. (Tip: If using a wooden spoon or Silicone spatula to stir, as you’re stirring, pull the spoon or spatula down the center of the rice. If the liquid immediately pools back to the center of the pan, keep stirring. If the liquid does not ooze back immediately, it’s time to add more)
Continue this process until the rice is opaque and creamy (you may want to taste for texture) ~ 18 minutes total.
Add in reserved reconstituted mushrooms, stir to combine.
Stir in butter. Once melted, stir in parmesan cheese.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 2.
A wonderful, cozy meal when you’re snowed in. Or any day! Bon Appetite.
Digging through the pantry, the cogs in my brain start shaking off the dust. Dried mushrooms, chicken stock, hey! Is that some Arborio rice behind the Great Northern Beans? It is! Suddenly, dinner takes shape in my mind.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
~1 oz. dried wild mushrooms (Chanterelle, Shitake, Trumpet, etc.)
4-5 cups chicken stock
1 medium shallot, chopped finely
1 large garlic clove, minced
¾ cup Arborio Rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1/3 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Place chicken stock in a small pot. Add dried mushrooms and bring stock just to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms. Let mushrooms cool and chop.
Turn heat back on under chicken stock to low and keep warm.
In a large, high sided skillet, heat 2 Tbs olive oil over medium to medium high heat.
Add shallot and cook until softened. Add garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant and soft, about 30 seconds.
Add Arborio rice, stirring until all grains are coated with the olive oil.
Add wine and stir constantly until wine is absorbed.
Add stock, ¼- ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly between each addition until absorbed. (Tip: If using a wooden spoon or Silicone spatula to stir, as you’re stirring, pull the spoon or spatula down the center of the rice. If the liquid immediately pools back to the center of the pan, keep stirring. If the liquid does not ooze back immediately, it’s time to add more)
Continue this process until the rice is opaque and creamy (you may want to taste for texture) ~ 18 minutes total.
Add in reserved reconstituted mushrooms, stir to combine.
Stir in butter. Once melted, stir in parmesan cheese.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 2.
A wonderful, cozy meal when you’re snowed in. Or any day! Bon Appetite.
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