Saturday, 8/28/2010

It's party day...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNIFER!!!

It is my mother-in-law's 60th birthday today.  Ben, Spencer, and I are throwing her a big party along with her friends Chris and Larry.  They graciously agreed to let us hold the party at their home in Oregon City, Oregon.  Thank you Chris and Larry!  After a delicious coffee cake breakfast, the three of us took off to run errands and prep for the party.  Katie got to stay behind for some Grandma time.  Maybe I should say, Katie stayed behind so that Grandma could have some Katie time:)

Our first stop of the morning was JaCiva's for the birthday cake--chocolate cake, chocolate mousse filling, and butter cream frosting.  Spencer forwarded a photo of the napkins we purchased for the party to be used as cake decoration inspiration.  They did a fantastic job matching the colors and overall floral theme.  The cake was quite yummy, although, I did eat too much in the end.  I planned on sharing my large corner piece with Katie, but then she wouldn't eat a bit.  So, I ate the whole thing by myself.  Later, Katie really did want cake and insisted on sharing it with me.  Yes, I ate a lot of cake tonight.  And yes, I had it with vanilla ice cream too. 

Once at Chris and Larry's home, we arranged flowers, decorated, arranged tables, washed potatoes, stuffed peppers, chopped rosemary, sliced citrus fruits, prepared appetizer dishes, and got ready for the wine and cheese tasting.  We were busy!  For the first two hours of the party, we served appetizers and had a blind wine and cheese tasting activity.  Yesterday we shopped for wine and cheese at New Seasons Market, located not far from Jennifer's home.  Ben did pairing research ahead of time and took his list of 10 wine and cheese combinations to the store.  He and Spencer did their best to pick out the right cheeses first.  Then, they talked with a wine steward who helped pick out the right wines to pair with the cheeses at the right prices.  After the wines were selected, the cheese expert was back from her break and helped tweak the cheese selections a bit.  In the end, we were under budget on wine and cheese and super pleased with the service we received.  Just so you know, if you buy a case or more of wine at New Seasons Market in one purchase, you get a 20% discount.  That is huge!

For the tasting activity, we covered the wine bottle labels and numbered them.  I made the cute covers:)  The cheeses that complimented each wine were cute into bite sizes and piled in front of the bottles.  We made a large poster that listed the wines and cheese in random orders.  If the guests were interested in participating in the activity, they could take a stab at guessing which wines and cheeses they were tasting.  I am very proud of myself for guessing 8 out of 10 wines correctly.  Unfair advantage you say?  Nope...I left Ben alone for his research and didn't pay any attention to the wine steward while he recommended the wines.  I'm just that good ;-) We purchased a wine glass for each person who said they were coming.  I made personalized tags to circle the base of each glass.  With 28 adults expected, we did our best to avoid wine glass confusion.  I think it worked well! 

We had quite a few appetizers to choose from.  Chris prepared stuffed jalapenos and a fresh veggie dish with a Peppercorn Parmesan dip.  I made a Hot Mango Chutney Cashew dip, a Spicy Lemon Veggie dip, and roasted elephant garlic.  Ben blanched a pound of sugar snap peas to go along with the veggie dip.  We served sliced french bread baguettes to spread the chutney cashew dip and roasted garlic on.  The dip recipes and peas I made are included at the end of this blog entry.

For dinner we made Pollo Pibil--citrus spice marinated chicken, roasted potatoes with rosemary, and our standard household spinach, mandarin orange, and goat cheese salad with balsamic vinaigrette on the side.  For the salad, we ended up using about a pound of spinach, 1 1/2 small cans of mandarin oranges, and a 1/3 of a pound of crumbled goat cheese.  Follow the imbedded link for the chicken recipe, previously posted on this blog. The potato recipe will be at the end of this blog entry too.  

At the end of the day, we feel like we threw a great party.  The guests enjoyed themselves and Jennifer had a wonderful time.  It was a lot of work, but TOTALLY worth it:)  

Jennifer, Spencer, Katie, Ben, and me

Here are the recipes:

HOT MANGO CHUTNEY CASHEW DIP- from my friend Taran


Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
3-5 tsp curry powder, depending on preference
1/2 cup hot mango chutney
1 cup chopped cashews, divided

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients, saving 1/4 cup of the cashews for later.  Spoon into a serving dish and top with the reserved cashews.   Spread on slices of french bread baguettes or similar bread. 

Notes: I doubled this recipe due to the high number of guests expected.  With the amount of food available, we ended up taking home one recipe worth of the dip.  I'm not complaining, but it is worth mentioning.  It is a rich dip. 

SPICY LEMON DIPPING SAUCE- from Alton Brown's cookbook "I'm Just Here for the Food, volume 2.0"

Ingredients:
2/3 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
Zest from one lemon, chopped fine
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and tarragon.  Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Notes: This really is a spicy dip.  The spice hit on the tongue is a bit delayed.  The recipe calls for 12 ounce of sugar snap peas.  I have found that you will end up with 2-3 times more dip than you need for 12 ounces of peas.  So, either have more peas available or make a smaller batch of dip.  

SUGAR SNAP PEAS- also from Alton Brown


Ingredients:
Heavy pinch kosher salt
12 ounces of sugar snap peas, trimmed and rinsed (approximately 4 cups)

Directions:
Bring 2 quarts of water and the salt to boil in a 4-quart saucepan, covered, over high heat.  Add the peas and cook uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.  Drain the peas and immediately plunge into ice water.  Drain and set aside.  The actual time of course will depend on the peas.  These aren't big ole green beans, and few things are as awful as limp sugar snaps.  So stay right with them as they cook.

Even if the dip is perfect and the peas are dead on, the dish will fail if the peas are wet.  Once they've chilled down, dry them well or the dip just won't stick...and that would be sad. 


ROASTED POTATOES WITH ROSEMARY- from the Safeway brand Produce Stand fresh rosemary package

Prep time: 10 minutes--for one batch;)
Bake time: 25 to 30 minutes

Ingredients:
2 pounds small (1 1/2 to 2-inches) red skin or White Rose potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, course type preferred
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Scrub potatoes, dry well and cut in half lengthwise.  Pour olive oil into a rimmed baking sheet into which the potatoes fit comfortably.  Heat in oven until oil is hot, about 3 minutes.  Swirl to coat pan and place potatoes cut side down in hot oil.  Sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until cut side is golden brown.  Remove from oven, turn with a spatula, sprinkle with rosemary and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Notes: We made approximately 9 pounds of potatoes for the party.  Thankfully, Chris and Larry have two ovens.  With two full baking sheets in each oven, the potatoes were ready in 30 minutes.  Be warned, the oil heats up quickly in 450 degrees and starts to smoke.  Keep your fan running when you open the oven door to reduce the risk of a smoke detector going off. 

Sunday, 8/1/2010

Mom and Dad left this afternoon. We can't thank them enough for everything they did around our house. Playing with Katie and Harlon, weeding the entire backyard terrace, picking blackberries and making a cobbler, washing endless dishes, helping with meals, unsqueaking Katie's bedroom door, babysitting, and homemade bread! We love you both:)

We enjoyed a tasty dinner with Jamie and Harlon. Ben grilled up barbecued chicken drumsticks, and I made a spinach, mandarin orange, and goat cheese salad. Here are a few photos from Jamie and Harlon's visit. Thanks for visiting friend!

Saturday, 6/12/2010

Wow, tonight's meal was FANTASTIC- easily the best meal I've had a long time. In May 2008, we went to an auction at our church to benefit a mission trip to Mexico. Along with our friends Laura and Bron, we purchased a dinner for 12 people at our pastor's home. He and his wife Lyn, well known to be a great cook and entertainer, offered an un(wine)d party where they promised to serve mojitos and arepas. An arepa is a bread made of corn, popular in both Colombia and Venezuela. We were not disappointed. So, here's what we had tonight:

Beverages: Mojitos- fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, tonic, rum, and mint. Wine and sangria were available with dinner.

Appetizer: toasted baguette slices, spread with cream cheese, and topped with a cherry, onion, jicama mixture. Lacking a better description, it was like a sweet bruschetta.

Dinner: grilled chicken breast that had been marinated in a heavenly orange-flavored marinade. A salad made of sliced naval oranges, jicama, and thinly sliced red onion. And, then, the arepas topped with: white rice flavored with onions and finely diced peppers, black beans, and an amazing salsa. I'm not sure what all went into the salsa, but it definitely had avocados, tomatoes, and onions in it. I helped to slice the avocados and tomatoes:) The flavor combination was soo good. I just can't say enough about how good it tasted!

Dessert: chocolate brownies with Full Tilt ice cream. Lyn and David offered us either coconut or salted caramel flavors. Ben had coconut, and I had the salted caramel. Both paired perfectly with the brownies.

Well, it goes without saying that we were quite stuffed when we left their house. But, it was totally worth it. We had a great meal with some of our favorite people. Thank you Lyn and David for hosting such a memorable evening!

EDITS FROM LYN:
Lyn, our wonderful cook, looked at my blog and sent some updates to the ingredients I listed for the meal she prepared. Here they are:

1. The mojitos were made with club soda, not tonic. And, they included triple-sec and lemon juice.
2. The cheese spread on the bruschetta was a blend of goat cheese and ricotta. Mint and cayenne were mixed into the cherry topping.
3. Dijon mustard is the special ingredient in the salsa. Good thing I didn't know that ahead of time. Mustard usually turns me off. But, I will embrace that I liked it in this dish!

Friday, 5/14/2010

I used another McCormicks marinade packet tonight- Tomato, Garlic, and Basil. I marinated four boneless, skinless chicken breasts for about 6 hours. They were grilled on Medium Direct heat for approximately 12 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark. They were perfectly cooked in my opinion; although, they didn't come off the grill very nicely. Big chunks of chicken were stuck to the grill grates. Thankfully it didn't affect the flavor!

We had a spinach, mandarin orange salad tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette. Most of the time we include goat cheese crumbles in this salad, but went without since we didn't have any. Katie ate one orange segment before dinner; so, I thought she would be willing to eat some more during dinner. She did eat a few, but not before squishing them between her fingers. What an orange juice mess. Then she decided it would be fun to hide pieces of orange and chicken on her lap. Oh, she sure likes to test her boundaries. We say "no, no" and she responds with "na, na". I know she isn't trying to mock me on purpose, but it sure sounds like it.

Sunday, 4/11/2010

Just realized, again, that today is Sunday. And, although I am sad that the weekend is ending, I am pleased to say that it concluded with a delicious meal. It even included a salad;) Here's what I made: Pan Fried Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Red Pepper Bacon Sauce, Caesar Salad, and Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies.


PAN FRIED PORK TENDERLOIN

1 pork tenderloin- cut and flattened
flour
kosher salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper
vegetable oil

Cut tenderloin into 1/2 in slices. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter, place a slice on it, and fold plastic over the pork. Using a meat mallet, flatten the slice of pork until it is approximately 1/4" thick.

Dredge each piece in a mixture of flour, salt, and peppers.

Heat oil in a medium pan (don't use non-stick). Put pieces of pork into the oil and leave alone until slight browning occurs. Turn and leave alone until slight browning occurs and pork is cooked through. You may need to do this step in batches. Move cooked pieces onto a paper towel covered plate until ready to serve and keep warm.

The pork was tender and moist, but lacked the crispy outside I hoped for. Next time I might try leaving more of the flour on or dunk the pieces in an egg bath before dredging in the flour.

ROASTED RED PEPPER & BACON SAUCE

1 1/2 cups jarred roasted red peppers, drained (10-ounce jar)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper

1. Puree red peppers, tomatoes, oregano, cayenne, wine, and oil in food processor or blender until smooth.

2. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes (took me longer). Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from pan and return to medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add red pepper mixture to skillet and bring to simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until flavors meld, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and half the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

I found this sauce recipe in a magazine- not sure which one. Credit goes to Patricia Lohrey of Port Ludlow, WA. It was intended to be a pasta sauce. We tried it with spaghetti a couple months ago and loved it! Seemed like it would go well with the pork tenderloin I had in the fridge. I ladled some of the sauce onto the plate, placed a couple pieces of pork on top, a little more sauce and then sprinkled with the remaining crisp bacon.

The caesar salad was one from the store...everything included. I just add more parmesan cheese and black pepper.

And, the Butterscotch Oatmeal cookie recipe came straight off the butterscotch chip bag. I started making them earlier this year when I realized it gave an option to use either vanilla extract or orange zest as flavoring. The orange zest gives them amazing flavor. Much more interesting than vanilla. They are now a household favorite!