Ringing in the New Year

Last night we had a wonderful dinner with good friends to ring in 2016. The theme was a “Kicked-up Retro New Year’s Eve”. Here’s the menu card I typed up to place on each dinner plate.

We started with a cocktail after everyone arrived. My daughter recently attended a cooking class and brought me copies of the recipes to try. She highly recommended this drink made with a ginger liqueur called The Big O . It’s available locally at Friar Tuck’s. Of course, the name piqued my interest. Here’s some background on this O-riginal spirit:

The Big O Liqueur

The cocktail is an homage to the author, Ernest Hemingway, who loved a good drink. A famous quote attributed to him is “I drink to make other people more interesting”.

Hemingway’s Birthday

Brut Champagne
Bourbon (we used Woodford Reserve)
Big O Ginger Liqueuer

Fill a tall champagne flute with champagne. Add a splash of bourbon and Big O Liqueuer. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving.

With drinks in hand we moved to the dining room. For this special dinner we got out the vintage 1950’s Royal Jackson Margaret Rose china that was Kevin’s parents’ wedding china. The factory burned down years ago, but he’s been able to find serving pieces and additional place settings on eBay.

I’d assembled the appetizers earlier in the day and had poured on the bourbon and popped the half batch of stuffed mushrooms in the oven about 30 minutes before everyone was to arrive. A new Ikea store opened in St. Louis in September and when we went to check it out in November, I picked up some of their famous frozen Swedish meatballs and some packets of their gravy, Graddsas. That fit this menu perfectly. The meatballs only took a few minutes to heat in the microwave and I had the gravy sitting on the stove on the warmer burner, ready to go. The last of the trio of appetizers was a take on Bubba Hiers’ Crab Martini. I bought Uncle Bubba’s Savanna Seafood cookbook several years ago and had always wanted to make this fun appetizer because we found some miniature martini glasses on one of our weekend trips and they would be perfect for a small serving. Crabmeat is at a premium these days, so I cut it down to 1 lb. of lump crabmeat (Sam’s club carries it) and added about half of the mayonnaise, just to moisten the ingredients.

Maker’s Mark Stuffed Mushrooms

12 whole medium size baby Portobello mushrooms
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Maker’s Mark Bourbon
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a medium-size bowl in the microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds. Remove and chop the mushroom stems and add the to the bowl with the melted butter. Add the onions, garlic and parsley and mix well. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top of this mixture, then add bread crumbs, sour cream, salt and pepper and stir until well blended. Arrange the mushroom caps, hollow side up, in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle a small amount of bourbon in each cap then fill each generously with the stuffing. Sprinkle the tops with Parmesan cheese. Add just enough Maker’s Mark to cover the bottom of the dish and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Uncle Bubba’s Crab Martini

12-15 fresh asparagus spears
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2-3 small tomatoes, diced
juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
1 lb. lump crabmeat, picked clean of shells
1 lb. claw crabmeat, picked clean of shells
lemon pepper and seasoned salt to taste
lemon wedges
Old Bay Seasoning, for garnish
Pimento stuffed olives, for garnish

This recipe makes 4 to 6 large martini glass portions or at least 8 smaller portions. Blanch the asparagus by placing the spears in boiling salted water for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove immediately to an ice water bath to halt cooking and preserve the fresh green color. Drain the asparagus and pat dry with paper towels. Trim the tough bottoms from the asparagus and discard. Trim the top 2 inches off and reserve for garnish. Finely chop the remaining asparagus. Combine the chopped asparagus with the mayonnaise, mustard, tomatoes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Gently fold the crabmeat into the asparagus mixture and season to taste with the lemon pepper and seasoned salt. Place a tablespoon or two of the Old Bay Seasoning in a shallow dish. Run a lemon wedge around the rim of a martini glass and dip the rim into the Old Bay. Repeat with the remaining martini glasses. Divide the crab mixture evenly among the glasses.
I used a cocktail pick to spear a lemon wedge, sideways asparagus spear and an olive then laid it across the top of the crab mixture. I plan to have the remainder of the crab tomorrow evening when some friends who could not make it New Year’s Eve because they were out of town are coming over to help us eat the leftovers. I’ll try to remember to take a snapshot to post then. It’s visually appealing and equally tasty.

For the soup I made a recipe from the Pensacola Junior Service League’s cookbook, Some Like it South!

Tomato Bisque

2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes (may use 2 lbs. fresh tomatoes if you like)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp. butter
1 bay leaf
1 heaping tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsps. finely chopped fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried basil
2 whole cloves
1 tsp. salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups half and half
1 cup milk
chopped fresh chives or whole Italian parsley leaves for garnish (optional)

Sauté the onion in butter and add tomatoes (fresh or canned), bay leaf, sugar, basil, cloves, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are thoroughly cooked, about 25 minutes for fresh, less for canned. Remove bay leaf and cloves and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Puree and strain (I skip the straining part because I like the fuller texture). Alternately, use an immersion blender to carefully puree the hot mixture until smooth. Add the cream and milk and heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with chopped chives or float a single large parsley leaf on top of the soup. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 servings.

For the salad we had a chopped iceberg and romaine mix topped with heirloom cherry tomatoes, sliced hard-boiled eggs, cucumber slices and the homemade croutons. The dressings I made last night were served in a tri-bowl serving dish that we passed at the table. It was easy to sample one or all of the dressings.

The main course had been baking in the oven while we had the appetizer, soup and salad. I prepared the tomato relish earlier in the afternoon and we reheated it in the microwave just before plating the meatloaf. The tomato relish is awesome and really made the dish. I’ve never been a big meatloaf fan, but I definitely would make this again. It was moist and flavorful and very colorful. I could not believe that the grocery store was out of ground pork when we went shopping, but not to be deterred, I used my new meat grinder attachment and ground my own from a nice piece of pork butt. It yielded about two pounds and I only needed one so I made a pound of seasoned pork sausage using a spice blend I picked up at the Dutch Market on our trip in November in anticipation of receiving the grinder in the mail any day.

Tyler Florence’s Dad’s Ultimate Meatloaf

I have the Morton’s Steakhouse cookbook and knew that their Macaroni and Cheese would be the perfect side for the meatloaf. The cavatappi noodles are a elbow macaroni on steroids and add some whimsy to the usual standard pasta used for mac and cheese. The blend of cheeses is delectable and the bread crumbs result in a crunchy topping.
Morton’s Macaroni and Cheese
We needed a vibrant green period-authentic vegetable, so we went with creamed spinach. Here’s Robert Irvine’s recipe which was easy and very flavorful. Rather than steam the spinach, we pan sautéed it in batches, then pressed the excess liquid out in a colander before proceeding with the recipe. We actually refrigerated it in the covered serving bowl until I prepared the sauce then added it back in to reheat. This worked really well and saved some time as we prepared the courses at dinner time. I did not get a picture of the final plating but can recreate it tomorrow night when we do a repeat of this dinner.
Robert Irvine’s Creamed Spinach
I was disappointed with my rolls because I have a habit of preheating the oven to 170 degrees then turning it off then placing the shaped rolls in muffin tins in the oven to rise. I forgot to turn the oven off this time and the rolls dried out and deflated a bit, taking on a bit of a pruney appearance. They tasted just fine, but the texture and look was not up to my usual standard. I apologized but our guests had no concern for appearances and ate them all without hesitation. The bread basket was completely empty at the end of the meal. So much for appearances!

After dinner we paused a bit for conversation and after-dinner liqueurs then had some of the fabulous Junior’s cheesecake topped with some lightly sweetened sliced strawberries. I came out very pretty, even if I say so myself.

More Beautiful Berries!

Today we picked up some really nice strawberries and I knew immediately what I wanted to do with them. I also picked up fresh baby spinach and feta cheese crumbles. The rest of the ingredients I had at home. One of my favorite summer salads is baby spinach with strawberries, candied pecans, feta cheese and poppy seed dressing. I haven’t ever made poppy seed dressing so I hunted through my cookbook library and found one that used a raw egg – it sounded intersting, but it made a large amount and I wanted to start with a small quantity. Finally I found a recipe in the Colorado Cache Cookbook put out by the Junior League of Denver and modified it slightly. I had some fresh Goshen Market spring onions that I used in placed of a small onion. The onion counterbalances the sweetness of the dressing for a nice contrast of flavors.

Poppy Seed Dressing

3/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 large spring onion (or 3 small) white part only, minced
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk thoroughly until the dressing is thickened and emulsified. Serve immediately and refrigerate any unused portions.

Here’s the salad recipe. We had some leftover Souvlaki Chicken from last night’s dinner, so I sliced the kabob cubes and added them to the salad to make it our entree. It would be equally good served meatless as a starter or side salad. This recipe makes 2 large main course salads.

Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 of a 5-ounce package Baby Spinach
1 cup fresh stawberries, cleaned and sliced in quarters
1/2 cup pecan halves (or purchased candied pecans)
2 ounces Feta cheese crumbles
4 ounces diced/sliced cooked chicken (or more)
Poppy Seed Dressing (recipe above)

Evenly divide the spinach leaves between two serving plates. Top each plate with 1/2 of each of the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with Poppy Seed Dressing and serve immediately. This is a really refreshing Summer salad. If you’re not a fan of fruit in green salads, give this one a try. It may win you over!

St. Louis Food Day Shopping Trip

We set out at 10:00 this morning, jumped in the van and headed to St. Louis with our daughter, our niece, Chelsea and her husband Austin for a food shopping adventure. We wanted to take them to some of our favorite food destinations. The first stop was the historic Soulard Market, operating since 1779.

http://www.soulardmarket.com

It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies and a temperature near 50 – pretty unusual for a Saturday in January. As we passed by the market buildings looking for a parking space, we saw that a lot of the meters had been bagged as no parking zones and the street was blocked by a pickup and a trailer that was carrying a large horse. As we waited for it to move, we realized it wasn’t a horse, it was a camel! Turns out there was a special event and a petting zoo was setting up on the market grounds. We navigated around the trailer and snagged a parking spot not far from the north entrance. In keeping with a family tradition, we stopped first at the mini donuts stand for some hot donuts right out of the fryer. We got a dozen assorted mini donuts and passed the bag around as we walked through the wing. We did a walk about, checking produce and prices then returned to the booths we thought had the best quality items for the best prices. We bought apples, pears, grapes, zuchini, spinach, portobello mushrooms, focaccia bread, Greek butter, cheeses, potatoes, a small cantaloupe, a strawberry ooey gooey butter cake and one chocolate-and-bacon-topped cronut, which we managed to split five ways. From there we drove over to Gus’s Pretzels and got a snack – Pretzels dogs, Pretzel Bratwurst and Pretzel sticks with cheese sauce. Gus’s is a landmark stop in St. Louis and there is nothing like a fresh hot pretzel that’s just come out of their ovens. Yum!

Gus’s Pretzels

The next stop was The Hill for Italian groceries and lunch. We stopped at Urzi’s then Vitale’s Bakery to get some cookies for Grandma K. We walked over to Volpi, described on their website as “America’s oldest and most prestigious manufacturer of hand-crafted, authentic Italian meat products”.
We picked up some luganiga, a prosciutto end piece, genovese salami, olives and a chunk of mild capicola. A couple of blocks over we shopped at DiGregorio’s then ended up at Viviano’s to pick up the last items on the list. We decided on Amighetti’s for lunch. Amighetti Special and Little Bit of Italy Sandwiches, salads, fresh bread and pasta filled us up. Back in the van we motored over to Kirkwood where we wandered up and down the aisles picking up international items to try. We could have spent all day there , but we made our selections then headed back east for the last stop at Randall’s Liquor Store to check out the discount beverages. We found a few interesting bottles to try then headed home. Everyone collected their purchases of the day and we planned to do this again another day. After putting all of the groceries away I started working on supper. There were thawed bay scallops in the refrigerator and some leftover cheesy grits so it came together quickly. We bought a HUGE bag of fresh baby spinach so I decided to repeat a recipe I tried earlier this week that I actually came up with myself. I am terribly cookbook-dependent, but this combination sounded really appealing.

Sauteed Spinach with Balsamic Vinegar and Bacon

2 slices thick cut bacon
1 small shallot, sliced about 1/8′ thick and separated into rings
2 tablespoons Pomegranate-Quince White Balsamic Vinegar
1 9-ounce package fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
salt and pepper to taste

In a large non-stick skillet, fry bacon over medium heat until almost crisp. Remove and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Allow to cool. In the same pan, quickly sauté the shallot until it is tender and just begins to carmelize.
Pour the vinegar in the plan and stir into the shallots to deglaze the pan.

Put all of the spinach in the pan and stir occasionally to coat the leaves with the shallot-bacon-grease-vinegar sauce. Cook only until all of the leaves are evenly wilted. Crumble the cooked bacon on top of the spinach and stir to mix. Serve immediately.

I seasoned the bay scallops with Hawaiian Red Sea Salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper and pan seared them in butter for a few minutes, just until they were cooked through. To present the meal, we spooned the creamy grits on each plate and divided up the scallops and spinach. A good meal to top off a great day!

Dinner Before the Show

We invited some friends over for dinner before we all go to see The Book of Mormon at the Peabody tonight. I baked a Cream Cheese Pound Cake yesterday. I’ve posted the recipe previously under Heart-Shaped Bundt Cake that I make for Valentine’s Day. This time I baked it in the traditional NordicWare Anniversary Edition pan. I plan to serve slices topped with some fresh thin- sliced, lightly sugared strawberries and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

We’re going to have Corn Pancakes with Smoked Salmon for an appetizer. That recipe is available on the Christmas Open House posting. It felt funny making only a single batch when I usually make six times as many. We’ll have a simple red leaf lettuce salad with Mandarin oranges, walnuts and Raspberry Vinaigrette – this is my favorite go-to vinaigrette using a different flavor vinegar.

The main course will be Shrimp and Grits topped with a sunny-side up egg from a recipe we found on Epicurious:
Shrimp and Grits

I love Red Lobster biscuits and found a really close recipe in the Food Network Magazine:

Almost Famous Cheddar Biscuits

The recipe recommends portioning 1/4-cup drop biscuits. I used my 1/4 cup measuring cup to give them a more uniform shape. I mixed the garlic butter ahead of time and will re-melt it in the microwave just as the biscuits come out of the oven and brush them with the flavored butter when they are piping hot . They are resting in the refrigerator on parchment paper until we’re ready to put them in the oven.

Our friends are on their way and I have the slow-cooking yellow stone ground grits on the stove. I had three cups of water and whisked in the 1 cup of grits and thought it would never be enough for four people. The recipe instructs you to add water if it gets too thick. This pot of grits is like Audrey in The Little Shop of Horrors. It keeps growing and I can almost hear it saying “Feed me!” when it needs more water.

We set the table…..

Our guests were detained so by the time we got to the main course, I didn’t want to delay the meal taking photos. I’m sorry there are no pictures, but the Shrimp and Grits recipe is a keeper. The slow cooked grits really are better than quick cook or instant. We had a quick dessert and then got on the road to make it to the theatre on time.

Countdown to 2015

We’ve opted to avoid the crowds and revelers and cook at home tonight as we wait for the ball to drop in Times Square to usher in 2015.
There are some nice Yukon Gold potatoes in the pantry. The Deen brothers have a Recipe that will do nicely. I’m substituting Swiss Cheese for the Gruyere and cutting that recipe in half. We’re going to try to swear off of potatoes in the new year and don’t want too many leftovers.

Three Cheese Potato Gratin

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Next I sliced mushrooms, onions, and Brussels Sprouts to prep for the side dishes.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions

I sliced the Brussels sprouts about a quarter inch thick instead of halving them. It gave the dish a nice texture.

Finally, Kevin cooked the skirt steak using a piping hot cast-iron skillet and Michael Symon’s recipe. It was really simple and fast and surprisingly tender and flavorful.

Michael Symon’s Grilled Skirt with Mushroom Gravy

Everything came together nicely and we enjoyed a fashionably late dinner by candlelight.

Here is wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2015!

Christmas is Cancelled!

Sorry! Posted incomplete by accident when shifting the iPad to a table. Here is the full post.

Merry Christmas to everyone! Yesterday afternoon I received a phone call from my Mom. At first I could barely hear her voice and I chalked it up to a bad connection. We hung up and I called back. The signal was better, but she still did not sound like herself. She was sick 😦
Fever, chills, sinus drainage and icky over all. Our Christmas Day family holiday had to be cancelled. Aside from not feeling well, she did not want to pass this sickness on to anyone else in the family (thanks Mom!). We quickly regrouped and planned to delay our family celebration until Saturday to give her time to recuperate.
We proceeded with our Christmas Eve dinner with Kevin’s Mom and our daughter while our son worked on duty protecting the country at his Air Force Base in Florida. This year’s Christmas Eve meal just didn’t come together smoothly. Our 5-pound prime rib had not completely defrosted and still registered a cool 60 degree F. internal temperature after an hour and a half in the oven. Much to my dismay it had not completely defrosted after 48 hours in the refrigerator. It ended up in the microwave roasting for the rest of the way to a 140 degree internal temperature. It was not the medium rare that we expected. It was more like medium. I forgot to put sour cream on the grocery list, so we ended up with bottled horseradish sauce instead of my favorite home made version. Kevin wanted Brussels sprouts and had picked some up at the grocery store. When I pulled the bag out of the refrigerator I observed that they must have had their growth stunted because they were miniature in size and a bit mealy on top of that. I cleaned them up and roasted them, but the pile that resulted was not enough for 4 people. Canned green beans to the rescue. We just used the balsamic glaze made for the Brussels sprouts on both of the green vegetables and it sufficed. At long last dinner was ready and we went to the table and ate, pondering what we could make for our Christmas Day meal as we had not been planning to cook. We had used all of our potatoes, mushrooms and milk and there was no fresh meat in the refrigerator. We found a beef tenderloin portion in the freezer, sweet potatoes and asparagus. A plan began to form.
This morning we went to pick up Kevin’s Mom to join us. The nurse aide reported that she woke up not feeling well and had asked to stay in bed and skip breakfast. They let her sleep in a bit, but then encouraged her to get up, bathe and get dressed. She was in the process of getting dressed when we arrived. With watery eyes, she insisted that she did not want to put us out or have us spend our day taking care of her. Despite her protests we, dabbed her tears, put her coat on and headed to the car. We had not eaten breakfast and she hadn’t either. We needed something light to tide us over so I pulled out a can of crescent roll dough, brushed the triangles with a little melted butter, sprinkled on some cinnamon sugar, and dotted the dough with some caramel balls. I carefully rolled them up and baked them for about 10 minutes. Voila! Instant pastry!

Next I started on lunch. Kevin found a recipe for poached tenderloin that sounded like an easy preparation. We substituted vegetable stock for beef stock (we didn’t have any in the pantry) and it turned out very nicely, It was a little more done that we prefer, but was still very tender and tasty.
Here’s Claire Robinson’s recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/beef-tenderloin-with-port-sauce-recipe.html

We prepared the asparagus very simply, tossed with some Sesame-flavored olive oil and sprinkled with coarse salt and pepper on a roasting pan, baked at 400 degrees F. for about 20 minutes. We warmed the soup leftover from last night’s dinner and it was just enough for everyone to have a small bowl.
This recipe comes from the Junior Auxiliary of Vicksburg, MIssissippi, the Vintage Vicksburg cookbook.

Elegant Fresh Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup butter
4 cups green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons flour
5 cups chicken stock
3/4 to 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced, reserve a few for garnish
1 1/4 cups light cream

Melt butter, add onions, salt and pepper. Cover and cook very slowly for 10 minutes being careful not to let the onions brown. Remove from heat and stir in flour. When smooth, add the stock. Return to heat and stir until soup boils. Add the mushrooms to the soup and cook about 10 minutes more. Transfer soup to a blender and carefully blend until nearly smooth. Use caution as the hot liquid can pop the lid of the blender and cause burns through splatter – cover the lid with a towel. Return to the cooking pan and add the light cream. Heat until hot, but not boiling. Before serving garnish with the reserved mushrooms. Makes about 6 to 8 servings.

The salad consisted of some iceberg lettuce, candied walnuts, Craisins and Mandarin Oranges dressed with a Pomegranate-Quince Vinaigrette. I used a recipe given to me by my friend Carol, many years ago. It is my go-to home made dressing. It is very versatile and the flavor can be subtly different depending on what type of flavored vinegar you use. Here is the original recipe. Thanks Carol!

Carol’s Vinaigrette Dressing

1 cup salad oil (may use olive oil if you prefer)
1/2 cup wine vinegar – Red Wine or Raspberry Vinegar are very good
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. celery seed

Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk until emulsified. Toss with lettuce or spinach of your choice. May use nuts, avocados, mandarin oranges, strawberries, or blueberries or any combination that appeals to you.

Amanda made the sweet potatoes from this recipe she found on Pinterest:
http://carmelmoments.com/maple-whipped-sweet-potatoes/

With everyone helping in the kitchen the meal came together quickly and for not really planning anything ahead of time it turned out really well and we all enjoyed it.

Greek Appetizer

Dinner is at 5:00 p.m. tonight so I’ve been working on the first courses this morning. First up was Spanokopita, or spinach pie. This requires filo dough which can be made from scratch, but I prefer to buy the ready-made variety. It save a WHOLE lot of time. Even at that, it took me about an hour to make the filling and assemble this dish, but it is well worth the time.

Spanokopita

3 pkgs. frozen chopped spinach
1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup large curd cottage cheese
salt and white pepper to taste
6 eggs
3 sticks butter, melted
1/2 lb. filo dough (or more, if preferred)

Place a colander in the sink, line with a flat weave kitchen towel (like a tea towel) and place the spinach in the towel. Pull the ends of the towel together and twist the bundle until you have squeezed as much liquid out of it as possible. Transfer the spinach to a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a small non-stick frying pan, melt the butter and sauté the green onions until softened. Add the sautéed green onion, the feta and cottage cheeses and the salt and pepper and mix well. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Fold the beaten eggs into the spinach mixture. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. One at a time, brushing each one with melted butter, layer the sheets. Use about 10 sheets altogether. Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the pastry sheets without mashing it down. Top with about 10 more individually -buttered filo sheets, making sure to thoroughly butter the top sheet. Refrigerate the pan for about two hours (or more). This solidifies the butter and makes it easier to cut. Remove from the refrigerator after chilling then score into squares with the tip of a very sharp knife, but take care not to cut all the way through to the bottom. Bake the pita in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about an hour or until a light golden brown. After baking, place on a wire rack to cool and finish cutting through the scored sections before serving. Do not cover the pita while it is cooling or it will get soggy. The goal is to have flaky, crispy layers sandwiching the spinach filling Here are the assembly photos. You’ll have to wait to see the finished product after it’s baked this afternoon!

A Taste from the Hill – Italian Dinner

Tonight we had a special dinner for my sister and her husband, who recently celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary. They and their two children and my niece’s fiancee were our guests. We had talked about several themes for dinner and they chose an Italian Dinner, a taste of The Hill. We are fortunate to have The Hill neighborhood nearby in St. Louis where there are several grocery stores and bakeries that carry imported and domestic Italian foods. Yesterday we made a trip to The Hill and picked up the items we’d need to prepare the dinner. We went to DiGregorio’s to get the meat. There you take a number and the counter staff fills your order. There wasn’t a very long line and I didn’t get much time to peruse the cases before our number was called. I asked first for 1/2 pound of ground pork. The man helping me went around the L-shaped counter and disappeared. Several minutes went by and it seemed like it was taking a long time. I kept browsing the cases and when I went around the side cases, he was grinding the pork to order. It doesn’t get much fresher than that! Here’s tonight’s menu:

Bellini Cocktail
Antipasto Platter
Italian Wedding Soup
Caesar Salad
Sicilian Meat Roll
Baked Gnocchi
Sicilian Carrots
Easy-to-Do Tiramisu
Peach Panna Cotta

Moscato, Coffee, and Ice Tea

The cocktail recipe was taken from one of the Frugal Gourmet’s cookbooks. He was one of the early public television TV Chefs. In fact, I think I have all of his cookbooks. The cookbook is the Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian. I also used his recipe for Italian Wedding Soup. The cocktail recipe is for a single serving.

Bellini Cocktail

2 ounces peach nectar – I used Kern’s
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 ounce peach schnapps or peach liqueur
3 ounces Prosecco, dry Champagne, or Asti Spumante, chilled

In a tall fluted Champagne glass, add the peach nectar, lemon juice and peach schnaps/liqueur. Top off with the bubbly. Enjoy!

The Antipasto platter was made of purchased meats and cheeses. We picked up Volpi Genova Salami, mild cappacola, Asiago Cheese, marinated artichokes, marinated olives, hard-boiled eggs and marinated boconcini (small fresh mozzarella balls).

After the appetizers, we sat at the dining room table which we’d set with Royal Jackson China.

The soup was the next course. I used the Frugal Gourmet’s recipe, but I make the meatballs smaller, teaspoon-size instead of tablespoon-size and I add Acini Di Pepe pasta.

Italian Wedding Soup</strong>

For the meatballs:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
salt and white pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1-pound head of escarole, washed and coarsely chopped
12 cups Chicken Stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Acini di Pepe pasta
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Mix the milk and bread crumbs together in a small bowl and allow to soak for 5 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl along with the soaked bread crumbs. Mix together thoroughly with your hands. Line a cookie sheet or cake pan with a piece of parchment paper. Using a small scoop, form teaspoon-size meatballs, rolling with your hands to round the shape. Refrigerate the meatballs while making the soup. Heat a 4- to 6-quart stock pot and add the tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced garlic. Sauté quickly, only about 30 seconds, so as not to burn the garlic. Add the escarole and sauté for 5 minutes, or until it wilts, stirring constantly. Be careful not to let it burn. Add the chicken stock and simmer gently, covered for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the Acini di Pepe pasta and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer. When barely bubbling, carefully drop the meatballs into the soup, but do not stir After about a minutes, when the meatballs have firmed up, carefully stir the meatballs. Poach for 6 to 7 minutes but do not bring back to a full boil to avoid breaking the meatballs. Serve in shallow bowls with Parmesan cheese as garnish.

Salad followed the soup. the Caesar salad is actually a Mexican recipe, not Italian, but it is frequently served with Italian food.

Caesar Salad

1 tsp. minced garlic
1 stick of celery, cut in chunks
1/2 of a medium onion, cut in chunks
1 2-ounce can flat anchovies, with their oil
3 whole eggs
several turns of fresh black pepper, about 1 teaspoon
2 cups canola oil
1 tablespoon Accent
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
croutons
additional Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on salads

This recipe uses raw eggs and should the dressing should not be consumed by pregnant women or others who might be at risk eating uncooked eggs.
The recipes makes 3 to 4 cups of dressing and should be refrigerated promptly. Any portion not used within 24 to 48 hours should be discarded.
In a blender, add garlic, celery, onion, anchovies, pepper, Accent, sugar, mustard and lemon juice. Pulse until the mixture is blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend. Remove the center of the blender lid and slowly pour the canola oil into the mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese and blend for another 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer the dressing to a sealed container. Place the lettuce in a serving bowl and pour dressing on to desired consistency. Add croutons at the last minutes to keep them from getting soggy. I tossed the salad tonight then put it on individual chilled salad plates.

The main course took some time to assemble. The recipe came from a cookbook published by the parish I attended as a child in St. Louis. Some Sicilian Meat Roll recipes use cuts of steak, but this one is a little easier and uses hamburger. I made two rolls because I wasn’t sure one would be enough. The recipe is for a single roll.

Sicilian Meat Roll

1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. oregano
3 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 slices cooked ham, thinly sliced
2 cups (8-ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese

Mix the ground beef with the above ingredients except for the ham and cheese and knead until well blended. Spray a half-sheet pan or jelly roll pan lightly with non-stick spray. I took a sheet of parchment paper and drew a 10 x 16 inch rectangle on it so that I could get the correct size and thickness for the roll. Pat the mixture onto the parchment paper, making it as even as possible. Arrange the ham slices on top of the meat, overlapping the pieces and leaving a border about an inch wide on all sides. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of the ham. Roll the meat like a jelly roll, lifting the parchment to help in the process. Roll the meat onto the prepared baking pan, seam side down, tucking in the ends to keep the cheese from leaking out as it melts during baking. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. allow the meat load to set for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into 1/2 to 1 1/2-inch slices.

I used Rachel Ray’s recipe for Sicilian carrots, but doubled it. Here is her single-batch recipe. There were exceptionally good!

Sicilian Carrots</strong>

1 1/2 lbs. carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal about 1-inch thick
3 oil-packed anchovies, mashed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven at 425 degrees F. Place the carrots on a large baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt, until evenly coated. Roast in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Toss with the anchovy sauce and parsley and serve immediately.

Giada diLaurentis has the recipe for Baked Gnocchi in her Everyday Pasta cookbook:

<strong>Baked Gnocchi</strong>

2 17-ounce packages potato gnocchi
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
12 ounces baby spinach
3 ounces fresh goat cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the gnocchi in a 9 x 13-inch pan lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cream, chicken broth, and flour over medium heat. Continue whisking until the sauce is simmering and thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and stir to combine. Add the spinach and toss to coat in the cream. Pour the cream and spinach mixture evenly over the gnocchi and gently spread the spinach out to cover. Crumble the goat cheese over the spinach. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is golden in places, about 30 minutes.

We had a trio of desserts. We were at Vitale’s Bakery yesterday and picked out some Italian cookies. I did not have time to bake several different varieties, so we picked some up. I did make Paula Deen’s Peach Panna Cotta and Easy-to-Do Tiramisu from the Better Homes and Garden’s Specialty Magazine. This made a pretty plate and a sweet finish to a good meal.

Easy-to-Do Tiramisu

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup hot strong coffee
2 tablespoons Amaretto
2 tablespoons Hazelnut Liqueur (Frangelico)
2 8-ounce cartons mascarpone cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 3-ounce packaged ladyfingers
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
fresh raspberries
chocolate-covered espresso beans, for garnish

For the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup sugar and the water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in coffee, amaretto and hazelnut liqueur.
For the filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the mascarpone cheese, the 1/3 cup sugar and the vanilla. In a chilled mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. fold 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. To assemble: Arrange half of the ladyfingers in a 9 x 9-inch square baking dish. Brush with half of the syrup. Spread with half of the filling. Arrange the remaining ladyfingers on to of layers in the pan. Brush with the remaining syrup. Spread with the remaining filling. Sprinkle with the cocoa powder. I keep some in a metal shaker for dusting. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours before serving. Garnish each serving with the raspberries and chocolate-covered espresso beans. Makes about 16 servings. This is very rich so consider serving in small squares.

Paula Deen’s Peach Panna Cotta

Super Bowl Brisket

Sunday was the Super Bowl. I think a lot of people have forgotten (or based on the run away outcome, would like to forget it) already. We aren’t big sports fans, but we do like to watch the spectacle for the commercials and the half-time show. Of course, this gives me an excuse to make Super Bowl Food. This year I planned to do a Slow Cooked Brisket, Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole and Teriyaki Green Beans with Chocolate Molten Center Cakes for dessert. I got the brisket recipe from my Mom, who made it as an extra entree at Thanksgiving. It was so tender and delicious I asked her to give me her recipe. She had found in a church-published cookbook and it was submitted by Jackie Luetkemeyer. Thanks for sharing Jackie! I picked up a 9 lb. brisket at Sam’s Club, cut it in half and froze the other half for another day.

Bar-B-Que Brisket

1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic salt
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. onion salt
2 tsp. ground pepper
2 tsp. celery salt (or celery seed)
1 4 to 5 lb. Beef Brisket or Chuck Roast

Mix all ingredients together and rub into both sides of brisket. Bake in a heavy, closed foil container on a baking sheet or pan. (I used a heavy roasting pan and sealed it tightly with aluminum foil.) Bake at 225 degrees for 8 hours or overnight. Pour off most of the liquid, saving about 1/4 cup or less. Refrigerate to cool in the same pan. Slice thin (about 1/2-inch slices) and return to pan. Add the Brisket Sauce (recipe follows) and bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes just before serving time.

Brisket Sauce

1 cup sugar
1 cup of your favorite Barbecue Sauce
1 cup of bottled Russian Dressing

Mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate if made ahead of time.

This is a tried and true recipe that is a standard at potluck dinners and family gatherings. If you have never had these delectable cheesy potatoes, you need to give them a try. The crunchy cornflake topping is wonderful and adds a little saltiness to the dish. If you’re concerned about the fat, use reduced fat cheese and light sour cream.

Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 lbs. frozen hash brown potatoes
1 medium onion, diced in 1/4-inch cubes
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese
1 16-oz. container sour cream
1 can cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup

Topping:
2 cups crushed corn flakes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the 1 stick of butter in a large mixing bowl in the microwave on high heat for about 30 seconds, or until completely melted. Mix all ingredients, except for the topping, in the bowl with the melted butter. Transfer into a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish. In a separate bowl, melt the remaining 1/2 stick of butter. Add the crushed corn flakes and stir to coat. Sprinkle evenly on top of the hash brown mixture. Bake for 45 minutes until browned around the edges and bubbling.

We love green beans, just about any way you can fix them. Much to my dismay, I found my pantry void of green beans when I started fixing supper. I was determined not to have to run out to the grocery store, so I went to my bulk-size storage shelf and pulled off a 6 lb. 5 oz. can of Del Monte Fancy Cut Green Beans. I drained them and used about 1/3 of the can which would be the equivalent of about 3- 15 oz. cans. I’ll use that as the measure for the recipe.

Teriyaki-Style Green Beans

6 slices bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup Ponzu sauce
3 15-oz. cans Fancy Cut Green Beans, drained
1 5-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Fry the bacon in a large, non-stick skillet until browned, but not crisp. Using a slotted spoon, removed the bacon and drain on paper towels. Drain off some of the bacon grease, leaving about 2 to 3 tablespoons, or enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Put the water chestnuts in the pan and heat through, stirring gently. Remove the water chestnuts to the plate with the bacon. Put the brown sugar and Ponzu sauce in the frying pan and stir until the brown sugar is melted. Add the green beans to the pan, stirring to coat with the Ponzu-sugar mixture. Heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bacon and water chestnuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Lastly, there was dessert. I am still working on preparing every recipe in the Cocotte Cookbook and this time, it was chocolate cake. I only had half as much bittersweet chocolate that the recipe called for, so again I substituted what I had.

Chocolate Cocottes with Molten Hearts

3 ozs. bittersweet chocolate
3 ozs. milk chocolate
1 1/2 sticks butter
4 medium eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
zest of 1 orange
cocoa powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour 4 mini cocottes (or 8-ounce individual round baking dishes). Baker’s Joy no-stick spray also works well. Use a double boiler, or place a bowl over a saucepan of boiled water to melt the chocolate and butter together. Stir until well blended, then set aside to cool to room temperature. In a stand mixer bowl, using the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs, then beat in the sugar a little at a time. Continue whisking until the eggs have tripled in volume and are a pale yellow (about 4 minutes). Fold the beaten eggs into the chocolate mixture, gently blending until incorporated. Sprinkle the flour into the mixture, little by little, mixing until well blended. Add the orange zest, but reserve a few strands for garnish. Place the baking dishes on a rimmed baking sheet and divide the batter among the four prepared cocottes. Place in the oven, uncovered, on the sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The batter will rise higher than the rim of the dish. You can tell they are done when you jiggle the baking sheet and the centers don’t move. Dust the tops with cocoa powder and decorate with the remaining orange zest. Serve immediately while warm. Sorry, we ate them before I took a picture!

Pickled Beets for Beet Lovers

My family has always loved pickled beets. Growing up out in the country, my Mom and Dad had a garden to help feed our large family. Mom canned quarts and quarts of pickled beets and we often had a jar open at the dinner table. After I was married and moved into town, we resorted to the store bought variety, Aunt Nellies. They are good, but not quite the same as home made. A few years back, we were on a trip to Savannah, Georgia and had the pleasure of eating lunch at Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House. We had done our research on restaurants in the area and knew this was a place not to be missed. If you are ever in the vicinity you should make the effort to find this gem and have a very memorable lunch. The hours of service are short, so you will want to get there early to assure yourself a place at the table. It was one of the best lunches I’ve eaten. Ever.

Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room

The dining room opens at 11:00 a.m. and we arrived early to line up on the side walk outside of the house and patiently wait in anticipation of an exceptional family-style Southern meal. We were in the first group to be admitted to the dining room and everyone took their places standing near their seats at large tables for the family-style meal. This first group by tradition joins in prayer with the staff to give thanks for our blessings before being seated. We sat at table with strangers, but the shared meal gave us something in common. We ate more than our fill and I tried to sample at least a bit of each of the bountiful dishes. One of the side dishes happened to be pickled beets. YEAH! There were a few items for sale including a t-shirt emblazoned with the saying something like “if the Colonel made chicken this good, he’d be a General” and of course, cookbooks. I picked one up and have made many of the recipes. Every one I tried, we liked. I increased the quantity for the beets to make enough for a crowd, or in our case, enough to last a couple of weeks. I found that a large aluminum tea basket is the perfect vehicle to contain the pickling spice, but allows the pickling juices to easily filter through it during cooking. If you are a fan of pickled beets, you will love these.

Pickled Beets

1 6 lb. 9 oz.-can sliced beets
4 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
4 large bay leaves (or 8 small leaves)
6 tablespoons pickling spice

Open the canned beets and drain them in a colander. In a Dutch oven, combine the sugar and vinegar. Stir to mix. Add the bay leaves then add the drained beets. Put the pickling spice in the tea basket, securing the lid, and carefully nestle it alongside the beets, securing the hook on the side of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cook for 5 minutes. Cool the pan and contents. Remove the basket of spices and bay leaves and discard them. Store the beets in a sealed container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep well for several weeks, if they aren’t eaten sooner!