April 1, 2012 - Steak Frites

Once upon a time, I had a steak frites dish at a restaurant in Mohegan Sun.  It was quite possibly one of the best things I ever ate... after all, we're talking about french fries, steak, and enough butter to block an artery or two.  So when I happened to find the recipe, and then the grocery store had steak on sale, and we were looking for a simple (meaning easy and little effort) meal to make for our Culinary Sunday - I knew that we would have to replicate the steak frites.  Soooo glad we did!

Cocktail - Side Car Martini

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/side-car-martini-recipe/index.html

Okay... I know what you're thinking.  Cognac, limoncello, triple sec, and sweet and sour?  Really?  Sounds like a  long island iced tea but with more upscale ingredients.  Do not shy away from this!!!  We raised an eyebrow, Jenn threw chance in the air and what turned out was a tasty masterpiece that will be recreated as often as possible.  (Who knew?)  Do not make changes, do not substitute and do not pass this one by.  Even if you're not a cognac drinker - try it!  However, limit yourself to one... there's a lot of alcohol in this bad boy.

Appetizer - Caramelized Endive Soup with Blue Cheese

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/magazine/caramelized-endive-soup-with-blue-cheese.html

Run, do not walk, to your nearest grocery store to pick up the ingredients.  I could bathe in this soup.  It was rich, decadent, and oh-so-creamy but had very little cream in it.  The honey-caramelized endive was a dream and it had the velvety texture of a bisque.  This goes on the "best things I've ever eaten" list. 

Appetizer Wine - 2010 Domaine Cheveau Macon Solutre-Pouilly

Wine Rating - Can't find, and don't even care becuase it was just that good

So recently, we've been commenting that the whites we've been drinking have been a little on the sweet side.  Well... home run on this baby!  This white burgundy has aromas of grapefruit and peach with a hint of creaminess.  On the palate, there are soft fruits but a nice mineral taste with a long-lasting finish and good acidity.  Slam dunk.

Entree - Steak Frites with Roasted Garlic Butter

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/steak-frite-with-skin-on-fries-and-roasted-garlic-butter-recipe/index.html

So good, I could cry.  And I know you're wondering what could possibly make steak and french fries so delicious, and I'll do my best to explain it, but in the end - sometimes the basics blow us away.  It was so good, that we actually had a fresh herb and wild greens salad on the side, and no one even touched it for fear that the other person at the table may sneak some food off their plate when they weren't paying attention.

Let's talk the steak and the marinade.  We had 3 people at dinner and got a 2 lb sirloin steak.  (We only ate about half of it... no need to get such a big one... however, great for leftover steak salads.)  For those 2 lbs, we doubled the marinade and let it marinate approx. 6 hours.  (FYI - tried to scallopini it with no success - don't bother... just cut it super thin when you're serving.) 

Now let's talk roasted garlic butter.  The recipe is written to serve one, so we doubled the garlic butter.  Let me explain how critical roasted garlic is.  Do not try to "cheat" or cut down on time and use raw garlic.  How many garlic bulbs do you need to roast?  Think of one bulb as one tablespoon.  So we roasted four bulbs.  (Coat in EVOO, cover in foil, roast 45 min at 375.)  We then combined all the ingredients in the recipe exactly as written.  Don't forget the fresh herbs - I think they really make a difference.

So now we talk final product.  Embrace the calaories and deep fry your french fries.  (We used frozen "fast food style" fries.)  If you bake them, you risk them going soggy with the butter.  Combine your french fries and your steak (cut to be approx. the same size as the french fries) in a large bowl and then drop tablespoons of garlic butter into it.  Using tongs, just quickly toss until the butter melts.  Continue to add garlic butter until your desired result.  We ended up using about 2/3 of the garlic butter we had made.  Save the extra butter - you can use it on garlic bread or corn on the cob, or pretty much anything. Also, be liberal with your parmesan cheese.  It only makes the recipe better!  If you haven't understand my message yet - make this recipe!

Entree Wine - 2007 Schug Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Rating - 88/100 (way too low in our opinion)

This well-structured cabernet is blended bordeaux-style and we could definitely taste the similarity.  The mouthful is ripe of currants and red berries but the tannins are very mild and there is a subtle spicy oakiness.  It was definitely bursting with berries but has an earthiness to mellow it out.  Harry's Wine Shop - you outdid yourself this week.  Everything was just spot on!

Dessert - Panna Cotta (Round 2)

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/panna-cotta/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=panna%20cotta&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

We refused to give up on this dessert so therefore had to try it again.  Before I review, let me just point out that cold panna cotta + hot dessert sauce = melting.  So please note - make a cold sauce.  But I digress - this was amazing!  The last recipe had too much liquid in it and therefore never firmed up properly.  This was the perfect recipe, the flavor was spot on, and the texture was lovely.  We filled oversize muffin tins with the mixture and then before serving, ran a wet knife around the edge and flipped it over.  Perfect!  And because there was a bag of frozen strawberries that needed to be used, we made a sauce of the strawberries and chambord.  Delightful!  (So glad we got this one right... last week was so disappointing!)

Next Week - Greek

Random Facts About Our Little Blog

Okay, so I'm killing some time before meeting up with John and Jennifer to go to Harry's to pick wine for tomorrow, so I figured I would post some of the fun facts I've learned about our blog while going through the "stats" that I have access to.  I'll also post some FAQ that have shown up in our email.  (I really could be doing laundry right now, but where's the fun in that?)

-  As of 11:45am ET, we have 2470 hits

-  The top 3 most viewed posts are:  Filet Mignon (4/15), Lobster Thermidor (5/13), and Jennifer's Birthday (6/17)

-  Tied in fourth place are the posts for Chicken (1/29) and Baby Back Ribs (9/23)

-  Our top referring sites are:  www.google.com, www.facebook.com, www.pinterest.com, and www.harryswineblog.blogspot.com

-  The top 3 countries that view our blog are:  United States, Russia, Germany (for the record, none of us are aware of any friends or family that live in Russia, so we're really excited about that...  must be all the vodka we blog about!)

-  Two of the most surprising countries that follow our blog:  United Arab Emirates and Malaysia

-  72% of you use Windows, 11% use your iPhone, and 9% use a Mac to view us

FAQ

Do you cook like this every day?
Absolutely not.  John and Jennifer may cook more often during the week than I do, but I pretty much live off PB&J, pasta, and whatever I have leftover from lunch at the office.  Not cooking like this every day makes Sundays more fun.

Where do you find these recipes?
It started as thinking up certain meals that we absolutely wanted to make.  Then when searching for recipes, we came across other recipes that appealed to us, so we saved them.  Now, I have a stockpile of over 100+ recipes.  Sometimes its based off a meal we have elsewhere, or something we see on TV, or whatever is on sale at the grocery store.

How long does a typical Sunday meal take?
If prep work can be done in advance, we'll do some at our own homes early on.  (Sauces, things like that.)  Otherwise, we usually start around 5:30pm with our cocktail and then leisurely make our way through the meal.  Dessert is over and dishes in the wash by 10pm, latest.

What is up with this obsession with Steak Frites?
Make the damn Steak Frites and find out.  Crispy french fries, thinly cut pieces of succulent steak, roasted garlic butter, parmesan - how can you go wrong???

Other than the Steak Frites, what are your favorite meals?
Once again, I want to reiterate that Steak Frites was the favorite.  (Okay, I'll get off my high horse now... but the Caramelized Endive Soup from that menu was also one of our favorites.)  After that, I would say the French night when we made Duck a l'Orange, and the Filet Mignon post with the blue cheese and port wine sauce.  Favorite desserts are across the board - but if we had to narrow down, it would be either panna cotta or chocolate mousse.

What meal was your least favorite?
Thai.  Sorry.  Some things are better left for other people to cook and us to enjoy.

What was your favorite cocktail?
The Sidecar Martini from Giada, the Cherry Cognac Martini, or the Amaretto Sour with Prosecco

What are your favorite wines?
We're equal opportunity wine drinkers, but all 3 of us have come to an agreement that we fancy French whites and savor Spanish reds.

Do you really cook every week, or do you save some previous recipes to post at later dates?
Give or take a day, we cook every Sunday.  Whether we are sick, tired, grumpy, or just plain lazy.  The mindset is something like "have another glass of wine, you'll feel better."

Do you guys drink like this every night?
Only on days ending in a Y. 

Do you often have company for dinner?
We switch it up.  Usually once or twice a month, we'll have other people join us, but we really enjoy it the most when its just the three of us being lazy and leisurely.

What's your best kitchen accomplishment?
Pulling off Tapas night. 

What's your worst kitchen disaster?
We don't have too many disasters.  I almost lit a dinner guest on fire when trying to flambe, and that wasn't good.  I have a tendency to grab for hot baking sheets without oven mitts, and have some minor war wounds from that.  Jenn's cool as a cucumber... she's the "fixer" when something doesn't go right.  Me - I've had moments like in the movie "Julie&Julia" where nothing will work (whipping egg whites is my enemy) and I will collapse to the floor, huff and puff and just have a minor meltdown.  Then I have another cocktail, and life is good again.

Is there any recipe in particular that you are dying to make but holding off on?
Nope!  That's the point of this blog.  If we want to make it, no matter how exotic or challenging it looks, we go for it! 


So anyways... there are some fun facts and some of the questions that we get emailed.  I thought I'd share.  Talk to you all Monday!

Some More Random Facts About Our Little Blog

Okay, its 1pm on a Saturday and I'm being rather lazy.  My house looks like a homeless person lives here, I have laundry for days, and my car needs to be washed - BUT why would I do any of that?  I haven't had a Saturday off in what feels like months, and instead I'm going to waste hours tooling around the internet.  (Does it count that I was tooling around looking for recipes for future blog posts?)  So I compromised... there's a load of laundry running now.  (Towels... I ran out and will need them to shower later.  Still... at least I'm doing something.)

So I'm killing some time before I need to take Ozzy down to the dog park and then go to another Chef Glenn wine pairing dinner.  (It's a rough life but somebody needs to live it.)  So I figured I'd update everyone on some more fun stats and some more FAQ I've gotten.  Here goes.

-  As of 12:49pm on 3/9/2013 - we have 4434 page views

-  The top 3 most viewed posts have slightly changed and they are now:  Baby Back Ribs (9/24/12), Lobster Thermidor (5/13/12), and Filet Mignon (4/15/12)

-  Following very closely behind are the posts for Cornish Game Hens (the first one), John's Birthday, and Beef Wellington 2.0

-  Our top referring sites are now www.google.com, www.facebook.com, www.pinterest.com

-  The US, Russia, and Germany are still our top viewing countries

-  We've had unexpected hits from places like the United Arab Emirates, Belarus, Nigeria, and Ecuador

-  We have been viewed by every continent with the exceptions of Antarctica (obviously) and Australia (what's up with that?!)

-  We get the majority of our page views on Sunday mornings and Monday evenings  (I tend to post on Monday mornings)

-  63% of you use Windows, 15% use your iPhone, 8% use a Mac

FAQ

Any new favorite meals since we last read your "random facts" post?
We have a new found obsession with anything that's a souffle.  Also, I've discovered that salted caramel or salted chocolate is quite possibly the greatest thing on the face of the planet.  And just because someone (you know who you are) questioned me on it last night - fried pickles!

Is there anything you still feel like you haven't perfected?
We're still trying to master a homemade BBQ sauce that we all love.  None of us really understand the difference between Kansas vs. Texas vs. N. Carolina, etc style BBQ, so maybe we'll have to make that a blog night.  Pulled pork sandwiches with a different sauce from each "region" of BBQ cooking?  I don't know - send me your favorite recipes, people.

How's that juicer working out for you?
Freaking fantastic.  Just wait until summer.  Think of all the fresh fruit margaritas we can make!!!

What type of camera do you use to take your photos?
My trusty iPhone 4 in its beat up purple case.  And no, I've never had any professional photography lessons.  Haha.  (Okay, we need to do some work on lighting, but whatever.)

What can we look forward to in the coming spring and summer season?
Okay, well, we're trying to be a little healthier.  So expect a lot more fish, more greens, and more fruits.

Do you get paid for your endorsements of places on your blog?
Nope.  However, if Stew Leonard's feels like throwing a gift card my way, I'm the blond girl there at 7am on Sunday mornings mowing people down with my shopping cart while child armies stop to stare at the fake cow and get in my way.  And Romanacci's can feel free to comp my pizza next time if they want.  (We didn't blog about it, but their pizza is insane!)

Are there any other local places you will be reviewing?
We haven't really decided on any yet, but if you know of anywhere you'd like us to check out, please email us and we definitely will!

You guys live in Norwalk, CT.  For those of us that are local, what are some of your favorite restaurants?
Oh geez.  There's a lot.  A few of them include Tintos Tapas Bar, Barcelona, BANC, Osteria Romana, Match, Burger Bar & Bistro, Valencia, Red Lulu, Wild Rice... I could go on.  John and Jenn live at BJ Ryan's for lazy lunches, too.  Also, I'm a huge fan of Rizzuto's in Stamford for their reverse happy hour.  It's delicious. 

Why are there less mentions of Harry's Wine Shop? 
It's not intentional.  We just don't always have the time to head up there.  They also did such a fantastic job educating us in wine that we've been trying to match our meals on our own now. 

Did you give up on Steak Frites?  There hasn't been mention of them in a long time.
Give up?  You crazy?  Pretty much any time we cook anything that involves butter (like the garlic king crab legs, garlic oil for dipping, garlic tequila marinade for the flank steak tacos), we look at each other and go "this would taste great on steak frites."  The problem is that steak frites isn't really going to work with this "healthy eating" thing we're trying to do. 


Okay, that's enough for now.  My laundry just buzzed, and Ozzy is getting on my nerves, so we're going for a walk.  I'll update tomorrow morning with pictures from Chef Glenn's dinner, and then update Monday morning with our standard blog post.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

August 12, 2012 - Filet Mignon 2.0

Good Morning, everyone!  This week was really special for us because we had some great friends from out of town visiting who especially planned their trip so they could experience a Sunday dinner with us!  So we asked them what they would love to eat, and their only request was that the grill was used, since they don't have a grill themselves.  So we looked back at the blog, saw that our Filet Mignon post from a few months ago is the most read post in the blog, and decided we'd have to revisit one of our favorite steaks.  Enjoy...

Cocktail - Lavender-Rosemary Martini

Lavender and rosemary infused simple syrup, vodka, grapefruit seltzer, elderflower liqueur

Okay, so we tried to go "outside the box" on this one, and we may have taken a step or two too far outside.  We wanted to do something herb-based, since our appetizer was so savory.  In essence, the concept was good, but the flavor just wasn't perfect.  Something was missing, but we couldn't figure it out.  (That's ok, we finished it anyways!)

Appetizer - Goat Cheese and Herb Souffle

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Goat-Cheese-and-Herb-Souffles-105061

Oh. My. God.  Fantastic!  In the oven, the souffle had puffed much more, and as soon as we took it out, it deflated, but who cares!  It was delicious!  We followed the recipe exactly as written, and it turned into perfection!

Appetizer Wine - 2010 Domaine Mardon Quincy

Wine Advocate - 90/100

Superb!  This full-bodied French white made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes is very similar to a Sancerre and was the perfect pairing for our souffle!  The nose was extremely vibrant with almonds and herbs, and the taste included stone fruits, a little pineapple, and a nice crisp finish with minimal acidity. 

Entree - Filet Mignon with Three Different Sauces

Sauce 1:  Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/gorgonzola-sauce-recipe/index.html

Sauce 2:  Roasted Shallot and Port Wine Reduction

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/roasted-shallot-and-port-wine-reduction-sauce-recipe/index.html

Sauce 3:  Caramel Brandy Mushroom Sauce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pan-sauteed-filet-mignon-with-caramel-brandy-mushroom-sauce-recipe/index.html

What a fantastic way to entertain!  And a creative way to dress up a regular "steak night" and turn it into something special.  Let's talk sauces... first off, they were all made the night before hand.  Then reheated stove top as the steaks were grilling.  (Gorgonzola sauce reheated over a double boiler.)

Gorgonzola Sauce - The crowd favorite.  (Barely.)  This sauce, while simple, was rich, decadent, and beautiful on the steak.  It reminded me of a Bearnaise with a kick.  We forgot the parsley (oops) and did add a couple turns of a "spicy garlic" mix from a spice mill we picked up from Stew Leonards. 

Mushroom Sauce - Delicious.  The only change to this sauce was that we halved the brown sugar, and it was plenty sweet.  The combination of sweet sugar, rich bourbon, heavy cream, and earthy mushrooms was an exotic combination that you will not find elsewhere.

Shallot and Port Wine Sauce - Classic and tasty.  Foolproof to make, and always delicious to eat.  This sauce would probably taste delicious over pork tenderloin medallions!

Overall, a fantastic meal!  There is a ton of leftover sauce, and we'll try to figure out some creative ways to reuse them.  However, I will add that we are using the leftover gorgonzola sauce in place of roasted garlic butter and making Steak Frites tonight as a round 2 recipe.  (Seriously... have you yet seen us repeat or mention re-making something?  This is our 3rd time remaking Steak Frites... give it a shot!)

Side Dish - Grilled Zucchini and Squash, Grilled Kale, Twice Baked Potatoes

Grilled Veggies - Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper, grill

Grilled Kale - See instructions above for veggies, and then squeeze fresh lemon juice on when done

Twice Baked Potatoes - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ultimate-twice-baked-potatoes/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=twice%20baked%20potatoes&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

The potatoes were made in advance and reheated approximately 20 minutes in the oven.  They were delicious!  The kale was fantastic (as usual... this is also a repeat for us) and the grilled veggies were healthy and fresh!  Great grilled side dishes for a fantastic grilled meal.

Entree Wine - 2010 Dolcetto d'Alba Rossana Ceretto

Wine Rating - Can't Find and Don't Care

Greg and Christelle over at Harry's Wine in Fairfield, CT really just knocked it out of the park this time.  Not only was the white wine fantastic, but this red was incredible!  This ruby red Italian wine is full of ripe fruits with a slight aroma of leather and tobacco.  It's nicely dry with an incredible fruit on the palate as well as a slight almond taste.  Not only did it pair well with the food, but it also was easy to drink beforehand while we were prepping the plates. 

Dessert - Chocolate Panna Cotta with Port and Balsamic Glazed Cherries

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Panna-Cotta-with-Port-and-Balsamic-Glazed-Cherries-109804

Oh wow, this was rich and luxurious!  Once again, this was made a day in advance (both the sauce and the panna cotta) and it was fantastic!  We used glass Pyrex ramekins, and followed the recipe's advice to remove them by using a little warm water and a silicone spatula, and it worked perfectly!  The sauce was smooth and elegant and the panna cotta was insanely delicious!  We did pair the dessert with a port, but I would recommend pairing it with a dry Asti or Moscato.  The port was a little too rich combined with the heavy dessert. 

Special thanks to A&D for joining us, and especially for bringing some additional fabulous wines with them.  We enjoyed a 2007 Nickel and Nickel Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a 2007 Stag's Leap Artemis Cabernet that were both incredible!  We were so blessed to be joined by such foodies with an equally strong passion for wine!

Next Week - Vegetarian

April 15, 2012 - Filet Mignon

As we continue our efforts to start cleaning out some of the freezer and the pantry, we decided to use some filets we had frozen and create a steakhouse masterpiece with what we had lying around.  And masterpiece it was!

First Cocktail - Chambord Martini

Vodka, chambord, lemon juice

Simple, fresh, clean, and tasty!  (And a perfect accompaniment to our appetizer salad!) 

Appetizer - Strawberry Spinach Salad

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-spinach-salad-i/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=strawberry%20spinach%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

Perfection!  The dressing is fantastic - do not use some bottled junk in your fridge... take the five minutes to make the dressing.  (However - cut BACK on the sugar!  We used a heaping tablespoon and it was perfect... 1/2 of a cup would have been crazy.  Go tbsp by tbsp until your desired result.  We also substituted shallots for white onion, and I would highly recommend doing that as well.  The flavor is milder.)  The spinach was nice and crisp and the strawberries were juicy and sweet.  (And it paired so well with the cocktail!)

Entree - Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/blue-cheese-crusted-filet-mignon-with-port-wine-sauce/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=filet%20port%20wine&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

Try this recipe.  You will not be disappointed.  The mixture of blue cheese and panko is divine and when paired with the rich port sauce - superb!  We cut our steak into medallions rather than large portions so that we can put more of the topping on, and I would highly recommend doing that.  We also let the sauce reduce about 30 minutes and it was perfect!  (We substituted shallots for white onions, but I'm sure whatever you have lying around will be fine.)  We also grilled and then broiled the topping, but use whatever cooking method you prefer.  Fantastic way to jazz up some steaks. (You could probably try this on rib-eyes or strip steaks as well!) 

Side Dishes - Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Sauteed Green Beans with Almonds

(see picture above)

There is no recipe for this because we simply just improvised.  The roasted garlic butter from our steak frites the other week... want to guess where that ended up?  We added about 1/2 cup of it to our potatoes with a little cream and mashed away.  We sauteed up some green beans in a little oil and then added some of the slivered almonds from the salad and let it cook up.  Both were absolutely delicious!

Entree Wine - 2009 JL Chave Selection Silene Crozes-Hermitage

Wine Spectator - 91/100

First off, a little background on our favorite wine shop.... Harry's Wine in Fairfield, CT.  If you haven't yet gone... please go.  Every Saturday, they offer free wine tastings from 1-4pm from many different vendors and distributors.  This place is truly the go-to place when you need the perfect wine pairing.  These week, Greg helped us and he truly went above and beyond.  After hearing our menu, he said with a slight smirk that he had a "home run" in mind and then went into the back room and came out with this French Shiraz.  Rare to find, he was able to find us one of the last bottles they had currently in stock.  And because I know he reads this... Greg - we will officially retire the phrase "home run" when referring to wine, because we want to end that phrase on a high note.  And high note this was!  This red had flavors of black currents, tobacco, and chestnut and was incredibly rich and seductive tasting with no heavy tannin aftertaste.  Truly, as he said... a HOME RUN.

Dessert - Chocolate Truffles

Shortly before we starting officially blogging our meals, we had made a flourless chocolate torte for dessert one evening.  After the night was over, Jennifer had the great idea of using a melon baller to scoop the torte to create truffle-like pieces.  She then froze them for future use.  So we defrosted and rolled them in chopped hazelnuts, chopped almonds, and dried coconut and served them with the rest of the port wine.  Unbelievable!  You would never have known they were previously frozen. 

Next Week - A Taste of the South

June 6, 2012 - Random Weekday Meal

So it's a random Wednesday night.  NY strip steaks are on sale, and no one has any plans anyway... 

New York Strip Steak with Cognac Butter and Portobello Mushroom Ragout

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/new-york-strip-steak-with-cognac-butter-and-portobello-mushroom-ragout-recipe/index.html

Absolutely amazing.  The only change in the ragout was that there was no beef broth in the house, so we used 1 big teaspoon of "better than bouillon" beef base.  We also just let the ragut sit on the stove simmering for about 30 minutes.  (Perhaps we put too much cream in there initially, but who cares!)  Top off the meal with some baby potatoes and sauteed green beans and voila!  And don't forget the bottle of zinfandel to wash it all down!

The only thing more exciting than this incredible steak is the plans for the leftovers.  I'll give you a hint... it ends with "frites".  (Seriously, have you made that recipe yet?!?!)

April 7, 2013 - Southern Small Plates

Let's talk about an amazing meal!  John had his nephew and some friends visiting from Holland this week, so we wanted to create a meal that was something they wouldn't find back at home.  So we went back down South this week and created a Southern BBQ style meal in a small plate format.  (And not to be fancy, really just because there were sooo many things we wanted to try!)  Everyone had a spectacular time, and I hope you all enjoy...

 

 

Cocktail - Hard Strawberry Lemonade

 

 

 

Juiced strawberries, Stew Leonard's diet Lemonade (we cheated, sue us), and vodka.  Perfect cocktail for the warm weather!!!

 

 

For Snacking - Fried Dill Pickles

 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Deep-Fried-Dill-Pickles/Detail.aspx

 

 

Yes, we've made these before, but they are just so good we had to do them again!  A couple changes this time.  Instead of pickle spears, we cut up whole pickles into bite size pieces.  Once again, we just took the batter ingredients and mixed it all up in 1 bowl, dunked the pickles and then fried.  We tried using the deep fryer, but the pickles stuck to the basket and it didn't work.  We switched over to a non-stick skillet with canola oil - perfection! 

 

 

Round One - Fried Stuffed Potato Bites

 

 

So you hollow out mini potatoes.  Then you FRY the potato shells until nice and crispy.  Take the potato insides and blend with cheese, bacon, chives, sour cream - whatever you like - and put back in the fried shell.  We then put on the grill until it browned.  So delicious!

 

 

Round One - Grilled Shrimp with Honey Ginger Barbecue Sauce

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Shrimp-with-Honey-Ginger-Barbecue-Sauce-51108030

 

 

Definitely a favorite of the evening.  We made the sauce last night, and when you smelled it, it smelled super spicy.  (So spicy that I considered tossing it and making something else.)  However, once brushed on grilled shrimp, it mellowed out considerably and had a sweet tangy flavor.  The only recommendation I may give is to add more ginger.  I added a solid amount of ginger to the sauce, but it didn't really come through as much as I would have liked in the finished product.

 

 

Round One Final Plate

 

 

 

Round Two - Bourbon and Brown Sugar Pulled Pork Empanadas

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bourbon-and-Brown-Sugar-Barbecue-Sauce-359849

 

 

Okay, so this is simple.  You stuff some empanada shells with pulled pork and fry.  But let's now talk about pulled pork.  First off... a good pulled pork would technically use a pork shoulder or pork butt for the fat.  All I had in the freezer was pork tenderloin - but end result is still just as good.  Some people throw it in the crock pot with the sauce and let it go all day - bad idea.  The fat from the pork just mixes with the sauce and its kind of sloppy.  What I like to do is cook the pork in the crock pot in beef broth.  Then I remove the pork, shred it in a bowl, clean out the crock pot, and return the pork to it with the sauce.  I mix it up, and then let it cook another hour or so until I'm ready to use it.  This sauce, by the way, was dynamite.  My future go-to barbecue sauce!

 

 

Round Two - Chipotle-Cherry Glazed Baby Back Ribs

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chipotle-Cherry-Barbecue-Sauce-359752

 

 

Here's the other favorite of the evening!  Fall off the bone goodness!  We used the same cooking method as before (2.5 hours at 275 degrees in the oven wrapped in foil.)  We lightly dry rubbed the ribs (see last year's BBQ post for that recipe), then added the above barbecue sauce, then wrapped in foil and baked.  (This was all done in advance and at this point transported from my place to John and Jenn's.)  Then before serving, we simply opened up the foil, brushed with more sauce, and broiled for about five minutes.  Delicious!  The sauce is sweet but with a nice kick at the end that is not too spicy.  Just fantastic!

 

 

Round Two - Grilled Corn with BBQ Butter

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/grilled-corn-on-the-cob-with-bbq-butter-recipe/index.html

 

 

Please excuse the bad picture.  This one was super easy as well.  Butter was made in advance.  Corn isn't in season, so we picked up frozen corn, cut it into these small pieces, and then boiled for 5 minutes.  Then when almost ready to serve, we simply grilled them up, and rubbed them in the butter.  The butter does have a bit of heat to it (it's Bobby Flay, come on, now!) but it was crazy good!  (And you know what this butter will taste great with.... say it with me now... Steak Frites!!!)

 

 

Round Two - Macaroni and Cheese Cups

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/mini-macaroni-pies-recipe/index.html

 

 

 

We cooked this mac and cheese recipe because of the crispy cheese crust that you can see in the second picture.  This crust was amazing!  The macaroni itself was a little dry, though.  Next time, we'll add more cream and add some gruyere to the cheese mixture.  But overall, a fantastic little dish!

 

 

Round Two Final Plate

 

 

 

Dessert - Apple Bread Pudding

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grammas-apple-bread-pudding/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=bread%20pudding&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

 

 

Perfection on a plate.  Just delicious!  Follow the recipe exactly, do not make any changes - you will not be disappointed!

 

 

So there you go - a lovely Southern-style meal that was a home run with the table!  Definitely not part of our diet plan, but when we figure out next week's menu, we'll go light.  Side note - we figured out next week's menu.  It's not exactly light, but its not crazy.  We're going with the good old-fashioned chicken breast and making something that is gourmet and fabulous, but absolutely easy for weeknight cooking!

 

 

Next Week - Chicken Breast

September 23, 2012 - Baby Back Ribs

Another Sunday has come and gone!  Another fantastic meal!  This week, we invited some of my staff to come join us for one of our blog nights.  We went Southern BBQ and "smorgasbord"-style and had a blast!

Cocktail - JD and Ginger

Jack Daniels.  Ginger Ale.  That's it.  We kept it super simple because there's a lot of whiskey in the some of the dishes, and because I didn't want to get my teller line drunk.  So we toasted with a refreshing whiskey-based cocktail to start our evening!

I am going to post every dish we cooked in no particular order, as we served it buffet style.  I will start with the baby back ribs - we made them 3 ways.

Bourbon Glazed Baby Back Ribs

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bourbon-Glazed-Baby-Back-Ribs-235341

We cooked these exactly as stated.  The sauce was made to the T.  (However, I did cook the sauce on the stove top for about 10 minutes to mellow the bourbon.)  These were delicious!  The grill leaves a great crust and the sauce is a sweet/spicy/savory blend that's so smooth!  (When we salt and peppered the ribs, we also added some garlic powder and ginger powder.)

Dry Rubbed Baby Back Ribs

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baby-back-ribs/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=baby%20back%20ribs&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bbq-dry-rub/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=bbq%20dry%20rub&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Search%20Results

The first recipe is for cooking method.  The second recipe is the dry rub I used for these.  First and foremost - this is my standard cooking method for ribs.  In the oven, wrapped in foil, low and slow.  Secondly, 99% of the time, I just dry rub them and that's it.  The dry rub forms a fabulous crust that has amazing flavor.  With the oven cooking, the meat just falls right off the bone.  Yummmm.  (My vote for favorite of the 3 styles.)

Whiskey BBQ Sauce for Ribs

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/scott-hibbs-amazing-whisky-grilled-baby-back-ribs/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=baby%20back%20ribs&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

I did the baking method from above, but this recipe is for the BBQ sauce used to marinate the ribs.  Delicious sauce - definitely smokey and has a little heat to it with the backdrop of brown sugar on the palate.  Bear in mind, when baking the marinated ribs, they don't really get good color because they are wrapped in foil.  I didn't do it this time, but I would recommend brushing a little sauce over them once they are done and throwing them back in for a very quick broil. 

Molasses Baked Beans with Ginger

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Molasses-Baked-Beans-with-Ginger-238805

Yes, this is a repeat recipe.  If you remember from the All American BBQ post, I said that we'd never cook beans another way.  We weren't lying.  Superb.

Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/four-cheese-macaroni/detail.aspx

Okay, I'll be honest with you.  There is a particular macaroni and cheese recipe that Jenn and I salivate for.  This is not it.  That recipe is on the back burner for Thanksgiving.  :-)  However, this is a good one for a barbecue themed dinner.  The only recommendation I have is to the double the cheese.  Rich and creamy, and easily made in advance and just popped in the oven.

Corn Fritters

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/corn-fritters-recipe/index.html

What's not to love about corn fritters?!?!  Deep fried nuggets of delicious-ness.  They were delicious dipped in whiskey sauce.  (What is whiskey sauce?  It's a secret recipe that John makes that involves ketchup, mayo, whiskey, sherry, sugar, vinegar, mustard, god knows what... every condiment and spice in their kitchen goes into it, but it is soooo good!)

Deep Fried Dill Pickles

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/deep-fried-dill-pickles/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=fried%20pickles&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

Let me simplify this recipe for you.  Dump all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to create a batter.  Dip the pickles in and then toss in the deep fryer.  There is no need to dredge and dip, etc.  And we used milk instead of buttermilk.  These were awesome.  The crunchy texture and then the hot and dill-flavored pickle.  Topped with whiskey sauce.  I'm in heaven. 

 

 

Kickin' Collard Greens

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kickin-collard-greens/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=collard&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

 

 

Garlicky, smoky, bacon-y, green goodness!  Who knew us New Englanders could pull off some classic Southern cooking?  These were fantastic (only change was using a whole package of bacon!) and we just threw them in the Crock Pot and let simmer for hours!  Amazing.

 

 

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/garlic-cheese-biscuits-recipe/index.html

We goofed on these a little.  I didn't realize there was no granulated garlic in the house, so I used jarred minced garlic.  Delicious, still, but the granulated garlic is a must for that great flavor.  I'd also recommend a little sprinkle of Old Bay.  If you replicate as I'm suggesting, you actually have the recipe for a certain seafood joint known for their biscuits.  Just saying.

Peach-Blackberry Sangria

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/peach-blackberry-sangria-recipe/index.html

Go figure the one thing I forget to take a picture of is probably the most important!  We did a sangria this week because we figured it would be lighter and more fun.  This was a fantastic drink!  We followed it as written, except for doubling the recipe and leaving out the simple syrup.  If you prefer a sweet drink, then add syrup to your taste.  It was refreshing and not overpowering! 

Dessert - White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/white-chocolate-raspberry-cheesecake/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=white%20chocolate%20raspberry%20cheesecake&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

 

Okay, so I don't want to brag or anything - but this is my signature dessert.  For the last 8 or so years that I have been cooking, this is my "go to" when I need to bring a dessert to impress.  I was hesitant to even put the recipe out there, because now my secret is out.  However, I will add some changes.  First off, I make them cupcake style now.  It's better portion-sizing and easier for people to take home leftovers.  Bake at 350 for approx. 20 minutes.  Secondly, I use just 1 bag of white chocolate chips and use melted seedless raspberry preserves instead of the whole frozen raspberry concoction.  And lastly... a tablespoon or so of creme de cocoa.  (What else am I going to use it for?  It's sitting in my liquor cabinet!)  If you are looking to impress... this MUST be the recipe you use.  If there is ever a recipe that I insist you try off this blog - this is the one.  (After steak frites, of course.)

 

 

Overall, a wonderful meal!  Many thank yous to Rems, Karina, and Cassie who joined Jennifer, John, and I for our experimental Southern BBQ cuisine!  (#DreamTeam)  Looking forward to the next one!

 

 

Next Week - A Trip to the Farmer's Market

March 25, 2012 - Italian Night

In an effort to master Italian cooking (we're thinking every month will have a different cultural influence... we may try to master Greek or Spanish in April... hmmm) we created a fabulous feast for our most recent dinner.

Cocktail - Amaretto Sour with Prosecco

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/amaretto-sour-with-prosecco-recipe/index.html

Wow.  Don't change a thing.  I joked with Jennifer that the drink reminded me of being underage (cough cough) and not knowing what to order in bars so amaretto sours were always my failsafe.  With an arch of the eyebrow, she promised me and the rest of the group that this was no teeny-bopper amaretto sour - and she was right.  The prosecco was amazing, and I think it was the complete lack of "sour mix" and using fresh fruit and juices that put it over the top.  Hands down one of the best cocktails yet.  (And a fantastic way to use up leftover champagne, prosecco or sparkling wine that may be laying around the house.)

Appetizer - Lobster Ravioli with Crabmeat Cream Sauce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/lobster-ravioli-with-crabmeat-cream-sauce-recipe/index.html

So for this week's Italian themed meal, our friend Mike jumped at the opportunity to combine his cooking passion with ours and even offered up using his pasta maker to make some homemade raviolis.  (Who's going to say no to that?!?!  FYI - Santa, I want a pasta dough maker for Christmas.)  So after two trial runs (lamb ravioli and butternut squash ravioli) Mike knew his machine was ready to create some magic.

And magic it was.  The recipe was followed to the T, and came out absolutely delicious.  The filling, the dough, and the sauce was made in advance and brought over for prep.  Just let the sauce hang out on a stove burner, and start rolling out the dough and boom, you're done.  So good, and so excited to start experimenting with fresh pastas.

Side Dish Necessity - Bread

While I don't have the recipe, Mike (our new official Culinary Sundays baking expert) also brought over some amazing Italian bread that had a hint of rosemary.  So perfect for sopping up that amazing sauce. 

Appetizer Wine - 2009 Cascina Ballarin Langhe Bianco

Wine Spectator - 88/100

This Italian white paired beautifully with the creamy sauce and decadent lobster.  It was initially fruity on the tongue but had a great acidic bite that kept it from being too sweet.  There were tastes of grapefruit and lemon and had a lingering finish.  For those white wine drinkers that prefer a sweeter wine, but not an oaky taste (like a Chardonnay) - this is a good choice for you.

Entree - Veal Chops Stuffed with Mascarpone, Pancetta, and Caramelized Onions

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/veal-chops-stuffed-with-mascarpone-pancetta-and-caramelized-onions-recipe/index.html

For you critics out there - yes, Emeril is from New Orleans, not Italy.  But you don't get any more Italian than veal, pancetta, and mascarpone... so group vote - this is considered Italian.

Fantastic.  Make the stuffing earlier and let it sit.  (I would highly recommend increasing the pancetta.)  And they are so quick to cook (25 mins), that once we finished our appetizer, we simply just started the cooking process and we were sitting for dinner in 30 minutes.  The only deviation from the recipe was that we used 1/2 veal demi-glace and 1/2 veal stock.  (Not sure if it made a difference, but it was yummy.)  Side note for those of you who cannot find veal stock to save your lives (like myself)... check out the organic/fancy pants section of your grocery store.  Jennifer was able to find in the organic section of a Shop Rite. 

Side Dish - Artichokes with Warm Pancetta Dressing

http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2009/03/artichokes-with-warm-pancetta-dressing/

Fantastic and fresh side dish that complemented the chops beautifully.  However, we used 5 fresh artichokes and it barely produced enough to eat, so we actually added a bottle of jarred artichoke hearts.  (Couldn't taste a difference - save yourself some time and energy.)  Also, one of those recipes you can put together early and just let hang out on a countertop while everything else is going on.

Entree Wine 1 - 2006 Ca' del Baio Barbaresco Pora

Avg. 92 points

This wine started with a fruit taste and continued with lingering tastes of tar and tobacco.  It had an earthy quality to it, but a nice black cherry taste on the tongue.  The finish was long and had an almost chalky taste.

Entree Wine 2 - 2007 Colpetrone Sagrantino di Montefalco

Wine Advocate - 92/100

The great people at Harry's wine have really gotten us on a kick of tasting different wines with our meal so we can learn to see (and taste) the differences and refine our palates.  This full bodied red also had great scents and flavors of strong red berries with hints of spices of vanilla.

The Verdict - Both were good, but most people preferred the Colpetrone.  However, the first wine was notably "young" and still needs some time to mature and really develop its flavors.  Both wines were big and bold, and the Barbaresco paired better with the meat, but the Colpetrone paired just as well and was more drinkable after the meal was over.  However, open the Barbaresco five or ten years from now, and we'll have a completely different story.

Dessert - Limoncello Panna Cotta with Black Cherry Sauce

http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2009/09/limoncello-panna-cotta-with-black-cherry-sauce/

Okay, this post is already giving me anxiety.  Panna cotta was extremely new to us until we fell upon a little tapas restaurant in Norwalk (La Paella, for this interested) and had a vanilla bean panna cotta that changed my life.  So when we planned on Italian night, we knew we wanted to master this Italian dessert.  However, when its your first time making something completely new, it doesn't always go smoothly.  So let's begin...

The first mistake was not making these early enough.  I cooked them at my house around 11am on Sunday, thinking they'd be solidified by 5pm when I leave for John and Jenn's house.  Not so much.  I'm thinking I didn't let the cream/milk mixture thicken enough on the stove, and I'm thinking these definitely need to made the day before and stay overnight in the fridge.  So after careful driving to their house (and half of the slightly gelatenous dessert all over the front seat of my car - side note: it is impossible to transport martini glasses without spilling) we decided to toss them in the freezer for a hail mary.  We brought them out about 15 minutes before serving and started on the sauce.  Save yourself some time, everyone, and just microwave your favorite fruit jelly/jam/preserves/etc.  We microwaved the black cherry jam, topped it with some kirsch macerated dried cherries and served.  Okay, it looks pretty!  However, our hail mary freezing attempt also kind of froze the dessert so it got rather icy in some spots.

Regardless, the flavor was delicious.  (And the side of limoncello was spot on.)  Future attempts will include cooking the day before, refrigerating overnight, and not serving in stemmed glasses.

Next Week - Steak Frites