November 14, 2015 - M's First Blog Birthday

Good Morning, everyone!  It's been a while!  Did you miss us??  We missed you... and just to make it up to you - we have TWO birthday blog posts... but I'm not posting the next one for a few days just yet - make you wait for it.  I'm a tease like that.

Please note our title says "M"... that's because I've never actually confirmed with our friends (new to our blog world), if they're cool with their names being posted on the internet.  So for now - you get initials.  We introduced two new people to our birthday blog bashes because 1) they're our friends and 2) we cook a lot, we need more mouths to feed - otherwise our dogs get fat.  They've brought inspiration, ideas, and extra hands to our kitchens!

So when it came time for M to decide his ingredients, he said without hesitation - "horseradish and beets."  Ugh.  What?  Seriously?  Ick.  (This coming from a girl who didn't even know what a beet looked like, let alone tasted like."  But - we don't judge... and what turned out was an incredibly delicious meal!

** Please note that I am a failure.  I can't find any pictures of wine bottles from this night.  Which means, we enjoyed them so much that we forgot to take pictures.  Sorry, folks!

Cocktail - Lemon Martini

Please note the super cute beet chip as garnish.  We stuck with a classic cocktail because there is lemon throughout the menu, and we didn't want something that overwhelmed.  It was more like a palate cleanser to prepare for deliciousness.

Hors d'Ouevre - Roasted Beet Chips

http://minimalistbaker.com/baked-rosemary-beet-chips/

Hey!  They taste like potato chips!  Or those super fancy chips you buy in the organic section of the grocery store! 

Appetizer - Beet Souffle with Lemony Horseradish Crème Fraiche

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/beet-souffl-with-lemony-horseradish-crme-frache

Clearly the website we got the recipe from must have added some food coloring.  However, delicious!  I've realized that beets almost have no flavor - they are sweet and earthy and kind of just blend in with their surroundings.  The lemon worked well with the horseradish to give it great flavor!

Entrée - Horseradish Crusted Prime Rib

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/roast-prime-rib-of-beef-with-horseradish-crust-recipe.html

Ummm... YUM!  First off, please note that we used two different types of prepared horseradish.  One was a local brand (shout out to "Holy Schmitt" in Long Island!), and the other was a spicy one from a local farmer's market.  (Forget the name, sorry.)  We kind of alternated which one we used in which recipe - but we did use the spicy on the meat.  Do not hesitate to do it - the strong flavor bakes out of the roast so you'll never know.  We did leave the roast in the oven a little longer but it still came out perfectly medium rare!

Side Dish - Scalloped Potatoes with Horseradish and Parmesan

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/yukon-gold-potato-gratin-with-horseradish-parmesan-235926

Yeah... potatoes.  Cream, horseradish,cheese.  What's not to love????

Dessert - Beet Panna Cotta

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/beet-panna-cotta-and-meyer-lemon-mousse-51264020

Surprisingly tasty!  Once again, the beets can be on the sweet side, so when combined with sugar and the lemon mousse - extremely tasty!  In case you're wondering what's in the second picture - it's an Old Fashioned jello shot!.  (http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/05/drink-the-book-old-fashioned-jelly-shot.html.)

Dessert - Vegan Chocolate Lava Cake

http://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-chocolate-lava-cakes/

Okay, this was my biggest fear.  I'm a chocolate lava cake purist.  I was worried.  I bit my nails the entire time it was baking.  It was GREAT!  Who knew?

So there you go - an entire menu based on horseradish and beets.  Thanks for joining us!

September 13, 2015 - John's Birthday Bash

Alright, folks... it's another birthday blog post!  And you know what that means - weird, crazy ingredients and odd combinations!  We will not disappoint you in this post, it's another one for the books!  John's chosen ingredients were:  wild boar and bourbon.  

Starter Note - Bourbon

Shout out to my brother in law for dropping this off the morning of our dinner.  He received a few bottles as a gift and unknowingly upped our game for our blog night.  (Sorry, Jim Beam.)  This boutique distillery makes only so many barrels per batch, so it is definitely a more refined bourbon.  Also, it is 124.7 proof.  I probably should have looked at that before I went hog wild.

Cocktail - Maple Bourbon Smash

Just FYI - figs kind of became the third ingredient solely because a massive flat of about 2lbs of fresh ones were insanely cheap at Trader Joe's on Saturday morning and I just needed an excuse to buy them!  This fun cocktail was a mix of bourbon, orange juice, maple syrup, lemon juice, bitters, and seltzer... definitely a perfect "gearing into fall" cocktail.  But keep it at one... remember, this was almost 125 proof!

Hors D'Oeuvres - Bourbon Duck Bites and Bacon Wrapped Bourbon Figs

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/duck-camp-hors-doeuvres-with-bourbon-finish-recipe.html

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/bacon-wrapped-bourbon-figs

I'm going to start with the figs - they are easy!  They are tasty!  They are a classic!  You can't go wrong with something like this.  We did use the fresh figs and therefore added some bourbon to the bottom of each hollowed out fig before stuffing it.  Let's talk duck.  Let's talk about how the one dish that we were the most unsure of turned out to be the hit of the night.  Literally... "like chicken nuggets on crack."  I did half the recipe - but should have kept the bourbon the same, because it is soaked up by the fried duck so quickly that there is no "sauce."  But, my God... unanimous decision around the table - biggest surprise of the night!

Appetizer - Bourbon Braised Short Ribs with Honey and Fig Mac & Cheese

http://girlcarnivore.com/bourbon-braised-short-ribs-with-honey-and-fig-mac-and-cheese/

Can you just smell the decadence coming off your computer???  We pretty much followed the short rib recipe but then played around with the cheeses.  I could not, for the life of me, find honey fig cheese.  Sooo... I found honey goat cheese and then a gruyere-cheddar mix from Trader Joe's.  Perfect!  I added some chopped fresh figs to the short ribs while braising to make up for the lack of fig.  Delicious!!!  This alone was a meal.

Appetizer - Mixed Green Salad with Bourbon Vinaigrette

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/bourbon-vinaigrette

We figured a salad had to fit in somewhere, so we threw it on the side of the macaroni and cheese.  We used some extra bacon from earlier and topped with some fresh sliced figs.  The vinaigrette was tasty and honestly was not strong.  

Appetizer Wine - 2013 Pio Cesare Dolcetto d'Alba 

This Italian red is fruity, fresh and fragrant.  However, it has nice structure, round tannins, and a slight spice to it that makes it a beautiful accompaniment to wild game!

Entree - Rack of Wild Boar with Sweet Potato, Apple, and Celery Root Puree Finished With a Roasted Garlic Onion Sauce

http://www.marxfoods.com/wild-boar-recipes#recipe5

This is a 2-day recipe.  The wild boar needs to marinate.  The onion sauce has multiple components.  There is a caramelized onion jam that gets added to the sauce - that jam was made a day in advance.  (And the leftovers were delicious over pork chops!)  However, it all comes together very quickly.  The celery root and sweet potato puree is fantastic, the asparagus is always a great side, and the meat was tender!  It really did taste like a jazzed up pork chop.  The sauce was scrumptious - take the time to make it yourself... don't skip it!!!

Entree Wien - 20012 La Fortuna Rosso Di Montalcino

We stuck with Italy for this blog dinner and the next wine did not disappoint!  This red is fruit intense but has an admirable acidity.  It is full bodied, dry, and rich with a subtle spiciness and a softness hiding among the structured tannins.  

Dessert - Hazelnut and Bourbon Torte

https://www.makersmark.com/recipes/desserts/hazelnut-and-bourbon-torte

Ummm.. yum.  Enough.  Bourbon and hazelnuts.  Can't get any better than that.  Oh, wait.. it can?  How about that 125 proof bourbon poured for an aperitif that was too strong for the sissies in the group (aka moi) and then poured over the torte instead... yup.. it can get better!

So there you go - another birthday blog post for the records!!!  Can't wait to see what is next!!!

June 14, 2015 - Jennifer's Birthday Round 3

OMG, this is our 3rd year of birthday blog dinners.  Wowza.  Time flies.  So by now you know how this works, so let's get down the nitty gritty - this is a long post as it is...

Tonight's ingredients:  Ostrich, Balsamic, Blueberries

And away we go...

Cocktail - Strawberry Balsamic Bourbon Cocktail

1 part balsamic vinegar.  2 parts strawberry syrup.  4 parts bourbon.  Shake it up and pour it over some muddle strawberries and lemon slices.  Top with seltzer if necessary.  It's lighter than you think and has a delicious heaviness to it from the balsamic vinegar.  (The balsamic used is a classic aged balsamic vinegar of Modena.)

Hors d'Ouevre - Basil Whipped Goat Cheese Stuffed Strawberries with Balsamic Glaze

http://www.thepescetarianandthepig.com/2013/06/06/basil-whipped-goat-cheese-stuffed-strawberries-with-balsamic-glaze/

Aren't they cute???  This was soooo simple and easily put together a few hours before everyone came over.  A nice bite of sweet and savory in one!  (The balsamic used is a reduced balsamic glaze.  A balsamic glaze is a well reduced balsamic vinegar that then gets a very syrupy consistency and a sweet flavor.)

Hors d'Ouevre - Blueberry Basil Balsamic Mozzarella Crisps

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/blueberry-basil-balsamic-mozzarella-crisps/

Oh.  My.  God.  I made only one mistake with this dish - I didn't make enough.  If you look in the back, you'll see some classic tomato bruschetta lurking - that's because I really didn't know how this was going to turn out.  I was wrong.  The sweet and savory blueberries worked perfectly with the ooey gooey cheese and the fresh basil.  Did I mention the balsamic vinegar used in this dish?  We used a fig vanilla balsamic, and it definitely gave it an extra wow factor!

Appetizer - Massaged Kale Salad with Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

http://iowagirleats.com/2014/07/16/roasted-kale-summer-salad-blueberry-balsamic-vinaigrette/

This salad was jam packed with flavor - goat cheese, blueberries, grilled corn, almonds, cherry tomatoes - perfection!  And yes, you literally massage the kale and it slowly breaks down and becomes more tender.  The blueberry balsamic with rich and thick and really held up against the coarse greens and fresh ingredients!  This will be next week's lunch!!

Appetizer Wine - 2014 Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence Rose

Summer = Rose season.  Deal with it.  Embrace it.  This salmon colored wine was lively and fresh with notes of strawberries and citrus.  It didn't overwhelm the salad and instead helped accentuate all the flavors and create a clean palate for the rest of the meal.

Entree - Ostrich Steaks with Cassis and Blueberry Sauce

http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/517042

Ostrich is a bird.  But it really looks and tastes like beef.  It's also extremely lean, so therefore healthier for you than a lot of your other options.  But being that it is a game meat, it is best to serve with something a little fruity, and this sauce was divine.  (It also took pretty much all day to reduce, but if you've learned anything from our blog - its that reducing is time consuming but key.)  And we did use a classic balsamic vinegar in the sauce reduction.

Side Dish - Horseradish Whipped Potatoes

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/whipped-potatoes-with-horseradish#recipe-ingredients

You really don't taste the horseradish!  And the fact that you make it early on and then just reheat is sooo convenient!  Delicious!

Side Dish - Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts

There's no real recipe for this, because its simply become a staple in my life.  Halve brussels sprouts.  Toss with olive oil and kosher salt.  (The saltier, the better.)  Roast at 400 until they get caramelized and crispy.  At that point, I usually drizzle with honey and add whatever else I want and then throw them back in the oven for a few minutes.  (I would recommend additions like bacon, pancetta, dried cranberries, almonds, etc.)

Final Plate

Entree Wine - 2013 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel

This well structured red is packed with jammy fruity aromas yet has a rich and well-structured balance of black cherry and smoky pepper.  A delicious addition and a perfect match!

Dessert - Blackberry Balsamic Chocolate Mousse with Blackberry Balsamic Truffles

http://www.sonomafarm.com/espresso-balsamic-mocha-chocolate-mousse-recipe.html#.VWJAIE9Viko

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/balsamic-truffles-236799

So I found a blackberry balsamic vinegar and realized it would be perfect for a dessert.  The chocolate mousse was great in concept - just to rich and filling for ending what had been a long and filing meal.  It was also rather sweet.  The truffles were good - just a pain to make.  Next time, I'll just buy some.

Aperitif - Homemade Basil Blueberry Liqueur

Let a bottle filled with blueberries and chopped basil and then filled with vodka sit for a month in the fridge.  Then drain and add simple syrup.  Serve cold..  This was tasty - but too sweet.  Next time, I'll add simple syrup in smaller quantities to taste.