We are homebodies on New Year's. It's not worth the hassle of crowds when we can eat and drink merrily at home. Plus December means William's birthday, Christmas, and our anniversary so we are usually pooped by December 31st.
Normally I am very seafood heavy on New Year's Eve but I am taking a different approach this year. I found this recipe weeks ago and have been dying to try it. However, I am not a fan of orange on my food so instead of the paprika sauce I am going to season the meat with smoked paprika and am creating a balsamic reduction in place of the sauce. I've been told goat cheese and balsamic is a perfect marriage. In addition, I am making my annual blue cheese and walnut stuffed mushrooms. Before you say "I don't like blue cheese (or walnuts)" you need to know my husband is not a fan of either but he devours these. They are simple and delicious. And because I'm feeling generous here is the recipe:
1 lb. medium-sized fresh whole mushrooms (about 40)
1 (8-oz.) container soft cream cheese with chives and onions
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
Chopped fresh parsley
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Brush mushrooms or wipe clean with damp cloth. Remove stems from mushrooms; discard stems or reserve for another use.
2. Place mushroom caps, stem side up, in ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. In medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except parsley; mix well. Spoon about 1 teaspoon mixture into each mushroom cap.
3. Bake at 350°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with parsley.
This recipe is easily halved or even quartered.
So those are the stars of the show but I also found some really pretty shrimp while shopping so I am serving shrimp cocktail (in martini glasses for a fun flair) along with a smoked salmon, cream cheese, and chive puree on endive leaves. These will keep us munching into the long evening. To wet my pallet I chose a prosecco which is tasty so far. ;)
We are planning dine after William goes to bed so we can have a nice relaxing meal. As for William, he has already had his "party" plate of Baby Bel cheese, baby dill pickles, bagel crisps, and a cookie. He also wanted to try sushi so I bought him a California roll but when push comes to shove he seems to be losing interest. Lunch for me tomorrow perhaps? Health is clearly not our focus tonight.
Tomorrow I am embracing a southern tradition and serving black eyed peas. I plan to make a soup of the black eyed peas and ham. I will probably also pull out the bread machine and make some homemade bread on the side as well.
Have a safe, fun, and tasty new year!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Happy Anniversary!
Well, folks, it's mine and Matt's anniversary. 8 years and still kickin'. While William was in day care, Matt and I used to take the day off and have a lunch date each year. We chose that option after our second anniversary when William was 22 days old (I honestly don't remember our first anniversary). I was desperate to get out of the house but William couldn't be left with anyone yet as I was still nursing and often. So we chose Applebee's car side to go and I had the honor of picking it up. It got me out of the house for a whole 15 minutes or so. LOL Then we settled in so we could eat and William decided it was time for his vittles too. So our first anniversary post-child was spent with me trying to eat over the head of a nursing baby.
After that, we decided a lunch date was the most practical. Well, this year William is in kindergarten and there is no day care anymore. He's home with me all day and Matt worked today. But something had to be done so I decided to make a special dinner. My choice...rib eye steaks, twice baked potatoes, and corn. We enjoyed this along with a bottle of Clos du Bois that my dad bought me for Christmas.
Let me tell you a little about my twice baked potatoes. I think I found the original recipe for these in Gourmet magazine. Of course, I had to tweak it and, while I'm happy to share how I make this, once again keep in mind I don't measure. So this is close to the original but I use more or less of some of the ingredients (mostly more). To Matt these are the only twice baked potatoes and steak is not the same without them. Without further ado...
Rena's Special Twice Baked Potatoes
2 medium to large potatoes (I prefer red but russet would work too)
4 oz. white mushrooms (crimini are also yummy), brushed clean, stems removed and rough chopped
2 green onions, chopped
3 T. butter, divided
2-3 oz. cream cheese
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste (I prefer kosher salt)
French fried onions, optional
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Bake the potatoes using whatever method you prefer. Personally, I "bake" them in the microwave to save time. While the potatoes are baking, melt 1 T. butter in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned. Salt and pepper as desired. Add the green onions and saute 1 minute or so until you start to smell the onions. Take off the heat.
Place the remaining 2 T. butter in a medium bowl. Cut the potatoes in half length-wise and scoop the pulp into the bowl. Leave about 1/4 inch of a "shell" in each potato peel. Mash the potatoes and butter together until the butter is incorporated. Add the cream cheese and at least a serving spoon sized dollop of sour cream (enough to make the mixture moist and fairly smooth). Stir in the as much cheese as you like and salt and pepper to taste. Then add the mushroom mixture and stir.
Divide the mixture evenly among the potato skins. Bake for 30 minutes. If desired, sprinkle French fried onions over the top for the last 5 minutes of baking.
You will never buy pre-made twice baked potatoes again.
After that, we decided a lunch date was the most practical. Well, this year William is in kindergarten and there is no day care anymore. He's home with me all day and Matt worked today. But something had to be done so I decided to make a special dinner. My choice...rib eye steaks, twice baked potatoes, and corn. We enjoyed this along with a bottle of Clos du Bois that my dad bought me for Christmas.
Let me tell you a little about my twice baked potatoes. I think I found the original recipe for these in Gourmet magazine. Of course, I had to tweak it and, while I'm happy to share how I make this, once again keep in mind I don't measure. So this is close to the original but I use more or less of some of the ingredients (mostly more). To Matt these are the only twice baked potatoes and steak is not the same without them. Without further ado...
Rena's Special Twice Baked Potatoes
2 medium to large potatoes (I prefer red but russet would work too)
4 oz. white mushrooms (crimini are also yummy), brushed clean, stems removed and rough chopped
2 green onions, chopped
3 T. butter, divided
2-3 oz. cream cheese
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste (I prefer kosher salt)
French fried onions, optional
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Bake the potatoes using whatever method you prefer. Personally, I "bake" them in the microwave to save time. While the potatoes are baking, melt 1 T. butter in a small skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned. Salt and pepper as desired. Add the green onions and saute 1 minute or so until you start to smell the onions. Take off the heat.
Place the remaining 2 T. butter in a medium bowl. Cut the potatoes in half length-wise and scoop the pulp into the bowl. Leave about 1/4 inch of a "shell" in each potato peel. Mash the potatoes and butter together until the butter is incorporated. Add the cream cheese and at least a serving spoon sized dollop of sour cream (enough to make the mixture moist and fairly smooth). Stir in the as much cheese as you like and salt and pepper to taste. Then add the mushroom mixture and stir.
Divide the mixture evenly among the potato skins. Bake for 30 minutes. If desired, sprinkle French fried onions over the top for the last 5 minutes of baking.
You will never buy pre-made twice baked potatoes again.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Let the Christmas baking begin
I actually feel a little behind this year but I think that is because I am scaling back so I'm not starting as soon as I normally do. There year there will be no Christmas candy. I'm not that good at making it and we rarely eat all of it. My speciality is cookies and I've narrowed that down to a handful of our favorites. Matt will get his favorite chocolate star cookies and, of course, William will help bake some sugar cookies for Santa. Don't worry, there will be plenty for everyone though and they will have lots of icy and sprinkles. My guys love their sweet icing. To a few of those I plan to add some cocoa to make chocolate reindeer. And a sleeper hit from Christmas past will be eggnog cookies which, ironically, contain no eggnog. When I first made them Matt was skeptical but he ended up loving them.
Also on tap is a gingerbread cake with a cream cheese topping, pecan "surprise" pie, and perhaps a pumpkin pie just because we all love pumpkin pie.
Later I'll get into Christmas dinner. And our weight loss plan for 2011.
Also on tap is a gingerbread cake with a cream cheese topping, pecan "surprise" pie, and perhaps a pumpkin pie just because we all love pumpkin pie.
Later I'll get into Christmas dinner. And our weight loss plan for 2011.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Christmas Cookbooks are Collecting Dust
O.K., so not really because I read them all year long but for the first time in I can't remember how long I am not making a Christmas Day or Eve dinner for a large crowd. My husband's family gets together on Christmas Eve and it's one big meal and celebration. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. You name it they will be there. Last year we hosted for the first time and I was in heaven. I loved opening my home, my heart, and my table to the family that I am now fortunate enough to call my own.
Before that I always had the immediate family over on Christmas Day for dinner. Last year I decided it was getting to be too much. I was focusing too much on the meal and stressing myself out. They were in no way contributing to the stress. It's all me for as much as I love to cook, I put too much pressure on myself and it was time for a break. And I was starting to lose sight of the season's greatest gift...time with my son. So I'm on hiatus for a while with Christmas dinner. But, as I said, we hosted Christmas Eve last year so I still got to scratch that entertaining itch. And William is already asking when we will have another "Christmas party" so he's ready as well.
I just booked my dad's flight tonight so he will join us over Christmas and I will cook a Christmas dinner. It just won't be to the scale that I'm used to. Matt will probably rejoice when he sees my December grocery bill. That doesn't mean the meal won't be special though. Since my dressing disaster on Thanksgiving I vow there will be dressing on Christmas day. And probably turkey. That's just the thing in my family and I do love turkey. We'll see what else I conjure up.
In the meantime I am going to work on a shopping list and cook enough to get me by until then. It is called the Christmas season after all so my cooking isn't limited to one day. Though it's not knock your socks off exciting, I'm thinking chili is on the menu for Saturday as we may get our first snowfall. Even if the snow doesn't come it will be cold and chili is never a bad thing. Then I hope to get my family interested in a family Christmas movie night and prepare some snacks that will calm any snack attacks. I also have some eggnog in the fridge that needs a purpose. Eggnog French toast or waffles one morning perhaps? Hmmmm And if we do end up with this early in the season snowfall William and I must bake cookies. I'm feeling a monster cookie with holiday M&M's perhaps.
I am typing this by the light of Christmas lights and already feeling that sense of sadness and dread that comes at the end of the season. But, by golly, I've barely started to live it up so it's time to put a smile on my face and fatten up the family.
Before that I always had the immediate family over on Christmas Day for dinner. Last year I decided it was getting to be too much. I was focusing too much on the meal and stressing myself out. They were in no way contributing to the stress. It's all me for as much as I love to cook, I put too much pressure on myself and it was time for a break. And I was starting to lose sight of the season's greatest gift...time with my son. So I'm on hiatus for a while with Christmas dinner. But, as I said, we hosted Christmas Eve last year so I still got to scratch that entertaining itch. And William is already asking when we will have another "Christmas party" so he's ready as well.
I just booked my dad's flight tonight so he will join us over Christmas and I will cook a Christmas dinner. It just won't be to the scale that I'm used to. Matt will probably rejoice when he sees my December grocery bill. That doesn't mean the meal won't be special though. Since my dressing disaster on Thanksgiving I vow there will be dressing on Christmas day. And probably turkey. That's just the thing in my family and I do love turkey. We'll see what else I conjure up.
In the meantime I am going to work on a shopping list and cook enough to get me by until then. It is called the Christmas season after all so my cooking isn't limited to one day. Though it's not knock your socks off exciting, I'm thinking chili is on the menu for Saturday as we may get our first snowfall. Even if the snow doesn't come it will be cold and chili is never a bad thing. Then I hope to get my family interested in a family Christmas movie night and prepare some snacks that will calm any snack attacks. I also have some eggnog in the fridge that needs a purpose. Eggnog French toast or waffles one morning perhaps? Hmmmm And if we do end up with this early in the season snowfall William and I must bake cookies. I'm feeling a monster cookie with holiday M&M's perhaps.
I am typing this by the light of Christmas lights and already feeling that sense of sadness and dread that comes at the end of the season. But, by golly, I've barely started to live it up so it's time to put a smile on my face and fatten up the family.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
My Thanksgiving Disaster
I pride myself on cooking under pressure. The simple fact is I love to entertain and my main focus is for my family and guests to enjoy my food while feeling relaxed and de-stressed. There have been moments when my dear, "I'll try anything once" husband has suggested I consider catering since I love to put together delicious delights...who has the time. BUT...this Thanksgiving went as wrong as wrong could be. I bought a 21 pound turkey which, according to every source I consulted, should cook in about 4 1/2 hours. Since I got up at 6:30 and had the turkey in by 7:00 I was expecting it to be out of the oven around 11:30 to 12:00 just in time to put the sides in the oven. So here was the disaster...
I noticed my turkey thermometer was rising more rapidly than I had hoped. By 10:00 it was signally the minimum done temp. I gave it another boost on the temp. At 10:30 another signal. Crud! I pulled the turkey out and by all signs it was done! How did that happen??? So I had to figure out how to keep a turkey hot and bacteria free for another 2 1/2 hours as we were eating at 1:00. I put the roasting pan on the back burner of my oven which stays hot and kept checking on it...salmonella be damned!
So next, I mixed my dressing and what a beautiful dressing it looked to be. I placed the baking dish on the counter next to the oven for the right time to put it in. And did I mention dressing is my favorite Thanksgiving dish? Yes, sir. I love dressing! Minutes before it was time to put the dressing in the oven I decided to go ahead and carve the turkey. I carefully lifted the heavy beast and started to move it to a sizable counter top when I felt a slight tug and heard *CRASH SPLAT* I had forgotten the thermometer was still in the bird and the cable was behind the pan of dressing. There was my precious, perfect uncooked dressing on the floor in a sloppy heap of bread and shattered glass. I won't mention my favorite, hard to find sized baking dish that is now is Pyrex heaven. At this point I wanted to crumple in a heap and cry. It was too late to even call anyone to bring Stove Top IF they could find an open store.
And, oh yes, there is more. The gravy. By golly if I was going to have a dry, bacteria laden turkey I was going to have excellent gravy to ladle on top. So I took tip from Food Network and put my roasting pan full of delightful drippings across two burners and added some flour and, perhaps, a hail Mary. I stirred and seasoned and took delight in the thickness that ensued. I tasted and holy mother of all that is good and pure...YUCK! Really? Fortunately I had some boxed turkey broth on hand and whipped up a reasonable substitute.
Have I said finally yet? Because if I haven't this is it because I can't take much more. My mother-in-law is diabetic. I wanted to wow her for dessert and whip up a fabulous sugar-free pecan pie. She loves pecan pie. Oh how I mixed and baked and delighted at the sight of it. I even artistically arranged pecans in a delightful pattern on top. She ate it without complaint. Then I tasted it. I still don't know how she finished it. Let's just say the remainder of the pie went into the trash after everyone left and I owe her a pie she can indulge in.
Despite all of this my family gave me a multitude of compliments. One of our nieces even ate pumpkin pie to the surprise of her dad. But, to me, I failed. I hate when anything in the kitchen goes wrong. If I have an off night and Matt and William are not pleased with dinner I either make a mental note never to serve that again or figure out how to fix it. So to blow a holiday dinner was a major defeat.
My blog is about my love of food and the fun I have but, let me tell you my followers, I'm still licking my wounds after this shame of a meal.
I noticed my turkey thermometer was rising more rapidly than I had hoped. By 10:00 it was signally the minimum done temp. I gave it another boost on the temp. At 10:30 another signal. Crud! I pulled the turkey out and by all signs it was done! How did that happen??? So I had to figure out how to keep a turkey hot and bacteria free for another 2 1/2 hours as we were eating at 1:00. I put the roasting pan on the back burner of my oven which stays hot and kept checking on it...salmonella be damned!
So next, I mixed my dressing and what a beautiful dressing it looked to be. I placed the baking dish on the counter next to the oven for the right time to put it in. And did I mention dressing is my favorite Thanksgiving dish? Yes, sir. I love dressing! Minutes before it was time to put the dressing in the oven I decided to go ahead and carve the turkey. I carefully lifted the heavy beast and started to move it to a sizable counter top when I felt a slight tug and heard *CRASH SPLAT* I had forgotten the thermometer was still in the bird and the cable was behind the pan of dressing. There was my precious, perfect uncooked dressing on the floor in a sloppy heap of bread and shattered glass. I won't mention my favorite, hard to find sized baking dish that is now is Pyrex heaven. At this point I wanted to crumple in a heap and cry. It was too late to even call anyone to bring Stove Top IF they could find an open store.
And, oh yes, there is more. The gravy. By golly if I was going to have a dry, bacteria laden turkey I was going to have excellent gravy to ladle on top. So I took tip from Food Network and put my roasting pan full of delightful drippings across two burners and added some flour and, perhaps, a hail Mary. I stirred and seasoned and took delight in the thickness that ensued. I tasted and holy mother of all that is good and pure...YUCK! Really? Fortunately I had some boxed turkey broth on hand and whipped up a reasonable substitute.
Have I said finally yet? Because if I haven't this is it because I can't take much more. My mother-in-law is diabetic. I wanted to wow her for dessert and whip up a fabulous sugar-free pecan pie. She loves pecan pie. Oh how I mixed and baked and delighted at the sight of it. I even artistically arranged pecans in a delightful pattern on top. She ate it without complaint. Then I tasted it. I still don't know how she finished it. Let's just say the remainder of the pie went into the trash after everyone left and I owe her a pie she can indulge in.
Despite all of this my family gave me a multitude of compliments. One of our nieces even ate pumpkin pie to the surprise of her dad. But, to me, I failed. I hate when anything in the kitchen goes wrong. If I have an off night and Matt and William are not pleased with dinner I either make a mental note never to serve that again or figure out how to fix it. So to blow a holiday dinner was a major defeat.
My blog is about my love of food and the fun I have but, let me tell you my followers, I'm still licking my wounds after this shame of a meal.
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