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chipotle deviled eggs.

January 29, 2012 in Dinner Party Worthy, Starters with 5 Comments

Have you ever been to a party where the deviled eggs weren’t the first thing to go?

There’s just something about them. Which is why when I made them the other day, I couldn’t take them out of the fridge until our guests arrived. They’re just too easy to pop into your mouth and if you put ‘em out too early, before you know it, the deviled eggs are donezo.

In a lot of cases, it’s hard to improve on the original and classic recipe. But I think chipotle is a sequel we can all get behind. You need to like a little spice in your life, yes – and who doesn’t like the smoky flavor of chipotle?

“mangria” = blue moon sangria.

January 26, 2012 in Cocktails, Dinner Party Worthy with 5 Comments

It’s not a secret that I love sangria.

It’s not a secret, and it’s really not that exciting. Us ladies, we like sangria. Not rocket science. Heck, most dudes I know will polish off a glass (pitcher?) or two if it’s put in front of them. Daniel certainly will, and that’s because of more than the fact that I make it so damn often, in every flavor combination I can dream up to go with every season, every type of menu, every type of, well, everything.

Yes, Daniel will polish off a pitcher of sangria because he likes it – quite possibly as much as I do.

But don’t get it twisted…he likes beer even better. You’d be disgusted to know how many beers he can throw back in a sitting. Let’s just say we don’t have enough pitchers in the house to make a fair comparison. So what happens when I concoct a beverage that combines the the best of both worlds?

Other than the obvious result – a super-crunk Daniel – “mangria” is born.

Ladies, don’t be fooled by the name – I think you’ll love this cocktail, too. Even if you don’t like beer, I think you’ll be into this. I mean, why didn’t we think of it sooner? The beer is a perfect vehicle to get a good sangria going. Blue Moon and citrus, as we all know, are already pretty much going steady, and the pear-vibe adds another crispy-sweet dimension. I used the Winter Abbey Ale – because hey, it is winter after all, and why not get totally seasonal here, what with the citrus and the pears? I’ve made it with the regular version as well, which is a bit lighter and less caramel-ly and just begging to be made on a hot summer day.

the amazing five-hour roast duck.

December 4, 2011 in Dinner Party Worthy, Main Dishes with 0 Comments

There are certain things you can cook at home that just make you feel like you know what you’re doing.

The good news is, thanks to this life-altering recipe, you don’t have to know what you’re doing.

Does cooking duck scare you? If it does, I don’t blame you. I’m fairly certain that I might have been apprehensive about cooking duck before I read this recipe. But you know it’s from my favorite book, one that I’ve never made anything remotely bad from, and one written by people that I now trust explicitly.

I have no time to waste on a bad recipe after all, you feel me?

So, this duck…this duck is foolproof. That’s all you need to know. Duck roasts for 5 hours – yes, 5 full hours – slowly, skin becomes so crispy it will just blow your mind, and meat ends fall-off-the-bone tender. I’ve never had duck like this before.

short ribs + goat cheese mash.

November 26, 2011 in Dinner Party Worthy, Main Dishes with 6 Comments

If you’re tiring of turkey, stuffing, and cranberries right now, I have a solution.

Although I must admit, mashed potatoes are involved. These are not, however, your average mashed potatoes. These mashed potatoes are a tangier, creamier version thanks to the addition of goat cheese. And thus, a perfect match for short ribs.

I had never cooked short ribs before, and like so many other things, I found it to be very simple and delicious. This is why I guess it’s hard to find dishes I love and keep cooking them again and again, which is how the best chefs say you are to really become good at cooking. I can’t help myself – my time to cook is so limited, and there are so many things I want to try, that I continually find myself trying new things.

the ultimate fall salad.

November 21, 2011 in Dinner Party Worthy, Salad Bar with 4 Comments

Salad on Thanksgiving?

Totally.

But – it has to be remarkable. It has to be…well, this one. It’s everything you could want in a salad this time of year: sweet cranberries, strips of crisp red onion, juicy Bosc pear wedges, and crunchy toasted hazelnuts. The combination of flavors and textures is spot on. There are a few extra – though painless – things you need to do, like soak your onions in water to remove the harsh bite, plump your cranberries in a bit of dressing, and then there are the hazelnuts – which always require that extra step of removing the skins…

fresh corn + basil tart.

September 19, 2011 in Dinner Party Worthy, On the Side with 3 Comments

I’m not sure what it is about serving a tart that always impresses people.

It probably has something to with the fact that tarts are often beautiful to look at, so if you make one that tastes good, too – you know it’s going to be a hit. Such was the case with this recipe, and the best part is that it was also super-easy to make.

pancetta-wrapped peaches with basil + balsamic.

September 15, 2011 in Dinner Party Worthy, Starters with 2 Comments

Quick – while peaches are still in season. You’ve got to make this.

As soon as I saw the recipe, I died. Four of my all-time favorite ingredients, all wrapped into one recipe. Not even just the recipe itself, but all in the name of the recipe?

I’m in.

You will be, too. All of my friends were. I even made it super-simple for you by converting the recipe so that you throw everything into your oven all at once, rather than sautéeing a few at a time. A must for entertaining. And probably a must even if it’s just a few of you eating. Heck, even if you’re by yourself… You’re going to want more. Trust me on this.

cappuccino {mini} cheesecakes.

August 21, 2011 in Dinner Party Worthy, Project Pastry Queen, Sweets + Treats with 6 Comments

How about serving up that after-dinner cappuccino in a different way?

That was precisely my thought when I first saw this recipe in the Pastry Queen cookbook. I was always drawn to the idea of serving these cheesecakes at a dinner party for that very reason. Though I think they would be even cuter served with real cappuccinos, until I get an espresso machine, these cheesecakes will have to hold their own.

I think that’s just fine, because these miniature cheesecakes are DE-LI-CIOUS.

watermelon sangria.

August 16, 2011 in Cocktails, Dinner Party Worthy with 2 Comments

Here’s what I can tell you about this sangria: It’s dangerous.

I’m going with dangerous in a good way. I consider any specialty cocktail that has you and your guests dancing on the couches in the middle of the day to be a great thing, in fact. I suppose it could be dangerous in a bad sense, if you consider how your head feels the next day.

I’ve also discovered as I’m writing this that I’m somewhat obsessed with sangria.

an all-american dinner party.

August 13, 2011 in Complete Menus, Dinner Party Worthy with 0 Comments

Summer always comes and goes too quickly, doesn’t it?

I served this menu for the 4th of July, but I think it would be the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer with family and friends. Labor Day party, anyone? It’s casual, comfort food you grew up eating, but with a twist. Think deviled eggs, sprinkled with truffle salt. It’s all about those simple, comforting picnic-esque foods and the memories that come along with them.

All-American Dinner Party

{watermelon sangria}

{deviled eggs with truffle salt}

{caramelized onion dip}

{pulled pork sliders with blue cheese slaw}

{dill macaroni salad over arugula}

{s’more brownies}

{coconut cream pie}

One recipe I’m planning to make often inspires my entire menu, and such was the case this time. When it was my turn to select a recipe for Project Pastry Queen, I had my mind set on the coconut cream pie, and because my scheduled date was July 3rd, the timing was perfect. What’s more American than coconut cream pie? The rest of the dishes came to me easily, as they were mostly classics with a twist. The onion dip is a favorite recipe of mine that I’ve made several times. The rest were recipes on my most-wanted list – particularly the pulled pork sliders with the blue cheese slaw, which turned out to be everything I’d hoped for and more.

Stay tuned for the recipes!