Archive - Dinner Party Worthy RSS Feed

spicy cocktail nuts.

October 7, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Fabulously Simple, Starters with 2 Comments

These are some good nuts. Good as in, if these nuts are around, you may not be able to eat dinner.

True story.

I served these with cocktails at a dinner party and no one could even fathom dessert because we were all so stuffed. And everyone blamed the nuts.

I did increase the cayenne because we all know I like it spicy, but either way you go the end result will be a perfect marriage of spicy, sweet, and crunchy. The egg white coating binds everything together, almost like candied nuts. And the greatest part is that if you have the spices on hand and a big jar of nuts laying around, you can whip these bad boys up anytime.

A danger all in itself.

Spicy Cocktail Nuts

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 4 cups assorted shelled nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Emeril’s Essence
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper – this will make for easy cleanup.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg white and water until frothy. Add the nuts and toss to coat. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, Essence, cayenne, and salt. Add to the nuts and stir to coat evenly. Spread the nuts on the prepared pan and bake until dry, about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to separate. Let cool on the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature.

{my first} roast chicken.

September 29, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Main Dishes, Recipe Arsenal with 4 Comments

Perhaps I should change the name of this post to my last roast chicken.

Because I truly don’t know if I’ll ever bring myself to make another. I’m sure there are other delicious roast chickens out there – probably plenty, as most roast chickens are inherently delicious – but it can’t possibly get any better than this.

To start, there’s bacon.

See? That bacon cooks right on top of the whole party, injecting both the potatoes and the chicken with flavor.

Yes, it’s a party. Perfectly moist, juicy, and flavorful chicken + bacon + lemon-rosemary potatoes + roasted garlic = PARTY. Oh yes, that’s right – there’s roasted garlic. Can you see it in the first photo, rubbed all over the chicken? I.die. for roasted garlic.

But let’s get back to the bacon. Because after all is said and done, we’re going to take that bacon, and crumble it all over our potatoes. Our potatoes that have first par-boiled with lemon and garlic, and then roasted until perfection – covered in chicken juices, bacon drippings, and tons of fresh rosemary.

These potatoes are hands down the best I’ve ever had. I usually like to leave the skin on, because it makes me feel like I’m being healthy, you know – get more fiber, feel less guilty about eating half the pan. I put that {semi-ridiculous} theory aside here, and cooked them exactly the way Jamie told me to – and that’s what YOU must do. You really must. Because these potatoes are *so* unbelievably crispy, flavorful, and out-of-this world delish – you won’t be able to stop eating them.

Which actually may be a reason not to make them, depending on how you look at it.

Roast Chicken with Lemon, Rosemary, and Bacon Potatoes

Recipe via Jamie Oliver

  • 4½ lb free-range organic chicken
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4½ lbs potatoes, peeled
  • 1 large lemon
  • 1 whole bulb of garlic, broken into cloves
  • Handful of fresh thyme
  • Olive oil
  • Handful of fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
  • 8 slices of bacon

Rub the chicken inside and out with a generous amount of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Do this as early as you can, and cover and leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. You should do this with any meat – it makes it more flavorful.

Preheat your oven to 375ºF, and bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cut the potatoes into golf-ball-sized pieces, put them into the water with the whole lemon and the garlic cloves, and cook for 12 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for 1 minute {I like to place a clean kitchen towel over top – steaming ensures crispy potatoes}, then remove the lemon and garlic. Toss the potatoes in the pan while still hot, roughing them up a little bit. This will make your potatoes perfectly crispy and delicious.

While the lemon is still hot, carefully stab it about 10 times. Take the chicken out of the fridge, pat dry with paper towels, and rub generously with olive oil. Push the garlic cloves, the whole lemon, and the thyme into the cavity, then put the chicken into a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Some lovely fat should have cooked out of it into the roasting tray, so toss the potatoes into this with the rosemary leaves. Shake the tray around, then make a gap in the middle of the potatoes and put the chicken back in, or if you have a pan with a tray like I do, you can place the chicken back on the rack. Place the bacon over the chicken and cook for a further 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are nice and golden.

Remove the bacon from the chicken and crumble it up over the potatoes. Then remove the lemon and garlic from inside the chicken, squeeze all the garlic flesh out of the skin, mush it up and smear it all over the chicken, discard the lemon and rosemary and carve the chicken at the table.

“Heaven!” Jamie says, and I couldn’t agree more.

late summer farmstand menu.

September 21, 2010 in Complete Menus, Dinner Party Worthy with 9 Comments

The last day of summer has finally come upon us, and with it comes the start of a new category on 20something cupcakes. Welcome to Complete Menus: my attempt at making stylish dinner party menus more accessible, less stressful, and – hopefully – more fun.

{images via coco + kelley}

Throwing dinner parties can be intimidating – they can appear to be a crazy amount of work, and who wants to be busy in the kitchen slaving over a hot stove, while all of your besties are out mingling and enjoying tasty cocktails without you? You may also be scared away by the idea of trying to get everything out on time and at once – anyone who’s ever cooked a meal before is aware of the great challenge of timing. Maybe you feel like you couldn’t put a menu together to save your life. And how exactly do you know what can be prepared in advance, and what must be done the night of? I may not have all the answers, but my hope is that showing you what I do and how I think about things will help take some of the guesswork out of the equation, and show you that dinner parties shouldn’t be difficult – they should be fun, and they should be fabulous. If you’re not enjoying yourself, what’s the point?

I’m also sure that many of you have your own fabulous ideas and tricks you’ve learned along the way – I’d love to hear them! One of my favorite things about cooking and food is that it’s a constant learning process – no matter what level you’re at, there’s always more to learn.

This particular menu was planned for two very good friends of ours, K + B. They are very frequent guests at our house for dinner, and though B is a very picky eater, I actually enjoy that aspect of the planning. I like the challenge; it’s fun to think of what kind of salad I will serve to the person who doesn’t like vegetables, or what type of dessert will work for the person who doesn’t like chocolate. Yes, that’s right – I enjoy it. I also enjoy spending *far* too much time making sure all of the items on the menu complement one another perfectly, and occasionally even making up names like, “Late Summer Farmstand Menu” that no one will ever see. Well, guess what? My silly little menu names will finally have a home.

Cheers to that.

Blackberry Thyme Margaritas

A signature cocktail is a must for me: It’s the perfect way to welcome your guests and let them know it’s going to be a great night. These particular cocktails may have been what spawned the whole idea for my “late summer” menu. To me, they seemed so perfect with the theme – the blackberries brought the summer-factor, and the thyme gave them the rustic quality that seemed to fit in so well with the approach of autumn.

Timing:  I made these the day of in the pitcher. My always-gracious guests brought the tequila, so when they arrived I just poured it right in and poured away.

Spiced Cocktail Nuts

If I’m doing a lot of food as far as everything else goes, I like to keep the appetizers light. Since I decided to do a soup, salad, and corn muffins to start, I only did one appetizer – and a simple one, at that. This is my new favorite go-to recipe for a quick and easy appetizer. Just keep mixed nuts on hand (along with the appropriate spices), and you can pull this out of your back pocket anytime.

Timing:  You can do these nuts completely ahead of time. I did them the morning of, but you could do also them the day before. Be warned – they’re highly addicting. Make them too far in advance and you may be in danger of eating them all.

Watermelon Gazpacho

For whatever reason, I felt an urge to make gazpacho. Perhaps because it was the end of the season, and gazpacho feels like a recipe that belongs in the summer. I also wanted to keep my starters light as I knew the chicken and potatoes, and corn muffins, would be a bit heavier. This was the perfect gazpacho recipe because it combined the salty, the sweet, and the spicy. The basil oil on top also make it look glamorous.

Timing:  Can be done ahead of time. I made it the morning of – you could also do it the day before.

Corn Muffins

Normally I wouldn’t choose to make corn muffins in addition to all of this food, especially with the heavy potatoes that come with the chicken. This was a special case, as these corn muffins were on my agenda for Project Pastry Queen, and I think they really added to the summer-themed menu. They would also be great with any type of BBQ menu, or better yet – alongside your favorite chili for football season.

Timing:  To eliminate having yet another item to make around start-time, I used half the batter in the morning, and saved half for the evening. This way, we could enjoy fresh corn muffins for breakfast and when my guests arrived, I could drop the batter into the muffin tin and they could enjoy fresh, hot muffins out of the oven.

Arugula + Peach Salad with Creamy Chive Vinaigrette

This salad was specially chosen for my favorite picky eater, B. B doesn’t like tomatoes, and he doesn’t like many vegetables, though he will eat a salad. When I found out B loves him some peaches, I was sold on this salad. They loved it so much that K asked for the recipe and made it later that same week!

Timing:  You can make the dressing ahead of time, and throw everything together when you’re ready to eat.

Roast Chicken + Bacon Rosemary Potatoes

This roast chicken will change your life. It changed mine, at least. I’ve made it twice in the last month or so since I’ve discovered it, and I can’t wait to make it again. A roast chicken is the perfect thing to serve at a dinner party, as you can let it do it’s thing while you hang with your company. And this roast chicken is even more fabulous thanks to the addition of bacon (which makes everything better – duh), and the most perfect lemon-rosemary potatoes you’ve ever had.

Timing:  About 20 minutes before my guests’ arrival, I cooked the potatoes. You can plan on eating about an hour-and-a-half after arrival this way, which I think is the perfect amount of time for plenty of drinks, appetizers, and starters. You will have to put the potatoes in the pan about halfway through, which is no big deal.

Caramelized Shallots

And we can’t forget about the shallots. They are also slightly life-changing, for me at least. I discovered the recipe on my beloved Smitten Kitchen, and I knew they would be perfect. These were an especially great choice to serve to my guest who is very particular about his veggies – as in, he hates most of them! These can’t be hated by anyone, I’m quite sure of it. Everyone loves caramelized onions, and using the same process on shallots just takes it to another level. I will also say that another side at this point is unnecessary – if you wanted to stop with the chicken and potatoes, you would be fine doing so.

Timing:  Start these about 30-40 minutes from when you’d like to eat.

Assorted Individual Fruit Crostatas: Peaches, Plums, and Berries

I had planned on serving these lovely individual fruit crostatas, inspired by a recipe from my Pastry Queen cookbook – but our guests somehow managed to pass on dessert, if you can believe it! In their defense, there was *a lot* of food, as I’m sure you can tell from this menu. I loved this idea for a dinner party, as you can lay out a variety of fruits, and let your guests choose which combination they’d like. I plan on making these again soon, and in the meantime, you can check out this similar recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Annie’s Eats.

Timing: You would make the dough before, and prep any fruits as necessary – berries can be left whole, larger fruits should be cut up. After dinner, everyone can choose their ingredients, you can quickly assemble – it’s easy, I promise – and throw them in the oven. Just make sure to have the vanilla ice cream waiting.

What do YOU think, lovelies? Do you like this new type of post? Any comments/suggestions/thoughts? I’d love to know!

zucchini, three ways.

September 20, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Starters with 2 Comments

One of my favorite ways to serve an appetizer is to pick a theme and do a couple of variations on it.

I served this at a dinner party I hosted earlier in the summer, but lately I’ve been reading about how many of you have been seeing zucchini in abundance at your farmers’ markets and CSAs.

Zucchini: it’s the summer squash, and wouldn’t you know that I am just realizing how many summery recipes and photos I’ve still yet to post, with only a few days of summer left. I’ve only started getting into seasonal cooking since I’ve started this blog, because in Florida, we don’t really do seasonal cooking. I’d never eaten rhubarb – let alone seen it at the grocery store – and I’d definitely never thought of zucchini as only available in the summer.

And now, I’m *positively* addicted to seasonal cooking. Whether or not I can get something in the grocery store year-round or not, I love the idea of cooking season by season. It’s sort of like themes for your food – no wonder I love it. Pumpkin belongs in the fall, winter should be full of roasted root vegetables and pot pies, spring is all about tender asparagus and juicy strawberries, and everything tomato, corn, and zucchini related just screams summer.

{I realize pot pies are not produce, but I had to throw them in there for Daniel – you see, he’s been begging me for pot pies all summer long, and I have to keep reminding him that their time is coming}

And so, just in time for the end of summer, here is a fabulous way to serve up the last of your precious – and hopefully abundant – summer squash.


Zucchini Pancakes

Fritters, latkes, pancakes – no matter what you like to call them, they’re undeniably delicious. The only trick here is getting the moisture out of the zucchini and onion mixture, but once you have that down, you’re home free. I’m pretty sure even the pickiest eaters will be willing to finish their greens when they’ve been stuffed into pancakes and fried to a crispy golden-brown, as we’ve done here. I also made a lemon crème fraiche to dip the pancakes into, which was made with crème fraiche, and – you guessed it – lemon zest. So easy, and you know everyone always likes to something to dip.

Adapted via Ina Garten

  • 2 medium zucchini (about 3/4 pound)
  • 1 large Vidalia onion, grated
  • 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Unsalted butter and vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Grate the zucchini and onion using the large grating side of a box grater, and place into a strainer set over a bowl. Sprinkle kosher salt over the mixture, and allow to sit for as long as possible, at least 30 minutes. The salt will draw out the moisture so that it falls right into the bowl. You can also use a cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel to squeeze the liquid out of the vegetables – this is probably the most effective. When you’ve gotten the mixture as dry as possible, add the eggs. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt, and pepper. You can always add more flour if you think the mixture is too wet.

Heat a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil together in the pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and drop heaping soup spoons of batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place the pancakes on a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil to the pan, and continue to fry the pancakes until all the batter is used. The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with English Peas + Fresh Parmesan

This is a super-easy salad that I was inspired to make after seeing similar versions of it all over the web this summer. It’s so light and refreshing – and the perfect companion to the rest of this trio.

  • 1-2 medium zucchini
  • Handful fresh English peas
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating

Ribbon your zucchini, using a potato peeler, and pile them on top of a plate. Blanch your fresh English peas in a pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. If the peas are really fresh, you can blanch them for 30 seconds, or not at all, if you like. Scatter the peas over the zucchini, and lightly dress in lemon juice and olive oil. Finish by grating some Parmigiano-Reggiano over the salad, and season with salt and pepper.


Oven “Fried” Zucchini

I’ve been making this as an appetizer for a very long time, probably since way before I ever considered myself to be anything close to a good cook. I love ordering fried zucchini when I’m out at a restaurant, and this oven “fried” version gets you surprisingly similar results for far less fat and calories. In fact, each 3/4 cup serving is only 60 calories! The higher quality cheese you use the better, and it’s also delicious served with a side of marinara. Here, we dipped them into the same lemon crème fraiche we used for the pancakes.

Recipe adapted via Cooking Light

  • 1/4 cup dry seasoned breadcrumbs {I normally like fresh, but in this case the breadcrumbs stick better when you use the dry kind}
  • 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
  • 1-2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. The rack is really important because it allows the zucchini to get nice and crispy. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

{As a follow-up to my thoughts on seasonal cooking, I’m going to start tagging recipes according to their season, so that you view categories for “Summer Recipes, Winter Recipes,” etc.}

What do YOU think about seasonal cooking?

blackberry thyme margaritas.

September 18, 2010 in Cocktails, Dinner Party Worthy with 4 Comments

Fresh herbs in cocktails: It’s kinda my new thing.DSC03452.JPG

Okay, fine – I guess mojitos have had this down for a while. And though I *very much* love a good mojito, lately I’ve been discovering countless new favorite cocktails made with fresh herbs.

You’ve seen me use basil before here, but today we’re talking thyme. Thyme, and margaritas. These things make me happy.

Thyme is from the mint family, and to me, it has a very lightly earthy, almost lemony flavor and scent. It’s delicious with so many types of things – roast chicken being one of my personal favorites – and it seems to go perfectly in this margarita.

But wait – we haven’t even gotten to the blackberry part! Ah yes, the blackberries. Sure, you could puree them, strain the seeds out, get all fancy with it…but there’s really no need. I just threw a bunch of berries into my pitcher – along with the thyme – and muddled it all up against the glass with my wooden spoon. I think the flavor combination works brilliantly together, and the blackberries create a gorgeous purple hue. It’s rustic, thanks to the thyme – yet the bubby and high-quality tequila up the glam factor.

All in all, it’s a pretty sexy drink, if you ask me.

Blackberry-Thyme Margaritas

Adapted from Bon Appétit
  • 1-2 cups fresh blackberries
  • Handful fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 1/2 cups good white tequila
  • 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup Cointreau or other orange liquor
  • 1 cup simple syrup
  • 1 cup champagne or sparkling wine

    • Place blackberries and thyme sprigs {be sure to leave extra of both for garnish} in medium bowl. Press firmly on solids with muddler or back of wooden spoon until mashed. Mix in tequila, simple syrup, lime juice, Cointreau, and sparkling wine. Stir to blend well. Fill glasses with ice, and pour margarita mixture over. Garnish with a couple blackberries and thyme sprigs.

    Makes about 8 drinks.

    watermelon gazpacho with basil oil + cayenne salt.

    September 17, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Healthy Eats, Starters with 1 Comment

    Does anyone remember that show Ask Aida? I really liked that show – I wonder why it was cancelled.

    Anyway, as I was searching high and low for an interesting watermelon gazpacho recipe a few weeks ago, I found this one. The author was Aida Mollenkamp, of Ask Aida.

    I had been looking for a gazpacho recipe because for whatever reason, I just *had* to make one for a dinner party we were hosting. It didn’t matter that Dan wasn’t into the idea – he’s a hot soup kinda guy – I had an idea, and I wasn’t going to let go of it. I had a heavier meal planned, so I wanted to do something light to start.

    Still, I wanted to find something different. The only gazpacho I remember loving was this one my aunt made for me earlier in the year, and that was a tough one to beat. I knew that I wanted to do something summery, as it was nearing the end of summer – and when I learned that our guests {one of them a very picky eater} loved watermelon, I had part of my work cut out for me.

    But what I wanted was a watermelon gazpacho with an edge, and that is exactly what I found in this recipe. The addition of the basil oil and the spicy cayenne salt was everything I could have asked for. My photograph taken in the dark doesn’t do it justice – the garnishes really made it look like something special. My picky eater – who turned out not to be a big gazpacho fan – even said, “if I liked gazpacho, this would be the best gazpacho ever made!”

    I’ll take it.

    Watermelon Gazpacho with Basil Oil + Cayenne Salt

    Adapted from Aida Mollenkamp

    For the basil oil:

    • 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 1/2 cups packed basil leaves

    For the gazpacho:

    • 3 cups cubed day-old country bread, crust removed
    • 3-4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
    • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
    • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
    • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
    • 4 1/2 cups coarsely chopped watermelon (about 1 1/2 pounds)
    • 2 small seedless cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 2/3 cups)
    • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
    • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

    For the garnish:

    • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
    • 1/2 cup minced watermelon
    • 1/2 cup minced seedless cucumber
    To make the basil oil, blend olive oil and basil leaves together until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let mixture steep for about 15 minutes before using.
    Place bread in a bowl, add water to cover (about 1/2 cup), and let soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain bread and squeeze out excess liquid.
    Finely mince garlic, basil, cayenne, cumin, and salt to form a rough, sandy paste. Place tomatoes, watermelon, cucumber, onion, soaked bread, and garlic paste in a large bowl and toss to mix. Let stand for about 15 minutes.
    Working in four batches, place a quarter of the vegetable mixture in a blender (or use a hand blender), add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 tablespoons water, and process until smooth. Transfer the puréed soup to a large, nonreactive bowl and repeat the blending process with the remaining vegetable mixture. Whisk in vinegar and adjust seasoning to taste.

    To make the garnish, mix cayenne pepper and salt in a small bowl until well combined. In a separate bowl, toss together watermelon and cucumber. To serve, top each bowl of gazpacho with 2 tablespoons of the watermelon and cucumber, sprinkle with cayenne salt, and drizzle with basil oil.

    Makes 8 servings – I halved the recipe to serve 4.

    arugula + peach salad with creamy chive vinaigrette.

    September 15, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Fabulously Simple, Salad Bar with 4 Comments

    When it comes to side salads, we all know that I enjoy serving my standard green salad and creamy mustard vinaigrette, à la Ina Garten.

    Arugula dressed with fresh lemon juice and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano is also a repeat offender.

    And now, I have a new standby to add to the mix. Bon Appétit calls it, ” the classic side salad reconsidered, with lush peaches standing in for tomatoes.” This is a great way to think of it, and it happens to be perfect for the occasional dinner guest who doesn’t like tomatoes.

    I don’t typically use cream when I make a vinaigrette, but here it worked. I think a buttermilk would substitute perfectly, and you can always use some mayo or an egg yolk to creamify your dressing – which is what I typically do. If you’ve got the cream on hand, however, I say stick with it. As the old adage goes, if ain’t broke…

    And we must at least mention the chives. They are truly what makes this dressing, and entire salad, in my opinion. Herbs are a great addition to any vinaigrette, as they add lots of flavor without adding calories. And the flavor of a chive is a perfect match for the cream in this dressing.

    Peppery arugula, creamy-chivey dressing, and the sweetness of a peach. Brilliant.

    Arugula + Peach Salad with Creamy Chive Vinaigrette

    Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit

    • 2 large ripe peaches
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
    • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons whipping cream
    • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives
    • 12 cups  arugula (about 6 ounces)

    Wash peaches, rubbing to remove fuzz. Cut in half; remove pits. Thinly slice peaches. Place peach slices in large bowl. Add 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice; toss. Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice and olive oil in small bowl. Whisk in cream, then chives. Season with salt and pepper.

    Add arugula to bowl with peaches. Add dressing and toss. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

    Serves 6.

    roasted shrimp cocktail.

    September 1, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Fabulously Simple, Starters with 5 Comments

    Everyone loves shrimp cocktail.

    It’s just one of those things.

    But when you roast those shrimp, that’s where it’s really at. You know, it’s kind of like tomatoes. Magic.

    You can serve them warm, or let them get to room temperature. Serve it all up in a pretty plate like this, with lemon slices on the corners, and I guarantee they’ll be gone before you know it.

    It’s the perfect thing to add to a menu when you want a little something extra, but don’t have the time for anything complicated. Shrimp cocktail is indeed a classic, but roasting the dish makes it feel more special. Special, and delicious. Oh – and one more thing. Once you see how easy it is to make cocktail sauce yourself, you’ll never go back to bottled. I like to add a little extra horseradish to mine.

    Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

    Courtesy of Ina Garten

    • 2 pounds (12 to 15-count) shrimp
    • 1 tablespoon good olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    For the super easy-peasy cocktail sauce:

    • 1/2 cup chili sauce (recommended: Heinz)
    • 1/2 cup ketchup
    • 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
    • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

    Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

    For the sauce, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Serve as a dip with the shrimp.

    the perfect {dinner} party invite.

    August 11, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Home Chic Home with 3 Comments

    I’m a sucker for anything personalized, and these adorable custom-made rubber house stamps are no exception.

    The concept: you send a photograph of your house to Holly, she draws it and then magically fashions her perfect little drawing into a stamp. That’s right – a stamp. Like, the kind you stick in an ink pad. How fun is that? I love when things look hand-written and these stamps would give anything that old-school, almost rustic vibe.

    I love the idea for dinner party invites, or any party you’re hosting at your home, really. Imagine how perfect these would be for a housewarming party. Or even stationery. You could use them to send your new address to friends and family when you move. That sounds like a very adult thing to do, doesn’t it?

    I love these as a gift for anyone with a beautiful {or new} home they love, but you could also potentially think outside the house. For instance, you could have an image drawn of your wedding site and use the stamp to make your own invites. The options are really endless, and I’m sure all you craftier-than-thou folk out there could think of plenty more uses for something like this.

    For a little over $100 per stamp, you can’t go wrong.

    salmon niçoise platter.

    August 10, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Healthy Eats, Salad Bar with 4 Comments

    Would you believe me if I told you this was my favorite salad?

    DSC03254.JPG

    It’s true. I know, I say it a lot.

    Ask anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of dining out with me. If a Niçoise salad is on the menu, I’m ordering it. Whether it’s served with salmon, seared tuna – even tuna from a can, which happens to be the traditional way to go – the decision is easy. I’m in.

    And now that I’ve started making it at home, it’s really on. The best part? It’s easy enough to throw together on a weeknight for two, and yet equally impressive when serving for a larger crowd.

    Trust me. Your friends will love it. Try serving it on a fish platter, like this. They’ll go crazy.

    Roasted Salmon Niçoise Platter

    {à la Ina Garten}

    Adapted to serve 2-4

    • 1 lemon
    • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • A few garlic cloves, minced
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2-4 salmon fillets
    • Potatoes of your choice, cooked and cut into slices {I used baby red potatoes}
    • Haricots verts, blanched
    • Tomatoes {either cherry or cut into wedges}
    • Hard-booked eggs, halved
    • Salad greens {I used mixed – you could also use watercress or arugula}
    • Handful mixed olives
    • Anchovies, optional

    For the vinaigrette:

    • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar {or white wine vinegar}
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/4 cup good olive oil

    Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

    Begin with a simple marinade for your salmon. Zest and juice your lemon and whisk in equal splashes of olive oil and Dijon mustard. Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and pour the mixture over the fish (on a sheet pan covered in foil for easy clean-up). Let it sit for about 15 minutes or so.

    To cook the potatoes, bring them to a boil in a large pot of salted water. Lower the heat and let them simmer for 10-15 minutes until they’re slightly tender when pierced with a fork. Drain them, placing the colander of potatoes back over the pot and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let them steam for about 15-20 minutes. To blanch the haricots verts, place them in a pot of boiling water for about a minute, remove and place into an ice bath. If you need help hard-boiling your eggs, click here.

    Roast the salmon in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how big the pieces are. You want it almost cooked through. Remove to a plate and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes.

    To make the vinaigrette, whisk together Dijon mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, and slowly whisk in olive oil. Now just spread your greens on a platter, and top with all of your ingredients. Drizzle with vinaigrette and enjoy.

    Page 5 of 6« First...«23456»