DDCP '10

I know it's been a long time. I have a lot to tell you. I'm going back to May 1.

Do you remember from last year what DDCP is? It's the annual Derby Day Cocktail Party. This year's came off without a hitch.

However, having aux. pio'ed in April and being that the first Sat. was the first of the month I was very tired and more than a little cranky when our last guest left. I didn't mail invitations this year. I will next year and will state the party's time as 4-8. 9:30 was just too late and there was still clean up to do.

Sadly, I neglected to take any pictures. I know...I usually have you guys in the back of mind all the time which means I take a lot of weird and sometimes useless pictures (think "mother goose" from last spring).

The menu hasn't really changed a whole lot since DDCP prime. I did make muffaletta sandwiches instead of doing my more traditional meat and cheese spread. I also made my green goddess dip (at 2 requests...they like me, they really like me) and had fairly significant veggie spread. And a fruit spread. And a nice antipasto thing in my beautiful Tuscan antipasto tray set.

Okay, that's all I remember about DDCP '10. Oh, wait, there's one more thing...one of our guests is preggers, and wanting her not to feel left out and to feel as if her beverage was just as special as the ones Josh was making...I made punch. In my new punch bowl. Easy, peasy recipe--one bottle of lemonade (from the refrigerator case) and one bottle of ginger ale. Not wanting to water down the punch, I made lemonade ice cubes and froze a raspberry in cube. Oooh...I can show you a picture of those. Be right back...I have to go take it. (I made more yesterday because I am making the punch again for a baby shower on Wed. That's a whole different post. It's 4th or 5th on my list.)



Okay, that really is all. I have to go to the market now. We're having our good friends for burgers and pie tonight. (Also fodder for a future pie...my escapades with homemade crust.)

Kissy out.

I'm still alive

Just barely.

It's been a month and blogging has exactly been at the top of my list.

This one will be no better. I'm just letting you all know that I haven't stopped blogging or cooking.

Just this week, I made vichyssoise, meat sauce, and an apple pie completely (including the crust) from scratch. The meat sauce was good. The other recipes came from a trial cookbook that was sent to me. I'm sending the book back. The pie recipe called for margarine (not butter--ugh) and didn't specify a variety of apple...not even a suggestion of one. It's a shame...it was a rather pretty book, but I won't use it. Ever. I tried. Twice.

So that's all from me.

I hope all is well with you.

Oh, vote for my mom and sister's shop in their local best of competition. They are under gift shop...Joli Home and Events.

Thanks,
Kristen

Cubs Win!

We went to the Cubs game yesterday! It was perfect baseball weather...high round 81. As soon as we found our seats, (row 8 along the first base line!) the Fan Foto guy came by and took our pictures. You can see them here.

I told Josh I wanted to see a home-run. The last time I said that, I saw 4! Well Geovany Soto came through for me. I love my Geo!


Right as he connected and started to run!

Theriot had four hits. Here he is cooling his heels at first. He didn't stay there long...he stole second several times.


Who doesn't love the 7th inning stretch? Guess who led us in it...Plain White Ts. I was thrilled!

The game was little touch and go. We were down as we entered the bottom of the 8th but we rallied and won. Marmol even made Fielder cry like a little girl to end the game. Okay, I don't know if he actually cried, but he did look pretty silly striking out!

And, so as the game ended the cheering gave we to my new favorite song...Go Cubs Go!



What a perfect day!

Dun dun a dun!

Much cheering and fan fare. It has only taken me 18 months to achieve this, but it is my 100th post! Woohoo and Yay for me!

Okay, enough of that. It's Monday, it's date night, so here goes.

Cocktail hour:
The usual: our house Manhattan
cheese and crackers with grapes (nothing too fancy here)

Dinner:
Salad: hearts of Romaine, cucumber, and sliced red onion with a roasted tomato vinaigrette
Here is the recipe for the main course, courtesy of Rachael Ray:

Carbonara Deep-Dish Pasta-Crusted Pan Pizza

• Salt
• 2 packages fresh linguini, 9 ounces each
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta, cut as thick as bacon, chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 cup shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat water for pasta in large pot, salt it and add pasta for 3 minutes.

While water boils, heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes.

Drain pasta, add to pan and toss. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with salt and pepper. Beat eggs with cream and pour over top of pasta. Let eggs begin to set up, about 1 minute, and pat pasta into even layer to make the pizza pie crust. Place in oven and cook 5 to 6 minutes.

Mix together the ricotta and parsley. Remove pie from oven and smooth the ricotta over the top. Scatter with the provolone or mozzarella and return to oven. Bake 8 minutes more until cheese is melted and golden at edges. Cut into wedges and serve.

Dessert is a raspberry custard (recipe found in my latest Everyday Food magazine.)

Some random notes about date night:

1. It doesn't have to be a huge deal.
2. It doesn't have to be a lot of work.
3. It doesn't have to be terribly expensive (we'd go out if it did!).
   
4. It does have to be something you and your spouse enjoy.
5. It does have to be something you don't have all the time.
6. You do need to turn the tv and computer off until the meal is over. And no phone call is so important that you need to disrupt date night. You can call them back!
   

For me, because I love to cook and to entertain, it's often a chance to try something new. At the same time, though, because the main point of date night is to eat at the table (really, how many of you eat a the table every night?) and to enjoy some quality time with my hubby, my old standby's are more often in play. And this week, I may be making dessert. Last week, it was cupcakes (from a box!)

I encourage all of you to try a date night. At least once. You don't have to go crazy with a once week date night like I do. Once a month, a quarter, a year, a lifetime.

I'm available for babysitting if you can bring the monkey to me.

Date Night--week of 2/22

So, I'm going out of town this Saturday. Alone. I'm leaving my husband alone for 5 days. There will not be a regularly scheduled date next week. I will be having my dinners with another man. Allen. My 3 year old nephew. He lives in SC. With his parents--my sister and brother-in-law and near his grandparents--my parents.

Because I'm going away, I wanted to make this date night a special one. I have done this menu before, I know. But we do love our steakhouse dinners and this is...well, it's cheaper and it's at home. I think you can figure out how that's better.

What is the menu? Wouldn't you like to know.

Who am I kidding? I'll tell you:

Cocktail: House Manhattans (whiskey half rye, half Makers Mark)

Appetizer: Shrimp Cocktail

Salad: Caesar for the man, garden for me

Main Course: Filet Mignon---pan seared, pepper crust

Side Dishes: Broccoli
Potato-Parsnip Gratin--I am mixing in garlic, 1/2 and 1/2, and a little cheese (variety tbd), topping it with caramelized onion and baking for 1 hour at 325

Dessert: Mini cheesecakes topped with raspberries that I bought at the market

Methinks this will be nice.

Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Having used both potatoes and parsnips to make my chicken stock, and being that I usually cook my potatoes for mashing in chicken stock, I decided to fish these out and mash them after I made my stock. I treated them just like I treat my potatoes...a little melted butter, a little sour cream, salt and pepper.

I thought they were yummy; Hubby thought they were just okay. He really loves his tators.

I had a little bit of my beef bourganion left, and this was a very good combo. One that I will intentionally repeat. I love these happy culinary coincidences.

Date Night--week of 2/15

Being riddled with a cold, I decided that a slow-cooking-make-hours-before-date-night-began kind of a dinner was called for.

Additionally, I had just gotten my latest copy of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food in the mail.

It contained this recipe for Beef Bourganion:

Ingredients

• 6 ounces slab bacon, rind removed, cut into 1/4-by-1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 pounds stewing beef, such as lean rump pot roast, cut into 2-inch cubes, patted dry
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 medium onion, sliced crosswise
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups red wine, such as Chianti, Beaujolais, or Cotes du Rhone
• 3 cups homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium beef stock, plus 1/2 cup
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 garlic, crushed
• 1/2 dried thyme, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 dried bay leaf, crumbled, plus 1/2 bay leaf
• 4 fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 24 cipollini or pearl onions, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, and peeled
• 1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with oven racks set in the middle and lower-third. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 quarts water to a simmer; add bacon and rind, simmering for 10 minutes. Drain; dry bacon and pot. Reserve rind.
2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch-oven over medium heat. Add bacon; cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon; set aside.
3. Increase heat to medium-high; oil should be just below smoking point. Test by placing one piece of beef in pan; it should sizzle immediately. Add beef in small batches and cook until well-browned on all sides. Remove meat, and set aside with bacon.
4. Add carrots and sliced onions; cook until browned. Drain excess; discard.
5. Return beef and bacon to pot; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle in flour, tossing to coat. Transfer pot, uncovered, to middle of oven; bake for 4 minutes. Toss meat and vegetables; bake for 4 minutes more. Transfer pot to stove. Reduce heat to 325 degrees.
6. Over medium-low heat, stir in wine and enough stock to barely cover meat. Add tomato paste, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1 crumbled bay leaf, and bacon rind; bring to a simmer. Cover pot, and transfer to lower-third of oven. Bake, regulating heat so stew simmers, until meat is fork tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
7. Meanwhile, make an herb sachet. In an 8-by-8-inch piece of cheesecloth, combine 4 sprigs parsley, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, and tie using kitchen twine. Set aside.
8. In a medium skillet, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When butter is bubbling, add whole onions; sauté until browned, about 10 minutes.
9. Add 1/2 cup stock to pan; season with salt and pepper, and add herb sachet. Simmer, covered, until onions are tender and liquid has evaporated, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove herb sachet, and discard. Set aside.
10. Wipe out skillet; place over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil; butter will begin to foam. As foaming subsides, add mushrooms; sauté, stirring often, until lightly browned. Remove from heat; set aside.
11. Pour stew into a sieve set over a large saucepan. Rinse out Dutch-oven. Return beef and bacon to pot; add cooked mushrooms and onions.
12. Skim fat from sauce. Over medium-low heat, bring sauce to a simmer, skimming off additional fat, 1 to 2 minutes. Sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, bring to a boil and reduce to correct consistency. If too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables.
13. Bring pot to a simmer, covered, over medium heat, basting meat and vegetables with sauce, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with parsley; serve immediately.

We thought it was very good. Not as good as the one my mom made when I was a kid though. Having talked to good ol' Mom, though, I now know that she made Julia Child's recipe. I shall seek this out.