Board (Bored) Meeting

Cosmos do the trick for sure, Meg (when you’re enjoying the Golden Globes). But, when you’re saddled with an Association Board of Directors dinner, it can be a different story (though the cosmos would probably help!). While you were busy enjoying your friends and frolicking through fields of stuffed dates, I had to figure out what semi-serious kind of dinner I could fix our board members the next night.

The group is easy to feed, in general, so coming up with a menu isn’t hard…most appreciate a home-cooked meal, particularly after a long day of work. The real trick is having it ready EXACTLY as they arrive because they dish up, sit down, and get down to business, fork-in-hand.

I had such success with a pre-holiday dinner in December, that I decided it would provide just the answer for the board. Since it’s dinner-only (sans appetizers or salads or pre-dinner anything), I went straight for the good stuff: Pork Tenderloin with a Cranberry and Roasted Garlic Sauce (recipe from Bon Appétit), a spiced rice from San Francisco a la Carte (one of my most-loved books, p. 166) featuring yummy currants, raisins and dried apricots in its mix, and a simple lemon and herb green bean veggie, with pumpkin date torte for dessert.


Too bad the grocery store didn’t cooperate…NO CRANBERRIES to be had. Is there a time clock in the produce section that says, “I’m sorry, tick tock, but Christmas is over…you may not purchase cranberries anymore”? I stood there, knowing full well that someone was standing hip-deep in their rubber boots in a bog somewhere, trying desperately to be sure I could have them, but noooo. Epiphany in the produce aisle: I remembered a pork á l’orange I’d made some time ago with a pork loin roast and decided its simplicity would work just fine…I picked up an orange.

I still coated the tenderloin as directed on the recipe, oiling it with about 2 Tbl olive oil and then with a combo of:

¼ cup flour
1 tsp. each of garlic powder, cumin, dried thyme, ground black pepper
½ tsp. cayenne pepper

Then I prepared a reduction of fresh orange juice, champagne wine vinegar, chicken stock, a little white wine and a bit of orange zest; finishing it with a couple tablespoons of orange liqueur and orange sections. The tenderloins were seared in a hot, oiled skillet til browned on all sides and then cooked in a 400° oven for about 13 min. (til thermometer inserted into center registered 145°). Pork removed to warm platter and served with orange sauce.

It was a hit! Sometimes out of culinary chaos comes an answer…even if it wasn’t on the agenda.

--the mother

Golden Globe Gathering

Before my godfather comes to visit next weekend, I squeezed in one extra night of entertaining. It was the Golden Globes, so naturally that meant it would be a "girls night" that consisted of cosmos, goat cheese, and red carpet commentary. My husband and I were so poor after the holiday entertaining and gift giving, that I quickly assessed the fridge to figure out if I could create something magical from whatever supplies I already had. Sorry girls, no rack of lamb this time. Since we were swimming in Trader Joe's frozen shrimp (to say my husband is a fan is an understatement) and an assortment of long thin pastas to chose from, I went with the classic Ina Garten roasted shrimp and added it to a pot of perfectly cooked linguini, butter, lemon, S&P, parmesan, and a touch of heavy cream. Doesn't need to be expensive to be good, ladies. Here is the Barefoot Contessa recipe for the shrimp, and I just improvised on the pasta combination:

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

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.

I chose a new recipe for the appetizer (I can feel my mom cringing over the fact that I'm testing recipes with guests), which was stuffed dates with goat cheese wrapped in basil & prosciutto. Surprisingly I managed okay with this one - but then again, how can you really go wrong with anything stuffed with goat cheese? Tip for the new entertainer like me...make sure you read the whole recipe before you try it. I was ready to pop those dates under the broiler when I read "soak the toothpicks for ten minutes in water prior to use". Okay, don't panic...the dates only needed a few minutes under the broiler anyway, and I had 15 minutes until the girls arrived. Crisis averted, but lesson learned.

After appetizers I did a wedge salad with blue cheese dressing, bacon, and red onion. This must be the simplest salad in the history of salads, but the presentation is so dramatic that the girls were "oohing" and "ahhing" over it. You can bet I'll be sticking this in my recipe arsenal since it's a guaranteed hit with guests. After the salad it was on to the main dish of shrimp & linguini, which was so simple and yet so satisfying. I also think it’s a great option if you're having guests for dinner, and you are not familiar with their eating habits (if they are vegetarians, don't like spicy foods, allergic to nuts, etc). It's a pretty safe bet.

But I think the touch of the evening was the subtle entertaining efforts like creating a game out of the Golden Globe award show. At each of the placements was a printed out list of all the nominees and the girls were asked to mark their predictions. Of course if I had enough time I would have done more with the presentation - really blown it out like Mom would have done. I'm guessing she would have hand-stenciled the Golden Globe trophy on each of the pages and then displayed them in a fake voting ballet, or something nuts like that. But in fact, the simple quiz was perfectly fine for our casual girls’ night. We laughed, sipped our cosmos, and carefully chose our predictions. The evening was a great success - everything from the drinks, to the food, to the entertainment and the conversation. It proved to me that entertaining doesn't have to break the bank. You just need some basic ingredients, creativity, and a well thought-out plan. Oh, and cosmos help too.

Egg-cetera

Yep, love sharing recipes. This one is one of my most requested in the “brunch” category….and it has a little history. When first married, I too went for the brunch as a way to entertain on a budget (a dozen eggs for a meal versus filet mignons), and hubby makes the BEST Bloody Marys on the planet.

One favorite couple in particular (Preston and Kim) attended many brunches at our home. Kim, an excellent cook herself, gave me a book she purchased on the east coast where she’s from originally. It was just a funky little book (maybe self-published) from a local caterer, Ruth Macpherson, titled Discover Brunch. The recipe Meg’s referring to is

Company Eggs

½ lb. Gruyère cheese, grated
4 Tbl. butter
1 cup heavy cream
½ tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 ½ tsp. dry mustard
12 eggs, slightly beaten

Spread cheese in buttered 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Dot with butter. Mix cream with seasonings and mustard. Pour half over cheese. Add slightly beaten eggs, and then add remaining half of cream mixture. Bake at 325º for about 35 min. or until eggs are set.

The recipe is so simple to prepare and the luscious but fluffy-light results are always a hit with guests. Of course, anything made with Gruyère is a hit in my book.

Maybe that’s why we gave Preston and Kim the nod to be Meg’s godparents several years later. Speaking of which, I do believe Preston is headed this way…batten down the hatches, alert the neighbors and let’s knock heads on what to fix him for dinner.

--the mother

Mimosas and Muffins

It's time for a post-holiday get-together with the neighbors since we weren't able to find time in the holiday rush. They have two little ones and we're always invited to their house for dinner so they can put them to bed before we sit down to dine. It's long overdue to have them over to our house, and I figured the best option was for a Sunday brunch so we could avoid "bedtime" altogether. Plus, I find that brunch is always a good option for anyone on a tight budget. A simple egg-dish and some veggie sides and you're in business!

Of course brunch isn't complete without the mimosas - let's get real. And I like to mix it up a bit with different variations in the "mimosas" depending on the time of year, the menu, and the guests. Since it's just after the holiday, I was thinking mimosas with pomegranate juice would be appropriate. Of course you could always just do Pomegranate Champagne - but for a brunch I find the mimosa mixture more festive. There are plenty of recipes to chose from, and while I don't have a favorite, I do like the following recipe from Epicurious.com:

2 cups chilled pomegranate juice
1 cup chilled fresh orange juice
1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur (preferably Cointreau)
1 (750-ml) bottle well-chilled Cava or demi-sec Champagne
Note: You'll want to buy more than one bottle of cava/champagne. Trust me on this one. And I usually opt for less of the juice, and more of the champagne than the recipe calls for.

Combine juices and liqueur in a large pitcher. Slowly add sparkling wine and stir.

I'll buy a little extra OJ and pomegranate juice to serve to the kids, or to anyone who doesn't want a mimosa. Regular coffee will be in abundance, and I keep a stash of decaf coffee in case guests prefer decaf. So we're set with the drinks...now on to the good stuff. I'm planning the following menu:

-Orange mini-muffins
-Vanilla-pear mini muffins
-Roasted asparagus
-Egg casserole

I've got all I need except the egg casserole recipe from mom. She's got a knock-out recipe that she used recently, and we're all about sharing great recipes together. Right, Mom?

--the daughter

Holidays Survived

Wow...what a hard thing to live up to.  All I can say is that generations of women have gone before us, spatula-in-hand, with the loving intent of nurturing their family.   This does not mean that there haven't been a few disasters along the way (a croquembouche that doesn't work -- TWICE -- thanks, Martha) or an extra guest that shows up when you have exactly 4 double-cut pork chops for a party of 4 and now it's a party of 5.

What it does mean is this:  cooking, entertaining, creating a beautiful table and home for your family and friends is, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding aspects of life...a way to connect...a way to celebrate...a way to show people who love you, that you love them back (well, my dog does that last one too but it's a little on the slobbery side).

Meg did indeed borrow a few things for her Christmas Eve "Soup Strategy" from my arsenal of domestic weapons but she is too modest to mention some of her own "originals; witness the "Santa, I can explain" napkins with cocktails or the thoughtfulness of a flatscreen tv, rotating pictures of the family and friends who were attending...nice touch for a Christmas Eve get-together!

She seemed pleased with the acrylic squares for holding the cheese but I have to say that the thought behind that was almost accidental...a bridal shower ages ago I was hosting where I needed multiple cheese stations and I was trying to figure out what reasonable way I could do that, short of purchasing a large volume of "real" cheese platters.  I visited a local plastic/acrylic company and saw a bin of "scrap" acrylic pieces they sold by the pound and voila, cheese boards were born.  It was an added plus that whatever is underneath (white linen or a leaf, etc.) could be subtly used to enhance the table while keeping it clean.

As for the marinated mushrooms she had me contribute, you don't even have to say "please"...it is always my pleasure to share a recipe with friends:

1 lb. fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup olive oil

3 Tbl. tarragon vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. minced fresh tarragon (use dried tarragon if you must)

Clean mushrooms (do NOT wash them...that's a no-no...mushrooms absorb water and will not perform like they should).  Trim stem if needed and slice in half (quarter them if the mushrooms are really large).  Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl and mix well with mushrooms.  Let stand about 5 hours before serving but DO NOT CHILL.

Note:  I love this recipe for picnic fare (Napa picnic particularly) since I can assemble prior to leaving, then it marinates en route to picnic...do a little wine-tasting and it's ready when it's picnic time.  (wine tasting optional but preferable!)

As for the clam chowder she served on Christmas Eve, it was wonderful.  She did call that day saying the soup didn't seem thick enough (we're all used to restaurants that tend to serve a really, really thick soup -- borderline white paste with clams), but I assured her that adding a little roux would do the trick (1 stick butter, melted, then add 1/2 cup flour, cooked slowly over low heat -- then add to chowder).

Not sure why she thinks the Christmas dinner the next night was so perfect...I happen to think it was the people who were gathered there...her included.  And the good news is, we survived the holidays.

--the mother

Hosting Christmas Eve

My husband and I hosted Christmas Eve for the first time in our new home. There were 11 guests – both family and friends – for dinner and traditional holiday cheer. While I was excited to finally have a home to entertain in, panic quickly set in when I realized I didn’t have enough plates for everyone, let alone a dining room table. How was I going to pull off a dinner for 11 without all the entertaining necessities? I did what any young newly-wed would do in this situation… I called mom.

She suggested what I call a “Soup strategy”. Make tons of delicious soup, surround the soup tureens with overflowing bread & cheese displays, and serve it in large mugs. Then there’s no need for all the formal dining pieces that come with years of accumulation, and the preparation is easier to manage.

I borrowed a table, soup mugs, acrylic squares, and mini Crate & Barrel appetizer plates from my mom. I also went “shopping” at her house for more holiday décor – rummaging through her bins to find extra lights, more ornaments, table runners, etc. I’d say my mom’s house is the most affordable place to shop.

The Menu:
- Marinated Olives
-- No, I didn’t make these. Whole Foods has the best marinated olives on the planet. I take shortcuts wherever I can.
- Mixed veggies & spinach dip
-- I used only green, red, and white colored veggies to use them as my coffee table centerpiece (because I’m psychotic like my mother). I made the spinach dip – a yummy recipe that included pimentos and water chestnuts. Trader Joe’s also has really good frozen dips, which I would opt for if I was running out of time.
- Marinated mushrooms
-- This was courtesy of mom, thanks mom! Maybe she’ll share it with you if you say “please”.
- Roasted Red Pepper and Goat cheese tarts
-- Tip: never make a recipe you haven’t tried when you have guests over. Though it was delicious, it took a lot longer to make than I expected. I was elbow deep in goat cheese when the guests arrived.
- Various breads – French, walnut, ciabatta
- Various cheeses – Brie (of course), Gouda, Blue, and smoked cheddar
- Clam Chowder
-- I could use any of the hundreds of clam chowder recipes out there, but of course I used the family recipe:

¼ lb. bacon, diced
2 medium onions, sliced
3 doz. hard-shell clams, shucked with liquid reserved (This is nuts, just buy canned chopped clams—approx. six 6.5 oz. cans, unless you have endless amount of time)
2-3 Tbl. Flour
3 large potatoes, diced (3 cups)
2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. celery salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 cups whole milk
1 Tbl. butter

In large saucepan over med. heat, cook bacon til lightly browned; add onions and cook til tender, about 5 min. Chop clams. Add enough water to clam liquid to make 2 cups (I’ve never had to do this; I always end up with plenty of clam juice from the cans).

Stir flour into onion mixture til blended. Gradually stir in clam-liquid mixture and cook, stirring constantly, til mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in potatoes, salt, celery salt, and pepper; cover and cook til potatoes are tender, about 10 min. Add clams, milk and butter; cover and cook til heated through, about 5 min, stirring often. Makes 10 cups.

The “borrowed” table was draped with white linens and arranged with various platforms for the soup, bread and cheese display. In the center was a glass hurricane holding a red candle, held in place by cranberry-colored potpourri (from the Dollar Store – shhh, don’t tell). Surrounding the hurricane were branches of the leftover greens from our Christmas tree and a handful of pinecones sprinkled with fake snow. To get the table just the way I wanted it, it took me three nights, two calls to mom, and one bottle of wine.

On the platforms I arranged the acrylic squares which held the cheeses, each identified by individual labels. The breads were sliced and scattered around the cheese platforms and among the crevasses in the linens to give it a more natural feel. Soup mugs were placed on the spare table with napkins and spoons, and a small arrangement of greens & pinecones.

There was plenty of food, all of which was well received by our guests. While it was a success, it wasn’t as perfect as Mom does it…but it hardly ever is. And the next day, Christmas Day, would be a perfect example of that. She was creating a three-course sit down dinner for 13, and she didn’t need to borrow a thing.

--the daughter

Lessons from two kitchens

It’s not an uncommon thing, really…a mother teaching her daughter some things in the kitchen (from scrambling an egg when she’s young to preparing the proverbial “way to a man’s heart” as she grows older). But what is truly unusual about this blog is that the mother and daughter learn from each other.

The mother has been around the chopping block a few times and the daughter is just gaining her momentum as hostess, entertainer and cook. And yet, the daughter, fraught with anxiety over working full-time and trying to be “all that”, has discovered some simpler ways of doing things…an easier way to make a recipe when she doesn’t have time to shop in three stores for the ingredients…a short-cut for preparing a time-consuming dish…a more cost-effective menu for a young person’s budget. And, guess what…she has a lot to teach her mother about “all that”!

Consider it a “Gilmore Girls meet Martha Stewart” scenario. (And if you have to ask who the Gilmore Girls are…you’re not going to understand). We are a domestic duo of two generations with a tendency to be sassy (hey, it’s genetic).

So let’s get going, but know this: We will be always truthful about recipes and will ALWAYS give credit for the source (if we have it). We will always critique a recipe, restaurant, cookbook, or whatever with total honesty. Take from it what you will, but we are here to throw into the cyber-food universe what we have found that works for both generations.