Don’t think. Don’t talk. Just dance.
Click on the artists' names to learn more about them. Eva Shaw & Mally Mall + Laura Mvula & NK-OK
Afternoon Dance Break is a recurring feature that invites you to get up from the desk, crank up the tunes, and dance your fool head off for a few minutes before resuming the daily grind. Want more dancing? Find past ADBs here.
Don’t think. Don’t talk. Just dance. Click on the artists' names to learn more about them. Eva Shaw & Mally Mall + Laura Mvula & NK-OK
0 Comments
The Occasion: Anytime you want to treat yo self. Or claim your crown as the most awesome treat-baker in the world and bake for others. Mm-hm, they are just that good. We brought them to a Mardi Gras party and yes indeed, the good times did roll!
The Verdict: Thin, dense, and sweet. That sounds like a punchline to a “that’s how I like my lovers” joke, but no, we’re still talking about dessert. And these treats cannot be beat! Go on and get you some.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. ![]()
Port Ganache-Glazed Brownies with Dried Cherries
Recipe source: Fine Cooking INGREDIENTS: For the port-soaked dried cherries:
For the brownies:
For the port-ganache topping:
DIRECTIONS: Soak the cherries: In a small saucepan, bring the cherries and port to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Make the brownies: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 9-inch-square metal baking pan, tapping out the excess flour. (I cover bottom of pan in aluminum foil first so that it’s easier to remove from the pan once baked.) Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk or stir in the sugar, followed by all four of the eggs and the vanilla. Stir in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, starting slowly to keep the ingredients from flying out of the pan and stirring more vigorously as you go. Stir until the batter is smooth and uniform, about 1 minute. If you're using the port-soaked cherries, stir them in at this time, along with any remaining liquid from the saucepan. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing it so it fills the pan evenly. Bake until a toothpick or a skewer inserted 3/4 inch into the center of the brownies comes out with just a few moist clumps clinging to it, about 40 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a rack. Make the topping: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the port to a boil. Boil until the port is reduced to 2 tablespoons, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour it into a small cup or bowl. Thoroughly rinse the pan. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in the pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the chopped chocolate and reduced port until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is melted. Pour the ganache into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Put the bowl in a cool part of the kitchen and let the ganache cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. When it's cool, spread it evenly over the cooled brownies and give the ganache about an hour to set (it will still be quite soft and gooey). Cut into 16 squares – or smaller sizes as this is quite rich. Keep the brownies at room temperature, well wrapped. You can freeze them, too.
The Occasion: Great Go-Withs for Taco Night
Game Night and Taco Night collided recently at our house for an evening of riotous fun with friends. A mix-and-match buffet of tacos and green salad gave our guests plenty of options to customize their plates: two proteins, multiple cheeses and salsas, various veggies, and a choice of salad dressing. Everyone got exactly what they wanted. (This is a good tactic when cooking for guests with dietary restrictions – it’s all about having options.) Here’s the spread:
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
I’ve expressed my love for pickled vegetables before, and likely will again. Love the tart, briny stuff! This recipe is a keeper. It was so good with off-season ears of corn I’m eager to try it again at the height of summer.
Pickled Corn Recipe source: Alison Roman for Bon Appétit Combine 2 small dried chiles, 1 seeded thinly sliced jalapeño, 1/4 thinly sliced medium red onion, 2 cups corn kernels (from about 2 ears), 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems (NOTE: We’re not cilantro fans, so substituted Mexican oregano; parsley would also be fine), 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper in a heatproof 1-quart jar. Bring 1/2 cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 3/4 cup water to a boil; pour over corn. (Add water to cover, if needed.) Seal jar. Let cool; chill. Will keep up to 1 month. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. ![]()
The Salsa Verde is a perfect example of the pure power of fresh ingredients simply prepared. We roasted tomatillos and jalapeno, then whizzed them up in the blender to make a thick puree. Just before serving I added finely chopped white onion, chopped parsley (or cilantro if you prefer), a little water, and stirred it all up. Magnifico!
Salsa Verde (Roasted Tomatillo Salsa) Recipe source: Rick Bayless, Fiesta at Rick’s cookbook Yield: 1 cup INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
![]()
![]()
And finally the salad dressing. Ranch dressing has long been relegated to the kids table or not-so-adventurous eaters. Well, it’s time to take another bite. This is another great example of homemade beating store-bought with handfuls of fresh green herbs and a little zing from one or two canned chipotles in adobo. Really good!
Chipotle Ranch Salad Dressing Recipe source: Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) for Food Network INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
![]()
So there you have it, a trio of Tex-Mex toppings to dress up your tacos, salads, barbecue plates, and who knows what – let your imagination and your taste buds run free! The salad dressing makes a good dip for crudité, or spoon a little on top of a baked potato – yum! The salsa verde would be a great side sauce for pork tenderloin or grilled fish. And the pickled corn is great by the spoonful. Enjoy!
The Occasion: Knock knock. It’s the weekend. Let it in.
The Backstory: Ilise and I hosted a fun and lively Game Night/Taco Night recently which you’ll read more about next week. But the part you need to know right now is this super-tasty cherry margarita. Mm-hm! Tart and refreshing, yes please and thank you.
The Verdict: The Taco Night Gamers loved it and there’s a very good chance you will too. Be sure to use tart cherry juice – this is perfect precisely because it’s not too sweet. Cheers, and enjoy the weekend!
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. ![]()
Tart Cherry Margarita
Recipe source: Ilise Goldberg Makes one cocktail INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
The Occasion: Brown bag lunch. Or a light meatless supper. Also nice as part of a brunch menu.
The Verdict: Easy, in-season, and satisfying. With asparagus and baby spinach making a comeback in the produce aisle, now is the time to get your salad fix. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
![]()
Asparagus, Red Pepper, and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese
Recipe source: Best American Side Dishes from the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated (cookbook) Serves 4 to 6 INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Sweet Bites: Chocolate Layer Cake with White Chocolate Mousse Filling and Chocolate Fudge Frosting3/3/2017
The Occasion: This cake is ideal for special occasions like birthdays or celebrations. IMO this is not an everyday dessert. (However if it’s everyday for you, I’ll be right over. With my fork. Every day.)
We made it for the dessert course at our recent Foodies Group dinner; the theme was Rocky Mountain High. Read about it here. We wanted something large and impressive, like the Rockies themselves, and a towering chocolate cake seemed like a good starting point. Adding a mountain of snowy white chocolate mousse in between layers evokes, you know, snow on the mountains – plus it tastes damn delicious. We went a little crazy with add-ons for our Foodies presentation – as one does. More about that below.
Lesson #1: This cake needs plenty of time to chillax in between the different phases. Specifically, it’s important to chill the mousse for a good long time before slathering it on between the cake layers, and it’s even more important to chill the cake + mousse before frosting the cake. Otherwise the mousse will ooze out the sides. Still delicious but messy and hard to work with. Lesson #2: With a bonanza of tasty frostings to choose from it’s hard to go wrong. But we wanted to achieve soul-satisfying perfection, so swapped out the test cake’s cream cheese based chocolate frosting for a rich chocolate fudge. Mmmm. Definitely the right call. ![]()
Gilding the Lily: Honestly, the cake + mousse + frosting combo is impressive enough by itself. There really is no need to make chocolate bears and moose pops and candy evergreens. And the skiers? Way over the top.
But excess is the name of the game for our Foodie group, and so we did. We used candy-making molds bought online and cookie cutters to make the shapes. Super easy. Take a look. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
The Verdict: This is a truly excellent chocolate cake, rich, moist and decadent. It ain’t easy or quick, but those are not the only success metrics for a worthwhile kitchen experience. Plan ahead. Ilise took 3 days to complete this cake and boy oh boy was it worth the wait! Be generous with the white chocolate mousse filling. When you think you’ve piled on plenty of mousse, go ahead and add another big scoop. An abundance of delectable, creamy filling is a big factor in this cake’s off the charts approval rating. Is there an upcoming special occasion in your life? Mm-hm. You know what to do.
![]()
Chocolate Layer Cake with White Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Recipe source: Delicious Wordflux, slightly adapted by Ilise Goldberg INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
White Chocolate Mousse Filling
Directions for Mousse:
Fudgy Chocolate Frosting Recipe source: An Ilise Goldberg adaptation from two sources – Chocolate Chocolate and More and Add A Pinch INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Today marks the beginning of Lent which means, for those who follow the religious food guidelines, eating no meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and every Friday until Easter. The fishmongers are no doubt giving extra thanks during this time.
This could be a great ‘training wheels’ dish for someone who’s not quite sure if they like fish. There are so many big and bold flavors in here contrasting with the mild, sweet cod you might even forget you’re eating seafood. Longtime fish-lovers will find a lot to like as well.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. ![]()
Cod Stew with Chorizo, Leeks & Potatoes
Recipe source: Fine Cooking via Hooked on Fish INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Serves 4
Did you miss Part 1? You can find it here. For now, a quick recap:
![]()
The Menu:
Drinks – Kathleen and Karen: Bristlecones – a gin-based cocktail; and assorted wines Appetizers – Greg and Dan: “Mountain Goat” Cheese Spread with Herbs and Lemon with Sourdough Whole-Wheat Crackers; Denver Omelette Frittata with Grandma’s Chili Sauce Main Course – Ellyn: Roast Trout Stuffed with Lemon and Herbs; Seared Venison with Black Raspberry Sauce; Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries; Baked Horseradish Mashed Potatoes Dessert – Ilise and Ann: A Rocky Mountain Ski-scape featuring Chocolate Layer Cake with White Chocolate Mousse Filling and Chocolate Fudge Frosting
For the Main Course, Ellyn brought both field and stream to the table. Forest, farm, and garden too. Roasted trout stuffed with lemon slices, rosemary and thyme was light and flavorful, evoking the simple pleasure of campsite dining next to a fire. (Our pals at Hooked on Fish sourced the trout, so you know it’s high quality, sustainable, and super-fresh.)
“Field” is represented by a lovely platter of seared venison loin, finished with an amazing black raspberry sauce bringing a welcome burst of summer’s bounty to the dead of winter. Bonus: The berries are from Ellyn’s garden, frozen from last year’s crop. Smart woman. She did a masterful job balancing the meaty, slightly gamy (in a good way) aspects of the venison with the bright, tart, and fruity sauce. The side dishes were fan favorites as well, especially the horseradish mashed potatoes. Mmmmmmm! How did she do it? Let’s hear from Ellyn herself: Roast Trout Stuffed with Lemon and Herbs: For the trout, I simply took butterflied whole trout, rubbed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Then stuffed with lemon slices, rosemary and thyme. Roasted at 400 until done. (AJ note: Other possible herb combos are: oregano-basil; dill-parsley; and sage-parsley.)
Here are links to Ellyn's other recipes:
Seared Venison with Black Raspberry Sauce - from Jess Pryles Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries - fromJulia's Album Please click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Ilise and I were excited to take charge of dessert, giving the assignment the careful planning it deserves. We considered a few things in the “Rocky” category: Rocky Road ice cream or fudge were contenders for a while, and I desperately wanted to make something with rock candy (kept hearing the old timey song Big Rock Candy Mountain in my head). There’s a cool video showing how to do it but our experiment looked like snowy mountain sludge, so back to the drawing board we went.
And then it came to Ilise as in a dream … Rocky Mountains → Snow-covered mountains → People go skiing on snow-covered mountains → And sometimes they see wildlife on those snow-covered mountains as they ski past. Boom. And just like that Ilise’s vision of a snow-covered Rocky Mountain ski-scape was born. We’ve had other artistic and architectural dessert constructions at past themed dinners – Karen and Kathleen’s onion domes from the St. Petersburg Winter Palace, Greg and Dan’s beachy boardwalk tableau, Ellyn’s garden mud pies with (delicious!) dirt, plants, and worms. The time was right for Ilise and me to – literally – make a scene with our dessert course. Please cast your eyes upon our snowy display made of chocolate layer cake; white chocolate mousse; chocolate moose; chocolate bear; edible trees; moose pops; white chocolate shavings; and mounds of fluffy white (whipped cream) snow. And skiers. Phew, there’s a lot going on! Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
We will dedicate a future post - including recipes - to this amazingly delicious chocolate layer cake with white chocolate mousse filling. Even if you are never called upon to create an artwork out of baked goods, this is one recipe you’ll want to keep front and center in your recipe folder. It is perfect for birthdays and other special occasions. Skiers, bears, and moose pops are optional.
Well, that'll wrap it up for this Foodies Group dining adventure. We always have a great time creating, and consuming, these themed meals and it's nice to know we've got an engaged group of readers (and vicarious diners). Last year at about this time the Foodies did a Citrus-themed dinner -- read all about it here. And if you'd like to catch up on some of our other meals you may find the posts here.
Let's conclude with a relevant quote from John Muir, influential naturalist and early advocate for the preservation of America's wilderness. Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. ![]()
The Occasion: Oscars Night, baby!
Everyone wants to party with the Little Gold Men. I cannot say if that particular Hollywood Dream™ is going to come through for you or not, but I do know that your viewing pleasure will be enhanced with one of these Little Gold Cocktails. Make it two and you’ll need to start practicing your acceptance speech. ![]()
Why This Works: Mix and match your citrus based on what’s available and what you like.
Our House Bar Chef Ilise whipped up this elevated version of the classic daiquiri using freshly squeezed juices from Meyer lemons and pink grapefruits. Click on the photo to take a closer look at the vintage champagne coupes at Entertaining Vintage.
The Verdict: This cocktail wins ALL the awards! Tart and tasty, refreshing, and most quaffable. Be careful, it goes down so easily you might get a surprise when you stand up.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. ![]()
Pink Grapefruit & Meyer Lemon Daiquiri
Recipe source: Ilise Goldberg Makes one cocktail INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS: Put all liquid ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake well. Pour strained drink into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a Meyer lemon peel. Simple Syrup: To make simple syrup add equal parts sugar and water in a pan and heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved into the water and the liquid looks clear.
The Occasion: Mardi Gras aka Fat Tuesday is coming up next week, ushering in the 40-day period of abstinence and atonement known as Lent. Many people give up sweets during this period, so make sure to get one more really satisfying dessert in there before the cut-off. This bread pudding, which Ilise tweaked from an Emeril Lagasse recipe, might just be the one.
We served this as part of the dessert buffet at our annual holiday open house in December, which had a Mardi Gras/masquerade theme. The dish won hearts and minds right away and may end up on the Request List for future parties. Why This Works: Comfort food, plain and simple. We made it work for a buffet/open house scenario using an electric warming tray and a fondue pot (over Sterno or a candle) for the whiskey sauce.
The Verdict: This was a real crowd-pleaser, especially with a healthy dollop of hard sauce ladled on top. By itself the casserole is flavorful with warm spices and bourbon-soaked raisins and the texture is that wonderful mix of crispy on top and melty-luscious down below. The whiskey sauce packs a punch when sampled on its own, but when paired with the bread pudding it’s a culinary love match. Go on and get you some! Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
![]()
New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Recipe source: Adapted from Emeril Lagasse via Food Network INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Whiskey Sauce:
It’s so interesting to me how each of the hosts selects their dinner theme. Sometimes the idea may have been brewing for a while, or sprung to life in a dream, or perhaps driven by what’s in season locally. In this case, inspiration came in the form of a vacation to Colorado.
“Eureka,” said Ellyn with a twinkle in her eye. “Rocky Mountain High is a great theme – folks can select the mountain part or the high part, as they choose.” Our group, being all about the excess, said yes please to everything, in moderation of course. I have to say – the creativity was at an all-time high! Throughout this post we’re going to drop in some mountain/hiker/outdoor sports factoids and lingo – perhaps only tangentially related to the Rocky Mountains, but pretty cool and new to us anyway. Here’s the first one.
The Menu:
A future post will schralp the gnarl for the Main Course and Dessert. (Apparently this means to athletically excel in challenging conditions, such as deep powder while skiing. Source: Urban Dictionary)
Today we welcome a deep dive into the freshies (defined by Matador Network’s Guide to Mountain Slang as “Fresh, untracked powder. The ultimate sign of a good day to come”) with respect to the Drinks and Appetizer courses. Here’s what you need to know about the drinks, in the Ks’ own words: We served Bristlecones - our take on a pine syrup gimlet - named in honor of Colorado's unique ancient high-desert pine. The syrup, however, was made with blue spruce needles - a tree found in both Illinois and Colorado. Because we generally find simple syrup too sweet, ours is 2 cups of water to 3/4 cup of sugar (we used caster, or superfine, sugar). We chopped blue spruce needles and muddled them with the sugar before adding the water. (Because the needles were older rather than young and tender as they would be in springtime, muddling was essential to release the piney flavor.) The recipe for one drink is as follows: That Bristlecone is a mighty tasty cocktail! I’m a gimlet fan to begin with and the pine/spruce syrup adds a distinct and delightful flavor all its own. Dangerously good – this goes down quite easily. Presentation was a knock-out as well. Spruce needles were frozen into the ice cubes, creating a beautiful natural garnish. And then the Ks served the glasses from a large woven basket spread with evergreen clippings. A delight for all the senses! Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
The wines served had a tree or mountain connection in most cases:
![]()
The Rocky Mountains extend more than 3,000 miles, from New Mexico to Alaska, with the highest peak (Mt. Elbert at 14,431 feet) located in Colorado.
For the appetizer course, Greg and Dan brought savory delicacies representing two sides of Colorado living:
First up was a lovely sculpted mountain range of flavored goat cheese studded with homemade whole wheat sourdough crackers cut into triangular/mountain-like shapes.
Hot tip for those who like to play with your food: Dan used glasses of different sizes as the foundation for the goat cheese mountains, layering the spread all around. Great idea, guys! I’ve never had much luck with homemade crackers (always too thick) but Greg makes it look easy and taste delicious. Here are his recipes.
"Mountain" Goat Cheese Spread with Herbs and Lemon
Recipe source: Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook Makes 8 servings INGREDIENTS:
Sourdough Whole Wheat Crackers Recipe source: King Arthur Flour Makes 20 INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
NOTE: Some herb blend suggestions, all from The Spice House: Rocky Mountain Blend; Italian Herb Blend; Herbes de Provence; Lemon Pepper; Garlic Salt ![]()
![]()
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
![]()
I don’t know if the intent was to quell the munchies or what, but Dan and Greg brought a second appetizer, just as artistic and theme-friendly as the first one – a Denver Omelette Frittata. A little casual research tells me that the Denver Omelet was originally created in Denver in a sandwich format, hitting its peak of popularity in the mid-1950s. Sometime later they ditched the bread and the Denver Omelette we know and love as a brunch item came into its own. The guys decided to take the dish even a step further for our dinner party. Let’s hear their own words:
Inspired by a number of Denver Omelette recipes as well as the classic Spanish dish "Tortilla Española" which is traditionally made with just potatoes and onions. To make this Tortilla style instead of frittata stile, cut the recipe in half and use a slightly smaller skillet. Instead of finishing in the oven, invert the partially cooked egg mixture to a plate. Add some more oil to the pan and then slide the egg mixture back onto the skillet uncooked side down. Tuck in the edges to round out the tortilla and cook the other side through, about another 10 to 15 minutes. Wow, the omelette was not only flavorful and satisfying but also pretty as a mosaic when viewed in cross-section. The veggies looked like little gems embedded in random, organic patterns within the eggy kaleidoscope. A dollop of a sweet/smoky chili sauce or chutney is the perfect accompaniment for a slice of Denver Omelette Frittata. ![]()
This concludes Part 1 of our Rocky Mountain dining adventure. Be sure to tune in for Part 2 in which we'll pull a chair up to the table for the Main Course and Dessert. And if you'd like to read about our past Foodie Group dinners (formerly known as the Supper Club) please click here.
Afternoon Dance Break is a recurring feature that invites you to get up from the desk, crank up the tunes, and dance your fool head off for a few minutes before resuming the daily grind. Want more dancing? Find past ADBs here.
We’ve got a longer than usual playlist for your Afternoon Dance Break enjoyment. There’s a love/lust theme going on that I think you’ll appreciate as you boogie-oogie-oogie ‘til you just can’t boogie no more. I went searching on the interwebz for a fun quote to suit the occasion. How’s this? Love is a lot like dancing – you just surrender to the music. – Unknown Happy Valentine’s Day, turn up the tunes, and dance your heart out!
You know what goes well with romance? Yes yes, honesty, trust, communication, all that good stuff, absolutely. But you know what else? CHAMPAGNE. Little note here to say that of course it is entirely possible and frequently preferable to experience romance without a drop of alcohol. Neither this post nor any of the ETP cocktail posts are meant to pressure anyone to drink who doesn’t wish to or who cannot for any number of reasons which are none of my business. ![]() But for those who do care for a sip or two, we’ve got some recommendations for sparkling wine to make your Valentine’s Day – or any special occasion – effervescent and extra-special. We'll target Bubbles on a Budget because really, who isn't on a budget these days?! But first ...
Here are a few bottles that deliver on fizz and flavor while keeping a modest price tag ($20 or less). You should be able to find them at most well-stocked wine/liquor stores.
![]()
For a splurge, we recommend one of the Schramsberg sparkling wines. From Napa Valley, prices range from $28 to you-don’t-want-to-know.
Fun fact: Schramsberg’s Blanc de Blancs was used for President Nixon’s 1972 “Toast to Peace” with China’s Premier Zhou Enlai. Schramsberg’s sparkling wines have been served at official State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration since.
Okay, this is going to be a “warts and all” post in which I reveal that my best laid plans sometimes fail spectacularly. Oh, you can relate? Then I hope you'll agree that with a can-do spirit and a little creativity there’s always a recovery within reach.
It’s fun to whip up homemade Valentine’s Day desserts for your sweetie pie – or for the kids’ school, or the book group, or your co-workers – so I thought I’d share a recipe for strawberry cupcakes (courtesy of Martha Stewart – thanks, M. Diddy!)
Friends, I screwed it up. Too much batter in the muffin tins caused the cupcakes to overflow onto the pan itself and stuck there like epoxy. I tried and tried but could not remove the cupcakes from the pan without slicing the tops off. As our new president would say, SAD. I managed to “glue” the cupcake tops back on with a dollop of chocolate frosting. They tasted great, but these treats were not destined to win any beauty pageants. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
But all was not lost. Martha’s recipe makes a LOT so I poured the remaining batter into an 8-inch cake pan and voila! A super-yummy strawberry cake with hubba-hubba chocolate frosting equals dessert you’ll be proud to serve. Yes, we had to forego the slick strawberry/heart inserts, and no, cake is not quite as much fun as cupcakes. But on the plus side, we ended up with a mighty tasty cake version of chocolate covered strawberries, and what could possibly be wrong with that?! Not. One. Thing.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. ![]()
![]()
Strawberry Cupcakes (or Cake) with Chocolate Frosting
Recipe source: Martha Stewart Yield: Makes 34 cupcakes INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Note: If you’d like to make a layer cake instead, swap two 8-inch cake pans for the muffin tins. Otherwise follow the recipe as written. The timing in the oven will be about the same. Chocolate Ganache
![]()
The Occasion: Dinner for two. You and Mr/Ms Right (or maybe Ms/Mr Right-Now, no judgement). Reap the rewards of cooking for your sweetie with hardly any fuss and bother. Win-win.
Why This Works: Crab cakes always seem fancy even though they’re simple to make. They taste decadent and luxurious but are not overly rich unless you go crazy with the side sauce. Plus the simple treatment leaves you plenty of time to prepare the rest of your meal, light the candles, and get dressed to impress.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
The Verdict: What a delicious and impressive way to show your dinner date that you care enough to put in a special effort.
I will acknowledge that we overcooked our crab cakes by just a minute or two. As you can see in the photos, they turned out more brown than golden. They still tasted wonderful though, so if this happens when you cook your special dinner just dim the lights. Ambiance, doncha know. This is a perfect example of the freshness of the ingredients making an enormous difference in the overall quality of the dish. Get your crab from a reliable source, such as a specialized fish market or the fish counter at a high-end grocery store. I do not recommend using canned crab. Flexibility is a factor too. Crab cakes can be served in multiple sizes: a small two-bite treat as a cocktail hors d'oeuvre; slightly bigger with a dipping sauce or two as a sit-down appetizer course; or even an entree – larger patties served on a bed of greens with a rich sauce drizzled over. Mmmm. ![]()
Baltimore-Style Crab Cakes
Recipe source: Andrew Zimmern’s Kitchen Adventures via Food & Wine INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Please accept my apology for the photo. This AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS dish of honey balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts is not especially photogenic, poor thing. Lucky it’s got all that AMAZING DELICIOUSNESS to make up for it. Like winning Miss Congeniality. Only more DELICIOUS.
What makes this such a super side dish? First, Brussels sprouts are rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and when roasted* they become sweet little flavor bombs of caramelized goodness. Also super is how fast and easy the recipe is: 25 minutes from cutting board to dinner table and only 5 of that is active hands-on time.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
![]()
Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Recipe source: Kevin is Cooking INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Valentine’s Day is coming up fast – on the face of it a nice day to recognize and appreciate our loved ones, but underneath the surface lurks potential stress over gift-giving. Do I need to give a gift? Have I picked the right gift? What if she/he hates this gift? Even worse, what if she/he doesn’t get ME a gift in return? That’s a lot of pressure to put onto one little ol’ holiday.
Please pardon this commercial break (What? Self-promotion during the run-up to one of the most Hallmark-iest holidays of all? Shocking.) but I’d like to suggest a quick visit to Entertaining Vintage to peruse a wide range of gift options carefully selected to surprise and delight.
Not to worry, we’ve got you covered in all scenarios.
Aside from the retail therapy on offer, we at Entertain the Possibilities will share posts to help you celebrate the month of February in style – from recipes for romantic meals, to recommendations for the best bubbly, to playlists packed with seductive love songs. We’ll also address some of the lesser-known festivities that are packed into this short month. Did you know that February is the time to honor these important things?
Yup. That’s a lot. Stay tuned. We’ll have a lot to talk about this month. In the meantime, pour yourself another glass of romance and drink deep from the loving cup!
Afternoon Dance Break is a recurring feature that invites you to get up from the desk, crank up the tunes, and dance your fool head off for a few minutes before resuming the daily grind. Want more dancing? Find past ADBs here.
It’s finally Friday after another intense week. (Is that an understatement? I can’t even tell anymore.) I’m ready to get up and dance the tension away – how about you? We’ve got two great stress-busting songs for you today, including the new one from Arcade Fire featuring the Divine Miss Mavis Staples. This has a totally new fresh sound for them both – and yes, I can dig it! Click on the artist’s names to visit their websites and learn more. Austra + Arcade Fire featuring Mavis Staples. Crank it up!
The Fish for Dinner feature chronicles my education in the ways of fish-cookery. I grew up avoiding fish other than sticks and was well into adulthood before adding the real deal into my diet, usually at a restaurant. The impetus to cook more fish at home comes from joining a sustainable fish program through Hooked on Fish, like a CSA that delivers boxes of farm-fresh produce but with seafood instead. I’ll tell you what we made and how we liked it, plus occasionally a few tips and fishin’ tunes too.
I’m about to commit food blogging blasphemy – posting the same recipe twice. I feel okay about it though because my second shot turned out so much better than the first. The Occasion: Friday night dinner after a stressful week. All I really wanted was a little food to go with my giant glass of wine. What we ended up with was a flavorful, lick-the-plate meal fit for company. Why This Recipe Works: Lots of strong flavors at work here, which I like. If you prefer your fish dinners to be mild and subtle, you’re better off selecting something else. This is also fast and easy. From cutting board to dinner table in less than 30 minutes.
The Verdict: Zesty, bold, and well worth making time and time again. But don’t worry, I won’t blog about it every time. Why did it turn out so much better this go-round? Using the right kind of olives, for one thing. The recipe calls for oil-cured black olives, but last time I could only find Kalamata. They weren’t bad but they “bled” purple and were a little too juicy. These days many grocery stores have self-serve olive bars; you can often find oil-cured olives there.
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. ![]()
Sicilian-Style Swordfish
Recipe source: Hooked on Fish sharing a recipe from cucinettaNYC via Food52 Serves 4 INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
This flexible side dish has a secret identity, as many superheroes do – in addition to being part of the Super Sides dream team, Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake also saves the day as a Meatless Main Course. But wait, there’s more. When the situation calls for protein, you can tuck a few chicken thighs or breasts into the mushroom mix to make a One-Pot Wonder.
If that ain’t super, then I don’t know what is. The Occasion: There are few occasions where a cheesy pasta dish isn’t welcome. This recipe requires you to potschke with the sauce (pronounced potch-key, it means doing hands-on busywork) so a busy weeknight might not be best. Friday night supper with the family? Saturday night dinner party with your BFFs? The deliciousness of the dish is your reward for just a little potschke-ing.
The Verdict: I predict this will become a fan favorite at your house too. It’s so rich and creamy even though there’s not a drop of milk or cream in it. Two kinds of cheese though, and that’ll do the trick. This makes a very special side dish and, with a green salad served alongside, it could easily serve as a meatless meal too. Without much trouble at all you could add large chunks of cooked chicken or turkey to this dish making a satisfying casserole. Any which way, you’ll find this magical mushroom dish to be right on, groovy, and far out!
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. ![]()
Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake
Recipe source: Smitten Kitchen Note: This recipe makes 4 large servings or 6 smaller portions. I doubled the batch so there would be plenty of leftovers. INGREDIENTS:
A tip: If you use a large Dutch oven or similar covered heavy oven-safe pan, the entire dish can be made using just one pot. DIRECTIONS:
|
When home cooking becomes a special occasion - Recipes, playlists, table tips and more
Categories
All
Archives
May 2020
|