To New Year’s Eve or Not to New Year’s Eve: That Is the Question!

Each year the holidays race by so quickly that I can’t even believe it has happened! After the rush of Thanksgiving and Christmas, once the new gifts are neatly stowed away (or in the case of children’s rooms – NOT), following the repacking of the holiday décor and removal of the tree… I am faced with the question. What will we do for New Year’s Eve?

“What are you doing New Year’s - New Year’s Eve?”

That’s how the song goes… But, what are you doing? There are so many options, but not all fit your lifestyle or your energy level post-said holiday rush! In years past, when our kids were small we simply stayed home and had a gorgeous, yet simple, meal for two after the children were tucked into bed. We would toast the New Year and, as new parents tend to, fall happily asleep in bed without ever witnessing the “Rockin New Year” or whatever else was on TV!

These days we certainly have the choice of finding a sitter (which is actually quite difficult on this night of the year) and venturing out to bar-hop or book for an event at one of the many hotel soirees or planned parties at restaurants, but that’s just not what fits us anymore. If it fits you – by all means – go for it! A fun get-together with our great group of friends (kids in tow) is perfect for us. Thankfully we have friends that are willing to have US over since after my annual Christmas party plus hosting my family for three or four days of planned meals and clean-up during the holiday, I’m pretty cooked and “cleaned out” so to speak!

I can’t wait to ring in the New Year with good friends and some yummy food. This year it sounds like tacos, margaritas and deliciously casual fun-fare that suits everyone present, including a crowd of kids! Sounds great! I’m there! Count me in! This relaxed gathering among friends is just what the doctor ordered for us after a month of hosting ourselves!

I do have a little recipe in my pocket, of course, for those of you who ARE planning the easy, yet elegant dinner at home alone or with just a few people. Or maybe you save the fanfare for New Year’s eve and do it up in royal style with a fancy party…. More power to you! I made this SUPER EASY appetizer for Christmas Eve this year. It was fantastic with a glass of bubbly – which of course makes me think of those of you toasting in the New Year. If you get a chance to try this, now or anytime throughout the year; enjoy! It was delicately balanced, simple and delightful.

All the best to you in 2011! Health, happiness and good eating…!

Brie and Onion Marmalade Tarts

Found at: www.relishmag.com

My appetizer on
Christmas Eve!

Dress up these tarts with torn baby greens, dried cranberries, crumbled cooked bacon or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Or place a bit of mustard onto the pastry squares before adding the cheese. (** I made them without any of the add-on’s, but I’m sure it’s fantastic with!)

Ingredients

1 (17-ounce) box frozen puff pastry
12 ounces brie cheese
Red Onion Marmalade (** I had on-hand a jar of Stonewall Kitchens Garlic and Onion Jam, which I used in place of shopping for this ingredient and they turned out delicious! Don’t be afraid to make convenient substitutions!)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. 2. Cut puff pastry sheets into 24 (3-inch square) pieces. Place in mini-muffin tins. Place a 1-inch cube (1⁄2-ounce) of brie on top of pastry squares. Top each with 1 teaspoon jam. Bake about 15 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.

Recipe by Chef Chris Koetke.

Nutritional Information

Per serving (using 1/2 the marmalade): 140 calories, 9g fat, 15mg chol., 4g prot., 8g carbs., 0g fiber, 190mg sodium.

Brie Cheese

A Memorable Meal, Begun With a Recipe First Made For Our Dinner Club!

As I mentioned in my last blog posting, for Christmas Eve, I typically prepare the “Coffee Rubbed Filet of Beef…” (recipe is in my December 22, 2010 post) and surround it with different components each year. This year, the starter for our meal was a “White Root Vegetable Soup with Thyme Butter”. The recipe for it appears after this post. It is rich, savory and delicious - with a flavor combination that is hard to put your finger on. It’s complex and buttery and utilizes some produce aisle finds that I mostly neglect in my kitchen the remainder of the year. It is also more delectable when prepared ahead and allowed to sit in the refrigerator. The flavors meld together so beautifully, and who doesn’t like something you can prepare ahead of time?

I have no idea why I don’t use root vegetables more often in my cooking. Maybe that will be my New Year’s resolution for 2011… “This year I promise to pluck more turnips, rutabagas, celeriac and parsnips from the vegetable aisle and find more amazingly delicious recipes to prepare from them.” After all, they’re cheap, easily available and really are versatile in the kitchen! This soup was initially prepared as part of our “French Foray” Dinner Club in January of 2008. It was paired in that meal as well with a beef tenderloin entrée. It’s another one of those that we picked out for Dinner Club, but is so memorable I’ve simply had to put it to use again and again!

"Little Potato Trees" ready for
baking! Afterward, you 'decorate'
with minced red bell pepper
and parsley for lovely
Christmas color!

This time, I prepared the soup base of simple root vegetables, leeks and broth up through the point of pureeing. I refrigerated half of it for my Christmas Eve meal and when it was time, I simply finished the recipe by adding the whipping cream and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. The other half of the soup base (minus the cream), I froze for a later use. It will keep for many months this way until I pull it out for another dinner party or just for my family.

Our Christmas Eve meal was, yet again, quietly elegant, delicious and fun for everyone! We drank a fantastic Chateauneuf-du-Pape with our meal and very much enjoyed our night. I hope you did the same for your holiday, whatever your holiday or celebration may have entailed this year. And, if you get an opportunity to try either the filet of beef recipe or the root vegetable soup for an upcoming holiday or other special meal, I hope you enjoy them as much as my family did! (New Year’s Eve is never a bad time to celebrate with some new savory delights, now is it?)

White Root Vegetable Soup with Thyme Butter

Found at: www.epicurious.com
Yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

6 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
2 pounds celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds turnips, peeled, each cut into 8 wedges
1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preparation:
Mix 6 tablespoons butter and thyme in small bowl to blend well. Season thyme butter to taste with salt and pepper.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and sauté until leeks are tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add 10 cups broth, celery root, turnips, and parsnips; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper. (Thyme butter and soup can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap butter in plastic wrap. Cool soup slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Re-warm soup over medium heat, adding more broth, if desired, to thin.)

Ladle soup into 12 bowls. Top each with small piece of thyme butter; swirl into soup and serve.

Root Vegetables

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Traditions: Make it a Celebration of What You Love Most!

As I alluded to in my last blog posting, my family has quite the spread for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, however they are VERY different types of meals. For us, Christmas Day is busier. There’s the present unwrapping, relatives packing to head back home and often times travel to other homes for celebration with other parts of our family.

For us, Christmas Eve is the chosen night for quiet reflection on what the holiday means to us. We enjoy holiday music, the reading of some bible passages and the Night Before Christmas, as well as fantastic food – of course! Food has always been a way of celebrating in my family. Perhaps that’s why it is such a passion for me. Food means taking care of others. Food means showing them how much you care for them. Whether it is a breakfast or luncheon for girlfriends, a romantic dinner alone with my husband, our celebrated Dinner Club with friends, or the full fledged, elegant family dinner on Christmas Eve, food (in this family) exhibits love!

Notice I say that our Christmas Eve meal is “elegant”. That doesn’t mean we dress up! We’re in blue jeans or sometimes even pajama pants (if it’s been that kind of winter day), but the food is more upscale for us on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day - which is more about turkey and casseroles. Each year, I center the Christmas Eve meal around an elegant beef entrée (we’re meat eaters in our group). A few years I’ve prepared prime rib roast, but more often we’ve kept with a special recipe that we had once and simply couldn’t forget - “Coffee Rubbed Filet of Beef with Pasilla Chile Broth”. The recipe appears below.

We discovered and prepared it one year and have pretty much stuck with it ever since. It was that special once-a-year type of dish that you look forward to. It’s also easy to make this dish the centerpiece of the meal and change the accompaniments from year-to-year to make it “fresh” each time. Last year, we enjoyed a roasted garlic soup before and paired it with a potato and Manchego cheese tart.

This year, I’m starting with a “White Root Vegetable Soup with Thyme Butter”. After that, the beef, paired with “Little Potato Trees” (a twice-baked potato piped into the shape of Christmas trees) and freshly steamed green beans. Earlier in the day, as an appetizer, we’re trying a new recipe for “Brie and Onion Marmalade Tarts” made with frozen puff pastry.

I look forward to this sparkling, quiet night each year; my family gathered round the table to reflect on the reason for the season and our love for one another. Make it a special celebration for your family too – in whatever way you love most! Happy Holidays!

Coffee Rubbed Filet of Beef with Pasilla Chile Broth

Found at: www.epicurious.com

Currently on: www.foodnetwork.com

Recipe courtesy Chef Robert del Grande, Cafe Annie, Houston, TX
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds beef filet (preferably cut from the large end of a whole filet) tied with butcher twine in 1/2-inch intervals
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely ground coffee beans (preferably espresso)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 large white onion, roughly chopped
• 4 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 2 pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
• 1 thick white corn tortilla, torn into pieces
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions:

Rub the meat well with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Combine the ground coffee, cocoa powder and cinnamon and mix well. Spread the mixture over a work surface and roll the beef in it until coated evenly. Allow to marinate approximately 30 minutes at room temperature – it won't cook evenly if it's cold.

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and sauté the onion and garlic cloves until nicely browned. Add chilies and tortilla pieces and lower the heat, gently sautéing until they are golden brown. Add the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil, then simmer, lightly covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the stock from the heat and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Transfer the ingredients to a blender and puree for 1 minute or until smooth. Pass the sauce through a sieve to remove any coarse pieces. Add the cream, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and brown sugar and blend. The sauce should not be too thick. If too thick, add some more chicken stock or water; it should be a very light consistency. Reserve.

Place the beef on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Immediately lower the heat to 250 degrees F and roast for 20 minutes. Check the beef's internal temperature with a meat thermometer (125 degrees F for medium-rare, 135 degrees F for medium). If further cooking is necessary, return the beef to the oven (still set at 250 degrees F) and slowly roast to the desired temperature. Remove the beef from the oven and let rest for a few minutes. Before carving, remove the string.

To serve, slice the filet into 1/4-inch thick slices. Ladle the pasilla chile broth over the filet.
Beef Tenderloin

An Old “New” Family Favorite for Your Holiday Table!

Every family has their own traditions. Finding what’s right for you and your group is a matter of personal taste. For my family, we gather at my home annually for our Christmas celebration and we enjoy big meals on BOTH Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The main focus of our celebration in terms of both food and festivity is the Christmas Eve dinner – more to come on that meal specifically later this week!



For Christmas day, we partake in a table filled with turkey, our ages-old family recipe for cornbread dressing and, of course, several delicious and rich side dishes! I thought I’d share one that isn’t the oldest on our table, but is so easy and delicious that it has quickly become a family favorite.

We fight over the last spoons of it (OK, not literally) in the same way we do my mom’s cheesy green bean casserole! (By the way, if you’d like the green bean casserole recipe, I’ve previously published it on my Yahoo! Contributor Network page. You can find a link to that site and the pieces I’ve published lower on this page.)

Back to the recipe – This one is rich and savory with a hint of Jalapeno kick. Don’t let the incorporation of jalapeno scare you from trying it. It isn’t overtly “spicy” nor does it taste Hispanic at all or even Southwestern (although it would be fantastic incorporated into Dinner Club meals of either of those themes!). The jalapeno just leaves it with a slight spice and a smokiness that we enjoy. If you don’t like jalapeno or you are not a fan of spice, you can certainly leave it out and this would be delicious just the same.

Give this one a try! It’s a great replacement for the boring creamed-style corn that is so prevalent on holiday tables. Enjoy!

Creamy Jalapeno Corn Casserole

1 – 8oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

¼ c. milk

24 oz. frozen shoe peg corn

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

Paprika

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the first three ingredients and stir to melt until smooth. Add the frozen corn and the jalapeno and mix together well. Pour into a greased 1 ½ - 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle paprika to taste on top as garnish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes until bubbling.

This casserole can be prepared and refrigerated for up to two days before baking.

“What’s That Box Behind the Curtain?” - Lifting the Skirts on the Holiday Buffet Table!

My husband and I agreed: It was another fantastic holiday party this year! I prepared a couple of new items for the buffet, he made his homemade Bloody Mary’s, we both enjoyed seeing all of our friends on what turned out to be a terrific party, despite the ever unpredictable (blizzarding) Nebraska weather!

Foreground Left: Herbed Cheese
Bell Pepper Poppers; Right,
Baked Brie and Granny
Smith Apples

A couple of blog posts ago, I gave some tips for preparing such a feast, made up completely of hors d’oeuvres and finger foods. Besides the organizing and prep work that can help any size function go off without a hitch, there are a few simple tips on buffet style serving that come in handy for this type of event.

The name of the game for an hors d’oeuvres only table is accessibility. You want people to be able to easily access the table with some sort of flow. You want them to be safe from tripping on any cords on the floor or candles on the table. You want them to try each and every one of the tiny delights you prepared for them to sample! But how do you get them to notice each and every thing in a sea of yummy looking items?

First, the “box behind the curtain”: When I set the table for my hors d’oeuvres buffet, I lay a table cloth over the surface of the table. I then add a second cloth, over the top of empty (but sturdy) cardboard boxes that are set upon the first table cloth. I tuck this top cloth in and around the boxes in a sort of “free form” that flows from one end of the table to the other. Why?



I put heavy cardboard boxes
at the center of the table
to build height.



Because height in the center of the serving table makes it both easier for people to reach the items they want to try (without burning their arms or sleeves in the strategically placed tea light candles) and for them to see the items in the center of the table. Make sure if you attempt this that you use heavy-weight, sturdy boxes. Place your serving dishes on top and give them a push or a wiggle to make sure that they’re not going to come toppling down when someone grabs from the plate!

A few other simple things to consider about buffet serving: Make sure you run the cords all together out from underneath the table in one area. Either push your serving table up next to the wall in this location (where the cords emerge) or tape the cords down so no one can trip. You can use a power strip to easily turn off or unplug everything at once.

Drape a top cloth over to conceal
the boxes and tuck the
edge of the drape under,
 letting it pool.

Another thing is that if you have chafing dishes with handles, make sure the handles are turned in toward the center of the table to avoid sleeves catching on them. Finally, if you employ the use of warming trays or hotplates, I cover them neatly in heavy duty tinfoil before setting the buffet table. I make sure to keep the foil neat and smooth for attractiveness. This tip saves me time on cleanup and saves wear-and-tear on my serving pieces. Besides, my collection of warming trays are all different in size, color and design so this makes them all appear uniform on the table.

Finally: Make sure that when you decide where each item will be placed on your buffet, that you make an attempt to mix up the hot and cold items along the table. In other words, each plate (or section of a divided plate) would include only one item, but don’t put ALL of the hot items together and vice versa. This helps people mix up their plate and try everything so they don’t just load up on the hot foods and you have all of the cold one leftover!



Left Top: BLT Filled Tomatoes;
Beneath that, Blue Cheese Balls;
Others pictured include Mushroom
or Sausage Toast Cups, Water Chestnuts
in Blankets, Endive Spoons with Red
Pepper Salsa, many more....

 I hope you can use these tips and tricks in your next holiday or other gathering. Dinner Club postings will start back up the first week in January, but this blog will keep on trucking (or sledding) right through until then. Watch for upcoming posts on Christmas Eve and Day menus, wine pairings and recipes along with posts about New Year’s planning. You never know what you might be able to utilize for an upcoming Dinner Club or what might inspire you to start a group of your own!

One Ghost of Dinner Club’s Past (Deliciously) Haunted Our Holiday Buffet: Presenting a trio of stuffed mushroom cap recipes for the holiday season.

Dinner Club is delightful for so many reasons! Not the least of which is that, despite the fact that we do not have an actual Dinner Club the month of December, I look forward to seeing all of these same fun-loving people at me and my husband’s annual holiday party (along with so many other fantastic friends we have that make the night truly special every year!



Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Ready to be baked for
our party!



Another reason we love it so much is the constant exposure to an influx of new recipes and dishes. Many times we enjoy them so much that we would very much like to experience them again. This year’s holiday party incorporated one such “keeper” recipe that was simply too delicious (and ridiculously easy) to never re-visit it again!



This “Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms” recipe was originally part of our Dinner Club “Pub Crawl” in November of 2009. It was a great starter that night and pairs well with beer (as we did that evening) or wine. Since my holiday party is an hors d’oeuvres buffet, I’ve always done some sort of stuffed mushroom cap, including the other two recipes I’ve listed here. It is quintessential holiday hors d’oeuvres buffet fare. They always seem elegant and labor-intensive and like something that you would hire a caterer to prepare for you, but the truth is that they are simple to make ahead. They hold well in the refrigerator before cooking. They hold well on a warming tray or in a chafing dish and they are hearty, delicious and filling. Perfect!

I love all of the following recipes and I always make them ahead (any of the recipes). Each has a creamy and unique taste of its own. Try one some night as a starter before your meal to do a little something special and toast the holiday season! A simple seared or grilled steak with baked potato afterward would make a perfect partner! Enjoy!

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

Found at: http://www.epicurious.com/
Bon Appétit | November 2002

3 Italian hot sausages, casings removed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 large egg yolk
Olive oil
24 large (about 2-inch-diameter) mushrooms, stemmed
1/3 cup dry white wine

Preparation:



Adding parmesan, worcestershire
and remaining ingredients.



Sauté sausage and oregano in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage is cooked through and brown, breaking into small pieces with back of fork, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to large bowl and cool. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder, then cream cheese. Season filling with salt and pepper; mix in egg yolk.

Brush 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish with olive oil to coat. Brush cavity of each mushroom cap with white wine; fill with scant 1 tablespoon filling and sprinkle with some of remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange mushrooms, filling side up, in prepared dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Pepperoni Stuffed Mushrooms
From: “Atlanta Cooknotes” by the Junior League of Atlanta. Available at http://www.amazon.com/
Ingredients:
24 to 28 small mushrooms with stems
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ green pepper, finely chopped
2 ounces pepperoni, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 T. melted butter
1 T chopped parsley
¼ t. dried oregano
1/8 t. pepper
1/3 c. chicken broth
½ c. bread or cracker crumbs
3 T. parmesan cheese
To Prepare:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Clean mushrooms and remove stems from caps. Finely chop stems. In a large frying pan, sauté stems, onion, green pepper pepperoni, and garlic in butter for five minutes. Add all other ingredients, except mushroom caps, and stir over heat for one minute. Stuff caps with the mixture. Place in a pan and bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Serve warm in a chafing dish. Serves 10-12.


Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
 1# small mushrooms (about 50)
2 slices bacon, diced
1 medium onion, minced
2 T minced green pepper
Dash pepper and salt to taste
1-8oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
½ c. bread crumbs
¼ c. hot water
Prepare:
Chop the mushroom stems. Sauté the bacon. Add the onion, green pepper, stems and sauté together. Combine with the remainder of ingredients until smooth and creamy. Mound the mixture into the mushroom caps and dip the tops of the stuffed caps in breadcrumbs. Can be refrigerated at this point for up to two days. Add  the hot water to the baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 min.

Mushrooms

Presenting a Holiday Hors d’oeuvres Feast: It’s All in the Planning!

Nearly every year since we were married (we moved once or twice and had a Christmas-week baby), my husband and I have hosted our annual holiday party. We consider it our Christmas gift to friends we so enjoy spending time with throughout the year. It’s also the true kickoff of the holiday season around our house! Nothing gets you ready to enjoy the rest of the month – all the way through the New Year – like a great soiree with friends!

We toast, we chat, we sip and we eat! In sharp contrast to the cold and snow of winter here in the Midwest, it’s warm both in temperature and in feelings inside this house when each one of our invited friends walks through the door and shares a little of their time with us during a season that can become hectic with shopping, decorating, baking and other errands. Truly taking time to just enjoy one another’s company is something important to us!

The food-format for our party is quite a bit different than our monthly Dinner Club meetings. This is a tradition that was borne and developed with my mother and father. They hosted a yearly party for as long as I can remember. They still do, and my husband and I loved it so much we created our own incarnation when we were married. This party is all about finger foods – hors d’oeuvres sounds fancy, but not all of the food is fancy. It’s walk-around-sip-your-drink-pop-a-bite-in-your-mouth good food!

It’s the kind of food that’s beautiful laid out on the table in a presentation that (I hope) says “Merry Christmas!” and “We appreciate you!” to our attendees. Its work, but I do love the work of cooking after all and it is rewarding to try something new each year and also to have people enjoy the “old favorites” that they’ve come to look forward to each time! Yes, I’ve done this party when I worked full time, when I had babies and toddlers, etc. It can be done with PLANNING! Plus, the fun is worth it!

We have people at the party who are here for the first time alongside those who have been coming for close to fifteen years! I love the tradition of it and the festivity! That being said, there are some hints and tips to an hors d’oeuvres only feast that definitely make the planning and the execution so much easier (fifteen years of doing this and years more of helping my mother out before that have taught me well!).

Here are a few of the tricks you can apply to your own finger-food fest next time, no matter how large or how small your spread! Watch this blog in the next week or so for a few more tips on buffet-style serving for any occasion and follow-up pictures of the food from this year’s party. Then, in January, it’s back to all things Dinner Club! Yeah!

1)      Don’t worry too much about how much food you have. I plan a pretty huge spread, but that wasn’t always the case. Start small, with just a few things, and work your way up each time you host an event. It’s not really the amount that counts, it’s the flavor (and the thought)!

2)      Don’t plan everything as a hot hors d’oeuvre. I split my list right down the middle between hot and cold items. The cold or room temp items are a nice contrast and keep it finger-foodie instead of feeling like a meal. Plus, the cold items can be put out on the table earlier, freeing you up for any last minute heat and serve items.

3)      Make lists! I mean lists of everything! The more organized you are, the easier it is! I make a list of the foods I plan to serve and keep it from year to year. I hold off a few each year and substitute them with new items. Sometimes I reintroduce an item from long ago. I also make a very detailed grocery list, organized by areas of the store (fresh produce, meats, freezer, dairy, canned/other). Finally, a list of what you need to complete and when. There are always foods that can be prepared days in advance and a few that can’t be held as long so they need to be done specifically the day before or day of. I simply check things off my list as I go so there aren’t any last minute “Oops I forgot to do that!” moments.

4)      If you do ruin something or it doesn’t turn out the best, don’t beat yourself up about it. Pull it off the table and throw it away (yes, I have) or hold it back for your family for later to be reinvented into something else. Your guests are appreciative of whatever you HAVE prepared for them. They won’t miss it!

5)      Set the table ahead of time and label where you intend to place each item. This saves me a ton of time. No last minute re-arranging the table to squeeze something in. I simply put out small pieces of paper with each item’s name on them. When it’s time to put the food out, I remove the paper and fill with the food. This also makes it easier for someone else to help you put the food out – self explanatory!

Enjoy your holiday get-togethers and consider hosting something of your own this year: Be it a cookie exchange, coffee with girlfriends, small cocktail party or a huge bash! Check back on my blog for the follow-up photos and a few more tips next week. See you then and let’s party!

Happy Thanksgiving! - A “Blast from Dinner Club Past” to Inspire Your Holiday Meal!

Dinner Club is on hiatus until January now. The holidays are already packed with parties, family gatherings, cookie exchanges and enough other “occasions” to keep us all more than busy! However, just because Dinner Club is on break, doesn’t mean this blog is!

For example: Today’s posting includes a recipe from one of our previous Dinner Club’s that was a huge hit! It was delicious, unusual and just happens to be the perfect type of thing to add to your Thanksgiving table this year. Give it a try for something new!

Skipping December actually works perfectly for our group, but if you have a group up and running and you prefer to go ahead and get together, by all means, go for it. A holiday Dinner Club gathering would be a blast, we all just have way too much going on (including an annual soiree at my place that all of us will be present for anyway) to squeeze it in. We find it refreshing to skip December and pick up with renewed vigor again in the very cold, very dead and boring month of January in Nebraska! Something to look forward to, you know?

Keep watching this blog throughout the month of December. I have plans for postings on great holiday entertaining topics including seasonal baking, great hors d’oeuvres and tips for buffet-style serving!

Back to the recipe! This was made for our “French Foray” back in January of 2008 and it made all of our mouths water for more! The delicate sweetness of butternut squash – fantastic as part of a “turkey centric” meal – was balanced beautifully by the savory tang of sautéed leeks and goat cheese. Hazelnuts may sound strange here, but don’t be tempted to skip them or change them for something else. They emit the flair of the holidays in this dish and provide a satisfying texture to balance the softness of a gratin that is rich with the flavors of cream and sage!

You could also try this paired alongside seared beef tenderloin, as we did for our Dinner Club night. This side dish goes well with nearly any meat entrée and (as it mentions in the recipe) can be made ahead and/or transports well if you’re traveling to another house for Thanksgiving!

Have an amazing holiday! Enjoy your friends and family, be thankful and EAT WELL!

Butternut Squash Gratin with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

Found at: http://www.epicurious.com/
Bon Appétit | November 2007
*Squash is often sold already peeled and seeded, making this recipe even easier.

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

3 1/2 pounds butternut squash (about 2 medium), peeled, seeded, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (8 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
3 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 5.5-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place butternut squash cubes and olive oil in large bowl; sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and ground pepper and toss to coat. Spread out squash cubes on large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until just tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced leeks and chopped sage; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until tender but not brown, about 15 minutes. Coat 11x7-inch baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Spread half of leek mixture over bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of squash and half of cheese. Repeat layering with leeks, squash, and cheese. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Pour cream evenly over gratin. Sprinkle with toasted chopped hazelnuts. Bake uncovered until gratin is heated through and cream is bubbling, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if previously chilled).

TO GO:
This gratin is a good choice for transporting because it travels well. Either complete the dish at home (wrap it tightly to keep warm) or wait until you get to your destination to add the cream and nuts and then bake.

Hazelnut

Butternut Squash


Goat Cheese

Getting Creative for Themed Dinners: Tips on using what you already have around the house to achieve great ambiance for any dinner party!

As mentioned in my last posting, nearly all of our Dinner Club meals are centered around one type of theme or another. Not all of them require an overwhelming need for “Décor”, but some most certainly do in order to achieve the best mood or setting for the ultimate enjoyment of our meal. What do I mean? Read on!

Our Outdoor Vodka tasting
bar on Russian Night

I mentioned in that last post about special touches for particular themes that help enhance and make Dinner Club more of an event, but what about when those themes require you to get creative on a larger scale? Does that mean spending a ton of money to rent props, haul in extra tables, pay for an expensive caterer to supply the needed items to up your “wow factor”? Absolutely not! All it does require is a little ingenuity and a tiny bit of extra time spent to make the occasion memorable. Not a lot of time. Just some, so that thirty years from now, your Dinner Club is still one of the highlights of your year with good friends! “Examples?” you say? Here ‘goes!

Last season, our dinner club decided we would have a “Russian Night” dinner with, obviously, foods of that culture, and a vodka tasting bar. The concept of the tasting bar was simple enough; each couple would bring a different flavored vodka and a cocktail recipe and ingredients that could be prepared from their particular flavor. The planning part is easy enough, but what about the mechanics of the vodka bar?

Certainly, we could all show up and stick the bottles in the host’s refrigerator or stuff them in a tub filled with ice, but what would make it memorable? What would really spark the ambiance of a Russian meal on a cold, Nebraska-in-February night? A carved ice sculpture came to mind. One that would act as a decorative element as well as a vessel for holding and chilling our bottles; great idea - no budget for such a thing! Thankfully, here is where the “can do” attitude comes in.

To make our “carved ice” bottle block we (my almost-on-board husband and I) lined a rectangular, plastic recycle bin with plastic sheeting and filled empty two-liter soda pop bottles with rocks. We set six of the bottles in the plastic-lined bin and filled ¾ of the way up around the bottles with water and silver glitter. We lowered the recycle bin into our basement deep freezer and gave it about a week. On the day of Dinner Club, we unmolded the ice block by running water over and around it to loosen the recycle bin and the plastic bottles from the center. We were left with perfect “bottle sized” openings.

Our Ice Centerpiece on Russian Night
with embedded snowflakes and
silver branches

We set a table just outside the back patio doors – close enough to reach when you just open the door, so no one would have to actually step outside – dressed it with a sparkling indigo table cloth and placed our block on it. Additionally, we employed the same technique with empty plastic tubs and cups to achieve “ice luminaries” for the front walkway and the table centerpiece (with a bowl for the ice to drip into once we lit the candle inside). These frozen, sparkling accents added to the ambiance of that night and cost us next to nothing beyond the water and some glitter!

For another culturally-centered meal, our “North African Night” it felt appropriate to move away from the traditional dining room table and feast in a more rustic fashion at tables with pillows on the floor for our seating. “Rustic” doesn’t mean that I didn’t use gorgeous linens in colors that, for me, evoked the hues of an African safari, but I already owned the linens and simply sought to purchase flowers that backed up my intended “look” for the evening. Don’t go out and buy the whole store. Use what you have and make it all tie together. Maybe a plain white table cloth, some remnant fabric and a few well-selected branches from your yard would work to? Experiment.



No plastic buckets showing here!



For the African meal, we used our round coffee table for one dining table and removed the glass top off of another table to set for dinner, but how to make the glass dining table a similar height to the coffee table-level seating we were wanting? Out to the garage my husband went, at my all-too-gentle command to rustle up those five gallon buckets he’s been swearing to me for years we actually needed! With three well-placed buckets underneath the glass top and beautiful table linens to hide the shame underneath, we were set!

Close up of the table linens and flowers
at our North African Dinner

Keep the food the focus for Dinner Club, but rummage if you must and put a few minutes of your time into interesting and memorable details now and then. You’ll love the result and it will keep the whole group entertained, I promise!