DECEMBER- Christmas Couples Dinner

December was our Holiday Favorite Things Party. Though it didn't seem possible with all of the different holiday schedules, everyone was able attend. Our handsome hubbies came and finally got to see what all the fuss was about. They left with blissful bellies and a night out (child-free) with friends new and old.

Each couple brought a favorite recipe and a favorite thing for our gift exchange. Below are some of the photos from our fun and festive evening! There are only a few pictures of the food because we were just too busy eating it!

THE GOURMET GIRLS- minus Amy :-(

Great conversation and lots of laughter!
Our amazing server, Madison

Slaving away in the kitchen

Soup is served!

Glamour Shots of our 12 Gorgeous Couples

Our fabulous hostess , Elizabeth and her personal Salmon Chef, Brad.

Thank you Elizabeth!!!!!!!!!!!!

Katy and EdKim and Nick Rusty and RachelTeri and MarkRobert and TiffanyTodd and Jen

Matt and FrancesKathleen and Arlo Amy and Dean

Patty and Christian Eric and Jenni Too many photos, not enough time!

NOVEMBER- Harvest Dinner

Jenni and Kim were very excited to create this dinner for their friends. When we were planning our meal, we decided to start with the tastes and smells of the season. This is a time of year where the bounty of the harvest brings us so many choices. We are grateful to share the fun and our talents with our friends.

Thank you all for joining us.

After arriving at the Olson's home our guests were greeted with an Autumn Sunset Drink and appetizers of Corn Salsa on Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, Mini Cheese Ball with Pita, and Warm Cinnamon Almonds.

Autumn Sunset Drink

Orange Juice

Ginger Ale, Club Soda, or 7-Up

Grenadine Syrup

Fill each glass a third full with orange juice. Then fill the glass with the same amount of soda. Gently pour a small amount of grenadine syrup down the middle of the drink. With a butter knife, gently give the drink a stir to have the colors blend.

source: Lynette Richards (Kim's mom)

Corn Salsa

2 cans corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 red onion, diced small

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped small

3 avocados, diced

1 lime, juiced

salt

Place the avocado in a bowl, juice the lime over the avocado pieces and mix gently. Add all the other ingredients to the bowl, mixing carefully. Salt to taste.

Mini Cheese Balls

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2-3 stalks of green onion, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder

dried parsley, paprika, finely chopped nuts

Mix the first three ingredients in a bowl. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours. While the cheese is still cold, scoop into 1 Tablespoon servings and roll into balls. Then roll the cheese balls into the parsley, paprika, or nuts and place on waxed paper. The cheese mixture can be made a day or two in advance. It helps the flavors meld together.

Butternut Soup (serves 6)

3 Tbsp butter

2 onions, chopped

2 cups roasted butternut

1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped

3 Tbsp flour

1-2 tsp curry powder

Pinch of nutmeg

3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups milk

Grated rind and juice of 1 orange

Salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar

Turn the oven on to 450 degrees F. Place whole butternut on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. Roast for about 1 hour or till soft to the touch.

Saute the onions in butter until soft and flavorful. Add the butternut and apple and saute to absorb the butter (about 3 minutes). Stir lightly from time to time to ensure butternut does not catch. Add the flour, curry powder and nutmeg, blending with the vegetables.

Add the chicken stock, milk, and orange rind and juice. Simmer slowly for 15-20 minutes, until the apple is tender. Liquidize the soup in a blender or food processor. Then rub through a sieve. Taste, add salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.

Serve topped with a sprinkling of chopped parsley, and a dollop of creme fraiche. Serve with bread of your choice.

This soup improves with time. Prepare a day or two in advance if time allows. Keep refrigerated.

source: Cook with Ina Paarman

Pear Salad (serves 4)

4 pears, ripe and smooth skinned
2 cups watercress

2 Tbsp pecans, chopped and toasted

2 oz blue cheese

Vinaigrette

Lemon juice

Honey

Make a cut vertically down the pear keeping the stem intact on the piece you want to serve. Then carefully core the pear. Then slice the pear into four pieces. Brush pieces of pear with lemon juice. Place cut side down on plate separating the pieces slightly.

In a bowl mix the watercress, pecans, blue cheese. Mix lightly with vinaigrette of your choice. Place a little of the salad in between each piece of the pear. Drizzle lightly with honey.

source: Better Homes and Gardens - November 2008

Grapefruit Sorbet Palate Cleanser
1 c water

1 c sugar

2 1/2 c grapefruit juice, chilled

Mint leaves for garnish
Place sugar and water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Then let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool in refrigerator.
Mix simple syrup and juice. Check the taste.

Process in an ice cream maker according to directions (about 25-30 minutes). Place in an airtight container and put into the freezer for a couple of hours. Garnish with mint leaves.

Crown Roast of Pork with Apple Stuffing

For stuffing
6 slices firm white sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch squares
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery including some leaves
11/2 lb tart apples such as Granny Smith, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

For roast
1 (9- to 11-lb) crown roast of pork, rib ends frenched
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 lb sliced bacon For pan sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup red-currant or apple jelly
Preparation
Make stuffing:Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spread bread squares in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and bake in middle of oven until dry and lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Leave oven on (for roast) and cool bread.
Cook onion and celery in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in apples, sugar, salt, pepper, sage, thyme, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Reduce heat to low, then cook, covered, stirring, until apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in bread squares, parsley, and chives.
Make roast:Set oven rack in lower third of oven. Sprinkle roast inside and out with salt and pepper and put in a large flameproof roasting pan. Mound stuffing in cavity. Wrap tips of rib bones with foil to prevent burning, then wrap meat below bones with overlapping bacon strips, securing them with wooden toothpicks. 3Roast pork in middle of oven, covering stuffing loosely with foil after 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer registers 155°F when inserted 2 inches into center of meat (do not touch bones), 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours total.
Transfer roast to a carving board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature of meat will rise to 160°F; meat will be slightly pink.)
Make pan sauce:Skim fat from pan drippings. Straddle pan across 2 burners and add water, then deglaze pan by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Pour through a fine sieve into a saucepan, discarding solids.
Add jelly and any juices accumulated on carving board, then simmer sauce, whisking occasionally and skimming any fat that rises, until jelly is melted, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove all foil from roast and carve into chops by cutting between ribs.

source: Epicurus.com

Pumpkin Creme Brulee (serves 8)

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar, plus 4 teaspoons
8 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup mashed cooked pumpkin
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Arrange 8 (1/2-cup) ramekins or custard cups in a large metal baking pan.
In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until frothy and lemon-colored. Slowly add 3/4 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture to the remaining hot cream, and whisk. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin, and whisk until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Divide among the prepared custard cups.
Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake until the custards are just set in the center but not stiff, 45 minutes to 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.
Sprinkle each custard with 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining sugar. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. (Alternately, preheat the broiler, and broil until the sugar melts and caramelizes, watching closely to avoid burning and rotating the cups, about 1 to 2 minutes.) Place on small dessert plates and serve.

source: food network.com - Emeril Lagasse

Hot Cranberry Tea

3 1/2 quarts water

4 cups fresh cranberries

12 whole cloves

4 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon

2 cups sugar

Juice of 2 oranges (2/3 cup)

Juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes. Pour mixture through several layers of cheesecloth in a wire-mesh strainer into a large spices. Return mixture to pan. Add sugar and remaining ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Serve warm. Yield: 3 1/2 quarts.

source: Christmas with Southern Living Cookbook

Chocolate Mint Leaves

Mint leaves, washed and dried

1 cup chocolate chips

Slowly melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler with simmering water. Stir constantly until melted. Turn off burner.

Place the mint leaves on waxed paper. With a pastry brush dipped in the chocolate, brush both sides of the leaves. Leave on the paper to dry. You can put them in the fridge to harden.
source: Paula Deen

Happy Eating!!!!

Love, Jenni and Kim

A Haunted Halloween to All!

OCTOBER brought another gourmet evening with Food and Friends. Hosted by Elizabeth and Rachel, they chose a Halloween theme. The tables boasted black cloths with shabby netting runners and scull and crossbones candy. With dripping candles to set the mood and haunting melodies ringing in our ears...the parade of fabulous food begins.

Beverage
Buried Pomegranate Brew
Eerie Iced Water

Appetizer
Bleeding Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

Soup
Ghostly Cauliflower

Salad
Gruesome Greens with Apple and Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
Haunting Orange Rolls

Palette Cleanser
Tempting Tangerine Sorbet

Main Course
Deadly Pork Tenderloin with Orange-Rosemary Glaze
Steamed Carrots and Garlic Potatoes

Dessert
Poisonous Apple Cobbler Spine Chilling Butter Pecan Ice Cream


Instructing the 'help'. Rusty brings out the Bruschetta for the gathering guests. We couldn't have done it with out the 'help'. Thanks Rusty, Chloe, Brad and Madison.

Sweet French Baguette slices
garlic butter
mozarella cheese thickly sliced
tomato slices
basil leaves
Toast baguette slices on one side. Turn over and layer garlic butter and cheese. Toast until cheese is melted. Place tomato and basil leaf on top and serve.

Salad Recipe to come. And soup recipe as we.., we forgot to take a photo of the soup!
Tangerine Sorbet
After trying several palette cleansers, we chose this simple one made from Tangerine Juice. With a mint leaf and some pomegranates for garnish, very tempting!

Pork Tenderloin with Orange Rosemary Glaze

· 1/2 cup light corn syrup
· 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
· 1 scant teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
· 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
· Salt and pepper, to taste
· 2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
· Salt and pepper
Combine corn syrup, orange juice concentrate, rosemary, and vinegar. Heat over medium-low heat until it comes to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper, to taste.
Heat oven to 450°. Line a 9x13x2-inch baking pan with foil; brush with olive oil.
Trim excess fat from pork tenderloins. Place the pork in the prepared baking dish. Place in the preheated oven and roast the pork for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Put about 1/3 cup of the glaze in a dish to use for basting pork. Brush the pork all over and continue roasting for about 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until pork is cooked through. Brush with glaze every 10 minutes or so. A meat thermometer should register about 160° when inserted in the thickest part of one of the pork tenderloins.
Slice tenderloins and serve drizzled with remaining glaze.Serves 6.

Potato and Carrot Recipes to come.

Cran-Apple Crisp recipe to come. Tasty food and treasured friends, who could ask for anything more? Not I!
Glad to have a few new recipes under their belts, Elizabeth and Rachel pass the torch to the next set of hostesses!

SEPTEMBER- THE TWILIGHT DINNER

Kathleen and Patty

We had a wonderful evening! Our inaugural dinner was a culinary interpretation of the book Twilight. We gained 5 lbs. from all the experimental cooking, but we would definitely do it all over again. Simply put... it was crazy fun!

We have such a richly diverse mix of women. This is going to be a great year filled with new friendships and fine food. Thank you to everyone for making this special evening a lasting memory. Looking forward to October's Dinner. Bon Appetit! Kathleen and Patty

RECIPES

Black Fire-Roasted Artichokes
(Recipe a combination of 2 different recipes- Irvine Gourmet Club and Sara Moulton)
Grilled Artichokes
4 large artichokes
Marinade:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence
1 tsp garlic

Cut stem and trim thorns from leaves. Steam or simmer whole. Cool down and refrigerate till cold. Depending on size, cut artichokes in half remove choke with a teaspoon—may want to quarter if large. Pour marinade over artichokes. I cook night before and marinate in the morning. You can leave on the counter or in fridge all day. Grill until you see light char marks and they are warmed through.

Filling:
3 pounds tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Salt
1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
2 to 2 1/2 cups coarse breadcrumbs from a good country loaf
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Cut and dice 3 pounds tomatoes into 1/4-inch. Chop the remaining garlic. Mix the tomatoes and garlic with the chopped herbs, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a touch of vinegar or lemon juice if you want it. Just before serving, stir in most of the bread crumbs, check the consistency, then stir in more as needed to make a fairly thick mixture. Finally, add the Parmesan.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Crostini
(recipe courtesy of Michael Chiarello)

Soup Ingredients
12 large (about 4 pounds) tomatoes, quartered
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
12 large garlic cloves peeled
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped yellow onions
2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 cups cold water
Crostini
1 baguette
Olive oil
Grated parmesan cheese
Slice crostini about 1 inch thick. Coat both sides with olive oil and cheese and place on a cookie sheet. Place under broiler until brown. Let cool.
Preheat oven to 500◦ degrees F.
In a large bowl toss the tomatoes (quartered) ¼ oil, vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper. Spread tomatoes into a large glass casserole pan. Roast for about 30 minutes or until the tomatoes start to get dark spots. Remove and cool.
In a large sauce pan over medium heat combine ¼ cup oil, onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 8 minutes. Add basil leaves and sauté for about 1 minute.
Add tomatoes and water to sauce pan and bring mixture to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Cool and then puree in blender. Return to sauce pan and slowly simmer.
To serve-
Place crostini in bottom of the pan. Pour soup over crostini and garnish.

Quilette Curried Cashew with Pear Salad
Recipe courtesy of www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3/4 cup cashew halves
4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped (For a gourmet twist use Pancetta, Italian bacon.)
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional: 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Omit if you don’t like it spicy)
Dressing:
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
Salad:
1 (10 ounce) package mixed salad greens
1/2 medium Bosc pear, thinly sliced
1/2 cup halved seedless red grapes
Feta cheese crumbles
DIRECTIONS
In a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast cashews until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove cashews to a dish to cool slightly.
Return skillet to medium-high heat, cook bacon strips until crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and soak up grease with a paper towel. Coarsely chop bacon, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together butter, rosemary, curry powder, brown sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, and toasted cashews. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together white wine vinegar, mustard, and honey. Slowly whisk in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large salad bowl, toss dressing with greens, pear slices, grapes, bacon, feta cheese and nut mixture. Passionate Pomegranate Sorbet
Recipe courtesy of http://www.bigoven.com/

Ingredients
2 c. water
2 c. Pomegranate juice
1c. sugar
¼ c. lemon juice

Instructions
1. In 1-quart saucepan, heat water and sugar to boiling over high heat. Boil sugar mixture 5 minutes, reducing it slightly to a syrup. Remove syrup from heat and cool to room temperature.
2. In bowl, combine syrup and both the pomegranate and lemon juices. Cover and refrigerate mixture until cold.
3. Pour chilled mixture into ice-cream freezer container and freeze following manufacturers directions. Transfer sorbet to airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
4. Pull out of freezer, scrape and mix together and refreeze. Do this twice to make it smooth.
5. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature to facilitate scooping.

Garlic Crusted Leg of Lamb
Recipe courtesy of Chef Emeril

Ingredients:
1 rack of lamb, trimmed (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
Fig Chutney, recipe follows, optional
Directions:
Season rack of lamb well on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a medium skillet over high heat and, when hot, add the oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the rack of lamb and brown well on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate and set aside to cool slightly before proceeding.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Using the back of a spoon, spread the mustard evenly over all sides of the lamb. Spread the minced garlic over the lamb in the same manner.
In a small mixing bowl combine the breadcrumbs and grated cheese and toss to thoroughly combine. Using your hands or a spoon, spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly all over the lamb, pressing so that the crumbs adhere to the meat.
Place the rack of lamb on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes for medium-rare (160º). Allow lamb to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before carving into chops to serve.

(Not original photo)
Molten Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for Cake
4 Squares (Baker’s) semi-sweet baking chocolate
½ Cup Butter ( a little more for coating dishes)
2 Eggs
2 Egg yolks
1 Cup powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons flour

Ingredients for Chocolate Heart
½ Cup white chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons grated parowax
Preheat oven to 425.
Butter 4 soufflé dishes/custard cups. Put on a baking sheet. In a double boiler melt white chocolate chips and wax. Put warm chocolate into a pastry bag and form hearts on wax paper. Let hearts cool and harden. In a small pot melt chocolate and butter together over warm stove. Stir in sugar once butter and chocolate is melted. Add eggs and yolks. Stir in flour. Divide mixture into 4 cups. Bake 13-14 minutes until the sides are firm and the inside is soft. Let it stand for 1 minute. Run a knife around the edge to release. Put cakes on dessert dishes. Place heart on top of cake. Serve warm.