It's that time of year when football comes to a close. This means its time for a big blow out Super Bowl party. Last year I hosted and the crowd was quite large. Dave insisted it was to large and we were to loud. Is that even possible for a party? Whatever. Yes I drank to much and got excited and Adrianne had a screaming match with drunk lesbians but still, come on. Oh wait I digress. Anyways, I promised Dave I wouldn't throw a party and instead we will be joining friends at their house. I will be making my famous seven layer dip. In honor of the Super Bowl I thought I would include a Sliders recipe I found in a Martha Stewart magazine.
Here you go:
Sliders
Makes 20 small burgers; Serves 8
3 ounces (6 tbl) unsalted butter, softened
2 to 3 shallots, minced
2 tbl water
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pounds ground sirloin
20 round pickle slices
20 slices (2-inch square) white cheese, any type
20 soft dinner rolls
20 small lettuce leaves, any type for serving
3 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced for serving
1. Melt 4 tbl butter in a small pan. Add shallots, cook until softened, about 1.5 minutes. Stir in water and season with salt and pepper.
2. Form 20 patties using 2 tbl ground sirloin for each. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and coat patties with remaining 2 tbl butter. Press a pickle slice into each patty (refrigerate for up to 2 hours).
3. Preheat broiler. Season patties with salt and pepper. Broil for 4-5 minutes. Top burgers with cheese during final 30 seconds.
4. Spread shallot butter on bottom half of each roll, then top with 1 burger. Sandwich with top half of roll, and serve with lettuce tomatoes, ketchup, mayo and mustard.
Cheers.... off to meet Cion and drink champagne.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Dining In and Dining Out
So I have been chastised several times now for not posting enough so I will set a goal of publishing something weekly. The catering business is slow but that's to be expected given the bleak business section and the focus on the new salon. Even though we haven't been cooking for others I am still cooking at home.
The weekend before last I cooked every meal at home. Quite unusual for me. Friday was something (can't remember since I have had multiple bottles since then), Saturday morning was a Hashbrown Quiche, Saturday evening was spaghetti and meatballs, Sunday morning was blueberry pancakes and Sunday evening was ham and beans.
This weekend was quite different. On Friday I cooked risotto and scallops. This recipe was courtesy of Cion. I was distracted by chores and accidentally overcooked the shallots and garlic which made the risotto a smidge bitter. The scallops turned out well. Your supposed to drink white wine with seafood entrees but I am a red wine addict so we had a Chateau Montelana. Very nice.
Saturday evening after I got home from the swap party, a bit typsy from champagne I might add, we went and tried Raia's Italian Market on Washington. Food was mediocre at best. Dave had a Caesar salad and I had the mozzarella salad. Both could have used more salt or pepper. It was missing something. Found the same to be true on the entrees. Dave had the chicken picatta and said it was over floured which made for several dry bites. I had the cheese ravioli and it could have used more fresh herbs in the ricotta filling. Service was terrible and it wasn't just us; noticed a table behind us and in front of us looking for a servers attention.
Sunday morning met Bert and Roy for brunch at Shade. Wonderful as always and left quite happy after 3 bloody marys. Continued the drinking at the house enjoying the sun. Deidra popped over and we drank way to much and had drunk munchies at Max's Wine Dive. Drank 2 more bottles of wine there and left with 4 bottles. Damn alcohol.
Tonight we will have filets thanks to Rice Epicureans Saturday meat sale.
Risotta:
1 large shallot minced
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tbl butter
2 tbl olive oil
1 cup risotta
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet and add shallot and garlic. Cook for approx. 3 minutes and shallot becomes translucent. Add cup of risotta and cook till golden, approx. 3 minutes. Add white wine and cook till all liquid is absorbed. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and cook till all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining cup of chicken stock and cook till liquid is absorbed.
Serves 2-3.
The weekend before last I cooked every meal at home. Quite unusual for me. Friday was something (can't remember since I have had multiple bottles since then), Saturday morning was a Hashbrown Quiche, Saturday evening was spaghetti and meatballs, Sunday morning was blueberry pancakes and Sunday evening was ham and beans.
This weekend was quite different. On Friday I cooked risotto and scallops. This recipe was courtesy of Cion. I was distracted by chores and accidentally overcooked the shallots and garlic which made the risotto a smidge bitter. The scallops turned out well. Your supposed to drink white wine with seafood entrees but I am a red wine addict so we had a Chateau Montelana. Very nice.
Saturday evening after I got home from the swap party, a bit typsy from champagne I might add, we went and tried Raia's Italian Market on Washington. Food was mediocre at best. Dave had a Caesar salad and I had the mozzarella salad. Both could have used more salt or pepper. It was missing something. Found the same to be true on the entrees. Dave had the chicken picatta and said it was over floured which made for several dry bites. I had the cheese ravioli and it could have used more fresh herbs in the ricotta filling. Service was terrible and it wasn't just us; noticed a table behind us and in front of us looking for a servers attention.
Sunday morning met Bert and Roy for brunch at Shade. Wonderful as always and left quite happy after 3 bloody marys. Continued the drinking at the house enjoying the sun. Deidra popped over and we drank way to much and had drunk munchies at Max's Wine Dive. Drank 2 more bottles of wine there and left with 4 bottles. Damn alcohol.
Tonight we will have filets thanks to Rice Epicureans Saturday meat sale.
Risotta:
1 large shallot minced
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tbl butter
2 tbl olive oil
1 cup risotta
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet and add shallot and garlic. Cook for approx. 3 minutes and shallot becomes translucent. Add cup of risotta and cook till golden, approx. 3 minutes. Add white wine and cook till all liquid is absorbed. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and cook till all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining cup of chicken stock and cook till liquid is absorbed.
Serves 2-3.
Monday, January 5, 2009
New Year, New Beginnings
I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I know that Dave and I did and we were sad to see it end. Okay well I was sad. Dave and I started out the holiday with a drive to Dallas and then a flight to Denver. From there it was planes, trains and automobiles. We drove to Ft. Collins, then COlorado Springs, took a train up to Royal Gorge then a train to Pikes Peak, drove to Cripplecreek, drove back to Colorado Springs, saw Garden of the Gods, drove back to Ft. Collins, back to Denver, flight to Dallas and then drove home from Dallas. I am exhausted just typing that.
We arrived back in Houston on December 30 then I dragged Cion all over town to 4 grocery stores and Williams Sonoma. We unloaded the groceries, made homemade tiramisu and took a break for sleep. New Years Eve I took down holiday decorations, made a homemade Cream of Mushroom soup (recipe follows), baked an ooey gooey butter cake (recipe also follows) and spent NYE in pj's, well some of us were, watching tv and drinking.
New Years Day we made a beef tenderloin, fennel au gratin potatoes, green beans and individual apple crisps for dessert. I have to say to be honest the beef tenderloin just wasn't teh same without Cion's magic touch.
On an update for Cion he has started at the new salon, Traci-Scott. Randy and him have put in a tremendous amount of work hanging drapes, painting, lighting and buying furniture. It is absolutely amazing, personable and feels like home. I will post pictures soon, promise.
I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season. Hopefully 2 Party Planners will have some catering jobs soon.
Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped celery1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced
6 ounces oyster mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced
8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced(or whatever are you favorites, I like to add at least one portabello)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms give off their liquid and start to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the stock and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Add the cream, return to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust seasoning, to taste.
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 38 minutes
Gooey Butter Cake:
3 Eggs
1 Stick butter, softened
1 yellow cake mix
1 lb powdered sugar
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix 1 egg, soft butter and cake mix and press into 9x13 pan sprayed with Pam. Push edges up just a little. Then mix powdered sugar, cream cheese and 2 eggs with hand mixer. Pour over cake mix. Bake 30-40 minutes. It will rise then fall.
We arrived back in Houston on December 30 then I dragged Cion all over town to 4 grocery stores and Williams Sonoma. We unloaded the groceries, made homemade tiramisu and took a break for sleep. New Years Eve I took down holiday decorations, made a homemade Cream of Mushroom soup (recipe follows), baked an ooey gooey butter cake (recipe also follows) and spent NYE in pj's, well some of us were, watching tv and drinking.
New Years Day we made a beef tenderloin, fennel au gratin potatoes, green beans and individual apple crisps for dessert. I have to say to be honest the beef tenderloin just wasn't teh same without Cion's magic touch.
On an update for Cion he has started at the new salon, Traci-Scott. Randy and him have put in a tremendous amount of work hanging drapes, painting, lighting and buying furniture. It is absolutely amazing, personable and feels like home. I will post pictures soon, promise.
I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season. Hopefully 2 Party Planners will have some catering jobs soon.
Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped celery1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced
6 ounces oyster mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced
8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and sliced(or whatever are you favorites, I like to add at least one portabello)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms give off their liquid and start to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the stock and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Add the cream, return to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust seasoning, to taste.
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 38 minutes
Gooey Butter Cake:
3 Eggs
1 Stick butter, softened
1 yellow cake mix
1 lb powdered sugar
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix 1 egg, soft butter and cake mix and press into 9x13 pan sprayed with Pam. Push edges up just a little. Then mix powdered sugar, cream cheese and 2 eggs with hand mixer. Pour over cake mix. Bake 30-40 minutes. It will rise then fall.
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