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The Foodies Get Rocky Mountain High – Part 2

2/27/2017

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Seared Venison with Black Raspberry Sauce
Seared Venison with Black Raspberry Sauce
Did you miss Part 1? You can find it here. For now, a quick recap:
  • Ellyn hosted a wonderful evening around the theme Rocky Mountain High, inspired by her travels.
  • The creativity reached new heights, with each course revealing layers upon layers (strata if you will) of information about the Rockies, the region, and the local cuisine.
  • In the Part 1 post we took a close-up view of the Drinks and Appetizers. The Ks used blue spruce needles to flavor simple syrup (yes, this was cleared by the botanical experts) which, when mixed with gin, made an excellent Bristlecone cocktail. The Guys made a sculpture of flavored goat cheese and homemade sourdough whole wheat crackers, plus a magnificent Denver Omelette Fritatta done in the style of a tortilla Española.
  • This time we will detail the Main Course and Dessert. Have a peek at the overall menu, to refresh your memory.
PictureFrom left: Greg, Karen, Dan, Ann, Kathleen. Ellyn is in the kitchen, and Ilise is behind the camera.
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
The Playlist: The playlist in Part 1 offered a mixed bag of pop, rock, folk, and country tunes which celebrated the Rockies, mountain living in general, and high times in all forms. Give it a listen here.

We’re going to set a different mood for Part 2. The playlist here is a 3-movement excerpt from An American Symphony, Charles David Denler’s modern classical piece from the album titled Portraits of Colorado. It is performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Listen to the whole thing here. 
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.)
 
Baked Horseradish Mashed Potatoes:
 
Begin with 8 pounds peeled and cubed red potatoes. Boil until tender. Mash with butter and half-and half until creamy. Add salt and white pepper to taste . Add prepared white horseradish to taste. Mix thoroughly. Let cool until you can add an egg without scrambling it. Add one egg; mix well. Put potatoes into well-buttered baking dish. Add pats of butter evenly over top of potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 375 or 400 until browned on top. You can use broiler to do extra browning if you want.  

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. 
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Drinkies: Fresh Citrus Daiquiri

2/24/2017

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Pink Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Daiquiris
Pink Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Daiquiris
PictureOSCARS Statuettes by Prayitno Photography
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. 
Picture
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 Playlist: Today’s playlist features the nominees in the Best Song category for this year’s Oscars. 
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.
Printable Recipe- Pink Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Daiquiri
File Size: 481 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Pink Grapefruit & Meyer Lemon Daiquiri
Recipe source: Ilise Goldberg
Makes one cocktail

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 ounces light rum
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
  • 1 ½ ounces freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
  • ½ ounce simple syrup
  • Meyer lemon peel (for garnish)
Or
  • 2 ounces light rum
  • ¾ ounce fresh Meyer lemon juice
  • ¾ ounce fresh pink grapefruit juice
  • ½ ounce fresh lime juice
  • ½ ounce simple syrup
  • Meyer lemon peel (for garnish)

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.

Pink Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Daiquiri
To your health! (sips, aahh!) Will you be watching the Oscars on Sunday? Do you have any fun Oscars traditions?
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Sweet Bites: New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

2/22/2017

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New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
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 Playlist: I debated on this one. Go with a bread themed song? Pudding? (In answer of the question ‘But what would that even be?’, the almighty Google machine points me towards the supremely weird and wonderful Pudding Time by experimental metal band Primus. So there you go.)

​Probably best for all of us that we’re going with a lively New Orleans mix from Spotify. Please enjoy.  
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.
Printable Recipe- New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
File Size: 569 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Recipe source: Adapted from Emeril Lagasse via Food Network

INGREDIENTS:
  • 12 to 14 cups 1-inch cubes day-old white bread, such as French or Italian
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup bourbon or other whiskey
  • Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
  • 1 recipe Whiskey Sauce, recipe follows

DIRECTIONS:
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Put bourbon in small sauce pan and warm up over low heat, add in raisins and keep heat on simmer for another 5 minutes.  Take pan off the heat and let raisins soak up the bourbon.
  • Place the bread in a large bowl. Grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter and set aside.
  • Combine the heavy cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and raisins with any remaining bourbon in a large bowl. Whisk to mix. Pour the cream mixture over the bread, and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
  • Transfer the bread mixture to the casserole dish and bake until the center of the bread pudding is set, 50 to 60 minutes.
  • Garnish the bread pudding with confectioners' sugar (if desired) and serve warm with warm Whiskey Sauce.

Whiskey Sauce:
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup bourbon or other whiskey
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • In a 1-quart saucepan set over medium heat, combine the cream, milk, and sugar.
  • Place the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the bourbon in a small mixing bowl and whisk to blend and make a slurry.
  • Pour the slurry into the cream mixture and bring to a boil. Once the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  • Remove the sauce from the heat, add the salt, and stir in the butter and the remaining 1/4 cup of bourbon. Serve warm.
New Orleans Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Click the photo for a closer look at the pretty pink vintage dessert plates at Entertaining Vintage
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The Foodie Group Gets Rocky Mountain High – Part 1

2/19/2017

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"Mountain" Goat Cheese Spread with Herbs and Lemon with Sourdough Whole Wheat Crackers
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.
​
Eureka Mountain is a central member of the Crestone Conglomerate portion of the Sangre de Cristos Mountains, one of the most distinct subranges of Colorado's Rocky Mountains.

​They rise as a nearly continuous straight line from near Salida, Colorado, and run over 100 miles to end near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Source: Summit Post
Picture
Cattle grazing, Colorado 14ers, eastern Sangre de Cristos by David Herrera
The Menu:
  • Drinks – Kathleen and Karen: Bristlecones – a gin-based cocktail; 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
The Playlist: Yes, we’re going there.

Inhale the second-hand smoke from John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High and then sing along at the top of your THC-filled lungs, won’t you?

This playlist is packed with other great mountain music too. Check it out.  
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:
 
60 ml Leopold's American small-batch gin (made in Colorado)
35 ml homemade blue spruce (tweaked) simple syrup
20 ml fine-strained fresh lime juice 

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:
  • Pine Ridge; Chenin Blanc Viognier 2014; Napa, CA
  • Gundlach Bundschu; Mountain Cuvée 2013; Sonoma, CA
  • 1000 Stories; Bourbon Barrel Aged Zinfandel 2014; North Coast, CA
  • Ghost Pines; Cabernet Sauvignon 2013; North Coast, CA
  • Red Rock; Reserve Merlot 2014; Healdsburg, CA
  • Stonefly; Chardonnay 2015; Russian River Valley, CA
PictureMount Elbert, Turquoise Lake By Sally Pearce, Colorado Department of Transportation
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:
  • A sculpted presentation of rocky, snow-covered mountains (if not THE Rocky Mountains)
  • Also a famous dish that was born in Denver, Colorado’s capital. 
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:
  • 12 ounces Montrachet or other soft mild chèvre, broken into pieces
  • 1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
  • 3 bunches (about 12 stems each) chives, finely snipped
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
DIRECTIONS:
  • In a stand mixer, beat chèvre until smooth.
  • Add the cream and beat until smooth, scraping the mixing bowl a few times.
  • Stir in the chives, thyme, pepper, lemon juice and zest.
  • Refrigerate several hours to allow flavors to blend.
  • NOTE: Goes well with lemon-pepper or herb crackers.
 
Sourdough Whole Wheat Crackers
Recipe source: King Arthur Flour 
Makes 20

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 ounces King Arthur Premium Whole Wheat Flour or White Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 8 3/4 ounces unfed ("discarded") sourdough starter (1 cup)
  • 2 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons dried herbs of your choice optional
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • Oil for brushing
  • Coarse salt (such as kosher or sea salt) for sprinkling on top
  • Additional dried-herb or spice blend to sprinkle on top (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
  • Mix together the flour, salt, sourdough starter, butter, and optional herbs to make a smooth (not sticky), cohesive dough.
  • Divide the dough in thirds, and shape each third into a small rectangular slab. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a couple of hours, until the dough is firm.
  • Preheat the oven to 300°F (convection) or 325°F (conventional bake cycle).
  • Very lightly flour a piece of parchment, your rolling pin, and the top of the dough.
  • Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough to about 1/16" thick (or as thin as possible). The dough will have ragged, uneven edges; that's OK. Just try to make it as even as possible.
  • Transfer the dough and parchment together onto a baking sheet. Lightly brush with oil and then sprinkle the salt over the top of the crackers.
  • Cut the dough into 1 1/4" squares or triangles; a rolling pizza wheel works well here.
  • Prick each square with the tines of a fork (optional).
  • Bake the crackers for about 20-30 minutes, until the squares are starting to brown around the edges.
  • When fully browned, remove the crackers from the oven, and transfer them to a cooling rack. Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.

NOTE: Some herb blend suggestions, all from The Spice House: Rocky Mountain Blend; Italian Herb Blend; Herbes de Provence; Lemon Pepper; Garlic Salt
Printable Recipe- Goat Cheese Spread with Herbs and Lemon
File Size: 549 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Printable Recipe- Sourdough Whole Wheat Crackers
File Size: 566 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
PictureDenver, Colorado, Downtown by Zenhaus
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. 

Printable Recipe- Denver Omelette Fritatta
File Size: 643 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
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. 

Picture
Rocky Mountain National Park photo by National Park Service
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Afternoon Dance Break – Dance Your Heart Out

2/14/2017

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Valentine Dance 1956
Valentine Dance, School. 1956 By The Library of Virginia from USA via Wikimedia Commons
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!
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Bring on the Bubbly

2/13/2017

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Vintage Hand Painted Champagne Flutes from Entertaining Vintage
Cheers, dears! Click the photo for a closer look at the hand-painted champagne flutes at Entertaining Vintage
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.
Vintage champagne coupes from Entertaining VintageClick the photo for a closer look

​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 ...
The song is a special request from my valentine. It's more about rowdy musicians than it is about romance, hearts and roses, and bubbly, but OK.
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.
  • ​La Marca Prosecco – Italy – about $14
  • Freixenet Cordon Rosado Brut – Spain – about $11. Bright pink but nice and dry.
  • Gruet NV Extra Dry – New Mexico - $16. This is a little sweeter but not overly so.
  • Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne – France – about $20. We enjoy the Perle d’Aurore Rosé Brut, a sparkling wine from the Burgundy region using Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. 
Vintage champagne coupes from Entertaining VintageClick the photo for a closer look
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.
​​“Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!” 
― Dom Perignon
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Sweet Bites: Strawberry Cake with Chocolate Frosting

2/10/2017

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Strawberry Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Sweet! It's Strawberry Cake with Chocolate Frosting. Click to take a closer look at the platter at Entertaining Vintage
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!)
And then I planned to fancy them up by inserting a whole strawberry into the center of each baked cupcake – when sliced down the middle it looks like a heart – so cute! This idea comes from the Food Network cookbook titled Sweet.
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. 
Printable Recipe- Strawberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
File Size: 473 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Strawberry Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Strawberry Cupcakes (or Cake) with Chocolate Frosting
Recipe source: Martha Stewart
Yield: Makes 34 cupcakes
 
INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cake flour, (not self-rising)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups finely chopped strawberries, plus small strawberries for garnish
  • Frosting of your choice – we like chocolate ganache (recipe below)
 
DIRECTIONS:
  • Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt.
  • With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy.
  • Add whole eggs and the white, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low.
  • Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well combined.
  • Fold in chopped strawberries by hand.
  • Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto rack and let cool completely.
  • Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.
  • Frost the cupcakes as desired.
  • Frosted cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. Top with a strawberry just before serving.

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
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 18 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • Heat the heavy cream and the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Place the semisweet chocolate in a large bowl.
  • Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
  • Stir until smooth and bring the ganache to room temperature (about 1 hour).
  • With a spatula, spread the ganache over the cake top and sides, covering evenly.
Strawberry Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Click the photo to see the pretty platter at Entertaining Vintage. We promise it's been well-washed, in case you'd like to make it your own.
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What’s for Dinner: Baltimore-style Crab Cakes

2/9/2017

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Baltimore Style Crab Cakes
Crab Cakes with a little hot sauce-dipping sauce. This is a tiny bit overdone on the outside but OH MY how delicious!
PictureClick the photo to take a closer look at the vintage champagne coupe shimmering with iridescence
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.
The Playlist: Hunger for Love by Crabby Appleton. The song title and band name were just too perfect a confluence of elements NOT to pair it with this recipe post. And as it turns out, they sound pretty great in an early 70s Argent/Spirit sort of way. Can you dig it?
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.
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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.  
Printable Recipe- Baltimore-style Crab Cakes
File Size: 566 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Baltimore-Style Crab Cakes
Recipe source: Andrew Zimmern’s Kitchen Adventures via Food & Wine
 
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked over
  • 20 saltine crackers, finely crushed
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
 
DIRECTIONS:
  • In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce until smooth.
  • In a medium bowl, lightly toss the crab meat with the cracker crumbs. Gently fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Scoop the crab mixture into eight 1/3-cup mounds; lightly pack into 8 patties, about 1 1/2 inches thick.
  • In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the crab cakes and cook over moderately high heat until deeply golden and heated through, about 3 minutes per side.
  • Transfer the crab cakes to plates and serve with lemon wedges.
  • Optional: Make a dipping sauce combining a couple tablespoons of mayonnaise with a few drops of hot sauce. Mix, taste, and adjust until you’re happy with the flavor.
  • MAKE AHEAD: The crab cakes can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.
Baltimore-style Crab Cakes
Are you planning to cook a special meal for Valentines Day? Share the details in the Comments.
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Super Sides: Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2/8/2017

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Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
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. 
*The downside is an abundance of loose leaves that fall off the Brussels sprouts heads, becoming super-crispy and blackened. To some of us this is a sell feature not a downside, but it does make for an unattractive bowl of veg. Speaks to the value of going beyond appearances.  
Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.
Printable Recipe- Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
File Size: 562 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Recipe source: Kevin is Cooking
 
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons honey

DIRECTIONS:
  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or use a Silpat silicone baking mat.
  • Trim the outer, dry leaves from the Brussels sprouts, then cut the bottoms off and slice sprouts lengthwise.
  • In a large bowl, sprinkle Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to coat thoroughly.
  • Transfer the Brussels sprouts to baking sheet and roast until tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
  • Place Brussels sprouts back in bowl. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey and toss to coat evenly. Taste and season with kosher salt if necessary and serve.
​
Oven Poached Salmon with Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Fries
What is your favorite veggie side dish? Please share in the Comments.
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A Toast to February

2/6/2017

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Cool goods from Entertaining Vintage
Click on the photo to take a closer look at the Royal Ruby wine glasses and hobnail decanter at Entertaining Vintage

​Cheers to the month of romance, hearts and flowers!
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. 
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Does your Valentine enjoy traditional symbols of love – hearts, candles, flowers?

  “Love is the poetry of the senses.” — Honore de Balzac
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Or is your True Love a bit quirkier, perhaps a fan of oddball expressions of affection such as these eccentric, music-playing cats? Or the cute kissing couple? All of these are salt and pepper shakers, for those who wish to add a little spice to their relationships.
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Maybe your Snuggle-Bunny would prefer to receive a fine glass of wine and a tasty snack as demonstration of your deep feelings. Food is love, after all. 

“Love is the greatest refreshment in life.” — Pablo Picasso
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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?  
  • Free and Open Source Software Month
  • American Heart Month
  • An Affair to Remember Month
  • Black History Month
  • Canned Food Month
  • Creative Romance Month
  • Great American Pie Month
  • National Bake for Family Fun Month
  • National Bird Feeding Month
  • National Cherry Month
  • National Children’s Dental Health Month
  • National Grapefruit Month
  • National Heart Month
  • National Hot Breakfast Month
  • National Library Lover’s Month
  • National Macadamia Nut Month
  • National North American Inclusion Month
  • National Snack Food Month
  • National Weddings Month
  • National Embroidery Month
 
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!
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Afternoon Dance Break – Dance the Stress Away

2/3/2017

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Afternoon Dance Break - Dance the Stress Away
People started dancing - Etno Histria -- by Ekke from Durham, United Kingdom via Wikimedia Commons
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!
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Fish for Dinner: Sicilian-style Swordfish Part 2: Electric Boogaloo

2/2/2017

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Sicilian Style Swordfish
Sicilian-style swordfish - with onions, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers
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 Playlist: This song has nothing to do with fish dinners – at least I don’t think it does. The Tom Waits songbook is filled with mysterious lyrics, but I love those evocative and only-Tom ditties anyway. 
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.
Printable Recipe- Sicilian-style Swordfish
File Size: 593 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Sicilian-Style Swordfish
Recipe source: Hooked on Fish sharing a recipe from cucinettaNYC via Food52
Serves 4
 
INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
  • ¼ cup pitted oil-cured black olives coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons salted capers, well rinsed and coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup dry white wine, preferably Sicilian
  • Crushed red pepper to taste
  • 4 6-ounce swordfish steaks
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Basil, roughly torn for garnish
 
DIRECTIONS:
  • In a large skillet (one wide enough to hold swordfish in a single layer), heat oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Add sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, wine and generous pinch red pepper flakes; stir together. Transfer to bowl.
  • Lightly season swordfish with salt and pepper; in a single layer, place fish in skillet.
  • Return skillet to medium-high heat, cover and cook for 3 minutes per side.
  • When swordfish is cooked through and browned, cover with sauce and warm.
  • Sprinkle roughly torn basil and serve. This dish can also be served room temperature.
Sicilian Style Swordfish
A nice glass of white wine to accompany the tasty swordfish -- Happy Friday (or any day)!
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