Dcfoodblog's Profile
Appetizers for a Memorial Day BBQ for a crowd
While it's individual, it won't be much more than making dips. Crostini. You can probably get your local bakery to cut the bread for you in their slicing machines. Maybe shredded chicken tossed in a sesame vinaigrette. Caponata. Ricotta cheese with honey or aged balsamic drizzled on top.
1st Dessert Party- Need Help!
The sauces do thicken up a little but I take that into account when cooking and add more liquid (I use almond milk and chocolate for the chocolate sauce to make it vegan). The sauces are the consistency of Hershey's chocolate syrup. I have had a piece of food here and there in the sauces but nothing I was too worried about. I could be more laid back than most.
1st Dessert Party- Need Help!
One thing that would make your life easier and lighten everything would be a dipping bar. You can make strawberry sauce, homemade caramel sauce and chocolate suace ahead of time (just reheat with a double boiler) and stick fresh fruit, pretzel sticks, and hunks of store bought pound cake out with skewers for people to dip.
1st Dessert Party- Need Help!
I thaw cookies can be thawed at room temp the morning of the event. This may be heretical but if you want a little chew in your cookies, microwave them for 20 seconds. Bars that don't have something curdy (like a lemon bar), I've frozen and it turned out fine. Fudgy brownies or blondies could use a little nuking as well to bring out the chew. I wouldn't freeze a lemon bar or something with a cream cheese swirl. Pre-cooked pie crust freezes beautifully (I do mini quiches weeks ahead and just bake to reheat). I would say to defrost early that morning in the fridge (so they don't get soggy with condensation).
1st Dessert Party- Need Help!
I haven't had any problems with sogginess for cookies. They freeze beautifully. In fact, when I do cakes, my problem is they are drier after being frozen and then thawed. Those cakes have usually been perked up with a good dousing of a syrup. And yes, please pare back. You really can hit everyone's tastes with 8-10 desserts.
I call it a graduation garden party, kids call it a kegger...
Chips and dips. Always good to have ready-to-eat food out for people to snakc on as the burgers are being cooked.
You knew you mastered the fine art of cooking or baking when you ______________.
Right there with you. I knew I could cooked when I could diagnose how to make something better. In fact my husband made a chocolate ganache gone wrong and I figured out how to turn it into a VERY fudgy brownie.
What is the oldest family recipe you still use?
Vietnamese caramel fish - Ca Kho. It's a Vietnamese staple that I know my grandmother's grandmother made for her.
"Best Quality" Olive Oil Advice Please
What recipe are you looking at? If it's something where the olive oil is heated or mixed with stuff, Trader Joe's EVOO is perfectly fine. If it's something that requires the olive oil flavor to shine through, like a caprese salad, then it's really about tasting it. And like wine, that becomes a matter of taste. "good" olive oil should have a full fruity flavor. But how that expresses itself can vary. And it really depends on your own taste. My favorite olive oils are quite spicy and some folks may find that flavor acrid. Some people like grassy flavored olive oils. But "good" olive oil does have a distinctive flavor.
Dessert open house: suggestions?
For an housewarming I threw, I did a bellini and mimosa "bar" - had prosseco and sparkling water with bowls of pureed (and sieved) raspberries, peaches, and oj. Just put the bottles in buckets of ice and have the bowlso f fruit purees out for people to help themselves. You can even use the clear plastic tumblers. And yes, with nutella dip, just heat it gently and add about a half a cup of milk to a cup of the nutella.
Vegetarian accompaniment to leg of lamb?
You could make a panzanella that would be awesome.
Dessert open house: suggestions?
For an afternoon open house (and as an engagement party) I'd think sparkling. Sparking water, sparkling wine, and sparkling apple cider. The lightness of the beverages will offset the heaviness of the desserts. I agree with wyogal. Your menu is screaming for a fruit platter.
Unusual Starch dish wanted.
Seconded that this group is hella picky. What about a savory bread pudding? You can add whatever you like to it.
Chicken soup: getting started
Right there with you jm! I stuff my chicken with a whole head of garlic, a lemon, and an onion that's been quartered. All of that goes in the pot with the carcass and skin, carrots, celery and thyme.
Meal for 100+ for $300
With a family style Italian theme going, what about an Italian Sunday Gravy? The aforementioned meatballs, with some Italian sausage and chunks of pork shoulder that's all been cooked in a marinara. The super easy thing is that the pasta gets tossed in the marinara ahead of time and people choose the meat they want. For the vegetarians you could use the same marina (sans meat) and add sauteed eggplant, roasted peppers, and zuchinni. Fixin's include a simple salad and garlic bread. You can even do some simple appetizers with sundried tomato dip, caramelized onion dip, and gorgonzola dip with a variety of crudites and sliced baguettes.
Fast, Romantic Valentine's dinner ideas needed!
spaghetti carbonara. And for dessert strawberries with chocolate sauce.
Few Ingredients - Fabulous Taste
This really requires the best tomatoes you can get. Mine come from my garden at the peak of the season. Tomato salad with tomatoes sliced into wedges, a rich fruity first pressed EVOO, flaked sea salt, and coarsely chopped herbs of your choice.
Something simple to teach
A pounded paillard dredged in flour with a pan sauce. You can make a bunch and freeze. (but chicken breasts can be pricey). Roast chicken can be so cost effective because you can use the carcass for stock. Which means you can teach him how to do a rice pilaf (easy peasy!).
Need ideas for lunches-- no fridge, no microwave
Great ideas. Along those lines, think of deconstructed sandwiches that you assemble on the spot. A bit of pate, sliced tomatoes, sliced red onions and a piece of baguette. turkey or ham with chutney and arugula on walnut bread.
How do you cook your meatballs?
That's my technique. The flavor really gets enhanced with the fond.
I Find it Very Tough to Write a Recipe
If he has internet access, direct him to youtube videos. I've been doing that more and more when I email recipes. Ex: explaining to someone how to pound a breast of chicken and dredge it in the flour-egg-breadcrumb steps.
Help with Beef Bourguignon!
I swear i thought the temp was 350 degrees. At this point put it on the stove and simmer it.
New Year's Cooking/Baking Resolutions 2012
To learn how to properly carve a chicken.
What dessert to bring to in-laws for X-mas eve?
You're in-laws are jerks. End of story. Good on you for trying.
Ideas for precooked shrimp that is not just a shrimp cocktail for NYE side dish/app
What about taking the tails off, cooking the shrimp, and chopping them and making a salad oyu can serve on endive leaves?
What will/did you have for Christmas dinner?
How wonderful. That sounds like a real family meal. I decided I wanted to go all out and do a multi-course plated meal.
arugula salad with crisped proscuitto and croutons
pork tenderloin with a sherry-port sauce
roasted shallots
roasted asparagus
cauliflower-parsnip puree
Nigella's chocohotopots
pumpkin mousse
What are you making for Christmas breakfast?
Bacon and leek frittata
tomato tart tatin
berry salad
Carrot cake muffins
Diabetic cookie recipes?
I'm Type 2 and I make meringue cookies with the granulated splenda (it's a 1 to 1 conversion from regular sugar). YOu can do any type of flavoring but I usually add cocoa powder to mine. A mini pavlova would be nice.
Dinner party for 10 I'm hosting!
Boeuf bourginion. With grilled bread underneath and a nice salad ahead of time. Buy dessert.
First-timer hosting Christmas dinner - critique my menu?
I assumed that this menu was reflecting the tastes of your guests. Everything on there makes sense to me with the exception of the out of season tomatoes.
