Summer Meal to Beat the Heat: Sausage and Peppers Sandwich, Burrata with Tomato, Grilled Nectarines

Menu:

Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches with Red Pepper and Basil Mayo

• Saute Sliced Onions + Red Bell Pepper + Yellow Bell Pepper + 2 cloves smashed garlic till softened (about 30 minutes)
• Grill 3 Sausages till warmed through (for 4 servings).  Slice on the diagonal
• Puree roasted red peppers, garlic, basil, combine with Mayo + Red Wine Vinegar + Salt & Pepper
• Toast Ciabatta Bread
• To build sandwich:  Spread Mayo, then spoon sausage and veggies

Heirloom Tomato Caprese with Burrata

• Slice tomatoes 1/3 inch thick.  Season with salt, pepper and olive oil.  Let marinade about 20 minutes
• Arrange tomatoes on platter and tuck burrata around the tomatoes
• Sprinkle basil and finish with more olive oil, salt and pepper and perhaps clear vinegar (I don’t like the cheese getting dark from balsamic)

Grilled Nectarines with Cinnamon Sugar or Herbed Balsamic Reduction

• For balsamic reduction: reduce 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar with chosen herb (rosemary or thyme) to about 4 tablespoons.  Add brown sugar and salt to taste
• Brush nectarine halves with oil, place cut-side down on grill set on high till cooked through and slightly soft
• Drizzle with the balsamic reduction or
  • Spoon mixture of melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Place in grill to melt sugar
• Serve with ice cream and granola

Brined Pulled Pork

BRINE-for each pork shoulder, immerse in the brine in the morning the day before.  Let brine for ~12 hours

• 2 quarts water
• 1/2 c kosher salt
• 1/2 c sugar

Rinse shoulder with cold water and apply the dry rub.  Let sit for a few hours

• 3 TBSP Cajun seasoning by O Organics (Safeway)-this already contains salt, so go light-handed with extra salt
• 1 TBSP Smoked paprika
• 2 tsp Onion powder
• 2 tsp Garlic powder
• 3 TBSP Brown sugar

Place in roasting pan and bake at 250 until temp reaches 190-200.  Turn off oven and let temperature go down to 170 and remove pork from oven.

Let cool a bit, then shred, adding some pork juices to moisten.  May also add a bit of BBQ to the pork

Serve with broccoli slaw, Hawaiian rolls and BBQ sauce

Sip and Swap v 2.0 – Recipes for cocktails, appetizers and mini desserts

Two years ago, I hosted one of the most fun parties.  It was a sip and swap where all the girls brought 5 items from their closets, with at least one being an accessory.  They would come to sip cocktails, nosh on hand held nibbles and take home new treasures to mix up their wardrobe.  I hosted another this past week with about 20 guests.  Everyone went home with something new, no matter what their size, shape or style!

For the first rounds, we took turns selecting our favorite item.  After that, everyone was free to choose anything they wanted to take home.

I made food small enough for just a few bites and ensured there was a good mix of items.  I also didn’t want to fuss with utensils since everyone would be standing with drink and plate in hand already.  It did take quite a bit of work and organization to ensure everything was done on time.

I learned few things along the way that will make entertaining in a sort of cocktail party style a little less stressful

• Make a mix of food that can be served cold/room temperature and hot food.  The cold food can be ready to go before guests arrive.  The hot food should be able to be prepared ahead of time and can be left in a warm oven until guests arrive.  I like having hot food to feel like you’ve had a real meal.
• Handheld food resting atop different bases (crackers, crostini, veggies, puff pastry, pizza dough) lends to variety in textures and flavors.  Possibilities are endless!
• Deviled eggs, although always popular, are a pain and take a lot of time considering the prep needed.  I don’t like peeling eggs!
• Have a simple house cocktail that you can batch and have ready to serve right when your guests arrive.  My friends need to be nudged a little before they partake in a cocktail, otherwise they won’t bother you with anything other than water.  I opened all the drinks and hand a drink in their hand right when they arrived.  It got the party started right away.  My house drink was a little strong (I think I just pour servings that were too big).
• Narrow cups work better than wider ones for cocktail parties.  A narrower cup can be rested on a dessert plate and leave more room for food.

Drink and Food for the party:  I made approximately 24 pieces per dish with plenty of leftover.  I actually ran out of table space and didn’t put one of the dishes out…I think next time, I will be sure to use smaller serving dishes and mix all of the different crostini together rather than separating them onto different plates.  Perhaps separate by sweet and savory or pair bites with complementing or contrasting colors.

DRINKS:

• 1/2 ounce Blackberry Rosemary syrup + 1/2 ounce Vodka or Gin + Prosecco
  • 2 1/2 cups blackberries + few sprigs rosemary, chopped + 1/3 c sugar + 2/3 cup water simmered for about 20 minutes, strained and chilled
  • Omission of vodka and sparkling lemonade or pomegranate could be substituted
  • The French 75 also adds lemon juice
• Sangria
  • Stella Rosa sparkling wine + 3 oz Brandy + 1 1/2 oz triple sec + apple + orange plus juice + lemon + apricot or other stone fruit
• Non-Alcoholic – it was warm and I should have had more.  I only had 1 L club soda, 1 L Perrier + 2 sparkling sodas.  2 more bottles would been have nice

Cold Appetizers

• Charcuterie board:  1 box water crackers + 3 cheeses (brie, cheddar, spicy jack) + grapes + strawberry + smoked almonds + dried apricot + pepper spread + olives
• Caprese on a stick: mozzarella, tomato and basil with TJ’s balsamic vinegar/honey thyme oil + salt
• Strawberry Crostini: Ricotta/Sugar/Lemon Zest + sliced strawberry + balsamic and brown sugar reduction (about 1/2 cup reduced by 2/3) + sliced basil
• Turkey Sandwich:  Ciabatta, Mayo+Cream Cheese,  bacon (put in cold oven till 400 degrees (about 17 minutes), avocado, turkey, spicy pepper spread, microgreens

Other make-ahead appetizers

• Brazilian cheese bread (Yields 36):
  • 1 1/2 c tapioca four
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 c oil
  • 2/3 c milk
  • 1/2 c packed shredded mozzarella
  • pinch salt
  • Place everything in food processor and blend of about 20 seconds
  • Fill well greased mini muffin tins 3/4 full (1 TBSP)
  • Bake at 400 X 17 minutes till puffed and light brown (I over cooked these at 20 minutes)
  • Let cool a few minutes then remove onto rack.  I waited too long so a few got stuck onto the pan
• Deviled Eggs with herbs

Hot foods kept in the warmer till guests arrived

• Crostini + 50/50 whipped cream cheese and herbed goat cheese + sauteed mushrooms with rosemary
• Pigs in a blanket: Aidell’s chicken sausage (1pound) and puff pastry.  Refrigerate until ready to bake, brush puff pastry with egg wash, bake at 400 degrees till puffed and browned.  Baked lying flat-turns out light and flaky
• Artichoke dip crostini: Spoon onto crostini, bake at 375 till cheese melts
• Crostini+Brie+Thinly sliced apple+Cubed pancetta or pomegranate+walnut+honey
  • Melt cheese, then add apple.  Keep in warmer
• Minced Chicken+Water Chestnuts+Pine Nuts in Endive leafs
  • Keep chicken warm and spoon into endive last minute
• Meatball Cups (Yields 18):  Pillsbury pizza crust+mozarella+Sriracha BBQ sauce+chicken meatball
  • Cut 3 inch circles and place in greased mini muffin tins.  Spoon cheese and BBQ sauce and bake for 400 degrees for 6 minutes.  Place quarter meatball and top with sauce.  Tope with cheese and pop in oven till dough is brown and cheese is melted

Dessert

• Mini coconut banana cream pie with TJ’s salted caramel – filling made day ahead
• Nutella brownies
• Lemon Bundt cake made day ahead
• Mini Blueberry Pie topped with Whipped cream
  • 1 box pie crust makes 24-can be made day before
    • Use mini muffin tin, prick bottom with fork and freeze
    • Bake at 400 till light brown
  • Filling made day ahead
    • 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 2/3 cup sugar
    • Pinch of salt
      • Place half blueberries, sugar, zest and cornstarch, water in pot.  Bring to boil and simmer
      • Add remaining blueberries and heat through till sauce is thickened.
      • Take off heat and squeeze in fresh lemon juice

Green basil eggs and Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

These recipes are from my sister’s story book-themed baby shower

EGGS:

• 12 hard boiled eggs, halved length-wised, yolk separated
• Fresh basil in a tube
• Pickled relish juice
• Mayonnaise
• Green food coloring

Mash the yolks with a bit of mayo, the relish juice, basil, salt and pepper.  Add enough food coloring to get the desired color

Pipe into the egg wells and chill

HAM and CHEESE SANDWICHES

• 24-count pack King’s Hawaiian Rolls
• Mayo
• 3 tsp honey or Dijon mustard
• 8 TBSP melted butter
• few dashes Worcheshire sauce
• 6 slices cheese
• 8 oz sliced ham

Slice rolls in half horizontally and place bottom layer in a baking dish large enough to fit bread

Spread mayo on top of the bottom layer, them the ham and cheese.  Place top half of the rolls on top.

Combine the butter, Worcheshire and mustard together and pour over the sandwiches.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches

I repurposed my pumpkin whoopee pie cookie recipe to make ice cream sandwiches for our pumpkin carving party.  The ingredients are the same, but baking time and technique is a little different:

Yields 20 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15oz can pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup oil
• 2 c sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 4 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

• FILLING INGREDIENTS

 

• 1/2 gallon Vanilla ice cream (won’t use the entire thing)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix dry ingredients:  flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl

In a separate large bowl,  whisk eggs and sugar together until well combine.  Slowly add oil, then pumpkin puree and vanilla.

Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Batter i be somewhat thick.  If it isn’t, let rest before forming the pies

Using a 2oz scoop,  scoop 36 round mounds evenly onto 2 pans 2 inches apart.  Bake for 7-8 minutes until light brown and just set on the bottom.  Cookies will be underdone.  Allow pies to cool, then place in the freezer between layers of parchment paper.  Freezing the cookies will allow you to spread the ice cream much more easily.

When ready to assemble, take ice cream out of the freezer and let sit at room temperature to soften.  Portion out the ice cream using a 2 oz ice cream scoop.  Press the ice cream onto the flat side of the cookie and press the top cookie onto the ice cream.  Roll the edge into the chopped nuts, if using.

Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to set for a few hours at least.

 

Curried Chicken Salad

First made for Jen N’s baby shower 2011

• 3 chicken breasts, roasted at 350, then shredded
• 2-3 strips of bacon, cooked, grease reserved
• celery, chopped
• red onion, minced
• dried fruit (cherries, raisins, apricots)
• red grapes, halved
• tart apple, diced
• 1 TBSP curry powder
• enough mayo to moisten and bind ingredients
• Worcheshire sauce
• lemon juice or vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

curried chicken salad for brunch

2 strips of bacon (optional)
3 chicken breasts, baked in a 375 degree oven (may use same pan as bacon was cooked in to enhance flavor)
red grapes
celery, finely minced
red onion, finely minced
red grapes, cut in half
raisins or another dried fruit
apples, diced

curry powder
mayonnaise
worcheshire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice or vinegar