The very first time we took our friends to Hawaii, we had a special dinner (his birthday) before we told them. Here is that menu.
Appetizers:
- Coconut Prawns with papaya dip
- Cranberry Brie – Crackers
Menu:
- Teriaki Salmon
- Hawaiian Rice
- Veggies
- Pineapple Endive Salad
- White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie
After dinner we made the announcement and you should have seen their faces. WOW! Have a theme night dinner…they, too, can be fun. Enjoy!
Chicken With Figs in Red Wine
- This is a different, but super tasty way to present chicken.
- Thigh Cutlets, skin removed
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. Coriander
- pinch of Cayenne
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp. Cumin
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
- 6 fresh figs
- 2 tsp. lemon rind
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- chopped Parsley for garnish
Place flour, coriander, cayenne and cumin in a bag and add chicken pieces, one at a time, shaking to ensure totally covered.
Heat oil in large fry pan and cook until brown. Drain. Add onion and garlic. Cover pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Add 2 Bay leaves
Mix the wine, chicken stock powder and pour over the chicken. Transfer to 350 degree oven and bake for 1 1/4 hours. Remove from oven and take out the bay leaves. Remove chicken and set aside.
Mix together 2 tsp. lemon rind, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 2 tsp. cornstarch, figs (stems removed) and add to the pan. Cook until thick. Pour over chicken and sprinkle a small amount of chopped parsley on top.
Again, this can be for royalty We believe that special company, friends and family are all treated the same and, in your mind, remember that royalty is coming for dinner. That way, you don’t become complacent with your fare.
Menu Idea #2
Again, some of the recipes are already here, but if not, they soon will be.
This is an idea for a birthday brunch.
- Cranberry Scones
- Waffles with butter and syrup
- Cinnamon Buns (homemade – gooey and yummy
- Southwestern Bake
- Bacon
- Orange Torte
- Stacked Pizza
Decorate the table in a festive way with candles, flowers, table ‘add-ons’ to suit the birthday person’s favourite things.
Menu Ideas #1
A few more ideas to look at when deciding just what to serve your company.
Appetizer –
- Shrimp Toast
- Shrimp Stuffed Avocado
Menu
- Baby Potato Nuggets
- Baby Carrots with about 1 1/2″ of green top left on
- Asparagus (steamed or grilled)
- Baby Corn
- Chateaubriand with demi-glace
- Just-In-Case Pie
Check out Table Settings so you can see what can be done in a simple way.
Colourful Veal With Demi Glace
A nice change from chicken or beef and is really ‘upscale’ fare.
You will need:
- 1 1/2 lbs. Veal Scallopini, lightly pounded
- 3-4 tbsp. flour
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 small red onion, chopped fine
- 1 each of red and yellow peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 small green pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup dry Vermouth
Lightly dredge the veal in the flour, shaking off excess and brown in butter. Add garlic, onion and peppers. Add the Vermouth and cover, cooking on a low temperature for 20-25 minutes.
Demi Glace
- 3 cups espagnole sauce
- 1/4 cups brown beef stock
- 1/4 cup Sherry
Combine the two sauces and simmer until reduced by 2/3’s. Add Sherry and ladle about 2 tbsp. over the veal. Serve over white rice or wide, buttered noodles.
Serve with fresh homemade dinner rolls (for allowing guests to sop up the gravy). This is allowed at home, even with an elegant table.
Espagnole Sauce
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 2 tbsp. clarified butter
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 6 cups brown beef broth
- 1/4 cup tomato puree
- Bouquet Garni (1 bay leaf, 3 marjoram sprigs, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, 6-8 pink peppercorns)
- tied in a cheesecloth packet.
In a heavy saucepan melt the butter over medium heat until it begins to foam. At this point add the onions, carrots and celery and saute for a few minutes until it starts to get brown. With a wooden spoon stir the flour in the vegetables a little at a time, until it become thick and is fully mixed. Cook for about a minute to cook off the raw flour.
Use a whisk and add the stock and tomato making sure to remove all lumps. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer; add the Bouqet Garni and cook for 45-50 minutes until it has reduced in volume by a third.
Remove from the heat, and take out the sachet. To use this sauce for serving purposes, be sure to strain it through a fine sieve. Serve hot.
Lemon Fettucine
I like pasta that is not all messed up with tons of vegetables. If it is only butter and garlic then I’m really happy. This one is so tasty. Try it out.
You will need:
- 12 ounces of fettucine (fresh is better, but dried will do just as well)
- 1 tsp. good, light olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 1/2 cups whipping ceam
- 1 generous tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
Cook the pasta until el dente and drain. Return to pot and cover. In a small saucpan heat the cream, lemon zest and juice until it begins to thicken up (6-7 minutes). Pour the sauce and toss to cover all the pasta. Serve in a bowl with a slice of toasted garlic/cheese baguette and a fresh, crisp salad.
If done right, would also make for a casual/elegant dinner for company. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
Zucchini Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting
I was asked the other day if I had a recipe for zucchini cake. After looking through a box full of recipes, I finally found it.
You will need:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups grated zucchini
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 inch springform pan and at least 2 inches up the sides with parchment paper that has been lightly buttered.
Mix all the dry ingredients together and whisk in the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Carefully fold the flour in and then the zucchini and nuts. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the cake comes out clean when tested with a toothpick. Place on a wire rack and cool for a couple of hours.
Loosen the cake sides and remove the paper. Invert on a cake plate and peel off the paper from the bottom.
To make the icing, you will need:
- 4 oz. regular Philadelphia cream cheese
- 3 tbsp. room temperature butter
- 3/4 cup icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon.
After beating the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, add the vanilla and cinnamon. Can be made a day ahead. Just keep covered and in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
Lime Daquoise
Oh my, Oh my, Oh my! You will LOVE this one.
- Candied lime rind (recipe follows)
- 2 1/4 cups sliced almonds
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 9 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 3/4 cups icing sugar
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- grated lime rind
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Draw eight inch circle on each one. Turn the paper over and put aside.
Spread almonds in oven on a flat pan and bake about seven minutes until a light golden colour. Let cool . Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees.
In a processor, grind the almonds, one half of the sugar and cornstarch until it becomes a powdery consistency. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and add the remaining sugar a tbsp at a time, beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle in one half of the ground almonds and fold in the egg whites. Now fold in the remaining almond mixture.
Divide this mixture between the two pans and spread evenly to fill. Bake in top and bottom third of the oven set to 275 degrees for about sixty five to seventy minutes. Rotate the baking pans in the oven halfway through.
While this is hot, take the cake pan (used to draw circles) and set over the meringue, Cut around with a serrated knife so that both circles are the same size. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
To make the lime cream, whip the sugar, lime juice and cream, and stir in the grated lime rind. Set aside two cups of this mixture for the icing segment.
Centre 1 meringue layer on a serving plate. Make sure to put strips of waxed paper underneath the meringue to prevent sloppy spills on the plate. Spread with one third of the lime cream. Place the second meringue on top and repeat with the remaining cream and meringues. Spread the reserved cream on the sides first, then the top of the cake. Press remaining almonds on the cake side. Refrigerate up to eight hours making sure to remove the wax paper strips.
To poach the rind, take a paring knife and cut strips of rind top to bottom and then be sure to slice into straight edges. Take 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a sauce pan and bring to the boil. Add the rind and again, bring to the boil. Cook for a few moments until it gets thick. Remove the rind, drain off the liquid and toss in a plate covered with berry sugar, roll around and set on a rack to dry.
Set these out in a pretty fashion on top of your cake when ready to serve.
Holiday Liqueur
With Christmas and Thanksgiving coming up sooner than we expect or even want, here is a liqueur you can make yourself and have ready for the special dinners you have in the plans.You can also put it in a special bottle and put a pretty ribbon on , give as a hostess gift.
You will need:
- 1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
- 1 1/2 cups white rum
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 tbsp. chocolate syrup
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla
In a blender, whip until throughouly mixed. In a bottle that has been sterilized, pour the contents. Do not open for one week. Shake well before serving.
That was so easy, you could make more. Yummy
Marshmallow Semifreddo
The time for entertaining will soon be here and this just might be the dessert to fill the bill.
The chocolate cannot be more than 60% cacao. With that in mind, read on.
You will need:
- 2 cups cold whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. finely grated lime peel
- 2 jars of marshmallow creme
- 5 oz. coarsely grated bittersweet chocolate
- 6 oz. chopped chocolate
- 5 oz. finely chopped, toasted pistachios
- 5 oz. dried peaches
- 2 tbsp. Southern Comfort liqueur
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream and lime peel until peaks form. Add all the marshamallow creme and beat until fully incorporated. Gently fold in the grated chocolate, pistachios and peaches. Pour this into an 8″ springform pan and smooth the top. Cover with foil and freeze for a day.
Now just before serving, whisk the chopped chocolate, Southern Comfort and 2 tbsp. of water in a small saucepan until melted and smooth.
Cur around the semifreddo to loosen and remove the sides. Slice as you would a cake and spoon some of the warm sauce over the top.
This will serve 8-10 people. there will be no leftovers. This is a silky smooth dessert and watch that no one licks the plate. You could serve this with a citrus lace cookie. (recipe on this site).
In a word or two….yummy-yummy
Don’s Pulled Pork
I just had a request for this recipe so here it is. I have never wanted to try pulled pork because of all the fat, but Don trimmed a lot of it off. Try this and you totally melt.
You need:
Preheat oven to 290 degrees. This is not a mistake
- 1 3-4 lb. pork shoulder roast, bone in. If roast has string on it, cut it off before proceeding.
- Base: 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
- 1 small white onion, roughly chopped
Place vegetables on bottom of roasting pan and roast on top. Now make the sauce.
Sauce:
- 1 bottle regular flavour BBQ sauce (or your own family recipe)
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/4 cup water
Stir this together until well mixed and pour over roast. Tightly cover with tin foil and bake in the oven for 6 1/2 hours.
Pulling the pork:
Take roast out of the oven and place on a cookie sheet. Using two forks, shred the meat into stringy pieces. Strain the vegetables and bring the juice to a boil, simmering until thickened. Add the shredded pork and and stir to incorporate the sauce.
Take kaiser buns, cut in half and toast lightly. Pile the pork onto the bottom half of the bun and top with shredded coleslaw.
Coleslaw:
- 1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
Sorry for the cheat here: Bottled coleslaw dressing. Top with the other half bun and thoroughly enjoy. You will want it again and again.
**we prefer to use Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue sauce
When The Boss Comes to Dinner
Several (?) years ago, I invited my boss and her husband to dinner. I called ahead and asked if there are any dislikes or allergies and hearing none, this was the menu for them.
- Mushroom Palmiers (a hit of the season for us)
- Salmon with Crab Sauce
- Asparagus with toasted sesame seeds
- Garlic mashed Potatoes
- Papaya/Shrimp Salad
- Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake
After this dinner, she kept telling everyone at work she had eaten at the Four Seasons. NOW, comments like this keep the two of us going.
Remember, it is not WHAT you serve our guests, it’s HOW you present the entire evening.
Treat your company like royalty and take pride in what you are preparing. By the way, my ‘boss’ is now my friend and SHE is my hero. She just finished the Ironman Race 2011. Sounds like another dinner coming up. She wanted Martinis at the end of the race but we had company at home and couldn’t make it. Her trainer said WATER! He doesn’t know us very well. Right Laura?