Entertaining Tip: Fresh Flowers -- Keep it Simple

Here are two pictures of the flowers we had on the table at dinner the other night. I didn't have any extra time to worry about a centerpiece so I bought three bunches of astromeira (just 7.99 each at my local market), mixed them up and put them in a couple of low glass vases set at a slight angle to each other down the middle of each table.

Here's another view from the top.

Margaret's Fancy Salad

This winning salad recipe came through my sister's friend Margaret. At my house I always have to make extra caramelized pecans because each person who comes through the kitchen manages to sneak a few while they are cooling.

INGREDIENTS

Dressing
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup salad oil
1 tablespoon snipped parsley
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Salad
1 small can Mandarin oranges
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup caramelized pecans
Romaine lettuce leaves

METHOD

Caramelize pecans: place 2 tablespoons white sugar in skillet. Add nuts. Stir over low heat until sugar melts and turns light brown and collects on nuts. Cool on a piece of foil.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients.

Combine salad ingredients in bowl, add dressing, toss and serve.

Beets with Orange Vinaigrette

Beets are one of the 'super-foods'. They are very rich in antioxidants and other things that are good for you like folate and manganese and potassium and fiber and Vitamin C, among other things.

These can be served as prepared or set on a bed of mixed lettuces, letting the citrus vinaigrette on the beets serve as dressing.

This recipe serves 6-8.



INGREDIENTS

3 pounds fresh beets
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
Zest from two large navel oranges
Segments of 2 large navel oranges

METHOD

Trim tops from the beets, rinse and wrap in foil. Bake in the foil wrapped packets until fork tender. Allow to cool enough so that you can handle them.

Peel and dice the beets into 1/2 inch cubes. While the beets are still warm, place them in a mixing bowl and add the raspberry vinegar, orange juice, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper, red onions, orange zest, and orange segments. Mix well, taste for salt and pepper, and serve cold or at room temperature.

Place in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend. If you are in a hurry you can try canned baby beets.

This recipe is from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

What's for Dinner?: Filet of Beef Bourguignon

Here is another terrific recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I have made this numerous times. Using high-quality beef tenderloin makes this a memorable meal.

INGREDIENTS

1 3 pound filet of beef trimmed (your butcher can do this for you)
Salt and pepper
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound bacon, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups good dry red wine, such as Burgundy
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/2 pound pearl onions, peeled
8-10 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into sections
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick (domestic or wild)


METHOD

With a sharp knife, cut the filet crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Salt and pepper the filets on both sides. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan on medium-high heat, saute the slices of beef in batches with 2-3 tablespoons oil until browned on the outside and very rare inside, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the filets from the pan and set aside on a platter.

In the same pan, saute the bacon on medium-low heat until browned and crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set on a plate lined with paper towels. Drain all the fat except for 2 tablespoons, from the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return it to the pan. Add the onions and carrots and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and the vegetables are cooked.

With a fork, mash 2 tablespoons butter and the flour into a paste and whisk it gently into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken. Meanwhile, saute the mushrooms separately in remaining tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil for about 10 minutes, until browned and tender.

Add the filet of beef slices, the mushrooms, and the bacon to the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Cover and reheat gently for 5-10 minutes. Do not overcook. Season to taste and serve immediately.

This can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. Allow the dish to come to room temperature before reheating gently.

Note: To peel pearl onions easily, first blanch them for a minute or two in boiling water.

What's for Dinner?: Chicken Marsala with Oven Roasted Mushrooms and Onions

A favorite from the Foster's Market Cookbook, this one's for you, Annie. Let me know if you like it! Sorry, no photo...

Roasting the mushrooms and the onions separately adds depth of flavor to the finished dish.

Chicken Marsala -- Serves 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces pancetta, very thinly sliced
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned
10 cipollini onions or shallots cut in half (or quartered if large
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sweet Marsala
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Flatten each chicken breast half by placing it between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and pounding it with a mallet or the flat bottom of a heavy pan until the chicken is about 1/3 inch thick in all places.

Working with one flattened breast half at a time, spread 2 teaspoons of the mustard onto one side of each breast and press 2 sage leaves into the mustard side of the breast. Set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the pancetta 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until it is crisp and lightly brown. Remove the pancetta and set aside on a paper towel to drain. Set the skillet aside.

Meanwhile, while the pancetta is cooking, place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, mushrooms and onions into a baking dish and toss to mix. Roast in the oven about 30 minutes, stirring a few times during the cooking process.

Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet after the pancetta has been removed and lower the heat to medium. Dredge each breast in the flour to coat both sides lightly, shaking off any excess flour, and place in the skillet.

Cook the chicken breasts, turning once, 3-4 minutes per side (exact timing will depend on the size of the breasts), until they are golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Raise heat to medium-high. Add the Marsala to the skillet, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Stir and reduce the Marsala by half. Add the cream, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil, and continue to cook 2-3 more minutes, until the sauce is slightly thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon.

Return the chicken and pancetta to the skillet with the sauce to reheat. Season with salt, pepper and the remaining mustard and sage (which I cut into thin strips). To serve, top the chicken with the pancetta, roasted mushrooms, and cipollini. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

If you are making this ahead, tent the cooked chicken with foil, prepare the sauce and roast the vegetables. Combine and reheat gently before serving.

Holiday Dinner

We've invited friends in for a holiday dinner and charades. So, what shall I serve? Well, dessert is easy -- we are having iced sugar cookies and brownies with creme de menthe icing which I will tint red. I can make both of these in advance.

The entree was a puzzle -- I wanted something that evoked Christmas. I settled on Chicken Florentine. This should be perfect as the green of the spinach and the addition of some red tomato slices will create a Christmas feeling. Also, I can have them ready to pop in the oven. I won't have too much last minute fussing. The point of this party is to get through dinner and have fun playing charades!

So, the menu is:

Chicken Florentine
Rice Pilaf
Steamed broccoli
Salad with baked goat cheese and dijon vinaigrette

If I have time I will make caviar souffle roll for appetizers. It is easier than it sounds and festive or if I run out of time it will be something already made from the local market.

The only things last minute about dinner are getting the salad ready (bake goat cheese rounds and dress and plate the salad) and steaming the broccoli.

That is the plan...I will let you know how it turns out tomorrow!

Christmas Cookies

The recipe for these delicious iced sugar cookies is from my Norwegian great-grandmother.
They are delicate and delicious and the lemon extract is what sets them apart. The light lemon flavor cuts through the sugary cookie and icing. The dough keeps in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic, for several days.

Great-Grandma Arne's Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

METHOD

Sift first four ingredients together. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the egg, milk, and flavorings. Blend in dry ingredients. Gather together and chill for at least 2 hours. Roll out approximately 1/8" thick on lightly floured board. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.

Bake on parchment lined baking sheets or ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. For best results, start baking sheet on lowest rack of oven and when cookies have begun to puff slightly, move to the top rack until they are golden brown at the edges.

Decorate as desired using Royal Icing, sugar, etc.

Royal Icing

INGREDIENTS:

1 egg white
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 cups powdered sugar

METHOD:
Beat the egg white and lemon juice together until frothy and then add the powdered sugar, approximately 1/2 cup at a time until the icing has reached the desired consistency.

I used two cups of sugar for the green frosting so that it would be spreadable and when I made the white icing, I used about three cups so that it would be a little stiffer when I piped it on to the trees.

As you work with royal icing, you can cover the bowl with a dampened paper towel to prevent it drying.