Jes's Suppa August 2010

So we are a little behind on our food blogging. Even though there hasn't been a post in awhile, that doesn't mean the ladies haven't enjoyed some tasty meals together. This dinner was last August when the weather in Atlanta is sticky and hot. My goal for the night was to try some new ideas from Sarah Raven's "In Season" cookbook and to throw in a few things I have made in the past. To start the evening was a refreshing drink with Costa Rican flare. A little sour, but lacks the sweetness of a margarita. Very refreshing.

Guartini

2oz. guaro (a costa rican liquor)

3oz. club soda

1oz lime juice

splash of granadine

Our appetizer was an apricot tart. The sweetness of the tart is wonderfully paired with a strong cheese like Stilton or another blue cheese. Honestly, this appetizer would work as a savory dessert.

The next course was a light and refreshing Mint & Cucumber Soup.

1 head of roasted garlic

2 large cucumbers (peeled & seeds removed)

1 bunch of mint chopped

1 1/4 cup olive oil

2 1/2 cups milk or plain yogurt

salt & pepper to taste

Blend the garlic, cucumbers and mint in a food processor. Then add the olive oil in a stream with the machine running. Stir in the milk or yogurt and add plenty of salt and pepper. This should be served cold. As an added presentation feature, I froze pieces of lavander in an ice cube. You could also use small flowers or anything else you find interesting.

The main course was Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini. A really yummy dish that is now in my regular cooking line up. I prefer to use black or red quinoa to add some more contrasting colors. Regular quinoa is just as tasty, but just looks a little...blah! Besides zucchini, this stuffing is also great in yellow, orange or red peppers.

The last item on the menu is Meringue Roulade with Raspberries. Besides looking pretty, this is a really good dessert to share with a big group on a ot summer day. Just on a side note when making this, whip the egg wites at room temperature. But, whip the cream cold and even put a bowl of ice under the first bowl.

I could have eaten this dessert for days. Its a great way to highlight fresh in season raspberries.

Please feel free to click the link for full recipes for some of these yummy dishes. Until next time! We definitely have months of backlogged dinners to blog about. Stay tuned!

Kelly's Dinner October 2010

Hey ok so we're slack what can we say. I'm finally posting my dinner night and I know we're gonna be out of order but, who cares! I was looking through the photos trying to remember which month this was and came across the photo of jess and her birthday cake-so I knew it was October yay! Jess is the one that takes all these beautiful photos of all our yummy food. So here goes...

always first, our coctail choice of the month was bourbon and Red Rock Ginger Ale with a squeeze of lime. yum and warms your tummy.

next came a "Roasted Pear Salad with Che'vre and Fig Vinaigrette"-
This combo of fresh spicey and sweet is a great wintery salad. Take out the cheese on top and it's
Vegan**


next up soup! "Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Apple and Tarragon" Vegan**
I love the chance to use my food processor.


Main course- "Gnocchi with Chickpeas and Seared Broccoli Raab"

ok so not until I made this dish did I know what broccoli raab was. So since I didn't know what I
was looking for in the grocery I ended up getting just broccoli thinking it was more like a
broccolini or something? but now I know I should have gone the leafy green route if I couldn't find broccoli raab. So this is my version I guess. Oh and looks like I used some sort of hard cheese on top. Vegan** w/out the hard cheese garnish.

Add protein and color to chewy, starchy gnocchi with chickpeas and bright, crisp broccoli raab.

Directions

1. Cook gnocchi in large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and set aside.

2. Heat reserved sun-dried tomato oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Increase heat to high, and stir in broccoli raab. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until broccoli raab begins to wilt. Add sun-dried tomatoes, cooked gnocchi, and chickpeas, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until some gnocchi begin to brown. Stir in reserved cooking water, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Serves 4

• 8 oz. (1/2 pkg.) gnocchi, such as Gia Russa
• 8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and quartered, 2 Tbs. oil reserved
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small bunch broccoli raab, stems trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces (4 cups)
• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

And for Desert!! Nuetella Swirl Pound Cake. And I added some coffee ice cream with it.

• 

*Candles optional with birthday request

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2. 4 large eggs, at room temperature
3. 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4. 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
6. 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
7. 1 1/4 cups sugar
8. One 13-ounce jar Nutella

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour. In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder and salt.
2. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.
3. Spread one-third of the batter in the prepared pan, then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another third of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife. Do not overmix.
4. Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut the cake into slices and serve.

Julia and Shana chillin between courses. We all chipped in and gave Jes a little painting by Faryn Davis for her birthday.

•