Blame it on the a-a-a-Alcohol (Dec Dinner Night)

With all of the holiday parties this month I decided to opt for an easy, quick, bar food menu. I figured why fit in another heavy long dinner into the month. It just so happens when I was picking out recipes- almost every one had alcohol as an ingredient. Overall- the dinner ended up being kind of disastrous- but hey at least we got a buzz from it all!

Beer Cheese- Joy of Cooking 2006 (Rissa)

Simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat:
1 cup beer
While the beer is heating, whisk together:
1 tablespoon cornstarch1 tablespoon water
Add the cornstarch mixture to the beer and cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat and whisk in 1/ 2 cup at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next:
2 cups Cheddar (8 ounces), grated1 ounce cream cheese, cut into pieces1 ounce blue cheese, crumbled1/ 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard1/ 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Rissa- This was a really easy dip to make. Basically, the beer and cheese combination all simmered together for just enough time to taste like a good dip to put bread in..but not like TOO much beer. I also liked the cream cheese and blue cheese addition to it. Gave it just the bite that I like. It was so easy we had to keep the bread coming because we couldn’t stop dipping our hands in the bowl! This is ideal for a fondue pot or something that would keep the dip warm for a while. Excellent party dish.
Kristin: Thumbs up. This was delicious. The consistency would have lasted longer if we had a fondue pot. (Really need one of those!) Will definitely make this again for a party.
Heather: Thumbs sideways. I liked this but it had a really strong blue cheese taste and if I made it again, I would probably omit the blue cheese.
Rissa: Thumbs up!
Nicole: Thumsbs up – with all the yummy cheeses it was hard to go wrong with this one.

Bitter Greens Salad with Sourdough Croutons and Warm Tomato - Cooking Light

Heather- This salad sounded really delicious but it ended up being a lot of work for what sounded like a relatively simple salad. The croutons were made fresh from a load of sourdough bread. I cooked down tomatoes, vinegar and shallots to make the warm vinaigrette. Because the vinaigrette was warm, it wilted the salad greens. I’m not sure any of us really understood the concept of a warm salad dressing but it was worth a shot. I would not make this again – too much work for something that didn’t end up that delicious.
Kristin: TWO THUMBS DOWN. This may be the worst salad I’ve ever had. The dressing was sweet, and also it was way too hot. If I were to ever serve again (which I won’t) the dressing would be nuked.
Heather: Thumbs down.
Rissa: Thumbs down. No warm, wilted salad for me please!
Nicole: Thumbs sideways. I actually am a fan of wilted spinach salads, so this one was okay for me; a bit too much effort though for the result.

French Dip Sandwiches- Rachael Ray

Kristin- These sandwiches were super easy to make. Really all you have to do is make the au jus and put some deli meat onto the sandwich bun. This turned out not to be a hit with the girls. My boyfriend and I actually liked the sandwich, though I thought there was too much bread. Next time I will buy different sub buns. A good weekend lunch if you if your into the French dip thing!
Heather: Thumbs down – To be fair, I didn’t actually try these because I don’t eat roast beef.
Rissa: Thumbs down. Not a big fan of french dip sandwiches.
Nicole: Thumbs sideways – A bit too hearty for me, but I liked the combo of the sandwich and dipping sauce (this was my first French dip sandwich).

Beer Battered Onion Rings- Cooking Light

Nicole- I could sum up these onion rings by saying they were “interesting”. Not totally bad, but not as yummy as a regular onion ring. Because they were not deep fried the onion did not get as soft as a regular onion, so they did not taste completely cooked. I also learned that my technique of dipping multiple rings at once did not work well; Heather suggested separating the rings to dip individually, and that worked much better.
Kristin: Thumbs down. They weren’t terrible, but I think there’s just no way to make a “light” version of onion rings.
Heather: Thumbs down. You just can’t do cooking light versions of fried food. There’s no comparison to the real deal.
Rissa: Thumbs sideways. I thought they were pretty decent for someone who wants to save calories but wants some good ol’ onion rings.
Nicole: Thumbs sideways.

Bananas Foster- Allrecipes.com

Kristin- Probably the most fun dish of the night. We cooked the bananas with lots of fun sugary stuff, added liquer, and then lit the baby up! It burned for what seemed like forever...to the point we actually put the flame out. This could be where we went wrong... since the alcohol didn't burn off it tasted like a cocktail (stiff one at that) instead of a dessert. Oh well!
Heather – Thumbs sideways – This would have been so delicious if it didn’t have such a strong taste of the alcohol. I felt like I could have gotten drunk off the dessert. I would definitely make this again using a non-99-proof banana liqueur, if one even exists that is.
Rissa: Thumbs down- a little too crazy for me!
Nicole – Thumbs sideways – I actually thought that it was okay, but I am a big fan of bananas.

November Dinner Night - A Cooking Light Thanksgiving

Our group had not done a holiday dinner before, and since Turkey Day was right around the corner it was perfect timing for a Foxy Foodies Thanksgiving meal. The November 2008 issue of Cooking Light with the pecan pie on the cover had been waiting in my magazine queue, and I finally took the time to sit down and dig for some recipes. I ended up going for dishes that were traditional but with a modern twist, and included one with mushrooms even though I know that half of us are not fungi fans. All were from the magazine except for the cinnamon roll recipe, which I had gotten from my mom years ago (and which she had cut out of the Orange County Register in 1992). The dessert was inspired by some cinnamon rolls that Rissa had brought to my desk at work last month, and she said that she had been looking for a recipe.

Pink Grapefruit and Lychee Cocktail – Cooking Light

(Heather) I’m not a big grapefruit person but the sweetness of the lychees really made this martini! This was a pretty easy cocktail to make and it seemed like something you would order in a chic LA lounge. I would definitely make it again. The only problem is you will end up wasting the rest of the lychees because you only need a few to go into the bottom of each glass.

K: Thumbs up- My boyfriend uses grapefruit as a mixer all the time. I found this to be less tart version we could both enjoy.
N: Thumbs up – a bit bitter at first, but one gets used to the taste – especially by the second drink! Adding sugar or some simple syrup may make it even more delicious.
R: Thumbs up - chic is definitely the word for this one. Didn’t seem too complicated either.
H: Thumbs up!

Savory Butternut Squash – Cooking Light (recipe not available online)

(Nicole) I had a squash phobia growing up, but this is avegetable that I have learned to enjoy as an adult. The trickiest part was cutting the squash, but after Heather found some online directions (cut the bottom off, stand squash upright to slice) and we were in business. I like the balance of flavors in this recipe - the slight spiciness of the curry complemented the sweetness of the golden raisins.

K: Thumbs up, considering it was squash.
N: Thumbs up – loved the flavor, and the curry was noticeable but subtle.
R: Thumbs up - this was my first time trying butternut squash and I like!
H: Thumbs up – I have made butternut squash 3 times since this night.

Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese, Bacon, and Balsamic-Fig Dressing – Cooking Light

(Heather) I mainly helped with the dressing on this salad. I enjoy making homemade salad dressing because it’s such a treat compared to my store-boughts that I usually use. Wasn’t sure about the whole fig thing, but the finished product was amazing! A perfect amount of goat cheese to add some subtle texture to the salad without being overwhelming. We also used prosciutto on this salad instead of bacon which was good as well. I have been dreaming about this salad ever since we made it!

K: Thumbs up, the dressing and goat cheese mix was delicious
N: Thumbs way up – my favorite recipe of the night! The recipe made a very generous amount of dressing, and I enjoyed it for weeks to come.
R: Thumbs up!
H: Thumbs up – This was one of the best salads we have tried so far. The combination of all the ingredients was delicious!

Turkey Cutlets with Pancetta-Sage Sauce – Cooking Light

(Kristin) I’ve always wanted to cook with turkey cutlets, so I was excited for the opportunity. I made a few mistakes along the way (i.e. over cooking) but overall I thought it was a decent dish. If I were to make over, I would add more seasonings to the turkey. This is a good healthy weeknight dinner option.

K: Thumbs sideways, would be good with additional seasoning.
N: Thumbs sideways – I liked the dish overall, but was looking for a bit more flavor. I would make it again, but make it less “light”.
R: Thumbs sideways - I agree with Nicole, needed a bit more flavor, but that’s usually my complaint with turkey in general.
H: Thumbs up – This is a great recipe for those of us who don’t want to cook the whole bird.


Soft Polenta with Wild Mushroom Sauté - Cooking Light

(Rissa) This was my first time trying polenta, let alone making it. Reminds me of cream of wheat. It is a very easy side dish that required sautéing the mushrooms, leeks, etc. separately and then whisking the polenta until thickened. Upon serving the polenta, the dish is topped with the sautéed mixture and pecorino Romano cheese. I appreciated the dish’s use of “fall” vegetables which went very well with the menu. I’m a cheese fan, so I would probably add more to the recipe, but that would probably make it not the traditional polenta style.

K: Thumbs sideways…Up for the mushroom sauté, down for the polenta.
N: Thumbs sideways – I like polenta, but the polenta part was just okay. I loved the mushroom/leek sauce though.
R: Thumbs sideways - don’t think I’m a big polenta fan, but it was nice to have something different besides the usual pasta, potatoes, etc.
H: Thumbs down – Polenta is really bland and kind of mushy.

Mall-Style Cinnamon Rolls – from Orange County Register (very similar recipe found at link)

(Heather) I was really excited to make these as I’ve never before cooked with yeast and had no idea what to expect. Nicole started the process earlier in the day so by the time I got to it, it was a big balloon of dough that needed to be “punched down”. A very fun way to get your anger out by the way. The buns were relatively easy to construct once the dough was rolled out. I think they could have used a little more icing on top though. Delicious and definitely worth a try!

K: Thumbs up, very filling though.
N: Thumbs up – they tasted good even though I forgot to put the cinnamon in – oops!
R: Thumbs sideways - I’m still looking for THE cinnamon roll recipe. It was good, but I still want to try others.
H: Thumbs up – My only complaint is there’s just no comparing to Cinnabun rolls!

Rissa's All-American Supper

After many years of collecting recipes, I decided to look at my huge pile and make things that I’ve had for a while. Working for a food company, I am privileged to receive lots of food magazines so the pile is only growing! I couldn’t just pick some old stuff as a result. I wanted to include some of the latest magazine items that I’ve added. Nothing too significant about the way I chose this dinner night but it ended up being an All-American theme. And the dessert was chosen over others so we could have leftovers to share with our fellow grubbers.

Easy Arugula Salad - Allrecipes.com

We substituted spinach for arugula in this salad and it turned out really good. Very simple but delicious. The pine nuts added some extra flair to the salad. I would make this again for a dinner party as it is a no-stress recipe.

K: I’m alone on this one. Thumbs down. The dressing was clumpy with the parmesan.
N: Thumbs up.
R: Thumbs up - The dressing was really good. I would advise mixing it in with the salad from the start so it spreads evenly, but it was yummy and cheesy.
H: Thumbs up.

Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes - Rachael Ray

I often shake my head at Rachael Ray recipes because they usually take longer than estimated (I still have yet to do one of her meals in 30 minutes), but this one recipe was fairly easy and delicious too. Using firm tomatoes helped them to remain structurally intact during the gutting and baking process.

K: Thumbs up. Though I would only make the peppers next time.
N: Thumbs up.
R: Thumbs up - I would take out the tomatoes a little sooner than the bell peppers. I loved how they were stuffed sideways like stuffed canoes instead of hoping they’d stand up on their own.
H: Thumbs sideways


Fried Potato Salad - William Sonoma

This turned out to be the best recipe of the night. The mix of the bacon with the potatoes and herbs was delicious. It was also a nice change of pace from a mayo based potato salad. Would be great for a summer bbq. The bacon fat initially turned me off, but I was able to look past it since we used a small amount, and no mayo was involved. One of the best potato salad's I've had.

K: Thumbs up!
N: Thumbs up – Delish!
R: Thumbs up - Absolutely amazing. I would leave all the bacon grease in next time or at least more of it. YUM.
H: Thumbs up – I don’t even like potato salad but this version was different than most and absolutely delicious!


Steaks with Herb-Spice Blend - Epicurious.com

I was slightly skeptical about some of the herbs in this spice blend as I’m not a huge fan of dill. But, after mixing all the spices together, the dill didn’t really stand out so I was happy. The steaks were very flavorful and juicy and I would definitely make this again.

K: Thumbs sideways.
N: Thumbs sideways.
R: Thumbs down - I wouldn’t make this again. It was similar to Montreal Steak Seasoning if anything.
H: Thumbs up.

Salsa - Courtesy of Cuisinart manual

1/2c tightly packed cilantro leaves

1 large garlic clove, peeled

1 medium onion (4oz)

1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded

2 medium tomatoes (12oz total), cored and quartered

2/3c tomato sauce

1 tsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

Using food processor, insert blade and put cilantro in work bowl. Turn on machine, drop garlic through feed tube and process until cilantro and garlic are finely chopped. Add onion, jalapeno, and tomatoes and pulse-chop 5-6 times until coarsely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and pulse-chop 2 or 3 times to blend.

I knew we had a big dinner night planned, so I wanted to keep the appetizer slightly (only slightly) easier than the rest. This came from the Cuisinart manual which means you just drop all the ingredients through the chute, press on, and voila! At first, I thought it was going to be more chopped because that’s what I’m used to making, but it really came out almost pureed, restaurant style. It was good, but not “the one”. And everyone was right in the end about needing more kick.

K: Thumbs down. Love salsa but it needed some kick.
N: Thumbs down – Needed a bit more flavor.
R: Thumbs down - I think there are others that are better.
H: Thumbs down – It was a little too watery and lacked the heat that I’m normally used to in salsa.

Mini Black-Bottom Cheesecakes with Jam - Food and Wine Magazine

This recipe turned out to be pretty easy due to its "mini" nature. We were able to bake the cheesecakes, then freeze them for 15 minutes, and serve. I only had apricot preserves, so we decided to top half of them with caramel. Many people liked the caramel version better, though I think both were delicious. My only complaint is that these came out a little "sloppier" than the beautiful picture in the magazine showed, but I would definitely make them again.

K: Thumbs up.
N: Thumbs up – I liked this with our substitutions, but would like to try it again according to the recipe.
R: Thumbs up - Yummy!! And a great addition adding the caramel on some.
H: Thumbs up – The caramel versions were really tasty.

Heather's Southern Comfort Food

Recently, I kept seeing and hearing about people roasting chickens in a beer can. Somewhat skeptical, I finally decided we needed to try it out for ourselves. Why not combine two of my favorite things! I designed my menu around the roasted chicken but I’d say the overall theme is Southern comfort (not the liquor you one-track minders) food with a twist. Hope you guys enjoy!

Beer Can BBQ Chicken (Courtesy of Cooking Light)

Heather - I was really excited to try out the famous beer-can chicken but we had a couple of technical difficulties in the cooking process. First, propping up the chicken so the wings were tucked back was easier said than done. Once I placed the chicken on top of the beer can, it was nearly impossible getting it to stand up straight and some of the beer mixture spilled out into the roasting pan. Finally, the roasting times were slightly skewed and we had to cook it 20 minutes longer than the recipe stated. All in all, it turned out good, very moist, but I was disappointed with the lack of beer flavor. I would try this again, perhaps with a different recipe.

K: Thumbs down… next time I want a whole chicken I’ll buy it pre-made at the grocery store. Too much effort for me.
N: Thumbs sideways – moist chicken, but the process was a bit tricky. Maybe we need to use a bigger beer can?
R: Thumbs sideways - I think our issue with the chicken spilling over at the beginning may have made a difference here. I’ll try it again!
H: Thumbs sideways – I would try a different recipe.

Creamed Spinach Casserole (Courtesy of Lowcarbeating.com)

Nicole - I love spinach, and since I had never prepared it any other way than in salads or sautéeing I was looking forward to this recipe. It did not disappointment, and I would definitely make this again.

K: Thumbs up, but I think this would be better as a dip than a side (a delicious one at that)
N: Thumbs up.
R: Thumbs up – Yummy but made me want to dip bread in it. Maybe a little less cream cheese next time to make it creamier?
H: Thumbs up – This was really creamy and would be perfect for a Thanksgiving side dish.


Triple Cheese Mashed Potato Casserole (Courtesy of Good Housekeeping)

Heather - This recipe sounded like it would be really decadent but it just didn’t do it for me. For whatever reason, even with the three cheeses, the dish lacked something. Plus, it was overly salty even for my tastes. I would have preferred some good ol’ garlic mashed potatoes over these.

K: Thumbs sideways, slightly salty…but who doesn’t enjoy any type of mashed potato!
N: Thumbs sideways
R: Thumbs down - Even with three cheeses, I need more!
H: Thumbs down

Cornbread bites (Courtesy of Cooking Light)

Kristin - I was skeptical to begin with since I don’t normally do cornbread. The consistency of the recipe was off…slightly runny…but the flavor was good. There was even some kick to it! I would make again.

K: Thumbs up
N: Thumbs up – Good flavor and texture once cooked longer.
R: Thumbs down - The bites seemed undercooked but the idea was good.
H: Thumbs down – These were soggy even after cooking them for extra time.

Basil Vinaigrette (Courtesy of Allrecipes.com)

Kristin – This sounds delicious from the title. If I were to make again I would add a lot more vinegar and less oil.

K: Thumbs down
N: Thumbs sideways – I agree with the Heather, and more vinegar would make it better.
R: Thumbs down - We did a lot of improvising to this one, and it still came out oily.
H: Thumbs down – This dressing was super oily. I like my vinaigrettes to be pretty acidic so this just didn’t do it for me.

Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting  (Courtesy of Williams Sonoma Entertaining )

Cake

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temp

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 cup sweetened shredded dried coconut

Frosting

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 lb cream cheese, at room temp

1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

3 cups sweetened shredded dried coconut

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13 inch pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter the parchment and the sides of the pan. Dust with flour.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the milk and coconut and vanilla extracts. In a large bowl, using a mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the coconut. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely in the pan, about one hour.

Meanwhile, make the frosting:

In a bowl, using the mixer on medium-high speed, whip together the cream and 1/2 cup of the confectioners sugar until stiff peaks form, about two minutes. In a separate bowl, beat together the cream cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Using a spatula, fold the cream cheese mixture into the whip cream. Fold in the coconut extract. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 

To assemble, run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the pan, then invert it onto a work surface. Lift off the pan and parchment. Cut the cake in half lengthwise. Transfer one half to a serving platter. Spread one third of the frosting over the top and sprinkle with one-third of the coconut. Carefully place the second rectangle on top of the first. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Press the remaining coconut evenly over the top and sides f the cake, covering completely. Cut into thick slices to serve.

Rissa - Up until this year, I thought I wasn’t a fan of coconut, but I’ve definitely taken a liking to it lately. This dessert topped it off. The cake part was nice and fluffy and the frosting was just great. Not too much coconut, which I was concerned about. Heck - I might add even more in the cake if I wanted next time! And the frosting was just right as well. Took a few minutes to whip the cream of course, but it’s worth it. It’s a classic recipe that I would definitely make again. Next time I’ll do the double layer thing to make it look like a big snowball. J

K: Thumbs up
N: Thumbs up – delish! We ate it hot because we didn’t have time to let it cool, and I thought that made it taste even better.
R: Thumbs up.
H: Thumbs up – This was one of the best coconut cakes I’ve ever tried. I brought the leftovers to work and they were devoured!

Kristin's Small Plates Menu 8/16/08

My best friend is engaged! For her engagement party I’m responsible for the appetizers. I thought it would be a great idea to try them out prior to the big date- and also a fun idea for dinner night! All the recipes I chose were appetizers and could be eaten by hand. I tried to pick out recipes that not only tasted good, but also looked super cute. We made a wide variety of cuisines which made me very nervous that it wouldn’t all come together. There were a few things I had been dying to use that I incorporated into our meal- utensils to make sushi from a cooking class I took at Sur La Table and champagne glasses I got for my Birthday. Combine this with the other genres of food and it made for an interesting but delicious night. I definitely found some winners for the party.

Bellini Cocktail- Kristin
Recipe was super simple. 2 peaches per bottle of champagne. We blended the peaches into a puree and then added them to the drinks. I thought the peaches didn’t mix well and ended up sitting at the bottom of the glass. I liked it- but only because it was champagne. Next time I’ll leave out the fruit.
K: Thumbs down
N: Thumbs down – I love champagne, but for some reason this combo did not taste quite right.
R: Thumbs down - not a huge champagne person, and did not like how the fruit sat at the bottom.
H – Thumbs down – It really didn’t taste like a Bellini to me.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (Courtesy of AllRecipes.com)
Nicole
This recipe was also very easy to make, and I was excited to do it because I had always wanted to learn how to make hummus. I echo Kristin’s request to add olive oil (isn’t that a staple of hummus?), and would also add a bit more garlic and salt for additional flavor.
Kristin- Thumbs up. Could use some olive oil though.
Nicole – Thumbs up.
Rissa - thumbs sideways. I like hummus more room temperature, and with a little olive oil. I think doing these things to the recipe would improve it for me.
Heather – Thumbs sideways. I’m not a huge hummus fan in general. This was just ok for me.

Caprese sticks – Kristin
This recipe comes from Rachel Ray. The thing I loved about this one was that you actually could make it in less than 30 minutes! Very simple- yet great presentation. I couldn’t find the mini balls of mozzarella so instead I used one big piece of fresh mozzarella. I also added in balsamic vinegar since I thought it would add taste. In the end, I thought the dish was ok. I didn’t like the grape tomatoes as much as normal slices but I thought the presentation made up for it.
K: Thumbs Up
N: Thumbs up.
R: Thumbs up. I liked the grape tomatoes! Thought it worked well and kept it neat.
H: Thumbs up. I have made these before and I’m a big believer in the tomato-basil-mozzarella combo!

CA Roll – Nicole
I love Japanese food, but somehow had never made rolls before. It took up until the third roll before we figured out the proper rolling technique, but regardless of the way they looked they all tasted great. We modified the recipe slightly to use “krab” (aka artificial crab), and instead of using logs of crab and avocado we just mixed the crab chunks, avocado pieces, and mayo in a bowl. It turned into a bit of crab guacamole that we spread onto the rolls, and worked out very well.
K: Thumbs up- Surprisingly DELICIOUS!
N: Thumbs up.
R: Thumbs up. Very professional and I loved the avocado in it!
H: Thumbs sideways: These looked very professional and actually tasted pretty good. I’m just not a huge lover of sushi these days which is why it didn’t get a thumbs up from me.

Bacon wrapped scallops – Rissa
I don’t know if it’s fair for me to judge this one because I had never tried scallops before this night. I can’t say I like them…not my estilo, and they really didn’t have much taste. The bacon around it worked though because I love bacon! But it was painful to actually toothpick the bacon around each scallop when it was piping hot. That’s more of a technique issue obviously. Also, it seems difficult to tell when scallops are done!
K: Thumbs down.
N: Thumbs sideways – I think that this one has potential, and that we just need to learn the proper technique to make it.
R: Thumbs down.
H: Big fat thumbs down – Sorry but due to the burns I have on my leg from the bacon grease and the fact that the scallops tasted mushy to me, I would not make these again.

Chicken Italiano- Rissa
This recipe was so neat to make. A few chopped veggies combined with chicken and mayo. The spices that Heather cooked into the chicken helped make it even tastier. I’m not huge on mayo, but it worked well and the recipe tasted great. It held together well inside two wonton wrappers. Someone mentioned maybe just using one wrapper, but I liked two…put a nice “crust” on it. Perfect party recipe as it can really be eaten by hand without a mess!
K: Thumbs up- I’ll be making this for the party.
N: Thumbs up.
R: Thumbs up.
H: Thumbs up – These were delicious and beautiful…like little flowers.

Brie with Strawberries – This was an interesting recipe. I was very skeptical about this recipe as a dessert because I’m used to full-on cakes, cookies, pies, etc. for dessert. Also, I like brie but chives in dessert just didn’t sound right. This recipe was easy to put together and it actually ended up tasting quite good. The savory of the brie paired well with the sweetness of the cream cheese. I don’t think I would serve this for dessert, per se, but it is definitely an option for an appetizer in the future!

K: Thumbs down.
N: Thumbs up.
R: Thumbs up - Surprisingly, I liked this! I might add a weebit of sugar to the cream cheese though.
H: Thumbs up.

Nicole's Summertime Fruit-inspired menu 6/9/08

After last-minute menu planning for dinner nights the past few years, I wanted to put in a bit more effort now that I am done with grad school. I actually had most of the recipes picked out a month in advance (shocking!), and wanted to utilize the "Burgers" cookbook that Rissa had given me since my parents have a grill at their house. The drink recipe was a recommendation from Rissa, I got the salad recipe from a friend after trying it at a recent potluck that I went to, the mango gazpacho recipe was posted on our internal website at work (and was used even though Rissa's coworker had given it a bad review), and I found the peach ice-cream cake recipe on a MarthaStewart.com e-mail that I received. I didn't intentionally search out fruity recipes, although with my sweet tooth and a summertime theme they tended to gravitate towards there naturally.

Peaches and Mixed Greens Salad (Cooking Light, July 2006)
Preparer: All

This was quite a tasty salad. It was fun putting the dressing together, too (sort of the “little bit of this and little bit of that” routine). I didn’t know if I’d like raspberries and peaches in my salad, but I thought it was soooo tasty! The dressing was very good. The salad bowl was empty once we were done with it. I learned after that the feta cheese was an addition to the ingredients, and to me it’s a MUST when making this again. It offset the sweetness of the fruit quite well. (Rissa)

R: Thumbs up!
H: Thumbs sideways – however, I would probably not make it again. It was a little too fruity for my liking.
N: Thumbs up – yum!

Caribbean Pork Burgers (Burger cookbook)
Preparer: Rissa



I made the actual burgers for this one. Heather made the sauce and salsa. We used chicken sausage with mango in it and ground turkey. I found a great way to actually crumble up the chicken sausage...pulse it a few times in the blender! It was overall quite easy (at least for my part), and I wondered what the mango would taste like in the sausage, but I couldn’t taste it much. I really liked the sauce on the burgers, too. (Rissa)

R: Thumbs up! This was good - I would use regular white bread buns and put a big piece of cheese on top! I liked the sauce a lot on this one.
H: Thumbs sideways – It was okay - there was too much going on in this burger for me to give it a good rating. I like my burgers a little more simple.
N: Thumbs up – very savory!

Mango Harvest Gazpacho (nestle.com)
Preparer: Heather



This was really easy to put together – simply, adding all the ingredients and blending. However, I was skeptical in the beginning and my gut feeling ended up being right. The soup turned out really sweet and it was almost as if we were drinking juice that had cucumbers and red onion in it. I think it would have worked better if it was a traditional gazpacho that had chunks of mango in it rather than a mango-based gazpacho. (Heather)


R: Thumbs down. Not a cold soup fan.
H: Thumbs down.
N: Thumbs up - I was probably the only person at the table who liked this, but I am a huge fan of cilantro, red onion, and fruit. I can see why most people would not like this though.

Peaches-and-Cream Ice Cream Cake (marthastewart.com)
Preparer: Nicole


The ingredients and materials for this recipe were not necessarily standard (that’s Martha for you!), so my many substitutions obviously affected the outcome of this dish. It called for an 8x12-inch cake pan, and I have multiple 9x13 pans but had never heard of an 8x12. Instead of making one large cake and cutting to size I actually made two smaller rectangular cakes in standard loaf pans, and then leveled them off (I made two cakes instead of the one prescribed in the recipe, so the ratio of ice cream:cake was slightly lower). Substitution number two occurred with the peach sorbet, which I was not able to find after trips to two different grocery stores. I substituted extra vanilla ice cream for the peach sorbet, and then made a peach sauce concoction to mix in with the ice cream and peach pieces to make it fruitier. I combined a pureed peach, a few tablespoons sugar, and a tablespoon of Crème de Cassis (I figured that I used it in the salad dressing, why not use a little in the dessert?), and simmered it in a small pan over the stove. The cakes sat in the freezer an hour longer than the minimum two hours, but the ice cream was still not completely set when the cake was sliced (although the peach pieces were frozen solid). I was perplexed by this, and then my mom pointed out that liquor doesn’t freeze, and I had used a small amount with the peaches – oops! Lesson learned for next time. My only other comment would be making sure to use very ripe peaches for the peach pieces; I had to use what was available at the store since I bought them the day before, and had they ripened a couple more days it would have made the cake sweeter and tastier. (Nicole)

R: Thumbs sideways. I liked the cake part, but I’m not a huge ice cream fan (though a little bit, combined with peach bits and the cake was tasty). I wouldn’t make it again, but it wasn’t bad either!
H: Thumbs sideways – It was just alright in my book. I probably wouldn’t make it again.
N: Thumbs sideways with the potential to be a thumbs up.

Bikini Martini (allrecipes.com)
Preparer: Nicole


The somewhat intentional fruit theme of the meal was carried out through the drink, which had pineapple juice and coconut rum in it. This drink was delicious and very easy to make, and complemented the flavors in the other dishes nicely. A perfect summertime cocktail! (Nicole)

R: Thumbs way up! It was nice and strong, too.
H: Thumbs down. A little too strong for my taste.
N: I agree with Rissa – thumbs way up!

Heather’s Southwestern “Cinco de Mayo” Dinner Night 5/5/08

In the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, I chose a Southwestern-inspired menu that celebrated summer dishes. For the appetizer, I picked a Chile con Queso with tortilla chips. The drinks were Summertime Blue Mojitos. I wanted a hearty main dish so I opted for Sizzling Southwest Burgers. For the side dishes, I picked Grilled pineapple and avocado salad and Corn with chile lime butter. Last but not ever least in my book, for dessert, I chose Key Lime Pie from and Watermelon Sorbet. We don’t normally make two desserts but since I knew that Rissa wasn’t the biggest fan of lime, I thought the watermelon sorbet would be a good pairing.

Chile con Queso (Courtesy of FoodNetwork.com)

Heather - This was a simple recipe and we did take some shortcuts (used mozzarella cheese as well as pepper-jack and didn’t use a double boiler). The taste of the dip was good, creamy but with a bite, as any chile con queso should be! The problem was with the consistency. By the time we actually sat down to dinner, the dip was one big coagulated cheese blob! Granted we didn’t put it in a fondue pot or a chafing dish, as the recipe called for, but still!
Thumbs down - Because of the consistency, I would not make this recipe again.

Rissa - Thumbs down
Nicole - Thumbs sideways - I would try it again using a double boiler.
Kristin - Thumbs down.

Summertime Blue Mojitos –
Kristin - This was a very labor-intensive recipe, taking about an hour to make the drinks. However, this was mostly due to the fact that we ran out of regular limes and had to juice key limes. But, they were really tasty and I think had we used regular limes, they wouldn’t have taken so long to make.
Thumbs up

Heather - Thumbs up - I would try this one again, possibly with bottled lime juice.
Rissa: Thumbs up.
Nicole: Thumbs up.

Key Lime Pie – (Courtesy of Allrecipes.com)
Heather - We used a pre-made graham cracker crust and a tub of Cool Whip Light. Normally, we don’t take so many short-cuts but because we were having two desserts, I thought why not! From my perspective, the pie was easy to make. The only complaint was that it didn’t solidify enough (probably because it was only in the freezer for an hour, instead of the recipe’s four). I still thought it was delicious!
Thumbs up

Rissa: Thumbs up - I was shocked that I actually enjoyed the tangyness of the lime.
Nicole: Thumbs up.
Kristin: Thumbs sideways.

Watermelon Sorbet (Courtesy of Rachael Ray)
Heather - Unfortunately, we never got to try this because I didn’t know I was supposed to freeze the container for the ice cream maker and it was still in liquid form, 3 hours later.
Thumbs sideways - I would try this one again.

Pineapple and Avocado Salad (Courtesy of Cooking Light)
Nicole - This dish had great tropical flavors and was a hit. The only complaint I had with it was that the lettuce wilted due to the dressing on the other ingredients. Next time, I would hold off on throwing it all together until the last minute.
Thumbs up.

Rissa: Thumbs up -The salad was really, really good! And because of the grilled pineapple (which is not hard to do), it made the salad feel a bit on the fancier side.
Heather: Thumbs up.
Kristin: Thumbs up.

Sizzling Southwest Burgers – (Courtesy of Allrecipes.com)
Heather - These were very easy to make. I normally don’t cook with ground beef and unknowingly, bought the highest fat-content beef. Oops! That was my one complaint that they were pretty greasy but they had a great spicy flavor. The addition of the sour cream and salsa made them almost taste like a taco burger! These were also my fiancée’s fav! He even attempted to eat a 2nd but only got half-way through it.
Thumbs up

Rissa: Thumbs up - I loved this burger! Whoever thought fajita seasoning packets could be the zing of this
Nicole: Thumbs up.
Kristin: Thumbs up.

Corn with the Chile-Lime Butter (Courtesy of Foodnetwork.com)
Kristin - I thought this dish was really tasty, the butter really spiced up the corn. The only problem was that corn isn’t exactly in season yet so the quality of the corn was sub-par. I would definitely try this recipe again in the summer.
Thumbs up.

Heather: Thumbs up.
Rissa: Thumbs up.
Nicole: Thumbs up.