Pam's Kitchen Creations

Entertaining 101 - Planning

2011-02-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

Do you want to entertain, but don't know where to begin? Not sure what to serve? Don't know how to create a great dinner party? Today is the first of several blogs about how to do just that.

First, remember, hosting a dinner party is really about having good times with your friends and family. As long as you have something edible and something drinkable, you have a party! But, if you would like to "kick it up a notch," keep reading. If you would like to spend more time with your guests, instead of in the kitchen, keep reading. And, if you would like recipes and ideas to make your food fantastic, keep reading!

The first, and most important, step in successful entertaining is planning. Taking a little time to plan your event will make all the difference. Knowing you have a plan will help you feel more relaxed and will make your guests' experience even more special. I like to start with what I call a Master Plan. This list should have everything you need to do for the party. Write down everything and anything you need to do. It might seem pretty long - don't worry! Once this list is set, you will be breaking it down into daily tasks. Most of these items you will want to complete in the days before the party. Some items you might want to include:

1. Menu Items - choose dishes that can be made ahead (more on this below) and list each separately.
2. Set the Table - do this a day or two ahead.
3. Clean...
4. Choose Serving Dishes/Utensils - so you are not searching for a platter and serving fork at the last minute!
5. Set up Bar - the glasses, etc. can be set out a day or two ahead.
6. Set up Coffee - have cups, saucers, spoons, sugar bowl and creamer out and ready. Set up the coffee maker so you just have to push the button as you clear the main course - it will be ready when you serve dessert.
7. Seating Arrangement/Place Cards - if you are having more than a couple close friends or family, they will appreciate knowing where to sit. This avoids the awkward "where do we sit?" moment as your guests come to the table.
8. Center Pieces/Table Decor - again, can be done in the days before the party.

This list might look pretty long, but don't panic! The next step is the most important - assign a day on which to complete each item. For example, take each menu item and decide when you can make it. Add it to that day. Do this with every item. Now, you have a smaller lists for each day before your party - that doesn't look so intimidating!

As promised, a word about the menu. I have a few cardinal rules for menus when I am entertaining:

1. NEVER try a new dish for the first time! Why put that stress on yourself? Try new dishes before the party.
2. ALWAYS have most of your menu consist of dishes that can be made ahead. Dishes that can be made even a week or month ahead and frozen are great. Yes, this limits what you can serve, but you don't want to be slaving in the kitchen all night while your guests are wondering where you are! You, and your guests, will enjoy yourselves much more if you are able to be part of the party!
3. DECIDE ahead of time if dinner will be served as a buffet, family style, or if you will be plating and serving. If you are going to plate the dinner, plan on having someone help you. Not your spouse - at least one of you should be with your guests at all times. But a friend or family member will be glad to help.
4. PREP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Some dishes will have to be prepared, or put together, the day of the party. Salads, for example, usually can't be completed ahead. However, you can prep for the items before hand. Chop vegetables, clean lettuce, make salad dressings, etc., in the days before the event. Just store in the fridge, labeled, until you need them.

Now, for a recipe. This first recipe is perfect for a dinner party. It can be prepped ahead, and popped in the oven for the main course. Once it comes out of the oven, it can sit for up to an hour before you slice and serve. But, most importantly, it is delicious! You don't eat the crust, it flavors the roast and allows it to be held for up to an hour before serving.

Beef in Herb Crust with Roquefort Chive Sauce - serves 10

BEEF
7 cups flour
1/2 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper
5 egg whites
1 ½ cups water
½ cup fresh herbs, chopped (ex. parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary)
1 beef tenderloin, 6 to 7 pounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
SAUCE
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 ounces French Roquefort cheese, crumbled (4 ounces with rind)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1. This step should be completed the day before your event. Place the flour, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and water and add to the dry ingredients along with 2 tablespoons of the herbs. Combine with a potato masher until the mixture begins to come together. Then knead with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large zip-top bag, seal, and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.
2. Complete these steps the morning of your party. Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll out to 3/16th" thickness, approximately a 24 by 18-inch rectangle, or large enough to completely wrap your tenderloin. Trim away extra dough, if necessary, and reserve. Sprinkle the remaining herbs on the center section of the dough and gently press down.
3.. In order to achieve uniform cooking, fold over slender tail end of tenderloin and tie with kitchen twine. Set a large electric griddle at its highest setting; brush the tenderloin with the olive oil and sear on all sides until well browned, approximately 10 minutes. Rest the meat for at least 5 minutes or until it is cool to the touch so as not to melt the dough.
4. Place the tenderloin in the center of the dough. Wrap the beef in the dough, overlapping the dough on top. Seal by brushing a little water on the bottom dough. Press together the 2 flaps of dough and seal. Make sure the dough is not too tight around the tenderloin. At the ends of the tenderloin, press together dough to form a seal and cut away any excess. If any holes have developed, just patch with the extra pieces. Transfer to a sheet pan and refrigerate until ready to bake.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take the roast out about 1/2 hour before baking. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast.
6. Place the roast in the oven and roast to an internal temperature of 125 degrees, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. The tenderloin will continue to cook 10 to 15 degrees more. Cut herb crust and extract meat by pulling out of dough tube. Slice and serve with sauce.
Roquefort-Chive Sauce
1. The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has become thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheese, salt, pepper and chives and whisk rapidly until the cheese melts. Refrigerate if making ahead.
2. To reheat, heat gently in the top of a double boiler, whisking occasionally. Serve with beef.

Next blog - great make-ahead appetizers! Then look for blogs on desserts and special, easy, "added touches."

Not Your Mother's Creamed Corn

2011-01-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

Not Your Mother's Creamed Corn

I often think side dishes are the best part of a good meal. After all, if you are serving steaks, there is only so much you can (or should) do to a good steak. Side dishes can really make a good meal great. Not Your Mother's Creamed Corn is one of those side dishes! This side dish is easy, can be made ahead, can be made in individual portions or as a casserole, and uses common ingredients to make an uncommonly good side. When I serve this for a dinner party, I like to make it in individual ramekins that I place on the dinner plate. To keep the ramekin from sliding, place a small paper napkin or doily under it.

The heat intensity of the dish can be changed according to your tastes (or that of your guests). Adding more cayenne pepper or not removing the jalapeno seeds will increase the heat.

If you have not worked with jalapeno peppers previously, it is best to use gloves when working with them. They can leave a residue on your skin that can be very irritating, especially if you accidentally touch your eyes. If you don't use gloves, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands after mincing them.

Not Your Mother's Creamed Corn Recipe
6 Servings

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups half and half
32 ounces frozen corn, thawed and drained
2 tablespoon jalepeno pepper, seeds and white removed, minced
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, or to taste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded, divided
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
Jalapeno slices, for garnish, optional

1. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat butter until melted. Add onions and saute over medium heat until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in half-and-half. Heat just to boiling over medium high heat, whisking continuously. Lower heat and simmer until thickened, whisking frequently. Stir in corn and jalapeno and bring back to a boil. Stir in seasoned sugar, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Lower heat and stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and a generous 1/3 cup Gruyere cheese. Remove from heat. If making ahead, refrigerate until ready to finish.
2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. If corn was made ahead, reheat slowly on low heat, stirring frequently.
3. Transfer to a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish or individual ramekins. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake in a 350 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes (more or less depending on size of dish) until corn is hot and bubbly and the top is browning. If the corn is hot, but not browned, place under broiler for a few minutes to brown. Garnish with jalapeno slices, if using. Serve while hot.

Delicious Healthy Cooking for One - Salmon in Parchment

2009-10-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I found myself alone, at home, for dinner - my husband was out of town. Like most people faced with making dinner for one, I usually just pop something in the microwave. Once in a while, though, I take a few minutes to make a better and healthier meal for myself - and it is often this recipe - Salmon in Parchment. It is healthy, low fat, low carb, has lots of vegetables, but most of all, it is delicious! It takes a few minutes to get the vegetables ready, but it is actually cooked in the microwave in just 3 or 4 minutes! Don't skip the vermouth if you have it - it really adds a nice flavor.

This was originally an Alton Brown recipe from the Food Network website, but I have changed it considerably to fit my tastes. Read the notes at the end of the recipe to see Alton's version.

Salmon in Parchment

⅓ cup cabbage, julienned (or used bagged cabbage slaw with carrots, I usually add a few more carrots)
⅓ cup leeks, julienned
⅓ cup carrots, julienned
⅓ cup snow pea pods, julienned
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
chopped fresh dill, to taste
8 ounces salmon fillet
1 lemon, supremed (peeled, then sliced)
1 tablespoon dry vermouth (or chicken stock)
large rectangle of parchment paper

directions

1. Take a 15" by 36" piece of parchment paper and fold in 1/2 like a book, open back up, and set aside.

2. Place all vegetables in a microwave safe bowl. Add 1/2 of the salt, pepper and vermouth; toss.

3. Microwave vegetables for 1 to 2 minutes, just to give them a few extra minutes of cooking before adding the salmon. Place vegetables on one side of the parchment near the fold, and sprinkle with 1/2 the dill you plan to use.

4. Top with salmon. Sprinkle the salmon with the rest of the vermouth, salt, pepper and dill. Top with a few lemon slices.

5. Starting at the fold on one side, tightly roll the parchment all around the salmon to seal, tucking the parchment under at the end. Place on a microwave safe plate.

6. Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, on high power, until done to your preference. Open parchment carefully, slide onto the plate, and serve. Alternatively, the salmon can be baked in the oven at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.

NOTES

I changed this recipe considerably. It originally called for fennel, coriander and orange instead of cabbage, dill and lemon. I found that the vegetables needed longer to cook than the salmon, so I cook them for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the salmon. It can also be baked in the oven for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

2009-08-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

I love to cook and entertain! I have been married for over 30 years and have developed a large collection of recipes that have been tried, tested and have been approved by, of course, my family. Some are great for everyday meals, others are meant for special occasions or entertaining. I have learned many tricks and shortcuts for making cooking and entertaining easier, better and more fun.

Today I am going to share my recipe for Mom's Meatballs. This recipe is great for a family meal (served over pasta or rice, if you like) and as an appetizer when entertaining. The meatballs themselves are very freezer-friendly, so I usually make plenty and keep extras on hand. This is a dish I remember my mother making often, but she passed away when I was just 13, so I never really had the recipe. Recently, I went online and searched for similar recipes. I remembered that the sauce was made with ketchup and gingerale (that may sound odd to some, but trust me, it tastes great), and that she used both ground pork and ground beef. To my surprise, I found dozens of similar recipes. Using several as guidelines, I created a recipe for what I think tastes just like my mother's meatballs.

Mom's Meatballs

½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1 egg
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons grated onion (plus any juices)
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ⅓ cups ketchup
1 ⅓ cups ginger ale
pepper, to taste
2 dashes crushed red pepper (or to taste)
oil, for browning (I like peanut oil)

1. Mix both meats together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine egg, garlic, onion, worcestershire sauce, and salt. Add to meat mixture and combine first with a fork, then with your hands to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
2. Using 1/2 tablespoon of meat mixture, make meatballs, rolling gently so as not to create tough meatballs. A small cookie scoop of that size makes it easier to measure.
3. Heat a skillet with a little oil, barely enough to cover the bottom, on medium to medium-low heat. Add meatballs to the hot pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Brown on all sides and drain on paper towels. They will not be completely cooked - cooking will finish in the sauce.
4. For Sauce: Mix ketchup and ginger ale in a saucepan. Add pepper and crushed red pepper and combine. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer. Drop in meatballs and gently simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and carefully. Serve hot. Makes about 60 meatballs.
5. To Make Ahead: Freeze meatballs until hard on rimmed baking sheets lined with waxed paper or parchment. Transfer to plastic freezer bags. Add 5 minutes to simmering time if still frozen when re-heated.

Notes: The longer the sauce simmers, the sweeter it gets. Served by themselves, they make a great appetizer. They can also be served over rice or noodles for a main dish.