Hosting a Crowd

This weekend, I had a bunch of friends over, from Thursday till mid-Sunday (with people arriving at varying times), which meant lots of cooking for me (I TRULY enjoyed it). I wanted a menu that would appeal to lots of people, work for large crowds (at the height of everything, we had 20 people here total between adults and kids), and not be too much work. I think it all worked out (even my friend who eats gluten-free was able to enjoy a few things, though I wished I had more on the menu for her).

I planned my menu about a week ahead of time, choosing things I have cooked more than once (several of which are on this blog) and made a pretty extensive grocery list (though I still ended up running out for a few forgotten things). I also tried to create menus that were flexible--meaning if I didn't feel like making one dish one day, I could substitute it with another from the next day.

I also gratefully accepted all offered help. My friends were FABULOUS and cut vegetables, boiled water, shredded cheese...all kinds of helpful jobs (including helping me keep up with the mountain of dishes!!). It became a truly fun event to cook, with everyone standing around in the kitchen enjoying munchies like mango salsa and homemade hummus in between preparing a meal.

Here are some of the recipes I made:

For snacks, we had Hummus (I only used 1/2 cup of the Tahini, more of a to-taste thing) and Samantha Hunter's Mango Salsa. This is SOOO yummy and easy. Use the fresh ingredients for sure.

Samantha Hunter's Mango Salsa

2-3 mangoes, peeled and diced

2-3 cups chopped and seeded tomatoes

2 shallots, minced

1/2 big bunch cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 T. ginger, minced (I use a micrograter to get it tiny)

2-3 T lime juice (about 2 limes)

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and let sit for a couple hours before serving

Here are some of the other recipes I had:

Giada's Lasagna (pictured here). With this one, I substituted cooked Italian sausage and mushrooms for the ground beef. This was an AMAZING lasagna, if I say so myself. Simply delicious.

Served with: Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese (yummy and pretty easy). For dessert, we had Fruit Pavlova (pictured above).

For breakfast the next day, I did baked apple pancakes (basically, you layer apples on the bottom of a pie plate, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then top with pancake batter. Bake at 350 until done; about 10-15 minutes).

We went out for lunch, then for dinner, prepared Giada's Baked Fettuccini, Insalata Rustica (read my notes here for the changes I've made to the recipe), Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Chausser Sauce, and for dessert, DH's favorite dessert, Ina Garten's Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars.

On the last day, I made an egg bake for breakfast, then had burgers and homemade potato salad. I tried to make the last day's dishes far lighter in prep work because we'd all been staying up WAY too late talking and laughing :-)

All in all, I think everyone had a great time, and I know they left with full bellies! One of my friends brought along these AMAZING peanut butter truffles. Loved them. I think spending time in the kitchen with good friends is one of the best things in life :-)

Shirley

Julie's Lemony Pancakes

My friend Julie Sellers and I are in a cooking challenge--one new recipe a week between here and Christmas. I was doing really good with the new recipe thing, then DH started traveling a lot and I lost my motivation to try new recipes (the kids are always off doing their own thing, so I'd be cooking for me).

But Julie's been cooking--yummy, has she been cooking! She made these Luscious Lemony Pancakes and as soon as I saw the recipe this morning, I had to have them. They are AMAZING. It's a nice little fresh twist on pancakes, and makes them seem even more decadent than normal. I LOVED them. I literally just finished my plate of them and would go back in the kitchen for more, except then the kids wouldn't have any breakfast.

Well, they ARE still sleeping. They'd never know I made (and ate!) these! ;-)

Shirley

Sugar-Free Cherry Berry Jam

There's nothing like fresh berries in the summer. When my local market put all kinds of berries on sale--cherries, blackberries and raspberries--I knew I had to make something (with the ones I didn't eat first, LOL).

So I decided on jam. All these years I've been cooking, and I've never made jam. I have no real interest in canning (I'm sure it's easy and good, and I probably should be doing it to make my life easier on busy dinner nights...but it's one more thing I don't have time for, LOL).

This recipe doesn't make a ton--just a couple of cups--so that was enough to leave in the fridge for the kids and me and also maybe to dress up a pork recipe. You can substitute real sugar in this recipe for the Splenda--I was just trying to keep the sugar and the calories down:

Sugar-Free Cherry Berry Jam

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries

2 cups cherries, pitted

1 1/2 teapoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup granulated Splenda (or sugar)

Put all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium-high until it comes to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 1 1/2 hours. Chill and serve (or if you're like me, spread a little of the warm jam on some toast before you put it away ;-)

Shirley

Two On-the-Run Breakfast Ideas

I don't know about your family, but mine is constant;y running out the door to school, and that means we constantly need quick and easy breakfast ideas. Things that are healthier than donuts and...nothing, which is what my kids often try to sneak out and have ;-).

I found two hits in my house. One is Pita Pocket breakfasts, something that was recommended in a recent issue of Woman's Day. They recommended cooking scrambled eggs in the microwave with a bit of cream cheese, but I don't like how eggs come out that way, and found it just as easy to do them in a pan (the way my kids like them). I throw in a pre-cooked and re-warmed sausage patty and for DH, who likes cheese, a slice of cheese. One kid likes just eggs, so that's all that goes in her pita. It's good because it's a car breakfast -- the pita holds everything and no one drops anything. A tip: I found that buying uncut pitas makes them less stiff and thus, easier to stuff. I don't know if when the factory cuts them they go stale quicker, or what, but the whole ones are softer.

The second recipe I made was Wild Blue Energy Chews, from a Betty Crocker newsletter (you can sign up at the Betty Crocker website, and they alert you when there are new Betty Crocker coupons). Anyway, I made these but I substituted a little -- I did do the wheat germ (and didn't say a word to my kids, so mum's the word, folks ;-). I threw in pecans instead of almonds, and did semisweet chocolate chips instead of unsweetened chocolate. These cookies were YUMMY. I want to try the cranberry white chocolate variation, too, and maybe bring those to a bible study or something like that as well. Anyway, my kids were totally thrilled to have COOKIES FOR BREAKFAST. And that's how they said it, too, in all caps ;-).


So if you're looking for something different, try either one of these. They really worked out well at our house!

Shirley
PS: Starting Monday, look for a new feature on the blog: WRITING ADVICE MONDAYS! (and yes, I'll still be posting loads of recipes, too). And another new feature...prizes!!!!!

Butterscotch Banana Pancakes

These were so good, we had them two days in a row :-). In fact, if they weren't so fattening, I'd make them EVERY SINGLE DAY. I think I'll get some apples and try them with apples, too. I may even get some more Splenda Brown Sugar and bring down the calorie count that way. I have got to find a way to have these. All the time. ;-)

Rachael Ray had the original recipe. I adapted and tweaked to make them less work and more fitting what I had on hand.

Butterscotch Banana Pancakes

Buttermilk Pancake Mix (the kind that requires nothing but water to make pancakes)
1 cup brown sugar
pinch salt
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

Make 8 pancakes, according to directions. In a medium saucepan, cook the brown sugar and salt, along with the water, until sugar is dissolved and bubbly. Stir in the butter until melted. Add sour cream (I know, it sounds weird, but you don't taste it, and it makes the sauce creamy). Stir in bananas and nuts, until well coated and warmed. Serve over pancakes. Serves 4.

This is decadent. And SO YUMMY. I have done baked apple pancakes before, but those require getting up earlier than everyone else and WAITING. I'm not good about that early in the morning ;-). My kids LOVED these and requested them again the next morning. Good thing I had more bananas!! :-)

Shirley

Dried Cherry Scones Recipe

Experimenting with recipes is one of those things that keeps me out of trouble ;-) I came across a recipe for Dried Cherry Scones and tried it the regular way then decided to experiment and make it even lower in calories and fat...

And it was still awesome.

Try this one:

Dried Cherry Scones

2 3/4 cups low-fat baking mix (like Bisquick)
1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 teaspoon Splenda
8 ounces cherry low-fat or fat free yogurt (I used Very Cherry Fat Free Yoplait)
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix cherries with 1/2 teaspoon Splenda. Let sit while you mix the Bisquick with the 1/4 cup Splenda. I mix it with a fork to get all the clumps out. Stir in cherries, add yogurt and mix until moistened. Turn out onto a floured (don't use Bisquick for this part, use flour) breadboard and knead four or five times by hand.

Spray Pam onto a cookie sheet. Spread dough out into a 9-inch circle on cookie sheet. Cut into 10 or 12 slices--without cutting all the way through the dough--just basically scoring it. Sprinkle with sugar and then bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yummy for breakfast

Shirley

Upside Down Pancake Recipe & The Three Important Things: Eating, Shopping...

And Family.

Bet you thought I was going to say shoes, didn't you? I will have you know that I did resist the shoes yesterday on Black Friday even though there was this REALLY cool pair at Kohl's that I REALLY wanted but didn't buy. Sigh. Now I wish I had. Not that I needed them in the sense that I'd go barefoot all winter without them. Not that I had some dress in need of a pair of black shoes and didn't own any black shoes.

But in the the oh-my-gosh, those are really pretty and wouldn't they look totally awesome with that black skirt I wanted and also didn't buy sense. Sigh.

I did buy myself a few things BUT I did get more for my family and the people on my list. So I was good. More or less ;-) Hey, my husband really shouldn't let me out alone with a JC Penney and Kohl's card on Black Friday. It's a pretty dangerous thing ;-)

I spent the last two days cooking, eating, and shopping. And with my family. It was great. Lots of great food, good wine and great conversation. We had fun. I stayed away from the computer, so if you e-mailed me and didn't get an answer...it's because I had pecan pie in my mouth ;-)

But to make up for it, here's my Christmas morning recipe. Well, one of two. I make either this or my friend Janet's Egg Bake, depending on my mood. Both are make ahead kind of things but I'm an early riser (I'm the one dragging the kids out of bed. Honest to Pete, I am PATHETIC on Christmas -- I can NOT WAIT for everyone to get up. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas) so I'm at the stove, singing "Rudolph" (you SO don't want to be there to hear me, especially when I hit the high notes; even the cat leaves) and cooking away.

Baked Apple Pancake

3 large apples (I am a sweets person, so I use sweet ones, but my favorites are Honey Crisp--if you haven't tried this kind, which are only available during the late fall, try 'em)
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
5 tablespoons confectioner's sugar, divided
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch nutmeg

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and core the apples, then slice them thin (like you're making an apple pie). In a bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Add the flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix just until blended.

Now, there are two methods for doing this. I prefer the pie plate method. You can either cook the apples in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, then make the pancake on top. Or if you live in my house and can never find the silly skillet because someone put it away in the wrong place (even after living in said house with you for 10 years and obviously not paying attention to where the dishes go ;-), or if the skillet has gone AWOL because it is being used as a GI Joe fort or some other equally more important task, then cook the apples in the butter, sprinkled with the cinnamon and nutmeg, in a regular old non-stick pan, until they are browned and softened but still hold their shape (about five to seven minutes).

Arrange them in a circle on either the skillet (again if you don't live in my house) or if you live in a house like mine, in a pie plate, then pour the pancake batter on top. Put the pie plate/skillet in the oven and bake 13 to 15 minutes, until the batter is cooked and puffed. Loosen the edges with a knife, then flip it onto a plate (have you seen how Martha does that trick? She puts the plate on top of the pan/pie plate and then just inverts). Sprinkle with extra confectioners' sugar and syrup.

Sounds complicated, but it's actually really easy and good.

And impressive when you have friends over for brunch!

Shirley

What's Cooking in My House

Yesterday, I had a killer migraine. A nine on a scale of one to ten. Barely slept the night before, spent most of the day having a pity party. Finally, in the late afternoon, it abated and I got some work done, then got over to the Korean market and managed to get the ingredients for some Asian dishes I wanted to make.

My daughter wants me to make fried spring rolls for her birthday (we have an extended Asian family -- my parents sponsored nearly 3 dozen people from Laos over the past 20 years and many of them have become true family. I have learned a handful of Laotian and Thai dishes, one of which is fried spring rolls, a huge hit with my daughter's classmates when she did a Thai day in school one year). I wanted to try a couple new recipes, so we went over to the market, where the nice Korean lady took pity on my non-Korean reading American self and helped me find a few ingredients :-)

Anyway, I had two huge hits last night. Emeril's Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry -- unless you really like spice, I recommend dialing back the chili sauce and not adding the red pepper flakes.

Then I made the Calorie Commando's Pork Fried Rice, only I made it with Shrimp because I didn't have any pork tenderloin :-) and I added bean sprouts for a little healthy dash (and since I hate egg substitute, I used a real egg, scrambled it in a dish first, then stirred it in). All a hit with the kids and DH. I'm already dying for lunch so I can have leftovers!

One other quick and easy recipe I wanted to share -- my favorite breakfast in the world is Eggs Benedict. It's not exactly the best diet food tho ;-). I found a way to make a mock Eggs Benedict that's a bit easier on the waistline:

Shirley's Mock Eggs Benedict

2 slices extra lean smoked ham
2 eggs
1 ounce shredded cheddar cheese

Fry ham in non-stick skillet on both sides. Put on plate. Fry eggs over medium, then top with cheese. Lay on top of ham. The runny-ish yolk and cheese combined make a sauce that tastes close enough to Benedict to be good for breakfast. No bread, no extra carbs and calories there :-) It takes less than five minutes to make, too!

I did BOTH a power walk and my run today. My nieghbor came by to see if I wanted to power walk at 5 a.m., so I did that, and was very tempted to go back to bed, but when I got back to the house, the dogs were all anxious (I didn't take them on the walk because they don't get along with the neighbor's dog) so I did the run with the young one and the took the arthritic one on her short walk. All totaled today I did 3.2 miles.

Not bad. But I'm sure glad it's Friday! :-)

Shirley