Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
gardenlad

RECIPE: Progressive Dinner for May 10

gardenlad
16 years ago

Here are this week's assignments:

Cocktail munchy: Woody

Appetizer: Cindy

1st Course: Wizard

Soup: Dances

Salad: Danain

Entree: Katiec

Side 1: GardenLad

Side 2: Shelley

Dessert: Annie

Comments (14)

  • KatieC
    16 years ago

    It was hard to choose! I went with what I'm making for DH's birthday next week. (Ulterior motive = new side dishes.)

    * Exported from MasterCook *

    Pork Medallions in Garlic Cream Reduction

    Recipe By :Katie, 2001
    Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
    Categories :

    Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
    -------- ------------ --------------------------------
    2 pork tenderloins
    12 large cloves garlic -- thinly sliced
    2/3 cup light wine -- white, blush, white zin, etc.
    1/2 cup heavy cream -- (1/2 - 2/3 c.)
    1/2 teaspoon rosemary -- crushed

    Slice tenderloins into thin medallions; flatten with palm. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper and fry in a little oil, 3-4 minutes per side. Place on oven safe plate and keep warm.

    Saute garlic in pan until lightly toasted. Add wine and rosemary and cook down to half. Add cream and cook until thickened. Pour over pork medallions.

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  • danain
    16 years ago

    This is our favorite spinach salad recipe. I usually don't like this much sugar in dressing but it balances it perfectly. Besides, it makes a lot of dressing.

    Spinach Salad

    1 1/2 pound fresh baby spinach; washed & dried
    1/4 cup red, sweet or green onion, sliced
    6 slices bacon
    3 eggs; hard boiled, cooled and sliced

    Dressing:
    2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat
    1/3 cup sugar
    1/4 cup catsup
    2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
    1/4 cup red wine vinegar
    1/4 cup water

    Fry bacon until crisp, drain reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Add remaining dressing ingredients to drippings; heat until combined but do not boil; cool. Pour dressing over spinach, onion, egg and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately after adding dressing.
    Serves 6.

    *This is also good with sliced fresh oranges

    Marilyn

  • gardenlad
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    A good choice. I've made something similar in the past, and it always comes out great. One secret: It works better with chopped, fresh rosemary than with the dried.

    A nice side dish is

    Creamy Parsnips & Pears

    2 lbs parsnips, peeled, cored, and cut into 2" pieces
    1 large pear, peeled, cored, and quartered
    4 cloves garlic, peeled
    1 tbls butter
    2-3 tsp fresh lime juice
    Salt & pepper to taste

    Place parsnips, pear and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until parsnips are tender eand easily pierced with a knife, 20-25 minutes.

    Drain and transfer to a food processor (may have to be done in batches). Add butter, lime juice, salt & pepper. Process until completely smooth. Scrtape into a serving bowl and serve hot.

    Note: For a special presentation, make some pureed carrots at the same time. Mound some of the parsnips on a serving plate, and, using a large star tip, pipe the carrot puree in a circle around the parsnips.

  • dances_in_garden
    16 years ago

    It is still cool here, but the days are sunny and spring is certainly in the air. It calls for lighter fare, but we aren't ready to start eating cold soups yet - too chilly for that.

    I've made an adaptation of a tuscan style bean soup. Lighter than your usual bean soup, but still hearty and warming for when those cool spring breezes blow.

    Tuscan-ish Bean Soup
    -1 tbsp good olive oil
    -2 thin slices seranno ham, diced or shredded
    -1 small potato, peeled and diced small
    -1 small onion, diced
    -1/4 cup wine of your choice
    -1 small salad tomato, peeled, seeded and diced (I used an orange one)
    -4 cups chicken broth
    -1 cup cooked beans (canned, home made, leftover, what have you. White beans are best, today I used some red beans I had in the freezer)
    -1/2 cup cooked spinach, drained and chopped OR a handful or two of your favourite greens, shredded. I have even used the dark green tops of romaine lettuce before
    -2 fresh sage leaves, chiffinade/shredded finely or minced
    -freshly ground black pepper to taste
    -romano or parmesan cheese for garnish
    -cream, for garnish

    Heat the oil in a pot. Add the serrano ham and frizzle for a moment. Add the onions and the potatoes. Saute until the onions are starting to soften. You don't want them too brown, a few brown edges are okay.

    Deglaze the pan with the wine, then add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the beans and the diced tomato.

    Simmer until the potates are soft and some are even breaking apart. Stir in the spinach and the sage. Allow to simmer for about 5 more minutes, or until most of the potatoes have dissolved and some of the beans have disappeared. This thickens your broth. If you prefer you could remove 1/4 to 1/2 of the soup and puree it, then add it back to make it even thicker.

    Serve with a drizzle of cream, grated parmesan or romano (I attempted curls for my picture but they sank!), and fresh ground pepper to taste.

    For more texture you can add small pasta such as orzo, stellini, or ancini de pepe or leftover rice or grains like barley. You could also toast some rustic bread with garlic and cheese and float it on top.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • artsyshell
    16 years ago

    I think this strudel would be a nice accompaniment to the main course.

    Vegetable Strudel

    2 tbsp olive oil
    1/4 tsp garlic, chopped
    1/4 c mushrooms, sliced
    1 green or red pepper, julienne style
    1 small onion, julienne style
    2 plum tomatoes, sliced
    1 small zucchini, sliced
    1 yellow squash, sliced
    1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
    1/2 tsp dried thyme
    1/2 tsp dried basil
    1 tbsp parsely chopped
    1 tbsp parmesan cheese
    1/4 c olive oil
    12 sheets phyllo dough
    1/2 c black olives
    1 tsp garlic, roasted
    2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    1 tsp pimentos
    salt and pepper

    Mix the 2 tbsp olive oil, vegetabales and herbs. Grill or saute vegetables until tender, about 5 min. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Let cool slightly.

    Combine olives, garlic and 2 tbsp olive oil, pimentos , salt and pepper in blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

    Brush 1 sheet of phyllo lightly with olive oil,(an oil mister works good here), Place another sheet on the oiled sheet, and repeat til all sheets of dough are used. (when working with phyllo keep sheets covered with plastic wrap and or damp cloth until using).

    Spread olive mixture lengthwise on 1/3 of the phyllo, place vegetables over the olive mixture. Carefully fold
    outer edges of the phyllo toward the center and then gently roll phyllo starting with the vegetable side until strudel is formed. Brush with remaining olive oil. Carefully cut diagonal slits into the top of the dough for
    venting. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in
    pre-heated 375F oven for 15-20 min or until phyllo is nicely browned. Allow to cool 5 min, and then cut and serve. Serves 8.

    Also good with feta or other cheeses, and sprinkling the top with paprika is nice.

    Shelley

  • wizardnm
    16 years ago

    Grilled Chicken with Citrus Sauce

    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
    1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
    1 cup yogurt
    2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
    1 teaspoon orange zest
    1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

    1. Marinate the chicken: Combine olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and marinate for 20 minutes.

    2. Make Citrus Sauce: Stir together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

    3. Cook the chicken: Heat grill to medium high. Run skewers through chicken pieces and grill for about 4 minutes, turn over, and grill until cooked through  about 4 more minutes. Serve with Citrus Sauce.

    Nancy

  • annie1992
    16 years ago

    Hmmm. Bean soup, pork, parsnips. Nothing will do for dessert for me except rhubarb pie. This is an old recipe, Grandma used it and my daughter Amanda won a Grand Champion ribbon at the county fair last year using this recipe so it's definitely tried and true. It came from the Farm Journal pie cookbook:

    Fresh Rhubarb Pie

    yields one 9" double crust pie


    For 9" Pie
    1 1/2-2 cups sugar
    1/3 cup flour
    1/2 tsp. cinnamon or cardamom
    4 cups prepared rhubarb

    Preheat oven to 400 °F

    Prepare crust for two-crust pie. Line the pie pan with bottom crust.

    Mix together the flour, sugar and spices. Add the chopped rhubarb and stir well.

    Pour into pie shell and dot with 1 Tbs. butter.

    Cover with top shell

    Bake @ 400° F 40-50 minutes.

    Annie

  • gardenlad
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Annie, when you say "prepared rhubarb" what's involved prepping it???

  • annie1992
    16 years ago

    GL, that's pulled fresh from the garden, washed, and cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Don't use the leaves, of course, they are not edible, just the stalks.

    Annie

  • woodie
    16 years ago

    Great menu, guys!

    For a cocktail I'm thinking of offering a delicious Prosecco that I had at a wine tasting - Mionetto, Prosecco, Brut Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy - or for those interested in something stronger......

    Stork Club Cocktail
    1-1/2 oz. gin
    1/2 oz. Grand Marinier
    3/4 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
    1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
    dash of Angostura bitters

    Shake with ice and strain into a stemmed cocktail glass

    To accompany the cocktails, I love these:

    MQ'S Tiny Roquefort Popovers
    From Williams-Sonoma

    Vegetable oil, for brushing

    1 cup (5 oz/155 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
    1 and 1/4 cups (10 fl oz/310 ml) milk, at room temperature
    2 eggs, at room temperature
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
    3 oz (90 g) Roquefort or other strong-flavored, crumbly blue cheese, crumbled
    Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 450 (220°C). Generously brush two 12-cup nonstick mini muffin pans with vegetable oil.
    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, white pepper, and parsley. In a large measuring pitcher, whisk together the milk, eggs, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined (don't worry if a few lumps remain). Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups to within about 1/4 inch (6 mm) of the rim (about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons each). Place a scant teaspoon crumbled cheese in the center of each filled cup.
    Bake for 10 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this time. Reduce the heat to 350 (18O°C) and continue to bake until brown and crusty and fully puffed, 8-10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a warmed: platter or napkin-lined bowl. Serve at once. Or, let cool on racks (for up to 2 hours, then reheat in a 350 (18O°C) oven for 10 minutes.
    MAKES 24 WARM BITES.

  • cindy_5ny
    16 years ago

    I've had a rough couple of days - could someone possibly fill in for me this week?
    Also, I have a busy month coming up - I think that I'll have to take a leave of absence for awhile. Sorry for the short notice and I hope that it doesn't cause any problems.

    Cindy

  • gardenlad
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Okeydoke. I'll fill in with an appetizer this week, and we'll drop the coctail course until you get back.

    Take care, and let us know when you're ready to rejoin.

  • cindy_5ny
    16 years ago

    Thanks GL :)

  • gardenlad
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Here's another instance in which I've downsized a main course dish to make appetizers:

    Sweet & Sour Meatballs

    1 1/2 lbs ground meat (beef, beef-pork-veal, etc.)
    2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp pepper
    4 tbls flour
    2 eggs
    1 cup oil
    3 green peppers, diced small
    1 1/4 cups beef broth
    1 1/2 cups pinapple chunks w/liquid
    3 tbls cornstarch
    1 tbls soy sauce
    1/3 cup cider vinegar
    1/2 cup sugar

    Mix together meat, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. Shape into balls, using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each. Flatten slightly to form patties.

    Mix together eggs, flour, and remaining salt. Dip meatballs into batter and brown in oil. Remove balls and pour off all but 2 tbls oil. Add the beef broth, pineapple and green pepper. Boil, covered, for ten minutes. Return meatballs to pan. Just before serving make a slurry with the cornstarch, soy sauce and vinegar. Add it and the sugar to the pan until sauce thickens.

    Note: I usually remove the balls before thickening the sauce, then return them to the pan to coat with the sauce.

    For service: Put a spoonful of the sauce on a serving plate, being sure to include some of the pineabpple and pepper on each plate. Top with one or two meatballs.

Sponsored
Cabido Design & Build
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars34 Reviews
DC & Montgomery County's Best in Full Service, Custom Home Remodeling