Recipe Duo - Grilled Figs and Asparagus

I love grilling in the summer.  Well, I love grilling all year long.  Looking for a grilled appetizer to make, I found fresh figs and beautiful asparagus.  I couldn't decide, so I bought both.  This duo doesn't have to go together, but the sweet and salty components sure did complement each other nicely. This is what I came up with:

Everything ready to go.

Grilled Figs with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
Fresh figs
Olive Oil
Cracked pepper
Kosher salt
Goat Cheese

Coat the outside of the figs lightly with olive oil.  Quarter the figs and place on a grill pan (easier to get onto and off of the hot grill).  Heat your grill.  Place the figs on the hot grill for about 10 minutes, or until the figs appear to wilt, or become juicy. 
Spoon a scant teaspoon of goat cheese onto each fig while hot. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and salt to taste.
Serve with Balsamic Syrup.  Delicious!

Ready to go on the grill.

Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients:
Fresh, plump asparagus spears
Prosciutto
Cracked pepper
Olive Oil

Cut your prosciutto slices in half.  Wrap each spear of asparagus with 1/2 slice prosciutto.  (You can use a whole slice of prosciutto, if you want a meatier appetizer) Brush the exposed tips and ends of the asparagus with olive oil.  Place on a grill tray.  Grill until the asparagus are bright green and tender and the prosciutto is crispy. 
Sprinkle with cracked pepper.
Serve with Balsamic Syrup.  Enjoy!

After they've been grilled, the Prosciutto is crispy, the figs are juicy.

Balsamic Syrup

Ingredients:
Balsamic Vinegar
(that's it)

Place about 1 cup of balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a low boil.  Simmer for about 15 minutes until thickened.  I reduced by about one third.  I wanted my syrup thick but not gluey.
Let cool.  Serve with grilled vegetables.

The finished appetizer - ready to eat!

Good Finds

I haven't just been lolly gagging around.  Really!  I have found some real treasures this summer.  While I am not a big garage sale shopper, once in a while see something while driving by.  This is what I found down the street.  Let me tell you, it was a steal deal!
I have always wanted a church pew.  I am not sure why.  I am not religious.  But our home was once a church.  This pew fits so nicely on our back porch.  I think I will finish it up a little bit, but I don't want to take off the aged look. The man who sold it to me said it had a nice "pakina" and asked if I knew what he was talking about.  I think he meant patina, but I didn't want to squash his good salesmanship.  It is the perfect vintage decor for the back porch - a great piece for entertaining, too.  I think it's just perfect!

My next find was a post-garage sale facebook photo that a friend put up.  I am not sure why I jumped on these, but they spoke to me. 

Anyone want a vowel?  These came from the sign of the restaurant space he took over.  The previous restaurant was "Mario and Wong's Wok Style Italian"  No wonder half the letters are Asian style; and no wonder the restaurant didn't work out.  My friend's restaurant, on the other hand, is fabulous.  If you like great barbecue and are in Denver, be sure to check out Oinks.  They are fabulous!
I am not sure what to do with them yet.  Perhaps a new focal point in the game room.  Who knows? We'll see, maybe these letters will give me a creative spark!

Recipe - Flank Steak Marinade

Another family favorite for summer-time grilling.  This is my go-to recipe for grilled flank steak.  This recipe came to me with no measurements from my mom, but was originally from my Great Aunt Jane and Great Uncle Fred.   It would also work well on flatiron steak.

Flank Steak Marinade
1 cup red wine
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 c olive oil
2-3 T chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, pressed
black pepper, freshly ground

Mix all ingredients.  Put marinade and steak into a ziplock, seal tightly.  Marinate for several hours, up to 24. 
Drain and grill to your desired degree of doneness.

This marinade does a great job of imparting delicious flavors that enhance the steak.  It is a great one to serve to company.  I like to serve with crusty French bread, grilled vegetables and a bright summer salad, and of course a glass of wine.  One of the best!

Recipe - Grilled Artichokes & Horseradish Dill Dip

I love spring.  I love the flowers, the rain showers and fresh seasonal vegetables.  Artichokes are one of our favorites.  They are great because they are low calorie and low carb and fun to eat.  Paired with a low fat or no fat yogurt dip they become a great appetizer, side dish or lunch.  Steaming them or boiling them is an easy option.  If you grill them, they somehow become just a bit fancier.  We had these last week, and they were delicious.

Grilled Artichokes
Artichokes
1 whole lemon, cut in half
2-3 gloves garlic
2 T olive oil

Thoroughly wash artichokes under running water.  Trim stem end to about 1 inch.  Cut off pointy top of artichoke with serrated knife, about 1 inch from top.  Trim pointy tops of artichoke leaves with kitchen scissors.  (Or, I found Globe Artichokes this time, and needed no top trimming.)  Rub cut surfaces with lemon half to prevent browning.
Fill large pot with 2-3 inches of water.  Squeeze lemon juice into water, then drop the used rinds into the pot.  Smash garlic and drop into pot.  If using a steamer basket, place basket (I often do not)  Arrange artichokes in water or on basket.  Cover pot and turn on to boil.  Boil for 25-45 minutes.  Depending on size of artichoke, until a bottom leaf will pull out with some resistance.  Do not wait until the artichoke is too soft.
Cool artichokes.
When cool, quarter artichokes.  Scoop out the choke with a spoon or small paring knife.  Toss quarters in more lemon juice and olive oil. 
Grill artichoke quarters on hot grill for 5 minutes per side, or until you see nice char marks.
Serve warm or room temperature with dip.

Horseradish-Dill Dip

¼ cup plain fat-free yogurt
¼ cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (add more to make it extra spicy)
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3-4 drops hot sauce (optional, to taste)
1/ 8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine yogurt and next 6 ingredients (through pepper). Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Serve with Grilled Artichokes, roasted or raw vegetables.

• Dip can be made 2 days ahead of time.
• Can be made without the cream cheese with similar results, I used fat free Greek yogurt for a thick texture when omitting the cream cheese
• Dip is excellent served with cut veggies

Menu for Book Club

I love cooking.  I also love planning.  So, the natural marriage of these two is menu planning. I love planning menus.
Strange. 
Perhaps.
A little thought into a menu can go a long way towards making your night as a host(ess) and your guest's night in your home so much more comfortable and relaxed.

This week, I am hosting book club.  We have been together for three years.  There are seven of us.  Things to keep in mind as I plan the evening.  Our standard is that the hostess makes appetizers and a dessert, while the rest of the group brings wine.  Usually the appetizers are on the substantial side, we're not talking a bowl of Cheetos for these ladies.  Sometimes, if the book merits, there is a full blown dinner in the works.  My Life in France, Hindi Bindi Club, and Heat resulted in fabulous and elaborate dinners. 

This month we read Comfort Food, by Kate Jacobs.  We'd read another of Jacob's books before, Friday Night Knitting Club.  That one had recipes included.  This one, the book about food, does not.  We do not have a "Book Club Rule" that states the food has to match the book.  In most cases it does not.  In most cases it would be too difficult. 
Tonight, however, I want comfort food.  Perhaps it's our sub-zero weather.  Perhaps it's that cozy feeling that comes with curling up to read a good chick lit book.  To plan the menu, I started thinking of my favorite comfort foods.  Warm soup, hot dips, gooey fruity desserts.

I recently received two Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks.  I absolutely love them.  And since the main character of Comfort Food, Gus, reminds me of Ina Garten, I turned to these books to search for recipes for my menu.  In her cookbooks, Garten offers sage advice for planning and hosting.  Choose items you can make ahead of time.  Make things that will appeal to all your guests.  Keep it simple and good.  She is a wise woman.
For a soup, I chose Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup.  It's a thick, rich looking soup, without a drop of cream, so it's on the lighter side, right?  To balance the sweetness that will be in the soup, I chose a crisp salad with sharp flavors, Endive with Stilton and Walnuts.  Rounding out the meal, I am making Rosemary Polenta Triangles.  I want to start and finish the meal with something warm.  Let's start with the tried and true Hot Artichoke Dip (add some chopped spinach to make it different). And for a finale, this Caramel Pear Cake looks divine.

The Menu:

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

2 kinds of cheese

Crackers

Olives

Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup with Homemade Brioche Croutons

Winter Greens Salad with Stilton and Walnuts

Rosemary Polenta Triangles

Caramel Pear Cake with Homemade Spiced Whipped Cream

What I learned in my reading and planning:

• keep it simple. (I am showing HUGE restraint in only making one appetizer - I tend to follow the "more is better" motto.)
• make as much as you can ahead of time.
• use flavors that appeal to a lot of people.
• cook with what's in season.
• choose flavors that complement the others. 
• also incorporate a culinary variety - salty, sweet, creamy, smooth, crunchy, acidic, spicy.
• repeat flavors to create harmony in the menu.  But don't go overboard.  (I added some rosemary to the croutons to echo the rosemary in the polenta, but I am not also making rosemary artichoke dip, rosemary squash soup and rosemary pear cake.)

I am breaking one big rule:  don't try out new recipes on a special event.  I have four new recipes on board for tonight.  But, who better to try out something new, than your girlfriends?  I will let you know how it goes.

After Party Let Down

I love entertaining.  Each December we host a big Christmas Open House for friends and family.  We send out our invitations early.  I plan a menu, what will I make new this year?  Which favorites will I make again?  I bake and cook and freeze food.  I decorate and clean and prepare.  I love to think of all the details: I make tags for all the foods, arrange flowers and centerpieces.  It is truly a labor of love.  I know that all my friends and family appreciate the time at our home, the food I've made, the opportunity to visit with friends, and the holiday spirit.

So what's wrong?

blah!

It's over.

So simple.

We've cleaned up the party, put away the food, washed the wine glasses, boxed up the punch bowl.  We've taken out the trash and loaded the recycling bin. 

It's over, till next time.

I guess there is a bit of after party let down.  All that anticipation and planning, and it's gone in a flash.  That flash was a night filled with great people and good cheer, but gone none the less. 

I certainly cannot live from party to party so I have that exciting feeling of happy anticipation, although it sometimes is quite tempting. 

But there is still real life going on the the background, homework, grocery shopping, laundry, appointments and meetings.  School for the kids and friends and friendships to care for.  There are still floors to sweep and trash to take out and bills to pay. No matter how many parties there are, life is still here.  And, that is what I have to attend to.

So, I need to remind myself to keep it all in perspective.  Life is not just a party, or a vacation, though we may sometimes wish it were. 

Now I move on to the next... planning for Christmas and a house full of guests.  Getting the Christmas menu put together, it is my turn to host this year.  What should I make?  Oh, and also, let's keep it all in perspective.  Amid the drama of the holidays, the excitement of the gifts and food and candy and cookies and wine and bows and wrapping, life goes on.  Remind myself to enjoy the mundane, simple, sweet, exciting, boring or difficult moments. Life goes on.