Becky and Justin were in town and joined us for appetizers and sharing of a bottle of Chocolate Ale, my Christmas gift from my Boulevard Brewery boy Rob. The girls in particular were enthusiastic about chocolate-flavored beer and it gave us a toast-worthy start to a filling evening.
In addition to annual favorite shrimp dip, little smokie hot dogs in crescent rolls and olives rolled in cheese dough, Vonnie tried something new: parmesan cheese straws. They were a hit, with potential to not just be an appetizer, but also the bread for a meal:
Parmesan Cheese Straws
1 sheet Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg + 1 Tablespoon water, mixed together for "egg wash"
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tblsp white sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 425. On lightly floured surface roll out 1 sheet of puff pastry into 12 x 14" rectangle. Brush off excess flour, then brush entire surface with egg wash. Cut in half to create 2 pieces that measure 7x12". In a small bowl, mix together parmesan & Italian seasonings. Sprinkle evenly over 1 piece of dough. Top with the other piece of puff pastry, egg wash side down. Press firmly to make sure the layers will adhere to one bother. Then using the rolling pin, lightly roll the whole length of the dough to make sure that all the air pockets have been removed. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut pastry into 14 strips. Twist strips three times to make a spiral and place on ungreased cookie sheet. press ends down firmly so that the straws remain twisted during baking. Refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake on middle rack for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
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I'll be honest: the lobster bisque wasn't my favorite NYE entree. But since I'm not much on seafood, that's probably more about me than it is about the dish, the recipe for which follows. Plus, Tom took care of the entire process while the rest of us watched. That was okay too:
Lobster Bisque
2 small cooked lobsters, about 1 lb each
8 Tblsp butter, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups water
6 Tblsp floour
3 cups milk, heated
1/4 cup cream
1 Tblsp sherry
1/4 tsp paprika
fresh thyme
Remove meat from lobsters and chop fine. Reserve shells. Heat 2 T butter in a heavy kettle. Add 1/2 of the chopped onion and the chopped carrot. Saute over medium heat until softened, 10-15 min. Add lobster shells and bodies, increase heat to medium-high and sauté 4-5 min. Add bay leaf, thumb, wine, water and any collected lobster liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Pour through a strainer into a clean bowl. Discard shells and vegetables. Measure out 2 cups broth. In a soup pot melt remaining 6 T butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk 2-3 min. until golden. Add hot milk all at once, stirring with whisk until smooth. Stir in lobster broth. Simmer & stir over medium heat until soup thickens. Stir in lobster meat, cream and sherry, paprika, warm through and garnish with thyme.
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The strawberry spinach salad, on the other hand, was a winner, and with a really pretty Christmas vibe due to the deep red of the strawberries and deep green of the spinach. Look for this one to turn up in the future:
Spinach Strawberry Salad
2 Tblsp sesame seeds
1 Tblsp poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 Tblsp minced onion
10 oz fresh spinach - rinsed, dried, torn into bite size pieces
1 quart strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
Whisk together seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worchestershire and onion. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Combine spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Refrigerate 10-15 min. before serving.
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"A Taste of Decadence" is what the headline read over this recipe saved from a recent Star Magazine. Decadence indeed. As I was pouring this stuff into four small dessert cups, I hoped everyone wouldn't feel cheated by the tiny portion of dessert. But about 3 spoonfuls into eating it, I wondered if I could possibly finish it.
Which of course I did. In fact, we all finished our whole servings, even George, who usually declines anything this rich. Maybe it was Mariah Carey's tv outfit, which we discussed at length, that made all that artery-clogging goodness go down so smoothly.
Chocolate Pot au Creme
Place 5 oz. finely chopped dark chocolate in a double boiler or non-reactive metal bowl placed over a simmering saucepan. Stir until just melted. Add 3 Tblsp sugar and 1 cup cream. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat.
Lightly beat 3 egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly add small amounts of chocolate while whisking - too much too fast will scramble the eggs. Place the combined mixture on the double boiler on a gentle simmer. Whisk 5 minutes more or until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 Tblsp brandy or Grand Marnier and a pinch of salt. Pour into small coffee or dessert cups and chill until firm. Garnish with fresh berries and whipped cream. Serves 4-6.
Hair of the dog
We haven't spent much time talking about morning-after breakfast, but there always is one. This dates back to the days when Odells spent the night, when there weren't teenage children to be sure came home or dogs to be let out for the evening. Toast from the previous evening's leftover bread, skillet fried potatoes, bacon and/or sausage, pineapple and some version of eggs, with Mimosa chasers, are the staples of the first meal of the new year. This year Becky and Justin and Megan and her boys (always a treat!) were home for breakfast, and the whole crew enjoyed the egg casserole Vonnie had made the day before:
Egg Casserole
1 lb bulk sausage, browned and drained
6 slices white bread, crust removed
2 cups milk
4 beaten eggs
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese
Lay slices of bread in baking disk, mix remaining ingredients and pour over bread. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 12 hours. Cover with foil, bake at 355 degrees for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 1-15 minutes more before cutting.
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So now, it's back to reality. Who would have guessed, when this tradition began back in 1978-to-1979, that we'd still be breaking bread (and a large portion of fat!) together in 2011-to-2012? Yet here we are. And with any luck, and maybe some Lipitor and a diet of whole grains and carrots the rest of the year, we'll be back for more.
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