The trend for tonight is intimate and elegant. There will be eight guests for dinner this evening. Gerry’s table looks spectacular! She has it all done up in a black and silver motif. She was able to find a gray damask tablecloth, which has a nice sheen when the light catches it. We were also able to find a champagne bottle with fiber optic champagne coming from it. This we place in an up ended, black glittered top hat. We filled the gaps in the hat, around the bottle with silver metallic confetti, the kind you would use to fill a party bag. It’s looks great! You could also use an empty champagne bottle and have some of the confetti coming from the spout or you can put flowers in it. Split size champagne bottles would make great candleholders for a New Year’s table. Gerry is using black porcelain candleholders, with silver metallic candles. She also found little replica champagne bottles on a string, which say “Happy New Year”. These, she wrapped around black napkins at each guest’s place. They will take them home as party favors. Next to each place is also a silver cracker, or popper, as some of you may know them. We’ll pop them at midnight. Let’s take a look at what Gerry is planning to serve her guests…besides champagne, that is! :o)
~ MENU ~ Assorted H’ors douvres Walnut Pear Salad Tenderloin of Beef In Pastry Roasted New Potatoes Petit Peas in garlic Peppercorn Sauce Chocolate Cheese Cake with Cherry Rum Sauce
Dinner will be served quite late, the idea being, to finish the main course just before midnight and have dessert in the next century. As her guest arrive, Gerry will put out some h’ors douvres. There will be pigs in the blanket, for Vinny, a spinach dip served in a hollowed out loaf of pumpernickel bread and sausage stuffed mushrooms.
DIP
1 PKG. KNORR VEGETABLE SOUP
1 PKG. FROZEN SPINACH (BOILED AND DRAINED0
1 CAN WATER CHESNUTS (CHOPPED)
1 16OZ. CONTAINER OF SOUR CREAM
2 LOAVES OF ROUND PUMPERNICKEL OR ANY ROUND BREAD
MIX FIRST 4 INGREDIENTS TOGETHER. HOLLOW OUT THE CENTER OF THE LOAF AND FILL WITH THE DIP. TAKE THE BREAD THAT CAME OUT OF THE LOAF AND BREAK INTO CHUNKS. BREAK SECOND LOAD INTO BITE SIZES CHUNKS AND PLACE AROUND THE LOAF FILLED WITH THE DIP.
SAUSAGE STUFFED MUSHROOMS
1LB. HOT OR SWEET SAUSAGE
2 LBS. MEDIUM SIZE FRESH MUSHROOM CAPS
SQUEEZE SAUSAGE OUT OF THE CASSING. PLACE MUSHROOM CAPS ON A COOKIE SHEET, OPEN SIDE UP. DIVIDE SAUSAGE MEAT INTO THE MUSHROOM CAPS. BAKE AT 400 UNTIL SAUSAGE STARTS TO BROWN AND BECOME FIRM. EASY AND DELICIOUS!
WALNUT & PEAR SALAD
1 BARTLETT PEAR (DICED)
3/4 C. CHOPPED WALNUTS
1 ½ BAGS MIXED GREENS (ITALIAN OR EUROPEAN BLEND)
2 OZ. OF CRUMBLED BLEU CHEESE
KEN’S LITE RASPBERRY WALNUT VINEGARETT DRESSING
COMBINE FIRST 3 INGREDIENTS IN A SALAD BOWL AND TOSS. SERVE ONTO INDIVIDUAL SALAD PLATES. SPRINKELE BLEU CHEESE ON TOP OF EACH SERVING, FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE. POUR 2 TBSPS. OF DRESSING ON EACH SERVING.
TENDERLOIN OF BEEF IN PASTRY
This recipe comes from our friend Ann. Ann is a fabulous hostess and a wonderful cook. You can be guaranteed any recipe from her will be terrific! Thanks Annie!
PREHEAT OVEN TO 400. RUB BEEF WITH 1/2 TSP.. SALT AND 1/2 TSP... PEPPER. COOK BEEF IN ROASTING PAN 25-30 MIN. OR UNTIL MEAT THERMOMETER INSERTED IN CENTER OF MEAT REGISTERS 120 DEGREES. COOL TO ROOM TEMPERATURE. REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 350.
IN MEDIUM SKILLET, MELT BUTTER. STIR IN MUSHROOMS, ONIONS, AND REMAINING SALT AND PEPPER. SAUTE 2-3 MIN. OR UNTIL ONIONS ARE SOFT.
ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE, USE A FLOURED ROLLING PIN TO ROLL OUT PASTRY TO A 10 X 13 INCH RECTANGLE. MIX EGG YOLK AND WATER IN A SMALL BOWL. SPREAD MUSHROOM MIXTURE EVENLY ON ROLLED PASTRY TO WITHIN 2 INCHES OF EACH EDGE. CENTER BEEF ON PASTRY. FOLD PASTRY AROUND BEEF AND SEAL EDGES WITH EGG YOLK. PLACE BEEF, SEAM SIDE DOWN, ON A GREASED BAKING SHEET. BRUSH TOP OF PASTRY WITH EGG YOLK. USING DOUGH SCRAPS OR ANOTHER SHEET OF PASTRY, CUT SHAPES FROM DOUGH FOR GARNISH.* ARRANGE CUTOUTS ON TOP OF PASTRY; BRUSH WITH REMAINING EGG YOLK. BAKE 25-30 MIN. OR UNTIL MEAT THERMOMETER REGISTERS 130 DEGREES. IF PASTRY BROWNS TOO QUICKLY, COVER WITH ALUMINUM FOIL. COOL 10 MIN. BEFORE SLICING.
YIELD: ABOUT 10 SERVINGS
*I USE A STAR SHAPED COOKIE CUTTER.
ROASTED NEW POTATOES
3 LBS. OF RED BLISS POTATOES ( THE SMALLER, THE BETTER)
PEEL OFF A STRIP AROUND THE CENTER OF EACH POTATO, SO THERE IS A BAND AROUND IT. DROP POTATOES INTO BOILING WATER AND BRING TO SECOND BOIL. ALLOW TO BOIL FOR 3 MINUTES. DRAIN POTATOES AND PAT DRY. SPRAY POTATOES WITH BUTTER FLAVORED COOKING SPRAY, AND PLACE IN THE OVEN FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES AT 400 DEGREES. WHEN POTATOES ARE SLIGHTLY BROWNED AND EASILY PIERCED WITH A FORK, THEY ARE DONE.
PETIT GARLIC PEAS
"Follow me for recipe!"
Peppercorn Sauce
Knorr makes a wonderful peppercorn sauce, in a packet, to which I add a 1/4 C. of red wine to the required liquid measurement. If Knorr is unavailable, use any brown gravy packet, add wine as directed above, and about a tablespoon of green (not black) peppercorns.
CHOCOLATE CHEESE CAKE
(Save up those fat grams for this one!)
1 LB. SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE (MELTED)
6- 8 OZ. PKGS OF CREAM CHEESE (SOFTENED)
6 EGGS
3/4 C. SUGAR
1 CAPFULL OF DARK SPICED RUM (OPTIONAL)
CREAM THE CREAM CHEESE AND EGGS TOGETHER SLOWLY, ADDING 2 EGGS AND 2 PACKAGES OF CREAM CHEESE AT A TIME. I USE A GOOD SILVER FORK TO DO THIS. ADD THE COOLED MELTED CHOCOLATE AND MIX WELL STIRRING UP FROM THE BOTTOM TO MAKE SURE CHOCLATE IS EVENLY BLENDED. STIR IN SUGAR AND RUM. POUR MIXTURE INTO THE CRUST AND BAKE AT 425 FOR 35 MINUTES. ALLOW TO COOL IN THE OVEN WITH THE DOOR AJAR. KEEP REFRIGERATED UNTIL READY TO SERVE. SERVE WITH RUM CHERRY SAUCE ON THE SIDE.
CRUST
3 PKGS. PEPPERIDGE FARM BROWNIES (CRUSHED FINE)
3/4 STICK OF MARGARINE (MELTED)
IF THE BROWNIES ARE UNAVAILABLE, ANY CRISPY CHOCOLATE COOKIE WILL DO, EVEN CHOCOLATE SNAPS.
COMBINE COOKIES AND MARGARINE AND PRESS INTO A 10” SPRINGFORM PAN. BAKE FOR 5 MINUTES AT 375 AND ALLOW TO COOL.
This size cake will yield as much as 16 servings, as the cake is very rich. Depending on the number of people you are hosting you may want to cut the recipe in half and use an 8’ pan.
RUM CHERRY SAUCE
1 BAG FROZEN BING CHERRIES
1 JAR BLACK CHERRY PRESERVES
1/2 C. DARK SPICED RUM
COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A SAUCE PAN AND BRING TO A BOIL. SERVE WELL CHILLED.
For a variation on this sauce, you can use raspberries and raspberry preserves, and Chambord or a raspberry liquor in place of the rum…the choice is yours!
DIP
