Dinner Party

I love having dinner parties in the Fall and Winter! Good food, friends, laughs and wine!! We had some great friends over last night and enjoyed our time with them! Usally when I throw dinner parties I go a little over the top with special appetizers, dinner and dessert. I kept it pretty simple this time..but yummy, of course!! I remember when the kids were younger and I would have dinner parties. I would always be stressing out because I would plan these elaborate meals and then be running around chasing a toddler or nursing a baby...trying to keep the house clean AND make food!! It is getting easier now. I can usually clean the house once and it stays clean. The kids entertain themselves and sometimes actually help me with food preparation and cleaning!

For tonight's meal I made roasted nuts for an app, beer braised brisket, mashed potatoes, arugula salad with roasted butternut squash and desert was an awesome pear crisp. My recipes this time come from Fine Cooking magazine http://www.finecooking.com/, Cuisine at Home magazine http://www.cuisineathome.com/ and Ina Garten. I subscribe to both of the magazines. I posted links if you want to check them out online. I have a cabinet full of them. They are both awesome cooking magazines. They don't have a bunch of articles just recipes and lots of pictures. I would highly recommend either of these magazines if you want to learn new cooking techniques and try new foods.

Beer Braised Brisket

Crisp; Remove:

4 strips thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1" pieces

Brown; Remove:

1 beef brisket (2 1/2 - 3 lbs.) trimmed, seasoned with pepper

Deglaze with:

3 cups onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups carrots, diced

1 cup celery, chopped

2 T. minced garlic

Stir in:

12 sprigs parsley

4 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

1/4 t. black peppercorns

Add:

1 can (14oz.) beef broth

1 bottle stout beer (12oz.) I used Dechutes Brewery Obsidian Stout

Stir in:

2T. red wine vinegar

1 T. tomato paste

Combine; Whisk in:

1 T. all -purpose flour

1 T. unsalted butter, softened

(This is called a beurre manie'. It adds thickness and flavor to the broth.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crisp bacon in a large (16qt.) dutch oven over medium heat. Remove bacon, leaving drippings in pot: increase heat to medium high. Brown both sides of seasoned beef in drippings about 5 minutes per side, remove. Deglaze pot with onions, carrots, celery and garlic: cook 3 minutes. Stir in parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns; return beef to pot. Add broth and beer; bring to a boil. Cover pot, place in the oven and braise 1 1/2 hours. When timmer beeps turn beef over in pot and braise for an additional 1 1/2 hours, or until fork tender.

Remove beef from broth and keep warm. Strain broth into a saucepan, discarding solids, and bring to a boil. Stir in vinegar and tomato paste. Combine flour and butter for the beurre manie' and whisk it in, a teaspoon at a time, until broth thickens and looks glossy. Simmer sauce for 5 minutes.

Some tips on the brisket:

-Make sure you trim the layer of fat off the back of the brisket. Just run a sharp filet knife under the fat and pull up like a tab. Continue to slice fat until it is mostly gone.

-Make sure you set aside the right amount of time to prepare your vegetables and braise your meat. It will take about 4 1/2 hours total; although most of that time the meat is in the oven. Practice up on chopping your vegis!! I actually enjoy doing it!

Creamy Mashed Yukon Golds

Here is the link to the mashed potatoes. I used buttermilk and a handful of chopped chives.

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/creamy_mashed_potatoes.aspx

Arugula Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash

Here is the link to the salad. Another one of Ina's! (she is my fav!)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-butternut-squash-salad-with-warm-cider-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html

Brown Sugar Pear Crisp

Here is the link to the Pear Crisp. If you make one thing from this post it has to be this! This was the first time I made this one. It is to die for!!!! Make sure you add the bourbon!

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/pear-brown-sugar-crisp.aspx

For a quick and easy appetizer I made Roasted Spiced Nuts. Try these!! You can't eat just one!!

2 Cups assorted nuts like pecans, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts and almonds

2 T. chopped fresh rosemary

2 t. dark brown sugar

2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

1 T. unsalted butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degress. Toast nuts for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Meanwhile in a large bowl combine rosemary, brown sugar, cayenne, salt and melted butter. When nuts are done toss them with the spiced butter and serve warm.

I hope you make and enjoy these recipes!!