Fun-Size Gourmet(or, how to make quick and easy Cornish Game Hens)

Last week, I was telling a friend I felt like making Cornish Game Hens that night for dinner when she exclaimed, "Holy cats! Doesn't that take a lot of time and effort?"

I replied, "Nah, you just stuff 'em, tie 'em, wrap 'em and cook 'em."

The thing about Cornish Game Hens is that they are SO tasty, and make a gorgeous presentation.
And, this is one of those times when we can really believe the saying that beauty is on the inside, as it’s the things we’re going to stuff inside the hens that make them pretty delicious.
Here’s how to do it:

Pick up a couple of Cornish Game Hens at the grocery store.

They’re sold in two-packs most of the time, and this works out perfectly.

You can either serve a party of four normal eaters half a hen each, or let one whole hen suffice for most of the meal for two. It really just depends on how you want to do side dishes.

Make sure they’re properly and completely thawed out before beginning. Because they’re quite dense, they’ll take about three to four days to thaw in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 450, or the grill to medium heat.
Have at the ready (to avoid cross-contamination):
10 cloves of garlic
8 purple pearl onions
Chopped herbs mixed with softened (not melted) butter, salt and pepper, about 1/2 cup.
Two 1-foot lengths of kitchen twine

Stuff everything into the two hens, dividing the ingredients equally. Tie the legs closed.
Wash your hands!
Sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

***Garnish tip: for extra points, slip a little herbed butter between the skin, OR brown quickly in a pan on both sides***

Wrap each in double-thick aluminum foil, making it a ‘pocket’ so there’s space between the foil and hen.

Throw them in the oven or on the grill, and cook for 45 minutes. Unwrap and pull a few of the garlic cloves and onions out so they rest attractively next to the hen on the plate. Sprinkle with a few pinches of chopped herbs and enjoy!

Thanks for the Roast

Finally! I have pried my fingers from their death-grip on the wineglass and posted about our amazing Thanksgiving Roast. Recipe to follow below, but first a word about why we cooked a Standing Rib Roast for Thanksgiving instead of a turkey.

I believe there's one reason and one reason only why gravy was invented: to give flavor and moisture to turkey. I hate turkey. I do think it's The Devil's Bird. It smells funky, has no discernible taste unless you lard the heck out of it, and is a dry wasteland of culinary defeat. So, much to my mother's horror, I bucked tradition and made a Standing Rib Roast. It was easy, delicious, and I share it with you here:

Jamie's Standing Rib Roast

1 cup bacon fat
1/2 cup freshly crushed garlic
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
1 whole standing rib roast
* You can of course make a smaller one for a party less than 12 adults, just adjust accordingly.

Take the roast out of the fridge at least an hour before you plan to put it in the oven. This will allow it to cook evenly. Unless you're weird and like it black on the outside and red in the center.

Preheat the oven to 550, or as hot as you can get it. Place your roast, rib side down, fat side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Mix the bacon fat and garlic and give your hunk of meat a good massage with it, making sure to coat every inch, even the ends. Sprinkle with the seasonings.

Put it in the oven at high heat (noted above) for 15 minutes. This will give it a nice crust and sear the flavor in. After 15 minutes, lower the heat to 300 degrees, and cook it about 10 minutes for every pound. When you think it's close to being ready, stab it through the center (not touching bone!) with a meat thermometer. Take it out at 118 and cover it with foil. Let it rest while you have your first course (about 15 minutes), and have at it.

Here's my most manly husband giving it a good carving:Let me know if you have any questions!

Bitchin' Burgers

Yes, I said 'bitchin'. I'm trying to bring it back.

Anyhoo, I'm lagging on posting the Thanksgiving photo/rundown, so thought I'd throw you a baby post on burgers...

I made this, and it was heaven------->

Burgers are so subjective. You can add things like eggs and bread crumbs, which just make it sort of meatloaf-y (and icky, in my opinion). You can add things like Worcestershire sauce and seasonings, to pump it up a little, or you can go old school and add Liption Onion Soup Mix. However you do it, I'm not going to sway you in one direction or another. Burgers are like art; you like what you like.

HOWEVER...

Your garnish can make all the difference. Want to serve a pedestrian, ketchup and mustard topped lump of meat? Whatevs. Suffer the absence of taste and extravagance in silence. Do it my way and go gourmet.

The Sauce:

5 garlic cloves, crushed and microwaved for 30 seconds
1/3 cup chopped cilantro (some people hate cilantro, so use a strong herb)
1/3 cup light mayo
1/3 cup light plain yogurt
1/3 cup light sour cream
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
A little Crushed Red Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

Spoon some on the burger. On top of that, throw:

Sauteed Mushrooms:

2 Tablespoons Butter
8 Large Criminis (No White Buttons! Gross! 70's! Might as well put kidney beans and Thousand Island Dressing on your burger!)
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Red Wine
1/4 cup Green Onions

Sautee the first four ingredients slowly. When you salt mushrooms, it makes them give up their liquid and make their own sauce. Very cool. When they're the way you like them, turn up the heat. When you hear the crackling of buttered things over high flame, add the wine. It will deglaze the pan, make the onions less greasy, and add flavor. Stir constantly for a minute or two. Turn the heat off and add the chopped green onions.

Enjoy! Thank me later!

My Dad the Chef

As you know, I celebrate my birthday for an entire week. The weekend before my birthday, I host a bacchannalia of sorts for my close friends. The weekend after is reserved for dinner with family at my parents' house. While the drinkfest with buddies may be over-the-top festive, it's the dinner that I most look forward to. My Dad cooks for the entire day, conjuring up a meal that is unmatched in its taste and execution. The side dishes may vary from year to year, but there is always one constant: The Standing Rib Roast.

Dad's got connections with the butcher, and together they select the choicest cut of beef. He takes it home and does something to it, much a fabled mystery that I may unlock as I get older, that transcends anything else. I don't know exactly what he does to it, but what I do know is that it is loved and tended after as if it were his own personal entry into the Meat Hall of Fame.* (Original photo of Dad has been redacted, as he thought he looked evil. I thought it was more Evil Genius, but whatever. He makes me awesome food, who am I to argue?)

When he places it onto my plate, it's like my own personal slice of gourmet love.
No, I don't have a recipe for you in this post. I just wanted to share the greatness of Dad.

The Easiest App

Jeannie celebrated her new housewarming and new beginnings in her life, and I am so thankful for her friendship and love in my life. So of course I made a fun new dish for the housewarming party event. I researched online and ended up combining a few different ideas together to make something that I thought our group would enjoy. We all watch carbs and fats. One of us is vegetarian. We all loooooove heavy and rich and succulent dishes. So I made a hot mushroom and cheese dip...

You, too can make this and appear to be a rock star. This dish is ridiculously easy and reminds me of how a few simple ingredients can really be all you need. In a saucepan:

• One container of sliced mushrooms (crimini for more flavor but I'm not sure it would matter either way)
• one small onion chopped
• 1/4 cube butter

Bring this in a saucepan to a mushy mess (five minutes??) and add two tablespoons of flour (stir it in!!!), a cup of low-fat sour cream, a few squirts of lemon, a tablespoon or so of parsley and a shake or two of salt and pepper. Here we would say "salt and pepper to taste" but to be really clear, you will need to first taste your dish, then add a shake of salt, then taste again. And don't go crazy. Stir and taste and add and repeat. Like a tango in your kitchen. And definitely note that we'll be adding a lot of parmesean cheese over the top of this and stick it in the oven. This means a lot more salt will be added, as parmesean cheese is a very salty one! So be super careful with seasoning.

I can tell you that its going to be smelling quite good. So don't eat yet though. This entire process took hopefully ten minutes right? Now that you have reduced the mixture on the stove and added the key ingredients, you will transfer this from the saucepan into something that may look like a serving dish and be appropriate to be put into the oven. A Corian bowl or something. Sprinkle a generous amount of parmesean cheese over your mixture. Cook for 15 minutes. And serve with thinly sliced bread or crackers. The key versatility perk here is that you could take this from the saucepan to a "holding pattern" (fridge, car, whatever) for a few HOURS and then stick it in the oven for 15 to serve as a hot dip. I recommend for holiday parties and for fun. Plus with low-fat ingredients and all, this is not that bad for you. Not that you'd ever know........

The "A-B-C's" of Soup

I am a huuuuuuuuge fan of vegetable soup. Homemade only. Or probably any homemade soup, but I haven't had much experience in others. Stew, yes. And yum also.

My mom (and hopefully she's not reading...) is a fan of diets. When she went on one, we all were able to 'benefit' from it. Hmmmm.... Well luckily some of the new recipies ended up on the family recipie list. Vegetable Soup. It is so good. Sorry Jamie but suprisingly it has NO garlic in it. Some Italian dishes ask that you not include it and this is one. Isn't that interesting?

This veggie soup has complex carbs, protein and definitely your share of vitamins and minerals for the day. And it is so good. Fresh romano cheese grated on top. Buttery french bread on the side. (I'm so bad!). The weather just changed here in Napa and I think I'm craving winter!!!!

In a LARGE pot:

• 1 shallot
• 1 onion
• 4 carrots chopped or (easier) almost a whole bag of baby carrots
• 3 stalks of celery chopped
• Splash of olive oil (small)

Brown these ingredients until the smells meld together and things don't get soft but you've let them go for a good 5 minutes.

Add:

• 1 cup of white wine and let it burn off the alcohol for a minute before adding the rest (and stir)
• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups of chicken broth (or one carton of chicken broth will work too)

And for the remaining 45 minutes of cooking you will simply simmer any of the following, depending on how much you like each:

• Zucchini (probably 2 small ones)
• Mushrooms (add now or they'll not combine with other flavors, and only add a half-carton or so)
• Swiss Chard (TRY IT!!!! This is bigger in Iron than spinach and is a traditional Italian flavor that absolutely makes this recipie awesome. Please don't leave it out simply because you've never used it! Chop it like lettuce and leave out the white stems. It will rock. Serious.)
• A can of kidney beans (for protein and for consistency - it will make the broth a bit thicker and heartier. Rinse and strain first! Also consider using low-salt because of how much salt is in the broth)
• Following their package's cooking guidelines: Rice, noodles or barley. (okay. You are definitely scared of the barley reference. It is my favorite grain and I recommend it completely. You will have to keep checking for when it is done but it is a low GI whole grain and is really yummy. I like it way more than rice.)

Remember, I am not one of those health-nuts or vegans. I was raised on a beef farm (well, kind of. Close enough for this arguement). And I attest that this dish is hearty and filling and soooo comforting. Try it!!! Serve it with a side of ribs for all I care. I'm just telling you, you're gonna love it.

From the Dinner Party: Shallot-Sage Smashed Potatoes

I love this dish because

1) It's easy

2) It's delicious

3) It seems fancy with semi-exotic ingredients

If you can boil potatoes, scoot things around in a pan, then mash them all up together, you can do this. Here's how to make enough for four:

* Put 8 medium sized red potatoes in a large stockpot and add water, enough to cover by a few inches. Add a tablespoon of salt and boil for 45 minutes, or until a fork poked in them slides out easily.

* Meanwhile, sautee four to six thinly sliced and chopped shallots in about a teaspoon of butter. When they've wilted and the edges begin to turn golden, throw in a teaspoon of chopped sage, a teaspoon of sugar, and a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. Stir for about five more minutes, and remove from heat.

* When the potatoes are done, drain them and put them back in the pot with a cube of butter, half a brick of light cream cheese and the shallot sage mixture. Smash everything up with a potato masher, and add liberal amounts of salt and pepper.

* Garnish with sprigs of sage and serve!

Happy Birthday to Me! (Or, "Cooking Lots of Food for Lots of People")

This past weekend, I was honored to celebrate my birthday with my favorite people, with a big dinner for sixteen people.

That's my dining room, to the right. So much more fun with friends!

All night, guests remarked that they couldn't believe how I was able to calmly orchestrate such an endeavor. Now, I'm an old hand at cooking for a crowd, so it's sort of easy for me. I do also understand how it can be intimidating. With the right planning, and the right dishes, it's really not that hard. And, with the holidays coming up, I know some of you are nervous about cooking for a crowd. Let me help!

First, pick three dishes that you like to cook, are good, and easy to multiply. I simply multiplied one of my favorite meals by four so I could serve sixteen:

* Barbecued Tri-Tip with Horseradish Sour Cream
* Shallot-Sage Smashed Potatoes
* Caesar's Goat Salad

Have your friends help by bringing the more annoying dishes to make: appetizers and dessert. My good friends Rachel and Andy brought a creation called "Beef Wellington Bites", which I'm hoping they'll share here soon. And, Jen saved the day with decadent "Heart Pounder" chocolate cupcakes. I'll ask her to post that recipe, as it's the perfect end to a big meal.

I'll post the steak and potato recipes soon (Caesar's Goat is way down below), but I just wanted to make a quick note on how you can make a big dinner party or holiday gathering special and fancy without tearing your hair out.

* Use candles or twinkle lights. It's easy, cheap, flattering, and doesn't highlight your lack of dusting/vacuuming.

* Forgo the china and bring out the nice paper plates. There's no reason you should have to cook and do dishes. And, you know how your friends/family members get up at the end of the meal and say they'll take care of the dishes because you cooked? It's nice of them to say that, but they don't want to scrub plates any more than you do, especially after gorging themselves on fine food.

* Add yummy touches to the table like a small plate of specialty bleu cheese to crumble onto the steak, or a bowl of sauteed onions, bacon and mushrooms as a topper.

* I cannot stress the importance of place cards enough: it keeps mouthy/argumentative/always think they're right/funny/cute people away from each other, and splits up any hen parties or dude fests. I also like to split up the couples, because it gets people to have more interesting conversations.

More recipes to follow! I still need to vacuum up the wayward confetti!

Weeknight Cocktail Hour

Hi all,
It's me again! I'm racing out the door this morning with a short shopping list in hand for tonight's festivities. I've got a few friends coming over to see my new house (yes this is why you haven't heard from me lately...). They're coming right after work so I'm going to be very strategic in what I provide for appetizers, so I don't have to scurry as I get home! Here are a few options that you could provide in a similar situation:

Easiest

Fruit and Cheese Tray:

• Blocks of fancy cheeses
• Multiple cheese knives and a fancy serving dish or butcher block
• Crackers and bread
• Fruit and nuts (grapes, almonds, etc.)

Pretty Easy

Dips and Dunkers

• There are so many dip recipies that take two seconds to make, or pick one up in the deli section. Put the dip in a fancy dish and make your guests feel special.
• Dunk carrots, celery and other creative veggies.
• Dunk sliced bread or crackers (or chips if you want to be naughty)
• Warm dips are even fancier and often you can prepare ahead and reheat when guests arrive

Not Easy

I don't recommend the following if you have to work during the day

• Homemade hot wings or any other meaty appetizers
• Stuffed mushrooms (fabulous but labor intensive and they don't hold up well if you do them the day before)
• Anything else from scratch. Hey the guests don't need to know. Just make it APPEAR that you spent tons of time on things, don't actually do it.... :)

Just remember that they are there to see you, visit with each other, and relax. The food is just a perk. Make the presentation special and the food simple--- they'll love it.

Autumn Onion Soup

You may know it as French Onion Soup, but I really don't see what's French about it. It's been recorded as a meal since Roman times, though France's King Louis was the one who made it famous. And, the grande dame of French cooking, Julia Child, ate it shortly before she passed away. Sorry to be a Debbie Downer, let's get on with my version, which I'll call Autumn Onion Soup:

This is a dish you can get going in about 15 minutes, then leave on the stove for another hour and go do something else, so forget everything you've heard about it being time-consuming.

Chop one yellow onion, one red onion and two shallots. Throw them into a large pot with two tablespoons of unsalted butter and cook on high for ten minutes, stirring frequently.

When the onions are brownish, and the edges are even darker, turn the heat to medium and add another tablespoon of unsalted butter and stir to melt.

As soon as the butter melts, add two tablespoons of flour. Stir rapidly, making sure flour is completely absorbed and that the mixture doesn't rest on the bottom of the pot for too long.

Stir in 1/2 cup milk. The mixture should be kind of gummy now. Slowly stir in 1 cup of beef broth and mix until totally blended. Add another cup of beef broth. And, one more. Mix well and turn the heat back up to high. Once it's boiling, cover it and turn the heat to low. Let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. About midway through, I like to chop another two shallots and toss them in. A little parsley never hurts, either. Think about layers of flavor, and aromatics.

Now, a word about the garnish. The usual thing is to put a giant crouton (i.e. big piece of toasted bread) on top, cover it with gruyere, and melt it in the oven. This results in a decadent and gooey presentation, but is just a major impediment when you try to eat it. My solution? Regular (home-made of course) croutons, topped with shaved bits of whatever melty cheese you desire. Put the bowls on a cookie sheet, slide it under the broiler for a minute, and slurp.

We had this last night with some awesome bruschetta topped with tomatoes, garlic, basil, balsamic and gorgonzola.