Looking ahead to JANUARY

This year, for the second annual Elvis bday dinner, we're not going to make just ELVIS-inspired food, but Elvis FAN-inspired food! Think Wonderbread, think weiner wraps, think marchmallow FLUFF! I found a perfect page-full of inspiration on epicurious.com. Get your ideas now!

The date for this dinner is likely Jan 14, altho we may go with the day before Elvis' bday, Jan 7!

November 26, 2006

who was there: what they brought
tricia: vietnamese cucumber & shrimp noodles
jay/kelly: candy sushi 1
julie: cold sesame noodles
kim: potstickers & mini japanese yogurt drinks
dana: eggrolls w/duck sauce
michael: chicken wonton soup
rick/dan: amazing chicken
stamatis: chinese crack-ers & mochi
amy: homestyle tofu & candy sushi 2


prizes! prizes! prizes!
quiz winner = tricia = raise-the-roof buddha
quiz consolation = kim = japantown mall jar openers
best presentation = jay & kelly = mini sake set


this month's favorite recipe: from julie!

Cold Sesame Noodles
5 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger (about 1-2 inches)
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup hot water 1 tablespoon salt
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles or 1 pound dried spaghetti
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

Toast the sesame seeds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. In a blender or food processor, puree 4 tablespoons sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, Tabasco, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the machine running, add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce has the consistency of heavy cream. Cook the noodles in 6 quarts salted boiling water. Drain, then rinse with cold water until cool. Toss the noodles with the sauce and vegetables in a large bowl; top with the reserved sesame seeds.

Recipe: America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated

October 29, 2006

Theme: El Diablo

Who was there & what they brought:
Daniele: Chips & Salsa in Monster Heads
Matt: Boolicious Shepard's Pie
Julie: Creepy Crawly Spider Snacks
Diane/Ed: Great Pumpkin Dip
Shawn/Kaley: Pentagram Pizza
Zach: Deviled Eggs
Jason/Amy: Vampire Hearts (apple tarts)
Dana: Spicy Chicken Guts Dip
Jay/Kelly: Technicolor Devil Heads (skull cakes)
Dan/Cherie: Spicy Hot Devil's Wings
Amy: Beer Chocolate Chicken 666 Chili & Mozerella Eyeballs
Stamatis: Cake of Lost Souls

PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES!

666 Plate Prize went to Jason
Best Costume went to Jason & Amy
Shout at the Devil Quiz winner was Kelly
Shout at the Devil Quiz consolation prize went to Kaley
Best Presentation Prizes went to Matt & Jay/Kelly
and Best Recipe went to Ms Dana for Spicy Chicken Guts Dip

...and, by popular demand, the recipe is...

______________________

Buffalo Chicken Dip

8oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Blue Cheese Dressing
1 Cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
2 pounds of cooked chicken (OR - buy a prepared roasted chicken from Giant Eagle)
1 Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

In a 9x9 baking dish, spread cream cheese.
Next, spread the blue cheese dressing over top.
In a bowl, mix shredded chicken and Red Hot (use more or less depending on desired spiciness). Spread the chicken mixture over the dressing. Sprinkle cheese on top.

Cover with foil.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Serve with crackers, chips or celery.
________________________


Thanks Dana!

inspiration for october
here are a few ideas for the devil-theme dinner...

literal:

Cajun Deviled Eggs
No Yolk Deviled Eggs
Devil's Black Bean Salsa
Red Pepper Deviled Eggs
Devil's Food Cupcakes
Joe's Red Devil Chicken
Deviled Potato Salad


figurative:

Ladies' Fingers
Scary Pear Heads


hot, spicy and/or red:

Spicy Tomato Soup
Spicy Enchiladas in Pumpkin Sauce

September 17. 2006
Theme: Badda-bing & Bocce (everything Italian)

Who was there: what he/she brought

Stamatis: "leave the gun, take the cannoli"
Amy: polenta, failed gnocchi, prosciutto, cheeses, italian sodas
Julie: Giada deLuarentis' stuffed mushroom caps
Jay & Kelly: Aliquippian meatballs
Michael: antipasti on fancy silver tray
Rick & Mike: the PIE, and pumpkin bars
Shawn & Kaylie: stuffed artichokes & spicy springy pasta

Here's who's making what for Sept...as far as I know...

Stamatis: Cannoli, meats & cheeses plates
Amy: Homemade gnocchi, italian sodas, chianti, maybe more meats & cheeses plates
Rick: Ricotta pie (this thing is fantabulous)
Julie: Giada DeLaurentis' stuffed mushroom caps OR something with pesto

Looking Ahead to October

Theme: El Diablo

Here are a few sites meant to get your spooky juices flowing.

Food Network Halloween
Food Network Dia de los Muertos very exciting!
Martha Halloween she loves Halloween
All Recipes Halloween not spooky at all, boo.

Of course we're hoping you'll bring your favorite and/or famous family favorites to this month's BaddaBing & Bocce dinner, but just in case you need some inspiration...

With so many celebrity chefs specializing in Italian foods, finding great recipes for this month's dinner is a snap!

Here are FIFTY-NINE recipes from Mario Batalli on FoodandWine.com. Here's an especially interesting-looking one with butternut squash, and I think I may try this one.

AllRecipes.com has an entire Italian section of their site. I challenge you to find some unexpected Northern Italian recipes there.

Then there's Giada DeLaurentis. I seriously did NOT like her, until I saw her bio on Food Network. She seems to be much more genuine than I'd previously thought, and she's got a bevy of Italian recipes to offer, from her grandma and other family in Italy.

I personally can't stand Michael Chiarello (sorry)...he's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me...BUT his recipes are great, and very Italian.

May 7, 2006
Siete de Mayo


Who was there: what did they bring?
Julie: chocolate chipotle brownies
Jason & Amy: vegetarian stuffed peppers & pina colada "cupcakes"
Michael: loco for cocoa brownies
Matt: bean & cheese tortillas
Jay & Kelly: sweet corn stuff & mexican cookie-o-rama
Ms Dana: corn cakes & strawberry crepes
Stamatis: tres leches cake, mexican street fruit w/ chili powder
Amy: pork & chicken tamales, texmex "caviar", mango salsa, mexican freezepops
Beverages: sangria soda & pina agua fresca


PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES
Best dish: Jason for veg stuffed peppers
El Andale Hombre Quiz Winner of the architect Muerto from Mexico Lindo: 3-way tie - Julie, Jason, & Kelly: Julie won the tie-breaking question AND picked the winner out of the tiny sombrero
Lotteria big prize winners of Elvis' "Fun in Acapulco" CDs: Jason & Matt
Lucha Libre sticker sets went to: Kelly, Jason, Michael, & Julie
Glow-in-the-dark Elvis Libre postcards went to: Dana, Matt, Julie, & Amy

Amy's Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
1 large extra-ripe mango
0.5 large vidalia onion
2 green onions
1.5 medium green jalapenos
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lemon
sugar
pepper
salt
Instructions:
1) peel, core, & chop mango
2) cut a large vidalia onion in half, peel and chop 1/2 of it with your quick-chop
3) chop 2 green onions, white & tender greens only, throw ends away
4) cut jalapenos in halves. pull out seeds and inside pulpy part. chop 1.5 jalapenos. be careful not to get too much jalapeno juice on your hands, and DON'T touch your eye after handling them.
5) peel & chop (or press) 3 cloves garlic
6) mix all in a bowl, add juice of 1 lemon
7) add about 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, + 1/2 teaspoon salt
8) transfer all to a chopper, blender, or food processor for a quick go-round, this is jsut to break up the mango and make it nice & saucy. if you chop your mango small enough, you won't have to do this part.
9) let it live with itself in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
10) remove from fridge an hour b4 serving to bring to room temperature
enjoy with chips and/or on chicken, tamales, or burritos

Coming Next: BBQ & Bocce in June

April 9, 2006

Theme: Greek Easter

Who was there? / What did they bring?

• Stamatis: Pastichio, Spanikopita, & Tiropita
• Amy: Veggies stuffed with rice, Casseri cheese, Kalamata olives, Ouzo, Amita sour cherry juice
• Daniele: Buffalo Chicken Dip (the inventors of Buffalo Chicken are Greek, yeah)
• Scotty B & Maria: Greek Salad
• Zach: Meditterean Dessert Extravaganza-in-a-Box (with powered pistachio for decorating)
• Julie: Baklava (honorary best presentation winner)
• Michael: Chicken Souvlaki interpretation with Tzatziki
• Rick: A different Baklava, & red wine for the Sprite (from last time)
• Kelly & Jay: Dolmades and stuffed olives

PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES

• Julie won a framed picture of the Caryatids at the Acropolis with her whopping score of 15 out of 18 on the It's all Greek to Me Trivia Quiz (TM)
• Michael won a jar of oregano from the foothills of Mt Olympus for his best recipe of tzatziki
• Jay won a Nescafe Frappe shaker (with a mermaid on the box) for his guess of 10,000 seats in the theater at Epidaurus (actual seat number is 16,200)

Coming NEXT: Siete de Mayo - May 7. Theme is...la comida del Mexico.

March 5, 2006
THEME: The Oscars in New Orleans

Who was there?/What did they bring?

• Stamatis: pecan pie with bourbon & chocolate
• Amy: homemade pecan bbq sauce on chicken
• Kim: mojito makin's
• Shawn & Kaylie: a picture says 1000 words + southern-style cream corn
• Matt & Lara: chili ala New Orleans
• Jay & Kelly: king cake (honorary award for best presentation)
  
  
• Michael: southern-style shrimp with broccoli
• Scott & Maria: crab dip & multitudinous dippers + wine
• Rick: vino

PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES!

Lara won Mardi Gras World framed pix with her Joaquin Phoenix plate.
Maria won Mardi Gras World coasters by picking George Clooney.
Kaylie won an opposite-of-Oscar-nominated DVD for being the only one to pick the "best animated short" winner.


Heard Around

• Crayfish carcasses make good finger puppets & day-long entertainment
• Giant-flowered tablecloths don't absorb tomato sauce too quickly
• Plastic coins don't make your fillings spark

NEXT MONTH: Greek Easter, April 9
ideas & more info in next post

Sunday January 8, 2006

Theme: Happy Birthday Elvis!

Who was there/What he or she brought:
Julie: Love Me Tender Guacamole with Blue Suede Corn Chips
Matt: You Ain't Nothin But A Hot Dog
Michael: It's Now or Never Banana Pudding
Stamatis: Fried Peanut Butter & Banana ala Indochine & Eat the King cookies
Amy: Cold Kentucky (Fried Chicken) Rain & Eat the King cookies

Prizes:
The Graceland Living Room mousepad went to Michael
The Framed Elvis Jump Suit went to Matt

TCM "Scene It" rankings:
1 - Stamatis
2 - Julie
3 - Amy
4 - Matt
5 - Michael

2006 Planner

Upcoming Sunday Night Supper Club Dates & Themes

January 8: Elvis Food & Drink
February 5: CANCELLED DUE TO STEELERS' SUPER BOWL
March 5: Oscars - California Cuisine OR Mardi Gras(TBD)
April 9: Greek Easter - Greek or non-sectarian spring-time fare
May 7: Siete de Mayo - Mexican

Sunday, November 27, 2005

theme: CORN

who was there: what he/she brought:

kim: pretzels, dips, & sodas (ie high-fructose corn syrup)

matt: crusty corn casserole

shawn & kaylie: pumpkin chipotle corn cakes & Jones Holiday Soda

julie: chocolate-dipped bugles (TM)

michael: corn pudding (light)

stamatis: indian corn pudding (dark)

amy: cornbread & sausage stuffing, corn crackers & chips with spreads & dips, corn/lemon cookies, and popcorn bar (unused)

Jones Holiday Soda Pack Taste-Test Results

flavor : number of "favorite" votes

herb stuffing : 4

brussels sprout : 1

turkey : 1

pumpkin : 1

all but cranberry : 1

Sunday, OCTOBER 30, 2005

theme: creepy, spooky, or eerie

who was there: what he/she brought:

• Michael: pumpkin soup
• Matt: batty cauldron of spinach dip w/ crackers & pita
• Julie: "waking grave" (dirt dessert)
• Shawn & Kaylie: 60's orange jell-o mold w/ raisins & cloves
• Aya: spooky-faced bean dip
• Nikolai: cupcakes, candy, & chips
• Stamatis: tombstone doused pumpkin cupcakes with browned-butter filling
• Amy: pumpkin lasagne, inari, mango salsa & chips, spicy popcorn, sangria, creepy cheeses & crackers

PHOTOS:

most requested recipe: PUMPKIN LASAGNE from FoodandWine.com [with some "customization"]

ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 pound baby spinach
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage (we didn't ahve any that day so left it out)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 cups canned pumpkin puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan
1/2 cup milk
9 no-boil lasagne noodles (about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter

directions:
1) In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to moderately high and add the spinach, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and no liquid remains in the pan, 5 to 10 minutes.
2) Heat the oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, mix together 2 cups of the pumpkin, 1 cup ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup cream, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
3) Pour the milk into an 8-by-12-inch baking dish. Top the milk with one third of the noodles, then spread half the pumpkin mixture over the noodles. Layer half the spinach over the pumpkin and top with a second layer of noodles. Repeat with another layer of pumpkin, spinach, and noodles. Combine the remaining 1 cup of pumpkin and 3/4 cup of cream. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the lasagne, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of Parmesan, and dot with the butter.
4) Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more. Like most lasagnes, this one is easier to cut if left to set for ten minutes or so before serving.