COCKTAIL
Baileys Caramel Appletini Recipe
Courtesy of Delish.com
Ingredients (one drink)
1 ounce Baileys Caramel Irish Cream
1 ounce Smirnoff Green Apple Flavored Vodka (or Stoli Apple Vodka)
1 slice green apple
1 teaspoon caramel
Directions
- Add Baileys and Apple Flavored Vodka
- Shake with ice and strain into a pre-chilled martini glass
- Garnish with an apple slice and caramel
Suggestions
Try pre-mixing 8 servings of the Baileys and Vodka in a pitcher before guests arrive and then shake before serving
Consider serving with dessert in a cordial glass instead of during cocktails and appetizers.
Appetizers
Fresh Fig, Carmelized Onion and Goat Cheese Gourmet Pizza
Taken from http://www.food.com/recipe/fresh-fig-caramelized-onion-and-goat-cheese-gourmet-pizza-187474
Ingredients
1 lb prepared pizza dough (I used packaged naan to make this even easier)
1 tbs. olive oil
1 small sweet onion, sliced
4-6 fresh figs, cut in half (dried figs are fine if you cannot find fresh)
5 oz goat cheese
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (optional)
olive oil
Directions
- In a pan, sauté onions in oil until a caramel color (about 15 minutes), set aside to cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Roll out dough on a floured surface (I would use the nan at this point).
- Spread thin coat of olive oil on dough/nan.
- Arrange goat cheese, figs cut side up, cooled onions around on crust.
- Top with mozzarella cheese (if using) and sprinkle with rosemary.
- Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes.
Suggestions
After testing both pizza with and without mozzarella the consensus was that the one without the mozzarella was better (that’s saying a lot because I love cheese)!
Shrimp Salad on Endive Appetizers
Taken from http://www.inspiredtaste.net/2674/shrimp-salad-on-endive-appetizers/
Roasted Shrimp with Lime
Ingredients
1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tbs. lime juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper then bake in the oven for 4-6 minutes (depending on size of shrimp) or until light pink and the edges slightly curled.
Remove shrimp from oven and immediately toss with lime juice, set aside to cool
Shrimp Salad Dressing
Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp. lime zest
1 tbs. lime juice
1 tbs. chopped tarragon leaves
2 tsp. chopped mint leaves
3 tbs. chopped parsley
Pinch salt
3 endive
Directions
- In blender, combine all ingredients and blend.
- Chop the roasted shrimp into small pieces then toss with the dressing.
- Slice the end of each endive and separate the leaves.
- Fill each leaf with a spoonful of shrimp salad and present on a serving platter.
First Course
Cauliflower Soup with Pecorino Romano
Ingredients
4 ounces bacon (about 5 slices), chopped
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, chopped
12 cups 1-inch pieces cauliflower (cut from 2 large heads)
6 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1 two inch cube Pecorino Romano cheese plus additional cheese shavings for serving
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
- Sauté bacon in heavy large saucepan (a pasta pot or a Le Crueset style dutch oven works well) over medium heat until golden brown and some fat renders.
- Add onion, celery, and garlic.
- Cover and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
- Add cauliflower pieces, 5 -1/2 cups broth, and cheese cube. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Puree soup in batches in processor or blender until smooth (it won’t be perfectly smooth, that is ok)
- Return to same pan.
- Add cream, stir to blend it in and bring soup to simmer.
- Thin with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if desired.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with pecorino cheese shavings.
Notes:
This recipe makes more than enough for 8 – it is a rich soup so a little goes a long way.
Can be made one day ahead, just reheat and sprinkle with cheese (and some chives if you want some color!) before serving.
Main Course
Roast Loin of Pork with Baked Apples and Cider Gravy
Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence
Ingredients (serves 8)
PORK & CIDER GRAVY
4 lbs boneless pork tenderloin
Small bunch sage, leaves chopped
Small bunch thyme, leaves chopped
1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1(12 oz) bottle hard cider
1 cup chicken broth
1 lemon, juiced optional
APPLES (may have some leftovers depending on the size of the cavities of apples)
8 Gala or Golden Delicious apples
2 lemon, juiced
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 large corn muffins crumbled, keep handful on reserve for sprinkling on apples at the end
1 cup golden raisins
12 sage leaves, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dark brown sugar
Dash Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups hard cider
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
PORK
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F
- Place the pork in a roasting pan.
- Add sage and thyme to olive oil. Brush the pork roasts with the oil mixture and season with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Roast the pork loin for 90 minutes, until the skin is crackled.(start keeping an eye on it after 75 minutes)
- TIP: Plan to put the apples in the oven along with the pork roast in the 40-45 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the pork roast to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. (it will continue to cook during this time)
CIDER GRAVY
- Pour out some of the excess fat from the roasting pan and put it on the stove over medium high heat.
- Sprinkle the flour into the hot pan juices, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk to prevent lumps.
- Cook and stir the roux until its light brown.
- Add the cider and continue to stir to incorporate.
- Pour in the chicken broth.; boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick.
- Check for seasoning- add lemon juice if necessary. (have corn starch handy if you need to thicken sauce, but if you can be patient, it will thicken on its own eventually)
BUTTERED APPLES
- Core the apples with an apple corer, making a “good size” cavity to hold the stuffing. (obviously, the bigger it is the more stuffing you will be able to fit)
- Douse the cut sides of the apples with some of the lemon juice to prevent them from browning while you make the stuffing. (this will make a nicer presentation when guests cut into them later)
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, muffin crumbs, raisins, sage, garlic, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
- Spoon the stuffing mix into the cavities of the cored apples.
- In a baking dish; stand them up, side by side and sprinkle the tops with the reserved muffin crumbs.
- Pour the cider around the apples and bake for 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees F until soft when pierced with a knife.
- Place the warm apples in the center of a round serving dish.
- Spoon the cider sauce around the apples and serve with the pork loin.
Suggestions
Both the Pork and the Apples can be prepped in advance of cooking. We lathered the pork with the oil and seasonings and let marinate for 4-6 hours covered in the refrigerator. We also stuffed the apples and left covered for hours before cooking.
Serve the Cider Gravy separate from the meat in a gravy boat.
Apples; Taste for seasonings- use minimal Kosher salt initially in the apple mixture and then add more if you deem necessary.
The apples are delicious but very rich, so some guests may only want/need a half.
Accompaniments
Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Courtesy of Epciurious.com
Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 11/2-inch-thick rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup fresh thyme leaves, plus 6 thyme sprigs for garnish
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and toss.
- Arrange potato slices in single layer on heavyweight rimmed baking sheet or in 13x9-inch baking dish.
- Place on top rack of oven and roast until tender and slightly browned, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with thyme sprigs.
Note: The red pepper flakes make this a slightly spicy dish, increase or decrease the heat to your taste.
Roasted String Beans With Shallots
Courtesy of Epciurious.com
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds string beans
2 large shallots cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Toss the beans and shallots with the oil and salt on a baking sheet.
- Roast, stirring twice during roasting, until the shallots have caramelized and the beans are beginning to brown and wilt, about 25 minutes.
- Sprinkle with pepper and serve hot.
Dessert
Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake
One of Gourmet magazine's most requested recipes! Please note that this cake requires 10 1/2 hours to make (mostly chilling)
Active Time: 45 min
Start to Finish: 10 1/2 hr (includes chilling)
Ingredients
For Crust
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (from five 4 3/4-by 2 1/4-inch crackers)
1/2 cup pecans (1 3/4 ounces), finely chopped
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For Filling
1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
For Topping
2 cups sour cream (20 oz)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)
Garnish
Pecan halves
Directions
Step 1 - Make crust:
- Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create a flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan.
- Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan, then chill crust 1 hour.
Step 2 - Make filling and bake cheesecake:
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined.
- Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
- Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case springform leaks). Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
Step 3 - Make Topping:
- Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl, then spread on top of cheesecake and bake 5 minutes.
- Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours.
- Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving.
Note: Baked cheesecake can be chilled, covered, up to 2 days.
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