fall entertaining - did someone say cheese?

My aunt and uncle came to Nashville this week and we caught up over cocktail hour and dinner. Here are some tasty cheese selections for your fall cheese board.

From the top left corner, going clockwise...Murray's Aged English Cheddar, Saint Angel Triple Creme, Cambozila Black Label (blue), Mango Ginger Stilton, and Prima Donna Maturo (gouda). We also had dried apricots, globe grapes, honey roasted almonds, sour cornichons and two great cheese toppers (both from the South!) Emily G's Cabernet Sauvignon jam and Nashville Jam Co.'s peach habanero jelly.

Happy Friday all!

i like my peaches spicy

Spicy Peach Chutney (adapted from Whole Foods)

2 Anaheim chiles or other mild chiles, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, or another 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 ½ pounds ripe apricots or peaches, diced (I peeled the peaches first)
1/3 cup raisins
3 cinnamon sticks
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon crush red pepper flakes (optional)

Combine chiles and vinegars in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Set aside. Combine apricots, raisins, cinnamon sticks, salt and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until fruit is softened and a thick sauce forms, about 15 minutes. Uncover and stir in vinegar mixture and cloves. Cook, stirring, until hot throughout, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Discard cinnamon sticks. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week. We had our chutney over balsamic tofu, spinach & barley.

you are special today

Growing up, when it was your birthday or something special happened like you got an award  in school you were given the red plate at dinner. This Clark family tradition is one of my favorite, and it's something that lives on in the Clarbaugh household. 

Vance is very special today (well, it was yesterday, but I think he is special everyday) – 34 years of being special. To celebrate I made a sage spiced pumpkin hummus and a fall dinner including Ina's slow roasted beef.

Sage Spiced Pumpkin Hummus

1/2 can packed pumpkin

1 can chick peas

1/4 cup water

2 tables chopped fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 cloves minced garlic

Juice of one lemon

1/4 cup tahini

2/3 tables EVOO

Mix all ingredients (except the olive oil) in food processor until incorporated. Drizzle in the olive oil until desired consistency – nice and smooth. Serve with pita chips, crudités, apple slices or whatever other vehicle you use to get hummus to your mouth.

Along with the hummus, Vance tried a sampling of pumpkin beers (not all of them - but a couple!)

Sam Adam Harvest Pumpkin Ale was my personal fav.

Speaking of beer, Courtney, Jill and I were enjoying a fall pint at the Taproom this week, and it was mentioned how brussel sprouts are one of those foods you grow to enjoy as you become an adult. For me, other foods in this category include meatloaf, cauliflower and fish (outside of fried flounder).

Vance (who perhaps has always had a little adult streak in him) has loved brussels since he was a wee Albaugh. Along with tenderloin and mashed potatoes, I made shredded brussel sprouts with pancetta for his birthday dinner.

1.5 pounds brussel sprouts

4 ounces pancetta, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon butter

S&P to taste

Cut off the hard end and peel away top layer of sprouts. Rinse and dry well. Pulse the brussel sprouts in the food processor until they are all shredded. You might have to do this in two batches. In a large sauté pan, lightly brown the pancetta - remove to a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pancetta fat and then add the garlic. Saute until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the shredded brussel sprouts to the pan and mix well. After about 5 minutes, add the balsamic vinegar - cook for another 10 minutes until brussel sprouts are tender (add the pancetta back in during the last few minutes). Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Lastly, we enjoyed two great desserts (little much? agreed.) One, I will post on later this week, but the other was a delicious apple pie from The Loving Pie Co. in Berry Hill. Nothing says fall like apple pie!

falling for apps

Vance's birthday weekend! So much cooking, eating, drinking and having fun! More recipes to come, but a few fall appetizers for entertaining.

Hello Brie, I love you.

small brie (8 ounces)

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2-3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons milk

In a small sauce pan, add butter, sugar and milk. Stir until dissolved. Warm brie on serving plate in the microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes (feeling how warm it gets after a minute). When brie is warm, pour on brown sugar sauce and top with nuts and dried cranberries. Serve with crackers - and love every second.

Spicy Pumpkin Harvest Hummus (clearly, the healthier option)

1 can chick peas, rinsed

1/2 packed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

juice of half a lemon

3 tablespoons tahini

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 tablespoons water

2 garlic cloves, minced

little less than 1/4 cup EVOO

In food processor, pulse together, chick peas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic and water. When pureed, add pumpkin, Cayenne, cumin, salt and drizzle about half the EVOO on top. Pulse more - this mixture can be a bit thick so you might have to stop and scrape the sides. Add more EVOO and blend until consistency of your liking. Once in serving bowl, top with a little shake of pepper. Serve with crudites and warm pita slices. 

In true birthday fashion, we tried out a new cocktail. 

The Jack Rose is one of the six basic cocktails (martini, manhattan, old-fashioned, side car, daiquiri & jack rose) according to the 1940's primer The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David A. Embury. In a shaker combine 1 1/2 ounces applejack, 1/2 ounce grenadine, and the juice of 1/2 lime. Shake fast and furiously with much cracked ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with a lime. I added a bit more applejack to cut the sweetness of the grenadine. These cocktails are quite good - on the sweeter side, but tasty.

some of this and some of that

Last weekend, Vance and I celebrated our two year anniversary! We had a great dinner Saturday night at Sardinia and went to the driving range on Sunday (a little bit of something for everyone). Vance made us some delicious Planter's Punch. He made the drinks and I did the cookin'.

Wild Mushroom Ragoût on Crispy Polenta with Gruyere Cheese via Bon Appetite

Polenta

2 cups whole milk

2 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)

1/2 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyere cheese

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

Mushroom Ragout

3 tablespoons butter, divided

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 1/2 pounds assorted wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini, and stemmed shiitake), thickly sliced

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided

Generously butter 13x9x1- inch baking sheet. Bring milk, broth, and bay leaf to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat; cover and let steep 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Discard bay leaf. Bring liquid to boil. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Stir in cheese and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer polenta to prepared 13x9x1-inch baking sheet. Using wet hands, press polenta evenly over sheet to edges. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours. Cut polenta into 20 squares. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add all mushrooms and sauté until tender and browned, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and balsamic vinegar; sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Season lightly to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm mushrooms in large skillet over medium-high heat until heated through. Add broth and simmer 1 minute. Stir in heavy cream and half of parsley. Season mushroom ragout to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add polenta squares to skillet and cook until browned, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven while cooking remaining polenta squares. Arrange 2 polenta squares on each plate. Top each with warm mushroom ragout; sprinkle with grated Gruyere cheese and remaining parsley and serve. This dish was a touch labor intensive for an appetizer, but would be great paired with salad for dinner.

Eggplant with Roasted Bell Pepper, Quinoa & Goat Cheese
3 tablespoons oil, divided
½ onion, diced
1 large eggplant, quartered lengthwise and then chopped ½-1 inch thick
3 cloves garlic, diced, divided
1 small jalapeno, diced (seeds removed)
1 splash balsamic vinegar
½ cup sliced roasted red peppers
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
In a pot heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add quinoa and garlic. Cook stirring occasionally for a few minutes. Add broth, turn heat to high until it comes to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. In a pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for a few minutes then add eggplant. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic, balsamic vinegar, roasted pepper, and the jalapeno. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from heat. Serve over quinoa with goat cheese.

italian-o cocktail party

Tomato, cucumber & basil salad, white bean hummus (with toasted baguette), roasted almonds, marinated cherry peppers/artichokes/mushrooms/cippolini onions, spicy capocollo, prosciutto, olives and an Bellavitano Merlot cheese.

It was the most beautiful weekend in Nashville! Blue skies, sun and a nice breeze - the perfect outdoor cocktail hour weather! I have lovely neighbors who joined me last night on the deck for an Italian happy hour.

12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
pinch of kosher salt and pinch of black pepper
pinch of sugar
1 medium cucumbers
half red onion, diced
12 to 15 small fresh basil leaves
Dressing - 1/4 cup EVOO 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
S&P to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2teaspoon dried oregano
 Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and hit them with a big pinch of salt, pepper and sugar. Cut the ends off the cucumbers and use a vegetable peeler to make long stripes in the skin. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then crosswise into inch slices. Add to the tomatoes. Peel the onion and dice about half. Dump the onions in with the tomatoes and cucumbers and give everything a good toss.
Clean and dry the basil leaves. Stack them on top of one another and roll lengthwise into a tight cigar. Cut crosswise into thin strips and stir into salad.
Throw together a batch of dressing. Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over tomatoes and cucumbers. Marinate the salad at room temperature for several hours. 

This salad is light and refreshing. We washed everything down with chilled Sauv Blanc (obviously). 

easter sunday

Easter egg placards

Happy Easter! As last year, we did our traditional Honey Baked Ham, potatoes Dauphinoise, deviled eggs, roasted asparagus, sauteed cherry tomatoes, apple sauce and rolls. We were very happy to have our great friends Liz and Brian join us for the holiday!

A new menu addition, Ina's Roasted Shrimp Cocktail for four:

1 pound extra-large shrimp

1 tablespoon good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chili sauce (recommended: Heinz)
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

2-3 dashes teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

2 dashes Tabasco

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool. For the sauce, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Serve as a dip with the shrimp.

Flowers from Import Flowers in Nashville

the hap-hap-happiest season of all

How does Christmas always go so fast? A week of eating, drinking, cooking and enjoying time with family - what a great holiday! I really need to get better at taking more photos - but here are a few that made it (and some recipes).

Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe - what is Christmas morning without Bloody Mary's?
4 cups tomato juice
juice of 1 large lemons
1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 heaping tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
vodka, to taste
lemon wedges, for serving
celery sticks, for serving and munching
Mix ingredients well and pour 1 part vodka and 3 parts Bloody Mary mix over ice in a shaker. Shake well. Pour into glasses. Squeeze a wedge of lemon over drink (do not subsequently stir or shake drink), discard used wedge. Garnish with a large stick of celery and a large lemon wedge.



The first night my parents were here, we had Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon with a zesty French salad. The vinaigrette was adapted from La Bonne Soupe in New York City.
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 shallot, finely minced
1/3 cup good white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup EVOO
S&P to taste

Christmas Eve hors d'oeuvre - Bosc pears wrapped in prosciutto ham with some balsamic Blaze (reduced balsamic vinegar) underneath. This recipe is from A Cozy Kitchen - 

great blog.

Traditional Christmas Eve cheese sampler (clockwise from the top), Black Creek sharp cheddar, Rogue Creamery Gorgonzola, Murray's Drunken Goat cheese. Served with grapes, berries and Harry & David Pepper Jelly. We also had Whole Foods smoked gouda and caramelized onion dip (so good).

The main event - 16 pounder, stuffed with Mary's Famous Stuffing.

Mary's Stuffing

loaf of white sandwich bread (I tend to use the store brand - most generic white bread possible), torn into small pieces and dried for about a day

1-2 yellow onions, diced

4 stalks celery, chopped

1-2 eggs, lightly beaten

2-3 tablespoons marjoram

2-3 tablespoons sage

2-3 tablespoons thyme

about 1/2 cup of fresh parsley finely chopped

S&P to taste

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Place stuffing inside turkey - you will have some leftover that can be baked in the oven in a covered dish (about 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees). Fresh herbs are the preference (but we actually used dried).

The Master Chefs
Only Mary and Bill could be photographed as Vance was at the hospital, Billy was inhaling the brie with current jam, and I was still in my pajamas (at 8:30 p.m.). Merry Christmas to all!

traumatic eating

As mentioned, Vance is on his trauma surgery rotation (for a lucky 6 weeks instead of the standard 5 - okay there. I have complained). In an effort to make up for A.) his lack of sleep and proper diet this month B.) my absence due to a great deal of travel and C.) my neurotic need to make sure he is well-fed, I cooked (a lot) this weekend. It was traumatic eating, and quite good.

Saturday night kicked off with cocktails and an copy-cat attempt of Trader Joe's Spicy Black Bean dip. Black bean dip doesn't photograph well, but here is the run down.

1 15 oz can black beans, drained, rinsed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons water

3 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic

1 small jalapeno, roughly chopped (from our garden!)

S&P to taste

3-4 dashes of Chipotle Tabasco 

Enjoy with tortillas, pita chips or crudite. So tasty!

For dinner...Salmon Pesto Pasta

Bow tie pasta, pesto mixed with some heavy cream, roasted cherry tomatoes and small fillet of salmon, roasted and flaked. Toss with S&P and enjoy!

Sunday brunch at home...12 South Benny.

Whole grain English muffins, toasted with sauteed yellow and red bell peppers with green onions. Top with fried egg over easy and hollandaise (via blender). A bit of parsley and done. 

I don't want this post to make anyone think I take Hollandaise sauce lightly. Assembling any eggs Benedict can be stressful, but I must be slightly improving because I only snapped at Vance once while preparing brunch this morning. 

Lastly, comforting Sunday dinner, Jamaican Pumpkin Soup and grilled cheese, brie and honey panini.

This soup is adapted from Breads 'n Cheese of Hershey's famous recipe. Nothing beats consuming a bowl of this spicy soup, while I sit in Breads 'n Cheese and get caught up on life in Hershey. This soup reminds me of home, and of course when I made it, it didn't taste the same as it does at 

B'n C. I tried to tweak it a bit!

2 cans packed pumpkin

1 and a half boxes of vegetable or chicken stock

1 bunch of green onions, diced

4 yams, peeled, quartered and boiled

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ginger

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon thyme

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (depending on how much spice you like)

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Generous S&P (according to your taste)

Combine all and simmer for about an hour or more. Test a few times to ensure it's seasoned as you like.

Our paninis were on rosemary and olive oil bread with a triple cream (brie-like) cheese, thinly sliced pear and a drizzle of honey. Butter outside of bread, assemble sandwich and grill in a pan until golden. Oh jeez is this good. Happy eating all - how is the weekend over? All we did is eat.

how do you do happy hour?

This past Saturday (after Vance had been at the hospital for roughly 30 hours - yes 30) we had a relaxing happy hour before dinner. 

Warmed brie with crackers, Organic Adiratic Fig Spread, Kalamata olives and a sauv blanc and a Blue Moon - hello happy hour. And the coasters on the wine are my first solo sewing project! Pattern, via Chez Beeper Bebe, these fabric coasters were (relatively) easy to make and only take a small amount of fabric.

pinto and rosemary dip

Pinto & Rosemary Dip

1-15 ounce can of Pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1-15 ounce can of white beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons EVOO

2-3 cloves garlic

3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons water

juice of half a lemon

zest of quarter of a lemon

S&P to taste

Place beans, water, lemon juice and salt in food processor. Pulse until almost smooth (may have some whole beans still). Add garlic, cumin, rosemary and EVOO, process until desired consistency is reached. Mix in pepper and more salt if needed. Top with zest and a sprig of rosemary. This hummus-dip is great with vegetables, pita or crackers or even in a wrap. It is super quick and healthy - enjoy!

white bean, black bean

I have been trying to incorporate more beans into our diet as they are a superfood and less expensive than meat. For lunch this week, Vance and I are having vegetable sandwiches on whole grain bread with a black bean hummus. This creamy bean dip is delicious on pita or as part of a meal.

Another great bean recipe was a white bean and summer vegetable curry. This recipe is a bit of East meets West as I combined Indian flavors like garam masala, cumin and cayenne with beans and avocado. Typically, I think of a rich curry in the fall or winter, but white beans and zucchini definitely lighten up this dish. 

White bean curry served over Jasmine rice with plain yogurt and avocado slices.

This recipe is adapted from Eat, Live, Run's Channa Masala. Enjoy!

2 carrots peeled and cubed

1 large zucchini cubed

15 ounce white beans, drained and rinsed

1 Garlic Cloves, smashed and chopped

1/2 Onion, chopped

1/2 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 Inch Knob Fresh Ginger, peeled and chopped

1 15 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1/4 Lemon

1/2 Tablespoon Ground Coriander

1.2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric

2 Tablespoon Butter

1 Tablespoon EVOO

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the butter and add oil. Once melted, add the onions, carrot and zucchini, and cook for about 15 minutes on medium low heat. Once the vegetables are soft, add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno and stir well. Cook for about two minutes. Add the tomato paste and pince (see below). Add the coriander, cumin, cayenne and tumeric and stir well. Then add the diced tomatoes, white beans and garam masala. Cook for about five minutes or until the beans have heated through. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and top with plain yogurt. I sliced some avocado and assemble around the edge of the dish - mainly because we love avocado and I wanted something green.

To pince is essentially to brown the ingredients. For this recipe, after you add the paste, stir it well into the other ingredients. Next you’ll want to flatten the ingredients into one layer on the bottom of the pan. Turn up the heat and allow the sugars to cook down for a few minutes and create a really nice brown crust on the bottom of your pan. It may look like it’s burnt but it’s not.