My Entertaining Season Begins

[Jake]

Beautiful, Marlene.

Re the disinigration - oil temp? different mix of ingredients,ie too dry?

[Marlene]

I'm pretty sure it was oil temp. I didn't use a thermometer this time and I don't think the oil was hot enough. I tried again today for snacks for hubby and I and used a thermometer and it worked fine.

[Teri319]

Also, we're reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.  If anyone has any theme oriented ideas for the menu, please suggest away!

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bavila, I went to an Oscar party last month, and they served 'In Cold Bloody Marys'

Marlene, I haven't been brave enough to post too much around here, but I have to say......WOW, all your food looks amazing! Oh, and......ummm, can you pass me a margarita?????

[bavila]

Also, we're reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.  If anyone has any theme oriented ideas for the menu, please suggest away!

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bavila, I went to an Oscar party last month, and they served 'In Cold Bloody Marys'

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Doh! Of course! Thanks Teri319! And perfect for brunch. I just always have champagne on the brain.

[Marlene]

Every year for the past 10 years, I have chaired the Staff Appreciation Day at my son's school. Fortunately, he is graduating from Grade 8 this year, so perhaps I can take next year off. (no he's not a slow learner. The school has a daycare attached to it that he attended for the first two years I was on Council ) Parents bring tons of food, some of it good some of of it outstanding. We provide morning coffee and treats, break treats and lunch. We also take care of their playground supervision duties that day. I made clafoutis, quiche in phyllo and beef tenderloin canapes.

The theme this year was country and western. We set the tables, and this year we bought enough catcus' (cacti?) for each staff person to take one home with them. My son set the tables, can you tell? Note the elegant placement of the knife and fork

Notable foods included,

Red pepper-pinapple cheeseball:

Salmon:

Perogies:

A huge meat and cheese platter

Samosas (at least I think that's what these are!)

We had a couple of crockpots of meatballs going as well as a few other sandwhich trays and fruit trays.

Desserts are something we are never in short supply of so a small random sampling of desserts include:

Baklava

Chocolate chip marble brownies:

And this show-stopping fruit arrangement:

Of all the events I participate in at the school, I think this is my favourite one.

[rjwong]

The theme this year was country and western.  We set the tables, and this year we bought enough catcus' (cacti?) for each staff person to take one home with them.  My son set the tables, can you tell?  Note the elegant placement of the knife and fork

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Yes, mother dear ... (You hang in there, young man!)

And this show-stopping fruit arrangement:

Of all the events I participate in at the school, I think this is my favourite one.

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That is a great fruit arrangement. Who made it? Do they also do floral arrangements made of vegetables?

[Marlene]

Edible Arrangments has a store here in Oakville. It looks like they do fruit and chocolate arrangments, no vegetables.

[Marlene]

Most of our entertaining this season will be done outside the home as we are getting ready for a basement renovation, plus we are travelling over Christmas and New Year's this year.

I do however, have a dinner party coming up this week. The mains will be Crown Roast of Pork with mustard glaze, apple fennel stuffing, (done outside the roast), glazed bourbon and balsamic carrots and potatoes of some sort. Not quite sure what yet.

Dessert will either be a fruit tart or a chocolate rolled souffle cake.

I could use a little help with the nibbles. I've got some wonton wrappers that I'd like to use. I have one recipe that calls for a 4 cheese stuffing, which sounds like fun. What else can I do with them?

[Anna N]

. . .

I could use a little help with the nibbles.  I've got some wonton wrappers that I'd like to use.  I have one recipe that calls for a 4 cheese stuffing, which sounds like fun.  What else can I do with them?

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Wonton wrappers = potstickers! But it depends - if this is a casual gathering of friends then an Asian nibble in with more traditional western elements can work wonderfully. If it's a formal do - then not so much.

The things that I like most about potstickers are:

can be made ahead, frozen and finished just prior to serving.

they really don't take that long to make once you get a rhythm going

they are unexpected and hence exciting

some colourful chop sticks add a really festive note to the appetizer spread

[Marlene]

Hmm. Never made pot stickers before. And apparently I'll have to revise my plans for a crown roast of pork since my butcher tells me it would be 22 ribs. A little big for a party of 6! Maybe a rack of pork instead.

[Anna N]

Hmm.  Never made pot stickers before.  And apparently I'll have to revise my plans for a crown roast of pork since my butcher tells me it would be 22 ribs.  A little big for a party of 6!  Maybe a rack of pork instead.

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I think that is a DOUBLE crown roast of pork! I think the usual is 12 ribs not 22 but let's wait for someone with more knowledge to pipe in.

[Marlene]

Most crown roasts I've seen/cooked have been around 15-16 ribs. That's still a bit much for a small dinner party, but leftovers are marvelous. Maybe because I'm specifying berkshire pork, there's a difference in the size of the racks? I have no clue.

I can do a lovely rack of pork, still do the stuffing on the side, with glazed carrots and duchess potatoes I think.

[Anna N]

Most crown roasts I've seen/cooked have been around 15-16 ribs.  That's still a bit much for a small dinner party, but leftovers are marvelous.  Maybe because I'm specifying berkshire pork, there's a difference in the size of the racks?  I have no clue.

I can do a lovely rack of pork, still do the stuffing on the side, with glazed carrots and duchess potatoes I think.

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I am sure a rack of pork will be fabulous but the question did get me very interested and according to the University of Guelph the number of pairs of ribs in pigs does differ! Who knew!

[christine007]

Marlene, I have a mixture that I use to stuff mushrooms which you could use in potstickers, or little pastries.

I'ts so easy, it's one pound of mild sausage, cooked, fat drained off, add some chopped onion ( as much as you prefer) and stir in one eight ounce pack of cream cheese.

This are the first thing to dissapear no matter who many times I make them!

ETA- The mixture is actually thick enough that you could put it out with a spreading knife, and some crackers, toast, etc, if you don't want to bother with the pastry.

Edited November 5, 2007 by christine007 (log)

[Marlene]

I am sure a rack of pork will be fabulous but the question did get me very interested and according to the University of Guelph the number of pairs of ribs in pigs does differ!  Who knew!

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Who knew indeed? Thanks for doing the research, Anna!

Marlene, I have a mixture that I use to stuff mushrooms which you could use in potstickers, or little pastries.

I'ts so easy, it's one pound of mild sausage, cooked, fat drained off, add some chopped onion ( as much as you prefer) and stir in one eight ounce pack of cream cheese.

This are the first thing to dissapear no matter who many times I make them!

ETA- The mixture is actually thick enough that you could put it out with a spreading knife, and some crackers, toast, etc, if you don't want to bother with the pastry.

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Now that sounds seriously good.

[Marlene]

The dinner party is over, and I need sleep. Pre dinner prep details are posted elsewhere, but here are the final results

We began with a couple of nibbles.

Hoisin beef in wonton cups

And cheeses with jalepenos and scallions in wonton wrappers

The rack of pork before it went in the oven.

I have no picture of it right after it came out, but here it is cut

Flatbreads from this issue of Fine Cooking

Balsamic glazed carrots

Duchess potatoes

Apple fennel stuffing/dressing from this issue of Fine Cooking

Plated. Not shown are a Bourbon cider sauce and a traditional gravy

Individual fruit tarts.

Specialty coffee

[prasantrin]

I'm eating at Marlene's house!

The cheese, jalapeno, and scallion filled wonton wrappers are my favourite of your meal. When I have leftover spring roll wrappers, I like to fill them with cheese and fry them. The bits of cheese that melt out and get all crispy are the best, and I can see them in your picture!

I love those slices of pork with fork marks in them, too. It looks like someone tried to put them on his plate and you yelled, "Hey! Put those back! I haven't taken a picture, yet!"

[Marlene]

I love those slices of pork with fork marks in them, too.  It looks like someone tried to put them on his plate and you yelled, "Hey!  Put those back!  I haven't taken a picture, yet!"

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That would be more or less what happened, since he started carving it before I could get a shot of it. Then he was going to start serving it, and I said "hey"!