Happy Birthday, Round 3

The last family birthday of the month is my mom's.  Typically I am not actually able to be with my mom on her birthday (since I live in NY and she's in IL), but this year I was home!  So, what else could I do besides make her a birthday dinner?!  I let my mom pick everything she wanted for this dinner.  It was quite good!  And, my mother is a vegetarian, so all those veggie eaters out there can enjoy this one too! (actually, I think everything but the desert is vegan) Happy bithday mom!
Drink...

Peach Bellini Iced Tea
This is originally a drink my mom had at the Olive Garden.  I have never had it, so I just tried to imagine what it would taste like and make a replica.  My mom said it was not exactly the same as theirs, but she said it was very good!  It is a great, refreshing summer drink.  This is a non-alcoholic drink, but I wonder how it would be if you actually made it into a real bellini and added champagne?  I don't know, champagne and tea could be strange...or it could be good :)
Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of peach iced tea (or you can use regular unsweetened tea if you want it less sweet)
• 1 can of sliced peaches in heavy syrup
• Club soda

Directions:

1. Put some sliced peaches into the bottom of a glass, add ice if your ingredients aren't already cold.
2. Pour the iced tea into the glass with the peaches.
3. Add about 2 tbs of the syrup from the canned peaches.
4. Add about 3-4 tbs of club soda and stir.

Dinner...

Pineapple Quinoa Stir Fry & Cucumber and Watermelon Salad with Hoisin-Lime Dressing
My mom sure knows how to pick a birthday dinner!  This was a delicious summer dinner, and a lot of it can be made ahead of time if you want to spread out the amount of work.
Cucumber and Watermelon Salad with Hoisin-Lime Dressing
*recipe from Bon Appetite (July 2002)

When I first saw the recipe for this salad I thought it looked kinda gross and weird.  But, the ingredients actually go really well together.  It is super refreshing and healthy.  I would definitly make it again for a summer salad.  Bon Appetite says it is "a Vietnamese style salad that makes a refreshing accomaniment to any kind of barbequed meat."  I would agree with that statement, but it also goes really well with the quinoa I made.  The quinoa is a little spicy and the salad helps cool off your mouth.
Ingredients:
(serves 6)

• 1 1/2 large cucumbers (about 3 cups)
• 3 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 1/2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 3 tbs hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbs chopped fresh mint
• 1/3 cup coarsly chopped lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts (I left these out of our salad)

Directions:

1. Combine cucumbers and watermelon in a medium bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.
2. Drain and discard the liquid.
3. Whisk lime juice and hoisin sauce in a small bowl to blend.
4. Pur dressing over cucumber-watermelon mixture and toss gently.
5. Sprinkle salad with cilantro, mint, and then peanuts (again, I didn't use nuts).  Serve immediately. 

Pineapple Quinoa Stir Fry
*recipe from Maureen K.

My mother is a really great cook and this is a recipe she invented.  It's very healthy and delicious.  It takes a bit of time to chop all of the ingredients, but you can do that ahead of time if you would like.  Once you actually get to the cooking part, it goes very fast.  I made mine a bit too spicy for some members of my family.  If you don't like it really spicy, you may not want to use the whole jalapeno, just as much as you'd like. 
Ingredients:
(serves 4-5)

• 1 cup quinoa (rinsed and well-drained)
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/4 tsp soy sauce + 3 tbs soy sauce
• 3 tbs peanut oil
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2" piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas (I left these out because I don't really like peas)
• 1 cup fresh basil, sliced thin
• 2 tbs fresch chopped mint
• 1 whole fresh pineapple, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tbs vegetable stock
• 1 tbs mirin
• lime wedges for garnish

Directions:

1. *The night before: Combine quinoa, pinaple juice, water, and 1/4 tsp soy sauce in a medium sized pot.  Cover, place over high heat and bring to a boil.  Stir a few times, lower heat to medium/low, cover, and cook for 12-14 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa appears plumped and slightly translucent.  Uncover, fluff, and let cool.  For best results, place quinoa in an airtight container and refridgerate overnight.
2. Have all ingredients chopped and within reach.  Heat a large non-stick skillet.  Add peanut oil, green onions, and garlic.
3. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the sliced jalapeno and ginger. 
4. Stir fry for about 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and peas.
5. Stir fry for another 3-4 minutes until the bell peppers are softened and peas are bright green.  Add the basil and mint.
6. Stir fry for another minute and then add the pineapple chuncks and quinoa.
7. In a medium cup combine 3 tbs. soy sauce, vegetable stock, and mirin.  Pour over quinoa mixture. (Add another 1/2 cup to a cup of pineapple juice to the quinoa mixture if it is dry)
8. Stir to incorporate completely.  Continue to stir fry 10 - 14 minutes until quinoa is very hot.
9. Serve with lime wedges and additional soy sauce.

Dessert...

Blueberry Tartlets with Lemon or Lime Curd
*recipe from Maureen K.
These are the perfect summer dessert!  The comniation of the lemon/lime with the blueberries is incredible.  And, they look so cute, but are not very difficult to make!  I made 1/2 lemon tarts and 1/2 lime tarts.  There was not a huge difference in flavor, but in the end we liked the lemon better.  It was a slightly stronger flavor.  These would be great for a summer barbeque.  I should have put a candle in mine for my mom's birthday! 
Ingredients:
(makes 4 small tarts)

for the curd:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 large egg yolks
• 5 tbs unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tbs sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 tbs chilled whipping cream
• 1 large egg yolk

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 pints of bluberries
• 1 tbs sugar

Directions:
For the curd (can be made up to 4 days ahead and refrigerated):

1. Whisk sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan to blend. 
2. Whisk in yolks and then butter.
3. Cook over medium low heat until thick, smooth, and just beginning to bubble, stirring constantly, about 8 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.  Mix in lemon peel.
5. Transfer to a small bowl.  Press plastic wrap onto surface of the curd.  Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.

For the crust (can be made up to 1 day ahead of time):

1. Blend flour, sugar and salt in a foor processor for 5 seconds.
2. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns, until mixture resembles course meal.
3. Add 2 tbs of cream and egg yolk.  Using on/off turns, blend until mois clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoons if dough is too dry.
4. Shape dough into a log.  Cut crosswise into 4 equal rounds.  Press each round over bottom and sides of 3 3/4" x 3/4" tartlet pans with removable bottom (there may be extra dough). 
5. Pierce crust with a fork.  Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake the crusts until lightly golden brown, pressing any bubbles back with a fork, about 15 minutes.
7. Cool crusts completely on a rack.

For the topping:

1. Place 1/2 cup of blueberries and sugar in a heavy small saucepan.  Using a fork, mash the berries coursly.  Cook mixture over medium heat until it begins to simmer, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
2. Using a rubber spatula, push as much of mixture as possible through a mesh strainer set over a medium bowl.  Mix remaining blueberries into the strained berries.  Set topping aside.
3. Spread curd into crusts.
4. Spoon blueberry topping over the curd.
5. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to one day before serving.

A Delicious Dinner for Doug

I told you all that June was a big birthday month for me.  My last post was for my sister's birthday and this one is for my fiance, Doug's birthday!  I wanted to make him a dinner of all his favorite things.  Well, his favorite thing I can make is actually chicken piccata, and I already made that for my blog.  So...I made his second favorite dinner :)

Drink...

Bière de Belœil

I always feel like I am kind of cheating when I just put a beer or wine on here instead of making a cocktail.  However, I can truly say that beer is Doug's favorite drink.  I let him pick this one out.  This beer is brewed by one of Doug's favorite breweries; Brasserie DuPont.  He decided to try it because of that brewery being one his favorites.  However, he said it was good, not outstanding.  If you want to try a real stand-out beer from Brasserie DuPont, than try one of their Saison beers.
Ingredients:

• A slightly chilled bottle of Bière de Belœil (we keep ours in our wine fridge at 50 degrees Fahrenheit)

Directions:

1. Pour and enjoy :)

Dinner...

Chicken and Asparagus Pasta 
*recipe from Maureen K.
This is one of Doug's (and my) favorite pasta dishes of all time!  It is soooo good and soooo easy to make!  It was invented by my mom (I know...she is such a great cook).  Please, make it....I guarantee you will like it!  Just an FYI - I always add WAAAY more red pepper flakes than the recipe calls for, and quite a few more splashes of wine and lemon juice than it calls for just to make it extra flavorful.
Ingredients:

• 1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-2 inch long pieces
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 4 to 6 cloves of garlic (I use 6)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I use A LOT more - probably about 1 1/2 - 2 tbs!  It really is not spicy, just adds more flavor)
• 1 whole tomato, chopped or grape tomatoes, sliced (I usually don't add tomatoes, but it would be good in it)
• 2 - 3 tbs lemon juice (I usually add a little bit more)
• 1/3 cup white wine (again, I usually add a few extra splashes)
• garlic powder
• salt
• pepper
• 1 lb chicken breast, chopped into pieces
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Season the chicken breast pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Cook in olive oil until almost done.  Remove from pan.
2. Cook linguine according to the package directions.
3. Cook asparagus in microwave until tender.
4. Add 3/4 cup of olive oil to the pan the chicken was cooked in.  Cook garlic and red pepper in oil. 
5. Add chicken, asparagus, white wine, lemon juice, and tomato.  Heat through.
6. Toss the linguine with the Parmesan cheese.

Dessert...

Liege Style Waffle with Speculoos Spread

There is a food truck here in NYC called Waffles and Dinges.  I first tried their waffles last fall and immediately told Doug he had to try them.  Since then, we are both officially addicted!  They have many different kinds of waffles there, but the only one we have had is the "Throwdown Waffle".  It's named that because the owner of the truck was on the TV show Throwdown with Bobby Flay and won.  It is one of their Liege style waffles with Speculoos Spread and whipped cream.  
Doug also has a recent addiction (I do too, but not as strong of an addiction) to Speculoos Spread.  It is a delicious Belgian gingerbread cookie spread (I don't really like gingerbread, but I love this stuff!).  Doug prefers the one bought from Le Pain Quotidien, which is the one we used in this recipe.  I prefer the one from Trader Joes.  They call it Cookie Butter and I think it is less gingerbready.  Plus it is cheaper and comes in a bigger jar :)  
This is a super easy recipe to make (especially since we don't have a waffle maker, so I just bought a Liege style waffle they sell in packages at convenience stores around here) and is really incredibly delicious. 
Ingredients:

• 1 Liege style waffle
• Speculoos Spread
• Whipped cream

Directions:

1. Make a waffle, or buy a pre-made one like me.  If you buy one, put it in the toaster to heat it up and toast it a bit.
2. Spread Speculoos over the warm waffle.
3. Top with whipped cream, and try not to eat it too fast :)

Birthday Dinner

This is my big birthday—not only is it my 30th, but it was also my Golden Birthday!  I had a great day and to celebrate, I made myself a special birthday dinner.  Hmmm . . . I'll have to remember next year to have a guest blogger and have Doug make my birthday dinner :)

Drinks...

Birthday Drink

*recipe adapted from Sweetapolita
The original recipe was for birthday shots, but I decided that I would prefer a whole drink.  Also, I did not buy all of the ingredients, so I left a few things out.  Despite all the changes, it was still a great drink.  It kind of reminded me of a chocolate martini.  It also had quite a kick since it was made of almost all alcohol.  We even had a candle in it at one point for an extra special birthday treat!
Ingredients:

• 3 ounces cake flavored vodka (e.g. Pinnacle or Three Olives)
• 1 1/2 ounces whipped cream flavored vodka (e.g. Pinnacle) or chocolate liqueur (I used chocolate liqueur)
• 1 ounce half & half
• whipped cream (for topping)
• sprinkles (for topping)

Directions:

1. Pour all the ingredients in a shaker with ice.
2. Shake, strain, pour.
3. Sing "Happy Birthday"
4. Enjoy!

Dinner...

Scallops with Linguine

*recipe from Maureen K.
When I was a kid, my mom always let us choose what we wanted her to make for our birthday dinners.  I had a few recipes of hers that were my favorite, but I frequently chose Shrimp and Linguine.  So, for this dinner, I thought I would make an old classic birthday dinner (that I still love).  I did change one thing . . . Doug doesn't like shrimp and I wanted us to both be able to eat it, so I made is with Bay Scallops (or Small Scallops as they call them here in NYC).  It was just as good as the old days!
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup margarine or butter (I went with butter . . . it is my birthday after all!)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic (this is a lot, but I love garlic)
• 1/2 lb – 1 lb of Bay Scallops or Shrimp
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• dash black pepper
• 1 lb linguine (Trader Joe's only has whole wheat spaghetti, so I used that.  But, I missed the linguine)
• grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Scallops cooking in a yummy bath

1. Melt butter in a saucepan, add oil and heat.
2. Saute garlic and scallops/shrimp in the oil mixture over medium heat 2-3 minutes.

   
   

3. Stir in parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Simmer 5-10 minutes.
4. Cook spaghetti per package directions and drain well.
5. In a large bowl toss linguine, sauce, and Parmesan cheese to taste. 

Dessert...

Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Mousse Buttercream 

*recipe from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by: Jill O'Connor
This is my new favorite cake.  I have made it a couple times before and it is always a hit!  Beware though, because it tastes good for a reason.  It is probably the worst thing for you I have ever made!  It makes a huge cake and is so good I couldn't resist.  I think I shed a tear when I ended up having to throw a lot of it away because I was just enjoying too much of it!  From now on, I am only making it for a large group so I am only able to have 1 slice!  The recipe is a little involved, but it is well worth it!
Ingredients:
For the cake-

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant espresso
• 4 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• chocolate mousse buttercream

For the chocolate mousse buttercream-

• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tbs cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 lbs cold unsalted butter
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate, melted

Directions:
For the Devil's Food Cake-

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray two 9 inch pans with non-stick cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cocoa powder, espresso powder, and chocolate.  Pour in the boiling water and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the vanilla.  Let the mixture cool, then stir in the buttermilk.
4. In another bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the butter and oil together until light and fluffy.  Add the sugars and beat until creamy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add one-third of the flour mixture to the batter and beat at low speed for a few seconds, just until combined.  Beat in half of the chocolate-buttermilk mixture, again beating just a few seconds until combined.  Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.  Beat in another one-third of the remaining flour mixture for no more than a few seconds, just until combined.  Add the remaining chocolate-buttermilk mixture, beating for just a few seconds.  Scrape down the bowl.  Fold in the remaining one-third of the flour mixture by hand, using a spatula, just until no streaks of flour remain.
6. Divide the batter into the two cake pans.  Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.  Transfer onto wire racks to cool.  Let cool completely before frosting.
7. Half each layer horizontally using a long serrated knife for a total of 4 layers.  Top each layer with mousse buttercream and then use the remaining buttercream to frost the top and sides of the cake.  

To make the Chocolate Mousse Buttercream-

1. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and cocoa powder in a metal bowl.
2. Fill a large saute pan or skillet with water and bring to a simmer.  Place the bottom of the metal bowl in the simmering water and whisk the egg mixture constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and fluffy and very hot, 3–4 minutes.  Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of the mixture.  It should be between 120 and 140 degrees.
3. Remove the bowl from the simmering water and using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs until they are tripled in volume and form soft peaks and the bottom of the bowl is completely cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.  Beat in the vanilla and salt.
4. While the eggs are mixing, unwrap the individual sticks of butter and re-wrap them loosely in plastic wrap.  Pound the butter 5–6 times with a rolling pin, or until the butter is soft and malleable but still cool.
5. While the mixer is still on medium high, add the butter approximately 2 tbs at a time, to the egg mixture, beating each addition until it is incorporated.  Don't start to panic if the buttercream seems too liquidy or looks curdled as you beat in the butter.  It will magically emulsify into a smooth, creamy frosting by the time the last bit of butter is mixed in.
6. When the buttercream is smooth and glossy with a subtly brown tint from the cocoa powder, turn off the mixer and using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the melted chocolate.