YumSugar

Come Party With Me: Vampire Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:50:29 -0700

Halloween happens to fall on a Saturday this year which makes it an ideal night for hosting a party. But don't just throw any party, select a theme, like vampires, and use this to inspire a ghoulish bash.

Start by sending our free vampire invitations specially designed for the online invitation service, Pingg. All you have to do is fill them out and send - how easy is that?

Once you've notified your friends, you can focus on more important things, like the menu. Select an assortment of finger-licking good foods that evoke the vampire culture.

Tomato soup filled test tubes resemble the addictive vampire blood popular in the HBO series, True Blood. Stefan Salvatore, the kind bloodsucker on the CW's Vampire Diaries who loves garlic, would devour a platter of garlic and cheese crostini. Guests will feel like Buffy the Vampire Slayer when they stake steak bites with skewers and dunk them into a bloody Mary dipping sauce. Finally, spicy sriracha doused chicken wings are so hearty they'd satiate even the toughest Cullen brother's hunger. Get these festive recipes when you read more.

Vampire Blood Tomato Soup
From Food Network

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped, about 2 1/2 cups
1/2 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 cups homemade vegetable broth or low-sodium canned
2 cups tomato juice
6 basil leaves, torn
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat.
Add fennel, onion, garlic, salt, fennel seed and crushed pepper, if using, and cook until vegetables soften and brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
Drain and reserve juice from the tomatoes, then crush tomatoes gently with your hands. Add the tomatoes, increase heat to high, and cook until they begin to brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add the reserved tomato juice, vegetable broth, tomato juice, and basil leaves. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until vegetables are cooked through and soup reduces and thickens, about 30 minutes.
Remove pot from stove and puree the soup in batches, with an immersion, regular blender, or food processor. Stir in lemon juice and season with pepper to taste. Serve.

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images

Garlic and Cheese Crostini
From Gourmet

Ingredients

24 (1/3-inch-thick) baguette slices (from a baguette at least
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
3/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (preferably imported)
5 large garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and brush tops with 3 tablespoons oil.
Stir together remaining tablespoon oil, cheese, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle each slice with about 1 teaspoon cheese mixture, mounding it slightly.
Bake until topping just starts to melt, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and kosher salt to taste. Serve warm.

Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres.

Print recipe with images | without images

Steak Bites With Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup vodka
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 rounded tablespoon prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
1 1/3 pounds beef sirloin cut into large bite-sized pieces, 1 by 2 inches
Steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper
6 to 8 inch bamboo skewers

Directions

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and onions and saute 5 minutes.
Add vodka and reduce by 1/2.
Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and horseradish. Stir to combine the dipping sauce and return the sauce to a bubble. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings.
Heat nonstick skillet over high heat. Coat meat bites lightly in oil. Season with steak seasoning blend or salt and pepper, to taste.
Cook the meat until caramelized all over, about 2 minutes on each side.
Transfer dipping sauce to a small dish and place at the center of a serving platter. Surround the dip with meat bites and set several bamboo "stakes" or skewers along side meat.

Serves 6.

Print recipe with images | without images

Spicy Sriracha Chicken Wings
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

10 pounds chicken wings, split
1/4 cup coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Sriracha chile sauce
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes
3 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

In a very large bowl, toss the wings with the coriander and cumin seeds, cinnamon, kosher salt and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the wings on 3 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 30 minutes, until firm but not cooked through. (At this point, if you don't want to fry the wings, you can roast them for 1 hour longer, until crispy and golden.)
Wash out the bowl. Add the Sriracha, butter, cilantro, lime zest and juice.
In a deep fryer or a very large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 375°.
Fry the wings in 4 or 5 batches until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch; drain, shaking off the excess oil. As each batch is finished, add the wings to the sauce and toss well. Transfer the wings to a platter, leaving the sauce in the bowl for the remaining batches. Serve hot.

Serves 10.

Print recipe with images | without images

Killer App: Blue Cheese and Arugula Crostini

YumSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:50:47 -0700

Sometimes a cheese plate is too predictable, and a salad seems boring. In those moments, I like to fix up a platter of these arugula-adorned crostini, which deliver both the richness of blue cheese and some greenery to get your meal going. To balance out the bitter greens and pungent cheese, I slice up a loaf of sweet cranberry-walnut bread, though any fruity and nutty dough will do. This appetizer is super easy to make, so it's perfect for a spontaneous dinner party or a dish that needs to travel. I recommend choosing a very strong cheese that's creamy and easy to spread. Get the other details and check out the recipe.

Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:30:09 -0700

Selecting a menu for a large dinner party is tricky. You don't want to choose dishes that require last-minute preparation, and you need to pick recipes that will feed a crowd (or can easily be doubled to do so) and consider the dietary needs of your guests. Luckily, the majority of my friends are adventurous eaters and while two girls don't eat meat, they do eat fish and cheese. Thus I'm serving a rustic Italian meal that's several courses long. When the party begins, plates of tomato and basil bruschetta and chicken-liver crostini will sit - ready to be devoured - on tables in the patio. I'll also set out an assortment of Italian olives, shards of Parmesan cheese, and chunks of salami.

At the table, the first course will consist of a crunchy, Italian salad with mustard vinaigrette. The second course is a decadent baked pasta dish oozing with melted cheese. For the entree, we'll enjoy a fragrant seafood stew with garlic toasts for dipping. This is a luxurious menu that's wonderful at any occasion, be it a birthday party or simply a Saturday night, so check out the recipes and read more.

Tomato, Red Onion, and Basil Bruschetta
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 cups assorted cherry, grape, and teardrop tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for brushing
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 large loaf focaccia, halved horizontally (reserve half for another use)
1 garlic clove, peeled, halved

Directions

Combine halved tomatoes, finely chopped onion, 3 tablespoons olive oil, chopped fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar in medium bowl; season tomato topping with salt and pepper. Topping can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally.
Preheat broiler.
Place focaccia half, cut side up, on baking sheet; brush bread with olive oil. Toast bread in broiler until top is golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.
Immediately rub cut side of bread all over with halved garlic, then cut focaccia crosswise into 4 equal pieces.
Top toasted focaccia with tomato mixture and serve.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images

Chicken-Liver Crostini
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb chicken livers, trimmed and patted dry
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoon capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweet (red) vermouth
1 cup chopped parsley
1 sourdough baguette, thinly sliced and toasted
1 lemon wedge

Directions

Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add livers and cook over medium-high heat until undersides are browned, about 3 minutes. Turn livers over and add red-pepper flakes, capers, and 1 tsp salt. Cook until livers are just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes more.
Increase heat to high and add vermouth. Boil, stirring, until slightly thickened and glossy, about 3 minutes. Transfer livers with a slotted spoon to a cutting board, then transfer sauce to a bowl.
Coarsely chop livers and add to sauce. Season with salt and pepper and gently stir in parsley. Spoon onto toasts and squeeze a little lemon juice over each.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: Liver mixture, without parsley, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat, then stir in parsley, before spreading on toasts.

Print recipe with images | without images

Crunchy Italian Salad
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce, halved, cored, and cut into wide strips
1/2 head red cabbage, halved, cored, and cut into thin strips
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup packed basil leaves, shredded

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, and Dijon; season with salt and pepper.
Add lettuce, cabbage, onion, and basil; toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images

Baked Four-Cheese Spaghetti
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
1/2 pound imported Fontina, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/2 pound mozzarella, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/2 pound Gruyère, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/4 pound Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and spread the spaghetti on a baking sheet; let cool.
In a large bowl, toss the Fontina with the mozzarella and Gruyère.
Spread one third of the spaghetti in the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mixed cheeses and half of the Gorgonzola over the spaghetti and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer of spaghetti, mixed cheeses, Gorgonzola and salt and pepper. Top with the remaining spaghetti and mixed cheeses.
Bake the spaghetti in the center of the oven until the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting into squares and serving.

Serves 8.

Make Ahead: The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 early in the day and covered with plastic wrap. Uncover the dish before baking.

Print recipe with images | without images

Seafood Stew
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 small)
2 cups large-diced small white potatoes
2 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups good white wine
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 quart Seafood Stock, recipe follows, or store-bought fish stock
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (reserve the shells for the stock)
1 pound each halibut and bass fillets, cut in large chunks
24 mussels, cleaned
3 tablespoons Pernod
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Toasted baguette slices, buttered and rubbed with garlic

Directions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown.
Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and salt, to taste. Serve ladled over 1 or 2 slices of toasted baguette.

Serves 6.

Seafood Stock:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Shells from 1 pound large shrimp
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 cup good white wine
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme, including stems

Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1⁄2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. If not, you can make up the difference with water or white wine.

Makes 1 quart.

Print recipe with images | without images

The Difference Between Bruschetta and Crostini

partysugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:00:20 -0700

At the Food & Wine Classic, not only did Nancy Silverton teach viewers to Microplane garlic, but along with help from Mario Batali, she also discussed the differences between bruschetta and crostini. Both terms are Italian and relate to crispy bread.

Crostini translates to "little toasts" and generally refers to small pieces of bread that are baked. These toasts are then topped with a variety of ingredients like cheese, vegetables, meat, or seafood.

Bruschetta, on the other hand, is a larger piece of bread that is cooked over coals or a grill. Bruschetta can be rubbed with garlic and is traditionally served freshly charred. Like crostini, bruschetta can be topped with a wide range of items. What do you like to top yours with?

Photo by flickr user Jeffrey Beall

Filling and Fast Appetizer: White-Bean Puree

partysugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:00:39 -0700

Normally, I am the queen of the kitchen, but recently my sister and her best friend decided to treat me to a homemade dinner. Trish, my sister, is incredibly smart, so I wasn't surprised when she asked Chef Chris Behr, of San Francisco's SPQR, for an easy and delicious appetizer idea. He suggested making a thick white-bean puree for crostini. Trish took his advice and ran with it. The final appetizer was very quick to put together and shockingly good to eat. Who knew white beans mashed with garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil spread on grilled bread would taste so good? It's simple, it's rustic, it's fabulous. I highly recommend you make it the next time you need a rapid hors d'oeuvre. For an instant party, serve it with cheese, olives, and charcuterie. To look at the recipe,

White Bean Puree
Original recipe by Patricia Sweeney

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) can of white cannelloni beans
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Grilled bread or crostini for serving

Directions

Put the beans, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper.
With clean hands, mash the beans combining the ingredients until thick and paste like. If necessary, thin to desired consistency with more oil and lemon juice.
Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy immediately with grilled bread or crostini.

Serves 4-6.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 4 Photos ›

Cheese Crostini Is Easy and Delicious Appetizer

partysugar — Mon, 25 May 2009 09:30:52 -0700

If you've ever been to one of my parties, you know that I love crostini. They're my favorite appetizer and have made an appearance at virtually every event I've ever hosted. Crostini are crisp toasts topped with vegetables, meat, or cheese. I enjoy crostini because there's an endless variety of topping options; basically you can put whatever you want on them!

Although I've never come across a crostini I didn't like, I recently tasted the most sublimely simple, insanely scrumptious cheese crostini. My cousin served these heavenly bites - a combination of Parmesan, blue cheese, and garlic - at a dinner party. Don't be afraid of the blue cheese, the Parmesan cuts the pungency. To check out the recipe, read more.

Parmesan-Blue Cheese Crostini With Green Onions
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 5 ounces)
3/4 cup finely crumbled blue cheese (about 3 ounces)
28 1/3-inch-thick diagonal bread slices cut from 2 sourdough baguettes
Olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped green onions

Directions

Combine mayonnaise, garlic, ground pepper, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl and whisk to blend. Mix in cheeses; season with salt. Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush 1 side of each bread slice with oil. Place oiled side down on large rimmed baking sheet.
Bake bread slices until almost golden, about 5 minutes. Spread 1 generous tablespoon cheese mixture on each bread slice on sheet.
Bake until cheese topping starts to bubble and toasts are golden at edges, about 10 minutes.
Transfer toasts to large platter. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve warm.

Makes 28.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 5 Photos ›

Yummy Links: From Twilight to Artichoke Olive Crostini

partysugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:50:55 -0700

The hit vampire sensation Twilight makes a wonderful theme for a party. - Hostess With the Mostess
What do you think of Food Network's latest show, 5 Ingredient Fix? - Eat Me Daily
The ultimate Cheetos taste test. - Serious Eats
Learn the difference between lox and gravlax. - Chow
On drinking healthy and drinking smart. - The Atlantic
The proper technique for cooking onions. - The Kitchn
Must make: artichoke and olive crostini.- Smitten Kitchen

Ricotta Slather Is World's Easiest Appetizer

partysugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:30:36 -0700

You can't go wrong with a cheesy baked appetizer dish. They must be prepared in advance, are easy to make, vegetarian friendly, and crowd pleasing. What's not to like about melted cheese?? While baked feta with marinara is one of my favorites, I recently experimented with a ricotta slather. According to the Best Casserole Cookbook Ever, a slather is "something you spread generously on crisp croutons or toasted slices of French bread." This recipes highlights the pure creaminess of ricotta cheese and is studded with garlic, cracked black pepper, and fresh chopped herbs. Although it's incredibly simple and uncomplicated to make, don't be afraid to serve this to guests - it's elegant and delicious. Leftovers make a scrumptious sauce when tossed with cooked pasta. Whether you make your own ricotta or not, you'll need the recipe so read more.

Baked Ricotta Slather With Garlic and Herbs
From The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, rosemary, and thyme
1/4 cup heavy cream
12 slices French bread, toasted or grilled, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Coat a 1-quart casserole with the olive oil.
In a large bowl, stir the ricotta together with the salt, pepper, garlic, herbs, and cream.
Transfer to the casserole. Bake uncovered, for about 15 minutes until the cheese is creamy and hot. Serve with the French bread slices.

Serves 12.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 11 Photos ›

Say Cheese! Baked Feta With Marinara

partysugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:15:45 -0700

Feta cheese is perhaps Greece's most spectacular contribution to the culinary world. Traditionally feta is made from sheep or goat's milk. However, many producers today make it with cow's milk. It's a brined curd cheese that's commonly aged in blocks. Feta is white with a salty, tangy flavor that ranges from mild to sharp.

Depending on how long it ages, feta is soft to semihard in texture. Usually it comes in the form of a square cake that's packed in brine. Feta dries out quickly once removed from the brine. The crumbly cheese is scrumptious in salads, nachos, and flaky pastries like spanakopita. To check out my favorite way to enjoy feta, read more.

While it may not be the best melting cheese, when baked, feta obtains a smooth, incredibly delicious creaminess. Combined with marinara sauce, it makes a super-easy appetizer that's insanely crowd pleasing. I've made this dish a million times and it always gets rave reviews.

Baked Feta with Marinara
Original Recipe

Ingredients

1 baguette, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
olive oil, for drizzling
salt
fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Bake until toasted and crisp, 12-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, crumble the feta in single layer in an oven-safe serving dish.
Sprinkle the red pepper flakes over the top.
Cover completely with the marinara sauce, spreading smooth.
Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until the marinara is bubbly and darker in color.
Carefully remove from the oven and serve immediately with the toasted crostini.

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 7 Photos ›

Come Party With Me: Bedazzle Bonanza - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:15:12 -0700

When FabSugar and I came up with the idea to host a Bedazzling party, I knew the menu would have to include dishes that sparkle with flaky chunks of fleur de sel. Since the party is on a Sunday afternoon, the menu consists of three light, simple nibbles. While waiting their turn to use the Bedazzler, guests can enjoy salt-roasted shrimp with scampi dip. Crisp mushroom and blue cheese crackers glisten with tiny salt crystals. Fab requested a dish with roasted beets, with their rhinestone-like vibrant color, so I'll serve them on crostini with fresh burrata cheese. If these dishes sound enticing, wait till you look at the recipes! Do so and read more.

Salt-Roasted Shrimp With Scampi Dip
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1 4-pound box rock salt
16 uncooked unpeeled large shrimp
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, chilled, diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

Spread salt in 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Arrange shrimp in single layer atop salt.
Preheat oven to 500°F.
Boil wine, lemon juice, and garlic in saucepan over medium-high heat until liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add a few pieces of butter; whisk until creamy. Return pan to low heat. Add a few more pieces of butter; whisk until smooth (do not let mixture boil). Continue whisking in butter, a few pieces at a time. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper.
Let stand while shrimp cook.
Roast shrimp on salt until just opaque in center and shells are pink, 6 to 7 minutes.
Transfer sauce to bowl; nestle in salt.

Serves 8.

Print recipe with images | without images

Mushroom and Blue Cheese Crackers
From Martha Stewart Weddings

Ingredients

1/4 ounce dried wild mushrooms, about 1/2 cup
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup milk
coarse salt

Directions

Place mushrooms in a spice grinder, and grind until fine, about 15 seconds.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle, mix butter and blue cheese on medium until combined. Add flour, ground mushrooms, and pepper; mix just until combined and crumbly. Add milk, and mix just until dough comes together (the dough will be quite stiff).
Divide dough evenly into three disks. Wrap two disks in plastic wrap; set aside.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk to be 1/16 inch thick. Cut out crackers with a 31/2-inch round cutter. Transfer to a baking sheet; prick each with a fork three or four times. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Repeat with remaining dough. Bake until golden brown, about 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Store crackers in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Makes 3 dozen.

Print recipe with images | without images

Beet-and-Burrata Crostini
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 pound medium beets, preferably Chioggia
1 baguette, cut crosswise into forty 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
9 ounces burrata, cut into 40 pieces
Snipped chives, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the beets in a small roasting pan and add 1/4 inch of water. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 1 hour, until the beets are tender. Let cool completely.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°. Arrange the baguette slices on 2 large cookie sheets and brush with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the bread is crisp.
Peel the beets and halve them lengthwise, then cut cut them crosswise into 1/8-inch slices. Transfer the beets to a bowl. Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Top each crostini with a piece of burrata and a beet slice. Garnish with the snipped chives and serve immediately.

Serves 12.

Make Ahead: The roasted beets can be refrigerated overnight. Slice and serve at room temperature.

Print recipe with images | without images