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Come Party With Me: Inauguration - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:00:46 -0800

Next week Barack Obama will make history when he is sworn in as president. Naturally, this momentous occasion deserves a party! The ceremony takes place on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 11:30 a.m. EST. Since most people will be working, I've decided to host my party the Sunday before. HBO is airing a special live program, We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, to kick off the festivities, and I've invited my friends over to watch it with me. While my election night menu featured patriotic dishes, this party will highlight dishes from Barack Obama's old hometown, Chicago.

For appetizers offer guests Garrett Gourmet Popcorn, flown in fresh from the Windy City. Make mini Italian beef sandwiches topped with giardiniera peppers. For the main course, serve two nontraditional (they're square shaped - no special circular pans necessary) deep dish pizzas. A pepperoni, onion, and mushroom pie is perfectly hearty while a spinach-artichoke pizza will satiate the vegetarians in attendance. To check out these tantalizing recipes, read more.

Mini Italian Beef Sandwiches
From Midwest Living

Ingredients

1 17-oz. pkg. refrigerated cooked beef roast au jus
2 cups frozen peppers (yellow, green, and red) and onion stir-fry vegetables
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cups shredded cabbage with carrot (coleslaw mix)
1/2 cup pepperoncini salad peppers, stemmed and chopped, plus 2 tablespoons drained liquid
16 2- to 3-inch rolls, split
giardiniera peppers (optional, for serving)

Directions

Place beef mixture in a medium saucepan, breaking up any large pieces. Add peppers, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Heat through just to boiling.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine coleslaw mix, 1/2 cup chopped pepperoncini and liquid, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
To serve, use a slotted spoon to divide meat mixture among roll bottoms. Top each with coleslaw mixture; add roll tops.
Serve with giardiniera peppers, if you like.

Makes 16 sandwiches.

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Deep-Dish Pizzas
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

Olive oil, for pans
All-purpose flour, for work surface
2 balls (1 pound each) store-bought pizza dough, thawed if frozen
1 1/2 cups jarred tomato sauce
6 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella (1 1/2 pounds)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
For Pepperoni-Onion Topping:
4 ounces thinly sliced pepperoni
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 pound thinly sliced button mushrooms, sauteed (optional)
For Spinach-Artichoke Topping
1 package (10 ounces) frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts in water, drained, quartered, and squeezed dry

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush bottom and sides of two 13-by-9-inch metal baking pans with oil.
On a lightly floured work surface, stretch each ball of dough into a 10-by-14-inch oval (if dough isn't holding its shape, let rest a few minutes).
Transfer each oval to a prepared pan, pressing to fit into corners, and one inch up sides to form a rim.
Dividing evenly, spread sauce over each oval of dough.
Using 3 cups of cheese per pizza, spread three layers each of cheese and topping, ending with topping (layering with cheese helps to hold each pizza together). Season with salt and pepper. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate, up to 1 day.)
Bake pizzas side by side until cheese and crusts are golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating once (if refrigerated, add 10 minutes).
Let rest in pans 10 minutes. To serve, use two wide spatulas to transfer pizzas to cutting boards.

Serves 8.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Deep-Dish Polenta Pizza

partysugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:30:38 -0700

I was surprised that several of you have never tasted deep-dish pizza, so I found this shortcut recipe to share. Although it's simple enough to make at the end of the week, it's delicious and filling. The traditional heavy tomato sauce is replaced with a mixture of sun-dried tomatoes, radicchio, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. If you dislike this combination of toppings, get creative: Italian sausage and garlic, or pancetta and mushrooms would be scrumptious.

To learn the technique, read more.

Deep-Dish Polenta Pizza
From Real Simple

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup polenta or cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) grated Parmesan
1/2 head radicchio, shredded
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
4 ounces mozzarella, cut into a 1/2-inch dice

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan, round cake pan, or pie plate with 1 tablespoon of the oil and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil. Whisking constantly, slowly add the polenta or cornmeal.
Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until the polenta starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and the Parmesan. Remove from heat.
Spread the polenta over the bottom of the prepared pan, using a spoon to form a raised edge.
In a bowl, combine the radicchio, tomatoes, mozzarella, and the remaining oil and pepper. Spoon the mixture over the polenta.
Bake for 30 minutes. Cut into wedges.

Serves 4-6.

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Monday's Leftovers: Cheesy Stuffed Portobellos

partysugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:13:33 -0800

You got to hand it to Rachael Ray, she is one clever lady. I would never have thought of stuffing portobello mushrooms with leftover deep dish pizza, but it sure is a great idea. Cubed pizza is tossed with sun dried tomatoes, spinach, and cheese. This mixture is then stuffed into the thick caps of mushrooms, making for a scrumptious meal. While it may not be the most FitSugar friendly dinner, it sure is an ingenious way to use leftover pizza! To look at the recipe, read more.

Cheesy Stuffed Portobellos
From Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 onion, chopped
6 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, thinly sliced
Two 6-ounce bags fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2 slices leftover deep-dish cheese pizza, cut into bite-size pieces
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper
4 large portobello mushroom caps

Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach and cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
Add the pizza, half of the cheese, the chicken broth and basil and cook until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
Using a spoon, scrape the gills from the inside of each mushroom cap and discard. Brush the top of each mushroom cap with olive oil and place upside down on a baking sheet.
Divide the stuffing among the mushroom caps; sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly, 20 minutes. Top with more chopped basil.

Serves 4.

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Sunday Dinner: Deep Dish Pizza

partysugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 01:31:31 -0800

Deep dish pizza is an excellent, non-traditional Sunday dinner. It's perfect for filling a crowd, and watching the Oscars. Making pizza is also a great way to get the family together. Rolling out the dough is always more fun when loved ones help. Start to make the pizza in the morning because the dough has to rest for four hours.

To take a look at this delicious deep dish pizza - say that five times fast! - read more.

Deep Dish Pizza
From Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

Pizza Dough:
16 ounces water
1/8-ounce yeast
1/2-ounce salt
2 pounds bread flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cornmeal
Toppings:
2 cups tomato sauce, jar or homemade
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup spinach, shredded
1/2 cup grated Romano
1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

In a mixer combine the water and the yeast and allow the yeast to dissolve.
Add the remaining ingredients except for the cornmeal and begin to mix the dough using a dough hook on low speed. Once a ball is formed mix on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and smooth.
Remove from the mixer and place in a bowl coated with olive oil. Allow the dough to rest for approximately 4 hours.
Once the dough is rested, place on flat surface and dust with some flour.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a deep baking dish or deep dish pizza pan, spread the dough using your fingers at the bottom of the pan and make sure to have enough dough to come up the sides of the pan approximately 1/2-inch high.
Begin by placing a layer of the mozzarella cheese on the bottom of the crust. Add the tomato sauce and all of the toppings.
Place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden and crispy. Serve pizza straight from the oven to the table.

Serves 6.

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What's Your Favorite Style of Pizza?

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:50:35 -0700

Having spent some serious time in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, I've had my share of love affairs with all kinds of pizza, from the giant, thin pies at Grimaldi's in Brooklyn to the sausage-stuffed deep dish at Giordano's to the organic, local ingredient-laden, egg-topped variety at Alice Waters's Chez Panisse. But if I had to choose, my favorite type of pie would be the one made in the ethereal Neapolitan style. It has a crisp, ever-so-slightly charred exterior and a chewy but light interior. In San Francisco, the best of this kind is found at A16. What's your choice pizza?

Joey Chestnut Wins First Ever World Pizza Championships

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:00:42 -0700

Yesterday the world's best competitive eaters met at a pizza eating competition in New York City's Time Square. Joey Chestnut, the nation's champion in hot dog and hamburger eating, broke the record with an amazing 45 slices in ten minutes at the Famous Famiglia pizza eating competition. Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti was Chestnut's closest opponent - he ate 43 slices in the quick ten minutes.

Chestnut folded the regular cheese slices before launching them into his stomach. He washed the pizza down with water in paper cups and "never appeared to chew." After winning the pizza-eating contest, Chestnut is certainly the current star of Major League Eating. Although I find the whole thing pretty disgusting, I'm excited to see what other records Chestnut miraculously beats.

What do you think?

Source

The Best of Top Chef

partysugar — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:00:35 -0800

No contestant was eliminated on this week's episode of Top Chef, so I didn't get to interview the losing chef. Thus, I've decided it's a great time to take a look back at what happened on the show this year.

2008 was an exciting time for the reality competition: viewers got to indulge in two exciting seasons in two important cities - Chicago and New York.

We witnessed the crowning of the first female chef and watched what happened when Europeans were thrown into the mix. Here, I've rounded up my favorite moments from season four and the first half of season five.

My crouton cooking lesson with Ryan Scott.
Spike showing off his mad butchering skills.
The return of Sam Talbot as a guest judge.
Andrew's introduction of the phrase "culinary boner" to the food industry.
Padma and Rocco together again: eating 16 deep-dish pizzas.
The first competing couple.
The ongoing, entertaining feud between Dale and Lisa.
Gail's bridal shower!
The contestants putting the competition aside to help Radhika and Hosea get their dishes done.

Did I forget something? What were your favorite Top Chef moments?

Source

Come Party With Me: Inauguration - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:15:58 -0800

Although the Inauguration isn't until next Tuesday, I'm inviting friends over to kick off the ceremony on Sunday. Since Barack Obama was senator in Chicago, the menu has a Chicago theme. After finishing the deep-dish pizzas, wait an hour before serving this decadent dessert. Eli's is the Windy City's famous bakery known for its chocolate chip cheesecake. While you could order a cheesecake from Eli's and have it delivered, I recommend whipping up a homemade variation. This recipe features sour cream (like most Chicago-style cheesecakes) and results in a cake that is firm on the outside, but deliciously creamy on the inside.

To look at the recipe, read more.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
From Ghirardelli

Ingredients

1 cup(s) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 tablespoon(s) Unsweetened Cocoa
2 ounce(s) White Chocolate Baking Bar
2/3 cup(s) crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup(s) granulate white sugar
1/3 cup(s) (2/3 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 1/4 cup(s) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup(s) granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup(s) sour cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch springform cake pan.
To make the crust, in a small bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers, cocoa, and sugar. Stir in the butter. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.
Press firmly to distribute the crust mixture onto the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Chill the crust while making the filling.
To make the filling, in a medium-size bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar with an electric mixer at low speed until smooth.
Gradually beat in the eggs, increasing the speed slightly as the mixture softens.
Beat in the sour cream. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips with a large spoon.
Pour the filling into the chilled crust and set the pan on a baking tray. Bake for 75 minutes, or until firm. The cheesecake may deflate and crack as it cools, so turn off the oven and let cool slowly in the oven for about 1 hour with the oven door open.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight before removing from the pan.
Sprinkle the top with grated white chocolate. This cheesecake is best if eaten within 3 days of baking.

Serves 8-10.

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Subway to Introduce Personal Pizzas in June

YumSugar — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 02:59:19 -0700

Another weird news post for you. Looks like Subway is deciding to add a personal pan pizza to its menu. Yep, we're talking about Subway, the sandwich place. I'm a little confused about this one, being that I've never really considered pizzas to be healthy and Subway's sort of got this "we're healthy" mantra. However, according to BrandWeek, Subway will add deep-dish style personal pizzas to the menu of 13,000 locations.

An employee at a test store located in the East Village section of New York City said they only sold two pizzas the first day of the test in late March, but are now are up about 25 a day. The biggest problem: patrons don't know about the product despite a prominent sign on the menu board, he said.

We'll have to wait until this June to see if patrons in other parts of the country are more observant. That's when the Subway pizza train hits locations.

Source: Consumerist

Come Party With Me: Winter Wonderland Weekend Getaway - Menu

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 11:59:09 -0800

Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean that I am going to stop planning parties. In fact, to beat the post New Year's blues, I've invited (learn about my invitations) a small group of couples to join me and my husband at the family cabin in the mountains. It's going to be a winter wonderland weekend getaway.

Now you may be wary of hosting this type of party because it lasts a few days and involves several meals, but my fool-proof menu allows you to delight your guests with delicious dishes and still have time for fun. You'll have plenty of time to curl up on the couch with a magazine or hit the slopes for some outdoor excursions. To see my weekend menu, read more

Menu:
The first step to creating a menu that lasts all weekend is to figure out how many meals you will be serving. For this weekend I need to plan Friday's dinner, Saturday's breakfast, lunch & dinner and Sunday's breakfast & lunch - a grand total of six meals. Now take a deep breath and don't get overwhelmed, with the help of your friends, the grocery store, and prep ahead recipes, its perfectly possible to accomplish.

Since we will be traveling by car and arriving on Friday night, I will order several take and bake pizzas from my favorite local pizzeria. Be sure to order for both the vegetarians and the meat lovers. Friday morning before I leave I'll make a batch of homemade croutons and I'll pack a cooler with fresh romaine lettuce. While the pizzas cook, I'll assemble a quick Caesar Salad.

On Saturday morning I'll ask one of the couples to bring the ingredients for breakfast: yogurts, fresh fruit, muffins, bagels, lox, and cream cheese. For lunch on Saturday I'll make a batch of classic Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with an assortment of gourmet cheeses and offer kettle chips on the side. Dinner on Saturday will be the main event with a slow cooked, hearty Irish Beef Stew. I'll ask another couple to bring the fixings for a winter green salad to serve alongside the stew. For dessert, keep it easy and make Banana Splits, one for each couple to share.

On Sunday we will go out to breakfast brunch and I'll give my guests Tuna Sandwiches and Ginger Peanut Pasta Salad to savor in their cars on the ride home, with store bought chocolate chip cookies from the local bakery for dessert.

Drinks:
On Friday night I'll serve beer and both red (Barbera or Chianti) and white (Sauvignon Blanc) wines to accompany the pizzas. Saturday morning I'll serve Mimosa for anyone interested and in the afternoon I'll make Irish Coffee and Hot Chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps (if they want it). Saturday evening with the stew, an Argentine Malbec (red wine) is the only way to go. For a specialty cocktail I'll make a Snow Drop.

Think my menu lacks one of your culinary masterpieces that screams winter wonderland getaway? Tell me about it by adding your recipes to the recipe database.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Come Party With Me when I'll be highlighting my decoration plan for this party.