Sparkling - January 2012

Diva: Aven

Drinks: Hallie

From Champagne to boxed wine....

Champagne: 2 varieties a classic, sweeter Asti and a drier Brut, both with sliced strawberries.   

Wine spritzers with Pinot Gris and several types of Pinot Noir mixed with San Pellegrino, lime slices and tangerine slices. 

Dark Italian Cabernet for the people who just wanted straight wine. 

Finally, a box of red and a box of white for the raging after party. 

Appetizer: Mariah

Three Cheese Champagne Fondue 

4 tsp cornstarch

1 T fresh lemon juice

1¼ c dry (brut) Champagne

1 large shallot, chopped

2 c coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 7 ounces)

1⅓ c coarsely grated Emmenthal cheese (about 5 ounces)

½ c diced rindless Brie or Camembert cheese (about 3 ounces)

Generous pinch of ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground white pepper

1 French-bread baguette, crust left on, bread cut into 1-inch cubes

Stir cornstarch and lemon juice in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves; set aside. Combine Champagne and shallot in fondue pot or heavy medium saucepan; simmer over medium heat 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Add all cheeses and stir to combine. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Return fondue pot to medium heat and stir until cheeses are melted and smooth and fondue thickens and boils, about 12 minutes. Season fondue with nutmeg and white pepper. Place over candle or canned heat burner to keep warm. Serve with bread cubes.

From epicurious.com

Soup:  Lovina

Creamy Artichoke Soup with Lemon-Dijon and Sparkling Wine Aioli

2 leeks diced (green and white parts)

2 shallots, diced

6 cloves minced garlic

3 yukon gold potatoes, cubed

3 cans (16 oz.) artichoke hearts

1 T tarragon, finely chopped

12 c vegetable broth

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp gray salt

½ lemon, juiced (about 2 Tbs)

¼ c heavy cream

Over medium heat, sautee leeks, shallots and garlic in 4 Tbs butter until softened. Add potatoes, artichoke hearts, and tarragon. Toss to coat. Add vegetable broth and increase heat to medium high. Bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Meanwhile, prepare aioli (recipe below). Season soup with white pepper and gray salt. Finish with fresh lemon juice and cream. Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Serve immediately or cool and reheat. Garnish with generous swirl of aioli and sprig of fresh tarragon.

Lemon-Dijon and Sparkling White Wine Aioli

1 clove minced garlic

½ lemon, juiced (about 2 Tbs)

8 oz. plain greek yogurt

1 T dijon mustard

¼ c sparkling white wine

1 T chopped tarragon

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve a generous swirl over creamy artichoke soup.

Salad:  Tiffany

Pear and Pomegranate Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette and Gorgonzola

salad ingredients:

mixed greens

1 ripe pear, sliced

⅓ c pomegranate seeds

2 ounces Gorgonzola

Champagne vinaigrette (recipe below)

Fresh cracked pepper

1 T honey

dressing ingredients:

¼ c champagne vinegar (I couldn't find it, so used pinot grigio vinegar)

1 tsp Dijon

½ tsp minced garlic

1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

2 T olive oil

In a small bowl mix all the dressing ingredients (except olive oil).  Mix well, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil to combine. 

Add greens to a bowl or platter.  Toss with dressing.  Serve greens to dishes.  Top with gorgonzola, pomegranate seeds, and pears.  Drizzle honey over salad and serve. 

makes 6 servings, 

From foodnetwork.com

Side Dish:  Erin

Green Grits

Theme tie-in:  fire roasted green chiles--fire--spark--sparkling

1½ c whole milk

1 tsp salt

½ tsp fresh-ground black pepper

1 c grits

1 heaping cup fresh cilantro leaves

One 4-ounce can diced green chiles (preferably Hatch brand, fire-roasted)

6 green onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

3 T unsalted butter

½ c grated sharp cheddar cheese

¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the milk and 2½ cups of water in a medium-sized pot, and bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium-high heat. Mix in the salt and pepper. Then whisk in the grits, pouring them in slowly and whisking continuously until they're smooth, with no lumps. The grits should look a little like oatmeal, only finer. Turn the heat down to medium-low and keep cooking, whisking regularly so nothing sticks.

Meanwhile, combine the cilantro leaves, diced green chiles, and green onions in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or so, until everything is finely chopped.

When the grits have cooked through and thickened, pull the pot off the heat and add the cilantro mixture. Whisk everything together so the grits turn green. Then add the butter and whisk again, so the butter melts in.

Whisk in the grated cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Serve it up hot.

From epicurious.com

Entrée:  Stacey

Cornish Hens in Champagne Sauce with Baked Rice

2 Cornish hens (I actually made 9 for divas)

1 lemon

salt and pepper

Paprika

2 T butter

1 c whole red grapes

1 ½ c champagne

Wash hens and pat dry.  Halve lemon and rub cut surfaces over hens.  Place in roasting pan.  Stuff each cavity with grapes.  Secure with wooden picks. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and paprika.  Brush hens with melted butter and pour champagne over hens.  Roast for approx. 1 1/2 hours--until thermometer in thickest part of meat reaches 180 degrees.  Pour pan juices over and serve with baked rice.

Baked Rice

1 c minced shallots or onions

4 T butter

2 c rice (I used jasmine)

2 cans (30 ounces total) veggie or chicken broth

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 T dry sherry (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Saute shallots in butter in dutch oven until soft (about 5 mins.).  Add rice and saute for 4 mins.  Add broth, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and put in the oven for 16 mins.  Remove from oven and let sit (covered) for 10 mins.  Remove lid, fluff, stir in sherry if using, and serve.  Enjoy!!

Dessert: Ashley

Sparkling Champagne Cupcakes 

½ c butter softened
1 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1¾ c flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ c sour cream
½ c champagne, prosecco or your choice of sparkling wine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together ½ cup champagne and ½ cup sour cream (mixture will fizz and bubble a little).  Add flour and champagne mixture alternately, beginning and ending with flour.  Batter will be thick.
Fill cupcake papers with ¼ cup level measures of batter.  Bake for 17-22 minutes.  Set aside.

From sprinklebakes.com

Wild Card: Colleen

Chocolate Banana Cake

¾ c (1½ sticks) butter
1 T olive oil
1¾ c flour
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ c best-quality cocoa
1 c sugar
⅔ c sour cream
1½ c mashed banana (about 4 very ripe bananas)
1 T vanilla extract
1 can Dr. Pepper in place of 3 eggs (Sparkle!)

Pinch of salt 

For cake: heat oven to 325 degrees. Oil or spray a 9-inch springform cake pan and set aside. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter with olive oil. Remove pan from heat. 

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and sugar. Mix well. Add sour cream and mashed banana, and whisk to combine. In a small bowl or pitcher, whisk together vanilla extract, eggs and salt. Add to saucepan and whisk until smooth. Pour into cake pan. 

Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Allow cake to cool on a rack for about 15 minutes, then remove springform and allow cake to cool completely. 

Top with chocolate chips

Adapted from Nigella Lawson, New York Times 5 October 2005

Lottery:  Mary Ellen

WWSD - What Would Stacey Do? - December 2011

Diva:  Erin

Drinks:  Tiffany

Selection of wines.

Appetizer:  Aven

Cauliflower and Carmelized Onion Tartlettes

1 large head of cauliflower (~2 lbs)

2 large thinly sliced yellow onions

4 T butter

2 pkgs puff pastry dough

6 oz. pancetta (omit for vegetarian version)

2 T dijon mustard

2 eggs

8 oz. mascarpone cheese (2 pkgs.)

½ c whipping cream

pinch nutmeg

1 c grated gruyere

½ c grated parmesan cheese

salt and white pepper

makes 24 tartlettes

Melt butter in saute pan.  Chop cauliflower and toss with half of the melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast at 425 for 40 minutes or until tender, turning once.  Add onions to remaining butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 40 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally.  While onions and cauliflower are cooking cut and arrange puff pastry in muffin tins. Spread a dollop of mustard on pastry and lay pancetta inside.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake pastry for 20 minutes.  While pastry is baking whisk eggs with mascarpone, white pepper and nutmeg.  Stir in gruyere.  When cauliflower is cool enough to handle cut into small pieces.

To assemble tarts spread a layer of onions on top of pancetta, arrange cauliflower on top of onions, pour as much egg and cheese mixture as will fit in shells over veggies and sprinkle with parmesan.  Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until filling is set and top is golden. 

(Adapted from Bon Appetit March 2007)

Soup:  Mariah

Broccoli Cheese Soup

3 T unsalted butter, plus 2 T cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 c yellow onions or sliced leeks (white parts only, well rinsed)

½ tsp salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Pinch nutmeg

½ tsp minced garlic

½ tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

3 T all-purpose flour

3 c chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth

1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed and separated

½ c heavy cream

1 ¼ c shredded medium Cheddar

Croutons, for garnish, recipe follows

In a medium pot, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until tender, for 10 minutes.  Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, in batches, puree in a blender or food

processor and return to the pot.)  Add the cream and bring to bare simmer to heat through. Add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter, stirring to blend.  Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle croutons over the top of the soup and serve immediately.

Croutons:

1 c 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubed French bread

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp Essence or Creole seasoning, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the bread in a medium bowl and toss with oil and Essence. Spread

evenly on a small baking sheet and bake, stirring twice, until light

golden brown on top, about 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool

slightly before serving.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2½ T paprika

2 T salt

2 T garlic powder

1 T black pepper

1 T onion powder

1 T cayenne pepper

1 T dried oregano

1 T dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

(From New New Orleans Cooking by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch.)

Salad:  Colleen
Red Cabbage Slaw

1 ½ heads read cabbage shredded
dried cranberries
chopped pecans

dressing:
equal parts mayo and apple cider vinegar
sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

Mix, refrigerate for a couple of hours and serve.

Side Dish:  Stacey

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

2 T butter--cut into pieces, plus more for buttering the dish

kosher salt

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, outer leaves and stems removed

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup grated white cheddar cheese

½ cup breadcrumbs

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and butter a glass baking dish (double this recipe if you use a 9X13 dish).  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until just tender--about 10 mins.  Drain the sprouts and coarsely chop.  Transfer the sprouts to the prepared baking dish and toss with the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste, then spread out evenly.  Pour the cream on top, sprinkle with the cheese and breadcrumbs and dot with the butter pieces.  Bake the gratin until bubbly and golden brown--about 15 mins.  Enjoy!!

(From Food Network Magazine, November 2010)

Entree:  Lovina

Gratineed Chicken in Cream Sauce (Poulet à la Fermiere)

4 pounds chicken thighs

3 T butter

8 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 leeks, chopped

1 c dry white wine

2/3 c chicken broth

1½ T Herbs de Provence

2 pounds small potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used organic French fingerlings)

1 c sour cream

½ c heavy cream

salt and fresh ground pepper

2 c frozen baby peas, thawed

1 ½ c coarsely grated Gruyère

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. In a large (6 or 8-quart) ceramic dutch oven (with tight fitting lid), heat butter over medium high and brown the chicken in batches (about 4-5 minutes each side).  Transfer to a plate and cover. Spoon out all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan. Add carrots, onions and leeks and saute over medium heat until soft and beginning to brown. Add wine to deglaze the pot, stirring and scraping up brown bits over high heat, until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth, Herbs de Provence, and chicken (skin sides up) along with any juices from plate. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add potatoes and salt and pepper to taste and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Stir in sour cream, heavy cream, peas, and salt and pepper to taste, then turn chicken in sauce to coat. Sprinkle dish all over with Gruyère and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until browned and sauce is bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.

(Adapted from epicurious.com)

Dessert:  Hallie

Bread Pudding

1-pound loaf French or Italian bread, cut into cubes (about 15 cups)

3 c milk

¼ c heavy cream

½ c coffee-flavored liqueur

1 c granulated sugar

1 c packed light brown sugar

¼ c cocoa powder

1 T vanilla extract

2 tsp pure almond extract (I skipped this and doubled the vanilla)

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Place the bread in the baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and liqueur.

In another bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars with the cocoa powder and mix well. Add this to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.

Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the cinnamon to the beaten eggs. Combine the egg mixture with the milk mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes; let stand, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed most of the milk mixture. Bake the pudding for 1 hour, or until set; a knife inserted into the center of the pudding should come out clean. Serving the pudding warm, or refrigerate it and serve chilled.

Serve it warm or cold, with whipped cream or a dessert sauce.

For the mint cream drizzle I whipped heavy cream with creme de menthe-- DON'T ADD SUGAR. I just dumped the booze in 'till it tasted good. The booze kept the cream from getting truly whipped, but it drizzles nicely.

(Adapted from Paula Deen)

Peppermint Popcorn

Preheat oven to about 200

Use air popped corn- microwave varieties have oil on them and might interefer with the process.

2 batches of air popped corn put in a deep roasting pan

Crush about 6 candy canes, or a bag of red and white starlight mints

Melt a bag of white chocolate chips, or about 2 bars of white chocolate

pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn

mix the crushed candy with the popcorn/white chocolate

throw the pan onto the oven for a minute or so then mix again.

Let it cool and break it up.  Sprinkle on top of bread pudding for a little crunch.