Dinner Party

One of my favorite activities as a 'real housewife' is throwing dinner parties for family and friends. Big family/holiday dinners are few and far between right now (considering home space and distance are not exactly ideal...yet), but I've enjoyed having friends over occasionally throughout the last couple years to test my hostess skills and just enjoy the company. Evening meals truly are a special combination of physical and social satiation. It is a time to feed not only the body but also the soul in the company of good friends or family. My memories of family meals around the dinner table--whether on a week night or the Sunday noon dinner--are precious and will continue to edify as I apply the principles I learned at those meals within my own family.

Last Friday was a particularly special dinner as we sat down with a couple we have not seen in several months. Although they are from Spokane, WA, we met through mutual family friends and have been close since their previous stay in Chicago last summer. They are back in the city now for a brief 3 months before moving back to Portland for the new year! I am very excited to have these friends back in town, and was so happy to have them over for dinner last Friday evening. I spent most of the days leading up to the meal attempting to plan the menu, and here's what we ended up with...

Appetizer:
Herbed Chevre Goat Cheese topped with Apricot Preserves
{served with pita chips & water crackers} // Sweet Pickled Okra

Entree:
Grilled New York Strip Steak
(a la DH the grillmaster)

Sweet-Roasted Rosemary Acorn Squash (squash from the local Farmer's Market!)

Sauteed Garlic Kale (a new favorite!)

Four-Cheese Risotto (last-minute add on since I forgot rolls.... so it was from a box)

 
Dessert:
Semi-Homemade Rum Bundt Cake with Glaze
This was a quick & easy recipe for a dessert I have never tried. The result was good enough to try completely made-from-scratch next time!




Overall, I'd say the dinner was a great success. Good food, good wine and good conversation was had by all (including some very good laughs!)

What is your favorite recipe (appetizer? entree? dessert?) to serve guests?

What's for Dinner?

I love cooking with fresh fruits and vegetables from the Farmer's Market. I feel especially cool when I pick up something new or unusual and manage to use it in a tasty dish. It has been a while since I've used kale in my cooking (if ever), and when I saw a bunch of its bright green curly leaves at the market last weekend, I couldn't resist picking up a big bunch. It served me well! Along with a perfect little spaghetti squash, I prepared what I'd call a perfect fall recipe....


Spaghetti Squash with Sausage & Kale
(I found the original recipe here, but adapted it to my ingredients)

Serves 2. Prep time + cooking time ~ 40 min.

Ingredients:

• 1 smallish spaghetti squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 2 links Italian sausage (the kind we had in the freezer had cheese in it, too!)
• 1 bunch fresh kale, stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Place the squash halves, cut side down, in a large, microwavable dish. Add 1/3 cup water and microwave until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Scoop out the seeds. Using a fork, comb the squash into strands into a bowl. Toss with the parmesan and season with black pepper.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes (I cooked ours on a George Foreman grill). Remove the sausage and toss in the garlic, cooking until tender but not browned. Add kale and chicken stock and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, checking occasionally so it doesn't burn! Remove cover and cook until liquid is evaporated. Season with salt and black pepper (if necessary, the stock kept ours pretty salty). Serve sausage and kale on top of the squash.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   YUM!