Celebrating Americana (Part 1)

Food

I love a good celebration and look for any excuse to have one! September is National “Americana” Month, and LyonsLifestyle is paying tribute to true meaning of this term coined in the 1800s.  September is a time to reflect upon all that has been weaved into the quilt we call America, as we come together to celebrate our melting pot of nostalgia, cultures, religions, politics, history, music, art, food and fashion all of which make up the zeitgeist of America.  Our Americana…

What does the term “Americana” conjure up for you? Apple Pie ~ S’mores ~ Lobster Rolls ~ Deep Dish Pizza ~ Corn dogs ~Cheeseburgers ~ Chicken and Waffles~ English Muffins ~ Fortune Cookies ~ AND Baseball!

First up we celebrate Labor Day, a holiday also originating in the 1800s, to celebrate and pay homage to the labor workers in our country; the men and women who contributed to making America the great and prosperous country it is by the sacrifices and hard work they made to society.

We traditionally commemorate Labor Day with big end-of-the-season BBQ’s and soirees of all kinds.  And, even though summer isn’t officially over until September 22nd, this long holiday weekend has come to symbolize summer’s grand finale!

It’s that time when we bid adieu to long, lazy beach days, sunset sails, candlelight alfresco dining, Rose’ Sundays, firework displays, sun-drenched summer vacations and sun-kissed skin. 

So let’s raise our glass in a toast to workers everywhere and celebrate Americana with the ultimate celebratory meal perfect for alfresco entertaining, LOBSTER! 

By this time of the season, we’ve all had our fair share of hot dogs and hamburgers. So I like to change it up and go out with a bang with something a little more special! 

Photo Left: My daughter Chloe featured in Nantucket Magazine (N Magazine). Photograph by Brian Sager Photography. Photo Right: A simple circle cutter and skewered blueberries “make the ordinary extraordinary”!

Some Fresh Ideas for a Perfect Labor Day Menu

• Blueberry Vodka Lemonade

• White Sangria
  

• Baked Stuffed Lobsters

• Mexican Street Corn (YUM!)

• Boiled Red Bliss Potatoes with Truffle Butter (truffle salt) and Parsley

• Grilled Romain Lettuce with Ranch Dressing

• Char Grilled Broccoli with EVOO and course Sea Salt

• Clam Chowder 
  

• Assorted Sorbets in bright colors

• Mediterranean Mint Gelato with Shaved Chocolate and Mint Sprig

• Watermelon Blueberry Bites (get out your circle cutters!)

• S’mores (always a big seller!)

Some Recipes for You!

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Lyons Family Baked Stuffed Lobster (Serves 2)

***NOTE  I usually cook 6 in one oven on two cookie sheets with 3 on each. Please be sure the cookie sheets fit in your oven!! If you have 2 ovens you can cook 12!

• 2  1 ½ lb Maine Cold Water Lobsters, split and cleaned

• ¼ lb (I stick) Unsalted Butter melted

• 2 Cups Italian Style Breadcrumbs

• 3 Lemons

• 4 oz Lump Crabmeat

• 4 oz Cooked Shrimp or Nantucket Bay Scallops

• ¼ Cup Dry Sherry (or to taste)

• ¼ Cup Chopped Parsley

• ¼ Cup Melted Butter

• ¼ Cup Melted Butter

• ½ Cup Melted Butter on the side

• 2 Skewers

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

• Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Stuffing

1. Mix the following together in a bowl

2. Melted 1 stick butter, breadcrumbs, crabmeat, shrimp or scallops, sherry, juice from one squeezed lemon

3. Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare Lobsters

Have your local fish market split lobsters down the belly (being careful not to go through to the back), and clean them for you.
***Speak to your fish monger about safe handling for fish!

Let’s Cook!

1. Skewer each lobster from head to toe to prevent curling during baking

2. Place each lobster on its back on a cookie sheet

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

4. Stuff each lobster loosely with seafood stuffing

5. Drizzle with ¼ Cup melted butter

6. Bake in middle of the oven for 20-30 minutes

7. Turn on broiler for a few minutes if you prefer toasted stuffing. ( Watch closely)

To Serve

1. Remove from oven

2. Remove skewers

3. Drizzle with remaining ¼ cup of butter over two lobsters

4. Squeeze juice of half a lemon on lobsters

5. Sprinkle with parsley

6. Shine claws and exposed shells with olive oil and paper towel

7. Serve with a warm side of melted butter for dipping lobster meat

8. Serve with a half lemon on the dish (optional) YUM!

Penny’s Mexican Street Corn (Serves 6)

I had my first Mexican Street Corn in NYC at Tacombi on Bleeker Street a few years back. I melted in my chair along with the mayo and sour cream! I like a heavily loaded ear of corn!

Ingredients

• 6 Ears of Sweet Summer Corn

• ½ Cup Mayonnaise

• ½ Cup Sour Cream

• ½ Cup Finely Chopped Cilantro

• 1 Small Bunch Cilantro to Garnish Platter

• ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

• 1 Cup Cotija Cheese (or crumbled Feta if desired)

• 1 Tbsp Chili Powder (or to taste)

• Lime for sprinkling

• Butter for Griddle

• Cooking Spray for Grill

• Baking Dish

Prepare Corn

• You can either boil or grill corn. Either way, coat corn with mixture while HOT.

• TO BOIL: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Gently place shucked ears of corn with silks removed in water and boil for 3 minutes. Turn off water. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes until tender. Drain. Pat dry. Doneness depends on size of ears….Check..

• TO GRILL: You can grill stovetop on a griddle coated with butter or on an outdoor grill sprayed with cooking spray. If grilling, I prefer husks on and tied back like a ponytail.  This makes for a more dramatic presentation. Grill, turning corn for 7-10 minutes.  Temps depend on your grill. Medium heat on a griddle and medium to high heat on the grill.  Keep an eye on corn to prevent burning, working to get a nice char.

Let’s Cook!

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, parmesan cheese and cilantro in a bowl. Spread mayonnaise mixture in baking dish and roll each ear, generously coating.  Place on decorative platter.  Sprinkle ears of corn with Cotija cheese, Chili Powder to taste and chopped Cilantro. Sprinkle with the juice of 1 squeezed lime. Garnish your platter with a bouquet of cilantro tied with raffia and serve immediately.

Mediterranean Mint Gelato

Talenti Mediterranean Mint Gelato (love this brand!)

Theo Organic 70% Dark Chocolate Bar  OR cut into chunks and shaving.

1. Place two small scoops in bowl

2. Top with a few chunks of chocolate

3. Sprinkle the whole bowl (including rim) with shaved chocolate

4. Top with mint sprig

Congratulations to Workers Everywhere

We Celebrate You & We Celebrate Americana!

RESOURCES:

Visual Production Credits: iStock 

 Mexican Corn: iulilia_n

Cornfield: Tottoon

 Broccoli: Cavan Images

Labor Day Banner: Silver V

Dishes: Coton Colors

Dishes: Crate & Barrel

Crab Pails and Strainers: Home Goods

Stemware: Ballard Design

An Elegant & Easy Summer Luncheon

~ Mastering the Art of Make-Ahead ~

The easiest and most relaxing way to prepare for guests is to master the art of make-ahead!  And what better way to do it than with Summer’s freshest bounty? This can be challenging with certain menu selections, but not with my new favorite summer recipes! Think English cucumbers, bright yellow peaches, succulent heirloom tomatoes, crisp fresh spinach and fresh herbs such as basil pulled into the most delicious pesto. And don’t forget sunflowers! 

Try to create a scene or vignette that blends with your menu choices or theme. For this luncheon I was thinking of a small garden in Italy where I would serve bounty fresh from my garden! Start with a vision and then make it happen! Dreams are what life is made of… Here are some photos I hope will inspire you, too…

Menu for 4

Chilled Avocado & Cucumber Soup

Tomato, Peach and Burrata Salad with Balsamic Glaze and Basil

Italian Pasta Salad in a Jar topped with Poached Chicken

Drizzle of Pesto or Hot Pepper Relish

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Chilled Avocado & Cucumber Soup in Soup Tureens

(adapted from recipe by Julie at The Simple Veganista)

Ingredients

• 1C water

• 2 Medium avocado

• 2 Large English cucumber peeled

• 1 Tsp Fresh dill

• 1 Clove garlic

• 1 Fresh squeezed lemon

• Pinch of Sea salt (to taste as it depends on the avocado / cucumber ratio)

• Pinch of Black Pepper

• Tiny pinch of crushed red pepper (to taste)

• Fresh Dill for garnish

• Chopped Red onion for garnish

• Chopped cucumber fo garnish with skin on

• Zucchini Bread and Honey Butter (Optional) But delicious!

Let’s Cook!

1. This soup could not be easier to make!

2. Cut cucumber and avocado into pieces

3. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy (The color is beautiful!)

4. This is truly a S & P to taste kind of dish!  (I added more salt and pepper than I usually use)

5. The pinch of crushed red pepper gave it a nice kick 

6. The onions and cucumbers on top add the perfect crunch it needed

7. The side of zucchini bread with honey butter beautifully elevated the first course  

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Food Styling 

1. Divide amongst 4 soup tureens OR in Mule cups! Either is perfect!

2. Top with garnish and cover

3. Refrigerate until serving!

4. Your guests will be impressed….

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Tomato & Peach Caprese w/ Burrata & Balsamic

Ingredients

• 3 Large ripe peaches

• 3 Large ripe Heirloom tomatoes

• Balsamic glaze

• Burrata, Feta or Mozzarella cheese

• Fresh basil  

Let’s Cook!

1. Cut tomatoes into sections

2. Cut peaches into sections (I prefer skin on)

3. Arrange on a beautiful platter

4. Open one ball of burrata and place small mounds of it around the platter OR scatter other cheese crumbles of your choice. I also love feta!

5. Drizzle balsamic glaze in a decorative swirl

6. Top with chopped fresh basil

7. Garnish with basil sprig

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Pasta Salad in a jar!

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View fullsize

I’ve experimented with several recipes and this is the one that works for me. It’s a pasta salad with spinach, cherry tomatoes, black olives and dressing topped with whatever you would like. I top it with sliced poached chicken once the salad is poured from the jar, and drizzle it with pesto or hot pepper relish. YUM!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 13.5 Ounces Segiano toscani organic pasta or Sfoglini Trumpet pasta

• 1 Cup sliced black olives

• 1 Cup halved cherry tomatoes 

• 2 Cups baby spinach

• 2 Cooked full chicken breasts (4 halves) thickly sliced on a diagonal 

• (***Poach or bake or buy already cooked!)

• Pesto Sauce (store bought) or Hot Pepper Relish

Italian Dressing

• 1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil 

• 1/4 Cup red wine vinegar

• 1 Tsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 Fresh squeezed Lemon

• 2 Tsp Italian Herb Blend

• S & P to taste

• Tiny pinch Red crushed pepper (optional)

Let’s Cook!

1. Whisk together oil, red wine, dijon, lemon and Italian herbs.  

2. Add S & P and pinch of crushed red pepper to taste

3. Divide evenly among 4 mason jars

4. Layer with black olives

5. Layer with tomatoes

6. Pat down gently as you go along. I use a small masher

7. Press handfuls of baby spinach or arugula down to completely fill jars

8. Cover tightly and refrigerate until serving!

9. Serve jar at each place setting allowing each guests to open and pour into large bowl

10. Suggest shaking jar to combine dressing with ingredients

11. Pass platter with poached or baked slice chicken topped with pesto or hot pepper relish 

12. OR serve table side

~Bon Appetit ~

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RESOURCES

Butter Domes Degrenne: Degrenne Paris

Towels: Coyuchi

Dishes: Williams Sonoma (Pacifica)

Mason Jars: Westport Hardware

Urns, Pots and Statuary: Colonial Gardens Fairfield

Sunflowers: Whole Foods

Soup Tureens + Placemats: Bed Bath and Beyond

Mule Cups + Ice Bucket: Cambridge Home

Faux Baby Boxwoods: Millie Raes

Pasta Bowls: Crate and Barrel

Stemware: Arland Veranda

Baskets: Personal Collection

Lanterns: Frontgate

Photography: Red Skies Photography

Beautiful Thai Sweet Red Chili Shrimp

I often speak of aligning the design and color of your menu offerings with the design and color of your tablescape, or vice versa. It makes for a cohesion of color and design that is quiet on the eye. And it’s just pretty!  And when it’s pretty, it just tastes better!

For this Asian inspired, seaside, alfresco dinner on Nantucket, I began with my tablescape design, a black base accented with neon colors and followed the design with coordinating food choices, which turned out to be great fun! 

The black stoneware dishes were bold and dramatic on a table covering of  black rolls of paper. I continued the theme with a black ceramic serving platter on which I served Jumbo Thai Sweet Red Chili Shrimp in black Asian soup spoons. It’s always fun when it all comes together, and I was so happy with this!

Ingredients (Serves 6)                                               

• 18 Jumbo Frozen Shrimp (I always estimate a per person count considering the entirety of the menu)

• 1 Cup of Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce. (I use Thai Kitchen)

• 1 Tbs Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

• 2 Tbs Peanut Oil

• 1 Clove of whole Garlic

• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

• Salt to taste

• 1 Tsp Cilantro chopped

• Cilantro for garnish! ( Love cilantro! Do you?)

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Let’s Cook!

1. Thaw shrimp according to directions

2. Devein and remove tails. Pat shrimp dry with paper towel

3. Heat oil in a skillet on low

4. Swirl the garlic clove around for 2 minutes then remove

5. Toss shrimp in skillet and stir until pink (depending upon your heat and size of shrimp)

6. Remove shrimp from the skillet and wipe skillet with paper towel

7. Return to skillet to make sauce

8. Add Sweet Red Chili Sauce, lime juice, a pinch of crushed red pepper, pinch of salt and cilantro

9. Cook on low for 2-3 minutes

10. Toss shrimp back in just to heat through

11. Serve!

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Style your Food!

1. Place one shrimp per Asian Soup Spoon

2. Put as many spoons your serving tray can fit; refill as needed

3. Drizzle each shrimp with a tiny bit of the sauce

4. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

~Bon Appetit ~

***I prefer serving shrimp with tails removed. Tails are messy and untidy when bitten off which then requires a receptacle to receive the tails. It’s so much easier to pop the whole shrimp in your mouth!

*** Jumbo shrimp is usually my size of choice. They shrink considerably when cooking. Also, “Jumbo” is different from fish monger to fish monger.

NOTE: Ask your guests if they have any allergies. Many people are allergic to fish, and some just to shellfish. If you wish not to ask, be sure to have options that will be a failsafe for those who don’t eat meat, fish or dairy.

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RESOURCES

Table rentals by: theeventrentalco.com

Photography by: briansagerphotography.com

Linens: athomewithray.com

Asian Soup Spoons: Amazon Home

Serving Tray: Home Goods

Ferns: BartlettsFarm.com

Stoneware Dishes: Stone Lain Coupe Stoneware

Chopsticks: Hiware reusable fiberglass

Flatware: Jankng

Stemware: Arland Veranda

A Very Berry Angel Food Cake

The perfect Red, White & Blue Soiree Dessert (Serves 8)

Angel Food Cake is a refreshingly light-weight summer delight, the perfect red, white & blue warm-weather confection for an All-American Outdoor Cook. Smother with a deliciously light and fluffy whipped creme, an abundance of fresh mixed berries, sprigs of fresh mint from your garden and !VOILA! MAGIC HAPPENS!

Angel Food Cake is said to be "so light that angels could eat it and still fly without being weighted down”

~ Castella, Krystina,  A World of Cake ~

I’m all about easy summertime living and the value of time-saving store-bought products. For this recipe, I use a store-bought Angel Food Cake and it’s always delicious!

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View fullsize

Ingredients

• 1 8 oz container of Cool Whip

• 1 Store-bought Angel Food Cake

• 1 Basket of Strawberries

• 1 Basket of Raspberries

• 1 Basket of Blueberries

• 1 Basket of Blackberries

•  Fresh Mint for Garnish 

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Let’s Cook!

1. Thaw the container of Cool Whip (comes frozen)

2. Slice cake horizontally into three even layers

3. Clean and cut hulled strawberries, clean rest of berries, dry and mix all together

4. Mound a thick layer of Cool Whip on the first layer

5. Spoon berries on top

6. Repeat with remaining layers

7. Mound a thick layer of Cool Whip on top of third layer, top with berries

8. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint

9. Keep in refrigerator until it’s party time! You guests will squeal with delight!

Note: This recipe serves 8 but be prepared for guests to request seconds! I always double the recipe for a party of 8 or more and keep the second cake in the refrigerator until needed.

~Bon Appetit ~

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Resources

• Gooseneck Vineyards

• Event Rental Co Nantucket Island

• Anderson’s Nantucket

• Luna Bazaar

• Meat and Fish Nantucket

• Flowers on Chestnut

• Briansagerphotography.com

Spring Tablescape and Dinner (Part 2)

Welcome to Part 2 of my Youtube presentation and blog “Spring Tablescape and Dinner”!  Please enjoy a couple of the recipes I used to create this springtime culinary excursion!

And here is the dinner!

Let’s Cook!

Signature Cocktail
Raspberry Martini (refreshing and yum!) Serves 1

• 1 1/2 oz SKYYE Raspberry Vodka

• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup (homemade 1-1 ratio of sugar and water OR store-bought!)

• 3 Raspberries 

• 2 Tbs Cranberry Juice

• 1/2 C Ice

• 1 Tbs Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice

• 3 Raspberries for garnish

1. Gently mash 3 Raspberries into the simple Syrup

2. Add Vodka, simple syrup mixture, cranberry juice, lime juice and ice in a shaker. Stir until combined.

3. Strain into glass

4. Garnish with a skewer of raspberries and a mint leaf

Pea Soup – Recipe courtesy of Ellie Krieger via FOOD NETWORK

• 2 Tsp EVOO

• 2 Lg Onions sliced ( 3 Cups)

• 5 Cups low-sodium Chicken Broth

• 1 1/2 Tsp Dried Tarragon

• 1 Tsp Salt

• Fresh Ground Pepper (to taste)

• 1 10 Ounce Bags of Frozen Peas

• Creme Fraiche

• Fresh Mint for garnish

1. Heat olive oil over moderate Lowe hear in a large pot. Add onion, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until softened. Add broth, tarragon, salt and freshly ground pepper and bring to a boil

2. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Serve hot. Ladle into bowls.

Note: I garnish with Creme Fraiche and a sprig of mint

Spinach Salad with Blueberries, Strawberries & Bacon – Serves 6

• 1 Pound of Fresh Baby Spinach

• 1 Pint of Organic  Bueberries

• 1 Pound of Organic Strawberies hulled and cut in half

• 3-4 Ounces of Slivered almonds

• 12 Strips of Bacon cooked flat

• Raspberry vinaigrette to taste (I serve on the side)

Raspberry Vinaigrette

• 2 Cups Fresh Raspberries

• 1/2 Cup EVOO

• 4 TbsRed Wine Vinegar

• 1 Tsp Dijon Mustard

• 1-2 Tbs Honey (I love the flavor of honey and pepper so I add 2 TBS)

• 1/4 Tsp Salt

• 1/4 Tsp Pepper

• Combine in Food Processor or Bullet and process until well blended.

Food Styling & Presentation

• Toss spinach, blueberries, strawberries and 1/2 of the almonds in a large bowl

• Arrange on a large platter making sure fruits are showing on top

• Lay strips of bacon across the top

• Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 of the almonds

Lemon Basil, Asparagus, Green Olive and Spicy Chicken Sausage Pasta
This recipe was inspired by @HalfBakedHarvest I made some changes due to preference & allergies

• 1lb Seggiano Fusilloni Organic Pasta. The spirals grab the delicious sauce!

• 1 Cup Green Olives chopped

• 1 Pound Spicy Chicken Sausage links

• 1/4 Cup of EVOO 

• 2 Tbs EVOO

• 2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1 Lemon zest and juice

• 1 1/2 Bunches of Asparagus chopped

• 6 Asparagus spears peeled for food styling

• 2 Cups of Fresh Basil

• 4 Cloves Minced Garlic

• 1/4 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper (and additional on the side)

• 1/4 Cup Dry White Wine

• 2 Cups of Freshly Shaved Parmesan (save 1/2 cup for garnish)

• 2 Cups of Fresh Spinach leaves ( 1 cup for mixing in and 1 cup for garnish)

1. Cook pasta according to directions (add 1 tsp EVOO and 1/2 tsp Kosher salt to water)

2. Set aside when cooked

3. Mix EVOO, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, 1 cup basil, green olives, S & P to taste in the bowl of a food processor and process until well blended like a pesto

4. Set aside

5. Add 2 Tbs Evoo to saute’ pan

6. Add sausage links and cook until done, about 10 minutes depending upon size of links

7. Remove from pan an cut into 1/2 slices and put back into pan

8. Add asparagus, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and S & P to taste

9. Cook another 10 mutes until asparagus is tender.

10. Add wine and simmer 2-3 minutes

11. Add the cooked pasta and 1 1/2 cups parmesan and combine well

12. Add the basil, green olive sauce and toss well (YUM!)

13. Remove from heat and toss with 1 cup spinach leaves

14. Add additional red crushed pepper flakes to taste. (Serve on the side)

Food Styling

• Cabbage Leaves around serving platter

• Mound Pasta in the center

• Sprinkle with fresh spinach leaves with spinach leaves and asparagus tips  on top

• Sprinkle with additional Crushed Red Pepper (optional, taste first)

• Arrange Several Stalks of Asparagus on top of the pasta

• Garnish with more Shaved Parmigiani Reggiani

  VOILA!

Roasted Cornish Hens with Stuffing

• 6 Cornish Hens 1.5 pounds each (try to get them all around the same size)

• 6 Tbs EVOO

• 6 Tbs Unsalted Butter

• 1 Tsp Unsalted Butter

• S & P to taste 

• 1 Tsp Poultry Seasoning

• 10 Sprigs of Thyme

1. Preheat Oven to 450 Degrees

2. Remove the insides of the hens, rinse and pat dry

3. Tie the legs together with twine

4. Melt the 6 tsps butter in a saucepan and combine with EVOO. Add Poultry seasoning and mix

5. Spread mixture all over body, legs and in cavity

6. Sprinkle with S & P 

7. Place I teaspoon butter in cavity with S+P add a 2 sprigs of thyme to cavity 

8. Reduce temp to 400 degrees

9. Place in baking pan and roast for 30 minutes basting. Remove hens from oven and gently  stuff with small spoon. Return to oven for another 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees

10. Remove from oven and tent with foil for 15 minutes

Prepare Stuffing Separately
You can use STOVETOP STUFFING! My family’s favorite! I enhance this delicious stuffing by adding sautéed green and red grapes, apples, pears and clementines for a delicious compote

• 1 Box of Stovetop Stuffing

• 1 Macintosh Apple chopped

• 1 Anjou Pear (ripe) chopped

• 12 Green Seedless Grapes

• 12 Red Seedless Grapes

• 2 Clemetines (Cuties) peeled with each pice cut in half

• 2 TBS Unsalted Butter

1. Prepare Stovetop stuffing according to directions on box. Set aside

2. Saute’ fruit in pan

3. Mix with prepared stuffing

OR make your own….

I stuff the birds 30 minutes mid-way though cooking so  the fruits warm up and add a sweet flavor to the au jus

Food Styling & Presentation

Serve 6 Hens on a pretty platter and Garnish with sprigs of Thyme

Lemon Coconut Cake  

For this cake I used a classic box cake from Duncan Hines. (Sometimes, you just have to do it to balance time). It was the Duncan Hines Signature Cake Mix, Deliciously Moist Lemon Supreme. And that it was! My cake was 4 layers, so I used two boxes and 4 9” cake pans

The Cake (***This is a double recipe)

1. 2 boxes Duncan Hines Moist Lemon Supreme

2. Prepare according to package directions 

3. Grease and flour 4 9” round cake pans (if you don’t have 4 pans, you can bake two at a time)

4. Divide batter evenly into 4 cake pans

5. Bake according to directions

6. Let cakes cool then turn each one out onto its own plate lined with parchment paper

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Traditional White Frosting (super-easy!) (***This is a double recipe)

The frosting should be as white as possible to achieve a “cloud-like” effect once coconut is applied

Ingredients

•  3 Cups (6 Sticks) Butter (as light in color as you can find) softened 

• 12 Cups Confectioners Sugar

• 4-6 Tsps Whole Milk

• 4 Tsp Clear Vanilla

Directions

1. Mix butter until creamy on med-high speed

2. Gradually mix in sugar a bit at a time until combined

3. Add vanilla

4. Add milk a little at a time to achieve desired consistency ( prefer a thicker consistency)

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Tangy Lemon Filling (Easy!)  (***This is a double recipe!)

• 1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar

• 1/2 Cup Cornstarch

• 1/2 Tsp Salt

• 4 Egg Yolks

• 1 1/2 Cups Water

• 4 Tbs Butter softened

• 2/3 Cup Freshly Sqeezed Lemon Juice

• 2 Tsp Freshly grated Lemon Zest

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small pan

2. Add Egg yolks and combine

3. Add Water and stir until combined and smooth

4. Cook over low heat until a light boil (4-5 minutes) until mixture thickens

5. Remove from heat

6. Add Butter and combine

7. Whisk lemon juice

8. Add Lemon zest (best part!)

9. Pour into bowl and cover with plastic wrap right on top of surface

10. Refrigerate for an hour

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Coconut Topping

8 Cups Shredded Coconut

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Assembly

1. Place first layer of cake on doily covered cake stand

2. Spread a thick layer of lemon filing over whole layer

3. Apply next layers alternating with lemon filling

4. Apply top cake layer

5. Gently ice with frosting. 

6. Sprinkle with coconut on top and on press in all around sides being sure to cover every inch of the 4 layer cake. Serve immediately.

7. Sprinkle coconut shreds all over top and sides, gently patting the sides so it will stick

Cake Styling & Presentation

Plated on a doily on a cake pedestal wrapped in silk ivy roping and topped with a live hot pink lily from my tablescape floral arrangement. It’s a beautiful thing when your food matches your tablescape and sideboard decor.

*** I have also made this cake with the addition of fresh blueberries on top of each layer of lemon filling

Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

A Celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day With A Modern Day Twist on an Old Family Tradition

Go Behind The Scenes

Watch the recipe and tablescape I made for this St. Patrick's Day on my YouTube Channel.

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A few years ago, I wrote a blog for St. Patrick’s Day which is under Food & Cocktails, about my Irish heritage giving way to the ceremonial presentation of our traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner served every year on March 17th, regardless of the day of the week it fell on. I called it the Leprechauns Pot of Gold, which it most certainly is. My mother is of Irish descent, born to an Irish immigrant who migrated to NYC from Ireland as a young girl. And became a chamber maid in a NYC hotel. Everything and anything about Ireland was celebrated in our home; green beer, dark stout, green bagels, dressing up in green, St. Patrick’s Day parades and of course, parties. 

Festivities amp up the hype and really create a stir  of a celebration, almost a rite of Spring. Rivers are dyed green, like the river in Chicago which has been dyed Kelly green each St Patrick’s Day since 1962, with the exception of 2020. We lived in Tampa, FL recently, right on the river, which is also dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day. Recreational boats would be out all day with people drinking and celebrating! And boy, does that cause quite a partying spirit. It’s lots of fun filled with lots of revelry!

This year life is very different. We have been confined to our homes, the result of the Covid 19 pandemic that swept across the world. Feeling contained and isolated, we’ve been challenged to swim our way through unchartered territories. Beyond all the responsibilities facing families to keep life going and their families safe, there has been the challenge of creating three meals a day, everyday for a year  

So this year, on St. Patrick’s Day, I‘d like to help you celebrate with ease by making this classic dinner in my new best friend, the Instant Pot!

What is “corned beef”?  Corned beef is actually a brisket, a tough cut of meat, that has been salt-cured to make it more tender. Packages of corned beef ranging from 3-5 pounds are readily available this time of year in most markets, sold in a vacuum sealed bags of brine with a package of spices in it. I usually try to find the larger cut of meat because is shrinks down considerably.  It’s also fun to have leftovers for tasty sandwiches or corned beef hash and eggs the next day. The accompanying spice packet makes it super-easy. Rip open the bag and toss into the pot. DONE! and YUM! 

The spice packet is a delicious combo of bay leaves, coriander seeds, whole peppercorns, anise seeds, whole cloves, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and allspice berries.

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Have everything ready before you begin

• 6 qt Instant-pot  (I have a Duo Evo Plus from Williams Sonoma…(I know, it’s a lot of words)

• Cutting board 

• Pairing knife

• Meat Cutting Knife

• Pan for hard-boiling eggs

• Measuring cups

• Measuring Spoons

• Bread Cutting Knife

• Tiny Butter Crocks

Ingredients (Serves 6-8)

• 3-5lb Corned Beef brisket

• 1 Packet of Seasoning (It comes in the Corned Beef package for the holiday)

• 12 oz bottle of Guinness Stout

• 1/2 C Water 

• 1 Lg Onion Cut into Quarters

• 2 Cloves of Minced Garlic

• 6 Strips of Bacon Chopped

• I lb New Potatoes peeled (yellow or red)

• 6 Hard-boiled eggs (optional, but our family tradition)

• 1 Lg Green Cabbage cut into 3 inch slices

• 6 Lg Carrots cut on a diagonal (my favorite) into 2 inch chunks

• Malt Vinegar

• Kosher Salt 

• Pepper

• 1/4 C Chopped Parsley for Garnish

• Two loaves of Irish Soda Bread

• 8oz KERRYGOLD Pure Irish Butter

Sauces

• Honey Mustard Sauce

• 1/4 C Clover Honey

• 1/4 Dijon Mustard

OR

• Sour Cream  & Horseradish Sauce

• 1C Sour Cream

• 3 TBS of drained Horseradish

• S & P to taste

• 3 Snippets of Chives (or to taste)

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Let’s Cook!

Meat

1. Remove the top of your Instant Pot

2. Rinse the meat thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry

3. Place onions and garlic in bottom of pan (You can use the rack if you wish)

4. Place meat on top of onions

5. Sprinkle Packet of Spices on top of meat

6. Add Whole Bottle of Guinness Beer

7. Add 1 Cup of Water 

8. Place Lid to Lock Position

9. Turn on Pressure Cook

10. Turn on Custom ~ High

11. Turn Timer knob to 90 minutes

12. Press Start !VOILA!

13. ***When timer goes off, Quick release pressure (according to your manufacturer’s directions)

14. Remove meat from pan and loosely cover with foil on a cutting board to rest the meat

Eggs

1. While meat is cooking, Hard-boil 6 eggs

2. Peel, cut in half and set aside

Veggies

1. Add Carrots, Potatoes and Cabbage Directly to Liquid

2. Close Lid to Lock

3. Turn on Pressure Cook

4. Turn on Custom ~ High

5. Turn Timer Knob to 3 minutes 

6. Press Start. !VOILA!

7. ***This is a bit tricky, as overcooking will yield a more stew-like macerated vegetable presentation which you may prefer. I prefer a more al dente vegetable presentation

8. When timer goes off, quick release pressure (according to your manufacturer’s directions)

9. Drain vegetables immediately 

A BOBBY FLAY HACK

In the meantime, here’s a little tasty trick I learned from Bobby Flay. Cook up some chopped bacon or bacon strips in a pan. Remove bacon but leave fat. Slice the corned beef into thick slices and gently sear on both sides in hot bacon fat. Some seriously ridiculous flavor! YUM!  Remove.

I mean if we’re going for it, let’s just go for it!

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Sauce Options

1. Honey Mustard Sauce

2. Mix 1/4 Cup of Honey with 1/4 Cup of Dijon Mustard

Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce

1. Mix Sour Cream and Horseradish

2. S&P to taste

3. Add Snipped Chives ( to taste) 

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Let’s Eat!

Serving Suggestions

1. Arrange slices in a layered circular pattern and surround with vegetables. I prefer each vegetable to be separate, but you can scoop it out all together, too.

2. Sprinkle with a tad of Malt Vinegar

3. Arrange Hard-Boiled Egg Halves around Platter

4. Sprinkle with S&P to taste

5. Sprinkle with Chopped Parsley

Serve Sauces 

1. Serve one or both sauces in separate bowls for passing

Irish Soda Bread

1. Place loaves of Irish Soda Bread on cutting boards with small crocks of Irish butter. 

2. Go the extra step and add a four-leaf clover to each butter crock!

3. And Lots of Stout Beer for Drinking!

Bon Appetite!

Bite-Sized Eggplant Parms

If you love Italian food as much as I do, you are going to LOVE these delicious little morsels! I often prepare them for cocktail parties or for cocktails before a dinner party. The last time I served them, they went out and were gone before I was able to join the crowd! I usually plan on 3 per person…But I may increase that!

 Let’s Cook!

Ingredients (Makes 16 servings)

• 1 Large Eggplant

• 2 Eggs

• S&P to taste

• Progresso Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs

• 1/2 Cup Exta Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 16 oz Package of Belgioioso Sliced Mozzarella

• Grated Parmesan Cheese (for sprinkling)

• Tomato sauce of your choice (for a dab on top)

• Crushed Red Pepper

• Parsley (Optional)

• Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper

• 1 1/2 inch Circle Cutter

• Cast Iron Skillet

Have everything ready before you begin!

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Have your pan ready! Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a cast iron skillet on a medium low until just bubbling. You may need more.

• Scramble two eggs in a bowl, season with S&P to taste

• Pour breadcrumbs onto a flat surface

• Place paper towels on a large plate in preparation for draining eggplant

• Cook in batches careful to not to overlap

• Have your selected size of circle cutter ready

• Place parchment paper on a large sheet pan

• Warm your sauce in a sauce pan.

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You’re Ready!

1. Peel the eggplant and slice into 1/8” pieces

2. Immediately dip into prepared egg and coat both sides with breadcrumbs

3. Place in hot skillet turning until lightly brown. Place cooked eggplant on paper towel to drain. Wipe pan clean with paper towel and drizzle in fresh olive oil for next batch. Repeat.

4. Let all eggplant slices cool

5. Remove mozzarella slices from package. Pat moisture out of them with paper towel. On a cutting board, use your cutter to cut out circles. Set aside.

6. Do the same for all the eggplant slices. Sprinkle lightly with parmesan

Save scraps to use in an omelette!

Now the magic begins!  Assembly time!

7. Sandwich one circle of mozzarella between two circles of eggplant. Set on parchment paper on sheet pan

8.  Bake for 15 minutes. Watch carefully. Ovens vary so much! You know they are done and the cheese is heated through when you can see cheese slightly bulging from the sides. REMOVE

9.  Let cool

10. For a perfectly neat food presentation cut again with clean circle cutter. They will be perfect!  Top with warm sauce.

11. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper 

Note: Don’t worry if they look wonky when you remove from oven. You can straighten them out and then re-cut when cool!  So easy!

Plating and Serving Suggestions

• Serve on a wood or marble cutting board or tray

• White is always great as a background for this vibrant colour

• Top with a tiny sprig of Italian parsley OR just load the plate up with parsley to food style and skip the pieces on the eggplant

• For individual servings place two on a small app plate with a sprig of parsley

These can be served at room temperature also!

Bon Appetite!

The Famous Baked Tomato & Feta Pasta Dish

Jumping in on the Internet Sensation!

Once upon a time, there was a pasta dish that became a renowned actor on the world stage. This dish was originally created by Tiiu Piret of Finland in 2018, and picked up by Jenni Hayrinen, also of Finland, on her blog “Liemessa”. Jenni adapted it into a more simple version in 2019, becoming the viral rage in Finland. It became the hashtag #uunifetapasta meaning “oven feta pasta”. Enter Mackenzie Smith of the blog, “Grilled Cheese Social” in the USA. Maggie posted yet another adaptation to TikTok…. and the rest is history! It swept the Internet and became an overnight sensation, inspiring cooks and chefs everywhere to try their hand at this 20 minute one-dish phenom. 

“The stores actually ran out of feta cheese here.” 

Jenni Hayrinen, Finland

And so, I too, could not wait to get my hands on these ingredients! I was excited to try what had seemingly become a bit of an Internet game with cooks displaying their varying renditions to include the additions of asparagus, chicken, sausage or shrimp. One person actually added tomato sauce to it for more of a traditional pasta dish. Then there is the cheese deliberation…I’ve read goat, crumbled feta, ricotta and even cream cheese as substitutes. And then the type of pasta deliberation…all kinds of pasta have been used.

A clean, easy and tasty dish!

My adaptation was a combination of what I thought the dish was meant to be; simple, clean, easy and tasty. My expectation was that I would have to experiment a couple of times to perfect it. I expected a heavy, cheesy tasting pasta. It was not. It was perfect the very first try!

Let’s cook!

I had a 16.5 ounce box of sweet tomatoes and used them all, placing them in a 9X12 glass baking dish to enable a single layer with no overlapping. My chunk of feta from goat and sheep’s milk was only 4.5 ounces and not the 7 ounces I read in some of the recipes. I used the newest gift to my kitchen, Greek olive oil, sent to me straight from Greece via the Fancy Peasant.

*****Note: Some suggest a smaller, more crowded dish with over-lapping tomatoes to create a more juicy outcome. That was not my experience. My dish was filled with bubbling liquid!

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup of GEVOO (Greek olive oil from @Fancy Peasant) It’s a perfect pairing to Greek Feta

• 16.5 oz of Sweet cherry tomatoes

• 4.7 oz of Greek Feta (from sheep and goat) It was just the size I grabbed.

• S & P to taste

• 3 Pinches of Italian Seasoning (parsley, oregano, basil & thyme) 

• 2 Garlic cloves smashed

• 2 Tbs of Sugar (tasty touch!)

• 2 Tbs Crushed Red Pepper (or to taste)

• 2 Handfuls Fresh Basil (rough chopped)

• 12 Ounces Pasta 

 Note: Definitely a thicker, heavier pasta, like a rigatoni, gemelli, bowtie orecchiette or farfalle. String versions, like spaghetti, tend to make the dish mushy in texture.

Topping for Feta

• A pinch of Italian Seasoning

• S & P to taste

• Drizzle of GEVOO

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1. Toss tomatoes with GEVOO, salt & pepper, Italian seasoning, red pepper and sugar. Place in baking dish in single layer. Place block of feta in the middle and sprinkle with another pinch of S&P and Italian Seasoning. Place Garlic in between tomatoes.

   Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes uncovered

2. Rigatoni - Cook pasta according to directions, but on the al dente side (firm), and drain, reserving a cup of the water, if needed, at the end to thin your sauce.  Pasta should be ready about the same time you remove your dish from the oven. It’s like a symphony!

I did not need to add pasta water at the end. My dish was moist & creamy!

After 20 minutes it was done! I did not touch it while baking. However, I decided to give it a quick hi broil for another 2-3 minutes to give the tomatoes a bit of a char color. It came out of the oven cooked to perfection and looking beautiful. The stirring was the actual fun as the dish suddenly came into focus with a creamy sauce, beautiful in color. I added 3/4 lb of rigatoni combining it to be more composed, then topped with a handful of rough chopped basil which gave it a sophisticated fragrance and a more refreshingly complex end. It was delicious. !VOILA!

I thought it would feel and taste heavy, But not at all! Maybe because I used less Feta than original 7 ounces

And best of all, it was as easy as it proclaims to be. A 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. DONE. The sauce was perfect. The cheesy sauce wrapped itself around each rigatoni, so that each bite of this aldente pasta was robust with flavour by itself. The first taste is the pasta followed by the feta and then the tomato and fresh basil.

~ Keep it simple. That’s the dish ~ 

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If you feel you must add protein, I suggest serving it on the side. Or, serve your protein as the entree with this masterpiece as your side!

Plating and Serving Suggestions
I like the drama of serving pasta in an over-sized bowl with a large rim. I place 2 cups in the middle of the bowl, top with more crushed red pepper (we like spicy!) and sprinkle chopped basil all over the pasta and the rim of the dish! Be sure you scoop up some of the tomatoes for the top for color and presentation! Shown here, I used two smaller pasta bowls set on dinner plates for a lighter dinner served in smaller portions.

I would happily serve this peasant dish to guests at a dinner party. Easy!

With gratitude to Tiiu Piret, Jenni Hayrinen & Mackenzie Smith

Hearty Beef Stew!

Calling all lovers of hygge, here is a meal that is sure to warm you up! Great for cold weather and large gatherings, this Beef Stew is a classic recipe often handed down through generations. My recipe is one I’ve used for years, updating it for today’s sophisticated palette with the use of herbs, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.

Peasant dishes shouldn’t be complicated. Toss it all in and savor the aromas that will engulf your kitchen and entice your senses.

For me, stove stop cooking in my favorite Staub Dutch oven is the way to go. I prefer this method to the instant pot recipes I’ve tried.  

I like to watch it, stir it, smell it and enjoy the process of this

ONE POT MEAL simmering to perfection.

Servings: 6-8

NOTES: 

1. I don’t use celery in this dish. I personally don’t see a place for this flavour here.

2. Wine is a MUST for a rich, deep flavour.

3. Additional thickening agents such as cornstarch not needed. The flour at the start is perfect.

4. I love the addition of herbs, balsamic and Worcestershire sauce! Flavor! Flavor! Flavor!

5. I use my 7.5qt Staub Dutch oven to make enough for the freezer. A smaller pot will do.

6. “Peasant” dishes shouldn’t be complicated. Basically, toss it all in and simmer.

7. A wooden spoon for scraping bottom and rubber spatula for scraping down sides is great.

8. I love the addition of mushrooms!

9. Don’t peel the carrots. The aesthetic and texture of the skin on is the best.

10. Feel free to add water or broth for more liquid if needed.

Now let’s begin

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat (chuck) It’s offered this way in markets

• 3 tablespoons of EVOO

• 3 tablespoons of flour

• 1 cup diced sweet yellow onion

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 cup red wine (I use Cabernet) *KEY

• 6 cups beef broth (low-sodium)

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
  

• 1 bayleaf

• 1 sprig of rosemary 

• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 1 teaspoon Sea salt

• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• 2 pinches of Herbs de Provence. Herbs de Provence is an aromatic mixture of dried Provençal herbs and spices, which traditionally includes thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaf.

• 1/2 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
  

• 1 pound of whole baby potatoes peeled  (red or white)

• 4 large carrots unpeeled and sliced in 1/2 inch widths on a diagonal (looks pretty!)

• 2 cups frozen peas thawed and drained

• 1 package mushrooms sliced in 1/2 inch widths (they shrink considerably)

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Instructions

1. Combine S&P and flour in a small bowl. Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch pieces, trimming off large pieces of excess fat. Using a paper bag, toss everything together for a more even dusting.

2. Heat oil in Dutch oven. Add onions until translucent. Add minced garlic.

3. Add the meat in batches to not overcrowd and to cook evenly. Brown on each side 2-3 minutes

4. Remove meat and set aside. With heat on medium high add broth, wine, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste stirring to scrape bits and pieces from bottom and sides of pan. 

5. Reduce heat to medium. Add beef, carrots, potatoes, bayleaf, herbs de Provence and rosemary, stirring until well-mixed 

6. Cover and simmer on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until your beef is tender. (varies with pots and stoves). I keep cover askew and stir frequently.

7. In a separate pan cook mushrooms enough to get most of the water out of them. Set aside.

8. No need to defrost peas. Measure and set aside. Do not add until end in order to maintain their bright green color. I usually reheat in micro then add before serving along with the mushrooms.

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Plating & Serving Suggestions

Serve in over-sized bowl either alone or over a creamy mashed potato for a more hearty meal. Sprinkle with chopped parsley over stew and around the sides of the bowl for some added pizzazz to your food presentation.  

You can also serve in a normal sized pasta bowl set on a dinner plate. Serve with crusty bread topped with a sprig of rosemary and a side EVOO for dipping. 

Bon Appétit!

Creating A Classically Elegant Tablescape Without Breaking the Bank (Or Losing Your Mind)

An Elegantly Casual Poolside Lobster Dinner as seen in Tampa Magazine

Featured in Tampa Magazine May 2019

You don’t have to do everything yourself!

If you’re not a cook, order take-in and set a beautiful table. Your guests will love you for it. 

My husband Jim and me

Begin with an Inspiration ~ As transplants from the northeast several years ago, a move to Florida came with New England traditions re-imagined. Baked stuffed lobsters have long been a family-favorite of ours, the recipe handed down from my mother-in-law with a few modifications along the way. It’s a fancy dinner most people reserve for special occasions or when entertaining family and friends. It has been our family’s signature meal on Nantucket for many years. We designate a lobster night during the week our whole family is on the island, usually outside by candlelight with torches lit. I also serve it as one of our courses during our traditional Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes. We have even taken our lobster dinner to the beach where we feasted on the sand while listening to the Boston Pops Concert, an annual August island highlight.

Create a Tablescape Within Your Budget ~ There are so many ways your table can say, “I’m happy you’re here and I’ve gone the extra mile to make you feel special”.  I designed this dinner party to inspire Tampa Magazine readers to bring back at-home entertaining without “breaking the bank”, as so poignantly written by Editor, McKenna Kelley. You’ll be surprised by resources and what the total cost was… It’s all in the presentation and about “making the ordinary extraordinary”. Read on! 

My first Floridian lobster bake re-imagined took place poolside, surrounded by Palm trees! This meal was presented in a beautiful four page feature in Tampa Magazine in May 2019.  I chose the European aesthetic of our beautiful pool area as the setting, with its tall beautiful junipers and palms, and fabulous pool bar. 

Create a color scheme for your party ~ I knew that blue & white would be the elegant, coastal color scheme, a perfect canvas for the whimsical blue and white geometric designs in the COTON COLORS dishes I chose. I’m passionate about the crisp combo of a blue and white tablescape. It’s the perfect canvas to receive a “pop”color, if you so choose. For this dinner party I chose yellow as my pop color, inspired by the bounty of lemons and the beautiful shade of drawn butter I use with lobsters. I weaved yellow through my menu selections and food presentations, as well as onto my tablescape. The evening began with cocktails and charcuterie served poolside at the wet bar highlighted with yellow peppers and cheeses, and a signature cocktail of yellow lemonade with vodka and blueberries.

The yellow was introduced onto the tablescape with yellow flowers in my centerpiece, present in the butter warmers at each place setting, and in the net-wrapped lemons accompanying each lobster. Corn-on-the cob, a popular alfresco choice for a side, was an obvious, as it carries a big punch of cheerful yellow, especially when presented on a platter. Here I served Mexican Street Corn. YUM! I infused hand-wipes with lemon water and presented them on a tray tied in raffia with one lemon slice on each. The piece de resistance was my very yellow four layer lemon cake! SUPER YUM!  It’s the summer version of my holiday four layer chocolate cake. Everything on my tablescape works to create a cohesive party, from the tablescape to the menu and right down to the wine labels in cobalt blue to coordinate with my cobalt vase and cobalt blue-stemmed water glasses. This is easy to do as wines come in thousands of labels. And lastly, my blue & white Lily Pulitzer dress, easy and flowy for entertaining!

A charcuterie is always a good idea

Create a vignette keeping your color scheme the same throughout

A pewter champagne bucket with cobalt blue bottles of water

Set the Scene ~ Make it a beautiful vignette!  I ordered an extra-large navy table cloth that would go to the ground, from Amazon. My thinking is that we would be around a chlorine pool in addition to the drips of butter that would be splattered on it…..I never use paper, but I do use an inexpensive cloth that I don’t mind tossing if need be! It’s such a great idea….and carefree! I bought four large (26inch) over-stuffed ivory pillows trimmed in balls, to complete the look.  For the bar, I hoisted up two blue & white garden stools which looked stunning on the black hone granite. Saratoga cobalt blue water bottles stuck in ice in my silver urn was the centerpiece. The florals on bar and table brought in yellow flowers. It’s how you set a scene.

Add a Touch of Whimsy ~ For those of you who know me, you know that this is my favorite! I love to think outside of the box to create a tablescape that is beautiful, fun and a conversation piece. Instead of wine buckets I used sand pails in blue and white decorated with blue crabs. Most of my coastal themed table décor is on Nantucket, but I did find my glass starfish which I laid on the table. For this dinner, I thought blue & white, I thought lobster dinner theme and I thought of my tradition of giving each guest a gift to take home….and VOILA! It was born. Each guest had a take-home gift at their place setting, and one they could use that night! It was a blue and white paint splattered colander filled with a linen napkin, a set of lobster utensils, a bottle of Prosecco, a star fish and a place card attached with raffia (I love raffia!). Our guests loved it! At the end of the evening, everything was cleaned, wrapped in cellophane and raffia and taken home. 

An outtake...the photographer was making us laugh!

Nice Touch at the End ~ is to soak fresh white bar mop dish towels in lemon water and keep in a warmer. Before passing out to guests on a platter, I tied each rolled up towel with raffia and a slice of lemon. Refreshing! And gets everyone ready to go on to dessert and after-dinner drinks poolside!

Four layer lemon cake tied up with raffia

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The Menu

Cocktail Hour
White Sangria
Blueberry Vodka lemonade
Charcuterie

Dinner
Baked Stuffed Lobsters stuffed with crabmeat and shrimp
Mexican Street Corn

Dessert
Four layer lemon cake
After-dinner drinks

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The Recipes

Penny’s Mexican Street Corn
I had my first Mexican Street Corn in NYC at Tacombi on Bleeker Street a few years back. I melted in my chair along with the mayo and sour cream! I like a heavily loaded ear of corn!  

Ingredients

• 6 Ears of Sweet Summer Corn

• ½ Cup Mayonnaise

• ½ Cup Sour Cream

• ½ Cup Finely Chopped Cilantro

• 1 Small Bunch Cilantro to Garnish Platter

• ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

• 1  Cup Cotija Cheese (or crumbled Feta if desired)

• 1 Tbsp Chili Powder (or to taste)

• Lime for sprinkling

• Butter for Griddle

• Cooking Spray for Grill

• Baking Dish 
  

Prepare Corn
You can either boil or grill corn. Either way, coat corn with mixture while HOT.

TO BOIL: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Gently place shucked ears of corn with silks removed in water and boil for 3 minutes. Turn off water. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes until tender. Drain. Pat dry. Doneness depends on size of ears….Check..

TO GRILL: You can grill stovetop on a griddle coated with butter or on an outdoor grill sprayed with cooking spray. If grilling, I prefer husks on and tied back like a ponytail.  This makes for a more dramatic presentation. Grill, turning corn for 7-10 minutes.  Temps depend on your grill. Medium heat on a griddle and medium to high heat on the grill.  Keep an eye on corn to prevent burning, working to get a nice char.

Assemble Dish
Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, parmesan cheese and cilantro in a bowl.  Spread mayonnaise mixture in baking dish and roll each ear, generously coating.  Place on decorative platter. Sprinkle ears of corn with Cotija cheese, Chili Powder to taste and chopped Cilantro. Sprinkle with the juice of 1 squeezed lime. Garnish your platter with a bouquet of cilantro tied with raffia and serve immediately.

My Mother-Law Elena’s Baked Stuffed Lobster (for two)

• 2  1 ½ lb Maine Cold Water Lobsters, split and cleaned

• ¼ lb (I stick) Unsalted Butter melted

• 2 Cups Italian Style Breadcrumbs

• 3 Lemons

• 4 oz Lump Crabmeat

• 4 oz Cooked Shrimp (optional)

• ¼ Cup Dry Sherry (or to taste)

• ¼ Cup Chopped Parsley

• ¼ Cup Melted Butter

• ¼ Cup Melted Butter

• ½ Cup Melted Butter on the side

• 2 Skewers

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

• Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Stuffing
Mix the following together in a bowl
Melted 1 stick butter, breadcrumbs, crabmeat, shrimp (optional), sherry, juice from one squeezed lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare Lobsters
Have your local fish market split lobsters down the belly (being careful not to go through to the back), and clean them for you.  ***Speak to your monger about cooking them right away
Skewer each lobster from head to toe to prevent curling during baking
Place each lobster on its back on a cookie sheet
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Stuff each lobster loosely with seafood stuffing
Drizzle with ¼ Cup melted butter

To Cook
Bake in middle of the oven for 20-30 minutes
Turn on broiler for a few minutes if you prefer toasted stuffing.

To Serve

• Remove from oven

• Remove skewers

• Drizzle with remaining ¼ Cup of butter over two lobsters

• Squeeze juice of half a lemon on lobsters

• Sprinkle with parsley

• Shine claws and exposed shells with olive oil and paper towel

• Serve with a warm side of melted butter for dipping lobster meat

• Serve with a half lemon on the dish (optional) YUM!

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Resources

• Dishes:  Coton Colors,Tampa on loan

• Garden Stools: Coton Colors, Tampa on loan

• Pewter champage cooler: Personal collection

• Colanders: HomeGoods $4.99 each

• Lobster Utensils and Cracker: Bed Bath & Beyond

• Butter Warmers: Bed Bath & Beyond $9.99 (set of two)

• Raffia: Michaels $3.99

• Navy Table Linen: Amazon $19 (needed extra large and was willing to toss if needed!)

• Stemware: Ballard Design $12.99 each

• Outdoor Pillows: Home Goods Tampa $24 each

• Sand Pails as Wine Buckets: HomeGoods $6.99

• Lobsters: Cox’s Tampa $12.99/lb

• Bar Mop Dish Towels: William Sonoma $10 set of 4

• Blue and White Caspari Cocktail Napkins: $5.00

A St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

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I am the granddaughter of an Irish immigrant 

who made her way, as a young teenage girl from Ireland to NYC, and worked as a hotel chambermaid. The Irish influence was strong in our home growing up, because my mother was proud of her heritage and celebrated it in a big way. Perhaps that is why emerald is my favorite color!

The tradition of corned beef and cabbage as THE Irish meal associated with St. Patrick’s Day is said to have not actually originated in Ireland, as one might think, but rather, emerged as an American tradition brought here by Irish immigrants like my grandmother, Madge Borg. In Ireland the cabbage was traditionally cooked with bacon, as beef was hard to get.  Though some very talented chefs will debate this history. When the Irish made their way to America, or New York, as it was for most, beef was plentiful and thus became the celebratory fare for those who journeyed from the Emerald Isle.

When immigrants leave their country, they often rely on food to maintain the love of homeland and culture.

As immigrants were likely to work long hours to make ends meet, this traditional March 17th celebratory dinner was turned into a one-pot, easy-to-make meal.  It basically is a “throw it all in the pot, cover and cook” meal which required little prep work.  It simmered for hours, sending off that familiarly mouth-watering, warm and cozy aroma wafting through the house, while kids were bathed, homework was done, the house was picked up and the table was set for dinner.

This meal was always a favorite in our home, reserved for the once a year celebration of the Irish, a tradition I carried on through all the years of raising my own family. 

My favorite memories come from sitting around our big round kitchen table with family and friends for hours on end, eating and drinking and just enjoying each other’s company.

Dressed in green, we started the day with a slice of Irish soda bread lightly toasted with a good butter. Everyone would go about their day and return for the evening meal.

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Corned Beef & Cabbage with Potatoes & Carrots
A Leprechaun’s Pot of Gold

The recipe we used year after year, moved from a somewhat authentic peasant recipe handed down to my mother, by my grandmother, to a recipe with a bit of a Mediterranean spin to it, compliments of my Portuguese father, to a cooking method a bit more refined.

Today, I still cook the same recipe for the once-a-year meal, complete with beer only, as we reserve the green martini for a more elegant moment in time.  

I’d like to share my family recipe with you:

Menu serves 6 (with lots leftovers)

• Corned Beef & Cabbage with Potatoes & Carrots

• Irish Soda Bread & Butter

• Hard-Boiled Eggs & Mustard

• Stout Beer for drinking and cooking!

Ingredients:

• 2-21/2 lbs Corned Beef (as lean as you can find)

• 2 lbs Red Potatoes (medium sized peeled & halved)

• 2 lbs Carrots (peeled and cut into 2” pieces)

• 6 Hardboiled eggs (I think a Portugese touch!)

• 1 Head of Cabbage cut into 4 wedges)

• 1 Onion (one medium sweet whole)

• 12 Ounce Guinness stout

• 2 Tbs Kosher salt (add more later to taste)

• 1 Tbs Black finely ground pepper (add more later to taste

• 2 Bay leaves

• 1 c Malt Vinegar (yum!)

• 1 Bunch finely chopped parsley

• 2c Stout beer

1. Fill pot with enough water to cover corned beef in an 8 qt pot (or Dutch oven)

2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Simmer on VERY LOW and watch carefully.

3. Empty water and rinse

4. Fill pot again with enough water to cover meat by an inch

5. Place Corned Beef, salt, pepper, bay leaves, onion, vinegar and stout beer in pot

6. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer
   ***Simmer and cook for 2 ½ hours or until meat is tender when pricked with fork. Be careful to watch that the water does not boil***

7. Remove meat from pot and allow to rest on platter

8. Add red potatoes and carrots to the water and continue cooking until tender (30 minutes).

9. Add cabbage wedges and cook until tender (30 minutes)

10. Hard boil 6 eggs in a separate pot. Peel and slice in half

It’s all in the Presentation

1. Slice meat against the grain and arrange on a platter

2. Remove potatoes and arrange on either side

3. Remove carrots and arrange on either side

4. Remove cabbage and arrange on either side

5. Place 6 hard-boiled eggs sliced in half around the platter

6. Spread mustard on meat (optional)

7. Sprinkle entire platter with finely chopped parsley

8. Serve with an Irish soda bread and a very good butter.

OR

Place all of it in a large serving bowl and serve as a stew.
** My preference is to serve all ingredients separately

Optional Condiments

• Malt vinegar

• Serve with course grain spicy brown mustard (we put it on everything!)

• Serve with a side of horseradish and mustard sauce

• Serve with a mustard gravy

• Serve with Irish Soda Bread and butter…YUM!

• Serve with beer of your choice for drinking

VOILA!

A Woodland-Themed Thanksgiving

Breakfast
Corn and Cranberry Pancakes (compliments of my husband, Jim, the pancake genie!)
• Fresh fruit of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries
• Orange Juice
• Mimosas

Traditional Post-Plunge Bloody Mary Party
(my Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law’s home)
• Classic Bloody Marys
• Shrimp Cocktail
• Cheese Platters

Thanksgiving Dinner
• Corn Chowder with Squash & Bacon served in “squash bowls” (pictured)
• Turkey
• Gravy (The gravy fairy visited me this year with a perfectly smooth and tasty gravy!)
• Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes with marshmallows (the kids are never giving this up!)
• Brussel Sprouts with bacon and maple syrup
• Oyster Cornbread Stuffing with mushrooms
• Mixed Fruit Stuffing with grapes (of course!), apples and pears
• Carrot Pudding
• Cranberry Citrus Mold (A great presentation)
• Penny's Cranberry Sauce (See recipe on Cranberry Blog in Food & Cocktails)

Corn Chowder with Squash & Bacon served in “squash bowls”

Butternut Squash Lasagna Rollups

Traditionally, our family makes the journey to Nantucket Island the day before Thanksgiving, arriving from all parts of the country. Besides the glass of wine they are handed when they walk through the door, they look forward to the “traditional” night before Thanksgiving dinner which includes Butternut Squash Lasagna Rollups with pumpkin sauce, an entree of either tenderloin, roasted chicken or Nantucket Bay scallops, and a FUN and fabulous salad, different each year.  The one part of the dinner that never changes is the butternut squash lasagna rollups!

They are easy to make and great for preparing ahead of time, while your head is spinning with the hundreds of ingredients you hope you have for the BIG next day, Thanksgiving!

This crowd pleaser is comfort food at its very best. Think football season!  I brought these to a Super Bowl party last year styled on a 32" long slender platter.  What a hit!  But the hit for me was to see the platter empty within a half hour of our arrival.  I love that.

This serving platter is very special to me.  I purchased it from a local artisan in Middlebury, VT while our son was attending Middlebury College.  It conjures up wonderful memories.  I try to buy a little something everywhere I travel. Serving pieces, like foods, can bring you back to a time and place that is part of this wonderful journey called life. 

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Ingredients

• 1 Box lasagna strips (I like Del Cecco!)
• 1 Package of cubed butternut squash
• 1 Jar Cucina Antica Tuscany pumpkin pasta sauce (Whole Foods)
• ¼ Cup chopped parsley or parsley flowers
• ¼ Cup grated parmesan (optional)
• 1 Small box baby spinach
• 1 Box MontChevre’ crumbled goat cheese
• S & P to taste

I love, love this sauce!  I happened upon it a few years ago, and it has been my go-to since.  When you're cooking for Thanksgiving, it's okay to short-cut with a delicious jar of quality sauce the night before!

1. I box of long lasagna strips. I never use the precooked. I can’t really say why except that they just don’t seem right to me. And they are challenging to roll without breaking. If you want less pasta, you can use the shorter lasagna strips. You will just have adjust your filling amounts and make them smaller. Or just fold over in half like a loose ravioli.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions.  I like them on the al dente side as they are firmer to work with and hold up better when stuffed and rolled.
3. Drain in cold water.  Do not leave in strainer!  Immediately remove each one, smoothing it out so it’s not wrinkled
4. Lay each strip flat on a long piece of Aluminum foil. 
5. Cover each layer with foil before the next layer
6. Begin by smearing each lasagna strip sparingly with Pumpkin Sauce
7. Spoon small clumps of goat cheese, 2-3 tsps, crumbled or from a softened log, per strip.  You will get the hang of it as you go along!
8. Layer with baby spinach leaves washed and patted dry
9.  Spoon on mashed butternut squash, 3-4 tsps, per strip. 
10.  Season with Salt and Pepper
11.  Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese (optional)
12.  Gently roll up being careful to not let ingredients come out on sides.  You will learn amounts only by doing this.
13.  Spread a thin layer of pumpkin sauce in bottom of 9X12 baking dish, enough to coat pan.
14.  Place roll ups in dish and top each roll up with the sauce.
15. Cover and Bake at 300 degrees until heated through, about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, remove foil and let cool. 
16. Serve 1- 2 per dish with extra sauce if desired.
17. Garnish with parsley, either chopped and sprinkled all over or dotted with a parsley flowers, as shown.
18. Serve with Fresh grated Parmesan cheese. VOILA!

Nantucket Island Cranberry Bogs in AUTUMN

There is nothing more spectacular than autumn on the island of Nantucket; the colors of the foliage, the peaceful ebb and flow of the tides on the quieted beaches, the celebratory sound of the church bells harkening the hundreds of weddings each weekend, the genius minds who come together for The Nantucket Project, the farms lushly displaying their brilliantly colorful autumnal yields and finally, the celebration of the 160 year old cranberry bogs, the epically fascinating cranberry bogs, culminating in the annual Cranberry Festival.  It’s an amazing industry, with an incredible history, and one that has certainly has made us appreciate that glass of cranberry juice we pour or that can of cranberry sauce we open!

The History of the Nantucket Cranberry Bog

Cranberry bogs in Nantucket began in 1857 and grew to an incredible 234 acres!  Today, they produce 2 million pounds of cranberries per year!  Who could believe this on this tiny island 30 miles out to sea which measures a mere 14 by 3.5 miles!?  Can you imagine that until 1959 it was the largest contiguous bog in the entire world?  Then, water conservation became a priority, thereby necessitating the construction of watering ditches. Subsequently, this caused a sub-division of the bogs into smaller, more water efficient units.

How are Cranberries Grown?

Cranberries are water-harvested. What does this mean? They are grown on vines tucked into beds of sand and gravel and carefully cultivated throughout the year in bogs. A sophisticated irrigation system floats them in water to facilitate easy harvesting. The floating cranberries benefit from increased sun exposure, which increases their phytonutrient content giving them their gorgeous bright red color, and giving us the health benefits of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. So cook, cook, cook and drink, drink drink with cranberries!  

Every year we walk the bogs with a proud fascination with this incredible natural habitat on our favorite little spot in the sea. No way could we have imagined the drama of this industry, until we actually experienced it. Our daughter, Brooke Lyons Osswald, visiting from LA, enjoys a stroll around the bogs appreciating nature's bounty....

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Turkey Cranberry Chili

• 2 pounds of ground turkey
• 6 cups Pomodoro Sauce   
  NOTE: I always have this on hand either in the freezer or I make it fresh. You can also substitute Rao’s Sensitive Sauce in a jar. It’s delicious!
• 2 tbs Coconut oil
• 2 tbs Ghee
• 1 can black olives drained and cut in half
• 1 c chopped parsley
• 4 large carrots chopped and steamed al dente
• 2 cups butternut squash cooked (mashed or cubed)
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• 4 cups shredded fresh spinach
• S&P to taste
• 1 tbsp Turmeric
• 1 tbsp Cinnamon

Coat a frying pan with the Coconut oil and Ghee and cook the turkey until no longer pink. Drain water from it. In a 9x12 baking dish combine turkey with sauce, olives, carrots, butternut squash and cranberries.

Season with S&P to taste (I’m heavy on the pepper!), turmeric and cinnamon. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes covered. Remove from oven, fold in the spinach. Cover and return to oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit covered for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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Penny’s Cranberry Sauce with Walnuts and Orange

• 1 12oz bag of cranberries or 3 cups cranberries
• 1/2 c water 
• ½ c orange juice
• 1 c sugar
• Zest of one naval orange
• 1/4 c chopped walnuts
• 1 tbsp Cointreau (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Bring water, orange juice and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Add cranberries, return to boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes on low, stirring.
4. Remove from heat
5. Stir in Cointreau (optional)
6. Fold in Walnuts
7. Add Cinnamon
8. Cover and cool completely at room temperature (while it thickens)
9. When cool, sprinkle with orange zest
10. Refrigerate***(I make this a day or two before as a time-saver!)  BE CREATIVE WITH HOW YOU SERVE IT!  I don't like it running all over the plate making the foods red, so I offer different serving options, including tiny little dipping bowls.  Think out of the box! The glasses make for an awesome presentation on a buffet!

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Cranberry Stuffing Sausage Balls  ( giant wow!)

• 1 lb Breakfast Sausage
• 1/4 c Dried cranberries, plumped  
  * Bring 1 cup of orange juice to a boil. Pour over cranberries, cover and let sit for 10 mins. Strain.
• ½ tsp Ground sage
• S&P to taste
• 1 Small onion finely chopped
• 1 Stalk celery finely chopped
• ½ c Mild Cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Box of Chicken Stove Top Stuffing *Prepare according to instructions on box
• 1c Chicken Stock (low sodium)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Brown sausage until no longer pink. Remove from pan
3. Add onion, celery, S&P and sage and sauté until soft
4. Toss sausage, onion and celery mixture and remaining ingredients into a bowl and mix well
5. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil
6. Scoop consistent sized balls, the size of a tablespoon, and place on cookie sheet
7. Bake for 15 minutes.
8. Skewer and arrange decoratively on platter with cranberry sauce in the center. *** Recipe for cranberry sauce above
9. Garnish with orange peels

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Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Stuffing

• Package of 2 pork tenderloins
• 1 Box of Savory Herb Stovetop stuffing
• 1 c dried cranberries ***plumped as above
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• Kitchen string
• 3 tbsp chopped rosemary
• Fresh rosemary

1. Prepare stuffing according to directions
2. Mix together with plumped cranberries
3. Add 2 tbsps chopped rosemary
4. Butterfly tenderloins and pound thin
5. Add 1-2 cups stuffing mixture in the centers (depending on the size of your meat)
6. Fold up both sides and tie with kitchen string every 2 inches
7. Wedge fresh sprigs of rosemary between pork and string
8. Coat skillet with EVOO
9. Add 2 tbsp chopped Rosemary to pan
10. Add tenderloins and sear on 3 sides
11. Remove from skillet and place in baking pan in oven for  15-20 minutes or until temp is 145.
12. Remove from oven and place on cutting board, loosely tented with foil for 10 minutes before slicing.

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Cranberry and Pear Smoked Gouda Salad

• Fresh baby spinach leaves
• Endive
• Smoked Gouda spears
• Clementine slices
• Chopped walnuts
• Dried cranberries
• Sliced red Anjou pear

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Creamy Cranberry Balsamic Dressing

• 1c EVOO
• 1/2c Balsamic vinegar
• 1c Jellied cranberry sauce

Mix in Vitamix or Cuisinart to desired consistency (I prefer a thicker dressing). Assemble salad ingredients decoratively on a plate, as shown, drizzle with dressing and serve!  BIG HIT in our house!

Bloody Shooters with Shrimp and Lime

~Nantucket Island~

BLOODY SHOOTERS are a great addition to a brunch, a breakfast buffet or even a lunch. I make them ahead of time and keep them cold until the guests have arrived. The shrimp and lime are prepped in advance and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator. I like to load them up on a pedestal plate, since they are so small and slender. It gives them height and importance! Adding greenery always elevates anything! Here I just pulled some lemon leaves from a floral arrangement I had. Lemon leaves last forever, are sturdy and can be found almost anywhere.

I bought these shooter glasses at IKEA for a song and a dance. They just make me smile. I don’t know why. I think because they are so tiny and conjure up all sorts of fun things to do with them!

You can use your favorite Bloody Mary mix, or make your own from scratch. When I am on Nantucket, I like to use the local Cisco Brewers Triple 8 Bloody Mary Mix.

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Ingredients

• 2 Qts Bloody Mary Mix
• 6 Tbs GOLD’S Horseradish (liquid squeezed out)
• 6 Limes squeezed
• 2 Limes thinly sliced for garnish
• 24 Shrimp (medium) peeled and cooked 
• 2 Cups Titos
• Lemon Leaves for garnish

Mix together all the ingredients except the vodka, and chill in frig until guests arrive. Remove from frig, shake in the vodka until well blended and pour into the shooters. Garnish each glass with one shrimp and one slice of lime. Serve on your favorite tray and decorate with lemon leaves (they are sturdy and flexible!)

Chicken Zucchini Mini-loaves Stuffed with Goat Cheese & Applesauce

Ingredients

• 2 Pounds of freshly ground Chicken  (preferably not packaged)
• 1 ½ c Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
• Crumbled Goat Cheese
• One finely chopped zucchini
• 12 slices of Bacon
• 1/2 c Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 1 1/2 c Applesauce
• 1 tbs Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste (I use salt sparingly, but love pepper!)

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Directions

1. Mix meat with milk , eggs, S & P, breadcrumbs, 1 c applesauce and zucchini (for a more moist meatloaf, add more milk)
2. Grease bottom of baking dish with olive oil
3. Line baking dish with 4 strips of bacon
4. Divide meat into 4 loaves (1/2 lb each) or 8 loaves (1/4 lb each)
5. Mix box of goat cheese with ½ c applesauce
6. Poke a well in the center of each “mini” loaf and fill with goat cheese and applesauce mixture
7. Cover with a criss-cross of bacon
8. Bake uncovered in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes

The Sankaty Shandy

~Nantucket Island~

THE BEST BEACH BEER! There is nothing quite like an ice cold, thirst quenching drink at the beach on a hot summer day, while lazing away the hours with friends and family. The perfect prescription for this is a SHANDY, a traditional beer cocktail, a “beer tail”, which generally consists of a 50-50 mixture of a lager beer and a fizzy, a carbonated “something”, such as a sparkling lemonade, ginger beer, ginger ale, fruit juice or cordial, served in a glass. Through the years, this popular drink took Western Europe by storm with exciting creations emblematic of the geography and associated traditions, such as the Singapore Kip Lin (lager + tonic water) or the French Monaco Beer(lager + lemonade + grenadine) or the Italian tango…ooh, la la, (lager + gooseberry cordial) or the German and Portugese Diesel (lager + Coco-Cola.) In honor of our Nantucket Island, I’ve created the SANKATY SHANDY, a mix of my personal favorites, lager + cucumber with mint or lime!

On the island of Nantucket, we pay great homage to the legendary Cisco Brewers, a winery, brewery and distillery that produces an impressively awesome selection of world sought-after wine, spirits and beer. Their popular Sankaty Light Lager is delicious for a day in the sun. I’ve paired it with one my all-time favorites, but difficult to come by, the NEW sparkling Cucumber & Mint Presse’ from the wonderful Belvoir Fruit Farms.  This delicious “bubbly” is made from 100% organic ingredients and is non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan, with no preservatives, sweeteners or artificial colors. Mixing it 50-50 with a slice of cucumber, lime or mint sprig on the side, yields an invitingly colorful icy “beer tail” that will have you smacking your lips with delight and probably reaching for another!  Plan in advance, as this is a seasonal product not always available. But, fear not....there is always a backup....

Equally as delicious, and more readily available on the island is DRY Sparkling in cucumber flavor. You always have to have a Plan A and Plan B when “on island”!  The only thing we never need a plan B for is the BEER from Cisco Brewers, which deliciously and plentifully flows day after day, week after week, year after year, decade after decade……And that you can be sure of!

A Surprise Birthday Luncheon!

For me, there is nothing better than a surprise party of any kind!  My first surprise party was my sweet sixteenth birthday, which I remember like it was yesterday. I even remember what I wore!  Surprises are emotional jilts that just stay with you over time, especially the sweet ones.

My friend of thirty years is humble and shy and does not like being the center of attention.  I wanted to do something special for her birthday, so I concentrated on what I knew she would enjoy; an intimate lunch with her closest friends, good food, as she is a foodie, and plenty of ice cream!  She LOVES ice cream!  I knew my party design would begin with her favorite colors, orange and green, so I set out to create a simple, but spirited afternoon she would remember.  I like a party to be cohesive.  Keeping the same color scheme throughout is easy to do and packs a big punch. So, I used as much green and orange as I could in the party design, the food presentation, and in the flavors, focusing on citrus, and using lots of orange and lime.

I began by pulling out everything I had in orange and green, which included the lamp, the Ikat pillow and the orange lacquered tray I used for the dessert and champagne serving.  The mini-ice bucket is an antique decoupage I’ve had since 1985, brought to me by a dealer who knew I would love the vivid orange tones. Of course I grabbed that!  I selected the Veuve Clicquot champagne, because it’s my favorite AND because it just happened to have an orange label.  I tied a green striped ribbon around the birthday girl’s wine glass just to add a special little something! And of course, the balloons!  No birthday party is complete without balloons. EVER. Balloons are the easiest and least expensive way to decorate a room. You can get them in almost any color to coordinate with your party and they scream CELEBRATION!  I adorned each place setting with Banana tree leaves from my yard by placing one leaf under the flatware at each place setting. I pulled out my 5-inch palm leaf ribbon I had from another project, cut a few strips and laid them around on the lacquered dessert tray and the bar cart for an infusion of more variegated green.  For the place cards, I simply set an orange at everyone’s place setting and made small banner flags, which I glued onto toothpicks and poked into the oranges.  It added a whopping dose of color and served the purpose!  My white and green Limoges Café Paris china, from the restaurant in Paris by the same name, worked beautifully into the color scheme. And last, but not least, was the "little orange box" we all know is from Hermes. It was a "little something" from me she had to have!  Once the party design was in place and the bar cart was styled, I set about to whip up a sweet, delicious menu…

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Menu

• Lobster Deviled Eggs with Paprika
• Tortelloni Antipasto Skewers
• Grilled Fresh Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter
• Spicy Red with Lime BBQ Chicken
• Mediterranean Mint Gelato with Orange Chocolate and Mint
• Chocolate Raspberry Cake
• Veuve Clicquot Champagne
• Rose’ Wine
• Sparkling water

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Tortelloni Antipasto Skewers with Pesto Dipping Sauce

• 1 package of Chicken and Prosciutto Tortelloni by Buitoni
• ¼ pound of Boars Head Hard Salami
• 12 Marinated Mozzarella Balls                         
• Colorful Lettuce
• 12 Grape Tomatoes
• Buitoni Pesto Sauce

1. Cook the Tortelloni according to the directions on the package, being sure to not overcook or they will fall off the skewers. I add a dash of salt and a drip of olive oil to the water.
2. To assemble, alternate decoratively on a 12-inch bamboo skewer and arrange on a bed of lettuce
3. Serve the pesto sauce in a small bowl in the center. Garnish with basil leaf

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Spicy Red & Lime Barbecued Chicken Breasts

• 1 c Uncle Matty’s Food Co.’s Spicy Red sauce (Love!)
• Juice of 2 Limes
• 3 Whole Breasts Halved                      
• 2 Tbs Olive oil
• 2 Tbs Chopped Parsley
• Fresh Lime sliced thin for garnish

1. Marinate breasts overnight or for 2 hours with Spicy Red sauce and lime juice
2. Place 2 tbs olive oil in baking dish and pop into 325 oven for 5 minutes
3. Remove from oven and place breasts in baking dish covered with foil
4. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes
5. Remove from oven and place on gas grill on medium with lid down for 10 minutes
6. Open lid, baste with sauce mixture, close lid and cook for 5 minutes
7. Turn breasts over and repeat. Doneness is dependent upon the thickness of your breasts.
8. Allow to sit tented with foil for at least 10 minutes before serving. 
9. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve on bed of spinach. Garnish with thin sliced limes.

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Corn on the Cob with Lime Butter

• 6 Ears of locally grown Fresh Corn
• 1 stick Butter melted
• Zest of 2 limes                                
• Juice of 2 limes
• Lime wedges for garnish
• Salt to taste

1. Pull husks down and remove silky threads
2. Melt butter and mix with lime juice
3. Rub half of butter mixture over the cobs before closing husks
4. Wrap in foil and grill on medium heat for 15 minute
5. Turn over and continue grilling for another 15 minutes (or until tender)
6. Remove foil when done, return husk covered corn to grill for a minute on each side to get char marks.
7. Pull husks back and tie with kitchen string
8. Plate, pour remaining butter and lime mixture over cobs
9. Sprinkle with salt (if desired)
10. Sprinkle with lime zest
11. Garnish each cob with a slice of lime on a decorative toothpick

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Lobster Deviled Eggs

• 6 Eggs (hard-boiled)
• 1 Tb Light Mayonnaise
• 2 Tbs Sour Cream                 
• 1 Tsp Sriracha Hot Sauce
• ½ lb Fresh Lobster Pieces 
• Parsley for garnish
• Paprika

1. Hard boil 6 eggs, slice in half and remove yolks to bowl
2. Mix yolks with mayonnaise, sour cream and sriracha
3. Add half of the lobster pieces reserving the rest for “topping”
4. Arrange egg white halves in deviled egg dish
5. Fill with yolk mixture (I like them over-filled and not so neat)
6. Fill each deviled egg with the rest of the lobster pieces tucking them in, using it all!
7. Sprinkle whole plate with paprika
8. Add a small sprig of parsley to each on

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Mediterranean Mint Gelato

• Talenti Mediterranean Mint Gelato (love this brand!)
• Theo Organic 70% Dark Chocolate Bar cut into chunks and shavings

1. Place two small scoops in bowl 
2. Top with a few chunks of chocolate                    
3. Sprinkle the whole bowl with shaved chocolate
4. Top with mint sprig

 

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Chocolate Raspberry Cake

**I usually make my cake from scratch, but happily resort to Duncan Hines, a delicious box cake when needed

• 2 boxes Duncan Hines Classic Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix
• 3 9” inch round pans
• Just Jan's Seedless Raspberry Spread

1. Make layers per box directions                                          
2. Let cool completely
3. Slice each layer horizontally to create 6 thinner layers
4. Spread a thin layer of raspberry spread on each layer until cake is 6 layers high
5. Shave sides of cake with sharp knife and clean up with hair dryer on low
6. Frost the top of the cake with frosting
7. Top with flower to coordinate with your party! 

Chocolate Frosting   

**From THE BEST of FINE COOKING 5-Star Recipes 2015 (the best ever!) I’ve been making this frosting since I first saw it in their October 2009 issue!

• 2-½ cups heavy cream
• 6 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 Vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup
• ¼ tsp kosher sal

1. Combine cream, butter, vanilla seeds and bean in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until butter is melted. 
2. Remove bean and whisk in chopped chocolate until melted. 
3. Whisk in sugar, cocoa, syrup and salt until smooth. 
4. Pour into 9X13 baking dish and freeze until firm, 2 hours. Can be done overnight.
5. Remove from freezer and pour into mixing bowl with paddle attachment and beat on medium for 2 minutes to soften. Change to whisk attachment and beat on high speed until light and fluffy for 3 minutes.

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Resources

• Café Paris china: Limoges from Lou Lou’s Lost & Found Newberry St. Boston
• Green check napkins: Williams Sonoma (post-season sale)
• Napkin rings: William Sonoma
• Bar cart: Target
• Candles: Home Goods
• Platters: Home Goods
• Wooden board: Home Goods
• Milk glass cake stand: Home Goods
• Balloons: Publix Market
• Fresh flowers: My husband gifted me with the day before!
• Green water goblets: Private Collection
• Champagne flutes: Pier1 
• Ice Cream bowl: IKEA
• Glass ice bucket on bar cart: Tiffany
• Mini decoupage ice bucket: Antique from the 1900’s  (private collection)
• Orange lamp: Dovecote Westport, CT
• Orange lacquered lamp: Dovecote Westport, CT
• Ikat pillow: Dovecote Westport, CT
• Chocolate frosting recipe: **The Best of FINE COOKING 5-Star Recipes 201

The "Bloody Whaler"

Legend has it that the Bloody Mary originated in 1921 at a New York Bar in Paris, which later became Harry’s New York Bar, a Paris hangout frequented by the likes of Ernest Hemingway and friends. I Love Paris, I love Hemingway and I love a Bloody Mary! Over the years I perfected a “Bloody” I named“Lobsta’ Bloody Merry”, a Bloody Mary I make with tomato juice made from scratch, celery stalk and a skewer of lobster pieces, lemon wedges and mini sweet red peppers. It became our “Merry” Christmas Morning tradition, serving as the perfect Christmas Eve hangover cure until gifts were opened and breakfast was served! I started doing this because we always had so much left over lobster from our Christmas Eve “Feast of the Seven Fishes”. 

We had great fun debuting our “Lobsta Bloody Merry” on the Martha Stewart Living Radio Show in 2012 on a segment we did on “healthy” drinking. 

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We’ve had such great fun with the “Lobsta’ Bloody Merry” that I decided to create a brother for “Merry”, a more nautical version for summers on the island of Nantucket.  I named it the “Bloody Whaler” to commemorate Nantucket’s fascinating whaling history. For this drink I use clamato juice, as in the “Bloody Caesar” created by a Canadian in 1969, who was inspired by his favorite dish in Italy, Spaghetti alle vongole, or, spaghetti with tomato sauce and clams.  My version incorporates fresh fish plucked from Moby Dick’s sea, a good compliment of spices and citrus and clamato juice, a nod to Nantucket’s clamming industry.  Since we are usually on the run each morning in the summer, I opted to go ahead and make my Bloody Whaler a meal-in-itself and finish it off with a skewered fresh lobster tail (which looks like a whale’s tail!), and a shrimp, cucumber and lime kebob and a tall fluffy celery stalk for flavor and presentation!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces of Tito’s Vodka (or more if you like)
• 4 ounces of Clamato juice
• 1-2 tsps Gold’s horseradish (or to taste) 
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
• 1 dash Celery salt
• 1 fresh squeezed Lemon wedge
• 2 fresh squeezed Lime wedges
• 1 Lime wedge for toothpick
• 1 tsp Cholula Chili Lime Hot Sauce
• 11/4-pound Steamed lobster for tail meat *** 
• 1-2 Large shrimp (depending on size available)
• 2 Slices English cucumber
• 1 12” Bamboo Skewer
• 1 4” Toothpick
• 1 Celery stalk with leaves (garnish)
• Old Bay Seasoning (for rim)
• 1 cup ice
• Tall glass

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PREPARE THE LOBSTER

1. 3 Gallon Pot filled with salted water to about 2 inches
2. Bring to a boil
3. Run live lobster under cold water, removing rubber bands (use gloves!)
4. Place lobster into pan with lid on 
5. Cook over high heat about15-18 minutes
6. At 7-10 minutes lift lid and rotate the lobsters, if cooking several, so they will cook evenly
7. The lobster will turn bright orange and the meat will turn from translucent to opaque white
8. Check for doneness by cutting one open and checking color of meat or by testing the temp, which should be 180F
9. Let cool
10. Crack open and remove the meat from the entire lobster, saving all the parts

***Steaming is the best way to cook the lobster as it traps the flavor and produces the most tender meat.  OR, you can have your fishmonger steam the lobsters for you. OR, you can just buy the fresh cooked lobster tail meat at a good fish store, as many fisheries cook lobsters daily. However, buying them and steaming them yourself is the most economical way, especially if you are serving many.   

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PREPARE THE RIM OF THE GLASS

1. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass and dip into a dish of
2. Old Bay Seasoning, twirling it around until fully coated
3. Let sit while mixing ingredients, being careful not to smudge it

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MIX INGREDIENTS

1. Combine the vodka, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, lemon, lime, Cholula chili lime hot sauce, Clamato juice and ice
2. Stir, stir, stir
3. Gently pour into desired glass over ice (I don't like a watery Bloody so I use a few cubes)
4. Insert 12 inch Bamboo skewer with lobster tail proudly propped
5. Top with 4 inch toothpick skewer with 1-2 shrimp, depending on size, cucumber, lime wedge
6. VOILA!  Serves 1

NOTE: Use fresh lobster only. Frozen will not work, as they tend to be tough and challenging to eat.  Also, save all the parts of your picked lobster for your next breakfast! #lobsterbenedict #eggandlobsterflorentine #lobsteromelette

A Sunday Italian Supper in the Kitchen

One of my favorite memories of all times was dinner for six in the kitchen at the home of our friend, the famous French chef, Jacques Pepin, and his lovely wife Gloria. The other guests were the brilliant Morley Safer, journalist and host of CBS’s 60 Minutes, and his wife Jane. We sat around the center island, I feeling somewhat intimidated, sipping delicious French wine as we watched Jacque, this iconic world-renowned chef, whip up a magnificent duck with cranberry sauce. I was focusing so hard, I’m quite sure I didn’t even blink. The conversation was scintillating and intellectual, while the demonstration was a culinary excursion like no other. So much fun! From that point forward, my favorite thing to do is to have friends in for “dinner in the kitchen”.

It was here I learned that dinner in the kitchen can be as elegant as anywhere, that interesting people make for an interesting party and that a relaxed and fun host and chef makes for a relaxed and fun group of guests!

I’m an Italian food enthusiast. Okay, that’s probably putting it mildly. To put it another way, my mother-in-law used to laugh and say, “Penny would have cold rigatoni for breakfast everyday if she could!” And she was right. I love everything about Italian food, the romance associated with it, the traditions, the bright colors and the love that sits at the bottom of the pot of Sunday sauce! Whether we are in Florida or Nantucket, most Sundays begin with the Sunday sauce which I get up and start before my coffee. I love to smell the garlic sautéing and the sauce simmering for hours (with football on in the background all day!). Sunday sauce means different things to different people. Growing up, our sauce began by browning braciole (stuffed with garlic, parmesan and parsley and tied up with kitchen string), sausage and pork as the base. Today, we’re focused on a healthier approach to eating, cooking with less fat and fewer saturated oils, while still getting our robust flavors, but from herbs and spices, rather than from meats. Our Sunday sauce is a clean and simple Pomodoro sauce cooked with fresh plum tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt & pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic and olive oil.

NOTE:  I like to use a combination of fresh tomatoes and can tomatoes for larger batches. If you want a bigger batch use the 28 oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes with a ratio of 1 can of crushed tomatoes to 1 can of plum and 1 can of paste. (1-1-1)

This sauce can be made quickly, if need be, but tastes even better when simmered for hours. And it is especially tasty the next day! Not only will your family and friends enjoy a delicious meal, you will reap the benefits of a whole day of the best a ”ROMA”therapy!

Total Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Total Prep Time: 20 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

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Ingredients

• 1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil  (the best quality you can afford)
• 6 garlic cloves (peeled & cut into large chunks, not minced)
• 1 tsp Kosher or sea salt (better tasting than table salt)
• 1/2 tsp freshly crushed black pepper (better tasting than ground pepper)
• Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 6 Basil leaves (fresh)
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 24 fresh plum tomatoes
• ½ C grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Score tomatoes, and submerge into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and run under cold water. Peel and cut into halves. In a saucepan sauté the olive oil with 2 basil leaves for 5 mins to achieve a wonderful basil infused olive oil. Remove basil leaves from oil and discard. Add garlic, continue to sauté (do not let garlic brown! It should be soft and translucent) Add tomatoes, kosher salt, crushed black pepper & parsley and cover.

2. Cook on low for 15 mins. Uncover and stir and mash down the tomatoes. Cover again to keep moisture in.  Repeat in 15 minutes. You want the tomatoes to soften and mashed to get all the liquid out.

3. Cook on simmer for another 15 minutes. Partially uncover to let some of the liquid evaporate. The more ripe the tomatoes, the more juice they will yield. I prefer my sauce to have the thickness of a puree, not too soupy. If need be add a can of tomato paste to thicken sauce.

4. Pour into food processor and puree until desired consistency.

5. Return to pot

6. Add 2 shredded bail leaves and simmer for 10 minutes more.

7. Add crushed red pepper to taste. I love spicy!

8. Cover for 5 minutes.  Let sit.

For years, I've been carving artichokes to use as a candlestick holders.They look awesome in a small grouping with candles at different heights! Here, I carved two artichokes to use as vases, a sort of vegetable vessel if you will, and used water tubes for these beautiful South African Orange Star flowers. I filled a Tiffany ice bucket with Florida oranges to bring more of the color orange in.

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Spaghetti

Cook spaghetti in a pot of boiling water with a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cook according to directions on package, as you don’t want it to be overdone.  Al Dente is the goal! Return cooked spaghetti to pan and swirl in a tablespoon of butter.

Some like to mix the sauce and pasta together. I prefer to plate the plain buttered pasta and top with the delicious Pomodoro. You can sprinkle the whole plate with chopped parsley or simply garnish with a single basil leaf. Grated cheese is offered on the side, or can be mixed with the parsley and spread all over the plate like a garnish!

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Tomato and Pepper Salade

• 2 Yellow ripe tomatoes (the color is beautiful)
• Box of red cherry tomatoes (halved)
• Baby sweet peppers (sliced)
• Balsamic fig glaze
• Basil garnish

This is served buffet style with the balsamic glaze on the side for people to help themselves.

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Baked Thyme & Parmesan Chicken Breasts

• 3 Whole breasts
• 2c Italian Seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp Dried crushed thyme
• Cayenne
• Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
• ¼ C grated parmesan cheese
• Egg
• Flour
• Olive oil

1. Leave breasts whole and pat dry.

2. Mix bread crumbs with 1 tsp of dried, crushed thyme (rub in the palms of your hands and release!) and a pinch of cayenne.

3. Dip breasts in flour then egg, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Lay flat, sprinkle parmesan in the middle.  Bring the sides up and overlap tight, turning over with  overlap facing down.

4. Gently mold folded chicken creating a football shape

5. Heat oven to 325 degrees

6. Pour EVOO into the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Pop in preheated oven for 5 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and place football shaped chicken breasts in the warmed pan. Cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil return to oven and bake for 15 minutes more.

8. Remove from oven and let sit for half an hour

9. Slice when cool enough to touch

10. Garnish with sprigs of thyme

Delish drizzled with the balsamic fig glaze or topped with pomodoro!

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Sipps Organic Sodas & White Wine

I love these 100% Certified Organic sparkling drinks to serve in addition to wine. They are Gluten free, fresh tasting and come in the most interesting flavors.

• Summer Pear with green tea & honey
• Mojo Berry with blackberry, mint & lime
• Pinot Grigio

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Dessert

• SO Delicious Dairy free Chocolate with mint leaf  
• Garnish with Scharffen Berger shaved chocolate
• Moscato D’Asti

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 Resources

• White Platter: Home Goods
• Marble and wood Cutting Board: William Sonoma
• Sipps Organics: Home Goods 
• Dishes: IKEA
• Wine Glasss: Crate and Barrel
• Ice Bucket: Tiffany
• Linen/Cotton Napkins: Williams Sonoma
• Rattan Napkin rings: Williams Sonoma
• Greenery: My Florida yard
• Fresh Artichokes carved and filled with South African Orange Star flowers: Publix