Ina's Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil

At the beginning of September some of your gardens are still donning several lovely cherry tomatoes. If your gardens aren't wearing these sweet little polka dots, the grocery stores certainly are! For those of you who're done turning them into gazpacho or throwing them over your salads, I have a recipe for you that will give the 'matoes new life while helping you soak up these last weeks of Summer with gusto.

If it's possible for a recipe to be light and indulgent at the same time, Ina Garten's Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil has it nailed. It's one of my all-time favorite main dishes for its freshness, deep flavor, ease of preparation, and capacity to satisfy. Salty, sweet, savory, mildy tart, and the juicy pops as you bite into each ready-to-burst tomato... mlup, mlup, mlup. I have all the ingredients on hand, so I think I'm going to be making this tonight for the fifth time this Summer.

Don't Have All the Money In the World To Throw Dinner Parties?

"If you hear a voice within you saying, 'You are not a painter' then by all means paint... and that voice will be silenced forever." - Vincent van Gogh

After sharing this quotation on my Facebook page yesterday and encouraging everyone who feels intimidated by hosting to muster up the courage to do it anyway, one of my readers expressed a concern about hosting that had nothing to do with confidence and everything to do with finances. It's one thing to be able to silence a negative voice in your head, but when the bottom line of your bank account speaks to you, you have to listen.

Guest-worthy Sandwiches: Ham & Cherry Sandwich

I do a whole lot of hand-puppeting and re-folding laundry and assuring that Diego will find all the missing pieces of the moon with my daylight hours. But sometimes I do things that feel ridiculously luxurious during the day like host little lunch dates with my girlfriends. When I do, I try to avoid PB&J's (no disrespect to the scrumptious classic) if I can help it. Instead, I like to serve a guest-worthy sandwich like this little number from Martha Stewart's crew at Whole Living.

Dinner Party Timeline- Menu #7

Last week I had the chance to interview a friend of mine, Cristi Breen, whose hosting skills are sparklingly polished. I'll be writing all about it in February, but for now I'll let you in on one of the things I've learned from our conversation: Her uncanny ability to put on an event with grace is a direct result of her type-A organization habits. Which means that my inability to host half so well as she after years of experience is a direct result of my type-B organization habits. That's oversimplified to some extent, but it remains true that careful planning is the most necessary of the evils required to pull off a successful party. Of course, there's a creative portion of the planning process, which, for many hosts, myself included, is nearly as much fun as the party itself. Developing a timeline, however, is not so much creative as it is something that makes you want to pluck. your. brain. out. of. your. head.

Well, I don't want any of you to miss out on the joys of hosting just because the timeline part is a headache, or because you have a type-B personality, and I certainly don't want any of you plucking out your brains. So, I've got you covered.

I take payment in the form of chocolate-covered pretzels, lavish praise, or high-end cookware. (Currently I'm seeking an immersion blender.)

As you look over this list, the hope is that you won't feel stress but that it will actually have the opposite effect; it should help you to breathe easy knowing that you've covered all your bases, and free you up to enjoy the process and enjoy the party!
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Menu #7- 
Cheese Platter 
Sparkling Apple-Cranberry Juice & Ice Water 
Rosemary Artisan Bread 
Fall Veggie Bisque 
Candied Acorn Squash 
Shawn's Mashed Potatoes 
Chicken Fricassee
Blackberry Cheesecake 
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Three Weeks Before

• Find a co-host and kitchen helper. You may find it very helpful to have two, one to help you with the cooking and one to help you keep the space tidy. (For this party, most of the heavy-lifting, so to speak, will be done on the day before, so you'll likely find an assistant useful during that time as well as on the day of the party. You'll want their help in the kitchen on the day of the party around the time you begin making the main course, about 2 and a half hours before the guests arrive. Make sure they feel comfortable with their responsibilities ahead of time.)
• Arrange for child care if desired/needed. (If you have children, you'll want someone else to be tending them on the day of the party, and possibly for at least part of the previous day while you're cleaning, baking, and engaging in all the prep-work.)
• Send out invitations. Be sure to mention if you desire dressy attire.

One Week-2 Days Before (Do as many of these one week out as possible, because you're going to want to feel rested for all the work you'll be doing on the eve of the party.)

• Deep clean the house.
• Follow up with any guests who have not given an RSVP.
• Choose an outfit and have it ready to go.
• Review recipes and make your grocery list as well as a list of all needed preparation and serving dishes.
• Shop for any non-food party necessities such as unscented candles for the dinner table, matches, cloth napkins, wood for the fireplace, or fresh soap for the guest bathroom. (Be sure to scan the list of serving dishes needed in the Day Before section in case there's anything you'll need to purchase or borrow.)
• If you're going with a playlist other than one you can find on Eats and Beats  make your preparations.
  
• Clear room in the freezer for purchased ice, or make the ice if you're planning not to buy it.
• Charge your camera battery, if needed.
• If you're using an entire bird for the Chicken Fricassee, purchase the chicken and have you butcher cut it into 11 pieces, cutting the breast in half, and keeping the wings attached but the tips clipped. (Do this 2 days out, because you'll want the poultry as fresh as possible.)
• Wash and iron any table and bathroom linens, including bath rugs.
• Make sure all dishes are clean and put away so your cookware and dish washer are ready for tomorrow's baking and prep-work!

Day Before (This is a VERY BIG DAY, so get an early start!)

• Go grocery shopping for ice and all food items, except for any bread you might be using for the cheese platter. That should wait until tomorrow so it's fresh. Pick up any specialty drinks you'd like to include in a beverage station to enjoy while eating the cheese platter.
• Make the cheesecake, including the topping, but do not top the cake until tomorrow or the juice from the berries will begin to soak into the cake slightly.
• Make the bread dough and refrigerate until tomorrow.
• Clean the house. Since you've already done deep cleaning, this should be a bit less time-consuming than it might be otherwise.
• Stock the guest bathroom. Include fresh towels, plenty of toilet paper, tissues, a scented candle, matches, new or refilled soap, (and it wouldn't hurt to tuck away a plunger so your guest doesn't have to request it should they find themselves in need.)
  
• Make sure all dishes are clean and put away so your cookware and dish washer are ready for tomorrow!
• Set the dinner table with place-settings and any decorations.
• Designate a beverage station for your guests to enjoy with the cheese platter.
• Set out serving dishes. You'll need a board for the cheese, cheese knives/spreaders, as well as a small dish for the mixed nuts. You'll need a soup tureen and ladle, water pitcher, ice caddy and tongs (for the beverage station,) and a basket or board for the bread. You'll also need a platter and serving utensil for the acorn squash, (perhaps a platter with a rim for extra support in case you want them all facing directly upward,) a bowl and spoon for the mashed potatoes, a bowled platter such as this one (or other nice bowl,) tongs and a ladle for the Chicken Fricassee, and a cake stand, knife, and pastry server for the dessert.
• Peel, cut and rinse the potatoes. Soak them in a covered, large pot of cold, salted water overnight until ready to boil tomorrow.
• If you're using only breasts for the Chicken Fricassee, now would be a good time to rinse the poultry and trim the fat. Cover securely and re-refrigerate until tomorrow.

Morning Of

• Review the remainder of the timeline, and go over the Chicken Fricassee recipe again if you feel you need to.
• Go shopping for baguette bread if using it for the cheese platter.
  
• Take out butter for the dinner table to be eaten with the bread.
• Place the cheesecake on the cake stand. Cover and re-refrigerate.

5 Hours Before 

• Make the Fall Veggie Bisque, leaving out the heavy cream for now, and allow to cool to room temperature. Place in the refrigerator until later.
• Bake the Rosemary Artisan Bread. I would bake two loaves for any party greater than 6.

3 and 1/2 Hours Before

• Get yourself ready for the party. (At this point I would definitely shower, do my hair, put on jewelry, and have my face ready. If  I were worried about spilling anything on my clothes while doing the remainder of the cooking, I might wait to put on my party clothes until just before the guests arrive. If I were worried I might not be able to pull myself away from the kitchen sometime in the last half hour of cooking, I'd just dress earlier and rely on an apron.)

2 and 1/2 Hours Before (This is Go Time. Make sure your co-host/kitchen helper is with you through this point forward so everything can be done on time! The time will pass quickly!)

• Prepare your mise en place. Get out all of the ingredients for the Chicken Fricassee, except for the chicken and the heavy cream. Pull out all of the ingredients for the acorn squash. There's no need to pull out any ingredients for the potatoes except for the butter. Get out all measuring tools, other prep tools, and cooking equipment. (I like to have a working surface or two and a separate surface for holding the ingredients.)
• Set out the cheeses so they can set to room temperature. Set out the mixed nuts and fruit as well. If you're serving sliced apples or pears, however, wait to slice them until the last minute as the insides will brown if exposed to air. Cover the platter until just before the guests arrive.

2 Hours Before 

• Rinse all the vegetables and fresh herbs for the Chicken Fricassee. This includes the mushrooms. (Alton Brown says you can rinse mushrooms with water, so that's good enough for me! Use your fingers to make sure you eliminated all the dirt!) Chop and measure vegetables as instructed. Prepare and measure all other ingredients as instructed.
• Brown the chicken and continue the process of making the Chicken Fricassee up until the point where you've tied your bundle of herbs and your sauce and chicken are simmering. (You're about to leave this to simmer while making the squash. If you're concerned you might overcook the chicken, leave the squash to check the temperature of the chicken. You do not want to cook the chicken beyond 165 degrees.)

1 Hour Before 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the acorn squash and begin the 45 minutes of baking.

• Make sure the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees. Complete the remaining steps of the chicken fricassee, and turn the temperature down to low until ready to serve.
• This would also be a good time for your helper to begin cleaning up any dirty dishes or surfaces. 

40 Minutes Before

• Make sure there's only enough water to cover the potatoes and bring them to a boil over high heat.

30 Minutes Before

• Begin to reheat the veggie bisque by bringing it to a low boil over medium heat and immediately reducing the temperature to low.
• Make the butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture for the acorn squash.

10-15 Minutes Before (You're going to need lots of hands.)

• When the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them and complete the recipe instructions.
  
• Spoon the butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture into the acorn squash and along the rim (but not so that it's dripping over the edges) and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
  
• Set out the bread.
• Set out the beverages and ice on the beverage station, and place sparkling juice on the table
• Uncover the cheese platter.
• Turn on the music.
• Top the cheesecake with blackberries.

10-15 Minutes After Guests Have Arrived

• Remove the squash from the oven and complete the recipe as instructed.
• Transfer all food to respective serving dishes, place on the table, and announce the start of dinner!

After Dinner

• Assess whether or not your guests need a bit of time to digest before dessert.
• When ready, serve dessert.

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Blackberry Cheesecake

And now for the finale...

Not all indulgent foods feel comforting as well, but this one does. The key is simply to elevate and saturate familiar flavors.

Anyone opposed to cream cheese, lemon zest, graham crackers, and vanilla? Me neither. As a child, however, the idea of a thick cake made of cheese that was supposed to be a dessert made me revolt. Oh, little Janna. Inexperienced, assuming, little Janna. How much I have to teach you.

Some of you may remember my 30th Year Resolutions included a determination to make my first cheesecake. My mother used to make them professionally for a quaint restaurant on the Outer Banks called The Colington Cafe. My brother, Tim, is known in my family for making very rich cheesecakes, usually involving a lot of chocolate on the top. My grandfather actually founded The Cheesecake Factory. (There's a chance that last statement might not be true; it can be difficult to keep track of one's famous grandparents.) So, I thought maybe it's in my blood to make great cheesecakes. Well, far be it from me to shy away from my destiny.

Actually, the cheesecake did come out amazingly well without so much as a single crack! Okay, one single crack, but it was only as wide as a teeny (bundle of) string and only as long a single piece of (long-grain) rice. It really was tiny, but we have a full-disclosure policy at Eats and Beats, so there you have it: not perfect, but seriously good. Anyway, no doubt one of the reasons it was such a success is that the recipe comes from Ms. Ina Garten, the great enabler of novices. Love you, Ina!

And here you have it with just one teensy alteration from me: the substitution of red raspberries for blackberries. The red raspberries are a classic choice and for a very good reason. I just wanted the deep color of the blackberries. Use whichever you'd like!

                                                               
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Blackberry Cheesecake

from Ina Garten, adapted by Janna Patterson

Total Time: 14 hours
Yield: 12-15 servings

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
 

For the filling:

2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

1 cup red or black jelly (not jam), such as blackberry, currant, raspberry, strawberry

3 half-pints fresh blackberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Santa's alien brother.

Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.

To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the blackberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: Measure your springform pan. The bottom of mine measures 9 inches, but it says 9 1/2. I put the springform pan on a sheet pan before putting it in the oven to catch any leaks.

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Serve as the final course of the fancy dinner party menu. 

Make Your Own Cheese Platter

Any of you who were paying close attention when I first announced the menu will notice that this is not what was on the original menu for an appetizer. I had these apple, brie, almond thingies in mind, but I just couldn't convince myself that they were right for the fancy dinner party menu. The flavors were exactly what I wanted, but I was having trouble with the delivery. I finally figured out why. This menu reminds me of something that might have been served in New England during the Winter in the mid-late 1800's. (Think Little Women.) I realize that any shared meal requires gathering to some extent, but this menu somehow connotes to me a real sense of something more intimate: communion. So, instead of offering individual servings of these flavors, it seemed more appropriate to serve a dish that the hosts and guests would gather around and enjoy together in a nice, messy way. Something like a wedge of brie, or other spreadable cheese. Something like a bowl of almonds, and/or other nuts. I think you get the idea.

There's really no recipe for a cheese platter, because none of the components on the plate are made at home. (Unless, of course, you make your own cheese, in which case, I think you're incredibly cool and I'd like to tour your... cheese-making plant(?) someday.) The fact that you don't have to do so much as stir any part of your platter is great news because that's time and energy that can be spent on everything else you need to do to get ready for the party! So, what I'm going to do is simply suggest various components which you might choose. 

First, let's start with this awesome diagram put together by Martha Stewart.

See Martha's article, "How to Make a Perfect Cheese Plate."

Perfect, isn't it? (I recommend taking a peek at her article. It's a quick and useful read.)

For the vehicle, I would certainly have a sliced baguette and water crackers, but I'd also consider using a high-quality wheat cracker of some kind, too. (Wheat Thins or Triscuits would be too casual and the flavors would compete with the cheese.) I might also consider a multi-grain baguette, but I'd probably choose one or the other, not both. The only issue you might run into with a multi-grain baguette is that it does carry its own flavor that will influence the experience of whatever else you're eating. You decide.

For the "something crunchy" I'd go with a nice, lightly salted mix of nuts. Even though I love the idea of nuts still in their shell, cracking each individual one might get a bit cumbersome for your guests.

Martha suggests a handful of fruit options for your "something sweet," but I'm partial to dried apricots, sliced pear, a crisp and fairly sweet red apple, and, of course, the classic bunch of red grapes. I might also put out a little ramekin of fig preserves or other kind of fig spread which would pair very nicely with some of your stronger, stinkier cheeses.

Speaking of cheese... If you can, visit a grocery store with a robust cheese selection or a specialty store and ask to sample a variety. They may very well have good suggestions or even pre-made platters to inspire you. During my last visit to Wegman's I noticed a list on display of their top picks. Here are their picks along with the cheeses I spotted in their already-assembled plates as well as a few of my favorites that I didn't see.

 Creme des Citeaux

"triple cream with a hint of mushroom"

Tomme de la Jeune

"smooth, fresh semi-soft texture with a gentle goat's milk flavor"

Le Meunier Tome de Fontenay

"creamy, washed rind cheese with a pronounced herbal flavor and aroma"

Le Meunier Fourme aux Moelloux

"creamy, distinct blue flavor with sweet French wine"

Petit Theodore Rum Raisin

"fresh, smooth, soft cheese enhanced with rum"

Dill Havarti

semi-soft, somewhat sweet and slightly acidic with a strong dill flavor

Mild, Milky Brie

very creamy with a milky and mildly pungent flavor and an edible rind

Medium, Buttery Brie

creamy with a buttery and moderately pungent flavor and an edible rind

Applewood Smoked Cheddar 

dense and semi-hard white cheese with a slightly smokey flavor and a hard, paprika-coated rind

White Stilton with Cranberries
 sharp, creamy cow's milk cheese brightened with sweetened cranberries

Sage Cheddar

semi-soft, strong cheddar complimented with the soft but bold flavor of sage oil

Young/Semi Mature Gouda

yellow, semi-hard cheese with a sweet and slightly nutty flavor

Jalapeno Cayenne New York Cheddar

creamy, aged cheese with the hot and slightly sweet flavor of jalapeno and cayenne peppers

Blue Stilton

creamy, English cheese with a pungent flavor (though milder than other blue cheeses) and sharp after-taste

Manchego

a distinctive, sheep's-milk flavor with a firm, buttery texture

Choose a variety that includes at least one relatively mild (or safe) flavor and a few different textures. Martha suggests three different kinds for a gathering of 6-8, with a greater selection for a larger event. Label the cheese and serve on a cheeseboard, large, wooden cutting board, a cheese slate, or something more creative like this DIY chalkboard serving platter by Amanda Wright at "Wit & Whistle."

Photo courtesy of "Wit & Whistle"

Doesn't all this cheese talk make you want to tour Europe and New England??

Fancy Dinner Party Menu: Chicken Fricassee

It's been several months since I've introduced a new menu, so I'm making it up to you by giving you my favorite menu yet. 

In addition to being fun to say, Chicken Fricassee, and Martha Stewart's version in particular, is to. die. for. My mother-in-law made it for us in early Fall and I think I've made it four times since then, maybe five. Tarragon is one of those herbs that I'd always heard about and had eaten here and there at restaurants, but had never cooked with until making this dish, and it turns out I'd been missing out in a big, fat way. Let's not dwell on the sad past, though, but concentrate on our tarragon-filled future instead, shall we?

I knew as soon as I tasted this recipe that it was going to be the focus of my next dinner party menu, but I wasn't sure what surrounding dishes would be worthy of it. Very lucky for me, most of the dishes came to me thanks to my awesome friends who brought us dinner after Louisa was born. As always I'll introduce each dish properly in its own post, but suffice to say for now that your guests will leave thoroughly satisfied and impressed.

Some of the things I love about this menu:
- It's delectable. I know I always say that, but, boy, do I mean it this time.
- We're using all whole ingredients, and, with the exception of the blackberries on the cheesecake, everything is seasonal.
 - A few of the recipes are beyond easy and can be made in advance, saving you a lot of stress (and dishes) leading up to the first doorbell ring.
 - Since the bread will be baked in the morning, the only item that needs the oven during the final hour or two is the acorn squash, so there's no figuring out timing and temperatures for those of you without a double oven.
 -Even though it's an impressive menu, it gives off a very easy, welcoming, communal-type vibe. To me, it's exactly the kind of meal over which you invite someone to "break bread."

Here's what you have to look forward to over the next 2 weeks:

The Menu:
Appetizer: Cheese Platter
2st Course: Fall Veggie Bisque with Rosemary Artisan Bread
Main Dish: Martha Stewart's Chicken Fricassee over Shawn's Mashed Potatoes
Side Dish: Candied Acorn Squash
Beverage: Sparkling Apple-Cranberry Juice
Dessert: Blackberry Cheesecake

Martha's crew really does a beautiful job of writing this recipe.

Such an earthy meal!

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Chicken Fricassee (Fricassee de Poulet a L'Ancienne)
by Martha Stewart, with notes in italics by Janna Patterson

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 11 pieces (reserve back and wing tips for another use, such as stock) (I think it looks rustic and elegant to use the various chicken parts, but if you don't care to use a whole chicken, 4-6 chicken half breasts will work. For a sizable gathering, I usually multiply the recipe by 1.5 and use 10 half breasts.)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)

1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/2 cup)

1 celery stalk, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/3 cup)

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2/3 cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken broth

2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 to 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon leaves

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Can't go wrong with butter, cream, eggs and wine!

Directions:

Brown Chicken- Season chicken (or just the breasts if you've elected not to use an entire chicken) on both sides with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Preheat a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the oil to pot. When butter melts and foam subsides, add half the chicken, skin side down, in a single layer; do not crowd pot. (If butter begins to blacken, lower heat.) Fry chicken, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Saute Mirepoix- Reduce heat to medium, and add mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery) to pot, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Saute mirepoix, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown in places, 8 to 10 minutes.

Pretty maids, all in a row. "Mirepoix" sounds fancy, but it's simply a combination of chopped onion, carrots, and celery! See? French cooking isn't always as daunting as it seems!

Cook Mushrooms and Flour- Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms darken, become glossy, and begin to release liquid, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour, and cook until flour is absorbed by vegetables and is no longer visible, about 1 minute.

Pour in Wine and Broth- Add wine to pot, and bring to a boil, stirring until liquid just thickens, about 45 seconds. Add broth, and stir.

Simmer Chicken- Place chicken, skin side up, in a single layer on vegetables; pour juices that have accumulated on plate into pot. Tie parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine; add to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially. Cook until internal temperature of thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes, (but check at about 20 minutes to make sure you don't overcook the chicken.) Transfer chicken to a clean plate. Simmer liquid, uncovered, until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Discard herbs.

These are supposed to be tied into a bundle, but my kitchen twine was in the car! Don't ask...

Make and Add Liaison- To make the liaison (sauce thickener), whisk together egg yolks and cream in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, pour 1/2 cup cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, into liaison to temper it. Stir tempered liaison into pot.

"I see you..."

Finish with Tarragon, Lemon, and Butter Return chicken to pot.- Add tarragon, lemon juice, and the remaining butter. Bring to a simmer, stir gently to combine, and serve.

Cook's Note-

Have your butcher cut the breast in half, keeping the wings attached but removing the wing tips.

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Janna & Ina's Margherita Pizza

The culinary goddess Ina Garten and I recently collaborated to come up with one seriously delectable pizza. Perhaps a little more accurate, I took a pasta recipe of Ina's that I'm in love with and decided to convert several of the ingredients into a pizza.... without consulting her. So, that's a bit of a let-down. BUT, I do like this pizza enough that I would serve it to Ina should she ever choose to come over for dinner. (Anytime, Ina!)

You can bet your perky little bum that I'll be sharing that pasta recipe with you, but I want to do it proper justice with a blog entry of its own. Patience, grasshopper. 

K, let's get this show on the road, shall we?

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Janna & Ina's Margherita Pizza

Makes 1 large pizza

Ingredients:

1 ball of your favorite pizza dough, room temperature

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves freshly minced garlic (not the kind you buy in the jar that's already minced!) 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1 16 ounce ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4" slices

2 medium vine tomatoes, sliced

3 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/4-1/5 teaspooon crushed red pepper flakes (optional. I opted out this time because my hubs is quite sensitive to spicy foods.)

quality grated parmesan cheese

12 fresh basil leaves, sliced julienne

freshly grated black pepper, for seasoning

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. If using a pan, choose your largest one and lightly grease and flour it.

Take your room temp dough and roll it out so that it's very thin and will fit your pizza pan or stone. Place the rolled-out dough onto the pan and bake it in the oven for 5-7 minutes. In the meantime, combine the olive oil, garlic, and kosher salt. 

If the crust has bubbled up, poke a few holes in it with a fork and gently press it flat. Top the entire surface of the pre-baked crust with the olive oil mixture. (You probably won't use all of it.)

Next add the mozzarella, followed by the tomato so that they cover the inner surface of the crust. (Depending on how big your pizza is, you may not use all the mozzarella.) Top with the thyme, and bake for about 8 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the crust is golden brown.

Juices from the tomatoes may emerge and run while in the oven. If this is the case, simply dab the pizza gently with a paper towel to remove the excess juice. Season the pizza lightly with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Finally, top it off with with parmesan cheese (not too heavy), and the fresh basil.  Cut into slices and serve while hot!

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Behold my favorite pizza I've ever made.  (If you want Shawn's favorite pizza I've ever made, check out this Ham and Pepperoni Stromboli.)

Champion White Chicken Chili

I once entered a chili cook-off.. and did not win. I think I make a pretty killer chili con carne, replete with homemade chili seasoning. Yet I did not take the gold. Who did? A notoriously good cook (at least in our circle of acquaintances) who made a white chicken chili. It really was delicious. Since Shawn's not a big fan of chili con carne, and since I need to up my game for the next chili cook-off, I've been experimenting with white chicken chili recipes. Can this man be overthrown? I don't know. He's good. But so is this recipe, and I named it with confidence.

In the course of my creative attempts, I used two ingredients I've never cooked with before: poblano peppers, and panela cheese. I wanted to suggest something other than cheddar, because we're working with white chili, and because this is a hosting site where we like to get a little fancy.

The taste of poblano peppers is not as that of bells or jalapenos, but still have a nice flavor, and pack a moderate amount of heat. Their walls are not as thick as a bell pepper's wall, so we'll saute them for less time.

Fresh, diced vine tomatoes are a perfect topping. They add great taste and color, and the fact that they're uncooked provides a nice contrast of temperature.

Panela is a fresh, white cheese. You might be tempted to compare it to mozzarella, but it's not as stringy and doesn't melt very easily. The taste is very similar, though panela's is slightly funkier, which I like.

Panela comes from Latin America and gets its name (basket cheese), because it takes on the impressions of the basket it's shaped in.

Next time you're expecting guests and need something hearty and warm with a lot of flavor, try this one on for size!
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Champion White Chicken Chili
Serves 8


Ingredients
3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Large onion, chopped
2 Medium poblano peppers, chopped
6 Cups chicken broth
1 and a 1/2 Tablespoons cumin
2 Teaspoons coriander
2 Teaspoons chili powder
4 Chicken breasts, cooked, shredded, and salt & peppered to taste
1 Medium jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1/2 lime
1 15-oz can Navy Beans, pureed (or mashed up with chicken broth if you don't want to dirty a food processor. This is your thickening agent.)
1 15-oz can Great Northern Beans, drained
1 15-oz can corn, drained
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2-3 Fresh vine tomatoes, diced, for serving
Blue corn tortilla chips, for serving (I go with blue because the color pops nicely.)
Panela cheese, finely shredded, for serving

Directions
In a large pot, saute garlic and onions together in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add poblano peppers and saute for another 3 minutes, or until they're soft. Add next five ingredients, stir, bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to a simmer. Add jalapeno and squeeze in the juice of half a lime (or a whole one if you really like lime.) Add beans and bean puree, corn, and stir. Simmer for another 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and taste, taste, taste, adding seasoning as desired. Serve with tomatoes, tortilla chips, and panela on the side.
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Blue Cheese Spread and Sliced Pears

I'm so excited to give you this recipe! I've used it many, many times because it is such a hit and you really can't mess it up; it's so easy. The cheese spread and baguette really could stand on its own, but it's very rich and savory, so I like to serve it alongside something that will temper its strength and freshen the palate. Hence, the sliced pears.
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Blue Cheese Spread

Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese (not whipped), room temp
1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons fresh green onions or chives, snipped
Kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted (optional)
2 Baguettes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

DirectionsIn a small mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese, blue cheese, 2 of the tablespoons of green onions, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. Top with remaining tablespoon of green onions and toasted walnuts, if using. Serve alongside sliced bread, or top each slice with spread, and serve.
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I alternate between using green onions and chives. The chives are a better size for blending, but the green onions looked great at the store, so they won out this time.

If you spread it for your guests, let the cheese mound a bit. It looks more indulgent and enticing.

It's always that much more appealing to me to dig into a piece of fruit that looks like its original, beautiful self. Slice it up much higher than I did in this photo, though, so your guests don't have to cut it themselves.   

Serve as appetizers to the rest of Menu #1
Ribollita
Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese, & Prosciutto Pizzas
Red Grape Caesar Salad
Amaretto Pound Cake a la Mode

This Week's Sandwiches

Terra Sweet Potato Chips

I wrote at the beginning of last week that I was taking it easy when it came to lunches for my family and our house guests, but that doesn't mean I fed Bryn and Alex bologna (not to insult those of you who enjoy this childhood classic, of course.) Our mid-day munching consisted of sandwich buffets with a variety of fillers and sides to choose from, eating out, and delicious dinner leftovers. Here are some pics from the sandwich buffet that Shawn and I are still finishing off, including the applewood smoked cheddar with hand-pressed paprika I told you about. 

Oh so delicious applewood smoked cheddar with hand-pressed paprika. Pairs very well with roast beef, and is also a perfect cheese for veggie sandwiches.

Fresh, classic hummus from Wegman's. Use as a sandwich spread in lieu of mayo or mustard.

Are you licking your lips?