Christmas Shrimp Boil & Ribs

Traditional food is a big part of my family. Eggs benedict for Christmas morning, clam chowder for Christmas eve dinner, baked apples for Christmas Eve dessert, prime rib for New Years, grape sherbet for Memorial Day (or any other outdoor family gathering), sauerkraut on Thanksgiving. You get the point. However, there is one rather interesting meal left out: Christmas dinner.



I think Christmas dinner is supposed to be turkey and ham, or something like that for most people. Sometimes after the presents are all opened, we just eat cherry chocolates and the Life Savers books that came in our stockings and call it good, but sometimes we get adventurous on Christmas dinner. I have a vague memory of duck back there somewhere, and I'm pretty sure there was lamb once (only because I distinctly remember the mint jelly), and I am positive there was a goose that did not go well.



In spite of our many attempts, nothing really stuck as the traditional, Christmas dinner. To be perfectly honest, I don't think this one is going to stick, either, but it sure was fun. We invited over some cousins and just dumped the shrimp, veggies, and ribs right in the middle of the table. Most people were a little skeptical, and Grandma seemed a little scandalized, but we had a ball. Make sure you have adequate paper towels: it's really important.


Now, I just outright stole the recipe for the shrimp boil, and the ribs are my brother's super-secret recipe, so there's no actual recipe here. Just some ideas for super-fun, utensil-optional meals for large groups.

What are ideas you've done that are great for parties or large groups? Fun food traditions? Let us know.

Thanksgiving

Just add food and friends

Grapefruit shrimp and bay scallops. I believe in tradition, but I also believe in keeping it a little fresh with some unexpected additions. These made a nice cameo this year.

Deep-frying the turkey with style. Being in the South, we embraced the deep-frying bug, and I may never let go.

One transcendentally juicy turkey. Don't be fooled by the crusty (oh the beautifully crisp delectable crust) exterior. That thing was divine.

A whole lotta' pies. Pecan is a family tradition, and I'm trying really hard to make the chocolate cheesecake a tradition, too.


Traditional sides: candied sweet potatoes and fruit stuffing

Cranberry sauce with a twist.

Purple mashed potatoes. We thought the purple would be fun for the kids. We were not disappointed. And no, we didn't dye them: they came that way.

Family tradition: saurkraut is served at Thanksgiving. With some sausage, onion, apple, and brown sugar, it's pretty good.

These orange and rosemary carrots have been my go-to side dish lately. They're easy, great, and elegant.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Any awesome food traditions with your family? Please share.

2nd Annual Relief Society General Broadcast Dinner

Once again, I found myself at the helm of a multi-course, sit-down, plated, served by well-intentioned guys pretending to be waiters, church dinner for 50 women. I love my life.

Course 1: Soup: Curried carrot soup.

This was a great way to start. The curry and ginger started the meal with a pretty powerful punch, and the carrot and sweet potato were a subtle reminder of autumn which is just barely creeping around us down here in the south. The coconut also gives an interesting depth to it, so while the soup is complex, it was perfect for a fresh, eager palette.

Course 2: Salad: Orange and goat cheese salad with candied walnuts and lemon vinaigrette.

I am in love, and the lucky girl is goat cheese. I was a little worried that "goat" may scare away some non-seasoned cheese eaters, so we called it chevre, and everyone was happy. The little citrus and the tangy cheese were a perfect punch together, and went well following the curried soup.

Course 3: Entree: Mustard sage-braised pork loin, wild-rice pilaf, and roasted asparagus.
Don't be fooled by the link that takes you to a chicken recipe. I essentially used the same recipe with the pork, just upping the mustard a little, replacing the herbs with sage, and using a crockpot fpr 2 hours instead of the oven. For a large crowd, it was perfect. I bought whole pork loins, cut them in fourths, seared them, then stuck them in crockpots with the sauce for 2 hours, and sliced them in advance. When it was time to serve the entree, all I did was take them out and spoon the sauce over. It was easy as pie (editors note: pie is not easy--crusts take serious work!--so I have no idea where this phrase comes from).

Course 4: Dessert
Caramel chocolate cheesecake. I will admit that making 4 of these was ambitious, as it takes forever, but I love this cheesecake. You need to go make it right now. It will make your life better, I promise. It was a nice way to end the dinner with a punch, especially when served with a few chocolate chips and chocolate grahams crumbs sprinkled over top. That's love, right there.

Easter Dinner for 10

I get a little bored of the traditional holiday meals sometimes, so I like to play around with them a little. I know that on Easter you're supposed to eat a big ole' plate of ham, but something about ham didn't really speak to me this year as the North Carolina weather turned blissfully pleasant, the azaleas and dogwoods were in bloom, and local, leafy greens started popping up in markets. I wanted something a little springier, lighter, and fresher. Pork, while still coming from pig, seemed to fit the bill. And at the risk of seeming trite or cliche, I kept getting drawn to multicolor, baby versions of normal foods: new spring lettuces, fingerling potatoes, baby carrots, baby zucchini, etc. What can I say? It's springtime.

Easter Lunch for 10

Salad: Spring greens with thinly-sliced white asparagus and shallots, pecorino romano cheese, edible flowers, and grapefruit vinaigrette. I don't know how essential the flowers are to the flavor of the dish, but they added some beautiful color and spring feeling. And to boot, it was kind of fun watching people wonder if they really could eat them. I won't lie to you, this wasn't the best salad I've ever made in my life, but it may be about the prettiest and most talked-about in the course of eating it, so I think it's still a good trade-off.


Entree: Thyme-braised pork loin with raspberry-balsamic reduction, roasted multi-color fingerling potatoes with parsley, orange and rosemary braised baby carrots, and grilled baby zuchini.

I dont' have much experience with pork loins, so the texture wasn't exactly what I was going for, but I'm sure I'll get it with time. The sauce was quite good, however, and complimented the lightness of the pork very well. I will also never get tired of purple potatoes.


Dessert: Sorry there's no picture, but I made SmittenKitchen's lime and coconut cake. I have made this a few times now, and the texture is great, the flavor wonderfully bright and light with a little twist of citrus. I serve it was a raspberry coulis and big dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Valentines Day Menu for 2

This was an all-out, no-holds barred display of culinary prowess meant to impress. Rather than a sit down meal, we made it course by course, eating as one was done, then moving on to the next. In all, it took about 3.5 hours to eat, but boy was it good.

Valentines Day Dinner for 2

Appetizer: Blood orange jumbo scallops with sea beans: This is a really elegant appetizer, and really isn't too hard to make quickly. The presentation is really nice.


Soup: Roasted butternut squash soup with rosemary, blue cheese, and crispy shallots. I don't have a recipe for you for this one, because I don't feel like I've really nailed the flavor yet. These basic flavors--butternut squash, onion, blue cheese, rosemary, and olive oil--work together beautifully, but the soup itself was still missing a little depth. I'll keep playing, but you may have to wait until next winter. Sorry.


Salad: Mixed greens with pears, Robusto cheese, cashews, and a balsamic vinaigrette. This one was pretty basic, and the combination is an extended family favorite that shows up at just about every family potluck.


Entree: Seared New York strip steak (cooked medium) with apple cider shallot reduction, horseradish mashed potatoes, sauteed green beans, and pan seared wild mushrooms. I like a good steak something fierce, and let me tell you, I'm getting pretty dern good at preparing them. The sauce may have been just a touch on the sweet side, but this was a quality plate, let me tell you.


Dessert: Warm chocolate melting cake with vanilla ice cream and mixed berry coulis. This is my go-to standard, fulfill my inner chocolate yearning standby. When elegant dessert is called for, warm chocolate melting cake is there.

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was spent with family and friends at my home. Grad students who couldn't travel home for the holidays, missionaries away from family, and some of my family who traveled in for the first Thanksgiving in the new home. Here is the menu:



Heures d'oeuvres:

• Vegetable crudites
• 2 wheels of baked brie: one with apricots and honey, the other with cranberries, pecans, and honey
  
• A wedge of danish blue cheese, and another of wesleydale with cranberries
• Roasted asparagus thanks to a good friend
  
• Shrimp with grapefruit and avocado

Dinner

• Braised turkey breast with apple cider and thyme gravy
• Dried fruit stuffing
• Braised carrots with orange and rosemary
• Roasted purple and red potatoes
  
• Brussel sprouts with orange and hazelnuts
• Sauteed green and white beans with shallots and garlic
  
• Sausage with apples and sweet & sauerkraut (sauerkraut is a family Thanksgiving tradition)
• Crab and new potato salad with dill lemon vinaigrette
  
• Cranberry, cherry, ginger sauce
• Mashed sweet potatoes with maple pecan topping, courtesy of a kind guest
  
• Homemade rolls, courtesy of good friends

Desserts

• Strawberry and rhubarb pie (again, I have great friends)
  
• Blueberry pie (they keep getting better)
  
• Coconut cream pie
• Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (I love it when other people cook)
  
• Chocolate caramel cheesecake
• Caramel apple cheesecake
• Pecan pie (other people bringing stuff saved me)
  

Menu: Formal dinner for 50

So, it went like this: it started as a pleasant conversation with my roommate. He asked a little favor of me. "Sure," I responded. "I'll throw together a little dinner for the ladies at church." Boy howdy, did I not realize what I was getting myself into. Cooking a 4 course dinner for 50 is a little different than making a pot of soup which would last me all week long. I made sure I had some good help, a lot of very large pans, and away we went.



There were a few trial runs, a few miserable failures (The coconut pumpkin soup sounded so good, but it was so bad; I still don't know what went wrong). There were many a batch of homemade vegetable broth made, 2 gallons of onion soup consumed in a week (I just couldn't bring myself to even look at it, much less make it again for 50 people), and more hours than a reasonable person would consider prudent spent surfing cooking blogs.



I must say, I am proud of the menu. I think the courses balance each other well: a little spice in the soup, a little citrus tang in the salad, a very herby, earthly presence in the main course, and then a not-overly sweet chocolate and berry homerun for dessert.

It was fun putting it all together, planning, experimenting, etc., but I don't know that I would go out and volunteer for these opportunities, if I were you.


Relief Society General Broadcast Dinner for 50
(pictures will definitely follow)

Course 1, Soup: Black bean soup

• I multiplied the recipe by 3, planning on rather small servings (it's a hearty soup). I served them in 9 ounce tumblers with a long breadstick and dollop of sour cream

Course 2, Salad: Mixed greens with carrot, radish, mandarin oranges, and French vinaigrette

• I had to remember here, this salad is just a cleanser to go from the spicy to the herby. Keep the dressing light and the serving size somewhat on the smaller end. No one wants to get full on course number 2.

Course 3: Entree: Herb braised chicken breast with a side of autumn risotto with caramelized apples

• The two of these pair very well together with similar flavors. Make sure you put on some parsley at the end, or some other colorful thing, or else you'll get a very bland-looking plate (and the food tastes too good to be bland looking).

Course 4, Dessert: Baked Chocolate Tart
This dessert is my old-faithful standby. I love it, and it loves me. This time I made a topping out of mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries). It's a romance that keeps getting stronger with age.