What To Eat For Dinner The Night After The Most Amazing Meal

Last night we had dinner at our friends Donna and Vasili's house.

OMG!

Donna and Vasili are uber-generous and gracious hosts. She's Italian and handles the cooking. Vasili is Greek and handles the wine. Put the two together and you have an unforgettably delicious meal. I weighed myself at the gym one day later—after my yoga class—and I was still three pounds up. We couldn't stop eating.

The meal started with antipasto—three platters of it. The first had an assortment of Italian meats—two kinds of prosciutto, Genoa salami, Sopressetta and Mortadella. The second held homemade roasted red pepper and olives with virgin olive oil. There was, of course, a cheese platter with four kinds of cheese—provolone, pecorino, parmigiano reggiano and rocchetta. A warm baguette and various other bread sticks rounded it up. Vasili served a delicious Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon with this. All the guests agreed that was enough of a meal for us. But not for Donna.

Next came the main course. Roasted grouper, perfectly infused with fresh herbs. Also to fill our plates was mushroom risotto, haricot vert, carrots and a salad with clementine slices and pistachios dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Vasili's contribution was equally creative—a fresh, crisp Brocard Chablis.

Dessert was a Jean Georges recipe—Swiss chocolate cake with a molten center. As I said, OMG.

We waddled home later that evening swearing we would only eat salad the next night. That's what I made.

The denouement: dinner the next night.

A while back I got a recipe from Prevention.com for roasted butternut squash and spinach salad . The recipe said there were just 238 calories per serving. Considering what we ate last night, the fewer calories the better.

But it was dinner and I was serving my two teens. So I grilled three boneless chicken breasts, with salt, pepper, herbs De Provence and freshly squeezed lemon juice, and put the sliced chicken on top of the salad recipe below (which I changed slightly based on what was in the house).

Roasted Butternut and Spinach Salad from Prevention.com.
Here's the link to the recipe: http://bit.ly/bKaXOY. And here's the slightly modified recipe I made:

What to buy
- 3/4 lb precut butternut squash cubes (3/4") or 1/2 med butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 lg red bell pepper, cut into 3/4" pieces
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided (MUFA=monounsaturated fat)
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 tsp honey
- 1/4 sm red onion, chopped (about 1/4 c)
- 4 c package packed baby spinach (4 oz)
- 1 sm Gala or Golden Delicious apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 c thinly sliced radicchio
- 1/2 c toasted hazel nuts

How to prepare it
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. While the oven is warming, season boneless chicken breast with salt, pepper and herbs De Provence. Then place on warm grill, cooking on both sides until done. About 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness of chicken. While the chicken is cooking...

3. Roughly cut hazel nuts and toast in a cast iron skillet until browned. Put aside.

4. Coat rimmed baking sheet with olive oil spray. Toss squash and bell pepper with 2 teaspoons of the oil, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper in medium bowl. Arrange in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until tender and lightly browned. Let cool 10 minutes.

5. Whisk lemon juice, honey, and remaining 4 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in large salad bowl while squash roasts. Stir in onion. Add spinach, apple, radicchio, hazel nuts, and squash mixture and toss to combine.

A Quick Tip, Courtesy of Ann Murray (my Mother-In-Law)

When was the last time you cooked a big meal with lots of components and forgot to serve something? (It's usually the rolls. Never the desserts.) Even when you have a list, you're always too busy to check it. Well, my mother mother-in-law solved this.

When you're setting the table, set up a serving platter for each component. Then put a piece of paper in each plate with the food that's going on that platter. When you serve the meal, replace the paper with the food.

You will forget nothing. I guarantee it.

Quick Bite: Recipe for Zuppa alla Pavese

Every recipe has a story. This one is courtesy of my Uncle Harvey.

Harvey has a big personality. It seems he knows everyone, and everyone he knows loves Harvey. Wherever he goes, Harvey runs into a friend or acquaintance. In 1985, Harvey and I spent Thanksgiving in Paris. It was a cold, snowy Sunday night when we arrived, and we stopped into the famous Deux Magots cafe for a petite collation (translation: a little snack) before bed. It was dark outside. We were huddled in a warm corner when I looked up to see a man that Harvey knew approaching to say "hi." What are the chances?

One reason I love to cook is because Uncle Harvey is an artist in the kitchen. He is the king of short-cut cooking: no one else can take pre-made food and put it together in a way that tastes freshly prepared and oh-so-flavorful.

After reading my "Soup is Good Food" posting, Harvey sent me this recipe for Zuppa alla Pavese. This is a classic peasant recipe named for the Battle of Pavese, Italy in the 16th century under Francois Premier, King of France. The recipe is simple, quick and delicious—perfect for lunch or a cold winter evening.

What to buy
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups of chicken or beef stock (store bought is fine)
- Slice of crusty French or Italian bread
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg at room temperature
- Salt & pepper
- Grated parmesan cheese to taste


How to prepare it

1. Bring chicken or beef stock brought to a boil.

2. Saute sliced crusty bread in butter, on both sides.

3. Warm soup bowls in a low-heat oven.
4. Place one slice of 'crostini' into bowl and one raw egg on top. Pinch of salt, pepper, and grated Italian cheese.

Slowly add hot soup to each bowl, enough to poach the egg. Serve.

I know what I'm having for dinner tonight. And you?

A Delicious Hors d'oeuvre

I'm not good at hors d'oeuvres. But you can't rush your dinner guests to the dinner table the minute they arrive in your home. You need a transition. You need something to soak up the delicious cocktails or wine you're serving as you're chatting and catching up. That's where hors d'oeuvres come in.

Trader Joe's has a terrific selection of tasty hors d'oeuvres. But whenever I serve them I feel like I'm cheating because I didn't prepare food from scratch for my honored guests. That said, I don't mind the idea of mixing store bought and home made.

During the holidays, there's always a parade of people coming to the house. To make sure these guest are sated, I went to MarthaStewart.com and found a wonderful, easy recipe for Goat-Cheese Crostini with Fig Compote. The sweetness of the figs complements the creamy tang of the goat cheese. All you need to do is prepare the compote, toast some baguette rounds, spread the goat cheese on the baguettes, top with compote and serve.

Goat-Cheese Crostini with Fig Compote

http://bit.ly/50ulUS

What to buy

- 1 small baguette (8 ounces), cut on the diagonal into small slices

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/2 cut chopped dried Mission figs

- 1 cup hearty red wine, like a Chianti

- 1/4 cup light-brown sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish (optional)

- 5 ounces goat cheese (1 small log)

How to prepare it

1. Heat broiler. Brush both sides of baguette slices with oil, place on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine chopped up figs, sugar, wine, thyme and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered until thickened—about 7 to 9 minutes. Let compote cool to room temperature.

3. Spread goat cheese on each piece of toast, and top with compote. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

Do you have any easy, delicious hors d'oeuvres recipes you care to share? Post them here.

"Soup is Good Food"

Remember the Campbell’s Soup ad slogan, “soup is good food?” On a blustery cold winter day, can anyone disagree with that statement?

As we hunker in for January, it’s time to pull out recipes for comfort food. This means I’ll be serving meals of hearty soup and crusty bread. Making soup is often a one-pot meal, and can be very easy. Yet the smell of a well-prepared simmering soup is intoxicating, and the flavor can have so many layers that make each spoonful a sensory delight.

Two weekends ago I made my own Pasta Fagioli, an Italian bean and pasta soup that, according to Wikipedia, started as a peasant dish.

Last weekend I made another bean soup with lentils that I found in Giada De Laurentiis’s section of the Food Network site (www.FoodNetwork.com).

This coming weekend I’m going to make a corn chowder recipe shared with me by Meghann Kelley, my work colleague at True North (the ad agency where I work everyday…www.truenorthinc.com).

Here are all three recipes. Spoons up…

Neil’s Homemade Pasta Fagioli

What to buy
- 6 to 8 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces (to make this easy, put the bacon in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, then cut it while it’s nearly hard)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 29-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 15-ounce can of cannelloni beans (white beans)
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- Fresh grated parmesan

How to prepare it
1. In a large sauce over medium high heat, cook the bacon bits until they’re well done but not burnt. Place them on a towel to soak up the fat. Pour out the bacon fat, but don’t clean the pot.
2. In the same pot, heat the olive oil over a medium flame. Then add in the chopped onion, celery and garlic. Sauté until they’re soft and translucent—maybe 5 minutes. You don’t want them to start browning.
3. Add the liquids—the crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth—along with the bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Drain the cannelloni beans, and then add them to the soup. Let simmer another 10 minutes.
5. While the soup is simmering, cook the ditalini pasta in another pot, according to the directions on the box. Drain the cooked pasta and let stand until you’re ready to serve your soup.
6. Divide the cooked ditalini into six bowls. Ladle the soup on top. Garnish each bowl with the cooked bacon bits and serve with parmesan on the side.

This soup can be prepared a day or two beforehand, but don’t combine with the cooked pasta until you’re ready to serve the soup.


Giada De Laurentiis’s Lentil Soup
Here’s a link to her recipe: http://bit.ly/4Gj7R

Here’s the recipe:

What to buy
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
- 11 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2/3 cup dried elbow pasta
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan

How to prepare it
1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and sauté until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the lentils and mix to coat.
4. Add the broth and stir.
5. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.
6. Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.


Meghann Kelley’s Hearty Corn Chowder

What to buy
- 3 medium sized potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk (2% works fine)
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 can whole kernel corn
- 1 can cream corn

How to prepare it
1. Heat olive oil in large saucepot over a low heat, and then add chopped onion. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in 1-inch cubes of potatoes with 2 cups of water. Raise the heat to high to bring the water to a boil, then cook for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
3. Add can of cream corn and can whole kernel corn. Lower the heat to medium and stir occasional for 3 minutes.
4. Add 2 cups of milk and 1 tablespoon of cream. Then cook for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
5. Ladle into bowls and serve.