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Showing posts with label hebrew national franks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hebrew national franks. Show all posts

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Grillin' and Chillin'


Isn't it just awful when a holiday falls in the middle of a week? Baby had just returned from job-related travel on top of it so he gratefully took the Wednesday break just the same--but our celebration was very low-key and in town this year. We thought it best just to entertain a few people over the course of the sprawling afternoon--which included a handful of fun surprise guests too! We took them up to the sundeck and toasted our Independence with a bottle of slightly frizzante rose that brightly lit up the gorgeous, lazy day. Later that night, those remaining with us returned to watch the fireworks exploding across the Hudson river.

Hamburgers and hot dogs were the order of the day of course, with potato salad, Fritos, and lots of vodka tonics poured about. We had grape, cherry and orange popsicles for dessert. Baby was in charge of the meat, using our Cuisinart Griddler Gourmet in the kitchen like we actually had an outdoor grill and a back yard.


Juicy Pat LaFreida burgers were sprinkled with the fantastic Back of the Yards garlic pepper-butcher's rub from The Spice House. The beefy Hebrew National franks frolicked with butter. This little gadget with two functioning panels makes it so easy to cook two things simultaneously. It's also a panini press.

As I am wont to do, whatever the occasion, I set to my table with vigor. Inspired by an issue of Gourmet magazine from 1994, I created a spread of red, white, and blue with shells and plastic lobsters, and a vintage diving helmet ice bucket from an old Gilbey's gin promotion, I think. Here's one similar in its full glory that I found on eBay. Isn't it gorgeous?


There was a tube of sunscreen too, naturally, for our Fourth of July Sailing Picnic!

Prepping the table, as you can see, with...



red, white...


 and blue!


I suppose this hollowed log is for stashing jewelry or something, but I stuck forks in it.


I left the copy of Gourmet that launched my flight of fancy next to the diving helmet ice bucket as well.


Look at the curious lobsters trying to get to the buns and rolls--the burgers and hot dogs weren't even out yet! The delicious Grafton cheddar cheese and pickles were for the burgers and amidst our other relish and ketchup condiments, Baby made his own mustard.


This potato salad is great. Thank you Fresh Direct.



And who doesn't love popsicles?


Happy Fourth of July everybody and thanks for reading Evenings with Peter!

Soundtrack: Music to Watch Girls By, Disc 2, various artists; Dimitri from Paris, Sacre Bleu; Deee-Lite, World Clique; Boogie Nights soundtrack; B-52's, Party Mix



Saturday, April 21, 2012

FreshDirect House Party


Alright, I'll admit it. I'm fairly obsessed with FreshDirect. I've spoken of my love previously here on Evenings With Peter so I won't belabor the point. Suffice to say, I won a House Party promotion from them and threw the event. Besides a $100 e-gift certificate to use for the food I ordered, I received a Party Pack that included reusable shopping bags, special offer brochures, notepads, aprons and a host of recipes that all our guests took home. We also giddily raffled off a FreshDirect oven mitt!

FreshDirect asked us to choose a theme, so Baby and I went retro with Pot Luck and things that people used to bring to actual house parties ever so long ago.


Tonight's Menu
Pigs in a Blanket
Mac n' Cheese
Green Bean Casserole
Meatloaf
Vanilla Ice Cream

Although the basic set up for our menu was simple enough, everything we made was slightly different and there were no chafing dishes involved.

Produce played its part on the table and I put herbs such as rosemary, dill, and parsley in a pitcher instead of flowers.




Hebrew National franks filled Pillsbury crescent crusts and our Mac outfitted with Campbell's cheese soup was scooped out in individual spoons.



The green bean casserole however did not involve Campbell's mushroom soup; it was a riff, made instead with creamy bechamel sauce and we sauteed our own wild bunch of mushrooms in butter and olive oil. Refined haricot verts subbed for everyday green beans and I frizzled fresh shallots instead of using Durkee's onions from the can. The bechamel in preparation...


 The finished dish!


The meatloaf was pulled from an old Martha Stewart recipe that I love, with homemade tomato jam for slathering. Cut to the chase and use a judicious amount (a scant tablespoon) of Chinese Five-Spice Powder instead of dealing with the cinnamon sticks, ginger, cloves and star anise. I used homemade bread crumbs I already had on hand, mixed with panko breadcrumbs as well. Also, I subbed celery salt for celery and didn't use additional salt at all, as the recipe suggests. Here's the meatloaf, about to go in the oven.



Of course, I had to light something on fire. Ben & Jerry's gorgeous vanilla ice cream came out with ripe blackberries and burnt walnuts in a flaming buerre noisette sauce with brandy. It was so much fun.



Baby looked rather sporting in his apron.


A hundred dollars fed ten people (actually it was $99.66, like on The Price Is Right--the items I ordered didn't go over). And it was fabulous. Fresh Direct. Get to it.


Fresh Soundtrack: Herb Alpert, Whipped Cream and Other Delights; Mongo Santamaria, Watermelon Man; Lettuce, Rage; Parliament, Greatest Hits; Prince, Lovesexy.