Something For Everyone - Comfort Food Dinner Party

There have been many changes in our lives these past few years, and one such new reality is that our dinner parties now tend to include little people. Lots of little people. 

If you've ever met a toddler, you'll know they really are just like tiny little restaurant critics, except instead of a scathing review, you're more likely to have your food tossed at the wall. Since we don't get out as much, we also call that dinner and a show. 

A classic comfort menu kids and grownups will love, Photo: NK 

So what do you do when you have to please big and little palates all in one fell swoop? Today's simple menu of comfort food will answer that very question. 
Here's what to expect:

The world's best, universally delicious Mac & Cheese from the one and only Martha Stewart (it's nicknamed Crack 'n Cheese for a reason)

A simple Salad (so you feel like you're getting your veggies)

Fabulous Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting


Here's the plan: 

The night before, make your Cupcakes and Buttercream. Store the Cupcakes in an airtight container and your Buttercream in the fridge. 

The morning of, make your Mac & Cheese up until where you bake it. (Set aside the breadcrumbs and grated cheese to top it before you pop it in the oven).

A few hours before guests arrive, put together your favorite Salad and put the dressing on the side. Store Salad in fridge. Dress and toss just before you're ready to serve.

Let your Buttercream soften a bit and pipe or spread onto cupcakes. 

Now let's get to THE RECIPES:

Perfect Mac & Cheese, by Martha Stewart. Click HERE 
Amy Sedaris' awesome Vanilla Cupcakes, Click HERE, with our very own Vanilla Buttercream, Click HERE. 
Salad- I will leave this up to you, but keep it light and seasonal! The rest of the meal is filling. 


Easy! 

The most amazing Mac & Cheese on the planet, Photo: NK

Enjoy!

Restaurant Inspired - Scarpetta's Tomato Basil Sauce

So many of my family's favorite at-home meals are inspired by incredible restaurant experiences. In the years where we were footloose and fancy free, we did a really good job of getting out for great meals around town, several that were really special and memorable with amazing dishes like:
Chili Lobster With Texas Toast, Brussels Sprouts With Figs and Mint Yogurt, and this unbelievable Mac & Cheese.   

Scarpetta's Famous Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce at home! Photo: NK

Nowadays, as parents, life may be a bit slower and budgets may be tighter, but the few times we do make it out, we really go and do it up. When date nights are scarce, it's a great excuse to make them count!

The latest wow dish came to us courtesy of NYC's impeccable Scarpetta, an elegant yet bustling high-end Italian joint that is not to be missed. Though everything we ate was excellent, their most famous dish, a humble bowl of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce, was the stand out. Part of me didn't want to order it because I typically like my out-on-the-town dinners to be a bit more exotic, but I'd read so much hype, I just had to taste for myself. The secret to Scott Conant's brilliant sauce is two-fold as far as I can tell: lots of extra fat (oil, butter, etc. what could go wrong?) but also, Conant infuses Olive Oil with the fresh flavors of Classic Marinara, so that you get all the essence and freshness in an unmuddled, more forward way. The flavored Oil is applied at the end, and the various essences come through to your palate magnified and bright. It's pure genius.

Our interpretation of Scarpetta's famous Spaghetti Tomato Basil Sauce is based heavily off the Serious Eats piece and because we use high quality canned Tomatoes, it's done the fastest possible way possible. Obviously fresh Tomatoes are best, but I would only use themwhen they are at their best and perfectly in season. Though there are multiple steps to Conant's recipe, I've tried to write it up for you in a way that maximizes ease and cuts down prep time. 

I threw this together on a weekday and I was done in just under 40 minutes. SO worth it. While I could tell you my results were as good as the real deal, I'd be lying. Still, I must say, it came pretty darn close to the original and really blew our socks.


Scarpetta's Famous Spaghetti Tomato Basil Sauce (the fastest way)
By Scott Conant
Ingredients:

28 Ounce Can Whole Peeled (or diced) San Marzano Tomatoes
1 Pound Good Quality dry or fresh Spaghetti (Garofalo, De Cecco are good choices)
1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon
Bunch of Basil, 2 large sprigs set aside, 6 large leaves cut into thin ribbons
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes + extra for infusing the Oil
6 Cloves of Garlic, whole  
1 Tablespoon Salted Butter
2-3 Tablespoons Fresh Grated Parmigiana Reggiano


Method:

Set a large Pasta Pot of well salted water to boil.

In another large, high sided pan, warm the 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the can of Tomatoes and a big pinch of Salt and 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes then mush them well with a potato masher. (Start prepping your Oil infusion below). Allow to cook about 20 minutes or more (if you need to buy time) over medium heat, mashing and stirring from time to time. If the sauce gets too thick, add a Tablespoon or two of water to loosen.

While the Tomato Sauce cooks, infuse your remaining Olive Oil in another small pot. Add 1/4 Cup Oil, 2 large sprigs of Basil, a good pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flake and 6 Large Garlic Cloves. Turn the flame very low and allow flavors to slowly infuse, ideally for about 20 minutes.

Pasta Water should be boiling now so add your Spaghetti and cook until just under al dente according to package instructions. When Pasta is done, scoop out about a cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain the rest of the Pasta and add it to the pan with the Tomato Sauce. Toss. Add Pasta Water, Tablespoon by Tablespoon and turn up the flame to medium. Continue to toss until Sauce and Pasta moves together in the pan. The Pasta Water will help it to bind thanks to the starch in it. Turn off the flame.

Throw a pat of Butter on top of the Pasta and Sauce and toss. Then stream in the Infused Oil, using a spoon to block the solids as you pour. Discard all but the oil. Toss. Now the add the Parmigiana Reggiano and remaining Basil Ribbons. Toss again. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of Salt if needed.

Serve and ENJOY!!!!!!

Turkey Day Roundup - Thanksgiving Nibbles + Mac and Cheese

Ricotta & Roasted Grapes Crostini, Photo: NK

Hopefully you too are coming down from the glorious food hangover that is Thanksgiving. While we all know that the Turkey is supposed the main event, there are many of us that look forward just as much to the apps, sides and other accoutrements that make the meal so memorable. 


This year, I decided to chronicle our household's contribution to an already smashing family feast. 


You'll find one Neurotic Kitchen hors d'oeuvre favorite, two new and different small bites that we tried making for the first time, and last but not least, my husband's traditional contribution to Turkey Day, and the ONLY Mac and Cheese recipe you'll ever need, Martha Stewart's Perfect Mac and Cheese.

Make Your Own Hors D'oeuvre, Photo: NK

First thing's first: when your don't have time to assemble each hors d'oeuvre, why not create an equally lovely "make your own" platter.
Be sure to include a little card with the "how to" for guests so they know how to assemble. Pictured above is our quickie, deconstructed version of NK's very popular Soppressata, Truffle Goat Cheese and Pepper Jelly Crostini. It was tasty as ever. 

Next up, I was really delighted with the results of my first time trying Ina Garten's Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers. So savory and easy, these are made using good quality Blue Cheese, in this case, Stilton. I was able to mix up the very simple cracker dough several days before Thanksgiving. You simply roll it in a log and freeze it. When ready to serve just slice and bake! I chose to bake them a day ahead to minimize my Turkey Day morning workload. These crackers need no accompaniment as they are really flavor-packed and hearty just as they are. Check them out below and click HERE for the recipe. 

Ina Garten's Blue Cheese Crackers (middle) Photo: NK

Beautiful Roasted Grapes, Photo: NK

It was our third small bite (pictured at the top of the page) that got the biggest raves from the hors d'oeuvres table - my adaptation of Athena Calderone's Ricotta and Roasted Grape Crostini. Roasting deepens and concentrates the flavor of Grapes, and fine quality fresh-made Ricotta (we just love the artisan Ricotta from Salvatore BKLYN) is the perfect creamy foil. My changes to the original recipe included using finely chopped Pecans instead of pricey Pignoli (Pine Nuts), and Fig Balsamic Vinegar rather than regular Balsamic for a little extra flavor dimension. I roasted the grapes Thanksgiving morning and put the crostini together at our host's house, just before guests arrived. I also opted to use French Grey Salt over regular Sea Salt. I would absolutely make this wonderful recipe again. It tasted as beautiful as it looked!

Finally, the main event: turkey and lots and lots of sides. Our addition to the impressive spread my Mom-in-Law made was Martha Stewart's incredibly decadent classic, Perfect Mac and Cheese. This stuff should come with a warning label. It is that good. So addicting, in fact, that we affectionately refer to it as "Crack and Cheese." The secret? An ungodly amount of Cheddar and Gruyere plus a crunchy topping of toasted breadcrumbs (chunks of fluffy white bread soaked in butter creates the decadent crispiness). Do not miss this dish or attempt to alter the recipe. It is perfect, just like its name. Do note that you will end up with a ton of cheesy goodness (a plus, in my book), so if you aren't serving a crowd and do not want tempting leftovers (why??) you may opt to cut the recipe in half. 

Prepping the most delicious Mac and Cheese, Photo: NK

One more Thanksgiving in the books! I hope you've enjoyed our recipe roundup and that your holiday was filled with happiness, family, and wonderful food!

Restaurant Inspiration - Flatiron Room Mac & Cheese

The Flatiron Room, NYC. Photo Courtesy of The Flatiron Room 

It's often that I'm reminded of how lucky I am to have wonderful friends. 

The latest example of this comes courtesy of my good buddy Sonia. Not only did she recently treat me to a birthday night out at a majorly swanky and very cool whiskey lounge called The Flatiron Room, but she made sure we ordered the best thing on the menu - a unique and positively sinful Mac and Cheese with Brussels Sprouts, Dates, Hot Chilies and a Gouda Cream Sauce. 

If this combo sounds suspect to mac and cheese purists out there, I'm with you! But believe me, this dish is so inexplicably good that I knew by the second bite that I'd just have to make it myself. Rather than trying to explain the wonders of Flatiron's mac, check out what Haute Living had to say about it. They even voted it one of their top 5 mac and cheeses in NYC:

"We never thought we'd highlight any semblance of vegetable mac in our top picks, nor did we think we'd include a whiskey-slinging jazzy newcomer to the 26th street strip, but this positively scrumptious take on this fan favorite has us eating our words. Chef Susan Burdain combines brussel sprouts with radiatore pasta and tops it with a Calabrian chile cream sauce; panko breadcrumbs hit the final high note. 37 W 26th St, between Broadway and Sixth Ave."
 

Sautéing your base ingredients, Photo: NK

When finding Radiatore, the cool corkscrew pasta that Flatiron Room uses, proved oddly challenging, my super-sweet friend made sure to keep an eye out for it herself. Next thing I knew, the goods were in my hands and I had a big smile on my face. Sonia, did I mention that you rock? :) 

I was ready to go once a bit of research yielded the recipe we'll slightly adapt today. 

First, a few notes:

To point out the obvious, this recipe is not diet. Soooooo not diet. But Mac and Cheese is the best, so come along with me as we live it up! 

Expect more of a creamy cheese sauce than a typical cheesy, gooey Mac. You'll find the change intriguing. Something about the way the cream works with the spicy chilies to create a pleasant orangey-pink sauce (punctuated by sweet dates and smokey brussels sprouts) is pretty darn amazing. 

Don't skip the Panko if you can help it. There's nothing better than adding some golden brown crunch-factor atop this mac masterpiece. 

Finally, this dish is rich as all get out and is best served in small appetizer portions. You could be like me and have seconds but you may or may not spend the rest of the evening super full, reclined on your couch doing your best Homer Simpson. Not the worst thing in the world but I figured I'd warn you. 

Now that that's all outta the way...let's get to the kitchen. I hope you enjoy this splurge-worthy dish as much as we did. And if you're ever in NYC, be sure to stop by the Flatiron Room for finger or two of fine scotch and a skillet of this cheesy goodness: 

Flatiron Room Mac & Cheese - Gouda and Calabrian Chili Cream,
Brussels Sprouts & Dates, Photo: NK 

Flatiron Room Mac & Cheese
Recipe slightly adapted from Recipesecrets.net + Flatiron's Chef Susan Burdain
Serves 5-6 as an appetizer

Ingredients: 
4 Cups (al dente) cooked Spiral Pasta (we used Radiatore) *just shy of a pound of pasta  
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
8 Brussels Sprouts, sliced in half and roasted in advance. See Note*
4 Ounces grated Aged Gouda Cheese 
1.5 - 2 Tablespoons pitted Medjool Dates, finely minced
2 Cups Heavy Cream
2 teaspoons Garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Calabrian Chili Relish/Paste (or finely chopped hot chili peppers)
2 Tablespoons minced Shallots
2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce (we recommend Cholula or similar - Tabasco would be too hot)
2 Tablespoons grated Parmigiana Cheese
Panko Breadcrumbs, for topping 
Equipment: a large, deep, ovenproof skillet - ideally a 10 inch cast iron skillet

*Note: to quickly pre-roast the Brussels Sprouts preheat the oven to 450 and simply slice them in half lengthwise, toss in a Tablespoon or Two of Olive Oil, sprinkle with Salt and roast for 15-20 minutes, turning once or twice. You can make these in advance and store in the fridge until ready to use. 

Method:
1. Prepare the roasted Brussels Sprouts if you've not done so already. Recipe above. 

2. Precook the Radiatore pasta if you have not done so already. It should be just firmer than al dente. Drain and set aside. Ideal cook time for Radiatore will be 6 minutes. 

Add Panko and it's ready to finish in the broiler, Photo: NK

3. Preheat the broiler. 

4. On your stove top, put the Olive Oil in your ovenproof skillet and heat until shimmering over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels Sprouts, Shallots, Garlic, Chiles or Chili Relish, & Dates. Sauté for a minute or so. 

5. Pour in the Cream, grated Gouda, and Parmigiana. Stir gently until cheese has melted, about 3 minutes.  Cook another minute or two so cream begins to bubble and thicken. 

6. Add the Hot Sauce and stir. Gently add in Pasta and toss until it is fully coated. 

7. Top the skillet with a few tablespoons of Panko Breadcrumbs and move it to the broiler to cook for 2-3 minutes until the Panko becomes golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Serve hot and enjoy!