My Beautiful Birthday Brunch + Tips To Host Your Own

A beautiful birthday brunch, courtesy of my main squeeze
Photo: NK 

This afternoon, my husband threw me the most lovely and thoughtful Birthday Brunch.

Not only did he do a great job pulling this small family gathering off without me having to lift a finger, but it especially touched my heart that he put such thought into the event, down to even the smallest detail; my favorite kind of flowers adorned the table and the menu was what I consider to be brunch perfection. Finally, my birthday cake was frosted with the most delicious Vanilla Buttercream (the icing on a devil's food cake has just got to be vanilla). What can I say? The man knows me well.

This low-key yet still festive Sunday with my loved ones was everything I could have hoped for, so I knew I'd just have to share it with you. 

But first, here are my Top 2 House Rules when in comes to Brunch:

1. It's not brunch if you aren't sipping a Bloody Mary.

2. Smoked Salmon on a Bagel is the king of all brunch food - and if you don't have all the accoutrements (Red Onion, Cream Cheese, Capers, Fresh Dill, lots of Lemon), you're doing it wrong :). 

Now - For ALL our favorite Brunch Tips plus a classically New York recipe for Date Nut Bread, I invite you to click HERE. 

Lox with Lemon, Dill, Red Onion, Capers to be served on Bagels &
Cream Cheese, Photo: NK

The Menu:

Bagels, Lox, and all the toppings. (See above!)

Bacon. What's brunch without it? We like Coleman Natural. No added nitrates, thick cut, 
it's worth the splurge every time. 

Scrambled Eggs - I prefer poached eggs but when you're feeding a crowd, scrambled is the way to go. My husband's secrets to impossibly fluffy scrambled eggs are as follows:
1. Start with the Eggs at room temperature.

2.Use Whole Milk, and whisk the vigorously right before putting the eggs into the pan.         
3.Finally, be sure to remove them from the pan just before they look fully done. 
     
They will finish cooking over the next minute or two it takes for your guests to serve themselves! 

Fruit Salad - Use in-season fruits. Citrus is great in winter! 

Last but not least, 

Cake! 

Cake by Natale's, a must visit if you're ever in the neighborhood. Photo: NK

Thank you to my lovely family for a fantastic day. Who needs birthday wishes when I have all of you? 

Yuletide Roundup - Christmas 2014

Baccala Salad with Sweet & Hot Cherry Peppers, Photo:NK

Buon Natale! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! It's time for our yuletide wrap up - just a quick recap of some of the dishes we enjoyed this season.  

For Christmas Eve we went with the traditional Feast of The Seven Fishes. My mom hosted and she did a great job. To check our Italian Christmas Eve Menus for the past three years, click HERE, HERE and HERE. 

This year, we were treated to smashing seafood salads to kick off the multi-course dinner. I contributed the Baccala Salad pictured to the right. You can find the recipe by clicking HERE. 

Next came a fantastic Calamari Salad…

Calamari Salad, Photo: NK

Looks good, right?

But no seafood dinner would be complete in our family without Linguine with Clam Sauce, easily my favorite dish of all time (recipe HERE), which we often like to follow with a main course of Rao's Lemon Sole, just as in previous years. 

Classic Linguine with Clam Sauce, Photo: NK

This is his put down your camera face

My mom made super adorably presented goody boxes filled with Christmas Cookies. 


For dessert, we kept it simple with delicious Italian Pastries from an excellent bakery called Natale's. 





We need to leave space for Christmas Dinner, you know?  

Sfogliatelle, Cannoli, and Napoleon, Photo: NK 

Speaking of Christmas, my mom in law made it tasty as ever. We were treated to, among other things, a lovely Filet of Beef and a really great Salad with Red Pears and Pumpkin Seeds - I am surely going to try and recreate it some day. 

Filet of Beef & a Pear & Pumpkinseed Salad, Photo: NK 

And there you have it, as fast as it came to us, Christmas was complete. I hope you too enjoyed a holiday season filled with only good things and good food. Here's to lots more cooking in the new year!

A Family Affair - Potluck Easter

They say that many hands make light work. "They" would be right. With the weather steadily warming and the first buds appearing on the trees, the mood seemed right for a more casual and stress-free Easter holiday - a celebration requiring less fuss in the kitchen, and leaving more time for enjoying the outdoors. When you're looking to keep it simple, a potluck holiday is a great solution. I hope you enjoy our Easter 2014 recap. A good time (and a great meal) was had by all!

To start, a light and springy appetizer platter that we enjoyed al fresco:

Crostini with Fresh Ricotta, Sautéed & Fresh Ramps, and Pistachios
Photo: NK

Now for the How To:

Spring Crostini, Photo NK

Spring Crostini Platter
Serves 6 as a light appetizer

1 good quality crusty Baguette:
Slice it into 1/3 inch thick slices, brush with Olive Oil and a sprinkle of Coarse Salt and grill until some char marks appear. 

1 bunch of Ramps: 
Half of them chopped into 1/2 in pieces and sautéed in a little bit of olive oil before being finished with a sprinkle of salt. Slice some of the remainder of the uncooked ramps into 1/4 inch pieces, and set aside several whole ramps for a beautiful, edible garnish.

8 Oz fine quality homemade or store-bought Ricotta Cheese 
(we chose the amazing whole milk Ricotta Salvatore BKLYN via Freshdirect. (It's Martha Stewart's favorite!) Drizzle the Ricotta with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Coarse Salt and some Black Pepper.

Finely Chopped Pistachios 
Fresh Grated Parmigiana Cheese Curls
Fine Quality Fig Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic Reduction
Honey or Truffle Honey 

To Serve: simply put it all together and let your guests assemble their own crostini! It's helpful to show a few example toasts to get them started. Voila!

Let's move on to the big Easter Feast:

All hands on deck for a delicious Easter feast, Photo: NK

Potluck Easter "Credits" & Recipes 

Ina Garten's Roasted Fennel with Parmesan, center front - by yours truly.  Recipe HERE
Minted Peas, middle (cooked with a bit of mint jelly & a dollop of salted butter),by mom.
Mashed Turnips, center left, heated with butter & some cinnamon, from Southland
Cranberry, bottom right - straight from the can, baby. 
Waldorf Salad, top left, delicious, crunchy & refreshing - by my mom-in-law. Recipe HERE
Stuffed Pork Loin with Cheese & Herbs, top right, from La Torre Pork Store of Brooklyn,cooked by mom.
Apple Sauce, top right, from the jar. 
Stuffing with Sausage, Pecans, and Green Apples, middle top, by mom. 
Creamy Horseradish Potato Salad, top left, by my sis-in-law. Recipe HERE

Bunny Cake & Easter Bread, Photo: NK

Potluck Easter may have been comparatively easy, but there was one of us who did do some majorly involved baking and prep work, and boy did it pay off. 

My sister-in-law Marjie's long awaited and UBER adorable "Bunny Butt Cake" made for the the most wonderfully whimsical and tasty dessert. Because sometimes, you're just in the mood for an adorable rabbit tush on your table. How cute is this cake?? Click HERE for the Betty Crocker Recipe. A clever and perfect execution resulted in a cake that went along great with the Italian Easter Bread that my mom-in-law brought us.

Thanks again to everyone for a great meal.



Until next year!

Ingredient Spotlight - Rhubarb: Beyond Dessert

Photo: NK 

Rhubarb, a popular item at summer farm stands, is more versatile than you think. Beyond its common applications in pies and crumbles, Rhubarb makes a great addition to savory entrees too. Their crisp, ruby red stalks are extremely tart on their own, but once sweetened up by sugar, honey, or the addition of fruit (such as cherries or raspberries), rhubarb yields an amazing sweet/tart flavor that complements meats and even salads and vegetables.

A few facts about Rhubarb*:

~Rhubarb is related to buckwheat. Who knew?

~Rhubarb is a veggie, not a fruit.

~First used for medicinal purposes, Rhubarb originated in China. It is an ancient plant and appears in food history as early as 2700 BC. 

~The green leaves of the Rhubarb are poisonous when ingested in large quantity. Eat only the stalk!

*Info courtesy of an amazing source of Rhubarb facts, The Rhubarb Compendium - www.rhubarbinfo.com

Rhubarb Stalks, Photo: NK

To fully discover Rhubarb, I decided I would not only make a traditional dessert preparation - a Rhubarb Compote suitable for topping all manner of sweet treats - but I also thought it would be fun to find out how Rhubarb works in a savory dish. Check out the results and give this stalk a chance if you are looking for a great seasonal ingredient this summer. 

Pork Chops with Rhubarb Cherry Sauce 
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4 

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Dried Cherries 
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped White Onion
3-4 Stalks of Rhubarb - tops and bottoms discarded, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (2 Cups)
3 Tablespoons Sugar
Pinch of Ground Allspice
Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper
4 Bone-In Center Cut Pork Chops 1 Inch Thick- frenched if possible
1 Cinnamon Stick - optional 

Cherries Soaking, Photo: NK 

Method:
In a bowl, combine Cherries, Balsamic Vinegar 
and Cinnamon Stick with 1/4 cup hot water.

Let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil in a small saucepan. 

Add Onion to the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened - 8 to 10 minutes. 

To the softened onions, add Cherry Mixture, Sugar, and Rhubarb.


Bring Mixture up to a boil.

Photo: NK 

Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Remove mixture from the heat and stir in a pinch of Allspice and Salt and Pepper to taste. Warm again just before serving.

Season the Pork liberally on both sides with Coarse Salt and Pepper. 

Heat 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil in a large skillet over Medium High Heat. Cook in batches if pan will be too crowded.

Once Oil is extremely hot, add Pork Chops and cook for 3 Minutes on one side. Flip, and cook another 3 to 3.5 Minutes on the other side. 

Remove from skillet and stack the chops, one on top of the other, on a plate. Cover with foil and let sit for 3-4 minutes for a perfect medium rare. 

To serve, rewarm the Rhubarb-Cherry sauce if needed. Uncover Pork Chops and arrange them on plates, pouring the juices from the chops over each. Top with the Cherry-Rhubarb Sauce and serve right away. Enjoy!

Pork Chops with Rhubarb-Cherry Sauce, Photo: NK

Next up, a more traditional preparation fit for topping any dessert, the Rhubarb Compote. This recipe, again adapted from Martha Stewart is, as one online commenter put it, the easiest recipe in the world. Using just three ingredients, you can make a great compote in a flash that works well on just about any sweet treat. The Rhubarb actually creates it's own cooking liquid, so water is not even needed. This compote also makes a tasty topping for healthier foods like yogurt. 

Easiest Ever Rhubarb Compote
Adapted From Martha Stewart
Yield - about 2 Cups

Ingredients: 
3-4 large stalks Rhubarb, tops and bottoms discarded, chopped into 3/4 inch lengths: 2 cups
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried Ginger

Method:
Put Rhubarb in a medium sauce pan and cover with Sugar and Ginger.
Let sit about 10 minutes until liquids begin to leach from the Rhubarb.

Rhubarb and Sugar, Photo: NK

Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. 

Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook another 5-7 minutes until Rhubarb breaks down.

Let cool fully before using as a dessert topping. Enjoy!

Rhubarb Compote pictured with Philly Fluff Pound Cake and NY Cheesecake 
from the most fantastic bakery, Natale's in Summit, NJ
Photo: NK

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