Recipes for Mercy of the Fallen, at Last!

Today I made several new recipe contributions to my friend Deb's book website, mercyofthefallen.com (check it out if you have some spare time!). We have been suffering from some "Technical Difficulties" for the last couple of weeks regarding the shared Google Document that contains the larger body of recipes (both hers and mine), but today we have finally figured it out! Hallelujah! Sometimes I appreciate something simple like this all the more for the tremendous frustrations endured along the way!

Each of the recipes aligns with a specific setting and event in the book, so it was much easier for me to interpret appropriate recipes for each meal after understanding the time and context of each. For example, I knew Deb needed a salmon recipe for one of the meals, and my first submission to her was for a pan seared salmon with a lovely beurre blanc sauce. Upon reading the book and understanding the setting where it was prepared (by a woman in the Alaskan wilderness) I found this would have been implausible! So this weeks endeavor to bring these meals to life appropriately will be made much easier for having read the book.

That said, there are some recipes that I kept relatively simple because of the context of the meal and due to the crowd to which they were served. The first group of recipes are for a beach bonfire picnic for teenagers that is set at the beginning of the story, and clearly this entails very simple stuff. Because the plot line was not a fancy clam bake for upper class adults on Nantucket, the ingredients are pedestrian but appropriate to the crowd. If you have had a chance to read the book (a touching love story it is!), then all of the recipes I post here, as well as the larger body of recipes on Deb's website, will come to life.

High School Bonfire Picnic:

Snack Food: Doritos, Cheetos, Tostitos corn chips and canned queso and salsa from the grocery store

Hot Dogs:
Plain Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs, boiled in advance and double wrapped in foil to retain the heat.

Condiments: Plain white hotdog buns, French's yellow mustard, Heinz catsup, jarred relish, Buns

Hamburgers (recipe for 4, double for 8, triple for 12, etc):
1 lb. Ground Chuck
1 egg yolk,
1 tsp of salt and
1 tsp ground black pepper

Mix all the above ingredients and form into 4 patties. They can either be cooked on the grill or in a non-stick pan on the stove top (times will vary depending on medium rare to well done).

For a picnic, wrap in foil to retain heat and put in a cooler (no ice!) to keep warm.
Condiments: French's Yellow Mustard, Heinz Catsup, iceberg lettuce slices, tomato slices, American cheese slices, Tabasco. No mayo because it spoils!

Sodas: Orange Crush, RC Cola, Coke and Root Beer; 2 large barrels filled with ice to chill.

This recipe is for Spanish omelets that Simon attempts to prepare for Elizabeth and his cousin Sara for breakfast one morning, until he discovers that he doesn't have any eggs!

Spanish Omelets (for 2-3):
In a large bowl, whisk together 5 eggs and 1/4 cup of milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
On the side, chop meats and veggies to include:
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 small yellow onion
1/2 green bell pepper
2 slices ham/turkey
10 pepperoni slices, chopped
2 green onions, white and light green parts only
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese or 4 slices sandwich cheese torn into pieces

Heat an omelet pan on medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour egg mixture into pan, and with a soft spatula gently push the edges towards the middle and tilt the pan occasionally to allow more of the raw egg to cook before adding the meat and veggies. Add the rest of the ingredients to one half of the omelet in an even fashion. With a large spatula, flip the side without toppings on top of the veggie/meat side. Reduce heat to medium low and let cook for 2 minutes, flip carefully and cook an additional 2 minutes before sliding to a serving plate. Cut this in half and plate, with a sprig of parsley and a side of your favorite pre-prepared salsa and a bottle of Tabasco for additional heat.


This catered holiday party is a lovely affair, and no expense is spared. I have not finished all the recipes yet, but have made it through the appetizers to be circulated on trays, as well as the basic menu for the dinner buffet. More to follow on this later in the week, but the appetizers will get you started! All are lovely to look at, easy to make, and perfectly delicious:

Catered Holiday Party:
Circulated Appetizers:

Wild Mushroom tartlets (Makes 48 tartlets)
2 lb. wild mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, baby bella), brushed clean and coarsely chopped
2 tbsps Olive oil
2-3 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 TBSP sherry
1/2 bunch flat leafed parsley, finely chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 Sheets of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry, thawed according to package directions

In a saute pan on medium heat, saute garlic and shallots in olive oil until tender, about 8 minutes. Add stock, sherry, salt and pepper, and parsley. Cook for another 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms, mix well, reduce heat to medium low and cover pan with a lid. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are cooked through.

Remove from heat, add red pepper flakes and additional salt and pepper to taste, and mix in the cheese and breadcrumbs. The mixture should not be watery.. If you find it is, add a bit more of the breadcrumbs.

Lightly roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface, and cut each sheet into 24 squares. In mini muffin pans sprayed with non-stick spray, line each cup with a square of pastry and mold pastry to fit the cups. Put a spoon of filling into each cup.

In a preheated 400 degree oven, bake the pastries for 20 minutes. Remove to rack to cool for 5 minutes and then serve.


Mini Goat Cheese Quiches (makes 48 quiches):
2 packages frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed according to package directions
24 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 lb proscuitto ham, finely chopped
2 bunches green onions, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper
10 eggs, well beaten with 1/2 cup milk or Half & Half (my preference) and season with salt and pepper
Chopped fresh parsley to garnish

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly roll out each sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface, and cut each sheet into 24 squares. In mini muffin pans sprayed with non-stick spray, line each cup with a square of pastry and mold pastry to fit the cups.

In each tin, sprinkle a bit of the crumbled cheese, proscuitto, & onion. after filling all the cups with the ingredients, pour the blended egg into each cup to fill.

Bake in the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes, until egg is well set. Remove to rack to cool for 10 minutes, and after arranging on serving platter sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over all to garnish.


Mini Bruchetta (topped with a mixture of brie cheese, tomato, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, fresh cracked pepper and salt, and basil):
2 thin baguettes of French bread, sliced
Olive oil to baste
1 cup (you will not use it all) of finely grated parmesan cheese (Finely grated is important here)
1 1/2 lb Brie cheese, rind removed and cheese cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
10 large Basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup good Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with the French bread slices, and baste both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle a thin layer of finely grated parmesan cheese on the top and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Flip the slices over, return to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes. Bake in batches until all are toasted, and after cooling line a serving tray with the toasts cheese side up.

In a large bowl, mix together the brie, tomatoes, basil, Olive oil, & balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and top each toast with a nice helping, but careful not to overdo as these are hand held appetizers and you want to be sure it won't be too messy for your guests to eat!

Basic Buffet Menu (recipes to follow):
Large basket of fresh breads, to include French, parker house rolls, and grain breads
Platter of both beef and pork tenderloins, marinated and grilled
Condiment platter with sliced Roma tomatoes, mesclun greens, thinly shaved red onions, herbed Havarti cheeses. To spread, have stone ground mustards and homemade aiolis ( I can have some fun with these.... They really make all the difference)
Grilled asparagus topped with a mixture of artichoke hearts, fresh parmesan cheese and seasoned bread crumbs
Pasta salad with roasted veggies
Cake should come from the best bakery in town... I see Red Velvet cake in the spirit of the holiday, with cream cheese icing and topped with a bouquet of fresh red roses, holly and greenery.


The following dish is served by a woman in rural Alaska, and is therefore very simple with only one side and would be served with a homemade peasant bread or whole grain bread on the side:

Baked Salmon:
1. Take 4-6 salmon filets (sauce will be enough for 6), rinse and pat dry.
2. Drizzle the top of the filets with olive oil, and salt and pepper both sides of the fish with sea salt and fresh black pepper (I prefer coarse grind on the pepper, but to your
preference).
3. Place the filets on a baking sheet, and in a 375 degree oven bake the filets for approximately 15-20 minutes
4. Transfer to plates and top with a bit of chopped fresh dill and parsley, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Sauteed Squash:
1. Cut 3 each large yellow and green zucchini squash on the bias in appx. 3/4" slices.
2. Heat 2 TBSP. olive oil in a skillet and saute 1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped, for about 6-8 minutes on medium high heat until translucent.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add 3/4 cup chicken stock/broth to the pan, as well as a pinch of fresh salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add squash, stir until well mixed, cover the pot and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for about 15 minutes until cooked through and tender.
5. Add a pinch of dried savory, and if you like a little heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes.

These are a couple of fun drink recipes as we head into summer that correspond to another gathering in the book. Enjoy! I particularly love Watermelon Margaritas.... A little unusual, but perfectly refreshing and crisp. You will be glad that seedless watermelon is so widely available when you taste this one, as it is sure to become a summer favorite!

Strawberry Margarita:
2 cups crushed ice
1/2 cup strawberry puree (frozen from can or fresh strawberries, pureed)
1 cup tequila
2 limes, juiced
Splash Triple Sec
Splash simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water heated until sugar dissolves, then cooled)
Directions

Combine in a blender, ice, strawberry water, tequila, lime juice, Triple Sec and simple syrup. Puree until smooth. Pour into rocks glasses and serve.

Watermelon Margarita!
4 cups cubed watermelon
2 tablespoons sugar
3 limes, 2 juiced and 1 cut into wedges for garnish
8 ounces tequila
5 ounces Triple Sec, divided
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
Directions

In a blender, puree the watermelon and sugar until smooth. Pour the puree through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer the liquid to a pitcher and add the lime juice, tequila and 4 ounces of the Triple Sec. Stir to combine.
In a shallow dish, combine the kosher salt with the chili powder. In a second small plate, add the remaining 1-ounce of Triple Sec. Dip the rims of 4 margarita glasses in the Triple Sec, then coat them in the salt and chili mixture. Divide the margarita between the 4 glasses and garnish each with a lime wedge.

Again, there are more recipes forthcoming, and I will share them as I develop them this week!

Jay and I had a really lovely and quiet weekend together and I realized how much we needed it as I reflect on that today. We played golf on Friday, piddled around the house on Saturday morning and took the dog on a long walk... It was just that kind of weekend, and it was perfectly glorious. I believe that couples really do need time on occasion to be still together. It is so rare. Taking a nap on a rainy Saturday afternoon, walking the dog together in no particular rush, and cooking together in the kitchen is restorative. This said, I did awaken this morning thinking about how thrilled I am that summer is around the corner and Jay will be home with me for almost three glorious months. I can't wait.

Back to the Monday routine, and may all our re-entries be smooth today!
Cheers!
Adrian

Mercy of the Fallen and Mercy Indeed!

My friend Deb's first novel is now in print (available on Amazon) and I was thrilled to receive it in the mail Friday. While the weekend's activities with the kids prevented me from cracking the binding, as soon as I finish this Monday morning's post weekend clean-up effort I intend to make a hot cup of tea with honey, bring my favorite blanket to the porch, and dig in. What a thrill! Deb is my first close friend to publish a book, and I will be all the more connected to her story as a consequence. It is priceless indeed to have such a meaningful thing on my "To-Do" list this week... Deb asked that I create recipes for several of the menus found throughout her book that she will post on her website mercyofthefallen.com, and I will also post each recipe on my blog as I arrive upon them and determine how to make them come to life. An exciting journey it will be, and there will be much more to come on that note this week....

When I logged in this morning I also couldn't believe that I haven't written a post since April 7th! Time has flown as Spring finally has entered the picture. As I consider how terminally long the winter has been for everyone this year, it should come as no surprise that I have spent the last two beautiful weeks outside and in my garden. Anywhere but inside! Completing necessary household tasks has been challenging enough with the gorgeous Spring weather now upon us, though with the amount of mud the kids, dog and I have tracked in from all my work in the garden, mopping has been all the more urgent a necessity! A very small price to pay when I consider the immense pleasure I have taken in my planting endeavors. My beds look gorgeous!

While the entire family has been excited about the garden transformations outside, they are most excited about our big project this week; creating a large raised bed dedicated to fresh vegetables and herbs. It should come as no surprise to hear that as much as I love to cook I have always wanted to have a space in which I can grow my own herbs and tomatoes. You can just imagine my delight when I realized that the entire 14' length of my driveway receives the perfect amount of sun to facilitate hearty vegetable growth, and to my further delight the irrigation is already in place! My current system will require only one small modification in the nozzle length to ensure proper hydration, which is thrilling from a budget perspective. It was meant to be!

Of course, with the extra space we have, I have decided to expand my repertoire to include cucumbers, a variety of lettuces, yellow and zucchini squash, bell peppers of every color, cabbage, and kale. I am going to make a parsley border around the perimeter, and at the advice of my green-thumbed friend Jackie, I am going to intersperse Wave Petunias throughout the bed to attract bees which helps in the cross pollination. It is a handy thing to have friends share their expertise in matters beyond my own experience. The kids and I are all praying for a home-run success with our first vegetable endeavor, and Jackie's guidance will hopefully help ensure that. I will keep you posted!

Looking out the window at my handiwork this morning over my first cup of coffee, it crossed my mind that cultivating the ideal garden environment for growing healthy plants is the perfect metaphor for my effort to raise my children to be wonderful people - The casual passerby may appreciate the lovely foliage, careful design and beauty of the finished product, but getting to this point required laborious hours spent on my knees tilling the soil, mixing in sand, compost and healthy dirt. Prep work for each bed took a full day, while planting took just minutes in comparison. Life is that way. If you have polite happy and well-behaved children, people tell you how lucky you are. What many people don't acknowledge or perhaps simply don't understand is that all along the way there has much discipline constantly being exercised on my part. I have always maintained that raising wonderful people requires clear boundaries, a loving but firm countenance when "parenting moments" are necessary, and consistent consequences from day 1 for both good and bad behaviors. Until my kids are 21 and supporting themselves, I am their Mother, not their friend. Any good parent will tell you this is not an easy paradigm to follow either... There are so many times when you are tired or busy and wish that you could let a situation slide, or gloss over it and pray that it just doesn't happen again. In those moments, to muster the energy or strength to confront the situation anyway takes dedication. Following through when it is hard, takes loving commitment. But the fruits of this type of labor repay everyone ten-fold.

Yesterday I experienced one of parenting's most glorious moments. On Sunday I took all my kids to Great Clips to have their hair cut, and since it was packed with customers we had to sit for a good ten minutes in the waiting area. Out of nowhere, my 15 year old daughter Bennet said that her friends all tell her what a cool mom she has and that she feels really lucky and proud that I am her mother (and yes, these were her words :) ). I was absolutely touched, and after thanking her for being so sweet admit that I teared up a bit. The man sitting next to her immediately looked at me, and after apologizing for eavesdropping on our conversation, said that he has never heard such a wonderful exhortation from a teenager unprovoked in all his life. He was amazed. He then told me that I was a very lucky woman to receive such a rare gift from my daughter and he wanted to be sure that I did not underestimate the power of her words. I thanked him and assured him that I did not. I cherish moments like these with even greater fervor than I delight in seeing the first bloom on my newly planted Peonies. It means that all that work I did on my knees preparing the soil was well worth the effort. How fragrant life is!

I will return with this week's menu in a bit, but looking at the time must dash to the housework before I can even begin to pull food thoughts together. As I type I am staring at a pile of freshly laundered linen napkins waiting to be ironed from last week's Middle School Faculty Luncheon I served Friday, and they aren't going to miraculously iron themselves. Regrettably!

Cheers to the beginning of another marvelous Spring week! Food to follow this afternoon!
Adrian