Thanksgiving Photos!

Thanksgiving was fantastic. Here are some photos of the desserts I prepared: red velvet cake with strawberry filling and pumpkin custard pies. I'll post recipes for the pumpkin custards soon.

Cheese and Wine Night

Let's face it. With a recession going on, not a whole lot of us can afford to host fancy dinner party anymore. So here's a swanky spin on an old fashioned potluck - host a food and wine night. That sounds expensive, doesn't it? Well, it's not. Here's how it works:

Think of who you want to invite and send out invitations ahead of time. Make sure the guests are at least 21, of course. Some people I know have invited their neighborhood, finding that it's a great way to get to know neighbors. Tell your guests that their ticket in is one bottle of wine and one artisan cheese per person or couple. There are A LOT of great wines and endless cheeses (I believe France alone has over 3,000 different varieties of cheeses, but don't quote me on that). Discourage guests from bringing anything processed like Kraft or Velveeta - yuck! Most supermarkets offer even a small assortment of artisan cheeses. Offer suggestions of what to look for. I'll include a list below of both cheese suggestions to start out with.

As the host, it will be your duty to provide the crackers and bread which the guests will sample cheese with. Make sure to have plenty of bread. I suggest french baguettes, sliced into 1 inch cubes. I buy mine at Safeway because they bake them fresh daily and it's only about $2 a loaf, but sometimes I bake my own, which might be what you would prefer. And having a variety of breads, including thin slices of french coated in olive oil and baked until crispy, would not be a bad idea.

You can also provide an assortment of grapes. Make sure to have plenty of water to clear the pallet and stay hydrated (alcohol is after all a diuretic). I like to pour water into pitchers with ice, and slices of lemon and cucumber. Yummy.

Encourage guests to only take a small amount of cheese and wine so that there is enough for everyone to try each. You can buy small plastic wine cups from super stores and even grocers, but it's much more elegant to use actual wine glasses. So if you don't have enough for all of your guests, you can always include a note in the invitation asking guests to bring their own.

Also, make sure to have note cards or place cards next to each cheese labeling what they are and who makes it. Give your guests their own note cards as well, along with a pencil or pen, so they can keep track of their favorite cheeses and wines, and take notes about each. Keeping a bowl or wine glass filled with coffee grounds next to each bottle of wine is a great idea. Guests can sniff the coffee in between wines to clear their pallet a bit better. You can also have plenty of dry kitchen towels next to the sink so that they can wash and dry their glasses when they are finished sipping on something good.

Finally, music is always a key part of setting an atmosphere. Choose something that is true to both yourself and your guests. You can put together a playlist ahead of time on iTunes, or go to www.pandora.com and type in songs or artists you think will suit the evening - then they will create a playlist for you. Suggestions for pandora? For a romantic couples evening, type in Claude Debussy, Stacey Kent or Jamie Cullum. For a laid back evening with old friends, type in Jack Johnson, Mick McAuley or She & Him. Light some candles and have fun!!! (Steer clear of scented candles).

Find a table of what cheeses pair with what wines at the following web address: http://www.artisanalcheese.com/cheeseclock/

Cheese suggestions:

Gorganzola
British Cheddars
Stilton Bleu
Stilton with fruits
Petite Basque
Le Chevrot
Gouda
Pecorino Romano
Provolone
Parmigiano Reggiano
Chevre
Smoked Cheddar
Flavored Cheddars
Jack and Pepperjack
Cheese Curds
Wine Soaked Cheeses
Camembert
Brie
Tomme de Savoie
Feta
Piave
Idiazabal
Campo de Montalban
Emmentaler
Appenzeller


The best bet for anyone who doesn't have a favorite artisan cheese or who has never ventured outside of the Kraft family is to simply go to the artisan cheese section of their local grocer and pick something that looks adventurous and unique. When selecting a wine to match their cheese, have them refer to the cheese and wine table found at the above link, or to read the wine and/or cheese label for suggestions.

Have fun!

Mediterranean Cous Cous

Okay, so this recipe calls for a bit of creativity and flexibility on your part. But the nice thing about it is that the recipe itself is also flexible. Below are a list of ingredients, but don't actually need all of them. If you find you are lacking in a few, it's okay. Just substitute them with something else Mediterranean at heart, or keep them out. There are only a few things which should be in the dish. I will write suggestions throughout this recipe to help you along.

Ingredients:

2 c. prepared cous cous (I use whole wheat; Israeli cous cous can also work for this recipe - I buy it from Trader Joe's)
2 chicken breast halves (thawed if frozen; feel free to use more)
1 large tomato, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper chopped (you can sub any other kind of bell pepper, or more tomato and onion)
a handful of garlic cloves, chopped
2 c. artichoke hearts, cut into small pieces (I use hearts premarinated in olive oil and herbs, which you can find in jars or cans at most super markets - feel free to use more if you love artichokes)
1 c. feta cheese, crumbled (feel free to keep this out, or use another kind of cheese that you like - though if it is cheddar or mozzarella, add before serving rather than while cooking)
3 or 4 handfuls of baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/2 c. lemon juice (you can add to taste)
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar (you can also add this to taste, but I am quite liberal with the balsamic; I also tend to use to thicker, more aged balsamic)
1 tbsp. sugar (you don't have to use this, but I think it evens out the acidic taste of the tomatoes)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
rosemary to taste (I prefer sprigs of fresh rosemary, but dried are fine)

Other ingredients which you can add or sub with:
sliced olives (I prefer calamata)
fresh basil leaves, washed and dried (though sub basil for spinach)
capers (don't use too many)
zuccini or squashed, sliced
eggplant, cubed

Recipe:

Saute chicken breasts whole in large saucepan using olive oil, salt to taste and a splash of balsamic vinegar. You can also use butter if you prefer that taste. Keep covered until cooked.

Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. In same pot, saute red peppers, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Also add eggplant and zucchini if you have decided to use them. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add onions and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.

Shred the chicken and add to pot, along with spinach. Stir in sugar, salt and pepper. You can also add capers, olives and basil if you prefer.

Add cous cous, then lemon and balsamic (to taste). Make sure the lemon and balsamic are evenly distributed, which may require a lot of stirring. Add any more salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep heated on low.

A few minutes before serving, stir in crumbled feta cheese. I've listed 1 cup, but feel free to use more - I always do!

This dish can be served on its own, but can also be paired with a simple salad dressed in a light dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, chopped garlic, herbs (Italian seasoning is fine), and salt and pepper to taste. Add parmesan cheese to the dressing for a little more flare.

Can be served as a main or a side. For a main, makes enough for 4 on its own, or 6 with with a salad. Doubling the recipe is easy. To serve as a side, you can keep chicken out the recipe and instead serve the cous cous grilled chicken breast halves marinated in Italian dressing or served over red sauce and a slice of buffalo mozzarella.

Bon appetite!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

In high school, I couldn't wait for chicken tortilla soup day. I thought it was the best thing ever. And so when I started living on my own I set out to create a better, heartier version than the watered down (but still delicious) cafeteria one.

Before I used to cook this soup in a crock pot, but I've actually found that it tastes best made up about an hour before dinner in a large saucepan on the stove.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves (thawed if frozen)
2 large carrots, chopped
2 large tomatoes, sliced (I slice the tomato into 8 wedges, then halve the wedges)
3 tbsp sugar (you can use less, but I find 3 tbsp is nicest)
2 stalks celery, chopped
handful of garlic cloves, chopped (I like to use plenty of garlic)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. vegetable or chicken stalk (you can use bouillon cubes if you don't have stalk)
1 c. fresh cilantro, chopped (or more if you prefer, which I do)
1 1/2 c. corn
juice of half a lemon or lime
salt to taste
pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
plenty of crushed tortilla chips

*I like to place fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, lime slices and avocado in separate bowls on the table for guests to add as desired. The soup can also be served with corn bread on the side.

Recipe:

Saute chicken breast halves in olive or canola oil in a large sauce pan (feel free to use lemon, lime, hot sauce, salt, and/or pepper to season). Keep covered. Once chicken is cooked through, remove from pot and set aside to cool.

Add carrots to the pot and saute for about 3 minutes. Then add tomatoes; saute for 10 to 15 minutes covered or until the flesh of the tomatoes is mushy and the skin peels right off.

In the meantime, shred the cooled chicken with a fork into small pieces. Season with salt and set aside again.

Add sugar, and salt to taste to the pot (whenever using fresh tomatoes for a sauce, I add sugar and salt; otherwise it would taste too acidic - for this recipe, I usually add more salt as I go until I'm pleased with the consistency, so don't worry about getting the right salt amount until the whole dish is complete). Stir.

Add onion, celery, garlic, black beans and corn to the pot. Stir in. Cook for 5 minutes, covered.

Finally, add shredded chicken, cilantro, and salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste. A few minutes before serving, stir in lemon/lime juice.

Serve over a handful of crushed crisp tortilla chips. If desired, garnish with cilantro.

*Should feed 6; easy to double the recipe.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Fellowship Food blog. Food and fellowship have a beautiful relationship. In Jesus' ministry he spent much time with His disciples and others sharing in food together at the table. And it's no wonder! Food is one of the major commonalities between people - we all have to eat sometime! The need for nutrition and the pleasure of eating good food can bring all kinds of people together, and provides a natural way to build relationship.

So, with this blog I hope to give you all lots ideas on meals that you can cook and share with one another - meals that can be cooked together or prepared ahead of time, but that will feed a large family or group of friends. But also, and almost as importantly, food that will get everyone saying, "MORE PLEASE!" Enjoy!