Appetizers

We had a few people over for a post-July 4th barbeque: Assana, Dan, Chris, Tony, Janett. This chicken was excellent, and I think it would make a great chicken salad. We used both breasts and thighs. I hadn't made the zucchini roll-ups before but we liked them a lot. Janett and Tony brought a pumpkin polenta and Chris brought curried lentils and roasted veggies in a tomato sauce - all really good.

• Grilled Zucchini & Goat Cheese Roll-Ups (Fine Cooking #51, July 2002, p. 55)
• Goat Cheese, Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomato Terrine (Fine Cooking #61, Holiday Baking 2003, p. 98c)
• Moist Mustard-Rosemary Chicken for a Crowd (Fine Cooking #65, July 2004, p. 86)
• Quinoa with Roasted Red Pepper Dressing (Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way, p. 156)
• Black Forest Trifle (Fine Cooking #69, January 2005, p. 58)

Wine:
- Loma Prieta 2000 Zinfandel (Lodi, California). Assana brought this yummy Zin to start us off for the night.
- Sextant 2004 Wheelhouse Zinfandel (California). Delicious as always.

My surprise guest for the weekend was my friend Kathy from Georgia. Larry and several friends were in cahoots to bring her into town to celebrate my dreaded 40th birthday (June 13). We had a great weekend, and I decided we needed to make dinner together but I wanted it to be something easy. This pasta is easy to make, but I wasn't overly thrilled with it. Not sure why.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Spaghetti Alla Carbonara (Fine Cooking #92, May 2008, p. 57)
• Butter Lettuce and Radiccio & Lemon Poppyseed Dressing (Fine Cooking #51, July 2002, p. 48)
• Oven-Roasted Beets

Wine:
- Fontodi 2005 Chianti Classico (Chianti, Italy). We thought this was one of the bottles we brought back from Italy last year. It was good, but my notes say we bought it at K&L Wine Merchants.
- Ridge 2002 Buchignani Ranch Carignane (Sonoma County, California). Really good, especially after it opened up a bit.

Barb, Steve and Kent came over for one of our traditional pre-ZAP dinners. We're all volunteer leads for the January festival, so we get together a few times over the year to meet and brainstorm. This was easy to do on a weeknight because everything was done ahead of time. The only thing I did tonight was re-heat the stew, make the mashed potatoes and assemble the salad.

The stew is my usual bastardized version of this old Julia Child recipe. I grind up the veggies into a thick gravy, and only add mushrooms and pearl onions as vegetables. The pound cake was okay. I think I baked it too long. It wasn't my favorite thing from Whole Grain Baking, that's for sure.

• Goat Cheese, Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomato Terrine (Fine Cooking #61, Holiday Baking 2003, p. 98c)
• My Best Beef Stew (Food & Wine, January 1996, p.34)
• Butter Lettuce with Poppy Seed & Tarragon-Crème Fraîche Dressing (Fine Cooking #86, July 2007, p. 49)
• Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Chives (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 61)
• Chocolate Pound Cake (King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking, p. 387)
Wine: Valdez 2005 Simoncini Late Harvest Zinfandel. We are big fans of Valdez and picked up this bottle at a wine shop in the city. It was delicious. We also had wine that Kent and Barb and Steve brought... but I'm too lazy to note those here.

Our neighbors Chris and Assana came over for a casual Labor Day dinner. We used the grill for the appetizer and chicken, and did the rest inside. The grilled crostini was pretty good. We liked the five-spice chicken thighs better, although these were also good, as was the corn saute. I don't usually like tiramisu, but I loved this dessert.

• Grilled Goat Cheese Crostini with a Tangle of Marinated Roasted Peppers (Fine Cooking #87, September 2007, p. 42)
• Grilled Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Sweet & Sour Orange Dipping Sauce (Fine Cooking #87, September 2007, p. 31)
• Corn & Mushroom Sauté with Leeks & Pancetta (Fine Cooking #87, September 2007, p. 37)
• Summer Wheatberry Salad (Fine Cooking #28, September 1998, p. 39)
• Fresh Berry Tiramisu (King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking, p. 406)

Wine:
- Rafanelli 2001 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California)
- Gamba 2004 Estate Zinfandel (Russian River Valley, California). The favorite of the night.
- Valdez 2004 Rockpile Road Zinfandel (Rockpile Road, California). Delicious, but also big and boozy.

Jay, Edith and Ron joined us for Sunday dinner this week. We had a party to go to in the afternoon, so I made the pie and prepped everything in the morning. The menu was made up of things I make quite a bit, because I knew I'd be pressed for time.

The pie is really good. The filling isn't as firm as I'd like, but the crust is a buttery shortbread and really tasty, and the raspberries, blueberries and strawberries in the filling are delicious and very summery. It was also really simple to make - the filling was done in about 15 minutes.

Today also marks the four-year anniversary of Pork Cracklins, and incidentally, the 500th entry as well. That's a lot of cooking. And eating.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach & Goat Cheese (Fine Cooking #69, January 2005, p. 62)
• Potatoes Fondantes (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 59)
• Fennel & Red Onion with Arugula (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 48)
• Bumbleberry Pie (Fine Cooking #79, July 2006, p. 70)

Wine:
- Heritage Vineyard 2004 Zinfandel (Oakville, California). This is the wine that's sold at the annual ZAP festival. It's made by a different winemaker every year. The 2004 was made by Kent Rosenblum, and is really nice right now.
- Biale 2004 Aldo's Vineyard Zinfandel (Napa Valley, California). Big and hot. We decanted and it opened up a little, but it was still kind of tight.

Renee came into town today, and it happens to be her birthday... so we threw a little get-together for her. Tonya, Steve, Monique, Cristina and Rex joined us. Since it was a weeknight and I was coming from a work barbeque, I went with the usual tapas menu that I do because most everything can be done ahead of time and it's really simple.

• Marcona Almonds
• Assorted Olives
• Grapes
• Manchego Marinated in Olive Oil & Herbs (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 78)
• Crispy Potatoes with Tangy Tomato Sauce (Patatas Bravas) (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 80)
• Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic & Parsley (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 81)
• Sautéed Chorizo with Red Wine (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)
• Seared Shrimp with Pimentón & Sherry (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)
• Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte (The Cake Bible, Rose Levy Beranbaum, p. 84)
• Jaleo White Sangria

Jay and Jeff came for dinner last night. Dinner was good - I love this chicken. And the potatoes. The cake is super moist and kind of different because of the stout and the molasses. I'm eventually going to make a whole-grain version of this cake and see which one we like best. The recipe is also in Fine Cooking's Chocolate 2006 special issue.

The only issue I had with the cake is that my ganache broke. Yet again. Chocolate-to-cream ratio too high? I should have fixed it by whisking in some warm cream but I didn't.

• Goat Cheese Crackers with Hot Pepper Jelly (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 63)
• Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach & Goat Cheese (Fine Cooking #69, January 2005, p. 62)
• Lemony Salt-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes (Food & Wine, October 2006)
• Hearts of Romaine with Caesar Dressing (The Best Recipe, p. 42)
• Chocolate Stout Cake (Fine Cooking #61, Holiday Baking 2003, p. 46)

Wine:
- Sea Smoke 2004 Botella Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County, California). Sadly, our last bottle of Botella. Absolutely wonderful, as usual.
- Gamba 2004 Moratta Zinfandel (Russian River Valley, California). This wine is settling down and is really delicious. The good news is we have several bottles left.

Chris and Julie came for dinner tonight. I had everything prepped as much as possible last night, so it wasn't too bad putting together dinner after work. The smoked trout was especially good tonight. The meal consisted of reliable stand-bys, things I've made a million times so I don't need to think about it. Julie loved the potatoes, and Chris was crazy over the pot pies.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Chicken Roulades Stuffed with Goat Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 86C)
• Potatoes Fondantes (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 59)
• Fennel & Red Onion with Arugula (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 48)
• Chocolate-Raspberry Pot Pies (Just a Bite, p. 228)

Wine: We opened several bottles of Zinfandel, since we're all Zin lovers:
- Rockpile Ridge 2002 Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel (Rockpile, California). One of the best Zins I've ever tasted. Perfect balance, lots of fruit, but not a huge fruit bomb.
- Valdez 2004 Rockpile Road Vineyard Zinfandel (Rockpile, California). We opened this second wine without even thinking it was another Rockpile. This wine is still a bit hot and closed, even though we decanted it. We bought a case so we'll continue to wait and drink. Still good, though.
- A. Rafanelli 2000 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California). One of the better Rafanelli vintages. A bit earthy, but still with bright fruit, kind of mellow.

Fiyaz came for Thanksgiving dinner, and Jay showed up just in time for dessert. It was a nice, relaxed Thanksgiving meal. Larry had asked for a stuffed turkey breast instead of a whole turkey, and he wanted apple pie instead of pumpkin pie. Everything was good - especially the squash soup. I love the croutons. My potatoes were a little thin for some reason, but they worked out okay after they were baked. We did the goat cheese crackers again, this time on Carr's whole wheat crackers, and they were much better.

• Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons (Bon Apetit, December 1996)
• Goat Cheese Crackers with Hot Pepper Jelly (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 63)
• Dried Apricot & Date Stuffed Turkey Breast with Marsala Glaze (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 49)
• Potatoes Mousseline (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 41)
• Spinach & Basil Salad with Tomatoes, Candied Walnuts & Warm Bacon Dressing (Fine Cooking #70, March 2005, p. 55)
• Apple Pie Covered with Leaves (Fine Cooking #54, Winter 2003 Holiday Baking Issue, p. 43)

Wine:
- Ramazzotti 2005 Zin-Giovese Rose (Dry Creek Valley, California)
- Inniskillin 2003 Sparkling Ice Wine (Niagra Peninsula, Canada). Fiyaz brought this wine for dessert - and it was very tasty.

Tonight I threw a birthday party for Larry's 40th birthday. It was a small gathering, some friends and neighbors, and we had an excellent time. I originally thought I'd just order some things from Draeger's and order a yummy, special cake, just to lighten the workload. Then I decided to make the cake, at least. Then I decided, hey, I can make up a few appetizers. I did a lot of the work early in the week, but as usual, I think I had a few too many last-minute things.

- The Goat Cheese Crackers were super popular, and sooo easy to make. Just goat cheese, hot pepper jelly, and chives. It's not even a recipe, really, but it can also also be found in Fine Cooking's 2006 Quick & Delicious special issue.
- The Hoisin-Glazed Flank Steak Spirals were kind of a pain to put together at the last minute, and messy, too. Thanks to Larry, they got done just in time for the party. However, they were delicious. This recipe is also in Fine Cooking's 2006 Quick & Delicious special issue.
- I made the quiches early in the week and froze them right in the mini-muffin pan. There was only enough filling to make 24 - they might have had more filling than they needed, because they needed to cook quite a bit longer than indicated also. It was nice to be able to just pop the whole pan in the oven and forget about it for a while. They were pretty good.
- The Cucumber Rounds were just okay, I don't think I'd make them again. They are also in Fine Cooking's 2006 Weekend Cooking special issue.
- Goat Cheese Terrine (also in Fine Cooking's 2004 Quick & Delicious special issue) was super easy to make and needed to be done ahead of time. It was tasty, too.
- I loved the Creamy Roquefort Dip, especially with the fennel.
- The Chive & Pine Nut dip is always a big favorite for me. Mmm.
- I keep soft Spanish chorizo on hand in the freezer - it's a really easy, quick, hot appetizer. I used mini-chorizos and sauteed them quickly, then added a bit of red wine and sauteed some more.
- The cake is super chocolate-y and is the same one we did for Jay's birthday. Katie and Jay provided the candles.

Along with the appetizers, we served up wine and Licor 43 cocktails - these are easy and taste like Dreamsicles!

Licor 43 Citrus Punch
1-1/4 oz. LICOR 43 liqueur
2 oz. orange juice
3 oz. club soda
Squeeze lime wedge

Combine the LICOR 43 liqueur, orange juice and lime wedge over ice in a 12 oz. glass, top with soda and garnish with a lime wedge.

• Goat Cheese Crackers with Hot Pepper Jelly (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 63)
• Hoisin-Glazed Flank Steak Spirals with Carrot, Red Pepper & Scallions (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 78)
• Bacon, Leek & Cheddar Mini Quiches (Fine Cooking #82, December 2006, p. 49)
• Cucumber Rounds with Hummus & Yogurt (Fine Cooking #69, January 2005, p. 90c)
• Goat Cheese, Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomato Terrine (Fine Cooking #61, Holiday Baking 2003, p. 98c)
• Cruditiés with Creamy Roquefort Dip (Fine Cooking #75, Holidays 2005, p. 52)
• Chive and Pine Nut Dip with Sourdough Toasts (Gourmet, June 2005)
• Sauteed Mini-Chorizos in Red Wine
• Double Chocolate Layer Cake (Gourmet, March 1999)

Wine:
- Heritage Vineyard 2003 Zinfandel (Oakville, California). This is the wine that's sold at the Zinfandel festival every year. This vintage is particularly tasty - probably because Paul Draper was the winemaker.
- Louis Jadot 2004 Pouilly-Fuisse (France). I picked this up at BevMo for the party, just for those white wine drinkers.
- Michel-Schlumberger 1999 Benchland Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (Dry Creek Valley, California). This was a magnum that Larry won in a raffle at the winery. And it was good! Perfectly drinkable.
- Copain 2004 Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir (Anderson Valley, California). Still needs time in the bottle, like all the other Copain we've opened so far. But so much potential. Ralph chose this bottle to open - I was just glad we had some Pinot in the cellar he was interested in.
- The Holy Trinity 2001 (Barossa, Australia). A Bordeaux-type blend brought to the party by our neighbor Chris. Yummy!

We had Kent, Barbara and Steve over for a ZAP leads meeting tonight (always an excuse to get together and eat), and I repeated the tapas menu we had for our neighborhood get-together a couple of weeks ago. Again, I prepped the night before, but this time it only took an hour and a half. I didn't make the olive skewers - too much effort - and instead, I just put out a mixture of Spanish olives and cocktail onions. Kent brought the grapes and Marcona almonds, and Barbara and Steve brought a delicious fruit tart from a bakery in the City.

I got home from work and got started on cooking around 6, and was ready by 7. The shrimp was much, much better this time - I bumped up the pimenton, and I think that made a difference.

• Jamon Serrano
• Marcona Almonds
• Spanish Olives
• Grapes
• Manchego Marinated in Olive Oil & Herbs (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 78)
• Crispy Potatoes with Tangy Tomato Sauce (Patatas Bravas) (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 80)
• Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic & Parsley (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 81)
• Sautéed Chorizo with Red Wine (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)
• Seared Shrimp with Pimentón & Sherry (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)
• Fruit Tart

Jay came for dinner - I made the rest of the dishes from the tapas party, and added the butternut squash salad again, because I thought Jay would like it (he did). Both Jay and Larry thought they would rather have plain chocolate instead of the toasted bread with chocolate, but I liked it. The shrimp was okay, a little bland.

• Seared Shrimp with Pimentón & Sherry (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)
• Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Salad with Spiced-Pecan Vinaigrette (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 58)
• Toasted Bread with Chocolate (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)

Wine: Sapphire Hill 2001 Reserve Chardonnay (Russian River Valley, California). Drinkable, but nothing fantastic.

Last night we had a cocktail party here - it was mostly neighbors (Assana, Dan, Chris, Kathy, Justin, Linda, Lynn), and Jay came by too. I decided to make tapas using the entire menu from the latest issue of Fine Cooking. Normally I'm not that into following entire menus, but this one looked good and the timeline is really detailed and seemed like it would allow me to enjoy the party.

I spent three hours on Thursday evening completing all of the day-prior tasks from the checklist. It's broken down into small steps and nothing is overly time-consuming. It helped that I bought shrimp from Trader Joe's that was already cleaned. I picked up a bunch of the ingredients from The Spanish Table in Berkeley.

Today I cut up fruit for the sangria and pre-measured my brandy, Licor 43 and grape juice for the sangria. I also made sure I had my serving dishes ready and a couple of skillets out for the things I would be cooking during the party.

Two hours before the party, I started back on the timeline. I never felt rushed and was done early. I decided to start cooking the chorizo just before the guest arrived, and I started the potatoes a bit earlier than suggested. The timeline has a couple of errors, but they're minor (it's detailed enough that it should say when to cut up the potatoes, but it doesn't, and it also says to toss the chorizo with thyme, but there's no thyme in the chorizo recipe).

All of the hot dishes are really simple and quick to make and allowed me to spend time with our guests - I just had to pop in the kitchen every now and then.

We had ten people, and the menu looks like it's supposed to serve eight. By the time I put out the mushrooms, it seemed clear that there was too much food. I never cooked the shrimp, and someone had brought a box of yummy chocolates so I didn't make the chocolate bread, either. After the party, Larry said if I had made the last two dishes, they probably would have gotten eaten. We had leftovers, but not that many. The chorizo and the mushrooms were the most popular dishes.

The sangria was delicious as usual, as were all of the wines.

• Jamon Serrano
• Marcona Almonds
• Manchego with Membrillo
• Manchego Marinated in Olive Oil & Herbs (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 78)
• Olives & Peppers on a Pick with Scallion Vinaigrette (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 78)
• Crispy Potatoes with Tangy Tomato Sauce (Patatas Bravas) (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 80)
• Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic & Parsley (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 81)
• Sautéed Chorizo with Red Wine (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)

Wine:
- Cava Sangria
- Rafanelli 2003 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California)
- Ridge 2002 Stone Ranch Zinfandel (Sonoma County, California)
- Martin 2002 Three Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California)

Our friend Mic is in town from Denmark, so we squeezed in some time for a visit between my trip to Austin and his flight out of the area. I needed to make something easy and quick since I got back late last night and spent the day working. We arranged to have dinner on the late side, so that helps, but really, this menu is ideal for weeknight company.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms & Gorgonzola (Fine Cooking #63, March 2004, p. 43)
• Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta (Fine Cooking #57, May 2003, p. 86C)
• Sautéed Spinach with Garlic
• Fastest Fudge Cake (Fine Cooking #61, December 2003, P. 18e)

Wine:

Happy birthday, Amy! For Amy's birthday we made a simple but really delicious chicken dish, and we ate way too many gougeres, which were light and airy and really easy to make. We also made another bread from No Need to Knead - Rosemary focaccia, which is quite simple to make.

• Gougeres (House & Garden, July 1960)
• Chicken with Mustard Cream on Watercress (Bon Appétit, June 1999)
• Rosemary Focaccia (No Need to Knead, p. 40)

Wine: David Bruce 2003 Truchard Vineyard Pinot Noir (Carneros, California). A good Pinot from one of my favorite local Pinot producers.

Fred and Alyssia came for dinner tonight. We provided the meal, and they brought fabulous cabs to drink. The dinner menu was easy - a good filet just needs simple sides and a yummy dessert to follow.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Pan-Seared Filet Mignon
• Fennel & Red Onion with Arugula (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 48)
• Stuffed Baked Potatoes (Knudsen Cooking For Compliments, p. 89)
• Chocolate-Berry Pot Pies (Just a Bite, Gale Gand, p. 228)

Wine:
- Siduri 2002 Muirfield Vineyard Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon). Larry wasn't thrilled with this wine. Good, but it's expensive so he expected more. Siduri wines are Burgundian, I think we both just like fruitier styles better. I still liked this wine, though.
- Scherrer 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley, California). Fabulous, just fabulous. Soft and easy to drink.
- Del Dotto 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, California). Also soft but more heavily oaked than the Scherrer. Still really wonderful.
- Meeker 2002 FroZin (Mendocino County, California). Bursting with raspberry, not too much residual sugar, and perfect with dessert.

Mary and Marianne came over tonight for an after-work girl's meal. At 4pm, I still had no plan. As I was leaving work, I had decided to make this chicken marsala because it's quick and tasty. I was home by 6, dinner was prepped a half hour later, and I even had time to sit down and relax for a bit before they arrived.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms & Gorgonzola (Fine Cooking #63, March 2004, p. 43)
• Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta (Fine Cooking #57, May 2003, p. 86C)
• Sautéed Spinach with Garlic

Wine: - Ridge 2002 Dusi Ranch Zinfandel (Paso Robles, California). Fruity, yummy, typical Ridge Zin. - Rafanelli 2000 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California). A good year for Rafanelli. Not as fruity but still really good.

Arun, Carol and Jay were here for dinner. Standard vegetarian fare, although looking back at old entries, it looks like I served this when Arun was here two years ago.

- I really loved the dip. It had quite a garlic-y bite to it, but it was delicious and creamy and perfect on the plain little toasts.
- I've just about perfected the corn bread recipe. It has to cook for an hour. Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn. Cast iron skillet. The only thing I forgot this time was to add diced jalapeño, and we really missed it.

• Chive and Pine Nut Dip with Sourdough Toasts (Gourmet, June 2005)
• Spicy Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili (Bon Appétit, November 2002)
• Corn Bread (The Bread Baker's Apprentice, p. 151)
• Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte (The Cake Bible, Rose Levy Beranbaum, p. 84)

Wine:
- Four Vines 2002 Maverick Zinfandel (Amador County, California). This is a favorite inexpensive Zin for us. I think Arun and Carol liked it better than the other Zin - lighter, less in-your-face.
- Gamba 2004 Old Vine Estate Zinfandel (Russian River Valley, California). This was just released yesterday - Larry and I went to the Gamba release party at Uncorked! last night. This is drinkable now. It's not as fruit-forward as their Moratta Zin.
- Carol Shelton 2001 Black Magic Late Harvest Zinfandel (Rockpile, California). Yet another excellent wine from Rockpile Vineyard. This late harvest wine only has 2% residual sugar (and 17% alcohol!) so it's not cloyingly sweet.

Kent, Barbara and Steve came over tonight for one last ZAP leads meeting. It's always a good excuse to get together and eat and drink good wine.

- This was the first time I used frozen dough for the Cheese Sablés. It was left over from the last time we had this group over. I took it out of the freezer on Sunday. It worked out nicely.
- The onion dip was good, like a nicer version of the one made from onion soup mix. The pita chips were excellent (I used whole wheat pitas).
- The stew was easy to make and since I had everything prepped the night before it was hardly any work at all. Everyone liked it, but it really wasn't something I loved. Larry likes my veggie chili better. The polenta triangles are pretty bland, but perfect for the stew - good texture for soaking up the stew.

• Manchego Cheese with Quince Paste
• Red Grapes
• Istara and Stilton
• Golden Onion & Thyme Dip (Fine Cooking #61, Holiday Baking Winter 2004, p. 98C)
• Pita Chips (Fine Cooking #61, Holiday Baking Winter 2004, p. 98C)
• Mrs. Lenkh's Cheese Sablés (Fine Cooking #74, November 2005, p. 10)
• Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew with Chilies and Polenta Triangles (Bon Appétit, October 1998)
• Triple-Chocolate Cheesecake (Fine Cooking #57, May 2003, p. 53)

Wine:
- Rosenblum 2003 Eagle Point Zinfandel (Mendocino County, California). One of my favorite wines from Rosenblum. A really yummy nose, and just plain good all around.
- Copain 2003 Arrowhead Mountain Zinfandel (Sonoma County, California). A bit closed at first, but it got better once we decanted it and had some food with it. Needs more time in the bottle, I think.
- d'Arenberg 2003 The Galvo Garage (Australia). Really nice meritage.

Kent, Barbara and Steve came for an after-work ZAP leads meeting tonight. We've been ZAP volunteers for many years now, and we're all working the Good Eats and Zin event for the upcoming Zinfandel festival. I did most of the cooking after work the night before, so mostly all I had to do was throw the cornbread together and heat up the chili. Everyone raved about the food (we need to have them all over more often!).

- I made the Cheese Sablés a bit smaller this time, and Larry liked them much better. I have to agree. I used my smallest biscuit cutter. I made the dough the night before, so I just rolled them out and cut them before popping them in the oven - they were warm and toasty when everyone arrived.
- I chose vegetarian chili because Kent is a pescatarian (although he's flexible enough about it to just eat whatever the host serves). Anyway, Larry and I both love this chili so I didn't mind making it at all.
- I've been on the hunt for the perfect cornbread. Amy made this one recently, and although she wasn't especially enamored with it, she thought I might like it. Boy, was she right. And Larry, he can't stop talking about how wonderful it was. The only issue I had was that it took much longer than 30 minutes to cook through - more like an hour.
- This torte is my idea of the perfect chocolate cake. Mmm, pure chocolate. And it's pretty easy to make, and elegant. And my co-workers love it when I bring the leftovers in the next day.

• Manchego Cheese with Quince Paste
• Red Grapes
• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Mrs. Lenkh's Cheese Sablés (Fine Cooking #74, November 2005, p. 10)
• Spicy Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili (Bon Appétit, November 2002)
• Corn Bread (The Bread Baker's Apprentice, p. 151)
• Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte (The Cake Bible, Rose Levy Beranbaum, p. 84)

Wine: There was a lot of wine flowing, of course, because we're all Zinfandel lovers.
- Renwood 2002 Fiddletown Zinfandel (Fiddletown, CA). Kent brought this.
- Rafanelli 2000 Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, CA). This came from our cellar - a good, solid performer.
- August Briggs 2000 Zinfandel (Napa Valley, CA). Steve and Barbara brought this bottle.
- Sapphire Hill 2002 Winberrie Zinfandel (Russian River Valley, CA). Also from our cellar, and I think it was the favorite of the evening.
- Navarro 2000 Pinot Noir Juice. I was under doctor's orders not to drink, so I had this juice. It's been in our basement for a few years, and I think it's gotten sweeter since we bought it. It's good, but was very, very sweet. A good option for people who don't drink.

We had Jay, Ginger, Ron and Dave over for World Series game three tonight. I threw everything together at the last minute. I had leftover dough for the Cheese Sablés (which made them incredibly convenient). Everyone always loves sweet potatoes this way - just tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper. Ginger brought yummy chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

• Mrs. Lenkh's Cheese Sablés (Fine Cooking #74, November 2005, p. 10)
• Guacamole
• Crisp Curried Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce (Fine Cooking #74, November 2005, p. 90c)
• Grilled Sweet Potato Slices
• Ginger's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wine:
- Fritz 2000 Old Vine Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California). Opened from last night, but yum!
- David Bruce 2001 Branciforte Creek Pinot Noir (Santa Cruz Mountains, California). Wow! Really excellent Pinot. Unfortunately, our last bottle.
- Forth 2002 Sauvignon Blanc (Mendocino County, California). One bottle left of this lovely SV.

We had Jay and Ginger over for dinner tonight. I was pretty sure I wanted to make chicken, and after looking through a bunch of old Fine Cooking magazines, decided on these stuffed chicken breasts. Dinner was good overall, but probably not the best choices as far as make-ahead. Everything required too much attention.

The pan sauce uses verjus (vair-ZHOO) as the acid, instead of something like lemon juice or vinegar (although a combination of vinegar and cider would have worked). Verjus is the tart, fresh juice of unripe wine grapes. The advantage of using verjus is that it's very wine-friendly. It would make a nice wine-friendly vinaigrette for a salad, I think.

- I really liked the sables, but Larry thought they were too cheesy. I have a bunch of dough left over that I'm going to freeze for another time.
- The chicken breasts were pretty good. I'm not so crazy about mushrooms but it was okay like this. I bought huge Rocky free range breasts for this, and I'm glad I did - it made stuffing them much easier than if I would have tried to create pockets in smaller breasts.
- Everyone loves this squash dish. I don't know why I don't make it more often. Trader Joe's carries diced butternut squash, which makes preparation a snap.
- All I can say about the spinach salad is "candied walnuts". I want to eat them by the handful.
- Larry picked the dessert out of Bittersweet. I'm not crazy about coffee desserts, but I made it anyway and cut back on the amount of coffee. Jay hated it, Larry and Ginger loved it. I was so-so on it. It was a breeze to make, though. I loved the shortbread crust.

• Mrs. Lenkh's Cheese Sablés (Fine Cooking #74, November 2005, p. 10)
• Chicken Breasts with Mushroom-Pancetta Stuffing & Verjus Sauce (Fine Cooking #49, March 2002, p. 51)
• Braised Winter Squash & Potatoes with Mustard & Shallots (Fine Cooking #31, March 1999, p. 37)
• Spinach & Basil Salad with Tomatoes, Candied Walnuts & Warm Bacon Dressing (Fine Cooking #70, March 2005, p. 55)
• Warm Mocha Tart (Bittersweet, p. 278)

Wine: 2003 Sapphire Hill Bastoni Vineyard Palomino (Sonoma County, California). A nice, well-rounded white. I think there are only three wines in the state made with the Palomino grape. We know the people who grow the grapes, which makes it even nicer to drink.

Katie and I spent the day making yummy treats for her husband's surprise party tomorrow. Everything was really good.

- The Creamed Corn mixture is super tasty and easy to make. We omitted the prosciutto and just used toasted bread.
- We used ground turkey for the meatballs. They could have been a bit smaller so they cooked faster.
- The cheese straws are pretty easy to make too, and mmmm.
- I used cheddar, gruyere and a soft cow/goat cheese (Minuet) from Adante Dairy. This is a great way to get rid of old cheese.
- Larry prefers plain pumpkin pie to this tart, but the streusel is really good.
- We marinated the chicken skewers in the olive oil, garic, soy sauce and salt, in these proportions (taken from the California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad recipe):

1 1/3 T olive oil
1 1/3 T minced garlic
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp salt

• Sage Creamed Corn Bruschetta (Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, Bruschetta Bar)
• Chipotle Chile Dip (Fast Appetizers, Hugh Carpenter, p. 20)
• Spicy Thai Meatballs (Fast Appetizers, Hugh Carpenter, p. 78) with Basil Ponzu Sauce (Fast Appetizers, Hugh Carpenter, p. 47)
• Hummus (Fine Cooking #10, August September 1995, p. 66) with pita chips
• Spicy Puff Pastry Cheese Straws (Fast Appetizers, Hugh Carpenter, p. 81)
• Soy-Marinated Chicken Skewers with Honey Mustard (Fine Cooking #74, November 2005, p.90c)
• Arroz Verde (Fine Cooking #35, November 1999, p. 45)
• Fromage Fort (Good Eats, Say Cheese!) with Toasted Baguettes
• Bourbon Pumpkin Tart with Walnut Streusel (Fine Cooking #74, November 2005, p. 52)

Amy and I had a cocktail party tonight, for Jay's birthday. Donna and Dave came over to help celebrate. All of the appetizers were excellent. I think everyone liked the quesadillas best. The beef rolls were also really good, and were really easy to make. The cake was excellent. So chocolatey and rich. Jay loved it.

Both cocktails were really good. More on the sweet side, but yummy.

• Hoisin Beef and Scallion Rolls (Fine Cooking #14, April 1996, p. 55)
• Tri-Color Polenta Cups (Fine Cooking #14, April 1996, p. 55)
• Chicken Tostada Pequena (Fine Cooking #14, April 1996, p. 56)
• Crabmeat-Avocado Quesadillas (Fine Cooking #14, April 1996, p. 56)
• Mixed Green and Herb Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil
• Double Chocolate Layer Cake (Gourmet, March 1999) with Candied Violets

Mojitos
Licor 43 Citrus Punch

Amy and I made tapas for eight tonight - we had Les, Katie, Rafael, Mark and Catherine over. Rafael is from Spain, so the pressure was on. We had a fairly ambitious menu, but we were well prepped and everything came together easily.

- I've made Patatas Bravas in the oven before, and I may try that method next time, but with the same Bravas salt and red sauce from this recipe.
- The mushrooms and mini-chorizos were both a big hit. The Sausages in Sherry, not so much. We got the mini-chorizo at The Spanish Table.
- The cava sangria was excellent (recipe follows). The recipe is from Jaleo, a tapas bar that Larry and I visited in Washington, DC last year. It called for a Spanish liqueur called Licor 43. It's made with vanilla and spices and is excellent. We used an very reasonably priced cava that a staff member at The Spanish Table recommended, called Parxet Cuvée 21 Brut Cava.

Jaleo Cava Sangria

Makes 1 Liter

1 bottle of cava sparkling wine from Spain, chilled
3 oz. Licor 43
3 oz. Brandy
3 oz. White Grape Juice
500 cl. Ice
3-4 Fresh Strawberries
1/2 of a Fresh Peach
4-5 White Grapes
1 bunch of Fresh Mint

Cut the fruit into bite-size pieces (or smaller). Pour the ice into a 1-liter pitcher (or larger). Slowly pour the chilled cava down the inside of the pitcher and not directly overthe ice (to keep the bubbles from fizzing away). Pour the Licor 43, brandy and white grape juice into the pitcher. Add the fruit and mint.

- We thought we would cook the shrimp in the oven. We both agreed it would have been better on the stove (according to the recipe).
- The pudding cups were excellent. I love orange-flavored chocolate. And the small ramekins were perfect.

• Fried Squid (César, Oliver Said, p. 161)
• Patatas Bravas (César, Oliver Said, p. 124)
• Alioli (César, Oliver Said, p. 195)
• Catalan Mushrooms with Garlic and Parsley (Fine Cooking #46, September 2001, p. 37)
• Gambas al Ajillo (Tapas, Penelope Casas, p. 13)
• Sizzling Sausages with Sherry (My Kitchen in Spain, Janet Mendel, p. 261)
• Manchego Cheese with Membrillo
• Istara Cheese
• Pau Goat Cheese
• Piminetos de Padron
• Mini-Chorizo
• Crema de Chocolate (César, Oliver Said, p. 191)

Tonight I spent the evening with PJ and her mom and dad, along with her sister Joyce, neice Natasha and friend Ellen. PJ had asked me to their beach house to give a cooking lesson on something that they wouldn't normally think to cook. My criteria for choosing the menu was easy, yummy food that can be made on a weeknight. I also wanted things that would be easy to demonstrate.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Chicken Roulades Stuffed with Goat Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 86C)
• Mushrooms & Spinach with Soppressata Crisps (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 49)
• Potatoes Fondantes (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 59)
• Blueberry-Blackberry-Cherry Fruit Crisp with Crunch Crisp Topping (Fine Cooking #51, July 2002, p, 52) with vanilla ice cream

Mom, Cousin Jeanine and Great Aunt Al were here for dinner tonight. I wanted Zuni chicken (mainly for the bread salad), but I didn't want to make two chickens. Instead, Larry chose the pork recipe and I found another recipe for a bread salad. I made up my mind early in the week to make the tart this weekend.

- Neither one of us liked the bean dip very much. It's okay, but not as good as fresh hummus.
- The pork tenderloin is very good this way, and very easy to make. Larry grilled it perfectly.
- I used heirloom cannellini beans that I got at the Ferry Plaza farmer's market. They were excellent - meaty and delicious. They needed a lot of time to cook and some could have cooked a bit more by the time dinner came around.
- I loved this bread salad. I could have eaten the entire bowl. Larry really liked it too, but thinks the Zuni one is slightly better.
- I liked the tart, too. The filling is a chocolate-raspberry ganache. I used golden raspberries for part of the top - they're really yummy. Larry wasn't crazy about it, but everyone else seemed to like it.

• White Bean and Artichoke Dip with Pita Chips (Fine Cooking #51, July 2002, p. 86)
• Pork Tenderloin Grilled in Rosemary Leaves (Fine Cooking #28, September 1998, p. 90)
• Grilled Bread Salad with Tomatoes & Spicy Greens (Fine Cooking #58, July 2003, p. 38)
• White Beans with Rosemary & Olive Oil (Fine Cooking #19, March 1997, p. 37)
• Chocolate-Raspberry Tart with a Gingersnap Crust (Fine Cooking #52, September 2002, p. 66)

Wine: Ridge 2001 Del Carlo Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California). Another lovely Ridge Zin. The second bottle will benefit from some more time in the bottle.

Les and Katie came for dinner tonight. After a long workout day, a quick, hearty meal was in order. Larry picked up berries at the market this morning, so a fruit crisp was the obvious choice for dessert. It's one of the easiest deserts I make. And it's yummy, too.

• Hummus (Fine Cooking #10, August/September 1995, p. 66) with Whole Wheat Pita
• Chicken Roulades Stuffed with Goat Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 86C)
• Potatoes Fondantes (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 59)
• Baby Spinach Salad with Bosc Pear, Stilton Cheese, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
• Blueberry-Blackberry-Cherry Fruit Crisp with Crunch Crisp Topping (Fine Cooking #51, July 2002, p, 52) with vanilla ice cream

Wine: Gamba 2003 Moratta Vineyard Zinfandel. A ripe, concentrated, jammy old vine Zinfandel. A bit of residual sugar, and lots of alcohol. Really, really good. This was one of the best wines at the ZAP festival last January.

Jay was here for dinner tonight. I haven't made this meal for about a year and a half, when Amy was here for Big Kahuna. I thought salmon would be nice since it's in season again. I didn't feel like cooking tonight, so it took me forever to put everything together. We had leftover crab cakes (the mix will keep nicely overnight).

• Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli (Viking Home Chef, Fabulous Fish & Shellfish class)
• Salmon with a Ragoût of Lentils and Root Vegetables (Fine Cooking #57, March 2003, p. 40)
• Sourdough bread with Sauteed Garlic Butter (Fine Cooking #43, March 2001, p. 49)
• Winter Greens with Currants, Pine Nuts and Brown Butter (Fields of Greens, Annie Somerville, p. 254)

Wine: 2001 David Bruce Bien Nacido Pommard Clone Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley, California). A really nice, classic Bruce Pinot. Perfect with the salmon.

John and Jeff came for dinner tonight. I wanted to make something that would allow me to spend time with our guests without having to spend too much time in the kitchen. This meal is mostly prepare-ahead, with some last minute preparations. The key, though, is to have everything ready when your guests arrive (I didn't). Everyone hung out in the kitchen while I rolled up the roulades and performed my regular struggle with the chocolate pot pie dough. The dinner turned out really, really well.

- I couldn't find raspberries, so I used blackberries in the pot pies. Larry says he thinks likes the blackberries better.
- I cut the roulades in half, diagonally, before serving. They looked so pretty like that I think I'll do it again next time.

• Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli (Viking Home Chef, Fabulous Fish & Shellfish class)
• Chicken Roulades Stuffed with Goat Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 86C)
• Fennel & Red Onion with Arugula (Fine Cooking #62, January 2004, p. 48)
• Potatoes Fondantes (Fine Cooking #64, May 2004, p. 59)
• Chocolate-Blackberry Pot Pies (Just a Bite, Gale Gand, p. 228)

Wine: Renwood 2001 Grandpere Zinfandel (Amador County, California). I just love this big Zin. A Pinot would have been more appropriate with dinner, but I think Zin is almost as food-friendly as Pinot. And I was in the mood for a big fat Zin.

Amy and I planned a mole party for my visit to Austin (we served sixteen people). We chose a Rick Bayless recipe out of an old Fine Cooking. Mole is a lot of work - it was a three-day, laborious process but very satisfying to make. The article says it takes a total of six hours to make, most of which is unattended, but even with two of us it was much longer than that. The end result was excellent. Very authentic, and perfectly seasoned. Amy's husband, Gary, made margaritas that were absolutely perfect. The beans were started on the stove, but then were moved to a slow cooker to simmer for several hours. I made a chunky version of guacamole, and Amy made my favorite Mexican rice, which looked gorgeous in her silver serving bowl. This was a terrific menu for a party, especially with two of us sharing the workload.

- We couldn't find mulato chiles. We got advice from the staff at Fiesta and at Central Market, then decided to substitute equal amounts of ancho and pasilla chiles instead. I've never seen mulato chiles in any Latino store, so mail-order might have been the best way to go.
- Seeding the chiles wasn't difficult, but gloves are recommended. Although the chiles aren't spicy, the residue will cause burning if you touch your hands to your eyes or other mucus membranes, even after multiple hand-washings.

The dried chiles, seeded and torn into large pieces.

- We decided to make the mole as traditional as possible by using lard to fry the chiles and other ingredients. The aroma of the hot lard was very strong and off-putting for both of us (probably because it's not something we're accustomed to.

The chiles, after quickly frying them in lard.

- We pureed the mole ingredients and chiles using a blender. The recipe says to use enough chicken broth in the blender to keep the ingredients moving (about 1/4 cup), then once it's smooth strain it through a sieve. We ended up using a lot of chicken broth - just over four cups, because the mixtures were just too thick. We finally figured out the trick: add chicken broth to the bottom of the blender and slowly add the solid ingredients or chiles until the mixture is thick and smooth, but not so thick that it doesn't move around in the blender.

Some more mole ingredients - tortilla, bread, tomatoes, raisins.

- We ended up adding another four cups of chicken broth to the mole when we simmered the chile and tomato purees together, The recipe calls for a total of ten cups. We used a total of eight cups.
- The recipe notes that it's important to drain and blot the grease from the various ingredients. We drained at ever step, to ensure a non-greasy mole.
- We added 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar to the mole before cooking the mole with the turkey, plus another tablespoon after.

The turkey pieces after browning - ready to bake in mole sauce.

The mole sauce after simmering - ready to bake with the turkey.

- It was difficult to remove the skin and slice the meat off of the turkey legs, thighs and wings. Amy thinks she would just buy turkey breasts next time. We both think it would be best to remove the skin before it goes into the mole, because it was difficult to tell what was skin and what wasn't. This was an especially messy step.

The mole and turkey before going into the oven.

The turkey and mole after baking - after this step, we separated the turkey and sauce. We tore the meat off the bones the next day.

- We brushed flour tortillas with butter on one side, then sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top and popped them under the broiler. When they were nice and toasty and slightly crispy, we repeated the procedure with the other side of the tortillas, then cut them into triangles for the ice cream sundaes. We found that to prevent the tortillas from puffing (and breaking apart), it was best to cut them in half before broiling them.

Cinnamon Hot Fudge Sundae.

• White Corn Tortilla Chips
• Roasted Tomato Salsa
• Black Beans
• Guacamole (with Jicama, Fresh Corn, Green Onion and Cilantro)
• Mole Poblano (Fine Cooking #23, November 1997, p. 65)
• Arroz Verde (Fine Cooking #35, November 1999, p. 45)
• Vanilla Ice Cream with Cinnamon Hot Fudge Sauce (Fine Cooking #61, Winter 2004 Holiday Baking, p. 30)

Margaritas

I needed to make an easy appetizer for a ZAP volunteer luncheon tomorrow. This was super easy, and a great way to use leftover cheese. I used all sorts of leftover cheese: sharp white cheddar, fontina, gruyere, asiago, parmesan and aged mimolette. I added a little extra wine to get the texture just right. Larry said it was okay, but "too cheesy". I wasn't surprised. I like cheese a lot more than he does. I think the spread would be good on a grilled sandwich.

This is the second time I've made these sandwiches, and they're excellent. Everything can be made ahead and assembled just before grilling. They turn out beautifully in my panini machine. The article that these came from has a bunch of other yummy-sounding sandwiches, but I keep wanting to make this one instead.

• Fromage Fort (Good Eats, Say Cheese!)
• Grilled Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Fontina Cheese (Cooking Light, June 2004)

I cooked for Jay, his brother Arun, Larry and his dad tonight. Arun is vegetarian, and we had rain today so I wanted something hearty and comforting for dinner.

- This braise has many parts, none of which is very difficult. Everything can be made ahead of time and reheated before dinner. I doubled the lentils. I used French green lentils since I couldn't find black lentils. It's an excellent vegetarian meal, and the presentation is nice.
- I love these pot pies, but the dough is very difficult to work with. It's very dry and crumbly and I complain about it every time I make these. In the end, it always comes together. This cookbook isn't that well written, but I've liked everything I've made out of it. I love how these seem to be just regular little molten chocolate cakes, but in the middle is a fresh raspberry surprise.

• Hummus (Fine Cooking #10, August/September 1995, p. 66)
• Braised Root Vegetables with Black Lentils and Red Wine Sauce (Local Flavors, Deborah Madison, p. 223)
• Celeriac & Yukon Gold Purée (Fine Cooking #48, January 2002, p. 55)
• Sourdough bread with Sauteed Garlic Butter (Fine Cooking #43, March 2001, p. 49)
• Chocolate-Raspberry Pot Pies (Just a Bite, Gale Gand, p. 228)

Wine: 2000 Testarossa Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands, California). Lovely and soft.

Larry, his dad and Jay were here for Thanksgiving dinner. I skipped out on the herbed dinner rolls that I made last year, because I wasn't up to making them (although they're very easy).

- I decided to make this soup after Amy told me she was making it. I was more convinced that I should make it after she tried it and said it was fantastic. I was worried that it would taste too much like pumpkin, but it didn't. It was really excellent. I loved the croutons.
- I made the same turkey I've made for the past few years now. I love the way this turkey turns out. It was an 18-lb turkey from Costco, nothing special. I usually brine the turkey the night before, but I didn't this time. It really makes a difference in the flavor.
- I usually make a crouton-based dressing, using Mrs. Cubbison's stuffing mix and cornbread dressing mix as a base. Since we are virtually trans-fat free now, I had to find an alternative since Mrs. Cubbison's has trans fats. I used Fair Scones, Inc. brand Rosemary-Sage Cornbread dressing and Rosemary-Sage stuffing, evenly mixed (purchased at Whole Foods). It's more crouton-y than Mrs. Cubbisons but they have a nice flavor. I added celery, onion, parsley, chicken broth, melted butter, beaten eggs, salt and pepper and baked it. I didn't add enough salt. It's not as good as my usual dressing, but a good compromise.
- I skipped the pumpkin pie because I don't like it. I made apple pie instead, which Larry loves.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons (Bon Apétit, December 1996)
• Butter-Rubbed, Cider-Glazed Roast Turkey (Fine Cooking #53, November 2002, p. 46)
• Poultry Dressing (Sheri's Recipe Box)
• Oven-Roasted Beets
• Puree of Yukon Gold Potatoes with Parmesan (Fine Cooking #53, November 2002, p. 48)
• Glazed Carrots (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001 p.24)
• Apple Pie Covered with Leaves (Fine Cooking #54, Winter 2003 Holiday Baking Issue, p. 43)

Wine: 2001 Amphora Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley, California). Yummy. Very deep dark ruby. I expected a full-bodied wine but it was pretty light. Nicely balanced.

Jay came for dinner tonight. Larry chose this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks. It was good - Larry really liked it, and Jay and I thought it was just good. Jay didn't really like the texture of the bay scallops. I used frozen peas instead of fresh, because fresh were nowhere to be found. I'm not a huge fan of pasta with seafood, but I liked the orzo, and the sauce was nice.

• Hummus (Fine Cooking #10, August/September 1995, p. 66)
• Lemon Seafood Pasta (Hot Pasta, Hugh Carpenter, p. 38)
• Sourdough bread with Sauteed Garlic Butter (Fine Cooking #43, March 2001, p. 49)
• Green Salad with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

I tried out my new Villaware Panini Grill today. I made sandwiches for lunch - tomatoes, pesto, and sharp white cheddar cheese on sourdough bread. They were excellent. I also made some appetizers for Jay and Larry before dinner - just mushrooms, olive oil and salt on sourdough. I think they look really nice. Jay and Larry thought they were good, not fantastic.

- This bean salad is one of our summer staples. It's really good. I've never actually made the tuna confit part of the recipe - I just use albacore that I poach in olive oil, lemon slices, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- I absolutely loved these popovers. They were really easy and come together quickly in the blender. I'd like to try some of the variations - herbs, parmesan, etc. Jay and Larry thought they were okay, but they don't love popovers like I do.

• Cremini Mushroom Toasts (Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book, Nancy Silverton, p. 17)
  
• White Bean Salad with Fresh Tuna Confit (Fine Cooking #46, September 2001, p. 69)
  
• Popovers (Fine Cooking #50, May 2002, p. 44)
  
• Hearts of romaine with Caesar Dressing (The Best Recipe, p. 42)
  

Wine: David Coffaro 2002 Pinot Noir (Sonoma County, California). Good everyday Pinot. A bit young and closed, but nice.

Larry harvested basil and peppers from our garden today. I couldn't help but use both - pesto made from just-picked basil can't be beat. Larry is doing a great job cultivating the basil and it's starting to take over the barrel it's planted in. Everything was very good, even the squash. I usually don't like squash if it's cooked too much, so I sautéed it at very high heat.

- We ate these peppers at a tapas bar in Barcelona, Spain a few years ago. We were addicted, and were disappointed to find out that the peppers were only grown in the Galacia region of Spain. We were thrilled when we found a local farmer selling the peppers - Pimientos de Padron - at our farmer's market. I believe Happy Quail Farms is still one of the few (if not the only) farmers growing these peppers. Picasso's in San Jose buys the peppers from Happy Quail Farms as well and will serve them if you ask (in season). Yum! They are also available at Tienda.com. Lucky us, we found out that the plants were being sold at the Santa Clara County Master Gardner's Tomato and Pepper sale this spring. We are now the proud owners of three thriving Pimientos de Padron plants. Tonight we picked our first crop - only eight or so. I fried them in hot olive oil and sprinkled them with kosher salt. So good! Just like in Spain. We got a few spicy ones too - usually about a quarter of them are spicy.
- I'm pretty picky about how I like my salmon. Grilled with our soy marinade, or pan-fried or broiled. I like it to have that caramelized crust on it. I liked this, though. The pesto was just so good. I was out of bread for the bread crumbs, so I used an english muffin instead. It came together pretty quickly.
- Berries are all over the farmer's market right now. The raspberries I got were okay, but the blackberries and strawberries are fantastic. I had leftover blueberries from Costco (big and juicy), so I made these mixed berries for dessert instead of a blueberry pie like I had planned. This was a nice, refreshing dessert.

• Pimientos de Padron
• Pesto-Crusted Salmon (Fine Cooking #33, July 1999, p. 82)
• Summer Squash with Garlic and Herbs (Chez Panisse Vegetables, Alice Waters, p. 311)
• Haricots Verts with Lemon Brown Butter (Gourmet, November 2002)
• Mixed Berries with Vanilla Bean Syrup (Fine Cooking #65, July 2004, p. 52)

Wine: David Bruce 2001 Windsor Gardens Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley, California). When we first opened this, we weren't sure about it. It was kind of closed and didn't knock our socks off. However, it opened up nicely and was good with the salmon. Well-balanced.

Amy and I made dinner for Jay, Larry and Fiyaz tonight. We wanted to do something simple, because we made fondue for our lunch.

- We made a classic fondue. It was excellent. We learned that we're supposed to dip the bread in a figure eight motion to keep the cheese stirred.
- The cream sauce for the steaks calls for a jar of Il Trullo Funghi Porcini in Olive Oil. We were irritated that Food & Wine would require an ingredient that was impossible to find - we looked at the specialty Italian store as well as the local gourmet market. In addition, the bottle retails for fifteen dollars. We used a mixture of cremini mushrooms and King Oyster mushrooms instead of the jarred mushrooms. The sauce turned out really well.

• Classic Swiss Three-Cheese Fondue (Fondue, Rick Rodgers, p. 18) with cubed sourdough bread
• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Seared Steaks with Porcini Mushroom Cream Sauce (Food & Wine, March 2004, p. 173)
• Stuffed Baked Potatoes (Knudsen Cooking For Compliments, p. 89)
• Arugula Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

Wine: A. Rafanelli 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon. We have one more bottle of this... it's still very good. It's softened quite a bit over the past few years.

I made some of the food for Jay's Superbowl party this year. It was pretty easy - I chose things that I could do ahead or that came together quickly, and he had the rest (tea sandwiches, fruit platter, crostini) catered.

- I sliced and sautéed the sausage yesterday, then heated it in the microwave before the party. I kept it warm in a mini Crock Pot.
- The phyllo triangles can be made far in advance and frozen. I do this often.
- I had a major problem with my avocados today. I usually buy nice big avocados from Costco, and they work out great. Costco had a different brand last week, from Chile. As I was making the guacamole, I discovered stringy fibers of avocado that wouldn't mash up. I spent a lot of time picking through the avocado and taking out the strings (most of which were brown). It was repulsive. Needless to say, I didn't eat any guacamole today, even though I got the majority of the strings out. Larry said it tasted fine.
- This is my favorite cheesecake, and everyone really likes it. It's easy to make. It's super rich. I don't know where I got the recipe.

• Sliced and Sautéed Aidell's Chicken Apple Sausage
• Phyllo Triangles with Goat Cheese-Peppercorn Filling (Fast Appetizers, Hugh Carpenter, p. 84)
• New Age Guacamole (Fast Appetizers, Hugh Carpenter, p. 22) with tortilla chips
• Hummus (Fine Cooking #10, August September 1995, p. 66) with pita chips
• Seven Layer Dip (Sheri's Recipe Box) with tortilla chips
• Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli (Viking Home Chef, Fabulous Fish & Shellfish class)
• Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (Fine Cooking #56, March 2003, p. 55)
• Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake (Sheri's Recipe Box)

Jay, Martin and Hilary came for dinner tonight. I made an appetizer because I'm always looking for something yummy and easy.

- I tasted the mushrooms despite my aversion to eating fungus. I liked the filling, but not the mushroom. Everyone liked these. They're good to make ahead. Although they're in the Quick & Delicious section of Fine Cooking, I wouldn't consider these quick. Too many things to prep.
- The souffles were good, but not as good as the first time. I probably won't be making these again unless we have vegetarians over for dinner. They're a lot of work, even though all of the work up to the final baking can be done ahead.
- I made glazed carrots (thanks for the advice, Amy!) using a mixture of white carrots and regular carrots. It was a nice mix.
- Martin bought a marble burnt almond cake from Dick's Bakery in Willow Glen. Oh yum.

• Parmesan and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms (Fine Cooking #63, Feb/March 2004, p. 82C)
• Twice-Baked Spinach Soufflés (Fine Cooking #28, September 1998, p. 62)
• Sourdough bread with Sauteed Garlic Butter (Fine Cooking #43, March 2001, p. 49)
• Glazed Carrots (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001 p.24)
• Marble Burnt Almond Cake

Wine: Forth 2002 Sauvignon Blanc (Mendocino County, California). Jay doesn't like this wine that much, probably because it's a little off-dry. But it was a nice wine with the soufflés.

Since our trip to Spain in 1999, Larry and I are always on the lookout for good, authentic tapas here in the Bay Area. César in Berkeley is an upscale tapas bar in Gourmet Ghetto, and is pretty authentic. I received the cookbook for Christmas (thanks, Larry!), so we had tapas for dinner tonight.

Everything was excellent tonight, except for the Mushrooms. I don't like mushrooms, but Larry wasn't crazy about these either. The calamari (I used fresh Monterey Bay squid) was very simple to make, and it was excellent. The potatoes were really authentic with the alioli. My new deep fryer worked like a pro - everything was very light and not greasy at all (high temperature oil is the secret).

We picked up some authentic ingredients at The Spanish Table, including Pimentón and mebrillo (quince paste), which tastes amazing with Manchego cheese (place thin slices of each together).

• Fried Squid (César, p. 161)
• Patatas Bravas (César, p. 124)
• Mushrooms al Ajillo (César, p. 111)
• Alioli (César, p. 195)
• Manchego Cheese with Membrillo
• Sourdough Bread

Martin, Jay and Fiyaz were here for dinner tonight. We went to the farmer's market today and stocked up on root vegetables, so I wanted to do some sort of chicken dish with the roasted vegetables. Most of tonight's dinner could be prepared ahead of time.

- The chicken breasts were very good and very easy. The article describes a basic technique and has a few stuffing recipes. I took them out of the oven at around 155 degrees instead of 165 like the article said - they were perfectly done (I cut into one to check). I like this method of searing the breasts skin-side down in cast iron before turning them over and finishing them in the oven.
- The root vegetables were really good. I'm loving parsnips. I also added some scarlet turnips for more color.
- The soufflés were a bit of work. I was glad I had prepped everything ahead of time so I could concentrate on whipping the whites and making the sugar syrup. They were excellent, though, and can be made ahead of time (up to a week ahead if you freeze them!) since they're made with an Italian merengue. I used frozen blackberries and raspberries. I'm definitely going to make them again - they'll be great for a dinner party.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Prosciutto, Parmesan & Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Fine Cooking #45, July 2001, p. 60)
• Roasted Medley of Winter Roots (Fine Cooking #48, January 2002, p. 56)
• Rustic Mashed Red Potatoes with Butter
• Berry Soufflés (Fine Cooking #19, March 1997, p. 71)

Wine: Langmeil 1999 Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia). We originally opened a Rosemount Grenache/Shriaz to go with the meal, but it wasn't good (bad storage, perhaps). I didn't like this wine with dinner at all. Too heavy. Not well-balanced. Martin thought it reminded him of pomegranite. I agree, but I don't like pomegranite!

Costco had fresh steamer clams this weekend, so I decided to make some clam chowder. I love making soup. Clam chowder made from scratch isn't that difficult - it takes some time to clean the clams and take the meat out after they've been steamed, but once everything is prepped, it comes together quickly.

- I made the dip for a potluck event today. It was good. Very easy to make, and improves with a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
- My clam chowder isn't really thick. It's more soupy. I used a combination of milk, cream, and half-and-half tonight, because I wanted to use up the cream and half-and-half. I've made it with just milk in the past and it's just as good.

• Chipotle Chile Dip (Hot Appetizers, Hugh Carpenter, p. 20)
• New England Clam Chowder (Viking Home Chef, Seafood Specialties class)
• Sourdough bread with Sauteed Garlic Butter (Fine Cooking #43, March 2001, p. 49)

Tonight we had more of the frozen beef wellingtons that I made last month.

- I poached a lot of tuna this week, so I decided to try out another appetizer. This came together quickly, but the texture was weird. And I'm bothered by how much butter is in there. I started out with a minimal amount of butter, but ended up adding most of it to get a less dry texture. The pâté ended up being very smooth - which is what the recipe called for, but the picture shows a more flaky product. I think I'd prefer more flaky. However - this grew on me, and I've decided it's a good party food.
- I've decided that if I cook the wellingtons to 140 degrees, they're just pink inside and perfectly cooked.
- I love this gratin - not only did it taste really good, but it didn't require any layering like many gratins do. I'm becoming a big fan of gratins. I modified this recipe since I was out of russet potatoes - I just used yukon golds, and it was still delicious. The horseradish isn't hot in the finished dish. I will add less salt to the final mixture next time.

• Mini-toasts with Fresh Tuna Pâté Scented with Rosemary (Fine Cooking #42, December 2000/January 2001, p. 45)
• Individual Beef Wellingtons with Mushroom, Spinach and Blue Cheese Filling (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 40)
• Sweet Potato-Russet Potato Gratin with Horseradish and a Dijon Crust (Fine Cooking #60, November 2003, p. 60)
• Baby Spinach Salad with Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes and Breanna's Poppyseed Dressing

Wine: David Coffaro 2000 Cabernet Franc (Dry Creek Valley, California). Finished up the bottle - still good and nice with the wellingtons.

Brad, Jeanine and Jay were here for dinner tonight. I had the option of making either chicken or vegetarian - Jeanine doesn't eat any other meat.

- Although the appetizers are from my "Fast Appetizers" book, I don't think anything involving phyllo dough can be considered fast. I've only made these with a warm goat cheese filling. This one had cranberries and orange zest and chives as well. They're pretty good.
- The chicken recipe calls for all thighs, but I used some large free-range breasts as well, since Larry doesn't like dark meat. It would have been better with just thighs, because the breasts just dry out too much. They were okay. I don't think I'll make this recipe again.
- The mushrooms are allegedly good. I don't like mushrooms, but everyone else seems to like these. I've only made these as an appetizer in the past, but tonight I served them as a side. Once the prep work is done, they hardly need any attention during the cooking.
- I took a tip from Amy and added chopped rosemary to the mashed potatoes. It adds a nice flavor.
- I am extremely pleased to announce the discovery of a pumpkin dessert that I like. Of course, this cake only had a half can of pumpkin in it, and it really doesn't taste like pumpkin at all. It was really good, though, and would make a nice breakfast.

• Beggar's Purses with Cranberry and Orange Zest Filling (Fast Appetizers, Hugh Carpenter, p. 83)
• Chicken Thighs Baked with Lemon, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (Fine Cooking #46, September 2001, p. 38)
• Catalan Mushrooms with Garlic and Parsley (Fine Cooking #46, September 2001, p. 37)
• Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Rosemary
• Hearts of Romaine with Caesar Dressing (The Best Recipe, p. 42)
• Pumpkin and Cornmeal Cake with Orange Syrup (Fine Cooking #60, November 2003, p. 78)

Wine: Rosenblum Vintner's Cuvee Blanc III (California). This is a nice, inexpensive white. We served this along with Rosenblum's red Cuvee Blanc for our housewarming party last year. I would have preferred a Pinot Noir with dinner.

Mark and Catherine came for dinner tonight. I made fish since Catherine's a pescatarian. I made the entire dinner ahead of time, with the exception of broiling the fish and dressing the salad.

- The trout rillettes were very good. I'm not a big fan of trout, but these came together fairly quickly - very little prep outside of making sure all of the little bones in the "boneless" fillets were picked out.
- I broiled the halibut again, like Amy and I did in Austin. The herb cream sauce turned out much thicker this time - I had to thin it with milk.
- I made the gratin in the morning, and just reheated it before dinner. It turned out nicely.
- I'm always looking for new pumpkin desserts. I absolutely hate pumpkin pie, so I try to find ways to like pumpkin. This cheesecake was a big hit - I think I'll make it for Thanksgiving. I didn't like it, but I'm just picky (pumpkin is gross). I loved the crust (made from gingersnaps). I think it would be a great crust for a plain cheesecake, instead of graham.

• Smoked Trout Rillettes (Fine Cooking #42, January 2001, p. 44)
• Grilled Halibut with Tomatoes and Herb Cream Sauce (Bon Appétit, April 1998)
• Sweet Potato and Leek Gratin (Fine Cooking #47, November 2001, p. 58)
• Baby Spinach Salad with Pears, Blue Cheese and Walnuts, dressed in Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
• Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Crust (Fine Cooking #60, November 2003, p. 77)

Wine:
- David Bruce 2001 Central Coast Pinot Noir (Central Coast, California). This is the lower-end David Bruce Pinot, but after a few months in the cellar, it's a really nice wine.
- Barossa Valley Estate 2002 Spires Chardonnay (Barossa Valley, Australia). Another nice Australian Chardonnay. I'm impressed. I'm definitely a convert to Australian Chardonnays. This one was a great value as well.

Today we couldn't figure out what to have for lunch, so I made up some hummus and we had that with pita chips. Larry asked for a Margharita pizza for dinner, so we used the grill to make it.

- Homemade hummus is so much better than store-bought, and it's really easy to make. The recipe calls for a larger can of chickpeas than is available now, so I just adjust all of the other ingredients down slightly.
- We used herb and garlic pizza dough from Trader Joe's tonight. I like plain dough better.

• Hummus (Fine Cooking #10, August/September 1995, p. 66)
• Grilled pizza with fresh mozzarella, basil, and heirloom tomatoes
• Spinach salad with cherry tomatoes and Smoked Bacon Vinagrette (Festive Favorites, p. 51)

Wine: David Coffaro 2001 Estate Cuvee (Dry Creek Valley, California). What I would classify as a table wine - a blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Petite Sirah, and Barbera. I think what Coffaro does best is blend. This is a nice, well-balanced everyday wine.

We got figs in this week's Planet Organics delivery. I don't really know what to do with them, so I searched around for a recipe. Other things I got this week that I need to figure out how to use: a black spanish radish, sweet potatoes, and lots and lots of kiwi.

- The figs were pretty good grilled like this, except the pancetta kept slipping off. It would work better to hold it in place with a bamboo skewer.
- I got grass-fed Rib Eye steaks from Whole Foods tonight. Grass-fed beef is supposed to be better - for the environment, for the cattle, and for people. It has less saturated fat and higher levels of Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin E than corn-fed beef. It definitely tasted different that corn-fed beef. I didn't especially like it, but I think it's an acquired taste. I think it tasted more earthy.
- King Oyster mushrooms are the best, and this is a mushroom hater speaking. They're meaty and have a good texture.

• Grilled Figs with Goat Cheese & Mint (Fine Cooking #40, September 2000, p. 59)
• Pan-fried grass-fed rib eye steaks
• Sauteed King Oyster mushrooms
• Sourdough bread with Sauteed Garlic Butter (Fine Cooking #43, March 2001, p. 49)
• Spinach salad with hard-boiled egg, cherry tomatoes and Smoked Bacon Vinagrette (Festive Favorites, p. 51)

Wine: Rafanelli 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley, California). This is a great Cab, and we now only have a couple of bottles left. It's one of the best vintages of Rafanelli Cab.

Jay, Amy, Gary, Lauren and David were here for dinner tonight. It was a pre-race dinner; Amy, Lauren and David are doing the Big Kahuna Half-Ironman in Santa Cruz tomorrow.

- The salmon recipe calls for broiling - Larry grilled it with olive oil, salt and pepper instead.
- The crab cakes are always a big hit, and they're easy to make. I use the canned crab from Costco; it's perfect for these and very reasonably priced.

• Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli (Viking Home Chef, Fabulous Fish & Shellfish class)
• Salmon with a Ragout of Lentils and Root Vegetables (Fine Cooking #57, March 2003, p. 40)
• Sourdough bread with Sauteed Garlic Butter (Fine Cooking #43, March 2001, p. 49)
• Spinach salad with hard-boiled egg, cherry tomatoes and Smoked Bacon Vinagrette (Festive Favorites, p. 51)
• Blueberry-Blackberry Fruit Crisp with Crunch Crisp Topping (Fine Cooking #51, July 2002, p, 52) with vanilla ice cream

Wine: Rochioli 2000 Estate Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley, California). Yummy! Very fruity and full-bodied.