Easter Dinner At Our House

The Pansy in bloom. The perfect sign of Spring. And in the Springtime, we also have Easter. Our traditional Easter dinner is lamb. I do remember the lamb dinners my Mom made when I was growing up. Scrumptious! Lamb, not mutton! There is a big difference ... It's a matter of time. So, here is what our dinner will look like this year. Do enjoy and do try the recipes. Here is a link to the Easter Dinner Wines. Cheers!

Easter Dinner 2011

Easter Roasted Leg of Lamb
with
Mint Sauce


Green Salad


Creamy Cauliflower Purée


Minted Carrots


Easter Ricotta Tart (Torta di Pasqua)

(We'll find a wine to go with this dinner! We did. Easter Dinner Wines.
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OK. So there's the menu. Here are some of the recipes. Enjoy!

Easter Roasted Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

Ingredients:
1 8lbs Leg of Lamb

Marinade:
½ c Pomegranate Vinegar
⅓ c Olive Oil
¼ c Molasses
½ c Mint, fresh, stems removed and chopped
½ t Pepper
¼ t Kosher Salt

Mix all together and pour over lamb roast. Marinate 4-6 hours refrigerated. Roast lamb at 350 ºF until internal temperature is 150 ºF. Let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Mint Sauce:
10 sprigs Mint, fresh
1 sm Shallot, chopped
2 sm clove Garlic, minced
4 T Cider Vinegar
5 T Olive Oil
2 t Sugar
½ t Kosher Salt

Puree all in a Cuisinart until smooth. Makes 2/3 cup.

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Creamy Cauliflower Purée

Source: The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle, 2009, Mary Dan Eades, MD and Michael R. Eades, MD ISBN 978-0-307-45071-5

Ingredients:
1 lg head Cauliflower
2 T Butter, melted
½ Boursin Cheese with Herbs and Garlic, at room temperature – about 5 oz
2 T Heavy Cream
1/4 t Salt
¼ t Pepper

Directions:
Wash and trim the cauliflower. Slice in ½ and slice in ½ again to make four pieces. Cut each piece into ½” pieces.

Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and heat on high for 6 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 3 minutes. Allow to cool, slightly.

Place the cooked cauliflower in the bowl of a food processor. Add the melted butter, cheese, 1 T cream and salt and pepper. Process pulses to start then on high until smooth. Add more cream if necessary until purée holds its shape.

Adjust seasonings and serve warm. Should stay warm covered for about 30 minutes.

Christmas In Boise, 2009

"The Day" has come and essentially gone. Long day. Awesome time. Good dinner. What else can I say. Oh yes, Thank-You to all who made this day so great: Robin, Marnie, Mac, Chris, Mattie and Buddy and Gus. Here are your photos!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Christmas 2009 Dinner Recipes

From our house to yours:

We Wish You A Very Merry Holiday Season!

And with that said, here are the recipes for two of the dishes we are having for Christmas Dinner. First is a Wine Marinated Stuffed Leg of Lamb and the second is an awesome Bob's Peppermint Pie that refers to the brand of peppermint candy, not me! Those two links are for a version of the recipe that we have on our web site. If you want to print them out, that is probably the best way. The photograph was taken this afternoon from 19th Street in Boise, looking 15 miles NNE to the ski area and 3500 feet higher. The snows were just outstanding.

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Wine Marinated Stuffed Leg of Lamb

Author: Bob and Robin Young
Web Page: http://www.rockinrs.com
Degree of Difficulty: Moderately difficult
Oven Temperature: 375°F

Ingredients:
750 ml Dry Red Wine
¾ t Allspice, ground
¾ t Nutmeg, ground
4½ lbs Leg of Lamb, boned
1 Bay Leaf
1/3 c Pine Nuts
½ lbs Mushrooms, rinsed
2 T Butter
½ c Onions, finely chopped
½ c Sweet Red Pepper, finely diced
1/3 c Pitted Dates, finely Chopped
2 T Chives, minced
2 T Parsley, minced
1½ c Beef stock
1 T Sugar
Salt and Fresh Pepper to taste

Directions:
1). In an 11x17" roasting pan, combine the wine, allspice, nutmeg and bay leaf.
2). Trim excess fat from lamb. Rinse meat and lay flat, boned side up. Make cuts about halfway through all the thickest parts of the meat. Push cuts open to make meat as evenly thick as possible. Lay lamb flat in the pan. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours, turning meat as needed.
3). In a 10 - 12 inch frying pan over med-high heat, stir in pine nuts until golden brown, 3 - 4 minutes. Remove to a bowl.
4). Trim mushrooms and finely chop. Add the mushrooms, butter, onion and red pepper to the frying pan. Stir often over high heat until vegetables are well browned, 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts, dates, chives and parsley.
5). Lift lamb from roasting pan and lay flat; boned side up. Reserve 1½ cups marinade; discard the rest of the marinade and the bay leaf. Spread the mushroom mixture over the lamb to within 1" of the edges. Starting at the narrow edge, roll the lamb into a tight roll, about 5 x 11". Tie at 2" intervals with bakers string. Set in roasting pan.
6). Bake lamb in a 375°F oven until a thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest part reaches 145°F, 1¼ to 1½ hours.
7). Transfer lamb to a rimmed platter and keeping warm, let rest for 10 minutes. Add the reserved marinade, beef stock and sugar to the pan. Stir over high heat, scraping the browned bits (grameels) until reduced to 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Add the accumulated lamb juices and pour into a bowl.
8). Cut lamb crosswise into 1" thick slices. Serve with the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 10 hours

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Bob's Peppermint Pie

Author: Bob and Robin Young
Web Page: http://boisefoodieguild.blogspot.com
Author Notes: This pie has nothing to do with me. It derives its name from the brand of peppermint candy, "Bob's".
Degree of Difficulty: Moderately difficult
Servings: 12

Ingredients:
1 env Plain Gelatin
¼ c Cold Water
½ c Whipping cream, plus 1½ cups whipping cream whipped
8 oz Peppermint candy, soft type (Bob's)
1 Pie Crust, chocolate cookie crust

Directions:
1). Soften gelatin in water and set aside.
2). Place ½ cup whipping cream in a small saucepan with candy and cook over low heat until candy melts.
3). Add gelatin and mix well. Let cool and fold in the whipped cream. Pour into the pie shell and let cool.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes

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Find some good wine to go with dinner. We're having a NV Virginia Thibaut Janisson Sparkling Wine, the White House Wine ($25.00) and a 1969 Clos de Hermitage E. Guigal, a French Rhone wine ($140.00). Then for the dessert wine a 1979 Chateau Suduiraut ($65.00). So there you have the recipes for two of our dishes for Christmas Day. The rest of the menu has been posted earlier on this blog or on the Boise Foodie Blog. Cheers and have a Great Christmas Dinner!

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Happy Thanksgiving From Our House To Yours!

Yes, it was a wonderful day starting at 10:00am when Chris - our Grandson - arrived to start making bread. He made the "Dilly Bread"; Sophia made the "Green Bean Casserole", Jerri, of "Jerri's Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery" made the awesomely , sinful "Chocolate Truffle Pie"; Le Cafe de Paris surprised us yesterday with an "Apple Torte"; Robin and Marnie had the table all set and the dining room beautiful and Mac was here for moral support. Not much for me to do but sit back and enjoy the day ...... and I did. We hope that everyone who reads this had a great day and I will think about you at "Black Friday". I will be checking my eyelids for holes! Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thanksgiving In Boise

Several people have asked what we are making for Thanksgiving Dinner. Folks from Idaho, Michigan, California and South Africa. And no, that is not our house. It is one across the street from us and this is about the first year that they have gone so "all out". I just thought it would be nice to have it here to "introduce" the Holiday Season! It certainly does light up the neighborhood. Here is our Thanksgiving menu (The pie was just delivered and it says "Keep Refrigerated", so I guess I can not sample it. You know, The Queens Taster?) Enjoy - we will!

Wine Opener:

Ogni Giorno Lambrusco Amabile

Dinner Wine:

2005 Westerland Gewurztraminer (South African)

Spatchcocked 70 Minute Turkey
(Recipe found on the Boise Foodie Blog)
with
Madeira Turkey Gravy


Brussels Sprouts in Balsamic Reduction

Dried Corn

Dilly Casserole Bread

Dessert Wine:

2006 Bitner Vineyards Reserve Red Dessert Wine

Chocolate Truffle Pie
(Jerri's Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery - Listed on this blog)

We do hope that everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving, has a wonderful holiday. Cheers!

Easter Dinner 2009 - The Main Event

No, it was not a boxing match. It was fun and exciting. We do understand, but Mac was a little late. But we are glad he could make it. The dinner was awesome and met expectations. The Lamb was slooooow cooked, the Asparagus was adente and the Dried Corn was just what it should be. But the Dessert! What can I say. Robin did a superb job with her Raspberry, Angle Food Cake, Whipped Cream treat! Watch the slides and you'll see it. A 2001 Hopler Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) went extremely well with Robin's dessert. Buy a case of this wine and enjoy it for breakfast - it's that fruity! And, Oh!, the wines!!! The 1988 Indian Creek Pinot Noir took the show!!! Great fruit forward and low tannins paired well with the lamb and asparagus. The 2007 Bedrock Winery Pinot Noir has got to cellar for a while. Right now, it is a hot wine and heavy in tannins. But even at that, it went well with the lamb and the asparagus. Let this one age and do buy some! Good job, Morgan!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Cheers! Enjoy Spring.

Easter Dinner - The Saga Continues

Most holiday dinners around here are a "saga". But now that we have a New Kitchen, the "Saga" is far more fun and efficient. The Lamb Roast is marinating; The Angel Food Cake is prepped; The Panchetta Wrapped Asparagus is prepped;

The wines are standing ...... The 1988 Indian Creek (ID $189.00) Pinot Noir, an awesome wine from an awesome winery is standing and getting "more happy". Too bad this is our last bottle and I don't think Indian Creek has any more either.
The 2007 Bedrock Winery, Rachael's Vineyard (Sonoma CA $45.00) is also standing. This should be an interesting comparison.

And then the Challah is ready!! This is really a fantastic Jewish Celebration bread. And I have had some questions on the bread, so here are some photos of the process.



Here is the dough getting ready for the first rise. Give it plenty of room. Notice the buttered sides of the bowl. You can place it in the oven with just the oven light on and it will maintain a good rising temperature.







Here is the Challah dough after the first rise, about 1 1/2 hours.









After the second rise, one must "braid" the dough after dividing it in half. The loaf in the rear has been braided, buttered and sesame seeded. The loaf in the front is about to be braided. The loaf weights each are about 2 lbs, 2 oz. Your batches may vary.






Here are the two loaves braided, buttered and seeded.











And here we have the "fruits of your labors"! But don't cut it until it cools.










The making of the Challah is not hard. It does, though, take some time and patience. The recipe is posted elsewhere on these Easter postings. Try making the bread before you try it for friends. If you do make it, let us know how it went for you. Try it plain and buttered and try it toasted with butter. It has a wonderful flavor! Oh, and the crumb is tight and not open, as in a French baguette. Experiment with this bread and have fun with it! I have had several questions about this bread, so I hope I have answered them for you. Cheers!

Easter Dinner Update

Well, the season is upon us. It's time for our Lamb Dinner and here is how it is shaping up.

Roasted Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

Green Salad

Pancetta Wrapped Asparagus with Citronette

Dried Corn

Challah

Along with the Entre, we will have

1988 Indian Creek Winery Pinot Noir ($189.00) (The last one we have!)

2007 Bedrock Winery Pinot Noir Rebecca's Vineyard ($45.00)

We thank Jerri Nelson, Idaho Hotel, Silver City, Idaho, who sent us the recipe for the asparagus, so Robin and I decided to revise the menu for Easter. That asparagus dish really looks good. And the Challa, such a wonderful celebration bread!

Easter Dinner, Revised

Well, the season is upon us. It's time for our Lamb Dinner and here is how it is shaping up.

Roasted Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

Green Salad

Pancetta Wrapped Asparagus with Citronette

Dried Corn

Challah

It should really be a fun dinner. And of course, Robin will come up with a great wine! Try the Challah, it's a great holiday bread. Our friend, Jerri Nelson, Idaho Hotel, Silver City, Idaho, sent us the recipe for the asparagus so we revised the menu. The asparagus really looks good.

Valentine's Day Dinner 2009

It never ceases to amaze me as to how exciting it is to prepare a meal for family and then have friends drop in and eat with us. So it was this Valentine's Day Dinner.


Of course, the dinner is in honor of Robin and Marnie!
And Mac was there too. But to our delight and surprise, Geno and Debra arrived - to try some of his bread and to return a paella pan he had borrowed. When they called, I didn't tell them we were about to eat dinner. But then I knew they both liked wine and lamb. We were glad to have them.


And some of the wine. A 1977 Diamond Creek, Volcanic Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, on the left. And on the right, a 1973 Joseph Swan Vineyards Zinfandel. Both of these wines from our cellar.




Crown Roast of Lamb with a 1992 Moscato d'Asti Tintero. An awesome combination.
Lamb with Red Wine and Balsamic Vinegar Reduction, Brown Rice with Scallions and Mushrooms and Mashed Root Vegetable Combination. Such an awesome dinner and easy to prepare. It just takes some time.


But then, Robin made this terrific and succulent Chocolate Torte. This went well with a 1970 Croft Porto Vintage Port.






Such a great day and dinner! Great women! Great friends! Great food! Thank-You to everyone who participated. Wonder what we'll have for Easter Dinner. It's a little way to go before Easter is upon us, so we have time to plan this dinner out.

Presidential Inaugural Luncheon

President Obama and his staff released the menu and recipes from the Inaugural Luncheon. Click Here for an amazing lunch menu! Good luck on preparing some of these. Wonder how long it took to come up with the menu and then the preparation.

One Great Christmas!

I don't know about your Christmas, but ours was awesome! It was great to have Marnie, Mac and Sophia with us. We did miss Christopher, who is snowed in until Spring, in Moscow (Idaho). We missed you Chris, but here are some photos.




Ah, yes! The weather. Cold for Boise - it was +9 degrees this morning.

And the snow. Well, it all depends where you are in the Boise area. We have had in the past week, 4-8 inches. Some places in the valley have had 12". And the mountains are approaching their normal and have a little over 100".



We changed the menu this year. We decided to have a ham. And boy was it good! Marinated for about two hours in Brown Sugar, Dark Beer and Cloves. Then cooked very slow. It was awesome!




But you can not have ham without a good New York Style Jewish Rye. Slow cured to perfection.


The Rye Bread is in the foreground and there is a French Bread in the background. See part of the new Bread Box Robin got me for Christmas? Keeps the bread soooo nice! The bread went very well with Mac's Onion Soup and a Rutabaga dish, from Finland, that Robin made (cream, eggs, nutmeg, mashed rutabagas, salt and pepper and baked) which was deeee-lish! And then, there is always Dried Corn!





Robin is out front with our Lion-Elves!




Mac, Sophie (hiding behind her new, warm blanket) and Marnie.



Mac and Sophie.





Marnie





Robin

Since I am taking the photos, I can not be in the pictures (well, there is a way, but....), so here is what Robin got me, along with some other things.

So, as I said before but does need repeating, it was an awesome Christmas party! Marnie even had a champagne named for Sophia, Sophia, which was very good. We really do hope that your Holiday was as good as ours! Cheers! And now for New Years! It was great to hear thatv Alex (Wilson) is doing fine!

Christmas Dinner - Trial Run

So, as a trial run for Christmas Dinner - which probably will not be lamb - I made a Rack of Lamb, with Cherry Rice and Roasted Potatoes and Dried corn. To the left is the roast about to go into the oven.

After about 2 hours, out came the roast. And it was delicious!! Marinated in Juniper Berries, Gin, Mustard, Rosemary, Olive Oil and Salt/Pepper. Along with the roast we had 1966 Chateau Haut-Brion and a 1968 Chateau Haut-Brion. Both of these were awesome wines!



Participants in this dinner (L-R): Mac, Marnie, Chris (who will not be home for Christmas) and Robin. (I took the photo)


Then after dinner and the photo op, we were watching PBS ("Extreme Sports") and who did we see? Mike and Tammy Stowe McClure from Indian Creek Winery in Kuna! What a surprise! Now we have seen what they do "in their spare time"! Great job in Rock Climbing - or rather Boulder Climbing. They were awesome. (I used to do spelunking in the NSS. Does that count in the other direction?) Such a fun day!

36 Hours to Prepare; 1 Hour to Devour!

Actually, the title is correct: 36 Hours to Prepare; 1 Hour to Devour, but therein lies the excitement and joy! And it was great to have Mac, Sophie and Marnie join us. And Mac, Thank-You for the Roast Beef and Oyster Stuffing. They were terrific!
The Turkey was good, the Shrimp was good, the dinner was good, the company was good, the weather was good and the BSU game on Friday should be good. What else could anyone ask for? (Maybe a turkey sandwich during the game?)
And whoever said that vegetables should be left for the rabbits, has never had Roasted Root Vegetables! Try taking some carrot, fennel, rutabaga, parsnip, Brussels sprouts (blanched), turnip and cutting thick slices, marinate in Olive Oil infused with fresh sage and thyme and oven roasted!



And then, there is always Robin's Ginger Snap and Orange Marmalade Cheese Cake, and layered at that! No, we definitely did not go hungry, and probably won't go hungry for about a week! And did I say anything about being thirsty? Probably not!

The Schramsburg that we ordered, never arrived - our supplier has fallen short on orders before. So we replaced it with a wine from Florida, San Sabastian Winery, St Augustine. A very good rose made from Muscadine grapes. This bottle was somewhat foxy, but it went very well with the cheese cake.

So there you have our Thanksgiving Dinner, 2008. Hope you enjoyed it - We did! Let us know how your Thanksgiving went. What did you have for dinner? Any family traditions?

An Idaho Thanksgiving Dinner

First: Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

OK, so it's almost here. The start of another "cooking" season. Seems as though from here to the end of the year, that's all we do!

Thanksgiving Dinner 2008

The Starters
Steamed Shrimp

Salad
Wilted Lettuce Salad

Entree
Wine Country Roasted Turkey

Roast Beef

Oyster Cornbread Stuffing

Vegetables
Dried Corn

Roasted Root Vegetables

Fresh Bread

Dessert
Ginger Snap/Orange Marmalade Cheese Cake

- And From Our Wine Cellar -
1988 Rose Creek (ID) Gewurtztraminer ($25.00)
1970 La Fleur Robin Pomerol ($164.00)
NV Schramsberg Brut Rose ($25.00)

So there you have it, at this point. Just fun! Wonder what the Christmas Dinner will be? Any guesses?

Wine to serve at Thanksgiving

Garry Scholz, Wine Writer for the Idaho Statesman and Vice-President of the Treasure Valley Wine Society, offers the following suggestions for wines to serve at Thanksgiving.

"Thanksgiving dinner presents the host with special considerations when selecting wine. First, of course, is the fact that most dinners involve many family members and relatives who have diverse palates.
Second, the range of food is a challenge for pairing with wine. You're serving turkey, or maybe baked ham, along with a range of traditional side dishes." (Idaho Statesman, Nov 12, 2008)

Click Here to read the rest of the article. It is really a good article and Garry has some great suggestions for some wines to serve at your Thanksgiving dinner.