Winter Chopped Salad

In the dreary winter months, it can be difficult to make an exciting salad without summer tomatoes and fresh herbs. But there are actually many different vegetables- and fruits- that can pick your salads right up. For a light dinner with my Mom I put together a colorful winter chopped salad filled with pomegranates, mangos and hazelnuts for an added crunch.

{The red cabbage also added a pop of color- all tossed in a red wine-honey vinaigrette} **

**Photo and recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit

Peanut Butter Love

Valentine’s day marked up menus and flowers never gets me excited, but the treats aspect always does. The cookies below are a definite keeper and came from Sur La Table’s Art & Soul of Baking (a stellar engagement gift!).

{Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Caramel Sauce}

The amazing peanut butter cookies were picked up a notch with the salty-sweet caramel in the middle, plus an added crunch from the peanuts.

I placed the cookies in some fun gift bags and made homemade tags~~ I love random holiday surprises!

Souper-Bowl

I hope you all enjoyed the Big Game last weekend (yea NY Giants- my future home team!) – and most of all, I hope it was filled with delicious snacks. In between homemade jalapeño poppers and football shaped cupcakes- I have been reading about soup competitions for the Super Bowl being all the new rage. From pheasant stews to red hot chili’s, home chefs everywhere are taking part in Souper-Soups.

So, as part of the pre-game eve festivities I decided to experiment with my soup skills and made this Mushroom & Leek Soup with Parsley Dumplings:

{The dumplings were heavenly with the crispy exterior from pan frying them- I would (and did) eat these on their own}*

Now that it actually feels like winter in Cali, I have a feeling soups will be occurring on my menus more often.

*Photo and recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit

Acorn Squash Salad

I would take a cozy dinner for two at home any night over hitting the loud crazy bars (ah- am I old?!) and that’s just what I did this past weekend while visiting my fiancé. An easy and compatible way for us to divide up making dinner is for him to take charge of the protein (usually a grilled meat/fish/etc.) and I am in charge of the sides.

To go along with his 2 grilled meats (filet in a Balsamic Ginger Glaze and NY strip with a Miami Spice Rub) I put together a Roasted Acorn Squash & Arugula Salad with Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese:

{I roasted the acorn squash with a dash of nutmeg which added a great spiced flavor}

The heartiness of the squash along with the crunch of the nuts made for the perfect compliment to the meat- what a combo!

Oh and here is a picture of my man’s meat (hehe):

{Check out those grill marks}



Elmo Cupcakes!

My nephew was visiting here in Cali and celebrated his 2^nd birthday. He is infatuated with Elmo, just like any average toddler, so I got an idea from Pintrest (addicting) and made these Elmo cupcakes:

{Marshmallow eyes, chocolate nose and oreo mouth}

The frosting was a bit of a nightmare and my hands were stained red for several days afterwards- but it was worth the effort. These would be perfect for a sesame street themed party!

Petits Pains Au Chocolat

Although I much prefer cooking to baking, sometimes I get urges to bake up something just for the wonderful smells in the kitchen. I usually bring the treats to work for my co-workers to enjoy, so at least I know they will be eaten up (isn’t it crazy how free food at the office flies?)

This week I made mini homemade chocolate croissants- or “Petits Pains Au Chocolat” and loved how cute and compact they came out.

{Chocolate will get all over your fingers after eating one, but that’s part of the fun}

Simple Red Wine Short Ribs

Although California has been having unusually warm winter weather (I better savor it before my winter in snow next year), I am still in the mood for braised dishes. This weekend I made simple red wine braised short ribs. Besides the meat, I had all the other ingredients on hand which makes this a great go-to dish for last minute dinner parties.

{Served with a Cauliflower puree}

The Cauliflower puree is actually a steal from my vegan friend. It’s so simple: steam or boil cauli, then put it in the food processor with some other optional flavorings: garlic, sour cream, milk (both not vegan) and seasonings. It comes out so smooth and creamy that I tend to prefer it over mashed potatoes…



Happy 1st Year to Table for Ten!

Since starting this blog in January 2011, I have been able to achieve my passion of cooking, hosting and building up my private chef business (Ren’s Table). I want to thank you all for your support and enthusiasm- I could not have done it without you!

This is my first post of 2012, and I feel like the holidays were a whirlwind of good food and good laughs (oh yes, and my engagement which is the main reason for my lack of holiday posts because wedding planning is in full force!).

I hope to continue to use this blog to share my creations as well as my family’s recipes; especially as I make a big move from my beloved Northern California to the East Coast with my fiancé this year (more info on that later).

In the meantime, stay posted for more cooking and a few more events before I wind down my business here in Cali….

And on that note, here is one of the last indulgences I had before the New Year: Yams with Crispy Skin & Brown Butter Vinaigrette—def worthy of all those calories.

 {Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Bon Appetit}

Happy New Year Everyone!

Aged Cheddar Popovers

As mentioned here, I received Cab Franc from my wine club with a recipe for Aged Cheddar Popovers that I could not wait to make. Along with the shipment, came the cutest popover pan you can imagine, that will most definitely use for popover experimenting soon.

The popovers were everything a carb holiday treat should be- soft, cheesy and easy to eat.

{The key was using high quality aged cheddar- it makes the world of difference}

{oh yes, and this weekend also brought in bling and a fiancé - YEA!}



Sandwich Christmas Cookies

To keep the Christmas Cookie flow going, I made a spin on the classic Linzer cookie by making an Almond Cookie Sandwich with Raspberry Jam in between.

  {There are sliced almonds as well as almond paste in the cookie dough}

{Topped with powdered sugar}

These are another great freezable cookie- just another check off of the “to make” list for the upcoming gathering.

Ecstatic Empanadas

For my larger scale gatherings (over 20 people coming to the one mentioned here) I like to make as much in advance as I can. The Beef, Green Olive & Raisin Empanadas can be made ahead and frozen until right before baking time, so I went ahead and tried to get some things off of my to do list.

{Pre-cooked}

{Beef, Green Olive & Raisin filling makes for a tangy and savory bite}

I am hoping to get more cooking out of the way this week before the flurry of holiday parties arrives.



Christmas Cookie Cravings

In the past, I have hosted Christmas cookie exchange parties, and I loved getting new ideas from people’s cookie of choice. As I am attending quite a few cocktail parties this season, I decided to make some cookies in advance to bring along.

I kicked off the baking season with these Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies:

{There is peppermint extract in the dough which adds a refreshing bite to the cookie and tones down the chocolate a bit}

I loved using the candy canes as the topping- it made the cookie much more festive. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday baking season!

Spiced Cider Sachets

I love giving out surprise presents to friends, coworkers and family when they least expect it. To get everyone in the holiday spirit, I made individual spiced cider sachets—just add hot apple cider (and maybe some rum) and you have a delicious warm beverage to drink while listening to Christmas music:

{All tied up in a pretty package that can be dropped right into the hot cider}

Here is what you need to make these goodies:

-         ½ cinnamon stick

-         2 cardomom pods

-         4 black peppercorns

-         ¼ tsp. cloves

-         1 star anise

And a fire alongside is a good addition as well…

Italian Liquor Treats

On a vineyard tour in Italy this past summer, I got the opportunity to sample (and purchase) a melt in your mouth after dinner liquor- best eaten with a simple biscotti cookie.

My thoughtful thanksgiving hosts said they will be serving the liquor post turkey consumption, so I volunteered to pack along some homemade Almond biscotti for my travels to Chicago for the big day:

{Actually quite the healthy cookie with tons of flavor from the almonds, anise seed and Amaretto}

Turkey day is almost here!



Wine & Focaccia

This past weekend, I had visitors in town from Chicago, and a trip to the Bay Area always has to include a wine country outing in my opinion. Rather than cramming in as many wine tastings as we could in a few hours (which I do like to do once in awhile), we picnicked and tasted at Robert Sinksey and had some bubbly and oysters at Chandon.

To supplement the cheeses and olives with our picnic I made Focaccia bread:

{Sprinkled with grated Parmesan}

This bread can be made in a variety of ways, and I always like to change the topping up with different cheeses and sometimes meats- almost like a pizza.



Book Club Snacks

As mentioned here, Book Club Snacks are more important than the actual book when it comes to my book club. Our last meeting took place on Halloween, and I figured in between all the candy and treats it would be good to squeeze in a vegetable dish. I sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic and crushed red papper—then arranged that on top of toasted bread with ricotta cheese:

{A kalamatta olive for garnish}

**Photo courtesy of Bon Appetit as seen here

(My iphone pic was too blurry!)

Happy Weekend!

Cute Chicken

Game Hens are probably one of my top five dishes to make. Not only are they super cute with their little wings and rears, but the assembly and cooking process is easy and creates an output that looks uber gourmet.

As I showed here and here, the wine club I belong to sends recipes to pair with the wine. I have been waiting to try a unique white blend with this recipe of Cornish Hens with Olives, Preserved Lemon & Chickpeas:

{I love meals that can be served straight from the cooking pot}

Preserved Lemon is actually easy to make yourself, and can be made into great gifts for the holidays when put into pretty glass jars and tied with a ribbon. Adding the lemon to dishes, like fish and salads, amps up the flavor as well as the aromatics.

My next wine is a Cab Franc to pair with Aged Cheddar Popovers— dream come true!

Homemade Halloween Candy

Every year, my close friends host a great rooftop Halloween day party. With the view of the Golden Gate in front of me and Rip Tide in my hand (vodka, beer and lemonade combination- yes, it will make your stomach hurt the next day) it is one of my favorite celebrations.

I think most of us can agree that Peanut Butter Cups are high on the list of best Halloween Candy Ever- -so I decided to be courageous and make a homemade version:

{I was happy I found the cute gold foil wrappers to make them even more Reese’s like}

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Bulgur Wheat

With quinoa being all the rage due to its high protein content, I feel like other whole grains that are also good for you and make great bases to salads are being neglected.

Although bulgur does not contain the same protein levels as quinoa, there is still a higher fiber and protein content when compared to white rice, and it is also “fast cooking” and allows you to whip it together quickly.

As a healthy dinner side I made a Bulgur Salad mixed with garbanzo beans, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers with a dill-cumin dressing:

{It is pure joy to me when I make a dish that ensures lunch leftovers for days- the small things in life}

Wild Wild Mushrooms

As mentioned here and here, the “Wild Mushroom Tart with Goat Cheese and White Truffle Oil” is one of my favorite and common starters I make for my hired events. Not only is it full of flavor, but the savory-ness of the crispy, flaky tart dough with a hint of truffle oil makes your taste buds tingle.

{The original recipe was from the wine club I belong to, as I mentioned here, they provide great dishes to pair with your wine}

Another great advantage is that this can be made ahead of time and warmed before serving—there is nothing like reducing the time in the kitchen during party time!