BIRTHDAY DINNER. October 19, 2011.
The best thing about birthdays is that it's your day! (Unless you're a twin like Kristi, then it's BOTH of your day!) I always loved that my birthday was the one day that I got to choose what was for dinner and dessert. I still do! Divas were asked to come up with what they always asked for, or would ask for dinner and bring it. What resulted was a fabulous, creamy, delicious dinner that was all about flavor and indulgence!
Salmon with Capers, Rosemary and Lemon
Giada gets all of the recognition for this quick, easy clean up delicious recipe.
Ingredients
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Place the foil packets on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of salmon.You will start to hear it sizzling and cooking in the packet. It steams the whole thing evenly and is a great easy way to serve dinner. Serve in the foil packets.
Ingredients
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 8 lemon slices (about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1/2 cup Marsala wine (or white wine)
- 4 teaspoons capers
- 4 pieces of aluminum foil
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Place the foil packets on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of salmon.You will start to hear it sizzling and cooking in the packet. It steams the whole thing evenly and is a great easy way to serve dinner. Serve in the foil packets.
Four Cheese Scalloped Potatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 clove garlic
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup shredded asiago
1/3 cup shredded raclette (or comte cheese)
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
salt and pepper
2 cups heavy cream (ack!)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 fresh bay leaves
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 425. Brush a baking dish with butter, then rub with the garlic. Combine the mozzarella, asiago, and raclette in a bowl. Spread half the potatoes in the baking dish. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, half of the cut-up butter, half of the shredded cheese blend, and pepper to taste. Arrange the remaining potatoes on top. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Pour the cream over the potatoes, then add the nutmeg and bay leaves. Dot the potatoes with the remaining cut up butter. Sprinkle with the parmesan and the remaining shredded cheese blend. Bake about 25 minutes.
I found I had to bake it about 15 minutes more. I covered it with foil to keep it from browning too much. I also thought it needed more cheese, so after this extra 15 minutes of baking, I discarded the foil, removed the bay leaves, and added about another cup of cheese blend to the top. Then I put it back in the oven on low heat to melt and brown the cheese on top. Super creamy and cheesy.
1/2 clove garlic
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup shredded asiago
1/3 cup shredded raclette (or comte cheese)
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
salt and pepper
2 cups heavy cream (ack!)
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 fresh bay leaves
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 425. Brush a baking dish with butter, then rub with the garlic. Combine the mozzarella, asiago, and raclette in a bowl. Spread half the potatoes in the baking dish. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, half of the cut-up butter, half of the shredded cheese blend, and pepper to taste. Arrange the remaining potatoes on top. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Pour the cream over the potatoes, then add the nutmeg and bay leaves. Dot the potatoes with the remaining cut up butter. Sprinkle with the parmesan and the remaining shredded cheese blend. Bake about 25 minutes.
I found I had to bake it about 15 minutes more. I covered it with foil to keep it from browning too much. I also thought it needed more cheese, so after this extra 15 minutes of baking, I discarded the foil, removed the bay leaves, and added about another cup of cheese blend to the top. Then I put it back in the oven on low heat to melt and brown the cheese on top. Super creamy and cheesy.
Best Birthday Cheesecake in the Whole Wide World.
i always think of this as my mom's recipe, but she thinks of it as her aunt wanda's. either way, it's creamy and decadent and delicious and for many years, i requested it for my birthday cake.
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Butter
6 Double graham crackers, finely crushed (about 1 cup of crumbs)
1 ½ pounds cream cheese
1 cup + 5 Tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
1 pint sour cream
Instructions:
Melt the butter; stir in the crumbs; pat over the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Beat together the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla; add eggs one at a time and beat thoroughly; pour over crumbs in pan.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. Cool completely -- this takes quite a while. When cake is cool, make topping by stirring 5 Tablespoons of sugar into 1 pint of sour cream. Pour the topping over the baked cooled cake; bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Chill completely. Using a knife dipped in water, cut into wedges at serving time.