Winter’s Night Sunday Supper

What better way to spend a cold winter’s night during this holiday season than to invite a couple of friends over to gather around the table near the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree for a cozy Sunday supper? This gathering was pulled together in a short 48 hours. I reached out to my friends on a Friday afternoon and once they confirmed they could come, I began to pull my plan for the evening together.

I always start with my table decor, It helps me to set the stage for the evening, starting with my basic gold rimmed china dinner plates and gold inexpensive chargers. A few years ago I used a wide roll of dark red velvet ribbon to cut pieces that fold over and under the chargers for an elegant touch. I fold them one on top of the other on the original cardboard roll to store the pieces away to use from year to year. Finally I placed my Lenox “Pomegranate with Mistletoe” salad plates (a gift from a friend many years ago) on top of the dinner plate for a festive pop of color.

I started collecting pieces of silver cutlery this year and had just enough place settings to use for this small dinner party. I also pulled out my special crystal wine glasses that are not used for my wine parties, but deserved a spot at the table for this ocassion.

With a bag of mandarin oranges and a jar of whole cloves I studded patterns on some of the mandarins and then added a plaid ribbon in Christmas colors to complete their look. I created a centerpiece with fragrant evergreen branches (purchased at Fresh Market) placed across the center of the table with a string of jingle bell garland and battery operated twinkle lights. A clove studded mandarin was placed in the center of each plate and some were placed over the evergreens in the center of the table.

A holiday dinner party deserves the elegance of the season. The house is filled with beautiful twinkle lights and colors throughout the house, making it easy to create a warm ambiance that is perfect for an evening such as this. Why not take advantage of the added glow in the house?

For an easy Hors D’oeuvre, I bought a package of endive (also known as chicory) that contained two light green tipped heads and one purple tipped head. I filled the bottom of the green leaves with sushi snow crab salad and the purple with a small ball of Bouisin carmelized onion cheese rolled in pistachio crumbs and topped with a pomegranate seed. A small silver serving tray presented raisin rosemary crackers from Trader Joe’s, a citrus studded English cheese and toasted whole walnuts.

The Hors D’oeuvres were served with a holiday Lambrusco punch from the link below. Hint: I used all of the Autumn simple syrup from the recipe (not just the 1/2 cup per instructions). The syrup is delicious and added a lot of flavor.

https://www.howsweeteats.com/2018/11/christmas-punch/

I also made cocktail ice cubes (using the large square silicone trays) made with pomegranate juice and a little water, filling the tray sections with fresh rosemary, fresh cranberries and pomegranate seeds. One large cube was placed in each glass and the punch poured over and then garnished with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

The Menu

Champagne Citrus Salad

Coq Au Vin with Mashed Potatoes

Sweet soy glaze and Agave Roasted brussel sprouts with pomegranate seeds

Gingerbread Eggnog Custard Tarts

I started with a citrus salad to follow along with the table decor, that unfortunately did not get photographed. The ingredients are as follows:

• Two navel oranges segmented
• Arugula and mixed greens
• Sliced (leftover endive) for cruch
• Pomegranate seeds
• Dried Cranberries 1/2 soaked in orange juice to rehydrate
• finely chopped chives
• toasted chopped hazelnuts
• Champagne citrus vinaigrette https://canapesandsoirees.com/citrus-champagne-vinaigrette/

Place the greens and endive in a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Divide into 4 to 6 portions in separate plates. Top with orange segments, pomegranate seeds, rehydrated cranberries, and nuts.

For the entree I made a one pot comfort dish, French coq au vin served over rosemary roasted garlic mashed potatoes (achieved by simmering evaporated milk with a few sprigs of Greg rosemary and adding severs cloves of roasted garlic).

The side was roasted brussels (with sweet soy sauce, tamarin, a little agave tossed after cooking) and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/coq-au-vin

Finally we ended the evening with gingerbread eggnog custard tarts. I had a half a bottle of eggnog leftover from my cookie decorating gathering and decided this would be a great way to finish the bottle off. The recipe I used made one full tart with a thick filling. I decided to make individual tarts so the custard was not as deep (thick) as the single tart, but it was still delicious. I also can recommend making just the eggnog custard and serve in little bowls that was also delicious on its own. My leftover custard was poured into small desserts dishes for another day.

Two of my guests had birthdays (one prior to the dinner and one due on Christmas day), so I put a single candle in each of their tarts so we could celebrate their birthdays.

Here’s proof that using what you have for the table and selecting a simple comfort food menu will enable you to throw together a quick festive winter holiday supper for a few of your friends or family in very little time.

However long you keep your Christmas decorations in place… there’s still time for a small gathering even once the day has come and gone.

Wishing everyone a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you so much for your support! I’m looking forward to new gatherings with new themes and getting my wine club back together in 2023. See you soon!

Murder Mystery at the Underwood Winery :Wine Club Dinner Party (Pinot Noir Tasting)

Let’s get back to fun and games! A few years back I hosted a Murder Mystery Party with a free script I found on Pinterest. For that party I bought six 19 Crimes wines with interactive labels. At the end of each round (of the script) we passed around the next bottle of wine to pour and taste. We had so much fun, laughing and acting up that everyone wanted to revisit this theme again in the future.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-mystery-party-taste-for-wine-murder-university-games/1130189437?ean=0023332200115

Around the holidays while visiting the local book store, I found the above Murder Mystery Party kit that once again takes place at a winery and I decided to purchase it for a future gathering. A date was decided by taking a poll from my group and then I chose the character assignments that I felt would best suit each guest.

The party set provided invitations, but I wanted something a little more attractive and festive, so I found the above version online that I glued a copy to the top of the provided cards. Inside are the list of “suspects” with character descriptions and suggested costumes. Assigned names were written next to the characters. As I read through some of the descriptions, I discovered that the fictional winery was UNDERWOOD WINERY.

Pinot Noir that inspired our tasting- Oregon (Will be the prize for winners)

While shopping at a local grocer I came upon an actual Underwood Winery Pinot Noir from the State of Oregon. After purchasing a couple of bottles, the invitation requested each couple or individual guest bring a Pinot Noir – and were assigned a State or Country to create a variety of domestic and imported Pinot Noirs for the blind tasting throughout the script. Fortunately, we haven’t had a Pinot Noir tasting in the past and for me personally, this is one of my favorite varieties.

Pinot Noir, Oregon

At the beginning of the 2020 Quarantine, the Kutchers -Ashton & Mila – worked with Nocking Wines to create this special fundraiser Pinot Noir they labeled Quarantine. I bought 6 bottles and we shared some at my Sunset Wine Party in the summer of 2020. – Everyone that attended signed a bottle that I saved for a future party -when we could all gather again. This will be our Oregon wine for the evening!

I always request that everyone send me a copy of their label prior to the party so that I can do a little research one each to share at the tasting.

The lineup for our blind tasting from top left to right, California, Chile, Italy –
Australia, France, New Zealand and Oregon.

Cocktails upon arrival….

It’s been a while since everyone has seen each other, and tonight will kick off a new year of getting back to meeting the way we did before the pandemic. In addition, everyone will be excited and silly checking out each other’s costumes. As my guests arrive I always have a starter cocktail and something small to nibble on while they visit and I collect and open the wine bottles, assign a number to each bottle and then pour their contents into the numbered glasses on the table. (I usually employ the help of a couple of my guests with this task).

For appetizer bites I made artichoke balls (from someone’s family recipe card below) and Antipasto Appetizer Squares from Brown Eyed Baker who always has new inspiring recipes.

Tip: Allow to cool a good 45 minutes to an hour before cutting (otherwise you do not get a clean cut and cheese and ingredients ooze and slide out). They are just delicious at room temp.

https://www.browneyedbaker.com/antipasto-appetizer-squares/

http://www.foodgospelaccordingtoruth.com/2011/10/artichoke-balls.html

In keeping with my dinner menu, I’m serving an Aperol Spritz, made with Aperol, prosecco, a splash of soda water ( I had about a half cup of the syrup left over from the amarena cherries -for dessert and combined a teaspoon in each glass to add a little sweetness to the bitter Aperol).

While everyone is visiting, sipping cocktails and nibbling – I’ll have a chore for them while I’m working on the bottles of wine and making last minute preparations to the main dish for dinner. I bought a screen for mugshots and a little letter board from the craft store for everyone to change out the name of their character. I tacked a ribbon to the back side for each guest to hang the name board around their neck while posing for a mugshot in front of the screen.

All of my guests dressed to kill.

Now for the table…

For a bloody good place card, I printed some clip art from online and hand wrote the last name of each couple or first name each single attendee, folded over the ends and cut little slots in each side (with small scissors or exacto knife) and slid steak knives through the holes for a Murder Mystery touch.

Bloody Placecards

A black tablecloth and linen napkins with my goldware set the scene. I used seeded and leafy eucalyptus branches along the center of the table with fresh artichokes, candles and battery operated mini lights. My table is narrow and when filled with multiple wine glasses there isn’t much room for a lot of fussy decor. I like to keep it simple and elegant so that my guests who are already very tightly placed around the table, have as much room as possible and can easily converse and see each other on all sides of the table.

Scripts and clue packets set to the side of each assigned character.

Live eucalyptus, artichokes with cork wrapped pillar candles.

One to the menu.….

I’ve planned a light Italian menu that is easy to eat since we have to concentrate on scripts and acting, while tasting wines and filling our tummies.

The menu started with fresh and roasted (multi-colored) cherry tomatoes for a twist on the caprese salad. The roasted tomatoes add a rich concentrated flavor to the entire dish and the drippings from the pan added to some balsamic crema (or concentrated balsamic vinegar) further elevated the tomato flavor. Fresh herb marinated Mozzarella balls (halved), crumbled ricotta salata for a slight salty bite, sprinkled with flaky Maldon sea salt and droplets of roasted tomato drippings and balsamic crema- finished with thinly chiffonade ribbons of fresh sweet basil. (The final version may have small Thai basil leaves for a gentle spicy kick.) The dish is served at room temperature and will be plated and ready at the table when my guests arrive.

Sometimes another ingredient may present itself on the day of the party. While making the appetizer I found an extra package of prosciutto. I cut the sheets into 2 inch pieces and then crisped them in a 400 degree oven on a sheet pan for 15 minutes (ovens may vary) creating prosciutto croutons for a crispy salty bite.

The main course….

Chicken Marsala, served over artisanally made Italian Taglia Tella pasta. I use sliced baby bella mushrooms that I carmelized in olive oil and butter for an enhanced meaty bite and the sauce is created with delicious marsala fortified wine. Thinly pounded boneless chicken breast baths in the luxurious sauce that is deliciously light and satiating.

Finally for dessert….

Amarena cherries with zabaglione, and crumbled amaretti cookies for a lightly sweet finish to the evening.

The evening ended with the winning wine (Louis Jadot-France) with 5 votes out of ten and (19 Crimes- Australia ) with 3 votes out of ten; a top performer (Papa Vito) and best costume (Otto Von Schnapps) and the murderer r-e-v-e-a-l-e-d.

Remember to follow to receive notice of our next wine party…..Salute!

Wine Club: Toasting to the New Year with an Asian Theme

The past two years have been filled with social distancing, masking, pivoting, and mountains of challenges and uncertainties. Depending on your field of work, like mine, it also may have been and continues to be stressful. Like most of you, I was ready for an escape from it all, and wanted to host a holiday gathering with my wine group of friends before the year ended. When fielding date options, the majority of my group were only available for New Year’s Eve.

With the date decided, I found myself now trying to figure out how to host a party on a Friday, after a full eight hours of work. For a couple of days my mind spun with ways to put everything together the weekend prior, and a simple way to have food and spirits, when the idea of a large tray of sushi came to mind. I thought of all of the special heavy meals enjoyed over the holiday season, and thought that an Asian themed party might be a nice change in cuisine to end and begin the years, while allowing me to order and pick up fresh prepared sushi with no worries of cooking, keeping warm and so on.

Chinese Lanterns to greet my guests.

A Sake and Plum wine tasting.

I shared my idea with the group and asked everyone to bring an Asian dish and a wine or possibly Asian beer that they would like to drink at the party. I would supply a couple of bottles of sake to taste and a plum wine. The selection of options were minimal, and I have no knowledge of sake, but the bottles I did find were nearly sold out, so I took that as a sign they were at least considered acceptable. Below are the notes I found on each.

Tyku Junmai Ginjo (black bottle) drops the sweet grain and banana of the Junmai for classic Ginjo flavors of melon and pear. However, overall aromatic and flavor intensity takes a hit. Fortunately there’s enough sweet melon flavor on the finish to save it from tasting bland. Like the Junmai, what’s here is good but the sake tastes too simple and too gentle.

Tozai Junmai Nigori Snow Maiden Sake and fresh with a lovely ricey and fruity combination. Flavors of honeydew melon, raw pumpkin, and radish. Creamy texture and full body. Try with spicy foods, crab, pork, or spicy tuna poke.

Gekkeikan Black & Gold California – This versatile sake has a smooth, mellow flavor and can be enjoyed warmed, room temperature or chilled. Serve from this traditional “”tokkuri”” container that was used when purchasing sake in the old days. Full-bodied with hints of honeydew, papaya, anise and roasted nuts. Well balanced, finishes long and smooth. A great sipping sake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S3C3jWlHvk

One evening I searched through Pinterest for some inspiration, and found this Youtube video of how to fold a napkin to look like a kimono. I remembered I had these floral paper napkins and thought the print was perfect for my Asian theme. The embossed textured borders folded nicely and provided texture and interest to the finished fold. I used the kimonos as placeholders for the chopsticks, with my purple linen napkins just beneath.

I had just enough time to order two sets of painted black wooden chopsticks that pulled together a place setting of purple, greens, blacks and golds (inspired by the sake bottles). While looking through the flower selection at my local Fresh Market, I found one lone package each of purple and a variegated green/purple chrysanthemum that were the perfect colors and looked very much like the flower on my kimono napkin. It never fails that I’ll find exactly what I want two weeks before the party and then can’t find a single replacement the week of the party. Fingers crossed I’ll find the same lovely version again, or I’ll have to figure out an alternative.

One of the comforting traditions of Japanese restaurants are the small fragrant steamy hot towels (called an oshibori) they hand out along with the menus. My best friend and I often had lunch at one such place and each time we were so tempted to wipe our faces in addition to our hands, which would have resulted in destroying our makeup. Always a lovely surprise to me when the tray of steamy towels arrived and I’ve prepared to do the same for my guests.

Japanese restaurants often provide a small hot towel called an oshibori. This is to wipe your hands but not your face. You may see some Japanese wiping their faces with their oshibori, but sometimes this is considered bad form. If you must use your oshibori on your face, wipe your face first, then your hands.

While searching for chopsticks I also found these vellum gold trimmed chinese floating lanterns. I don’t have a lake or a swimming pool to float lanterns in, but I thought they would be lovely, lite and simply placed all across the front lawn. (Below is just a quick test I tried before Christmas to see how they would look.) The package of 20 will create a warm, celebratory scene for greeting my guests. I also placed a few on the table.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011OURNTU?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

Asian meals traditionally end with fortune cookies. A friend of mine made large versions years ago for Christmas gifts dipped in chocolate and sprinkles, so I thought they shouldn’t be that hard to make. I learned they were a bigger challenge than expected, but somehow I got through and used red ribbon for a pop of color with a New Year’s wish for each of my friends. The first recipe I tried was an epic fail, so I went to my trustworthy mentor Martha Stewart. The technique takes a little time to master and leaves the baker with slightly burning finger tips, but eventually I got the hang of it and filled a bowl with the number I needed.

My modest effort at fortune cookies are individually wrapped with red ribbons and stacked in a large bowl to serve to my guests.

The next addition were paper glittered 2022 eye frames that I wrapped around the bottom of the lanterns on two sides and placed New Year’s crackers at each place setting.

Bowls and spoons set up for Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup with cilantro and thai basil blossoms.

While there will be wine and sake, we will still have bubbly for midnight.

To crank up the party atmosphere I strung lights on the wall with a Happy New Year banner that can also be used as a backdrop for taking pictures. I’d like to order black, gold and white helium filled balloons to rest along the ceiling in the dining room, but that may be a challenge to pick up prior to the party (remember I’m working that day), but if I can make it happen – I will.

All I have left to do is order my platter of sushi for pick up on Friday afternoon. My guests are bringing items some of which are potstickers, chicken satay, spring rolls, edamame salad and a couple of other items that haven’t been shared with me yet.

Photo by Anton Mislawsky on Pexels.com

A friend from our group has offered to come help me with some ideas for an Asian charcuterie board. I found only one example on Pinterest that included sugar snap peas (that would be good in a little sesame oil with black sesame seeds), thinly sliced pickled cucumbers, edamame, pineapple, mandarin segments, dumplings with dipping bowls of peanut sauce and soy sauce, and some Thai spiced potato chips. We’re looking to see what we can find to make our own version.

Photo by Rathnahar Sriom on Pexels.com

There is no need to buy fireworks because folks in my neighborhood put on an incredible fireworks display every year that we can simply step outside among the chinese lanterns and enjoy. I’m so looking forward to bringing in the new year with the company of friends, good conversation, laughter and of course good food.

Happy New Year everyone! We are all ready to feel the joy again in our lives and share time together to form new memories. Blessings and joy to you and yours!

Photos from the actual party.

Asian nibble boards with sake tasting bottles.

Sesame sticks, red chili crackers, pickled carrots and
asian pickled cucumbers, sesame sugar snap peas.

The food was amazing and plentiful, in the far back, forward, chicken satay, potstickers, spring rolls, a variety of sushi, krab salad, asian stuffed eggs, edamame salad, teriyaki salmon bites, pork tenderloin.

Spring rolls

Pork loin

Krab salad and fried wontons

My neighborhood fireworks – photo taken with a drone.

Early Fall🍁🍂🍁Dinner (Keto-ish) Dessert Course

My previous post introduced an early Fall dinner shared with a few of my neighbors as we experiment with a Keto-ish diet. As we gathered over a glass of excellent wine, appreciating it all the more due to the exclusion requirements of the Keto diet, we shared how we were managing the change in food choices and the results, if any we were experiencing.

I personally have found that my sugar tooth has been drastically tamed and I’m not feeling the desire to graze and nibble on snacks all day. I feel full and seem to have more energy. My friends expressed some of the same changes in the way they were feeling, but we all agreed that on the weekends we needed at least a little break from some of the restrictions. So tonight we were enjoying a glass of wine, but I’ve done my best to prepare a Keto friendly dinner menu to prove that food can still feel special, decadent and satisfying.

We all agreed we missed our sweets and I was excited to share with them two, yes two Keto friendly desserts I had prepared. As a little bonus, before we made our way to the dinner table I gave them each a dark chocolate almond and it was devoured with great excitement and pleasure!

The sugar products needed for making desserts.

The ingredients needed for baking Keto desserts are pricey and the quantity is a fraction of what wheat flour and refined sugar products contain, which offers another reason to only have desserts occasionally. Years ago in the book “French Women Don’t Get Fat” I remember reading that the typical French woman has dessert only once a week. Much younger and thinner at the time I was appalled, it seemed like an enormous act of restraint and made me wonder how so many patisseries succeed in France. I have since come to better appreciate the once a week practice.

With the help of pinterest I found two recipes that peaked my interest. The first was this Chocolate Cream Pie. Having no experience with these sugar substitute ingredients I did not deviate from the recipe in the link as I sometimes do. My only personal touch was to add toasted sugar free coconut flakes for some added crunch to the top after pulling it from the freezer. This was a very easy recipe,with only 10 minutes of baking time (the pecan crust). The other layers were prepared in the mixer and went on top of the crust with no other baking required. Follow the recipe in the link below. I’ve shared a few notes on the photos from my own experience.

https://kaseytrenum.com/?s=keto+chocolate+pie

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  Pecan crust and fudgy filling.

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  The filling is thick and has to be pressed gently with fingers because it doesn’t easily spread, it pulls up the pecan crust.

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  The whipped cream.

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  This is the small amount of the chocolate bar that was used to shave over the topping. Break off the first row and put in the microwave in 2 -5 seconds intervals to slightly softened and it creates curls rather than shavings.

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  Chocolate shavings and curls

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  Toasted Sugar Free
  Coconut Flakes

I placed a layer of coconut flakes on a small sheet tray and toasted in the oven 300 degrees for about 5 to 10 minutes while constantly checking and tossing the coconut until getting the desired browning. It can go from golden to burnt in no time. Don’t walk away! Leftovers are great to sprinkle on Greek yogurt, Keto chocolate mousses or mixed berries.

While the ingredients are expensive, very little was used of some like the chocolate bar that I sealed it up tightly for a future use.

There is nothing about this pie that looks or tastes “diet”. It was decadent and the substituted ingredients were not easily detectable. The recipe advises to place the completed pie into the freezer for at least an hour before serving. I didn’t take the pie out of the freezer until ready to serve and it was very difficult to cut. While it tasted and looked lovely everyone said they thought it would have been better (easier to eat) unfrozen.

For the second dessert I decided to bake a French Almond cake.

https://www.wholesomeyum.com/keto-french-almond-cake-recipe/

Again, I followed the recipe as provided in the link above. While it is very similar to the actual French almond cake, I had this beautiful blood orange sitting in my fruit basket and decided to add a little of its zest and juice to the batter. I also added a little to the glaze that is brushed over the cake while it’s still slightly warm. I used an 8 1/2 inch springform pan and the cake does not rise very high (similar to a one layer cake).

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Just prior to serving dust the cooled cake with powdered monkfruit sugar.

Of the two desserts while both very good, my guests voted this one their favorite. The cake was moist and flavorful and the added orange flavor brightened and complimented the almond.

As dinner came to an end, I asked everyone if the menu of the night was in in any way less than or short of a normal dinner. They all replied no. I think if I had not already told them this was a Keto meal, they may never had realized it was. Point made, you can still host an elegant dinner party while following a Keto-ish diet. But we must have our weekend 🍷wine!!

Early🍁🍂🍁Fall Dinner with the Neighbors [Keto-ish Style]

The past couple of years have been filled with multiple reasons for high anxiety, complicated news and decisions, multiple hours of sitting at a desk working remotely and long periods of separation from family and friends. The limited activity and socializing created “the COVID 15” (pounds) that is a real thing for many; among the many are myself and some of my friends. Finally some of us have decided enough is enough, it’s time to attempt to make some changes with the hope of slowly deflating the additional areas added to mid-sections and thighs.

The Keto diet has gained popularity for some time and while I find it hard to embrace a diet plan that takes away and limits so many of my favorite foods, acknowledging where change is needed is the first step in working toward a goal.

I come from a long line of sweet tooth family members. As a little girl, my Dad taught me how to break about six Oreo cookies into a tall glass, then fill the glass whole milk and eat the entire thing with a spoon. Later it was Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, Keebler Fudge cookies and more. Every meal included soft drinks (full of sugar) and ended with something sweet. While I limited soft drinks a long time ago, the sweet tooth tradition continued on and I thought it would be the most difficult habit to break.

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  Pickled veggies, olives, capers, roasted salted peanuts and salted smoked almonds.

For the past two weeks I have eliminated the honey in my tea, the daily piece or pieces of chocolate and a couple of cookies in the evening. I think the hardest thing for me to give up is my weekend Starbucks Chai, that I’ve decided I don’t have to give up, it will be my weekend reward. No bread ( so no turkey sandwiches) and no pasta, that usually shows up in one of those Lean Cuisine meals I stocked in the freezer for quick lunches.

Since having eliminated so much sugar and bread from my diet, oddly I find I’m not as hungry (and as a result not eating as much); I’ve lost my craving for sweets; and I have more energy in just the first two weeks. I also feel less achy.

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  Roasted delicata squash on bed of Super Greens with Parmesan Crisps.

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  Grilled Rainbow Trout
  with herb butter sauce

I’ve hosted many dinner and wine parties over the years, and for each gathering I’ve searched for new and interesting foods and wines to share with my friends and family. This Keto diet created a new challenge when I invited a few of my neighbors over for dinner. I wanted to create a colorful, delicious meal and desserts that did not scream “Diet Food”, but still sachiated and pleased the palate and taste buds. Below I’m sharing the dinner portion of our meal and in second post I’ll share the desserts.

A wonderful bottle of pinot noir Diora La Petite Grace 2014 (Monterey) that has been sitting in my wine fridge for some time. A gift from a dear friend years ago, I’ve struggled multiple times to break away the heavy plastic seal that coated the top of the cork and neck of the bottle unsuccessfully, until this night. My guests and I thoroughly enjoyed the dark, rich and velvety aged wine down to the last drop and was the perfect way to start the evening.

🍁🍂🍁Menu 🍁🍂🍁

Grilled Rainbow Trout with butter sauce

Roasted Delicata Squash with Organic Girl SuperGreens, toasted pepitas, fried shallots and parmesan crisps.

French (Citrus) Almond Cake (Keto)

Frozen Chocolate Cream Pie (Keto)

I wanted to prove I could still create a delicious meal and still follow the Keto plan. Like me, my friends were missing dessert, so I really wanted to find dessert recipes that didn’t taste any less delicious than we would normally have. Honestly, buying the ingredients to make these desserts was very expensive. This diet plan is not for someone on a tight budget, but I’m hoping it will curb my appetite enough that the old urge to grab a slice of chocolate frosted cake or two on the weekends will dissipate.

The protein was six fillets of rainbow trout that I asked my neighbor to grill. They also created a garlic, lemon herb butter sauce that was gently poured over the fish just before serving.

For the side dish, I found inspiration from different Pinterest posts to create this delicata squash dish. Delicata is a delicious sweet squash that is easy to cut, clean and cook.

Also known as “sweet potato squash” for its brown sugar flavor, delicata tastes like a cross between fresh corn and pumpkin pie. Like all hard squash, delicata is high in beta-carotene and vitamin C, relatively low in calories and astonishingly versatile

Roasted Delicata Squash with Salad Greens

Yields 4 servings

• 1 Delicata squash
• Olive oil spray
• kosher salt & pepper
• red chili infused olive oil (optional)
• 5 oz of Organic Girl Super Greens (or arugula, or mixed greens)
• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas
• 1 shallot thinly sliced and fried or a packaged thin pre-fried shallots
• white balsamic vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 -1/4 piece of orange
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of mayo
• 4 tablespoons of plain yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• Oven baked parm crisps
• Preheat oven 450 degrees (f). Slice the delicata into 1/2 inch thick rings. Using a paring knife, cut away the pulp and seeds and discard. Spray a rimmed baking sheet pan with olive oil and then lay each of the squash rings in one layer on the tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle a small amount of red chili oil to add a delicate spiciness (optional). Bake for 15 minutes and then turn each ring over and bake for 15 additional minutes. The squash is served at room temperature.

Toast the pepitas in a shallow pan until slightly golden around the edges.

Whisk together in a small bowl the mayo, garlic powder, salt and juice of 1/4 wedge of orange. (I poured the mixture into a squeeze bottle to drizzle over the dish before serving, but the tines of a fork could achieve the same drizzle result.

Spread the greens on a medium platter. Careful not to over saturate, lightly sprinkle with white balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and squeeze the juice from 1/4 wedge of orange over the greens and toss. Lay the cooled squash rings over the bed of greens. Sprinkle with toasted pepitas and crispy onions. Add parmesan crisps (croutons) for additional crunch. Just before serving drizzle with orange yogurt sauce.

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  Packaged fried onions freshed up in a shallot pan

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  Toasted Pepitas

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  Walmart

A small amount of any roasted autumn squash is not only delicious, but it’s also very filling. My guests really enjoyed this dish and it left just enough room for dessert. Yes I said dessert…

We had stayed away for desserts for some time and I searched for Keto desserts (two) that I decided might live up to the desserts we were used to and they did. Find those details in my next post.