a party for loved ones

Valentine's Day is one of Mimi's favorite holidays.  As she is always showering us with sweet gifts of love, I wanted to celebrate one of her favorite days of the year by preparing a special dinner to be shared with Jeff's side of the family.  With my little ladies fast asleep and the little man occupied, I was able to spend much of the afternoon cooking the recipes I had planned for our evening together.  I can honestly say I have come a long way in the kitchen since my early days as a young bride.  Cooking has now become one of my favorite expressions of love for my family.  I'm confident I get this from my own mother who daily filled our home growing up with the sweet smells of baked goods or the comforting aroma of a big pot of spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove top.  From prepping ingredients to the clearing of dishes, sharing a meal as a family is one of my favorite ways to make memories. 

Unfortunately, Jeff was held up in a case and missed the night's festivities.  And, while I greatly missed his presence, I was able to enjoy the evening knowing that we would find time later in the week to exchange our special gifts of love, a card for him and a song prepared by him on the guitar for me, a tradition he began our first year of marriage and one that I look forward to all year long.

a little ambiance

The little lady's contribution to the party - personalized place mats. 

I asked the little lady and man to identify one thing they loved about each family member. I wrote their sweet sentiments on a card stock heart and tucked them into each napkin. Watching each family member read their love notes aloud was a highlight of the evening. 

Taking inspiration from my beloved Barefoot Contessa, I prepared two new recipes from her latest cookbook, Foolproof and prepared a classic wedge salad (a family favorite) using her blue cheese dressing recipe from Barefoot Contessa At Home. 
 

Appetizer - Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients:

1 (4-ounce) piece of Parmesan Reggiano cheese (without the rind)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

Grate the Parmesan, using the large grating side of a box grater, as you might use to grate carrots.  Combine the Parmesan, flour, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well.  With a measuring spoon, spoon level tablespoons of the mixture onto the prepared sheet pans, spreading each round into a 3-inch disk.  Toss the mixture each time and scoop from the bottom of the bowl to be sure you get some flour in each spoonful.  Bake in the middle of the oven for 8-10 minutes (I found I needed to bake longer) until golden brown.

Cool on the pans for 5 minutes, loosen with a metal spatula, then cool completely on a baking rack.  Serve at room temperature.

*Easy, delicate, and so very delicious!  The perfect starter, pairing nicely with a glass of white wine.
 

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Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Roquefort cheese or quality blue cheese crumbles

1 cup good mayonnaise

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons tarragon wine vinegar (I have yet to find this and use a quality white wine vinegar.)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
 

Place the cheese, mayonnaise, heavy cream, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix vigorously until combined but still chunky.
 

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Oricchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Sausage

Ingredients:

1/2 pound sweet Italian pork sausages

1/2 pound hot Italian pork sausages

1/3 cup good olive oil

6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 (14.5 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup tomato paste

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound dried orecchiette pasta

2 bunches broccoli rabe (2 - 2 1/2 pounds total) (I used 1 bunch of broccoli rabe and 1 bunch broccolini.)

 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prick the sausages with a fork and place them on a sheet pan.  Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until just cooked through. Slice 1/2 inch thick and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven.  Add the sausages and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pieces are browned.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute.  Add the tomatoes and their juices, red wine, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and let the mixture simmer over low heat while you prepare pasta and broccoli rabe.

Bring a very large pot of water to boil and add 1 tablespoon salt.  Add the pasta and cook for 9 minutes exactly.  While the pasta is cooking, trim the broccoli rabe to just below the leaves and discard stems.  Cut the leafy part of the broccoli rabe crosswise in 2-inch pieces.  When the past has cooked for 9 minutes, add the broccoli rabe to the past and continue cooking 2-3 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli rabe crisp tender.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta and broccoli rabe.  Add to the tomato and sausage mixture.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon of salt.  If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved cooking liquid.  Taste for seasonings and serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese.
 

*A fantastic and satisfying one pot dish!  Will definitely make again for a dinner party.

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Dessert

 Nutella Brownies with espresso gelato, homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings