Once again we have decided for a small dinner and set up the tables in the Christmas Tree room for its last performance. Since the night stretches out and there is a lot chatter and wine, we like to have all the food made the day before or earlier in the day so dinner is a breeze. For cocktails we will have antipasto platter, bacon wrapped hot dogs and cheddar toasts. When we sit for dinner we will start with a delicious shrimp based Asian soup. The start of the meal will be braised short ribs that will be made the day before so the flavors or even more intense. We will add lobster to the Mac ‘n cheese recipe so those not eating meat can have the side as their meal. It will end with a chocolate mousse and will have ready to serve muffuletta sandwiches for late night.
Antipasti or Antipasto
I was always confused when we went to the Italian section of Boston, also known as The North End, because some restaurants offered antipasti and some had antipasto. It was very perplexing so I finally got to the bottom of it. Antipasto translates to ‘before the meal,’ the Italian version of appetizers that are not…
Mini Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs
Don’t judge. Sometimes a tasty snack that reminds you of growing up can be a delicious party treat. I buy high quality mini hotdogs and wrap them in thickly-sliced hickory smoked bacon from the butcher, and they are always the first to go. I am a big fan of “Fork in the Road” min dogs…
Cheddar & Gruyere Toasts
Freeman’s Restaurant in the East Village of New York City is an outstanding casual, semi-hipster restaurant stuck away at the end of an alley that attracts huge crowds and tons of celebrities, authors, and a few tourists. The New York Times described the restaurant best: “…Appalachia, a British hunting lodge and a suburban 1950’s dinner party all…
Jim Yum Soup
This variation of the wildly popular Thai Tom Yum Soup was driven by the lack of access to Asian specialty stores. We tinkered with this many times and used what was available at local grocery stores, and I think the end result was excellent. Ingredients 2 quarts of homemade chicken stock1/4 cup soy sauce6 shallots,…
Braised Short Ribs
Braised short ribs are a rich and bold dish, easy to prepare and even better if you make it the day before and so they rest overnight in the refrigerator. The fat will form on the top, which is easy to scoop out and discard. Just reheat and serve, which makes for more time for…
Mac ‘n Cheese
There are all kinds of way to make Mac ‘n Cheese, including our World Famous Lobster Chowda Mac ‘n Cheese that I made for Edible DC when they came over for a day of cooking. That is a lot of work and usually for special occasions, Christmas Parties and just about any big event at LPB.…
Chocolate Mousse
I like an easy to make, pre-made dessert that sits in the fridge ready to be served. This semisweet chocolate based treat has a toffee crunch to it with a Kahlua kick. Serves 10 Ingredients 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate, chopped for melting 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons 6 eggs, separate the…
Muffuletta Sandwich
We popped into the ever so famous Oakville Grocery in Napa Valley, a stop that is long known for gourmet treats, from amazing sandwiches to delicious pastries. Since we were mid-way through a long visit out west and had countless amazing and fancy meals, I was ready for something very casual, so when I walked…
0 comments on “New Years Eve Dinner 2021”