While it may seem that entertaining has moved to the list of endangered activities given our worrisome economy, there are still terrific ways to host an event. So let's look now at how you can tighten your belt and still enjoy a party on a slimmer budget.
I am a frequent entertainer at home. I do love having friends over to the house for comfortable get-togethers. While entertaining is my business and it's easy for me to pull a party together, I'd like to share some tips to minimize the burdens and maximize the fun.
Given how busy I can be on weekends with catering events, I particularly love to entertain at home on Wednesday evenings. While it's a school night for many, friends and neighbors enjoy the chance to catch up and break up the week's activities.
Just last week I decided to scale back a bit and instead of a more elaborate dinner party with full bar and all, I labeled the invitation "Casserole Wednesday", welcoming guests with a roaring outdoor fireplace on one of the first cool nights of the season.
Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. The beautiful earth tones that show up at the farmers market, the aroma of oven roasted root vegetables and the sweetness of cinnamon baked apples certainly give that comfort feeling you don't get any other time of the year.
I served half a dozen casseroles that I had prepared the day before, making the pre-party preparations much more relaxing. When deciding on the menu, remember that some of the simplest dishes are often the most popular like piping hot macaroni and cheese. For the more adventurous, a layered casserole with pureed yams, creamed spinach and smoked leeks was a winner. Shepherd's pie is also one of my favorites and you can always put your own personal stamp on it as long as it has a great mashed potato crust.
For the freshest ingredients, I encourage you to visit your local farmer's market to pick from the best seasonal choices. The colors and aromas of the season will easily inspire your senses!
As a child growing up in Europe, casserole meals were the backbone of my grandmother's home cooking and they still make me feel warm and comfortable to this day. With the chill in the air, I hope I've inspired you to create your own heartwarming autumn flavors. But just in case you need some guidance, I'm happy to share the following recipe to get you started:
Potato Galette with wilted Spinach and Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
4 washed Yukon gold potatoes with skin on
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon herb de Provence
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups sautéed spinach
2 cups crumbled fresh goat cheese
1 med. brown onion
4 cloves of chopped garlic
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
salt/pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Shred the potatoes on a mandolin (like hash browns) and mix with the first four items in the recipe. In a 10" Teflon coated frying pan with only a metal handle, heat the canola oil until hot but not smoking.
Place the shredded potatoes in the frying pan and with the help of a wooden spatula shape the potatoes into a round pancake. Sauté on both sides at low heat until golden brown and crispy.
Place previously sautéed spinach onions and garlic on top of the potato Galette and add the crumbled goat cheese. Mix together the eggs, cream, salt and pepper and pour over the goat cheese. Place frying pan in the oven and bake for approx. 45-60 minutes or until liquid has set in the center. If your oven is too hot and therefore your Galette browns too quickly, you might want to cover the frying pan with a lit or use aluminum foil.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
This will serve about 6 adults
Variations:
Instead of spinach, onions and garlic you can also use thinly sliced pear and tiny leaves of fresh sage and top with the crumbled goat cheese .