Easy Entertaining for Beginners

Serves 9

1 (oz.) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
4 cups strawberries, fresh, sliced
1 ¼ cups sugar
¼ cup water
Pinch salt
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (baking aisle)
1/3 cup cold water
5 drops red food coloring
1 cup whipped topping or whipped cream

Pre-heat oven to 350 degres. Roll out the sugar cookie dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to fit an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool.

In a small saucepan, bring strawberries, sugar, ¼ cup water and salt to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let thicken for 1-2 minutes and stir into strawberry mixture. Simmer until gelatin dissolves. Add food coloring and remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate until completely cool, 1 ½ – 2 hours. Fold in whipped topping or whipped cream and spread over cookie crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

1 ½ pounds fresh haricot verts or regular green beans
1 cup water
3 strips center cut bacon
¼ cup shallots, chopped finely.

Wash the beans, cut off the stem of each bean and place in sauté pan with the water. Bring to a boil, cover; simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes. With fork, check beans, they should be crispy-tender. If using regular green beans, increase cooking time by 2-3 minutes. Empty beans into colander in sink and rinse with cold water briefly to stop the cooking. This is called blanching. Drain well.

In a large frying pan, fry the bacon until crispy on medium heat. Remove bacon and all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and add shallots to the pan, stirring until transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Chop bacon strips into small pieces and add the bacon and green beans to the shallots and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until beans are well-coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TIP: A Haricot Vert is a French baby green bean. They are deliciously delicate. If you cannot find these, regular green beans will stand in very well. You may blanch the beans the day before and keep in fridge in airtight container until ready to stir-fry. Make sure the beans are well-drained before adding to the hot bacon mixture. Shallots are a member of the onion family and can be found in the produce section by the onions & garlic.

Serves 6-8

2-3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
6-8 cloves of roasted garlic
Olive oil
1/3 cup light sour cream
½ – ¾ cup half and half or whole milk
Salt   to taste
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped or snipped with scissors

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place one whole bulb (the cloves are contained within the bulb) of garlic, stem side down on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Cut off ½ inch off the top of the garlic bulb, exposing the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil over top of the bulb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and wrap the foil around the garlic bulb, leaving a hole at the top. Roast in oven for 30-35 minutes and remove. When ready to use for the potatoes, squeeze out the individual cloves from the bulb.
Peel and rinse the potatoes. Cut into 1” chunks and cover with cold water in large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 18-20 minutes. Use a timer, do not overcook. Drain in colander.

In a large bowl mash the potatoes with a potato masher or ricer, then add roasted garlic cloves, sour cream, half and half, butter and chives.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6-8
2 pork tenderloins
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

For Sauce
½ cup butter (1 stick)
1 ½ cups white mushrooms, sliced
½ cup gorgonzola blue cheese
1 cup light sour cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped finely

Take tenderloins out of refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add to large frying pan over medium high heat and brown on all sides. Transfer to 325 degree oven and roast for 25-30 minutes. Remove, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes while making the Gorgonzola Mushroom Sauce.

Melt butter in sauce pan and add mushrooms. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl mix the Gorgonzola and sour cream with a fork, breaking up the blue cheese crumbles. Add the cheese and sour cream mixture into the mushrooms in the pan and lower heat. Stir constantly until melted. Stir in the Parmesan Cheese and add parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Slice tenderloins and serve immediately with Rich Gorgonzola Mushroom Sauce.

Planter’s Punch – Serves 6

2 1/2 cups warm water
1 oz loose or 6 teabags of Darjeeling tea
2 1/2 cups sparkling apple juice
3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
2/3 cup brandy (optional)

Put tea intor pitcher and pour warm water over. Let stand 3-4 hours to infuse. Strain (if needed) into a large pitcher and chill for 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the apple juice, lime juice and brandy. Pour into glasses over ice and float a lime slice on top.

Scones
Makes 12 scones
4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and cut it into the dry ingredients. To do this, use a pastry cutter or 2 butter knives and, using a crossing motion, keep cutting the butter into smaller pieces and blending it with the flour mixture until it is the size of small peas. Pour in the buttermilk and stir until a dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time. For tender scones, do not overmix.
Turn half of the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it into a 6-inch circle. Cut it into 6 wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Repeat with the other half of the dough, for a total of 12 scones. For the egg wash, slightly beat the egg with the water in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, lightly paint the top of each scone for a nice golden brown sheen after baking. Discard any unused egg wash. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until light brown.
Tip: If you do not have buttermilk, substitute 1 1/2 cups whole milk and 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar. Mix together and let sit for 5 minutes before using.

Faux Clotted Cream
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
Beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until medium-stiff peaks form. In the last few minutes of beating, add the powdered sugar. Turn the mixer off and, with a spatula, gently fold in the sour cream. Cover and refrigerate. Serve with the scones, alongside lemon curd and strawberry jam.

Lemon Curd
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
Mix butter and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add eggs and lemon juice and place in double boiler over simmering water. Stir constantly for 12-15 minutes until thickened and color has darkened to a deep yellow. Cool, cover tightlty and refrigerate.