Easy Entertaining for Beginners

6-8 ears fresh corn

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup grated cotija cheese or parmesan

Red pepper hot sauce or ancho chile powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Peel back outer husk of corn and remove silks and run corn under cold water. Replace husks and wrap each cob in heavy duty foil. Cover the grill and cook, turning every few minutes for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil, peel back husks away from corn but do not remove(this serves as a handle to make it easier to eat).

Slather with mayonnaise, salt & pepper and  cotija cheese and serve. Let guests splash hot sauce or sprinkle ancho chile powder on their corn, if they desire.

Serves 6-8

1 ½ pounds potatoes, Yukon Gold, peeled, chopped

1 ½ pounds turnips, peeled, chopped

1 tablespoon salt

4 cloves garlic, peeled

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup milk

1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Cover the potatoes and turnips pieces in a large pot and cover with water. Add 1 tablespoon salt and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 17-18 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well and pour potato mixture back into pot.

Heat the butter and milk in a heat-proof measuring cup in the microwave for 1 minute. Mash potato/turnip/garlic mixture with the butter and milk. If you need a bit more milk, add 1 tablespoon at a time. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

NOTE: This recipe may be made in advance and re-heated in the oven. Follow directions (except do not add the parsley) and add to a 9 x 13 casserole dish sprayed lightly with cooking spray (oil). Cover tightly. Take out of fridge and let sit to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking.  Cover and heat at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Add fresh parsley and stir to serve.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped

2 cups long grain rice

4 cups vegetable broth, purchased

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup pineapple pieces, finely chopped

1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Heat olive oil in large skillet and add onion, stirring for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add rice. Cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until rice turns from translucent to milky white, about 4-5 minutes. Add hot vegetable broth, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Stir in salt, pineapple and basil and serve in hollowed out halves of pineapple for a festive presentation.

4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed, room temperature

Honey-Lime Butter
½ cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey

Mix ingredients together for Honey-Lime Butter and set aside. Stab each sweet potato several times with a fork and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in a 350 oven for 55-60 minutes or place on the grill over indirect heat, turning occasionally for 55-60 minutes. Put the grill cover on while roasting. Remove and serve with Lime Butter.

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.

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.

There is nothing like enjoying a warm slice of fresh bread from the oven. This bread is a satisfying addition to any easy entertaining dinner. The beer acts as the leavening agent. Be sure to purchase self-rising flour, not all-purpose.

3 cups self-rising flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 can beer (any brand)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray. Mix all 3 ingredients well and add to loaf pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool slightly and slice.

1 package (8 ounces) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup (4 ounces) nonfat sour cream
1 (1.25 ounce package taco seasoning
2 (9 ounce) cans of bean dip
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
1 medium tomato, chopped finely
1 (4.25 ounce) can of black olives, chopped and drained
3 jalapeno chiles, seeded, chopped finely

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Mix in taco seasoning; set aside. Spread the bean dip in a large clear glass bowl or large platter. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the bean dip. Top with layers of lettuce, cheddar cheese, tomato, olive and chopped jalapenos. Serve with tortilla chips
.
TIP: You may add 3 mashed avocados mixed with 2 tablespoons of lime juice as another layer on top of the cream cheese mixture, if desired.

Serves 6-8

1 – 14.75 oz. can corn, drained
1 – 14.75 oz. can creamed corn
2 extra large eggs, beaten
1 – 8 oz. package corn muffin mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted (1 stick)
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13″ casserole or baking pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together except for cheese. Pour into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake 10-15 minutes more or until butter knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.