Book Club: The Good Girl

A few months back (before there was snow on the ground) Abbie hosted a lovely book club in the backyard. Her book was The Good Girl by Mary Kubica. Read this if you love a dramatic story with lots of twists. Overall, the book was enjoyed by all and led to a great discussion. Find the discussion questions here.

Ella was able to even join us for book club! It is always nice to have our out of town members reunite with us. 

For appetizers, Abbie served cherry tomatoes from the garden, a variety of cheese and crackers, garlic popcorn and  a wide selection of beverages! For an easy cocktail mix 2 ounces vodka, 2 ounces lemonade, and top with sparkling water such as citrus Perrier or LaCroix. Garnish with fresh lime.

The Menu 

Salad with feta , mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and homemade Italian dressing

Homemade Croque Monsieurs

There used to be a restaurant in downtown Boise called Cafe De Paris that served the most delicious Croque Monsieur, a sandwich of cheese and ham topped with bechamel and toasted in the oven. They closed awhile back and we have been craving the sandwiches ever since. Abbie decided to serve them for this book club and they were wonderful. Everyone may have had seconds! For the recipe she used click here. The key to serving these sandwiches is they have to be assembled and toasted after your guests have arrived.  Having all the ingredients ready before hand makes this an easy process.  If you have never made a bechamel sauce it is a good idea to practice.  They seem easy enough but tend to turn out lumpy if you are not careful.

Thanks for another great time everybody. 

It's the Holiday Season: Throw a Tree Trimming Party

A tree trimming party isn't something that comes up very often anymore. Based on our experience though, it should not be a thing of the past. How do you throw one? Well, it is actually not so hard.

1. Get a tree

2. Plan a menu

Our menu included cured meats, a variety of cheeses, hot artichoke dip, pickled asparagus, jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce and roasted garbanzos.  Dessert was individual cheese cakes topped with sweet cranberry sauce.

3. Make some festive drinks

We served classics including Tom and Jerry’s and Hot Buttered Rums. Along with those cocktails, which are on the rich side, we also had a variety of beer and wine thanks to our lovely guests.

4. Invite some fun people that want to have a good time

5. Get out your ornaments, turn on some holiday tunes,and DECORATE your tree

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Book Club: The Promise of Stardust

For us book club has been about getting together and keeping in touch... Oh and wine! Ok. Throw a book in there too! This gathering, hosted by Katie, was a prime example.  Both Katie and Ella were in town from out of state and it was like no time had lapsed at all.  The book The Promise of Stardust  by Priscille Sibley was not a favorite for most of us.  Read it if you like a lot of medical detail and stories of sadness and loss.  Katie prepared a fabulous Paleo Chicken Piccata which redeemed the night.

The Menu

Fresh Green Salad

Herb Roasted Potatoes

Chicken Piccata with Capers

Click the link above for a chicken recipe similar to Katie's.  The potatoes make a great, easy side dish.  Chop small yellow potatoes into quarters, toss in olive oil, add crushed garlic and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and herbs such as rosemary and thyme. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast at 350 degrees for approximately an hour.  Stir with a spatula a couple of times during the roasting process.  The potatoes should be brown, soft and slightly crispy. This a great dish for entertaining because you can have it prepared in advance and pop in the oven before your guests arrive.

The peach pie Katie served for dessert was definitely not Paleo approved but is was delicious! 
Thanks to Katie and Ella for making it a priority to get together when they visit.   Also, thanks to Jamie for letting Katie use her kitchen!

The Rosie Project

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion is a great, and quirky, love story.  The evening was hosted by Jamie McDaniel, always a sweet and wonderful lady. We would really recommend you read this novel. Everyone in the group, new and original members, liked it.  That does not happen very often. It is an easy read that will make you smile and leave you with good feelings. Something you should really want!

Jamie started out the evening serving her famous pico de gallo and from scratch guacamole.  It is a little known fact that Skylar and I are allergic to avocados but we sampled this and survived! It was delicious. Success!

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chilies 

This recipe is similar to Jamie’s enchiladas.  She simply omitted the mushroom soup, used flour tortillas and as a time saver used canned chilies.  They were a real cheesy crowd pleaser.

Jamie served a salad alongside the enchiladas that was amazing.  It is always hard to find a salad that compliments Mexican dishes but this was it! The Mexican chopped salad with honey-lime dressing , which featured corn and black beans, was a hit.  

Our upcoming get togethers will feature Cindy hosting The Good Girl by Mary Kubica and Katie with her tear jerker selection The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley.

A Book Club Brunch: All the Light We Cannot See

Skylar was the host for All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  This is an amazing book that everyone should experience. Stories like this make for wonderful discussion and, of course, Skylar always does fabulous menu.  She focused on cultural menu items rather than foods that were mentioned in the book because food was pretty scarce throughout the story.

Blueberry Jam Prosecco

The Cocktail

Makes One

§  1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. blueberry jam
§  ³⁄₄ oz. fresh lemon juice
§  1 ¹⁄₂ oz. vodka
§  3 oz. Prosecco 

In a cocktail shaker, combine the jam, lemon juice, and vodka with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds and then strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with prosecco and garnish with fresh blueberries.

The Menu

Apple Strudel

Sage Sausage

The cheese plate consisted of a wild mushroom Brie, a double cream Brie, and a Chèvre with blueberries. Skylar also served a mint and feta frittata (recipe here) along with the apple strudel and sage sausage. 

Really! Read this book.  You will be thankful you did.  Next up is Jamie hosting a discussion of  The Rosie Project by Graeme C. Simsion. Thanks to Skylar for the wonderful brunch.