SSC Side Dish It Out! Edition: Thanksgiving Side Dishes & Desserts to Wow Your Friends & Relatives!

Oh, Thanksgiving! It's the beginning of that wonderful time of year when you put your independence and achievements aside because it all boils down to being able to cook. Luckily for us and our readers, we will not be put in charge of cooking a 10 pound bird to perfection, the rock star of Thanksgiving. No, people with roommates and studio apartments get a pass on that one.



Since none of us have that daunting responsibility the pressure falls on us to provide a killer side dishes that will show up all the other side dishes, and prove our worth, while giving us some Thanksgiving validation.

This edition of Supper Sanity Club will provide you with some ideas to really wow your family. It'll also provide you with some stellar beer and wine ideas, just in case you end up at a relative or significant other's house where they just don’t make gravy like your mom does and having your wine glass full is the only thing keeping you from pointing out that Aunt Linda is kinda racist.

We hope you enjoy these easy delicious recipes brought to you by our eclectic group of ladies and use them as a jumping off point for your own. If you have any questions please join us at www.facebook.com/Supper-Sanity-Club and post them. Christa, myself or one of our other crafty chicas will use our culinary prowess and try to help you out!

-Phoebe


Mini Meatloaves: From Sarah (Our Japanese spin on things!)
This is easy to make and goes perfectly with corn casserole.
It's also a great side to go with some white rice for leftovers. I recommend making extra sauce so you have some to drizzle over your meatloaves while you're plating!

Ingredients
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
1 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and/or veal)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup ketchup
1 to 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions
Mix the breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onion, chili powder and garlic in a large bowl. Add the meat, season with salt and pepper and mix with your hands until combined. Shape into six 3-to-4-inch oval loaves. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the loaves and brown about 3 minutes per side.

Whisk the ketchup, sugar and vinegar in a bowl and brush a few tablespoonfuls over the meat. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, cover and simmer over low heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the loaves to a plate.

Add the remaining ketchup mixture to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve 4 meatloaves with the hot glaze.



Cranberry-Mushroom stuffing:
From Jamie (Our very own nutritionist!)
Cranberry mushroom stuffing is fabulous, though time consuming if you make the bread from scratch. You can always use a pre-made bread or bread mix instead. I spent about 4 hours making it one year and then asked my dad to reheat it right before dinner. He left it in the oven too long and it caught on fire. Let's hope you have better luck!


Ingredients
1 tsp. barley malt sweetener
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. honey
1 ½ cups fresh cranberries or thawed frozen cranberries
½ loaf Cinnamon-Orange Poppy Seed bread
1 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped
1 ½ Tbsp. chopped fresh sage, or 1 tsp. dried
1 celery stalk, diced into ¼ inch pieces
2 pounds small mushrooms, quartered
1 egg, beaten
½ cup nonfat milk
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the barley malt sweetener, water, and honey. Stir in the cranberries and let stand for 2 hours. To make croutons, preheat the oven to 200 F. Trim the crust off the bread and cut into ½ inch cubes. Spread out the cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool.

Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the onions and sauté over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sage and celery and toss to combine. Remove from heat, add the mushrooms and toss again. Set aside to cool.

Mix together the egg and milk. Strain the cranberries and discard the liquid.
In a large bowl toss the croutons with the onion-mushroom mixture. Add the cranberries and pecans and toss again. Add the egg mixture and toss for 30 seconds and serve.

Makes 8 servings (200 calories each)



Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts: More from Jamie!
1lb Brussels sprouts
½ cup sweet butter
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup cooked and shelled chestnuts

Directions
Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Trim the Brussels sprouts, removing the coarse stems and any loose outer leaves. Add to the pan of water and boil for 5-10 minutes until just cooked but not too soft. Drain well, rinse in cold water, and drain again. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add the sugar and stir over medium heat until dissolved.
Add the chestnuts to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are well coated and starting to brown.

Add the sprouts to the skillet with the chestnuts and mix well. Reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes to heat through.

Makes 4 servings



Sweet Corn Casserole: From Emily
(Everyone's favorite little ray of sunshine!)
This my mom's recipe and has always been one of my favorites!

1 can creamed corn
1 can drained regular corn
1 stick melted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 box jiffy corn muffin mix

Mix together all ingredients and put in casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. That's it!




Pumpkin Soup: From Phoebe (Co-author of this shizzzz)

This is a family favorite of mine. I understand that introducing soup bowls to the already packed Thanksgiving spread can make you look like a prima donna, so maybe keep this one in mind for soup and turkey sandwiches the next day.

Its super easy to make, so don't worry if you hit the Hot Toddies a little early. Your family will think you're some kind of culinary master mind!

Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (8 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup unsalted vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup fat-free milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 green onion, green top only, chopped
heavy cream
dash of curry powder (If you're into that sort of thing.)

Directions
In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of the water over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Don't let the onion dry out.

Add the remaining water, pumpkin, broth, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk and cook until hot. Don't boil.

Ladle into warmed individual bowls and garnish with black pepper, green onion tops, and a dash of cream. Serve immediately.



Sweet Potato & Green Apple Casserole:
From Arlan (Our resident soul food expert!)
Here's my mom's recipe for my favorite dish. It's great with vanilla ice cream :)

Ingredients
6 green apples (Granny Smith)
6 large sweet potatoes brown sugar (to taste)
Nutmeg (to taste)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 stick butter
Water (as needed)

Peel apples & potatoes. Cut apples & potatoes in half and then quarter. Boil potatoes, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in water (just enough to cover potatoes). Boil until potatoes are tender (not overcooked) and until the mixture has been boiled into a syrup. Layer sweet potatoes and apples into the casserole dish. Cover with the syrup mixture.

Bake in oven on 375 for 20 to 30 minutes until boiling (keep eye on casserole after 20 minutes has past).



Cranberry-Lime Jello: From Jen (Our happily married friend!)
This is my favorite Thanksgiving dish. It's sweet and tart with a bit of crunch. A requirement of all Thanksgiving food is that it makes delicious leftovers, of which this is a perfect example!

Ingredients
1 package of Lime Jello
1 can of Cranberries or 3 cups of homemade cranberry sauce
1 cup chopped walnuts pieces
1 cup diced celery

Directions
Make Lime Jello to package directions. While jello is still liquid, stir in cranberries, walnuts, and celery. Refrigerate until set about 5 hrs.



Pumpkin Bread: From Christa (Co-author of SSC, comedian, designer, expert baker & all around awesomtastic chica!)
This is a recipe that my mom has made every Thanksgiving since I can remember. It's simple, moist and delicious, freezes well and can even be made into muffins! High fives!







Ingredients
3 1/3 cups sifted flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips
3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 cups canned pumpkin

Mix dry ingredients together. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth.

For Loaves
Grease 3, 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Fill each 1/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

For Muffins
Put cupcake papers in muffin tins. Fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.



Booze Pairings!
I am very fond of having bomber bottles of beer as an option in addition to wine at my Thanksgiving table. I highly suggest you try it. Here are some ideas.


Abita Pecan Harvest
This beer tastes like pecans, and that's a good thing! The beer pours a brownish color with minimal head, just the right amount (ha). The beer goes down smooth and leaves a nice aftertaste on your palette.

Mayflower Thanksgiving Ale
Thick and malty, with a great cereal grain taste and a brown sugar aroma that just screams everything fall.

Maine Peeper Ale
Light, citrusy, and hoppy. One of my new favorite beers of all time!

Harpoon Grateful Harvest
Lightly cranberry flavored, but still all ale! This will will go great with everything you serve.



All these beverages along with a great staff (some of whom are named Phoebe) can be found at The Wine Gallery. 516 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215. Come check us out!


Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving!
Christa, Phoebe & The Ladies of SSC



About Phoebe

Phoebe is comedian, and wine shop manager, who is also somehow pursuing a masters degree in clinical social work. Though she has no real food credits on her resume, she's well versed in wine and food pairing. She was raised on farm fresh food in Maine, learned about Asian cooking during her time in Thailand, became a seafood fanatic living in Newport RI, and is now well on her way to becoming a full fledged foodie/functioning alcoholic in Boston.

SSC's Cinco de Most Awesome: Mexican Fusion Edition!

Boston has a lot to offer: it's a great sports town, you can walk almost anywhere, and I always get a warm fuzzy feeling when a townie calls me "feckin retaded," but one thing our fair city is seriously missing is good Mexican food. That's where we come in! The West Coast ladies of SSC decided to take a stand and fight back by celebrating Cinco de Mayo week (yes, the 5th of May lasts a week for us) with Mexican inspired cuisine. Since we already had a Tex-Mex night, we decided we needed to kick things up a notch and infuse Mexican dishes with some of our other international favorites. The results are not only spectacularly weird, but just plain spectacular!


Mole Pad Thai
Feeds a lot!

3 boneless chicken breasts
Mole sauce*
2 14 oz boxes of rice noodles
2 tablespoons oil
Unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped finely
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 limes, cut into 6 wedges each

Bring large pot of water with a large pinch of salt to a boil. Lower water to medium heat and poach chicken breasts until they are fully cooked, about 20 minutes.

When breast are cooled shred and chop into shall pieces bring large water to boil. Turn heat off and submerge noodles into the water until noodles are soft, about 11 minutes.

Heat oil in large frying pan. Fry noodles with chicken and mole sauce, you want to use enough mole sauce to lightly coat noodles and meat, but no more than that.

Serve with peanuts, cilantro and lime on side

*I made my own mole a while ago so I used what I had in the freezer but I highly
recommend just buying it as it is extremely time consuming… One jar of Dona
Maria brand Mexican Mole sauce should be plenty. That being said, if you would
like my mole recipe just email us and I will gladly send it to you.



Italian Nachos

The secret to nachos is baking it in layers. Unfortunately, we figured this out after the chips got soggy so we had something more like chilaquiles but hey, even soggy they were delicious,
so who cares?



Thick corn tortilla chips
Bolognese sauce
Shredded mozzarella
Ricotta
Peppercini

Preheat oven to 350˚

Lay one layer of chips on baking pan. Spoon Bolognese sauce on chips and put mozzarella cheese on chips. Bake for 5 minutes and then do the same with another layer on top, repeat one more time for third layer. Spoon ricotta and peppercini liberally on nachos.


Bolognese Sauce

2 lbs lean ground beef
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons basil
2 cups red wine
salt and pepper to taste

Heat large frying pan. Cook meat with spices until fully cooked. Strain to get rid of fat and the set aside.

Heat oil in large pot. Cook onion and garlic until onion is golden brown. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and wine. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer, cook for 35 minutes.

Blend tomato sauce in blender or with handheld immersion blender. Add meat and bring back
to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.



Scandinavian Quesadillas with Chipotle Dipping Sauce

For Quesadillas:
12 taco size flour tortillas
3 packages lox smoked salmon
1 package goat cheese
Monterey Jack Cheese
Chives
Chipolte Dipping Sauce




Lay out 6 of the tortillas and top with all ingredients making sure cheese layers
are both on top and bottom. Top with remaining tortillas.

Place frying pan on stovetop over medium heat and coat with cooking spray before
each quesadilla is placed on pan. Grill quesadilla on both sides for 3-4 minutes or until cheese has melted and tortillas are lightly browned. Garnish with chipotle dipping sauce.

For Chipolte Dipping Sauce:
1 12oz container plain greek yogurt
2-4 tbsp chipotle salsa (Chipotle salsa can be found in a can or jar and is found in the
international section of most grocery stores.)

Thoroughly mix yogurt with chipolte salsa to preferred spicy level.



All-American Choco-tacos!
Remember those crazy Choco-tacos you used to buy in
your school cafeteria? These are like 8 zillion times more awesome.

For crepe taco shells:
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Magic Shell
vanilla ice cream
peanuts

For crepe shells: (Any crepe recipe should work here.)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Gradually add in the milk, vanilla, and melted butter, stirring to combine. Add the flour and salt. Beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled, small griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. (The
smallest pan you can find the better) Pour about 1/5 cup of the batter onto the
pan for each "shell," tilting to make sure the liquid coats the surface evenly.

Cook the crepe on each side until light brown (about 1-2 minutes).
Shape the crepe around the bookbinding so it forms a taco shell mold. Freeze the crepe over
the book for ten minutes. Continue until all batter is used. (Makes about 8-10 crepe tacos.)

After shells are frozen remove each to coat with Magic Shell on inside of shell and return to freezer. If they need help keeping their shape you can use toothpicks to hold them together (while keeping ends apart). Keep in freezer for at least a full minute to harden Magic Shell.

Remove Magic Shell lined shells from freezer one at a time and fill with vanilla ice cream.
Top with magic shell and peanuts and return to freezer until ready to serve.



Booze Pairings!

Cocktails

Jamie's Sangria Smoothie

1 bottle red wine
2 cups Bacardi's coconut rum
1 can pineapple chunks in juice, including juice
2 apples (peeled)
1 lemon
1 cup frozen, unsweetened peaches
1 cup frozen, unsweetened raspberries
3/4 cup frozen, unsweetened blueberries
3/4 cup strawberries


Blend the shit out of everything. Then add liquids. Stir!


A Fancier Way to Drop your Panties
An authentic panty dropper cocktail is made with beer, so we kicked it up a notch
and made it with with sparkling wine…

½ part tequila
½ part pink lemonade
1 part sparkling wine

Pour, in order, into champagne glass.


Beer: Negra Modelo

Mexican beer lovers beware, this is nothing like the light style Corona and
Pacifico. This beer is robust, rich, and complex. This wine’s nutty and caramel
notes are a perfect compliment to the rich flavors in the mole sauce. It is a
little too rich for the lox quesadillas, though, so stick with the cocktails
when you drink those.


Wine: White Trimbach Gewurztraminer $17

This wine is the perfect compliment to spicy food. Don’t let the lychee and
apricot on the nose fool you, this is not a sweet cloying wine. This
Gewurztraminer is spicy, exotic on the palate, and surprisingly, fairly dry. It
is perfect with this menu because it cools spicy food, stands up to Bolognese,
and yet does not overpower smoked salmon. Plus, it is freakin delicious.


Wine: Red Bodegas y Vinedos Luna Beberide Mencia Bierzo $15

This bright red wine screams red berries, licorice and pepper. This drinkable
wine has great structure but no tannins so it will not interfere with spicy
food. It is the perfect companion to any spicy Latin food, fusion or no!
















Cheers!
Christa, Rachel & Phoebe





About Rachel
Rachel is the "professional drinker" of the group. She is from California but currently resides in Somerville. She graduated from Boston University's Culinary Arts program in the Fall but her true love is booze, which is why she is drinking her way through the Elizabeth Bishop and Master Sommelier programs. She has traveled the world drinking wine but her favorite spot is among her ladies...

SSC Wicked Awesome Edition: A Taste of New England

As you may have noticed, our supper clubs usually have a theme. This does not mean, however, that if you are the host you are obliged to pick a country, a holiday, or even a course (as you will see next week). As our fearless leader for the night, you get to do whatever you want, which is exactly what Laura did. She ditched the labels and just made damn good food.



I suppose you could have called our dinner New England traditional since it involved kale, white fish, succotash, and New Englander cocktails, but this was way better than the traditional fare we are used to (and the cocktails were a lot stronger!).

We did maintain some traditions, however and as always the evening was wildly inappropriate and wicked fun!


Pureed Broccoli & Roasted Garlic Canapes

Roasted Baguette
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp dried crushed red pepper
16 1/2-inch-thick baguette slices

Puree
2 cups broccoli florets plus 1/2 cup peeled thinly sliced stalks (from about 8 ounces broccoli)
1 c canned cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine garlic, oil and crushed red pepper in small custard cup. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until garlic is tender, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly. Arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes.

Steam broccoli florets and stalks until very tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse with cold water. Drain. Transfer to processor. Add cannellini, lemon juice and oil-and-garlic mixture. Process until smooth. Season broccoli puree with salt and pepper.

Spread broccoli puree atop toasts. Transfer canapés to platter and serve.

Laura's Succulent Succotash

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 c chopped onion
Coarse kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 c chopped red tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 1/4 c corn kernels cut from 4 ears of corn (preferably 2 ears of white corn and 2 ears of yellow corn)
2 c fresh lima beans (from about 2 pounds pods) or 10 to 11 oz frozen lima beans or baby butter beans, thawed
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sprinkle with coarse salt. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, corn, and lima beans. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until corn and lima beans are tender and tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

Stir in basil and serve.

Potato and Kale Cakes with Rouille

Rouille
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper



Cakes
1 1/2 pounds unpeeled russet potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 pound kale, center rib and stem cut from each leaf, leaves coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For Rouille
Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl. Season rouille to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

For Cakes
Cook potatoes in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain; return potatoes to same saucepan. Add milk and butter. Mash potatoes (with peel) until smooth. Season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Transfer 3 cups mashed potatoes to large bowl and cool (reserve remaining potatoes for another use).

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add kale and thyme. Toss until kale wilts, about 5 minutes. Add kale mixture, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg to potatoes; blend. Cool potato mixture 30 minutes.

Shape potato mixture by 1/4 cupfuls into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made up to 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cakes and cook, without moving, until cakes are brown and crispy on bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully turn cakes over. Cook until brown on bottom, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to plates. Top each cake with dollop of rouille.

Black Cod with Miso
For Miso
saké
3/4 cups mirin
2 cups white miso paste
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

For Cod
4 black cod fillets, about 1/2 pound (230 g) each
3 cups (800 g) Nobu-style Saikyo Miso
1 stalk hajikami per serving

Miso Prep
Bring the saké and the mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil
for 20 seconds to evaporate the alcohol.

Turn the heat down to low and add the miso paste, mixing with a wooden spoon.
When the miso has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to high again and add
the sugar, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon to ensure that the
bottom of the pan doesn’t burn. Remove from heat once the sugar is fully
dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Cod Prep
Pat fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Slather the fish with Nobu-style
Saikyo Miso and place in a non-reactive dish or bowl and cover tightly with
plastic wrap. Leave to steep in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C, gas 6). Preheat a grill or broiler. Lightly wipe
off any excess miso clinging to the fillets but don't rinse it off. Place the
fish on the grill, or in a broiler pan, and grill or broil until the surface
of the fish turns brown. Then bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Arrange the black cod fillets on individual plates and garnish with hajikami.
Add a few extra drops of Nobu-style Saikyo Miso to each plate.



Mini Whoopie Pies with Peanut Butter Filling

Cakes
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, such as Droste
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup milk

Peanut Butter Filling
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Fine salt

Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat
the oven to 425°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cakes
Whisk together the flours, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer at high speed
until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and milk and beat at medium speed
until incorporated. At low speed, add the flour mixture in 2 batches,
alternating with the milk, mixing until just blended.

Using a half-tablespoon measure, drop 18 generous teaspoons of batter onto
each sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cakes. Bake the 2 sheets at the
same time, 5 to 7 minutes, until springy to touch. Let cool on the sheets for
5 minutes, and transfer to racks to cool completely. Change the parchment and
repeat using the remaining batter (72 cakes in total).

Peanut Butter Filling
Cream peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with
the paddle attachment on high speed. On low speed, mix in sugar until
combined, then beat mixture on high speed until fluffy and smooth, about 3
minutes. Add salt to taste, if desired. Use immediately.

Simply the Best Scones Ever!
This is a great recipe that I got from my mom's friend Kathy, and believe me, she's right in saying these are the best scones ever!

Scones
4 c flour
1 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c unsalted butter
1 c vanilla yogurt, nonfat
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup white chocolate chips*
1/2 cup dried cranberries*

Icing
1 1/2 c powerderd sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract (clear is preferable, regular will make icing off white, but it tastes the same)
2 tbsp milk

Scones
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Add white chocolate chips and cranberries after the other ingredients are well mixed.

Turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Cut into two pieces and form into balls. Pat each ball into 1/2 in circle. It will measure approx 9in across. Cut each round into 12 wedges with a pizza cutter or pairing knife. Place 2 in apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 15-20min, until golden brown. Cool.

Icing
Combine powered sugar, butter, vanilla & milk, beating until creamy. Thin with water to achieve desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled scones with fork or pastry bag with a small writing tip.

* You can replace white chocolate chips/cranberries with toffee bits, chocolate chips, walnuts, raisins or anything else you like. Lots of different combinations work well with this recipe so get creative!



Booze Pairings!

Cocktail: Phoebe’s New Englanders
2 parts Vodka
1 part soda water
1 part blueberry juice (this can be really hard to find so I used the juice from Del Monte fruit naturals, all natural blueberries.)
1 part cranberry juice
blueberries
lime slices

Garnish the rim of the glass with sugar. Add ice, blueberry and cranberry juices, lime slice and vodka to glass. Pour soda water on top. Drop a couple blueberries into glass.


Wine: White
Sybille Kuntz Riesling Mosel $18

This week’s weather was sign of things to come: flip flops, beach days, and the
return of white wine. This Riesling was the perfect way to celebrate the coming
of spring and it also happened to go beautifully with our dinner! On the nose it
was an exciting bouquet of pear, apple and honey and in the mouth it was
graceful with powerful but elegant acidity. It went beautifully with the dish
because it could hold its own without overpowering the fish and its hint of
minerality was a perfect compliment to the vegetables.


Wine: Red
Erath Pinot Noir Willamette Valley $18

It only seems fitting that we had a wine made in Oregon while we noshed on food
cooked by Laura, who was also made in Oregon. This Pinot is one of my favorites
from this region. It is exactly what it should be: black cherry, vanilla and
earth. It is very versatile so you can eat it with almost anything but I have to
say, it was perfect with our dinner…


Beer: Berkshire Brewery Company Golden Spike

This local preservative free beer is shipped and stored cold so it always tastes
incredibly fresh. It was brilliant light gold in the glass with a beautiful
thick head. It smells of lemongrass and bread and it is easy drinking with great
acidity and a dry finish. It was medium bodied and very refreshing- exactly what
you want when eating fresh veggie succotash and white fish...


Cheers!
Christa, Rachel, Phoebe & Laura









About Laura
Laura manages consumer marketing for Sonos, a wireless music system. Her great loves are travel, music, eating and drinking – a nice pairing, don’t you think? Since she’s managed to find a job that has to do with music, all her spare time is spent traveling the world tasting local libations and looking for her next great meal. Born and raised in organic Oregon, Laura has always had a taste for fresh and local food and recently has been getting pretty good at making it on her own,thanks to her weekly vegetable delivery from Boston Organics!

Nobody Expects the Spanish Supper Club Edition!

Today's SSC is not just an excuse for a Monty Python pun. We actually didn't know what to expect. Jen took the night this week and kept us in the dark until the very last second, but as usual, we were pleasantly surprised. What lay before us was a smorgasbord of simple, satisfying and sultry Spanish food (Along with an excuse for a massive amount of alliteration,). Jen is also a bit of a health nut, so everything on the menu was not only delicious, but quite healthy, so we can all stay sexy (Ha! I'm unstoppable!).

Per usual, the night descended into devilish drunkenness where we discussed strippers/ the usefulness there of, our lack of actual careers and the various shenanigans that we had engaged in. Then we ate flan and decided to buy pregnancy tests. Get over it guys, we're modern women.


Beautiful Beet Salad

Salad
Romaine lettuce
roasted beets
apple
feta cheese

Dressing
Balsamic vinegar
honey
djion mustard
olive oil


Jen's Spanish Tortilla

A low-fat version of a regular Spanish tortilla, a bit like a fritatta, with steamed potatoes, instead of fried.

1 pound boiling potatoes, peeled if desired and sliced thinly about 1/8 in
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow or red onion, finely chopped
Swiss chard*
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (about 3/4 teaspoon)
6 large eggs



Steam the potatoes until tender, about eight minutes, and set aside.

In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet, and add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender but not browned, about five minutes. Add the potatoes to the pan, and toss together gently so that the potatoes don’t break apart. Season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Beat the eggs in a bowl, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Stir in the potatoes and onions.

Return the pan to the stove, and heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Drizzle in a drop of egg; when it sizzles and cooks at once, scrape the eggs and vegetables back into the pan. Shake the pan gently while you lift the edges of the frittata, and tilt the pan to let egg run underneath and set. When the bottom of the frittata has set, turn the heat to low and cover the pan. When it's cooked place a large plate over the frying pan and flip the tortilla onto it. Return to the pan and fry the other side until golden brown.

*This is the basic recipe, so you can add any other finely diced vegetables or meats. For this meal blanched Swiss chard was added but mushrooms, spinach, ham or bacon would also work well.



Spicy Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp

1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and de-veined (Look for domestic farmed shrimp or Oregon pink shrimp.)
Sea salt or kosher salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped or thinly sliced
1 bay leaf, broken in half
Red pepper flakes to taste
2 tablespoons minced parsley


Sprinkle the shrimp with salt, toss and let sit for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy nonstick frying pan, and add the garlic, bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic begins to color, about one minute. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and add the shrimp. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, two to three minutes. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.



Jen's cooking really reflects her
personality, also, her face.








Booze Pairings!

Wine: White
2009 Domaine Saint-Peyre Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul-de-Pinet $10

This wine is an absolute steal! And as a bonus, it went perfectly with Jen’s Spanish meal… On the nose this wine was a beautiful mix of pear, mineral, and a hint of white pepper. In the mouth it was fairly high in acid but it had a hint of pleasant mustiness that added to the wine’s complexity. The sourness of the wine complimented the vegetables in the tortilla perfectly and even though it had lots of flavor, it definitely did not overwhelm the subtly of the shrimp.


Wine: Red
2009 D. Ventura Vina do Burato Mencia Ribeira Sacra

When most people think of Spanish red wine they usually think Tempranillo (Rioja) or Garnacha but there is another Spanish varietal that has long been neglected but tops our list, Mencia. This wine was light and fresh, which was wonderful for this meal because it did not overpower the tortilla or shrimp. This did not mean, however, that the wine was simple. Its aroma was an elegant bouquet of exotic red fruit, spice, dried flowers and mineral. In the mouth it was all that and more. It was absolute perfect with dinner but to tell the truth, this juice is so good I could drink it with just about anything (or with nothing at all)…


Beer: Blue Hills Brewery Dunkelweizen

This medium bodied beer from a local brewery in Canton had yeasty caramel notes in the front and then nutty banana bread in the finish. It was very drinkable and its sweetness, alcohol and hoppiness was perfectly balanced. It was light enough to pair beautifully with Spanish fare but it definitely did not lack in personality...


Cocktail

Sherry has long been dismissed as a cooking ingredient or just that weird mushroomy stuff. Well guess what? Sherry is back! The growing popularity of tapas restaurants in America has also been good for the fortified beverage and now it is the new hipster drink of choice. We thought we would celebrate its rebirth with a delicious sherry cocktail...
2 parts sherry
1 part brandy
½ part orange juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Shake in glass with ice. Strain into martini glass. Delish!



Cheers!
Christa, Rachel, Phoebe & Jen



About Jen

Jen has only recently learned how to use a stove to cook healthier
meals using fresh ingredients, mostly as a way to avoid having to go
outside to obtain meals during Boston winters. She still much prefers
great food cooked by others and especially enjoys traveling to more
exotic places and sampling the local cuisine.

Going Green: SSC's Drunk(er than usual) Edition

St Patrick’s Day is one of our favorite holidays here at Supper Sanity Club. So, of course this past March, we decided to have a party celebrating just that. I know what most of you are thinking, we love having the excuse to day drink. But while any reason to have an extra cocktail always makes us smile, we like St Patrick’s Day for other reasons. We love that Boston is beaming with (drunk) smiles, we all really enjoy Irish fare, and lets face it, we do like that everyone is abuzz with talk of beer, wine, and cocktails.

Sadly, Fiona, our only Irish member was transferred to New York just a couple weeks before her big day, so we had to make do without her. Luckily, we had her recipes and a ton of Irish whiskey to get us through the night…


Rachel's Shepherds Pie (Serves 6)

Stew
2 1/2 lbs lamb stew meat, carefully trimmed
2 leeks (wash well), white and pale green parts only chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 yellow onions, cut into ½ inch wedges
1 shallot, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
4 parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1 bottle of full bodied red wine
2 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons butter
flour as needed
salt and pepper to taste

Heat 3 tablespoons oil (I prefer canola bc it gets hotter and does not impart flavors) in large pot. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Brown meat on all sides, working in batches (about 3/4 minutes each side). Put meat aside.

Add leeks, garlic, onions, and shallots and cook until onion is light gold (about 10 minutes), deglazing pan as you do this.

Add carrots, parsnips, rosemary and thyme and cook on high heat until veggies are roasted but not mushy (about 12-15 minutes), stirring every few minutes.

Add mushrooms, sprinkle salt and pepper and continue to stir for about 3 minutes
Transfer all veggies to bowl. Add wine and broth to pot and reduce until 2 cups (about 20 minutes).

Add meat and vegetables and butter to pot and simmer for 1 1/2- 2 hours (lamb meat should fall apart easily), skim top of stew occasionally to get rid of extra fat.

Thicken with flour as desired. Season with salt and pepper.


Mashed Potatoes
(Everyone has their own “super secret, super awesome” mashed potato recipe so I say use yours, or if you want try mine.)

3 yukon potatoes, cleaned, chopped into 1 inch pieces, skin still on
½ stick butter
½ cup fat free Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste (but the stew can get pretty salty so be careful)

Boil potatoes until completely soft. Drain potatoes and then put back into pot
Mix in all other ingredients with electric mixer.

Final Prep
Put stew in ovenproof large shallow pot (I had to use 2). Dollop potatoes over stew.

Bake for 10 minutes at 400. Broil for 7 minutes (Broilers all work differently so I would do 3 minutes at a time, rotating pan every time you check.) EAT!


Corned Beef and Cabbage

3 pounds corned beef (I bought it pre-brined)
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
2 12 ounce bottles of dark ale or stout
2 tablespoons mustard
1 medium head of cabbage, cut into small wedges

Set slow cooker to low.

Place corned beef (fat side up) and vegetables in slow cooker. Pour beer over beef and vegetables. Spread mustard on beef.Cook beef for 8-9 hours or until very tender.

Remove beef. Place cabbage in slow cooker, turn cooker to high and cook for 30 minutes
Slice beef against grain and serve with cabbage, vegetables and creamy horseradish sauce.


Creamy Horseradish Sauce

½ cup fat free Greek yogurt
¼ cup drained prepared horseradish

Mix well. Done!


Christa's Guinness Brownies
These brownies are a bit fudgier than regular brownies and have more of a dark chocolate flavor. Sort of a grown up version of regular brownies...and by that I mean, a bit less sweet and more prone to alcoholsim.





1 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temp)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)
1/2 block unsweetened bakers chocolate
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups (10 ounces) Guinness Extra Stout beer (room temp)*
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt combined. Set aside.

Put butter, 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and white chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl. Microwave for a minute. Stir. Continue to microwave in 15 sec increments, stirring in between until everything is melted together. This can also be done in a double boiler...but umm, I don't have one, so this is what I did instead.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined.

Beat the flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in Guinness. The batter will seem kinda thin. Drop the remainder of semisweet chocolate chips evenly on top of batter.

Pour into baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.

Let brownies cool, uncovered, to room temperature. Cut and dust with confectioners' sugar.

*Note: Make sure the Guiness is extra stout. For some reason it works better for baking, I have no clue why. Also, don't include foam in the measurement. You can either spoon off the foam (and eat it...heh) or let it rest until the foam subsides.


Booze Pairings

Wine: Red
2009 Puydeval $15

This wine is a blend of Cab Franc, Syrah, and Merlot from the Vin De Pay D’oc. It emits a beautiful bouquet of flowers, blackberries, licorice, pepper, and a hint of basil. It is a perfect representation of all its varietals. In the palate it is rich, spicy and very well balanced and its lingering finish is elegant and complex making you rush to your next sip. Needless to say, it was absolutely perfect with our stew!




Wine: White
2009 Burgans Albarino $14

Okay, lets be honest here, we only chose this wine because it had an Irish looking label.. Luckily though, it was also delicious! It had a nose of mineral, flowers, tropical fruit, and citrus. On the palate it was medium bodied with an abundance of herbs and natural fruit. I would not necessarily recommend this with heavy stew but it was the perfect aperitif!




Beer
What else? Guinness!!

Cocktail
Irish Eyes

1 part Irish Whisky
¼ part green crème de menthe
2 parts cream

Combine ingredients with ice. Shake well and strain into glass.

Cheers!
Christa, Rachel, Phoebe & Fiona (from afar!)