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: Goodbye Summer! Edition

Finally, after our short hiatus (due to the trials of furthering my education) SCC is back and better than ever! Just in time for the cooler weather, we'll be here to hook you up with some of our fall favorites....but first, a sumptuous summer wrap up brought to you by our favorite curly haired vixen, Phoebe!

- Christa


For this edition of Supper Sanity Club we went with the theme “Good Bye Summer!" With the help of our new SSC member Manika, (who let me take over her apartment because I live in a something that is smaller then a bread box), we put together a dinner showcasing foods to help us transition from summer to fall.

We made a lobster chowder, as something warmer for the changing weather, but still with lobster that screams summer. Next, we put together a salad with both light leafy greens and blueberries for that final summer harvest, but a maple dressing with walnuts for fall flavor goodness. Once we had a few amazing side dishes and dessert brought to us by our fellow Supper Clubbers, we had the perfect meal to take us into the new season. Enjoy!

- Phoebe


Maple, Blueberry & Walnut Salad with Goat Cheese
I have promised my family, (who have been nice enough not to disown me because of my comedy,) that I wouldn't give away our maple soy vinaigrette, but, I will give you the basics because I love you guys too!

Vinaigrette
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
lemon juice
maple syrup
tamari
crushed garlic

Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a salad dressing container or a jar with a tightly sealable lid. Shake!

Salad
spring mix of dark leafy greens
a mix of cherry tomatoes
blueberries
crushed walnuts
chunks of goat cheese
Changs Crunchy Noodles ([fried wantons] if you can't find just use croutons)

Toss salad ingredients together. Top with vinaigrette.



Lobster & Fish Chowder
This is rather expensive to make, but you can use it as an entree if you double up on potatoes, and onions.

1 sweet onion
butter
garlic
salt
pepper
parsley
white fish (cod, mahi mahi, halibut, etc.)
celery salt
potatoes (yukon, or russet)
1/2 quart half and half or whole milk (don't be a pussy!)
canned lobster meat (can be found in any super market, just ask at the seafood counter)
fresh corn the cob, boiled or roasted
Old Bay

Sauté sweet onion in butter and garlic. Put about 3 inches of water in bottom of pan, add some salt, pepper, and a pinch of fresh parsley. Boil, then lay in your fish and cook at a still bubbling but at lower temp for about five minutes. Lower to a simmer and add celery salt.

At about four minutes into simmering, put in peeled and cubed potatoes. Take off heat and add a little butter. Whole thing should cook for about 5 minutes.

Cool down to a simmer and add half and half. Cut corn off cob. Add corn, canned lobster meat and Old Bay.

Voila!


Lentil Orzo with Pistachios and Cranberries
Our mysterious girlfriend Manika is not one for recipes,
she just lets it happen! Much to our delight, what happened was deliciousness!





orzo, cooked and cooled
seasoned lentils, cooked
4 pieces bacon, chopped and browned until crispy (High quality bacon works best, Manika used bacon from the butcher at Whole Foods)
cranberries
goat or feta cheese, crumbled
olive oil
lime juice
seasoning to taste
roasted pistachios
chopped parsley

Toss all ingredients together and serve at room temperature.



Roasted peppers with Feta Dip

Peppers
baby peppers
salt
pepper
olive oil

Toss peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put on cookie sheet and roast at 375 for 40 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Dip
3/4 cup feta cheese
1 cup yogurt
2 tbsp preserved lemons (chopped)
2 tbsp capers

Blend all ingredients together quickly. Serve with peppers as a dip. Yum!




Lime Sugar Cookies with Blueberry Cream Filling
A fantastic recipe borrowed from www.sinfullyspicy.com!

Cookies
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt 6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice


Blueberry Cream Cheese Filling
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1.5 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp blueberry paste [recipe below]

Blueberry Paste
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cornstarch

Prep for Cookies
In a medium bowl, sift flour,baking soda & powder, salt. Set aside.

In a larger bowl,cream the butter and sugar thoroughly until fluffy. Add the lime juice & vanilla and beat until combined.

Gradually add in the flour mixture and gently combine with a spatula to bring together into a dough. You might need to add a tbsp or more of milk at this stage if required to make a soft dough.

Divide the dough into 2 small balls. Take a piece of plastic wrap, put the dough balls on it and flatten with palm to make a disc. Wrap the discs with plastic wrap. Repeat the same with 2nd dough ball. Chill both discs for about 30 minutes.

Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. Avoid using aluminum foil. Extreme heat will burn the cookies on the bottom.

After chilling, take one disc out, unwrap it and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Initially, you may find it little difficult to roll because of the chilled dough. It will soften as you go along.

Roll the disc using a floured rolling-pin into a sheet about 1/4″ thick. Using a floured cookie cutter cut the cookies from the rolled dough.

Using a floured thin spatula, transfer the cookies to the lined cookie sheet. Picking up the cookies with fingers will deshape them.

Preheat the oven to 350. Chill the cut cookies again for 15 minutes.

Once chilled, bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the sides start turning brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack.


Blueberry Paste Prep
Tip in the blueberries, water and sugar to a small sauce pan. Cook it on low heat until the blueberries are soft and mushy. Transfer to a blender. Blend on high to form a puree. Dissolve cornstarch into lemon juice.

Transfer the puree to sauce pan again and add cornstarch mix. Cook on very low heat for about 5-8 minutes until you get a thick paste. Cool completely before adding to the cream.


Blueberry Cream Filling Prep
Make the filling by beating the cream cheese & butter with an electric mixer. Mix in powdered sugar until smooth. Add 2 tbsp of the cooled blueberry paste above to make a smooth mix.

Assembly
Pipe or spread 1-2 tablespoons of blueberry filling in the center of a cookie. Top with a second cookie and press together until the filling reaches the edges of the cookies. Store in an air tight box for up to 3 days.



Booze Pairings!
Okay guys, here's the thing, this particular night we drank about 9 bottles of wine so while I can't get to all of them, here's a review for one of my favorites.

Big Claw White Wine, $14
Big Claw is a new wine specifically designed to pair with lobster. It is a crisp, balanced blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard, Gewurztraminer, and Chenin Blanc from the North Coast. This fantastic wine was the unanimous choice as “the perfect wine to go with lobster” by members of a panel of wine and food professionals chosen by the Lobster Institute in
Maine, an organization dedicated to the preservation of lobster.

Steve Melchiskey of USA Wine West (with offices in California and Maine) and Tim Wissemann of Mariner Beverages (Portland, Maine) are the designers of this wine. It went phenomenally with the lobster stew, but was also just sweet enough to pair with the spicy peppers, and smooth and buttery enough to go to with our desert.

-Phoebe

















The ladies, looking classy!












A scientific experiment: The effect of 9 bottles of wine on classiness...




Cheers!
Christa & Phoebe






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.

Holy Crap! Rachel's Back!: SSC's Last Minute Party Edition

Joy of joys! Our favorite Californian sommelier and former SSC writer, Rachel was back in town for a day. You know what that means... We had to celebrate! So we gathered together, brought our favorite, easy to make, last minute party foods (and booze, of course) and threw together a kickass shin-dig! Who knew an out of state unpaid parking ticket would be so much fun!


Manika's Lamb & Pork Kebab Wontons
with Yoghurt Chutney Slaw

Since this dish was cooked to taste, this is a rough outline of a recipe for these delicious little appetizers. Make sure to try your hand at these! They were the hit of the party!




Kebabs
1 pound fresh ground lamb
1 pound fresh ground pork
seasoning to taste, spices, salt, garlic, ginger, etc.

Wontons
pre-made wonton skins
olive oil

Yoghurt Chutney Slaw
chopped avocado
sliced cabbage
yoghurt
mango chutney
jalapenos
parsley

Heat oven to 350.
Combine meats with seasonings of choice. Handle meat as little as possible and form into loose balls. Place on baking tray and cook until done, about 20 minutes. (Think meatballs here.)

Oil muffin pan and place wonton skin in each opening. Bake at 350 for about 5 minutes until lightly brown.

For Yoghurt Slaw
Combine yoghurt, chutney, parsley, cabbage, jalapenos, avocado, and seasoning.

To Serve
Place kebab meatballs in wonton cups. Serve warm. Top with yoghurt slaw just before serving.




Mango Lime Quinoa
This dish is super light, fresh, and just plain delicious!

Quinoa
1 cup dry quinoa
2 mangoes peeled and chopped
finely chopped Serrano chili with seeds
2 tomatoes seeded and chopped
juice of 2 limes
1 can black beans rinsed until water runs clear
salt

Topping
small red onion chopped
fresh chopped cilantro

Cook quinoa. Stir in remaining ingredients. Top with onion and cilantro.
Can be served warm or cold.




Lasagna Soup
An interesting take on an Italian classic!

Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 pounds Italian sausage
2 large onions, diced 1 large bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced oregano basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
small can tomato paste
large can (28 oz) diced, stewed or crushed tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 box lasagna noodles

Cheese
8 oz ricotta
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
black pepper
1 cup part skim mozzarella cheese (this can be mixed in, or reserved on the side a soup topping)

In big pan add oil and heat. Add onions and pepper. Saute slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Chop sausage into chunks, and add to pan. Cook 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, basil and red pepper, and tomato paste. Stir. Add can of tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir. Simmer 30 minutes. Add pasta. Break it into small pieces before cooking. Cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine your cheeses and pepper in a separate bowl. To serve, place some of the cheese mixture into a bowl, then add hot soup! Voila!




Roasted Sweet Potatoes
An awesomely simple, tasty side dish!

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling later
1/4 cup honey 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt and black pepper


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lay the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes in oven or until tender.

Remove potatoes from oven and transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with more olive oil.




Christa's Cheese Cake Cupcakes
This one is another of my mom's recipes. It's super easy, super delicious and super quick to make. Plus, if you leave off the graham cracker crust, it's also gluten free!






Cheesecake
16oz cream cheese (2 8oz packages)
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
cupcake papers

Topping
1 can or jar cherry pie filling

Graham Cracker Crust: the fancy way (Traditional graham cracker crust)
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 1 full sleeve)
5 tbsp butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

---------------or------------------
Graham Cracker Crust: the lazy way
1 box of Nilla Wafers


Put cupcake papers in cupcake pan.

For graham cracker crust the lazy way: Drop 1 Nilla wafer in each cupcake paper. Easy!

For graham cracker crust the fancy way:
Crush up graham crackers. You can do this while the sleeve is still closed with a rolling pin or take them out of the sleeve and use a food processor to grind them. Make sure they are finely ground. Melt butter and combine into a bowl with graham cracker crumbs and add sugar and cinnamon.

Place a tbsp of mixture into each cupcake paper. Pat down into paper. Bake for about 3 minutes at 350.

Cheesecake
Blend cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla into a large bowl. Pour mixture into the cupcakes papers with the previously made graham cracker crust so that they are about 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cool! Top with a tbsp of cherry topping! Make sure to refrigerate! Wooo!

Yield 18 cupcakes.

- Christa



Booze Pairings!
Rachel returns so we broke out the big alcohol guns!

Selectus, Bogeda Los Aljibes. $50
For Racheal's brief, one night return, I sprung for something a little pricey. I have had my eye on it for a while, and tonight was the night to take the plunge. It was totally worth it! The Selectus is an exceptionally modern, powerful and spectacular wine. It has a brilliant, deep cherry color. With a highly complex nose containing hints of minerals and Indian ink, the Selectus has toasted reminiscences which give way to an aroma of mature dark colored fruits like blackcurrant, raspberry, and prune. It's a flavorsome, smooth wine which is appetizing and highly attractive. A wine that is fleshy, oily and perfectly balanced, it is full-flavored, yet surprisingly mellow, is exciting to the palate, and transmits sensations to all five senses.

Domaine Carneros by Taittinger $25
This cuvée has aromas of freesias, baked pear, melon and citrus peel enhanced with notes of toast and vanilla. The wine has a solid structure, it is round and flavorful with a long creamy finish. So yeah, its just really good...and Rachel loves bubbles :)

-Phoebe












Sarah, Laura & Jamie strike a pose; Rachel & Manika get close; Roommates re-united!













Popsicles!; Our plates for the evening


Cheers!
Christa, Rachel & Phoebe



About Rachel
Rachel is the "professional drinker" of the group. She currently resides in California and graduated from Boston University's Culinary Arts program in the Fall of 2010. Rachel's true love is booze, which is why she is drank 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! You can check what Rachel's up to and what's new in the world of wine with some great videos, reviews and more at TastingRoom.com!

SSC Cold as Ice Edition: Fresh & Fruity Dishes Best Served Cold!

Summer. It's great right? Lounging on the beach, basking in cool breeze, hanging out on your deck, grilling in the afternoon, sitting in your beautiful air conditioned, well ventilated apartment with a sweater on...You have all of those things right? You do? Well, screw you. I don't.

In light of the fact that most of us don't live near beaches, have fancy decks, air conditioning and up to code ventilation, I'm taking the helm this week to bring to you SSC: Cold As Ice Edition. An array of dishes, best served cold. This stuff is also is great to prep the night before and perfect to bring to an outdoor meal, provided you can find a place that isn't private property or littered with hypodermic needles.

Hey, it might feel like an oven in your apartment, but at lest you won't have to turn yours on! Enjoy!




Edamame, Corn & Black Bean Salad
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups cooked shelled edamame
1 cups cooked corn (I just used the frozen kind)
1 cup black beans (I used canned...make sure to drain)
1/2 cup red bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup cilantro

In a small saucepan, combine vinegars, sugar, cumin and garlic. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

Place edamame, corn, black beans and red pepper in a medium bowl. Pour vinegar mixture over vegetables. Stir. Refrigerate 2-4 hours. Stir in cilantro before serving.




Chicken Curry Salad
This fan favorite has a pretty simple recipe but everyone always freaks over its EXTREME AWESOMENESS. This is also a great recipe if you have a bunch of leftover chicken. You're welcome.





1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
2 tsp curry powder
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/3 cup dried sweetened coconut
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 large onion, diced
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne pepper

lettuce
sandwich wraps (Spinach is my favorite but multigrain or white works great too.)

Combine all ingredients (sans the actual wraps & lettuce...obviously). Chill 3-5 hrs or overnight. Serve in wraps with lettuce. You will not be disappointed.




Hawaiian Salad/ Ambrosia
This is not even remotely close to an actual salad, which is probably why it is so damn delicious...

1 bag of mini marshmallows
1/2 pint sour cream
1 large can of fruit cocktail, drained
1 medium can of pineapple


Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Refrigerate 5-6 hours or overnight.




Pretty Much the Best Strawberry Shortcake Ever
This is an amazing recipe that my mom used to make after we went strawberry picking every summer. It's a modified Fanny Farmer recipe and it's always been one of my absolute favorites!





Sponge Cake
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp cold water
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar

2 8-inch layer cake pans

Whipped cream & Strawberries
1 pint heavy whipping cream
Sugar to taste
1lb strawberries, washed and halved


Pre-heat oven to 350.

Separate egg whites from egg yolks into 2 separate bowls. In yet another bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. Beat egg whites until they stand in soft peaks. Beat in 1/4 of the sugar.

Without washing the beater, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Then beat in vanilla, water, lemon juice and the remainder of the sugar.

Pour yolk mixture into the whites and fold together until well blended. Fold in flour mixture. Spray pans with cooking spray. Pour into pans.

Bake 25-30 minutes. (To test, press lightly with finger. If the cake is done it will spring back.)
Let cool.


Whipped Cream
Pour cream into a large bowl. Start whipping. Gradually add sugar to taste. I really have no idea how much I use. Maybe a half a cup? I dunno. Beat until it stands in soft peaks.

Construction
After cake has thoroughly cooled spread whipped cream on top of one cake. Place sliced strawberries on top. Place unfrosted cake on top of that. Spread whipped cream and place strawberries on top of that. You have now made a delicious cake. Hooray!





Booze Pairings!

Domain Houchart Provence Rosé 2010whole foods, $10
Rosé gets a bad rap, and this is because of that trashy little Miss White Zin, Beringer to be exact, trouncing around with her fakery, misleading impressible drinkers into thinking that she is a real pink wine. It's a dye job, people!

Rosé is the perfect summer wine. I eagerly await the summers through the brutally cold New England winter for this wonderful style of wine to at last be seasonally appropriate. Boy, was I happy when Sanity Supper Club member Jen plopped a bottle of Houchart rosé on the table to enjoy with our fresh and fruity summer meal.

This particular wine blogger gets rather spoiled working in a fine wine shop, and sometimes forgets about some really great mass produced wines, this being one of them. This light and bright rosé has a good amount of acidity balanced out by a creamy texture. It went perfectly with everything from the lightly savory summer salad, but had strong enough fruit flavors to hold up to the spicy curry wraps, and delicate enough to compliment the strawberry shortcake dessert.

You can find this wine a most Wholefoods with a wine section. It only runs about 10 bucks a bottle, so it wont break the bank. I am thinking of going out to buy a case myself...(as I sit and write this on my work computer,).

P.S. If you like Beringer white zin, by all means drink it. I am of the opinion that you should drink what you like. When it comes to having a good time with your friends, your drink choice is never wrong!



Margaritas!
(This is a basic recipe but you can tinker with it to make your own)

lime wedges
coarse salt
1/4 cup fresh lime juice,(about 1 large lime)
1/4 cup agave tequila
1/4 cup orange liqueur
1/2 cup coarsely cracked ice cubes




Rub the rims of 2 martini glasses with a lime wedge, then dip the rims in a dish of course salt. Refrigerate the glasses if desired.

In a shaker, combine the lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur. Add ice and shake 10 to 15 seconds, then strain into the prepared glasses.



















Your chef for the evening; A mini shortcake with raspberries for our favorite SSC member with an unfortunate strawberry allergy; the best toothpick holder ever














The ladies!; The spread!















Shea gets serious; Quickly disappearing deliciousness; Jen! Wraps! Yum!




Cheers!
Christa & Phoebe




About Christa
Christa is a comedian, artist and graphic designer living in Boston. Because most of her family is fresh off the boat, she knows a thing or two about traditional European cooking and baking, provided that the recipes are in English (Thanks a lot, crappy American school system!). She also has a vast knowledge of fancy-smancy beers made by smelly hippies. Although she has no food credits to speak of, generally speaking everything she makes is considered to be "damn good." Check out her other blog Shameless Pomp and Circumstance if you feel like it!