As promised,  here are the potatoes Jay Dickerson made in the “This Little Piggy” class. These would be great with Thanksgiving Dinner. The recipe is courtesy of Rhonda Clark.
Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
A creamy sweet potato dish that’s a little less sweet

 Servings:  4
                                      
  2 large sweet potatoes sliced into 1/4″ slices              
  1 cup heavy cream or enough to just about cover potatoes                      [Read more →]

EQ hosted Bell’s Beer Dinner last night and both the Bell’s beer (thank you Veronica Sanders!) and Jean Strasser’s food were amazing. The EQ team was on their game, too. As Jennifer said “Great food. Great beer. Great people. We love you guys!” We love you, too, Jennifer!

Here’s the soup we featured in class.

Cheddar Rarebit Soup
Serves 4-6
Prep: 45 minutes

2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only) washed well, cut into ¼ inch dice
2 medium carrots, cut into ¼ inch dice
2 celery ribs, cut into ¼ inch dice
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic [Read more →]

I always look forward to sharing my holiday ideas with Jessica Noll at KYPost.com.  Here are some quick and easy ideas to scare, er, inspire you!

The simplest decorations can be the most effective:

Drape ripped, torn and tattered tea-stained gauze from windows, doors and bookcases.

Place pumpkins everywhere! Place them on the stairs, in the guest bathroom, on the buffet table, on the cocktail table, on the bar, etc, etc. You can’t over do pumpkins.

Have a candelabra? This is the time to use it!

Fill apothecary jars with gummy worms, gummy eyeballs or black licorice

Fill a bowl with plastic fangs and another with spider rings (sooner or later everyone at the party will be wearing them!)

Replace the standard light bulbs in your lamps with red bulbs or black lights

Don’t forget the music….a Halloween playlist does a lot to set the tone! Sure they’re cliché, but you have to include:

Thriller, I Put a Spell on You, Wild Thing, Spooky, Monster Mash, Werewolves of London, Witch Doctor, Love Potion No. 9 and Ghostbusters

What’s Halloween without a few spirits?  If you’re throwing a Halloween Party, you absolutely must have a themed cocktail!

Here’s Looking at You: Green Ghost Cocktail with Eyeball Garnish

Makes 1 drink

1¼ ounces vodka

1 ounce blue Curacao [Read more →]

You know what they say about pork- you can use everything but the squeal! From bacon to ham, chops to roasts, pork makes for darn good eatin’.  In last night’s class at EQ, Graeter’s Chef Steve Hellmich showed off pork’s versatility. The class favorite? Pork Cutlet with 3-Mustard Cream Sauce. I have to agree with Louis, who simply said “Fabulous”. We paired it with one of my favorite wines, Angel’s Landing Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pork Cutlet With 3-Mustard Cream Sauce
(4-6 Servings)

1 ½ pounds, pork loin or pork tenderloin
1 ½ tablespoons salad oil

Cut pork into 1/2” thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat medium to large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When the oil hot and just before it starts to smoke, add pork. Cook until brown on both sides and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. (If all of the pork will not fit in the skillet at one time, cook in two batches). Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Wipe out any excess oil with a paper towel then make the sauce.

3-Mustard Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 small shallot, finely diced [Read more →]

Biddy Bat Bites….Boo-tiful!

Makes 16 peices

1 (4 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
8 ounces soft, mild goat cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup pesto
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons poppy seeds [Read more →]

Pam Walling has a way with desserts and last night at EQ she created the most beautiful Fall Fruit Desserts. While our students loved all of Pam’s creations, the fave was the Pear Croustade with Hazelnut Topping. As Rose put it, “Excellent – Can’t wait to bake at home!” Bake on, Rose!

Pear Croustade with Hazelnut Topping
6-8 Servings

Topping:
½ cup flour
2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
5 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cubed
Pinch of salt

Blend all in a processor until [Read more →]

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Makes 8 cups

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, diced, about one cup
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
¼ cup orange juice concentrate [Read more →]

Check out my Halloween tips on KYPost.com

Stephen said  “The pasta was fantastic!!!  Liz  commented that  she “Loved the pasta!”

The raves poured in for last night’s class at EQ , A Taste of The Palace with Chef Jose Salazar and Chef Summer Genetti. Everybody loved the menu, especially the pasta. Jose prepared a delectable Sweet Potato Agnolotti and based on our student’s reviews, it was the favorite of the night. I just had to share- enjoy!

Sweet Potato Agnolotti
Recipe Courtesy of Chef Jose Salazar, The Palace
Wine Pairing:  2007 L’Ecole Semillon Washington
Yields 4-6 portions

Pasta Dough:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
6 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil [Read more →]

Listen to the interview.

Sara Vance shared a bit about the services offered by Cancer Family Care. It’s a wonderful organization that needs our support. How can you help? Go to the 30th Annual Wine Tasting and Auction, being held at the Manor House in Mason on November 6th. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s nothing better than to party with a purpose! For more information, visit Cancerfamilycare.org

Cancer Family Care 30th Annual Wine Tasting and Auction
The Manor House
7440 Mason-Montgomery Rd, Mason, OH 45040
Friday November 6th at 6:00 pm