Recipe Reblog #4

John and I hosted a Winter White Wine Night with our wine club foursome last weekend. More on the wines next week because I think it would take too long for you to read. Sometimes you daydream when you come here, don't lie.

But, I did make a bunch of new recipes to pass along. Emily Post would say not to test out new recipes on guests. I say forget that! The women of the wine club plan the menus and we say, Bring on the new stuff!


Cheesy Beer Fondue: Sandra Lee, you get me. Cheese and beer in one, AND I get to dip stuff in it? Fondue, party of Ashley! This was a quick cheese fondue recipe that I made on the stove and then kept warm in my Little Dipper. By the way, a 2 lb brick of cheese shredded up is PLENTY. Be sure to measure the necessary 4 cups, or just buy it pre-shredded. We dipped sourdough, pumpernickel, green apples, carrots and celery.

Roasted Broccoli: I love broccoli. I really like it simple steamed but this could not have been easier. Broccoli, oil, some seasonings and pop it in the oven. Tastefully delicious!

Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Sauce: This recipe can be found in Rachael Ray's magazine, Everyday. I made these according to the recipe in the pan and then left them on the warming setting in my crockpot. I also doubled the sauce recipe, everything except the sugar. I wanted them a lot saucier and I figured they'd be sweet enough. I was right. This was the only actual recipe that was meant to pair with the wines. These winter whites went well with Thai cuisine.

Three Cheese Mini Macs: I am a sucker for mini foods, and mac & cheese. Put the two together and we have a winner! Sort of. You make the mac and cheese on the stove top first and then put it in mini muffin tins to crisp up a bit. I had really high hopes for these but it needed a lot more seasoning. The flavor was a tad on the bland side. Sorry, Food and Wine. I would make these again because they were super cute but add more spices and maybe more cheese for it to be creamier.

I also served a white pizza with sausage, pear, sage and gruyere cheese. It was amazingly savory. The perfect winter pizza that I dreamed up all by my lonesome.

And for dessert.......

Individual Peanut Butter Pie: A sad story behind a sweet dessert. Last year, the originator of this recipe lost her husband to a sudden heart attack at a very young age. Afterwards, the outpouring of support from the blogging community prompted her to ask everyone to make his favorite recipe to celebrate his life. This individual pie is an adaptation by My Baking Addiction. The original recipe is for a full pie but I'm a sucker for a mini dessert too and I got to use my trifle bowls. I tasted this filling and told John it was the best dessert I'd ever made. That is not an exaggeration. Please make this. For you and for Mikey.

I don't mean to end on a sad note. 6 new recipes in one night! I must have been on something when I planned that menu. It involved a ton of prep work the night before and the day of. Luckily my sous chef took off his apron and cleaned the whole house while I cooked away. I think everything turned out great! As always, good food, good wine, great friends!