Practice Makes Perfect: Thanksgiving Meets Vietnam

November 18th, 2013

Hi Alex!
I need to call you soon. There are so many new things we need to catch up on.

Anyways, I'm planning on making these lil brussies for Thanksgiving but want to practice before I serve them to friends and fam. The Vietnamese twist on my favorite autumn veggie is quite intriguing. Let me know what you think!

Xox,
Amanda

ingredients:

• 2 pounds brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and quartered
• oil for frying

for chili fish sauce

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 fresh chiles, minced (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

for slurry:

• 1 Tablespoon corn starch
• 1 Tablespoon water

directions:

1. Make the Chili Fish Sauce: Combine all chili fish sauce ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Bring the sauce to a boil. As the sauce is coming to a boil, make the corn starch slurry by combining the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Make sure to stir the slurry well and break up any lumps of cornstarch.
2. When the fish sauce comes to a boil, gently stir in the corn starch slurry. Slowly stir the sauce till it thickens. Once the chili fish sauce thickens, turn off heat. Allow chili fish sauce to cool.
3. Fry the Brussels Sprouts: In a large work, deep pot or dutch oven, fill oil to about two inches high. Heat the oil to about 350 to 375 degrees. Test the oil by frying one piece of brussels sprouts first. If it sizzles and cooks quickly, then the oil is ready.
4. Fry the Brussels sprouts in batches, so start by frying about 1/4 of the brussels sprouts till they are golden brown. Remove them from oil and blot them on paper towels to remove excess oil. Repeat the frying for the rest of the brussels sprouts.
5. Once all brussels sprouts are fried and crispy, combine them in a large bowl. Toss the crispy brussels sprouts with the chili fish sauce and serve warm.

http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/crispy-fried-brussels-sprouts/

A Chill in the Air Means Extra Spice in the Kitchen

Birthday Girl! 26 years old... seems likes just yesterday we were, in the words of Nicki Secrest Woah, Woah and Woah and sharing a light beer to catch a pretty serious buzz! Oh how we have improved with age like the very fine wine we so enjoy these days. More than a decade of wonderful friendship and many more ahead of us! Love you sweet girl:)

T-t-thai! Woo!

Thai Chicken Basil Stir Fry

Spice at your own risk!

2 TB vegetable oil

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts, cut up

2 handfuls of broccoli florets

1 cup snap peas

1 cup bamboo shoot meat  

3 large garlic cloves, crushed

2 heaping teaspoons of chili paste

1 TB sugar

10 shakes of low salt soy sauce - low salt does make a difference

2 cups packed, washed & dried fresh basil leaves

freshly ground pepper

Heat oil.  Stir fry chicken, and add in broccoli, bamboo and snap peas and before its completely cooked, add the garlic and cook until chicken is browned.  (You don't want to brown the garlic, but you don't want it raw either.)  Stir in the chili paste, soy sauce and sugar.  Add basil and stir until wilted.  Finish with a little freshly ground pepper.  

 **(Option to add quinoa)**

November 18th, 2013

This is my type of comfort food. I didn't have bamboo shoot so I substituted mushrooms. So yummy and comforting!

Xox,

Amanda

Hi, my name is Alex and I'm addicted to stir fry. LOVE basil in this non traditional dish! I forgot to put the rice on to boil which I think would have been really nice to soak up the awesome sauce!
Also super into bamboo!
Can not wait to try brussels dish:)
1. Are you planning to hang out the weekend after Thanksgiving???
2. I have my first dress fitting on Saturday, I dont have to have your shoes but I will try some on that heel height to see if they will work:) super exciting!!
3. You say we have lots to catch up on and I cant wait!
Miss and Love you!
xoxo

Passport To Senegal

November 4th, 2013

Happy Monday SFAM! 
For this week's DDD assignment we're heading to Africa! In the November issue of Food & Wine Magazine you'll find an article in search of southern cuisine's roots. Sean Brock (a Virginia native{!} and Chucktown celeb chef) ventures to Senegal to taste, explore and discover the flavors of a nation that has had an important influence on southern, Low Country cuisine. I'm choosing a few recipes from this article for several reasons: 

1.  We will be inundated with autumnal flavors and homey dishes within the next few months, so let's spice it up!
2. I'm obsessed with Sean Brock and southern food,
3. I've never (knowingly) made African or African influenced food before,
4. and the recipes are quite healthy, assisting with the fight against the holiday hump.

Other important reminders:

1. Puppy arrives on Thursday!
2. My birthday is in 6 days
3. let me know of ideal dates for slumber parties during your Thanksgiving visit!

Xox,

Amanda

Smokey Shrimp Purloo

2 1/2 lbs large shrimp, head on, shelled, deveined

2 tblsp peanut oil

1/4 c. drained smoked baby clams

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 1/2 c. Carolina Gold rice

4 oz. smoked trout or catfish, skinned and flaked

1 dry bay leaf

1. In a pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the shrimp heads and shells and simmer for 20 minutes, skimming off any foam from the surface. Strain the shrimp broth into a bowl and keep warm. Discard the heads and shells.
2. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the peanut oil. Add the clams and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice, then stir in the trout and bay leaves and season with salt. Add enough of the shrimp broth to cover the rice (about 2 1/2 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is just tender, 20 minutes.
3. Lay the shrimp on the rice in a single layer. Cover and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, 6 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
4. Spoon the rice and shrimp onto plates. Scrape up the crunchy rice crust on the bottom of the casserole, spoon some over the shrimp and serve.

Sauteed Collard Greens

1/4 c. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 1/2 lbs young collards, stemmed and thinly sliced

2 c. packed arugula, finely chopped

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 tblsp. lemon juice

4 dried arbol chilies, crumbled

Kosher salt

1/2 c. roasted peanuts, chopped

1. In a very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the collards and arugula in large handfuls, letting each batch wilt slightly before adding more. Cook, tossing frequently, until the collards start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and crumbled chiles, season with salt and toss to evenly coat the greens. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer the greens to a serving platter, top with the peanuts and serve.

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/the-senegalese-roots-of-southern-cooking

November 11th, 2013

Hey Alex!

Well, this purloo recipe tasted quite unique-very smokey and salty and interesting! David and I enjoyed it, but I can see how the uniqueness and strength of the flavors may be off-putting for some palates. The peanut collards were an appropriate accompaniment. Because both dishes have such depth of flavor, if I were to make this meal again I would add a fresh veggie recipe or something light and bright to balance everything. Out of necessity I made the following changes:

1. I substituted smoked oysters for clams in the purloo recipe, and I do NOT recommend doing so. The flavor smoked oysters is congruent with smoked clams, but the oysters dd not hold their texture. They disintegrated and add a graininess to the purloo.
2. I could not find Carolina Gold rice, and I sure as hell am not ordering ingredients off Amazon, so I used brown jasmine rice which has a similar, faint nuttiness.
3. For the collard greens, I seeded the dried chilies. The dish was still very very spicy and you know how we enjoy foods that taste like lava, so I believe this was a good move.

I am VERY much looking forward to your opinions on this meal!

Xox,

Amanda

Hi Manda!
So thanks to a little experiment Landey and I are trying, we were short a few of the ingredients. We are trying to plan meals for the whole week before we go to the store. Unfortunately first time out of the gate we forgot our list! So from memory I remember most of the ingredients for this dish.
I really like liked the seafood flavor and it kind of reminded me of a sort of paella, which I love. However the collards were a bit strong in flavor.... but Landey and I both agreed that were really good with a little rice vinegar added.

• We added bamboo and mushrooms... largely because I love them. 
• Instead of peanuts (I forgot :(...)  I added peanut sauce... kinda similar right?
• Also added fish sauce ... 

All in all i thought it was a very interesting dish! Bravo for selecting something exotic!

In other news...

• Are you going to the Leesburg Thanksgiving reunion?
• Are you free the weekend after Thanksgiving to play? 
• How much do you love your baby? Today Landey was like Amanda and David's dog is pretty darn cute!
•  

I will be in VA in less than two weeks! YAY!

Also we have been doing our blog for 7 weeks! Crazy how time flies!!

xoxox

SFAM

Let them eat cake!

Sunday November 10, 2013
Well Landey and I will have to agree with you, these cakes were very tasty! Easy to make and we have an abundance of left overs. I had spaghetti squash that needed to be prepared so we had that on the side, a little beige but oh well! I paired the meal with a Merlot from Cali called The Patriots, complements of my bosses wine club! It was pretty good too. Landey went with a Gin and Tonic. (Classic move on his part)
One mistake I made and I knew I was doing it! Stiring the crab too much. It got broken up so it was less lumpy:( Rookie mistake. I could here my mom in my ear correcting!
 I can not wait to try the shrimp and collards!
As for dates over Thanksgiving, I was thinking the weekend after Turkey Day. Lets try to make something work Fri,Sat or Sunday or all! Landey and I really want to see your place!

I also have neglected to prepare the dessert but it is on my list!

xoxo
 




Monday November 4th, 2013

David and I actually made this meal on Tuesday, and these lil guys were delicious! I followed the recipe pretty much to a T and was rewarded with succulent, plump cakes brimming with jumbo lump crab. The addition of an egg did not happen on our end, did you add one? We substituted the horseradish cream for a lemon dill sauce we had from the night before, and the cakes were also accompanied by a vinegar based apple and cabbage slaw. It felt as if summer time landed on my plate! My only critique of the meal was the wine selection. Two thumbs DOWN for Spann Vineyards California Chardonnay/Viognier, which is surprising because those are two of my favorite varietals. I love love love my husband and do not wish to put the blame on him...but I am. The wine was his contribution. 

The blackberry cheesecake bars were not made (for shame!) but I have the ingredients to concoct them this coming week.

October 27th, 2013

Crab cakes that is! I've made them before but not the same as Food and Wine suggests. I may add an egg in but otherwise looks yummy!
I'm thinking accompanied by a salad composed of whatever veggies are in the fridge :)

1. 1/2 cup sour cream
2. 1/2 cup mayonnaise
3. 2 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish
4. 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked free of shell
5. 1 cup dry bread crumbs
6. 3 scallions including green tops, chopped
7. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
8. Pinch cayenne
9. 1/4 teaspoon salt
10. 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
11. 3 tablespoons cooking oil

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the mayonnaise, and the horseradish.
2. In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, the remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, the scallions, parsley, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Shape the crab mixture into eight patties. Coat the patties with the remaining 3/4 cup bread crumbs and pat off the excess.
3. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Working in batches if necessary, fry the cakes until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Turn and fry until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes longer. Drain on paper towels. Serve with the horseradish cream.

NOTES Fish Alternatives There's really no substitute for sweet fresh crabmeat—but for a completely different taste, you could use one pound of cod, cooked and flaked.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

A full-bodied white such as a Chardonnay from California will be delightful with the crab. Try to find one that isn't too oaky—just full of the taste of ripe fruit.

Also this dessert looks cool!  

Raw Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake

Raw, Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 11/2 cups walnuts
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided in half
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup cashews, soaked in water for at least two hours and drained
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup

Instructions

1. 1. To make the bottom layer, place the walnuts, dates, and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt in a food processor and pulse to break the ingredients down, till they're crumbled. Run the motor and process till the mixture is ground up and sticking together when you squeeze a little in your hand.
2. 2. Press the bottom layer into a small casserole or baking pan that has been lightly greased with olive or coconut oil (I used 11" by 7.5"). Set aside while you make the top layer, or chill overnight.
3. 3. To make the top layer, blend the cashews, blackberries, oil, remaining 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, and syrup in a high speed blender or food processor till they're as smooth as possible. Pour the top layer over the bottom layer in the pan. Use a spatula or inverted knife to smooth the top layer over very evenly.
4. 4. Transfer the dish to your fridge and chill for at least three hours. Cut into bar shapes and serve.
5. Yields 15-20 bars, depending on how big you'd like them.

These bars are sweet, a little tart, full of delicious fat from walnuts and coconut, and deliver all the joy of raw cheesecake with a little more portability.

Baby It's Cold Outside

October 21, 2013

Happy Monday!
I have a special request from my sweet husband for a soup post this week. The primary reason for this is that it's becoming quite chilly outside. The secondary reason is that he wants something comforting as he's one bad night's sleep away from a cold. Italian wedding soup sounds like it fits the bill!

1. 2 quarts homemade chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2. 1 large carrot, finely diced
3. 1 celery rib, finely diced
4. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 1/4 cup orzo
6. 1 pound ground pork
7. 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
8. 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
9. 5 ounces baby spinach, chopped
10. One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
11. 1. In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil with the carrot and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.
12. 2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, knead the pork with the 1/4 cup of cheese, the bread crumbs and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls.
13. 3. Drop the balls into the boiling soup and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and chickpeas and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, 5 minutes longer. Serve, passing extra cheese at the table.
14. 4. Pair with a fruity northern Italian red

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/italian-wedding-soup

Saturday, October 26th, 2013

Hi here!

I truly think I have a problem following the rules-AND this is my own recipe post. (Possibly a reflection of my own tragic flaw?) 

Anywho, despite my rebellious ways the soup tasted spectacular. What I did differently:

1. Beef meatballs a-la Nanna's recipe; 1lb of ground beef, S&P, 1 egg, herbs, 1/2 c. grated parm, breadcrumbs and milk to taste/texture. 
2. I had rice and dry lentils in my pantry, thus I was too cheap to buy orzo and chickpeas.
3. To pump up the nutritional factor kale was subbed for spinach.

I'm looking forward to seeing how your's turned out! Hopefully it is a comforting meal to have while recovering from the flu. Feel better soon love dove!

Xox,

ANF(M)

Such a wonderful way to end the week! Landey left for training in Texas today so this was a fun meal for one to prep tonight. I think rebellion and innovation are in our make up! 

I made a few adjustments as well... some on purpose and some on necessity! 

I used ground turkey because I couldn't find ground pork but it was still super tasty! 

I also forgot bread crumbs/thought I would just be able to tear up the baguette in our pantry really tiny... not so much! 

I did use the baguette and some crushed tortilla chips. I think it worked out pretty well! 

Other than that I stuck to the recipe. I thought it was so good! I was shocked by all the flavor. 

Good timing! I'm feeling much better... but secretly 4.5 days off work has been kind of nice. 

One month til Thanksgiving! Yay! 

"Boom boom ... We love our seafood!" In light of our recent booked trip to South Beach I figure it would be nice to incorporate some seafood! Plus Landey and I are trying to eat seafood at least once a week! (A slight task bring land locked!)

I'm thinking halibut! It's rich lobster like flavor is sure to please the men and keep us trim! ;) and for a side item one of our favorites... Brussel Sprouts!
**not sure how I feel about the dressing I may make some alterations. Feel free to offer suggestions of you have any... Maybe something simpler!

Thyme- & Sesame-Crusted Halibut

Quickly roasting fish at high heat keeps it moist and succulent. The thyme-and-sesame crust gives this halibut a distinctive finish.

From EatingWell: Fall 2003, EatingWell Serves Two, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)
Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 tablespoons lemon juice
2. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3. 1 clove garlic, minced
4. Freshly ground pepper, to taste
5. 1 1/4 pounds halibut, or mahi-mahi, cut into 4 portions
6. 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
7. 1 1/2-2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
8. 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt, or kosher salt
9. Lemon wedges

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Mix lemon juice, oil, garlic and pepper in a shallow glass dish. Add fish and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, toast sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Mix in thyme.
4. Sprinkle the fish with salt and coat evenly with the sesame seed mixture, covering the sides as well as the top. Transfer the fish to the prepared baking sheet and roast until just opaque in the center, 10 to 14 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pan-Seared Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Pecans
Serves 3-4

1 pound brussels sprouts, de-stemed and halved
2/3 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup pecans
2 cups barley, cooked
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

Heat skillet with drizzling of olive oil over medium heat. Season brussels sprouts with salt & pepper and combine with cranberries in skillet.

Cook sprouts and cranberries for 8-10 minutes, until berries begin to burst and sprouts become tender. Add balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Stir to coat and remove from heat.

Toss barley, sprouts, cranberries, and pecans in a large bowl. Top with gorgonzola and serve.



October 16th, 2013

One of the most beautiful aspects of this food communication: dinner is planned for you! I had the busiest 13 hour workday on Monday and figuring out what the heck to prepare for dinner was definitely not happening. What did I do? Hop on here, cross my fingers you posted something and voila! My dinner menu had already been decided!

I loved how light yet substantial the meal was. Mistakenly I thought I had sesame seeds at home but didn't, so I used a drop of sesame oil when the fish was plated. Check my Instagram and you'll find an image of a home grown mushroom kit. We had a batch ready and added it to the brussies. The barley and brussies can definitely be a meal on its own. Yum yum yum! I feel one step closer to my Miami

bikini readiness!
Xox

I can't tell exactly what prevented me from getting this post up sooner! This week got away from me! Anyway I thought it was great... but then again ever since you made oven roasted brussel sprouts a couple years ago I have loved them more than usual!
I was pleasantly surprised with how short the prep and cook time was for both of these. My only complaint would be the cranberries... they were only ok.
Hope the wedding weekend went well. I'm excited to see whats next!


xoxox

Smashing Pumpkins!

Monday October 7th, 2013

Hey love!

No use fixin' it if it ain't broke! I'm keeping with the pumpkin theme. Even though we were underwhelmed with the pumpkin risotto, let's give this autumn gastronomic staple a second chance. This week's recipe: pumpkin pizza. After hours of scouring Food & Wine mag, Bon Appetite, Pinterest and various food blogs I STILL couldn't find an appealing pumpkin pizza recipe. Below is a completely made up recipe, feel free to adjust quantities as you see fit. From my limited pizza making experience I find less is more regarding toppings. I believe we're savvy enough to pull this off on our own, so here goes:

INGREDIENTS:

1 pumpkin

10 sage leaves  

2 tbsp + 2 tsp olive oil

salt

Pizza dough (store bought, bummed from an Italian restaurant, homemade gets you extra credit)

1 tbsp cornmeal

Olive oil

Gruyere 

Thinly sliced red onion

1. Seed pumpkin and cut into 1 inch slices. Place in baking dish, skin side down, with about 1/4 inch of water. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool, peel and dice into cubes.
2. Wash and thoroughly dry sage. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan. To test oil, fry a sage leaf for about 5 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towel. Once cooled, it should be bright green, crispy with no brown. If it is then you know the oil is the right temperature. If there is browning lower the heat, if it's not crispy up the heat. Once you have the right temperature, fry remaining sage, drain and salt.
3. Crank oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle cornmeal onto baking sheet. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and place on baking sheet. Scatter cheese, roasted pumpkin and red onion onto crust. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
4. Garnish with crispy sage and bon appetite!

I say this will pair nicely with a fresh salad and a cold glass of pumpkin ale.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/72

Fingers crossed this recipe turns out well!

Oh, and sorry this wasn't posted last night. David and I went to the new Salamander resort in Middleburg (which is so pretty!) and nine hours, one game of Monopoly and three bottles of wine later I was in no state blog. We must go next time your home!

Xox,
Your seeeester from another miiiiister

Hello love!
This pumpkin pizza definitely hit the mark! The sage added a really nice earthy flavor that reminded me of Thanksgiving:)
In the name of time saving I bought store pizza dough... Thin crust it was like a flat bread! Definitely recommend it!

As far as alterations, I just added homemade pesto because we have BASIL TREES and stock piles of pesto! I also added goat cheese for fun!
I enlisted Landey to cut and peel the pumpkin (it was a little guy which made it easier) then thinly sliced little pumpkin half moons to roast!

No bitterness! And less prep time! All and all amazing:)

P.S. I've heard Salamander is lovely!

xoxo
YSFAM :)

October 12th, 2013

Gooood morning!

Pat on the back to us! We made this on Thursday and it was delicious! Very flatbread-like, substantial yet sophisticated (if I do say so myself!). I didn't have any cornmeal to put on the pan to keep the dough from sticking, so I skipped that step. Rookie mistake. Otherwise it was quite yummy and paired well with the Shipyard Pumpkin Ale...that was pretty much dessert itself! I highly recommend it! Our beer guy said to buy as much as we can because the brewery only uses fresh pumpkin which they mash and add to the fermentation process giving it its strong, slightly sweet pumpkin flavor. Because the beer is seasonal it's only on the shelves for a few weeks.

I can't wait to see what you select for us for this coming week!

Miss you!

LYLAS (<--- hahaha, we were such lame adolescents)
Amanda

Fall is finally here! After a stroll in the Land O Lakes on the Grand Mesa to see the changing leaves... for me fall is in full force!
I thought it would be fun to prepare a lovely autumn themed meal to kick off the season.

For a main I have selected roasted rosemary and garlic Cornish hens.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cornish-game-hens-with-garlic-and-rosemary/
I was thinking we could roast some vegetables with the hens:
Carrots, onions, brussel sprouts, leeks, new potatoes  ... etc.


For a starch, pumpkin risotto!

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pumpkin-risotto

To sip:
White wine

I'm no food photographer but I've seen what food stylist have to do to make food look good on camera and... after that process it is definitely not edible! Overall it was a pretty good supper. The pumpkin risotto was not what I expected, I would have preferred a sweet potato or spaghetti squash! The Cornish Hens and roasted garlic were tasty though and I definitely recommend cooking them until they are crispy! Interested to hear how it goes for you!

Ello dear Alexandra! This was quite the fun project! Brett, David and I enjoyed the autumn flavors and it's been ages since I've prepared Cornish hen so it was a fun ingredient to revisit. As for the recipes themselves, I pretty much followed them to a tee with a few exceptions. I took your advice and cranked the broiler for the last few minutes of hen cooking to ensure crispy skin, in addition to using less oil. I also agree that the pumpkin risotto was just ok, which is surprising since Food & Wine mag claims to have 'perfected' the recipe in their test kitchen. We experienced a bitter taste, did y'all? Perhaps too much onion. Am I being too nitpicky? 

The official menu consisted of the garlic, rosemary roasted Cornish hens (from the above recipe), pumpkin risotto (also from the above recipe), beet & radish salad and Susan Fields chardonnay.

I'm trying my damnedest to take awesome food pictures with only my iPhone. It is going to take some practice. 

This was fun! I'm looking forward selecting next week's recipes!

P.S. My stove unit does NOT diffuse heat from the oven very well (or at all) so my kitchen was literally  450 degrees at one point. The bright side, lost 1 lb in water weight sweating it out while cooking!