Our 4th of July Menu

When you live in California, Mexican inspired food is as American as apple pie, and its ingredients feature in our diets on a daily basis.  This menu mixes these influences with more widely accepted American staples for a decadent, seasonal summer feast.

To Start

Loaded Nachos

Skip the meat or add a side of guacamole, salsa, and chips or crudités if you have vegetarian guests

Chiles Toreados

Main Course

The BA Burger Deluxe for meat eaters 

Substitute a turkey or veggie patty for those who don't eat red meat

Tomato Sandwich with Basil Mayonnaise for non-meat eaters

Substitute Vegenaise and add avocado for a vegan option, or add mozzarella for vegetarian guests

Mexican Street Corn

Vegenaise could also work in this dish, or you could lighten it up with just cayenne and lime

Spicy Slaw 

Stick with the original recipe, or try the Mexican variation

For Dessert

Blueberry Tart

To Drink

Fresh Strawberry Shakes for the teetotalers (or kids)

Watermelon Margaritas for the drinkers

Our Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

This is the second Thanksgiving since we started the blog, and we have accumulated quite a few recipes now... Hopefully some of these will provide inspiration or last minute assistance before the big day tomorrow!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo and Toasted Almonds

Kale Gratin

Truffled Roast Yams and Potatoes

Cranberry Chutney

Sourdough Stuffing with Kale, Dates, and Turkey Sausage

Duck Fat Popovers

Cranberry Pear Crisp

And don't forget...

We are also trying this Mark Bittman recipe for a 45 minute roast turkey - last year we spatchcocked our bird for the first time and it was delicious.

Roasted Turkey Gravy

The key ingredients to the best mashed potatoes are plenty of butter and salt - this is definitely a day for indulgence!

With Pumpkin Pie, it's good to keep it simple and classic

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving Menu: Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

This soup is a perfect starter for Thanksgiving dinner, and can be made in advance to cut down on cooking the day of.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
2 large butternut squash
4 Fuji apples
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups apple cider
creme fraiche
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
-In a dutch oven melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and yellow curry, and cook over low heat, stirring until onions are translucent. 

-Peel and seed the squash, and cut into chunks. Peel and core the apples and cut into chunks.

-Add the squash, apples and vegetable stock to the onions, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cover and cook until the squash and apples soften. Using an immersion blender, puree until everything is smooth.

-Add the apple cider and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into bowls and garnish with a dollop of creme fraiche. 

Serves 6.

Based on Ina Garten's recipe in Barefoot Contessa Parties.

Thanksgiving Menu: Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo & Toasted Almonds

We are big brussels sprouts fans, and when we found this recipe incorporating chorizo and almonds, we were curious to try this warm salad. It got good reviews from everyone who tried it, even from people who wouldn't normally eat brussels sprouts.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup raw almonds
3 oz. chorizo sausage, sliced
1 lb. brussels sprouts, halved with leaves separated
2 tablespoons garlic flavored olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
- toast almonds in a frying pan over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes. let cool and chop.
- cook the chorizo in a large pan, stirring until crisp. set aside.
- heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat, adding the garlic and thyme and sautéing until the garlic is golden. Add the brussels sprouts in batches, cooking until leaves have wilted and have browned a bit, approximately 10 minutes.
- remove from the stove and mix the almonds and chorizo in with the brussels sprouts. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe. Serves 4.

Menu: Last Minute Halloween Cocktail Party

Whether you decide to go out (and have a pre-party) or stay in this Halloween, here are a few menu and decoration ideas.

To Eat/Savory:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Kimchi Deviled Eggs

Roasted Garlic Crostini with Assorted Toppings

 To Eat/Sweet:

Candy Corn and White Chocolate Cookies

Gingerbread Skeletons

Graveyard Pudding with Whipped Cream Ghosts

To Drink:

Witch's Brew Cocktail

Balsamic Bloody Mary

Decor:

Glitter skull, bats and brains in jars (cauliflower)

Menu: Summer Vegetable Dinner

Late summer in Napa

Labor Day weekend is always filled with barbecues, pool parties, and beach days, all of which tend to have burgers and hot dogs as staples. But the end of summer is also the end of the incredible variety of fruits and vegetables we have been enjoying all season, especially in California. Our warmest months do tend to flow into early fall though, so we don't have to say goodbye to our favorite produce too soon.  We will be savoring these delicious vegetable dishes for the next few weeks.

Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

Artichokes with Green Goddess Dressing

Summer Squash Carpaccio

Green Gazpacho

Corn Soufflé

Provençal Vegetable Tarts

Snap Pea Salad with Radish & Lime

Happy Bastille Day!

The Hemingway Bar at The Ritz Hotel, Paris, 2009

We have both always been major Francophiles, and love any excuse to indulge in some French treats.  Last year, with France's Independence Day falling on a Sunday, we created a picnic menu to celebrate.  Anyone lucky enough to have the day off should take advantage of that... But for us, it's a work day, so aside from a breakfast croissant, we won't be able to celebrate until tonight.  Here are some of our favorite recipes for a last-minute French feast:

Chicken Liver Paté

You can always buy this in a higher end grocery store, as the recipe does require chilling for a few hours, but with foie gras illegal in California, this is a close second in taste, and a must in any French feast.

Leeks Vinaigrette 

Mont d'Or Fondue

This recipe was created for late winter/early Spring, but we love the idea of serving the warm, gooey cheese with crackers or baguette, charcuterie, and an array of summery vegetables such as radishes, cherry tomatoes, and young carrots.

Chocolate Mousse

This recipe is from NYC's Buvette, but it's as good - or better - as any mousse we have had in Paris

To Drink:

Lillet Cocktail

Rosé

Whispering Angel seems to be the rosé of the season, and we also love Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie's award winning Miraval 

Bon Appetit!  

We will be fantasizing about the Paris couture shows while we eat...

Wedding Menu: Fisherman's Wharf Seafood Feast

Inspired by the Italian Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, this menu showcases the incredible array of fresh seafood available in Northern California.

Passed hors d'oeuvres & Champagne

 Fresh Tomales Bay Oysters with Hog Wash & Mignonette

Roasted Fingerling Potato & Caviar Canapes

Mackerel & White Bean Bruschetta 

Appetizer

Swan Oyster Depot's Crab Louie

Soup

Cups of San Francisco Style Cioppino

Entree

Grilled Whole Snapper

Orzo Risotto

Roasted Baby Leeks

Salad

Escarole Salad with Anchovy Dressing

Dessert

Chocolate Pots de Creme

Wedding Cake

Easter Brunch Menu

Here is what we'll be serving at our Easter Brunch tomorrow.

We're cheating a bit by picking up pastries from Tartine and Craftsman & Wolves, but recipes for all of the above can be found here: blueberry buttermilk scones, bacon cheese & egg muffins, green salad, fruit salad, asparagus & goat cheese frittata, soderblandning tea, golden mango green tea

Downton Abbey Season 4 Party

We are excited for tonight's Downton Abbey season 4 US premiere. 

We decided to throw a little party to celebrate, with a menu based on a traditional Sunday roast.

Menu:

roasted beef

yorkshire pudding

roasted root vegetables

sticky toffee pudding

We also love this Downton Abbey themed Clue board that Vulture put together.

Golden Dreamland's Thanksgiving Menu

We have been counting down to Thanksgiving, and testing recipes for our feast this Thursday!  Here is everything we will be cooking this week - click through for recipes:

Roast Turkey with Truffle Butter

Duck Fat Popovers

Truffled Roast Yams & Potatoes

Kale Gratin

Haricots Verts with Roasted Fennel and Shallots

Cranberry Pear Crisp

Deep Dish Pumpkin Meringue Pie

Cranberry Punch