HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hope it's off to a wonderful beginning!

We shared the first morning of 2011 with family and the playgroup. The menu ran the gamut of savory and sweet... Here are the recipes!

Two Paula Deen recipes for a rather over-indulgent beginning to the year:
Canned Biscuit Dough Donuts- These are SO simple, inexpensive, delicious, and FUN!
French Toast Casserole- Um, yum!


And my Baked Eggs and Asparagus, and Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens:


Baked Eggs and Asparagus
(15-20 servings)
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

2 bunches of pencil-thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 small onion, chopped

20 eggs
1/2 c milk
kosher salt and black pepper
8 slices swiss cheese, torn 
1/2 cup monterrey jack cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan for topping


PH oven to 350. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until just softened. Add asparagus, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are al dente, 5-7 minutes. Spread cooked vegetables evenly in a large baking dish (or two, if needed.) Sprinkle with monterrey jack cheese. 
In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, and a dash salt and pepper with a whisk until frothy. Pour egg mixture over vegetable mixture. Distribute torn pieces of swiss cheese on top of eggs. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and grate fresh parmesan on top of eggs. 
Cut into squares for easy serving.


Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens
3 (~16 oz) bags fresh black-eyed peas
3 slices thick bacon, uncooked, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled
1 small celery stalk
2 cups chicken stock
4 cups water  (more/less to cover veggies)
2 cups chopped, trimmed collard greens (not stalks)
salt and pepper to taste


Place first seven ingredients (through chicken stock) in a large stockpot. Add water to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook 45 minutes to an hour, or until peas are tender. Add collard greens, cover and cook 10-15 minutes more, until greens are wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Eat and enjoy good luck for the year to come!


Don't forget the drinks!


Bloody Mary Bar
Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix (Spicy V8 works well too!)
Hot Sauce
Black Pepper
Horseradish
Celery Salt
Jalapeno Stuffed Olives
Celery Stalks
Worcestershire Sauce
Vodka!


Simple Mimosas
Pulp-Free OJ
Whatever champagne is left over from the night before!

May 2011 bring you good luck, good health, and good gatherings!

What Are You Doing New Year's?

We're hosting a brunch to ring in the New Year!
Take a look at the (emailed) invite/menu, including some good luck foods: black-eyed peas (with collard greens), pork (bacon), grapes (fruit salad), and cakes (french toast and donuts!)
Happy New Year to you and yours!!
Event: New Year's Brunch
Menu:
Cinnamon-Nutmeg French Toast
Baked Eggs with Asparagus and Parmesan
Applewood Smoked Bacon
Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens
Fruit Salad
Donuts
Coffee, Mimosas, and Bloody Marys
Decor:
Black, White, Silver, and Turquoise

Twelve Days of Gift Tags

Here are the tags that I created for this year's presents. This is a bit of an experiment- try printing them and let me know if the quality is too bad. If you send me your email address, I can send you a PDF file!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a well-wrapped gift!

Kocurek Christmas Supper Party- 1809WESTdesign

Beautiful home, a fabulous gathering of friends... it was a pure delight to decorate for this Christmas Supper Party.

Theme: Tradition with a Twist
Colors: Red, Green, Gold, Silver, and White
Flowers: Casablanca Lilies, Fresh Garland, Holly with Berries, White Roses, Gold-Flecked Eucalyptus
Details: Decorative Chair Wrappers, Trailing Centerpieces, Powder Room Arrangements

Holiday Cookbook!

I simply remember my favorite things... and then I don't feel so bad!
A few recipes (both the tried and true- and the aspirational too!) for the Christmas Dinner or a NYE blast! Happy Eating!


Herb-Crusted Standing Rib Roast from Cooking Light Magazine and myrecipes.com
Truffled Wild Mushroom Lasagna from Cooking Light Magazine and myrecipes.com

Roast Chicken with Meyer-Lemon Shallot Sauce from Cooking Light Magazine and myrecipes.com

Pommes Anna (Potatoes Anna) from Cooking Light Magazine and myrecipes.com
Brussels Sprouts Gratin from Cooking Light Magazine and myrecipes.com

Salty Caramel Croquembouche from Fine Cooking

Easy Chocolate Chess Pie- Like my momma makes!

Apple, Fennel, and Cheddar Cheese Straws from Fine Cooking

Winter Salad from The Gourmet Cookbook and epicurious.com

Profiteroles with Coffee Ice Cream from Gourmet Magazine and epicurious.com


















Tomato-Basil Soup from Cooking Light Magazine and myrecipes.com
Herbed Goat Cheese from Cooking Light Magazine and myrecipes.com
Beef Rib Roast and Yorkshire Pudding from the Grill from Cooking Light Magazine
White Bean Dip with Rosemary Olive Oil from Sunset Magazine and myrecipes.com
Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail from Cooking Light Magazine and myrecipes.com

Christmas Card

Wishing you a happy holiday season!
~From 1809WEST~

Christmas Decor 2010

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a well-decorated house.
Here are some pics and details from this year's Christmas decor- inspired by the Iloka Karasz's beautifully illustrated book "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
The book was published in 1949- and the pastel colors, abundance of life, and use of numbers provided a springboard for my winter wonderland.

Holiday Cookbook!

I'm putting together my favorite faves for the holidays... Stay tuned.

Happy Easter!

Here's the invite I made for our Easter Celebration. I just love the animal font from dafont.com!

Oh and here's last year's invite too!

Have a wonderful day!

A Good Year

Wow... 2010! So far it's been a blur... but I think we're off to a good start.
On New Year's Day our friend Paul cooked omelets for us, with tons of yummy, fresh ingredients. As I told him and his wife, Dawn, I'm not used to turning over my kitchen to other people. Sure, Mark may step in if I'm having an off day... and my mom is the occasional guest/sous chef. But Paul had pretty much free reign of my domain- and all I did was stand around! (okay... and make home fries/papas fritas.) Surprisingly, I handled it quite well, and, hopefully, I didn't intimidate him by hovering.  Paul even called upon Julia for new/old omelet technique- although we're not quite sure why she insists on some of the steps. The result- a success!

Event: NYD Breakfast
Menu: Omelettes de Paul
Papas Fritas


Omelettes de Paul ingredients:
Eggs (2 per person)
Chopped Ham
Sauteed Button Mushrooms
Nutri-Sweet Cherub Tomatoes, sliced (by specific request)
Shredded Colby Jack
Butter for pan


Scramble eggs in a large bowl. Melt butter in a small omelet skillet over medium heat. Add eggs and use fork to vigorously scurry the eggs on bottom of pan, for about 3-4 seconds. Add toppings to one side of omelet. Allow to cook until egg is almost completely firm. Shake pan and carefully fold omelet in half, so that toppings are inside. Continue to cook until egg is no longer runny. (Note: Cheese and juices from tomatoes/meat may cause omelet to appear underdone.) Slide omelet onto plate and serve with potatoes.


For Papas Fritas:
Small Red "new" potatoes
1/4 c olive oil
Kosher Salt 
Fresh ground black pepper
Red Pepper Flakes


In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water and parboil, just until tender.  Drain and slice in half or in quarters. Heat oil in a deep skillet, until shimmering. Fry potato pieces in batches, until golden. Remove to a plate or platter covered with paper towel. Sprinkle each batch with kosher salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Serve immediately after last batch is done. 

~Happy New Year~

Thought about throwing a dinner at home... maybe next year... And I'd use this tablescape as inspiration. Simply gorgeous and super simple. Thanks, iDiY!

Hope the new year brings you health, happiness, and humor!
XOXO

Belated Christmas Decor

Well, it's too late to give you any ideas about decor for this holiday season, but maybe for next year?

(Some of these things could be done for other holidays too!)

Our Christmas Card: I designed it in MS Word with the fantastic Budmojiggler font (download at dafont.com) with fun little flourishes from dafont too.

Our Christmas Tree: This year I went with a black, red, gold and white theme. Kinda Hollywood Regency. Kinda mod. Created a monogram "brand" for our gift tags using the Budmojiggler font. Found some way cool vintage ornaments at The Antique Mall. Gold cardboard and black pipe cleaner H's rounded it all out. Unfortunately, I took this pic today, and our tree is so dried out!

B&W Abstracts for the Tree: H and I painted with black acrylic paint on a large sheet of parchment paper. I then cut it into smaller rectangles. The frames are made from cereal boxes, painted with black and gold acrylic. I just taped the paintings to the back of the frames and tucked them into the tree. I love the way the light shines through the paper!

Christmas CardDisplay: Tack ribbon to the top of a door or window and secure cards with tiny clothespins. Last year I decked the kitchen with yarn and attached the cards all around the island. I also attached cards to what was the "Bat Tree" then became the "Fall Tree" and is now the "Christmas Card Tree." (I think I'll take it down after NYE and figure out a new display for that table.

Dear, Oh Dear: Green Bean Casserole, AT LAST!

Well, I suppose even bloggers need a vacation?

Anyways, about that green bean casserole...

After Thanksgiving, I thought, I don't need to write down what I did, I'll put it on my blog... Well, that didn't happen, so when my mother-in-law requested it for Christmas dinner, I was a little concerned. Would  I be able to recreate it, sans- recipe? The answer is YES!

So, here you go:

Green Bean Casserole with Shitake Mushrooms and "Tobacco" Onion Topping

2 lbs green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 cups shitake mushrooms, chopped
1/2 stick butter
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced (about a cup)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water
2 tsp dried sage, crumbled
1/2 cup parmesan
2 oz cream cheese
kosher salt and black pepper

For the "Tobacco" Onion Topping:
"Tobacco" Onions are a mixture of red and white (or yellow) onions, dredged in flour and fried. The resulting topping looks like dried tobacco leaves.
1 red onion, sliced into rings
1 yellow or white onion, sliced into rings
1/2 c flour
2 tsp paprika
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbs butter
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet or stockpot (with cover.) Cook shallots and garlic with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 mins. Add wine and boil until reduced by half. Add cream, water, sage,1/4tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and bring just to a boil, stirring constantly. Add green beans and mushrooms. Simmer, tightly covered, until beans are tender, 20-30 minutes. Stir in parmesan and cream cheese until melted.
While beans are cooking, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil and butter for onions in a small skillet.
In a shallow bowl, combine flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Dredge onion rings in flour mixture. Cook onion rings in small batches, until golden brown and crunchy. Allow to rest on paper towels.
When beans are tender, pour them (and sauce) into a large casserole dish. Top with fried onions. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until beans are bubbly.
Can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. If doing so, do not put onions on top until ready to reheat. Will take 25-30 minutes to heat through.

Happy Thanksgiving!

So many things to be thankful for this year...

I'm making Green Bean Casserole with Shitake Mushrooms & Tobacco Onions and a Goat Cheese Tart for tomorrow.
I'm excited about the casserole- it's a recipe I've been conjuring up for about a month now. My only worry is that it contains no "Cream'o" soup... I do love the traditional green bean casserole, but mine has shallots, champagne, and sage. Plus, freshly fried little crispy onions on top. Wish me luck!
(Hope they'll like this more than the brussels sprouts I forced on everyone a few years back!)
If it's any good, I'll share the recipe!
Waiting on the tart to come out of the oven... then off to bed I go... gotta get up early for the 5 mile Turkey Trot!

Christmas Preview

A little something I'm working on... H is up, and so is my time!

Spooky Silhouettes

Halloween is the time to let your creative goblins go wild.

Today, I created from black paper cocktail napkins. They've taken over the house! Each napkin makes 6 bats, so one package is plenty. The napkins are not quite opaque, creating a haunting effect. You could substitute black construction paper.

Caution: You may have to call pest control...

"Cocktail" Bats


1 package black cocktail napkins
scissors
bat pattern (1/2 of bat shape... or you can freestyle it with the scissors for a less uniform look)
scotch tape/adhesive dots
dried branches
big, heavy vase (filled with water or sand if branches are too heavy)

Find folded side of napkin and draw pattern along that line. Cut along pattern line. Once cut, carefully unfold and separate bat silhouettes. For a hanging bat, bring two wings in towards body and secure with adhesive dot. Use tape or adhesive dots to arrange on  dried branches in a vase or let them fly freely on walls, furniture, windows...