HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
by Sloane Taylor
Halloween October 31 - Centuries ago ancient Celtics believed that at summer’s end the barrier between
our world and the world of spirits thinned, allowing evil to cross over to us.
Time passed and people dressed as saints and went door to door which is the
origin for tonight’s ghosts and goblins to magically appear at your front door
to trick you if you don’t treat them.
Invite friends over and celebrate
Halloween with this menu that will tame your creatures who go bump in the night.
MENU
Appetizers
Barbequed
Meatballs
Garlic Dip &
Pretzels
Sangria
Main Course
Braised Short Ribs
Mashed Potatoes
Veggie Sauté
Dry Red Wine –
Pinot Noir
Appetizers
This
is an easy appetizer recipe you adjust to suit you. Add more jelly if you
prefer a sweeter taste or cut jelly amount and increase barbeque sauce if you
want a tangy taste. Plan on 4 – 5 meatballs per person.
1
12 oz. (340g) jar grape jelly
1
– 2 bottles barbeque sauce
50
precooked frozen Italian style meatballs
Toothpicks
for serving
Scoop
jelly into a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat. Add 1 bottle barbeque
sauce. Stir until jelly melts.
Add
meatballs. Stir in more barbeque sauce if needed. You want the meatballs
covered but not swimming. Simmer 5 – 10 minutes, stir occasionally.
Serve
warm.
Garlic
Dip & Pretzel Twists
8
oz. (226g) cream cheese, softened
1
tbsp. (15ml) garlic powder, not salt
Pinch
salt
2
tbsp. (30ml) milk, possibly more
Lay
cream cheese in a medium-sized mixing bowl. I know this seems too large, but
you need the room. Use a wooden spoon to mash the cheese against the sides of
the bowl.
Sprinkle
on garlic. Stir well. Add salt and stir well. Taste for flavor. Add more garlic
if necessary. Don’t add more salt. You’ll get plenty of that flavor from the
pretzels.
Drizzle
in milk. Stir well. Carefully stir in milk until you reach a consistency soft
enough to dip the pretzel without breaking it.
Scoop
into a serving bowl, cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate. Remove from fridge
a half hour or so before serving. This dip lasts 1 week in the fridge.
Sangria
½ lemon, peel intact and sliced
thin
½ orange, peel intact and sliced
thin
½ lg. apple, cored and sliced thin
¼ cup (30g) superfine sugar
1 bottle dry red wine, Portuguese
or Spanish preferred
¼ cup (60ml) brandy or cognac
1-liter club soda, chilled
Ice
Combine lemon, orange, apple, and sugar in a large
pitcher. Stir in wine and brandy. Taste for sweetness. If the punch is still
not sweet enough, carefully add another ¼ cup (30g) of sugar.
Refrigerate for several hours to intensify the flavors.
Just before serving gently stir in club soda. Fill
wine glasses with ice and pour in Sangria.
Main
Course
2 – 3 lbs. (1 – 1.5kg) beef short ribs, cut into 2 inch (5cm) or so pieces
freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup (60g) flour
½ tsp.
(2.5ml) thyme
2 tbsp. (30ml) lard or solid
shortening
2 medium onions, chopped
½ cup (60g) carrot, chopped
1 tbsp. (15ml) garlic, pressed or chopped fine
1 cup (250ml) beef stock
2 small bay leaves
1 tbsp. (30ml) Worcestershire Sauce
Preheat
oven to 325° F (160°C).
Pat ribs dry. Grind pepper over meat. Pour flour and thyme into a paper bag.
Add 2 – 4 ribs at a time. Shake bag gently to coat meat. Remove ribs and set on
a large plate. Continue until all ribs are coated.
Melt lard or shortening in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it
shimmers. Carefully add ribs and brown them on all sides. Don’t crowd the pan.
Best to brown meat in batches so the cooking temperature remains constant.
Return ribs to plate. Lower heat to medium.
Add onions and carrots to the same pot. Sauté until onions are soft and
transparent. Add garlic. Cook 45 – 60 seconds.
Stir in stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Scrape in any brown bits
clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan.
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce.
Nestle ribs in pan and bring to a boil. Cover and then place in oven. Braise
ribs for 1½ hours or until meat shows no resistance when pierced with the tip
of a sharp knife.
Arrange ribs on a clean platter and tent with foil to keep them warm.
Strain braising liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Press down hard on
vegetables to extract juices. Discard vegetables. Skim off surface fat. Bring
to a hard boil. Cook 2 – 3 minutes to intensify flavor.
Pour sauce into a gravy boat and
serve alongside ribs.
Mashed Potatoes
Chicken
stock, not broth
1
small russet potato per person, peeled and quartered
3
tbsp. (43g) butter
Sour
cream, a very large dollop
¼
cup (60ml) milk, at room temperature
Freshly
ground pepper to taste
Parsley,
snipped or chopped for garnish
Preheat
oven to 220° F (100°C).
Pour
one-inch (2.5cm) chicken stock into saucepan. Place potatoes in saucepan. Add
tap water to cover by at least one inch (2.5cm). Cover the pan and bring to a
boil over medium heat. Lower temperature to a strong simmer. Cook approximately
20 - 25 minutes. Potatoes are done when a fork inserts easily into a section.
Drain
potatoes. Stir in butter, sour cream, and pepper. Mash well. Drizzle in milk.
Mash and continue to add milk until you achieve the consistency you prefer.
Keep
the saucepan warm in the oven while you finish preparing dinner.
Veggie
Sauté
Leftovers
from this easy recipe make a tasty lunch when reheated in a little butter and
served with crusty bread and a glass of cold white wine.
8 oz.
(250g) baby bella mushrooms
2
tbsp. (30ml) olive oil
1 zucchini, sliced thin
1 red pepper, seeded and ribs removed
1 yellow pepper, seeded and ribs removed
1 small onion, sliced thin
½ tsp. (2.5ml) garlic powder, not salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Clean mushrooms with a paper towel to remove
bedding soil. Slice them in half lengthwise if medium size or into thirds if
large.
Dribble
oil into a medium-sized frying pan set over medium heat. Do not let it smoke.
Add all the vegetables except mushrooms. Turn up
heat to medium-high. Sauté about 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Lower temperature to medium. Stir in mushrooms,
garlic powder, and pepper.
Continue to cook 3 minutes or until peppers are
at the crispness you prefer.
May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!
Sloane
Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning author with a second passion in her life. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her
blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.
Taylor's cookbooks, Date Night Dinners, Date Night Dinners Italian Style, Summer Sizzle, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available at all book vendors.
