last second addition

Tinny's first dinner party!

We had always talked about throwing a dinner party for some of our girlfriends, but never really got around to it until now. After brainstorming for a good menu, we decided to make a hearty chicken and potatoes entree. We thought about making couscous or pasta to go along with the chicken, but we wanted to put our own spin on a hasselback potato recipe that we found. As a starter, we had pita chips with hummus, and finished the night with a cheese and fruit platter. All of us had a great time eating, drinking wine, and enjoying the company.

We made a compound butter with chives and garlic and jammed a generous amount between each slit of the potato (This also made sure that each sliver would crisp up separately, giving the potato the fanned-out look). Don't forget to sprinkle the potato with salt+pepper, first! 'Cuz we did.

One breast piece, one leg, and a crispy potato was just enough to satisfy our appetites and still leave room for fruit and cheese. We drank the white wine we cooked with along with our meal.

- R E C I P E - 

Yields: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breast halves
• 4 chicken legs
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
  
• 2 strips of bacon
• 4 Tbs of minced garlic...YUM!
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
  
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 Tbs dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 4 Tbs sliced green olives
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• generous squeeze of sriracha sauce
  

Instructions

1. Sear the seasoned chicken in hot oil until the outside is crispy, and set aside. 
2. Add bell peppers and bacon and cook until bell peppers cook down and bacon is crisp.
3. Add garlic and cook for about 3 minutes.
4. Pour chicken stock, canned tomatoes, sriracha, and white wine in and bring to a simmer.
5. Add the chicken back in and simmer with the lid on for 20-30 minutes.
6. Just before serving, add olives and chopped parsley.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 lb medium-sized Idaho potatoes
• 1 stick softened butter
• 3-4 Tbs chopped chives
• 2 Tbs minced garlic
• 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
   
2. Cradle the potato in a metal or wooden spoon.
   
3. Cut slits about 1/8 inch apart from each other, all the way down until the knife touches the spoon. Place them in water to prevent browning.
4. Spread compound butter on top of each potato and place on baking sheet.
5. Bake for approx 40 minutes total. After 30 minutes, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on each potato and bake for the remaining 10 minutes.

With the appetizer and dessert we served with this meal, it was more than enough to feed 4 people. If you are looking for a filling and comforting meal with a hint of sophistication, this dinner is perfect for entertaining! Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

Picnic-Perfect

When our good friend, Janet, said she wanted to throw a big picnic for her birthday party this year, Tinny got together to find the perfect dishes to take. 7-Layer dip? Pasta salad? Maybe. Sliders? Korean sushi? Oooo lala~ But… no. We decided to do our own take on two classic dishes: Potato Salad and appetizer Meatballs.

Knowing that we will be spending the whole day outdoors at a park in 90 degree weather, we came up with a mayo-less potato salad recipe that didn’t lack in flavor. We were initially worried about the texture of the potato salad but it came out just the way we wanted it to. Creamy, from the starch of the potatoes and the dijon mustard, but had a nice crunch from the onions and apples. It is also hearty because of the shredded chicken pieces that are folded in.
So here it is.

Recipe yields: 4
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs assortment of russet, red, and yukon gold potatoes
• boiling water (salted liberally)
  
• 1/2 red onion
• 3 green onions- finely diced
  
• 3 Tbsp minced and pan-fried garlic
• 1/2 diced apple (we used Gala)
• 1 shredded chicken breast (oven-roasted)
  

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Clean and cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces, approximately equal in size.
2. In a deep pot, place the potatoes in cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, cook over medium-high heat until fork tender.
3. Meanwhile, pan-fry the garlic, and cut the onions and apple.
4. Whisk the dijon, honey, vinegar, and olive oil together to make the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
5. Drain potatoes and allow them to cool in the pot so that most of the moisture evaporates.
6. Add the onions, apples, shredded chicken breast, and green onions to the potatoes (set aside a small handful of green onions for garnish), and fold in the dressing.
7. Top the potato salad with the rest of the green onions to garnish.
8. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to blend together.

And it’s done! It’s ready to serve. A must-try for those looking for some tangy, zesty goodness!

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As a result of its simple recipe, the meatballs have a few strong flavors rather than the schnazier recipes that give the hmmm-factor. Beef, tomato, garlic, and Parmesan. So juicy, so rich, and so easy to make! This is a great go-to recipe when entertaining a crowd. A fantastic appetizer that is a real crowd-pleaser!

 

Recipe yields: 4
Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. ground beef
  
• 1 medium-sized onion
  
• 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  
• 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 c bread crumbs
  

Sauce:

• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper