A Christmas Dinner ~ December 2015

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...!  That busy time of year again.  The rush between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a short 4 week run.  To make it a little easier this month we kept the menu real simple.

I served beef bourguignon and together we made spaetzle to serve with the stew.  Spaetzle is a German egg noodle.  Last Christmas I received a spaetzle maker and have not bought egg noodles since.  Its quick and easy to make a batch and the kids love them too (both making and eating).

Angi brought a shrimp scampi dip.  It was so delicious - both warm and cold (the next day).

shrimp scampi dip

Betty, Jeanne, Nina & Denise

We enjoyed a few glasses of wine and Prosecco and snacked while mixing up our spaetzle batter.

Jen & Betty mixing eggs for the spaetzle

Betty mixing the batter

Filling the spaetzle maker with the batter

Nina pushing the dough thru the spaetzle maker

Angi scooping out the cooked spaetzle

The spaetzle tossed with parsley and butter

beef bourguignon

Denise brought a yummy kale salad... made with apple matchsticks, cranberries and dressing.  Who would have thought kale could be so yummy!  Denise is the salad queen.  Every salad she makes is delicious.

Kale salad

Betty, Angi, Jen, Denise, Jeanne and Nina

 Nina brought warm chocolate brownie cups - warmed in the oven with some fresh whipped cream - they were a perfect end to our meal!

warm chocolate brownie cups

We enjoyed a santa swap...  there were glasses and infused vinegar, lotions and serving dishes.  Angi had #1... so she had last pick  She chose to swap her gift for mine.  I still made out with a cute Christmas apron which is so apropos for trying to organize a cooking club!

Merry Christmas Scituate Cooking Club ladies!!!

Jen, Nina, Betty, Jeanne, Denise, Jen, Angi and Murphy

Boston Public Market ~ November 2015

We took a little break from our normal routine and visited the Boston Market on Hanover Street.


A market filled with vendors selling chocolate, cheese, meat, flowers, wine, coffee, doughnuts, vegetables... so much to look at and sample!

If I lived near by I'd would try each doughnut offered... check out this maple bacon doughnut!

Sea scallop playing peek-a-boo....




Although the market was fun... I must admit my highlight was the North End.  After purchasing cheese and other miscellaneous items we headed over to the North End for dinner.

Cindy, Angi, Betty & Jen

We first stopped at Bricco on Hanover Street.  We sat at the bar and enjoyed a glass of wine with some fried calamari.  Next time we'll need to try some Grappa, Limoncello and some Campari.

We then headed towards Prince Street for dinner... but first stopped at Shake the Tree a cute boutique that had clothing, jewelry, candles... lots of fun things to check out.

We ended up at Trattoria Di Monica for dinner... the four of us shared a cute table, a bottle of wine and shared each of our meals.  We had plenty!

I ordered butternut squash gnocchi with broccoli rabe and sausage...   Angi chose bolognese pappardelle... Betty ordered pumpkin ravioli with sage and brown butter... and Cindy went with the veal & spinach fettuccine.  My pictures didn't do our meals justice!

Pumpkin ravioli

Butternut gnocchi

Before heading home walked over to Mike's Pastry.  I got some giant cookies for the kids, a rich chocolate cake for hubby & me to share.

We stopped back at the market and picked up some gourmet hot cocoa at Taza... you choose the chocolate, milk and other additions.    They steam the milk and add freshly grated chocolate - yum!

  Fun night!  Always enjoy a trip to the city especially with my cooking club girls!

Jen, Betty, Cindy & Angi

Dogs, Beans & Piccalilli ~ October 2015

It was a year ago when Betty had her awful accident with piccalilli... we thought we would host an evening around dog, beans and piccalilli.



We kicked off the evening with Jen's mini dog with beans toast points.  Never had a dog & beans served on fine china.

Rita brought a warm corn dip - served with chips.

This slaw was packed with tons of flavors... including blue cheese.  Yum!

Cindy roasted some potatoes...

She then grilled all types of dogs.  Nathan beef dogs, chicken dogs, vegetarian dogs...

I brought the fixings for a nacho dog... the refried beans really don't photograph well.  Angi brought the fixings for a reuben dog... swiss cheese, thousand island dressing and kraut!

What dog doesn't go well with baked beans.... a hearty mix of beans and bacon. Thank you Jeanne!



Look at the spread....

And for the grand finale.... Nina has become the brittle lady!  She makes some kick a$$ brittle.  Tonight was a pumpkin spice.  Delish!

Angi, Rita and Nina

Denise, Betty and Jeanne

Rita & Nina

  The Group!  Thank you to another fun, successful cooking club night!

Betty, Cindy, Denise, Angi, Jen, Nina, Jen, Jeanne & Rita

Everything Garlic! Sept 2015

Fun night at Betty's with a 'special' guest.  Chef Dennis and his girlfriend Lori joined us for a special presentation that included Black Garlic!  It was so interesting to learn that  black garlic is a type of caramelized garlic that is made by heating whole cloves of garlic over the course of a few weeks.  The flavor of the garlic is so different.... kind of sweet with a balsamic vinegar hint.

Dennis used the garlic in a risotto dish that was topped with blanched asparagus.  So YUMMY!

Dennis working his magic

Risotto with Black Garlic

final product ~ risotto with asparagus

Needless to say everyone's dish was fabulous and all had garlic - including dessert!  More on that in a moment....

Denise & Jeanne 

Denise's roasted garlic spread

To kick things off Cindy serving up tapas size serving of her pasta dish with broccoli & shrimp.

Pasta, broccoli & Shrimp

I brought count necks to sauté in butter, GARLIC and white wine... so excited to get the opportunity to cook outside in the wood burning pizza oven.

Sautéing the fennel and garlic 

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Cooking the clams  ~ look at that fire!

We had a diverse spread from roasted garlic spread, fresh salad, clams, pasta, sausage and peppers, stuffed artichokes, roasted cauliflower and sautéed shrimp!

Salad, crostini, clams and pasta

Jen's amazing sausage and peppers

Jeanne's garlic shrimp

 We had a good showing of veggies too!   Denise's salad was filled with little treasures of nuts and fruit.  Cindy brought artichokes made with a cracker stuffing.  Rita brought roasted cauliflower.  We had the full spectrum of food!

Salad with all kinds of treats in it

Cindy's stuffed artichokes

Rita's roasted cauliflower

Angi brought a chocolate log cake with mint ice-cream  - help fend off all that garlic taste!

Our guest Lori brought garlic rosemary pine-nut brittle.  It was a very tastey surprise... just a hint of garlic and rosemary with the touch of salt and sweet.  Need to make this again!

Chocolate mint log and brittle

Once again - great night - fabulous food - fun time!  Thank you to my cooking club girls and to Dennis and Lori for joining us and making it a great night!

Cindy, Jen, Denise, Jeanne, Lori, Jen, Betty & Chef Dennis