Sausage Stuffed Zucchini

August 28, 2014September 5, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise (about 2 pounds)
1 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter if desired
2 cups marinara sauce if desired
salt and pepper to taste

Serves 4-6; the recipe can easily be doubled or halved.

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim stems from zucchini and slice lengthwise. Scrape seeds and a small portion of the soft flesh from the zucchini being sure not to make a hole in the zucchini “boat”, reserve 1/2 cup of the flesh and chop. Place zucchini; cut sides up, in a baking dish.

STEP 2

In a medium bowl combine the reserved chopped zucchini raw sausage, garlic, onion powder, breadcrumbs, ½ cup Parmesan, egg and salt and pepper and mix well. Divide mixture among zucchini. Spread marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan if using and place stuffed zucchini on top, or place zucchini in pan with no sauce.

STEP 3

Bake until filling is firm and each zucchini is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with remaining Parmesan and enjoy.

Pick up your copy of The Pretty Plate for more simple techniques and recipes, and learn about the five elements to make your everyday meals magnificent.

10 Last Minute Party Fixes

August 19, 2014August 20, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

Celebrate today and get busy making wonderful memories. With this article you will be ready for your next event before the summer is over. Have nothing to fear as these tips will keep the good times coming even if a disaster strikes.

A Crowded Room

“The number one mistake I see when hosts are setting up parties is that they do not consider the flow of traffic,” says Rachel Sherwood, food stylist, culinary and entertaining expert, and author of The Pretty Plate.

Fix: Keep food and drink stations separate, which encourages guests to circulate around the party. “By separating them it forces guests to move and mingle,” says Sherwood. “They can’t just sit in one place with access to all the food and drink they want.”

The Too Busy Host Can’t Enjoy the Party

If you feel like the waiter at your own party, it’s time to rethink your strategy so you can spend more time with your guests.

Fix: Plan ahead and make sure your menu requires only a few steps to be done at the start of the party with minimal upkeep.

“As a host you will most likely know most of the guests attending so it is easy to be pulled in many directions,” says Sherwood. “Make a point to have focus on just your guests at the beginning and end of the event.”

If you can afford it, hiring someone to prepare and serve food and drinks can be a great help for the host.

Spilled Wine

“If you serve red wine, assume some will get spilled,” says Carla McDonald, founder of The Salonniere, a website for entertaining inspiration.

Fix: Either don’t serve red wine or use McDonald’s “fool-proof way” to get rid of red wine stains. She recommends dabbing up as much of the spilled wine as possible, covering the stain with a spray of hydrogen peroxide, and a generous amount of baking soda. Let the stain solution do its job for about five minutes. Then vacuum the area and rinse it with water.

Don’t use carpet cleaning solutions, says McDonald, who explains they can bleach out your carpet color and create a noticeable ring.

Not Having Enough Alcohol

Greg Jenkins of Bravo Productions, who has over 25 years of party planning experience, says hosts need to know how much their guests drink and what kinds of beverages they prefer. “If you have a heavy beer drinking crowd, don’t buy a ton of wine,” he says.

Fix: The typical guest has two drinks in the first hour of the party, says Jenkin, noting that number tapers off after that. Still that’s just a guideline. He says younger guests may drink consistently throughout the party. Trim your party time from four hours to just two or three and you can prevent guests from overindulging in your booze.

Try a signature drink to control costs and keep guests happy. Don’t forget to offer non-alcoholic drunks too, like tea, waters and sodas.

Unclaimed Drinks

Tired of throwing out half-empty cups because guests can’t figure out which drink is theirs?

Fix: Label all drinks. For a few bucks you can invest in reusable drink labels or reusable bottle tags. If your guests are drinking from water bottles or plastic cups, give them a permanent marker to write their name on the cup. Everyone will know which cup is theirs and you’ll save money by not having so many wasted drinks.

Not Being Ready For Guests with Allergies

Fix: Label foods and ingredients when possible. If you can’t avoid foods that could be allergy triggers, at least provide separate serving spoons and forks for these items so guests don’t mix and match utensils in different dishes. Also try to serve a variety of foods that are suitable for guests with allergies including peanut free and gluten free dishes.

A Messy Party

Feeling overwhelmed by a stack of empty plates, cups, utensils and napkins? You’re not alone. This is a big party pitfall.

Fix: Make sure you have easy to find and use trash and recycling bins.

“If a guest sees a trash they are more likely to use it, if not clutter can easily collect on tables,” says Sherwood, who also suggests designating one or two people to do quick trash pickups once in a while during your get together.

Dirty Hands in Snack and Candy Bowls

It’s a gross-out moment when you realize how many hands have grabbed chips from communal snack bowls.

Fix: Use serving spoons for main dishes and sides. When possible give guests pre-portioned servings, especially for foods that are likely to otherwise be touched by bare and potentially dirty hands. That means giving partygoers small bags of chips or individual packs of cookies. If possible, hire help to serve foods either tray-passed or at food stations.

Don’t forget to have hand sanitizers at various places throughout the party.

An Inappropriate Mix of Guests

Think twice before hosting all of your family, friends and co-workers at the same event. Do you really want your boss mingling with your Friday-night poker buddies?

Fix: Review your “audience demographics,” says Jenkins, who suggests hosting, “a casual barbecue for your family, a summer cocktail reception for your colleagues and a game night for your friends.”

You Run Out of Food

Fix: Stock up on frozen appetizers purchased from club stores or the grocery store. If you don’t use them for the party, save the frozen snacks for the next get-together.

“If you’ve planned ahead and still run out of food, raid your?refrigerator or have someone run out and get fast food and then place the?food on the most beautiful serving pieces you have,” says McDonald, noting fast food French fries “presented in silver mint julep glasses can go a long way at a party.”

Source: thedailymeal.com

Pick up your copy of The Pretty Plate for more simple techniques and recipes, and learn about the five elements to make your everyday meals magnificent.

How to make easy appetizers

August 8, 2014August 18, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

Watch Rachel

Featured again on Twin Cities Live! This week it was all about easy appetizers. You have all the tips you need for summer entertaining and even making those special summer drinks.

Something to talk about. Now lets give you some delicious easy appetizers to get the party started.

I love using puff pastry for easy appetizers because it is just so versatile. You can use things you already have on hand to make both sweet and savory easy appetizers at any time.

Basic Savory Herb Cheese Pinwheel

I love this shape because you can make several different bites, really quickly and it does not involve any special folding techniques. Just simply spread your topping, roll it up, slice, bake and you have lots of easy appetizers quickly.

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

4oz softened cream cheese

2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of salt and pepper

Optional 1-2 dash of hot sauce

In a small bowl combine cream cheese, Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper and optional hot sauce.

Roll out the pastry dough to a 9×9 square on a lightly flowered surface. Spread the herb cheese mixture over the dough. Roll the dough over itself until you get to the end. Seal the edge by brushing with a little water and lightly pinching the seam closed.

With the roll seam side down cut with a serrated knife ¼ inch slices. Place on a parchment lined or a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minuets until lightly golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The pinwheels are great and you can spread almost any topping you would like, such as:

roasted red pepper spread,
cheese and pepperoni, or even simply
sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat.

Get creative, look and see what you have at hand and make your own custom easy appetizers at any time.

*Expert Tip: If the dough gets too soft to handle and cut, place it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it up and make cleaner cuts.

Now if you want something a little more elegant you can make another shape using the same puff pastry product called Volovants, which is basically a hollow shell of the pastry that you can fill with a variety of things.

Watch the how to video

To make square Volovants

Start with a 3in square piece of puff pastry dough. Lightly fold the dough in half to form a triangle.

Make two incisions one centimeter from each edge of the triangle towards the point, but stopping short of the corner.

Unfold the triangle into the original square with a cut frame. Now the cool part! Fold each corner of the outer frame over so that it meets the opposite corner of the inner square.

You can lightly brush them with egg wash to a nice golden color if you want, prick the center with a fork for more even cooking. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Allow pastry to cool, and fill with Creamy Smoked Salmon spread or any other desired filling such as:

chicken salad,
sundried tomato spread, even
lemon curd for something tangy and sweet.

Creamy Smoked Salmon Spread

4 oz smoked salmon (1 cup flaked with fork)

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

2-3 tablespoons milk

3 green onions chopped small

1 tablespoon lemon juice

5-8 dashes hot sauce (like Tabasco) more if you like things spicier

1 teaspoon dried dill

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well until combined. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours for best flavors.

Serve with crackers and vegetables, as a sandwich spread or in a Volovant Shell for elegant easy appetizers.

Pick up your copy of The Pretty Plate for more simple techniques and recipes, and learn about the five elements to make your everyday meals magnificent.

Creamy Smoked Salmon Spread

August 7, 2014August 19, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

4 oz smoked salmon (1 cup flaked with fork)

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

2-3 tablespoons milk

3 green onions chopped small

1 tablespoon lemon juice

5-8 dashes hot sauce (like Tabasco) more if you like things spicier

1 teaspoon dried dill

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well until combined. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours for best flavors.

Serve with crackers and vegetables, as a sandwich spread or in a Volovant Shell for elegant easy appetizers.

Basic Savory Herb Cheese Pinwheel

August 6, 2014August 8, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

4oz softened cream cheese

2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of salt and pepper

Optional 1-2 dash of hot sauce

In a small bowl combine cream cheese, Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper and optional hot sauce.

The pinwheels are great and you can spread almost any topping you would like, such as:

roasted red pepper spread,
cheese and pepperoni, or even simply
sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat.

Get creative, look and see what you have at hand and make your own custom easy appetizers at any time.

*Expert Tip: If the dough gets too soft to handle and cut, place it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it up and make cleaner cuts.

Watch the how to video