Lisa and I have been best buddies for a long time, and have always shared a love of cooking and throwing a party.
I was able to visit her and her family on Cape Cod last week, and we took the opportunity to have a party. Some of our other old friends came by...Harriette, Annie, Jamie, Lou & Sarah (who came roaring up on their motorcycles - so cool!), and Gillian - and we had a great spread, Mark made us a fire in his back yard custom fire pit, and, as always, we laughed a lot!
The evening before the party, we went to meet Lisa's Mom, Jean, because she was taking the kids for some quality grandma time. Sam and Rowan had a video arcade and movie to look forward to (go Nonny!). We met halfway between Lisa's and Jean's, near a roadside farm stand where they had bought some amazing peaches a week or so before.
Said peaches inspired a great cocktail and dessert for our get-together. Lisa found a recipe in the great "Cake Mix Doctor" cookbook - all recipes that start with a box of cake mix. Creative and easy, especially for the baking-challenged like myself. I'll ask Lisa to send me a copy of this particular cake recipe-at the moment I only have a picture and sweet memories...
Look at that! And it tasted even better.
The peaches also made a fresh, delicious addition to the White Sangria we made. Sunshine in a glass...beautiful and budget-friendly. The great thing about sangria is that you can use an inexpensive wine.
* 1 big bottle white wine
* 1 cup triple-sec (orange liqueur)
* 3-4 peaches, pitted and sliced
* 1 lg. orange, 2 lemons and 1 lime, sliced into wheels
* generous last minute-splash of seltzer, lemon-lime soda
or champagne
Empty wine into a pitcher, add cup of triple-sec and sliced fruit. We used citrus and peaches, but you can use any fruit you like - cherries, berries, melon, apples - all will work. Whatever you have in the crisper drawer or freezer. The trick to sangria is putting it together and letting it sit in the fridge. The longer it sits, the more flavor and sweetness you get from the fruit. Just give it a stir every once in a while.
Right before you serve, add your bubbles. We were lucky to have a split of champagne in the fridge, a gift from the parents of one of Lisa's students. Trust me, if you can splurge on the champagne or sparkling wine, it makes a fantastic addition. Also, reserve a few citrus wheels to garnish the glasses. Here's the breakdown, for 2 big pitchers of Sangria:
* Big Bottle Pinot Grigio (sale) $9.99
* small bottle triple-sec $7.99 (also used in glaze for peach cake)
* peaches $3.49
* lemons/lime $2.00 (also used in Orzo Salad & White Bean Dip)
* orange $.39
* champagne split - free
Total - $23.86
Don't forget to snack on the boozy fruit left in your glass and in the pitcher!
Along with some BBQ chicken legs and burger sliders, we decided to serve some economical summer sides. Namely, Orzo Salad with Summer Veggies and Garlicky White Bean Dip. The basis of both recipes are inexpensive pantry staples, namely orzo pasta and canned white beans. We also bought some fresh picked veggies from the farm stand, and made use of herbs and tomatoes from Lisa and Mark's garden.
The orzo salad is something I've made many times and in many ways. In this instance, I've grilled the veggies, because I could. At home, I either use a grill pan or roast the veggies in the oven with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Orzo Salad with Summer Veggies
* 1 lb. box Orzo pasta
* 1 lg. summer squash, sliced lengthwise into planks
* 1 lg. garden tomato, chopped into 1 inch chunks
Cook whole box of orzo according to package instructions, in lots of boiling salted water. After draining pasta, rinse with cool water, drizzle with a little olive oil, give it a good stir and leave in collander in sink to drain and cool. The oil will help it keep from sticking, you only need a tablespoon or so.
Prepare your grill or grill pan so it's nice and hot. Brush zucchini & squash planks and onion rings with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Lay them on the grill and cook until they are soft and nicely charred. You may want to lay a piece of foil under the onions, as they break apart and can fall through the grill. After they are cooked, put the veggies aside to cool. When cool, chop into 1 inch pieces. I prefer to keep the tomato fresh, and to add it at the last minute.
In a large mixing bowl, combine juice of 2 lemons, zest of 1 lemon and salt & pepper. Whisk in 1/2 cup of olive oil until well combined. Add your fresh chopped herbs and stir to combine. Once your vinaigrette is done, add the cooled orzo, grilled veggies and fresh tomato. Stir well, then add the feta cheese, and gently fold it into the salad, so it doesn't break up too much. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour so the flavors can blend and soak into the orzo.
The salad can be served room temperature or cold, and is bursting with flavor. Annie described it as "like eating a summer garden". It's also a hearty vegetarian option. You can mix up the vegetables and herbs in many ways - but it's always colorful, refreshing, and tasty. Enjoy! This one was super cheap, as Lisa had fresh basil and chives, an onion, garlic powder and olive oil on hand. The lemons are part of the bill for the Sangria.
* Orzo $.77 (Prince, on sale)
* zucchini & summer squash $2.29
* big heirloom tomato $2.49
* feta crumbles $3.99
Total - $9.54
This made a mountain of salad, and the leftovers make a great brown-bag lunch or dinner side dish.
Garlicky White Bean Dip
Canned beans are a great thing to have on hand. If you see a sale, grab a few and stick them in your pantry...trust me, you'll find many ways to use them. Like, this throw-everything-in-a-blender recipe that you can whip out in no time.
* 2 cans White Kidney or Canellini Beans
* 2 cloves fresh garlic, skinned and chopped
* 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs, w/splash of white wine or water
* juice of 1/2 a lemon
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or rosemary)
* dash hot sauce or cayenne pepper
Drain and rinse beans. Take a slice of whatever bread you have on hand, pulse into crumbs in the blender, and add a tbsp. or water or white wine (if you've got a bottle open). Let soak for a few minutes. Then, like I said, throw everything into the blender or food processor, and pulse until until it's the texture of hummus. Let it sit for a bit, then serve with veggies, crackers or bread. Great for a party, easy enough to make any time. And because many of our ingredients did double duty, the only thing we had to buy was 2 cans of Goya Canellini beans, $.99 cents a piece - and a bag of pretzel chips, $2.69. Don't get much cheaper or easier than that!
A fitting farewell to summer...old friends, great food, wonderful weather, a splendid setting. Thanks so much Lisa and Mark, for everything. Miss you already!
Coming up next...the clean out the freezer, weeknight dinner challenge!
Party on - Ellen Wheels
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