A Kid-Friendly Valentine's Day Menu

I always like to do something fun and festive for my boys when Valentine’s Day arrives. Last year we made Heart-Shaped Pizza using pre-baked dough so to mix things up a bit this year we are making Heart-Shaped garlic bread instead! To go along with the theme, I made pretty pink Beet Pasta (recipe below) and a side of sautéd broccoli rabe– 2 variations on vegetables my kids will actually eat.

Heart-Shaped Garlic Bread

6-8 slices of sourdough bread

3 T butter

1 T olive oil

2 T grated parmesan cheese

1/4 t garlic powder

Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter or scissors to cut hearts out of sliced sourdough bread. Butter each piece and lay them on a baking sheet. Drizzle the whole sheet with olive oil and then sprinkle with the grated parmesan and garlic powder. Broil until golden (about 2-3 minutes).

Use any leftover bread to make homemade croutons like these from the Kitchn.

Enjoy!

Heart-Shaped Garlic Bread

BEET PASTA

recipe from The Forest Feast Mediterranean

8 oz. (225 g) pasta (I used rigatoni here, but any type works)

1 small beet

2 oz. (55 grams) goat cheese

1/2 lemon

2 T olive oil

Fresh parsley (or other fresh herb you like)

Boil the pasta according to package instructions. As pasta cooks, grate the beet using a fine grater or zester (no need to peel). Drain the pasta and then put it back into the hot cooking pot. Add the grated beet, juice from 1/2 lemon, the goat cheese, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

* For an even more kid-friendly version of this recipe, just use half of a small beet and leave out the lemon and goat cheese. Instead add 1 T butter to make it a little creamier, and a bit more mild. My kids will protest if I put parsley on top, so I leave it on the side, mostly for the grown-ups to sprinkle.

Enjoy!

Max enjoying Beet Pasta

Broccoli Rabe sautéd with butter & garlic. Sauté on medium high heat until bright green.

Holiday Party: Cava Sangria Punch

I love how pretty this punch bowl recipe looks for a party. It was inspired by our favorite neighborhood cafe in Barcelona while researching The Forest Feast Mediterranean. In Spain, it is typically served in a pitcher but it’s perfect for a party to make it in a bowl

Note: Double the recipe for a mixing bowl or simply add equal parts juice and prosecco (or, like the recipe, add slightly less juice for a less sweet version). You can use any type of fruits that are in season. I used figs, cranberries, persimmons, apples, pomegranates, clementines, star fruit and edible flowers. Slice them thinly so they’ll float. (Tip: the pom seeds only float on top of larger items.)

Check out the video demonstration here.

Cava Sangria

1 bottle Cava or any dry sparkling white wine (750 ml)

2 c white grape juice (480 ml)

Mix in a pitcher with:

1 c raspberries (165 g)

1/2 grapefruit cut into triangles (peel on)

Serve chilled or over ice.

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For more holiday-centric party ideas, you might like:

Green Kale Dip

Holiday Appetizer: The Cheese Ball (video)

Holiday Cocktail Party

Memorial Day Party Menu

I'm so looking forward to the 3-day weekend we have coming up! The weather is supposed to be nice so we're hoping to entertain on the deck. In case you are too, click on over to this menu I put together for Instyle Magazine. It includes a Cucumber Spritzer Cocoktail, Spicy Feta Lettuce Wraps, Asparagus Pastry Straws and the easiest Chocolate Ricotta Mousse. Happy Hosting!!

Grilled Halloumi with Strawberries and Herbs

I’m excited to let you know about a very special dinner event in San Francisco I am doing with my friend, photographer Kimberley Hasselbrink, who runs the food blog The Year in Food. Kimberley also just released her first cookbook, Vibrant Food, and we are cooking a meal together in a couple weeks, from our 2 cookbooks! Her book is sooo beautiful, you definitely need to look for it. She’s based in San Francisco and the recipes are all inspired by colorful produce. The photos are gorgeous and her recipes have all kinds of brilliant flavor combinations. I went to her book launch party last week and got to try some of the goodies- delish!

Since we are both so inspired by colorful food, we decided to team up and do a vegetarian meal where each course is based on a different color- I am so excited!! We are each making 2 dishes from our new cookbooks, and then we’re collaborating on a dessert. The Forest Feast + Vibrant Food = A VIBRANT FEAST!!

The dinner is in SF on Monday July 14th. Click HERE to see the menu and buy tickets. I’m making the Nectarine Tomato Salad above (among other goodies from my book!) Hope you can join us!!

Doesn’t the dish above look amazing? It’s Kimberley’s recipe from her book for Grilled Halloumi cheese topped with strawberries and herbs (YUM!).

Top Photo by Kimberley Hasselbrink, and her recipe is below.

Lower photo is by Erin Gleeson from The Forest Feast cookbook.

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GRILLED HALLOUMI WITH STRAWBERRIES AND HERBS

from the cookbook Vibrant Food, by Kimberley Hasselbrink.  A note from Kimberley:

I was inspired to make this by some snacks brought to a picnicky party: my friend Dafna’s spicy jalapeño jam and my friend Andy’s halloumi cheese. We grilled the cheese and doused it with the jam and it was the undeniable hit of the party. I liked the idea of going for something spicy, sweet, and fresh on top of this intriguing cheese, so I made a mess of strawberries and herbs to pile atop it for this version. Halloumi is a firm, salty cheese that keeps its shape when grilled or fried in a pan. It’s an awesome way to enjoy the unique pleasure of hot, melty cheese as a vehicle for food. It’s best to eat the cheese as soon as possible after it’s come out of the pan—the magic of halloumi happens when it’s hot. 

DRESSING

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons agave nectar 

1 serrano chile, seeds removed if desired, minced 

Freshly ground black pepper

6 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 (8- to 9-ounce) package halloumi cheese, cut into 8 slices

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, agave nectar, serrano, and pepper to taste. Toss the strawberries with the dressing and set aside. 

Heat a very large skillet over medium-high heat and add the 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, add the halloumi slices. Cook the cheese for 2 to 3 minutes per side without disturbing, until a deep brown crust forms. 

Remove the cheese from the skillet and spoon the strawberry mixture over the slices of cheese. Serve immediately, while the cheese is still warm.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Wine and Cheese Party Menu

Yesterday evening Jonathan and I hosted a little wine and cheese tasting garden party for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (the one where you are supposed to eat dairy- basically, my favorite holiday ever!). A friend brought plums from her tree and it was fun to see the early fruits of the garden, including blackberries that will arrive in a month or two.

I am no wine connoisseur, but I did some research online to find wine/cheese combinations that went well together, and then came up with simple, no-cook appetizer ideas using each cheese to pair with 5 different wines (ranging from bubbly to after-dinner port). I learned that when pairing cheese and wine, it’s best to match similarities in flavor (like a light fruity wine with a light cheese/fruit appetizer) or go for complete contrast, (like a sweet robust port paired with a pungent blue cheese like gorgonzola). It’s fun to take your time and pay attention to how the flavors dance in your mouth! I think they are best enjoyed in this order:

1. Prosecco: spread camembert (a brie-like) cheese on a toasted piece of baguette, top with a peach slice, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

2. Pinot Grigio: spread fresh whole milk ricotta cheese on a toasted piece of baguette and top with lemon zest and honey. See more details on that recipe in this post.

3. Pinot Noir: stack a cube of watermelon, a cube of feta and a leaf of mint on a toothpick.

4. Cabernet Sauvignon: top a slice of sharp white cheddar with a slice of crisp green apple, then sprinkle with honey and black pepper.

5. Port: put a smear of creamy gorgonzola on a leaf of purple endive and top with a red grape or 2.

Happy summer entertaining!

xx Erin