Tuesday Night #3 - 12/14/10

Tuesday Night Dinner Party was reserved for family in honor of my mom and sister's birthdays.  Mom requested chocolate, of course, and Lisa choose lemon poppy seed cake.  Grandma flipped when I told her I planned on only making a chocolate dessert.  As a result I quick ran and got mini lemon poppy seed muffins.

MENU
Appetizer - Stuffed Mushrooms (Epicurious.com), cherry tomatoes
Wine - Pinot Grigio (Black Box)
Salad - Caesar
Bread - Garlic
Entree - Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells with Arabiatta Sauce (Giada DeLaurentis)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/turkey-and-artichoke-stuffed-shells-with-arrabbiata-sauce-recipe/index.html
Dessert - Mini lemon poppy seed muffins, Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte w/ Raspberry Sauce (The Cake Bible) and Whipped Cream.

OK, this menu is the bomb.  I started on the stuffed shells on Monday.  I doubled the batch so we'd have some for the freezer but somehow it seemed to produce almost 3 times the amount.  I was up to my elbows in pasta, sauce and filling.  I had started the raspberry sauce the night before so i finished that up as well.  This was a dinner party for 8.  Had to pull out the folding chairs.

Family all arrived and we had beer and wine along with our apps.  I saved a small portion of the stuffed mushrooms for Jason and I.  I was sick of no leftovers for the next day.  I should not have bothered since I didn't think the mushrooms were that good.  Next time I'll try a recipe with spicy sausage in it.  Dinner was great and again, everyone had seconds.  Everyone oohed and awed when I served the torte.  I did look very pretty with the sauce and whipped cream.  I stacked the mini poppy seed muffins into a pyramid.  Corny but effective.

This picture really does not do it justice.

No game playing this week.  The birthday girls had gifts to open.  I got my mom flowers and my sister a casserole dish with the Campbell's soup recipe printed on it.  I think it is totally cute.  It is significant because it is pretty much the only thing she is allowed to bring to family dinners.  She has many talents but cooing is not one of them.  My niece entertained me after the meal when I had a chance to relax.  What an angel!

Jason did an excellent job of cleaning up the able and starting the dishwasher.  I owe him because I got a little crunched for time and when he got home I started barking orders at him.  Yikes!  I can get a little worked up.  I apologized and thanked him already.  Once again, he got yummy leftovers for lunch and I didn't.  I woke up about 2:30 in the morning and when and did the final load of dishes and cleaned up the kitchen nice.  At least he didn't have to see a mess while making his morning coffee.

Thanks to mom, dad, grandma, Lisa, Tim, Carol, Morgan and most of all Jason.