I had such a fun time planning every detail of my sister-in-law's wedding shower a few years ago. From the invitations, down to putting her gift together. I want to throw the same party again just to have the menu of good food to eat.
The Invitation
The Gift Bags
Details, Details, Details
The Ambiance
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| The Menu |
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Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Arugula and Sundried Tomatoes
Watermelon & Cantaloup Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
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Desserts Galore:
Triple Chocolate Trifle with Raspberries
Cheesecake with Peaches and Strawberries
Sugar Cookies
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| Megan's gift (from cocktail necessities to bedroom necessities) |
Recipes:
Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Arugula and Sundried Tomatoes
4 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
1 tablespoon Pepper, cracked
3 Dressing:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
⅓ cup Lemon Juice
1 cloves Garlic, peeled
Salt
2 Long loaves crusty rustic bread
1 bunch Arugula
¼ pound Parmesan Cheese, grated
Sundried Tomatoes, sliced
Rub the chicken breasts with the 2 T olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper and rub into the chicken. Grill the chicken over medium heat on an outdoor grill or in a grill pan on a stovetop for 4-6 minutes on each side, or until done. Remove chicken, maintain heat, and grill the lemon slices until lightly charred on each side. Place one or two lemon slices on each chicken breast.
Combine the mustard, lemon juice, garlic clove, salt and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor and pulse until well blended. With the processor running, slowly pour the remaining 3/4 cup olive oil until emulsified with the other ingredients.
Slice the bread loaves in half lengthwise and tear out the center of each piece, leaving approximately 1 inch of bread on crusts. Brush generously with dressing. Toss the arugula leaves with the remaining dressing.
To assemble the sandwiches, place the chicken breasts end to end lengthwise along the bottom halves of the loaves. Layer with the dressed arugula leaves and top with the parmesan shavings. Place sundried tomatoes on top. Place tops of bread on and cut.
Watermelon and Cantaloupe Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
¼ cup lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
¼ cup simple syrup, recipe follows
⅛ teaspoon amaretto
2 cups watermelon balls, from about half a watermelon
2 cups cantaloupe balls, from about 1 cantaloupe
Simple Syrup:
½ cup water
1 cup sugar
In a blender, combine mint, lemon juice, simple syrup, and amaretto. Blend until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the watermelon and the cantaloupe. Add the vinaigrette and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
Simple Syrup:
In a saucepan, combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Triple Chocolate Trifle with Raspberries
FOR THE BROWNIES:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, more for greasing pan
3 ounces finely chopped unsweetened chocolate
½ cup cocoa powder, sifted
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons Cognac, rum or bourbon, optional
FOR ASSEMBLY:
½ cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch salt
1 ¾ cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (2 cups)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar for whipped cream
1 to 2 pints fresh raspberries.
1. To make brownies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped chocolate until fully melted. Stir in cocoa and sugar until combined. Slowly add eggs, whisking chocolate mixture constantly, then whisk in vanilla. Fold in flour and salt.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until just firm, about 25 minutes (do not overbake). Transfer pan to a rack to cool. If using spirits, prick holes in hot brownies and drizzle evenly over pan.
4. In a large bowl, mix together granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in 3/4 cup milk. In a large saucepan, bring remaining 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup cream to a boil over medium heat. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into cocoa mixture. Return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking gently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. (A simmering bubble or two is O.K., but do not let it boil.)
5. In a medium heat-resistant bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking them constantly, very slowly dribble about half the cocoa-milk mixture into yolks until fully combined. Pour yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining cocoa-milk mixture, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking occasionally, over medium-low heat, until thickened, about 5 minutes. (Do not let mixture come to a simmer. If pan begins to steam thickly, remove from heat for a few moments and stir well before continuing.) Let cool slightly.
6. Melt 5 ounces chopped chocolate with butter. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool 5 minutes, then fold into thickened egg mixture. Place plastic wrap directly against pudding (to prevent a skin from forming), and chill until set, about 3 hours. (Pudding and brownies can be made up to 5 days ahead, and refrigerated.)
7. Just before assembling, in an electric mixer, beat remaining 2 1/2 cups cream with remaining 5 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar until it forms soft peaks. Scrape down sides and fold in any excess cocoa or sugar.
8. Cut brownies into 1-inch squares. Fit a layer of brownie squares in bottom of a 4-quart trifle, glass, or other bowl. Top with half the pudding, a third of the whipped cream, a third of the remaining chopped chocolate and a third of the raspberries. Repeat layering until all ingredients have been used. Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and chill for up to 24 hours before serving.
I had fun with the little touches, like framing a picture of JFK and putting together a slideshow in the digital frame of MadMen stills and pictures of Michael and Brody. I even put retro Vogue pictures and artwork from the 60s in my bathroom.
