Time for Dinner - Soup

OK, so time to get on with it, and maybe I'll have you all ready by the week-end after

Thanksgiving !

The next course would be the soup, and/or salad. in this installment, we'll be doing soup, since it goes so well in the colder weather.

Carrot soup will be on the bill of fare today, for a little change of pace.

List of ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs fresh carrots

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or clarified butter

2 medium minced garlic cloves

1 large chopped yellow onion

3 1/4 cups vegitable stock or water

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Remove tops from carrots & scrub. Then cut into 1 inch slices.

On medium heat, place olive oil in large heavy soup pot. When heated add onions and garlic. Sautee` until onions begin to turn translucent. Bring to a gentle boil until carrots are tender, about25 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes.

Puree with hand blender to desired consistency, adding lemon juice, and serve. Serves 4

Cocktails & Appetizers

So, the next thing you may wish is to have a specialty cocktail to offer. You've heard of a long island iced tea, well here's the recipe for a long beach iced tea!

Fill shaker 1/2 full of ice, add 1/2 oz each of vodka, light rum, triple sec, midori, & gin.

shake well, & strain into tall glass nearly full of ice, garnish with lemon wedge, & serve!

Now here is a mocktail sure to please!

Little Manhatten

First, fill a glass with iced water. Then in an iced shaker combine 1/4 cup each cranberry & orange juices, 1/2 tsp. cherry juice, 1/4 tsp. lemon juice, & 2 dashes orange bitters. Shake well, dump iced water from glass, strain in contents of shaker, drop in a cherry, & serve.

Next, we have an appetizer which will be unique to many people outside the south and midwest.

Fried green tomatoes. If you have a garden, perhaps you've been wondering what you can do with those tomatoes that won't make it before the frost, well here you go!

If you don't have a garden, I have found good sources to be farmer's and Mexican markets.

Now, once you have your tomatoes (About 1 tomato per guest should do) slice them in about 1/4 inch slices, sprinkle with dill weed on both sides, lay on cookie sheet(s) in single layer & let stand for 2 hours. Watching a movie would be good way to time this.

Once the movie is over, get one small and one large mixing bowl.

In the small mixing bowl mix together 1 egg & 3 cups milk.

In the large mixing bowl, mix together well 3 cups flour, 1/4 cup salt, & 2 tablespoons pepper. (freshly ground is best)

Dip the tomato slices in the egg dip (small mixing bowl) then toss in the flower mixture, untill well coated. Place coated tomato slices in single layer(s) on sheet(s) of waxed paper.

After you have finished this operation, you may place your tomatoes in the freezer until you are ready to cook & serve.

When you are ready to cook & serve, get a large (preferably cast iron) skillet & preheat on cook top. When it just begins to smoke, add your cooking oil, which ever kind you prefer, enough to cover your tomato slices when laid in the single layer. After The oil is heated, ( a good way to test this is flick some water from your fingers into the oil, when it sizzles, it's ready) Carefully Place a single layer of tomato slices not overlapping in the skillet, and just brown on both sides and serve on an attractive platter lined with red kale, for example, on the edges. For more color add some carrot sticks. Be a little creative, for pity sakes, don't let this be all me!

Check back in tomorrow, and we'll Do a soup & salad!

Welcome to Dinner Party of the Week!

Hello! And once again, welcome!

As the title suggests, it will be our goal here to organize through each week an enjoyable dinning experience for family, friends, business associates, social networks, mixed groups, children's and teenager's parties, or any other purpose you wish to accomplish with your affair.

We intend to take you from greeting at the door, to saying good night and sending them on their way!

This will be done on a day-to-day basis, so as not to overwhelm or confuse, say the beginning newlywed, for example, so please, those of you with more experience, be patient as we attempt to bring the beginners along. You might be surprised to learn just how many people these days don't even know how to set a table properly!

I am highly qualified in this venture, having recently retired from a large banquet department in a major worldwide hotel chain. I intend, at least over time to be your one-stop party planning headquarters, providing all the knowledge & sources you should need to make all your events a rousing success! So be sure to check in every day for updates, & in no time, you can have the showplace of the neighborhood, if not the town!

So, let's get right to it, shall we?

It's been often said, you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and this is true on it's face, So door greeting is very important!

Now no mater what the situation, you always want to be composed. If any of your guests are rude enough to show up half an hour early, just take a breath, go to your happy place, & stroll to the door. Paste on a welcoming smile, Say good evening, offer to take their wraps, etc., & show them to the area where you intend to serve cocktails & appetizers. Offer to get their drinks, serve them, and let them know they can let you know about any other wishes they have, while you are just finishing up a few things.

Come back tomorrow, & we'll have a recipes for a specialty cocktails, both alcoholic & non, and at least one appetizer.