A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be asked to help cook a
meal called the
”
Pastor’s Dinner.
”
My uncle-in-law, Father Dan Derry of St. Mary Church, had
auctioned off the dinner at the St. Mary Golf Tournament a few
months ago to benefit the works of the church and of St. Joseph’s
Family Center.
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be asked to help cook a meal called the “Pastor’s Dinner.” My uncle-in-law, Father Dan Derry of St. Mary Church, had auctioned off the dinner at the St. Mary Golf Tournament a few months ago to benefit the works of the church and of St. Joseph’s Family Center.
While he agreed to be the host, he needed a work crew. Enter: my husband Mark, the barbeque expert, and Debbie Pellicione, the dessert chef and all-around organizer of table décor and many other things.
I was in charge of all other parts of the meal. Assisting us was our bartender, waiter and chauffeur, David Cox of St. Joseph’s Family Center, and our young waitress, dishwasher and official greeter, Mariah Derry.
David, dressed in black and white and a bow tie, picked up the winning bidders, Dan and Barbara Mount, and their guests at their home in the very functional St. Joseph’s van.
Upon arrival at the Rectory, David became an excellent waiter and the guests were treated to hors d’oeuvres and cocktails in Father Dan’s “lounge.”
Meanwhile, in the courtyard, our barbequer was slow-cooking a few rib roasts. In the kitchen, Debbie and I prepared salad and dressing, put the corn pudding in the oven, whipped potatoes and started the pasta water. I had made pesto the night before in my kitchen and we were waiting to see “the whites of their eyes” before we put the pasta into the water.
When the guests filed downstairs, they found a balsamic-dressed salad topped with sweet-peppered walnuts. We served this with a beautiful, oaky chardonnay. As they sipped and talked, the pasta boiled and was then mixed with the pesto. We curled long strands onto small plates, topped them with Parmesan, and our waiter and waitress exchanged empty salad plates for true Gilroy-style pasta con pesto.
Through the swinging kitchen door, we heard quiet as the pasta was consumed. Not that we had much time to listen. We were busy loading the dinner plates with Oprah’s mashed potatoes, corn-jalapeño pudding, garlicky green beans and beautiful slices of prime rib roast. We garnished the plates with a tender whole roasted garlic bulb.
Our waiter and waitress cleared the pasta plates and, after a brief respite, replaced them with the filled dinner plates. David poured merlot and cabernet sauvignon and our guests settled in for a plate of varied tastes and textures.
With the exception of the beans, I loved all of the recipes. This was a bit of luck since I hadn’t tried any of them before. Yes, I know the adage about not trying new things when you’re having a party but they all sounded good. Oprah’s potatoes, in particular, are very special.
As a grand finale, Debbie prepared Bananas Foster, sweet and cinnamon-hinted bananas in a brown sugar syrup served warm over vanilla ice cream. Oh, was it wonderful. I wanted to just eat the sauce with a spoon – forget the ice cream. (Recipe to come next week!)
Our guests moaned and groaned in delight after their big night. Thankfully, they had David to drive them all home again.
• O-potatoes: Oprah calls Chicago home so it’s no wonder that the Chicago Tribune got a hold of her favorite mashed potato recipe. Don’t think about the butter; just do it. You will not be sorry. These are fabulous. You can find horseradish sauce in the condiment aisle.
Oprah’s Potatoes
2 1/2 pounds red potatoes
2 1/2 pounds Idaho potatoes
1 1/4 cups butter, cut in pieces
1 cup bottled horseradish sauce
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Chopped parsley (optional)
Wash red potatoes and Idaho potatoes well, leaving skins on; cut in half. Transfer to a large pot and cover with water. Heat water to a boil; lower heat to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain potatoes well; return them to the pot. Do not peel them. Add butter. Mash slightly by hand. Add horseradish sauce, milk, salt and black pepper to taste. Mash until the texture is creamy but still slightly lumpy. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Makes 10 servings.
• Spicy corn: This jalapeño corn pudding requires patience but the spicy-sweet flavor makes it worth the wait. It makes a nice side dish for roast or grilled beef or pork. It could also be a great addition to a brunch table as it can be served warm or room temperature.
Jalapeño Corn Pudding
6 large eggs, beaten
1/4 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
3 green onions, chopped fine
2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
2 16-ounce cans cream-style corn
1 pound shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together eggs, bell pepper, green onions and jalapeños in a large bowl. Add corn, cheese, flour and salt. Mix to blend.
Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan. Bring a larger pan of water to boil. Pour corn mixture into the baking pan. Place the baking pan in the boiling water. Bake until center is almost firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
• Need dinner in a hurry? Don’t wait until after work to make it. Here are two good slow cooker recipes for fast nights from the “Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook,” by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good.
Cola Roast
3 pound beef roast
10 3/4-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
16-ounce bottle Pepsi or other cola (do not use diet cola)
Place meat in slow cooker. Top with mushroom soup and onion soup mix.
Pour in Pepsi. Cover. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
Easy Chili
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon chili powder (or more to taste)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
28-ounce can tomato sauce
3 16-ounce cans kidney beans, drained
14 1/2-ounce can crushed or stewed tomatoes
6-ounce can tomato paste
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Brown meat in skillet. Add onion and green pepper halfway through browning process. Drain. Pour into slow cooker.
Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Before serving, taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
Serve in bowls topped with cheese. Pass the Tabasco. (P.S. This chili is great served over rice.)
Tip of the Week:
When adding dried herbs to a cold mixture, such as a salad dressing, give them a boost by soaking them in a little hot water for about 10 minutes. Then you can add them to the rest of the ingredients.
Notes from Jenny’s Kitchen
• The biggest enemies of dried herbs are air, light and heat.
• Bring a little sunshine into winter by eating some pineapple. The Hawaii Gold brand are usually very sweet. If, by chance, you get an acidic pineapple, make a mixture of 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar; bring to a boil. Cut pineapple into chunks, put into a plastic bag or other container, and cover chunks with syrup. Store overnight. The pineapple will taste great the next day.
• Try this next time you need to peel a tomato: Heat in the microwave at high for 15 seconds. Let stand 1 minute before peeling.
• Limp potatoes and carrots can often be revived by soaking them in ice water for an hour.
• If you accidentally oversweeten a dish, try stirring in 1 teaspoon at a time of vinegar. (Do not try this wih a dessert; it only works with salad dressings, caramelized vegetables, etc.)
– Jenny Midtgaard
• End notes: “A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” ~ John Steinbeck
Happy cooking!
