It seems odd posting this well after St.Patrick's Day but such is life at times. I was so knocked out by this sinus infection that I cancelled our planned dinner last weekend. Note: you know that I am sick when I cancel an opportunity to cook and eat.
This new medication seems to be working wonders and I felt up to playing in the kitchen so we got together on Friday with mom (our other guests no longer able to join us) for the big dinner. The menu was the same as always - we don't often shake things up when it comes to festive dinners.
Paul set the table while I finished up the last of the prep in the kitchen. When mom arrived he shook up the martini and we were ready to go! This year we went with a Key Lime Martini which we have made in the past. I had some real key lime juice so we used that and frankly I think it overpowered everything else - this was a PUCKER of a martini!
We rimmed the glasses with melted white chocolate and dipped the chocolate in crushed graham cracker crumbs.
Since it was just mom, Paul, and I we scaled back the appetizers. While we sipped our martinis - and they were so tart that sip was the operative word - we nibbled on an Irish cheddar and stout fondue, curds with fresh chives, and spinach dip with pretzel crackers.
Once we moved into the dining room the first course was a treat we found in the States a few weeks ago - shamrock and pot of gold shaped pasta. They were served with a simple Asiago cream sauce. Not Irish in the least but tasty. :-)
The main course was the usual St. Patrick's Day fare - glazed corned beef, roasted carrots with honey and pistachios, colcannon, and mom's ever-delicious soda bread.
Paul had selected dessert - we made these grasshopper cheesecakes years ago - don't ask me why I haven't made them since but they are so good I should make them more often! I made 1/3 the recipe (thank goodness for all of those years of teaching fractions in school) and cooked them in muffin cups to make for a smaller than normal dessert portion.
Perfetto!
Your St. Patrick's Day dinner might be a little late but not as late as mine. Corned beef and cabbage got delayed until next week. The meal no matter when you make it is delicious as I'm sure yours was. Feel better.
Posted by: Karen (Back Road Journal) | March 24, 2013 at 02:27 PM
Always fun to see the special dinners at your place, plenty of inspiration. These ideas are going to be for my after-attending-three-day-swim-meets life in two years. Someday my weekends will be filled with just such dinner parties...or at least an attempt. Everything looks wonderful and Paul did a great job on the table.
Posted by: Kayte | March 26, 2013 at 10:10 PM
Sometimes delayed meals work best - gives you time to avoid the holiday hub bub!
Kayte - somehow it seems as if Matt is going to swimming for awhile .. .and you'll be attending meets!
Posted by: JDeQ | April 04, 2013 at 09:11 PM