EVENT PLANNING BOOKS

The snowy blanket that tucked in Vermont’s Maple trees in for a winter sleep, treats us to the delightful bronze delight. Recently, Michael and I visited Brattleboro, Vermont. No visit is complete without tasting the sweetest gift that the State has to offer. I recommend Maple Frosting to wake up pastry delights. Kelly McBride Loft
Maple Frosting

Heat ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup of maple syrup until just boiling. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and add ½ cup of half & half. Stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts. This wonderful fronsting can glaze cinnamon rolls, cupckaes or birthday cakes. This can also be used as a filling for eclairs.

I like to welcome spring with good thoughts for others. I have been asked many times to conduct Board retreats for non-profit organizations. The retreats tend to increase participation and help to break down barriers amongst Board members. One technique that is very effective is to provide stationery to the participants, who are seated in a circle. Each person is asked to write a kind thought or observation about the person sitting to the right. Then, the stationery is passed to the right. The request is given again to write a kind thought or observation about the person 2nd to their right. The process is repeated, by passing the stationery once (each time) to the right and then writing about the 3rd (or next ) person on the right. The process is repeated with a writing for the 4th person, respectively, until the original stationery returns to the beginning writer. Then, each person reads the interactive sheet of the observations and considerations aloud. Smiles abound because the lesson is a technique to look for the good in others. © Kelly McBride Loft

One of my favorite culinary purchases in Paris, France is from a quaint fruit market on the Champs-Élysées. The owner hand-picks dates for his customers. This date variety offers a plump and juicy fruit that is so sweet it tastes as though it is caramelized. Fruit filled date cookies bridge the seasonal gap between winter and spring, as we sometimes need to bridge the gap amongst others. The cookie suffices the comfort food yearning and the fruit welcomes the fruit of spring to share with friends. I wish you camaraderie as you share the sweetness of life.

Date Cookies

Combine:
½ stick of butter
¾ cup of brown sugar
½ teaspoon almond flavoring
1 beaten egg
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup sour cream
1 cup of chopped dates

Drop, by spoonful, the cookie dough onto a greased baking sheet. Press each with a pecan on top. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.

When winter stages a temper tantrum, enjoy an at-home leisurely day. This is the kind of day in which you want to lounge in an old shirt to bundle up warm memories and seal out winter’s chill. My suggestion is to prepare the wholesome warmth of barley soup. Kelly McBride Loft

Barley Soup
Sear a beef stock bone or sear a veal chop with a bone in olive oil. Finish browning the bone or chop in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, half fill a stock pot with spring water. Add 1 – 28 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes and 1 – 15 oz. can of tomato sauce. Add peeled and sliced carrots and sliced celery. Add 1 whole onion and a pinch of Kosher salt. Simmer. Then, add the meat from the oven. Simmer for at least 2 to3 hours, adding water as needed. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and stir well. Add fresh herbs as desired. An hour before serving, remove the whole onion. Sprinkle a half to a whole 1 box of 16 oz. medium pearled barley into the stock pot. (Remember that the barley will expand and you will want your soup to have liquid.) Cover and stir, as needed. Adjust the seasoning with fresh ground pepper. Serve the soup hot with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of the individual soup portions.

When the aroma homemade candy fills the kitchen, smiles appear. My great-grandmother lived on acreage and didn’t have an opportunity to frequently run to the local store. She made her desserts with love. As a historical reference, she was in her 80’s during the 1960 era. Della did not have a candy thermometer. Her method for testing her perfect candy temperature was to drop a tiny portion of the hot candy into a glass of water and by-touch she would know the hard ball stage. A loving heritage tip from Della is to never make the candy on a high humidity day…That is why I nicknamed this candy the Sunshine Candy. Kelly McBride Loft

In a heavy pot on the stove heat:
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of evaporated milk
1 tablespoon light colored syrup
Stir the mixture constantly. Cook it until the temperature reaches 225˚F.
Remove it from the heat and continue beating it over an ice bath. (For Valentine’s add 2 to 3 drops of red food coloring and swirl the color.) Add 1 cup of chopped pecans and turn the candy into a buttered dish. Cut it into squares when it is cool.

Homemade sweets are synonymous with sweetheart happiness. So, stir up a loving heritage recipe with your loved ones during Valentine’s week.

This week marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake for the Chinese New Year. Celebrations are highlighted with dancing and food. One of my favorite dishes is Moo Shu Chicken. It is flavorful and it is eaten with one’s hands. Kelly McBride Loft

Marinate skinned white meat chicken slices in:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup of dry Sherry
1 crushed garlic clove (remove the garlic just before cooking)

Prepare or buy thin Chinese Pancakes. They look like crepes or burrito wraps.

Stir fry in a wok:
Sliced mushrooms
Snow peas
Bean sprouts
(remove)
Then cook the chicken thoroughly.
Add the cooked vegetables back into the wok to re-heat.
Add shredded cabbage.
Toss, heat and finish with this Finishing Chinese Sauce:

Finishing Chinese Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons of cornstarch
1/4 cup of dry Sherry

Strain the Chicken Moo Shu. Roll the chicken mixture in the heated Chinese Pancakes topped with the sweet Moo Shu Sauce.

Moo Shu Sauce
3/4 parts Oyster Sauce
1/4 part Molasses

Enjoy!

Mardi Gras, Carnival and Shrove Tuesday preparations are being formulated and the celebration season is underway. Each of these three event styles are highlighted on the Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday. This year, that date is Tuesday, February 12. Customs and traditions determine the entertaining focus. All of the events celebrate with grand food concepts. Many Mardi Gras participants enjoy “King Cake” and many Shrove Tuesday participants enjoy pancakes. Venetian fritters are expected during Carnival in Venice, Italy.

In addition to the traditional predictable food, I like to surprise my guests with an additional fun treat such as a Raspberry Bombe. Begin with raspberry sherbet pressed into a bombe mold that can be frozen. In a bowl, whip cream, sweetened with powdered sugar. Fold in almonds soaked in Kirsch and maraschino cherries. Finish filling the bombe with the whipped cream mixture. Unmold just before serving. Appetizing and interesting food seals an event’s success. So, as the soiree festivities culminate, enhance the celebratory moments with costumes, cocktails and creative cuisine! Kelly McBride Loft

The simplicity of a pear salad during winter dining brings the bounty of fruit to the table — our special place to gather with our family and friends. Slice pears into linear halves and remove the center sections. Cut a parallel small cut on the outside of each of the pears so that the pears sit flat. Place the pears with the hollow sides up. Fill the hollow sides with pitted apricot halves. Fill each apricot halve with goat cheese. It’s a colorful and simplistic presentation.

I also find simplicity in sewing. I am a generational quilter. Years ago, women frequently gathered to share their sewing projects. As a child, I recall the endless laughter and camaraderie that was enjoyed during the sewing sessions. I find it a loss that many women do not know how to sew today. It is a loss of the skill and it is a loss of the conversational skill. My suggestion is to host a lovely winter tea. Provide samples of cloth with needles and thread. Demonstrate simple stitches and listen to the conversation and bonding soar. Laughter and camaraderie are delightful forms of simplicity. We all have simple days but sometimes when we touch the life of another we make our own lives better through that basic simplicity. Emily Dickinson once wrote:

“Don’t put up my Thread and Needle —
I’ll begin to Sew
When the Birds begin to whistle —
Better Stitches — so — ”

Your table may offer many blessings and bounty; but, the best gift from the table is the simple gift from your heart. Kelly McBride Loft

We all enjoy a log fire but we can create edible logs too. When watching winter sports events, make food fun and appetizing by preparing sausage logs. Each is spicy and delicious. Kelly McBride Loft

Sausage Logs
In a mixing bowl combine:
1 lb. ground sausage
½ cup milk
½ cup quick cook oats
1 egg
2 teaspoons farmer’s chutney
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Form into 2 inch diameter logs X 12 inches long. Roll the logs in almond slivers. Bake on a greased baking sheet at 350° for 30 minutes until cooked through. Serve with the Raisin Dipping Sauce

On the stove cook:
1 cup water mixed with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup of raisins
1 tablespoon of molasses
Cook until the raisins soften and the sauce thickens.

Ingenuity inspired from the kitchen has created implements to gather our families and friends around our kitchen or dining room tables. One of those inventions is called a samovar. The samovar’s peak popularity was during the late 19th century in Russia. Basically, it is a mechanism (a kettle) which heats water in a large vessel. A teapot is positioned on top of the hot water vessel. This positioning keeps the teapot warm. If one wishes to brew more tea, the hot water is obtained from the spigot on the large vessel. The samovar can be ornately decorated with metal etchings and it usually over 20 inches tall. It’s grandeur is showcased most prominently in the center of the table. So, on a cold winter’s night, a family can gather for the warmth of great conversation and the warmth from the samovar.

Another kitchen implement that enhances togetherness is a Swiss fondue pot. These colorful pots, with long-handled forks, turn a mid-week meal into a celebration. This winter gather your family and friends around the table with some international culinary ingenuity. Kelly McBride Loft

Swiss Fondue
1 ½ cups of Chablis wine
A dash of kirsch or brandy
1 lb. Gruyère cheese
Ground white pepper, to taste
A dash of nutmeg, to taste
A dash of maple syrup, to taste

Begin by heating the liquids. Then, add the cheese and the other ingredients. Completely melt the mixture and serve hot as a dipping sauce in a fondue pot. Dipping choices can range from cooked meat (tenderloin) pieces, cooked shrimp, vegetables, bread and/or fruit.

* I wish to thank the many national and international readers to my blog (celebration logic). The collection of recipes from this blog is now available for purchase through my new book called, “So Much To Celebrate.” Enjoy the joyful celebration of life through the culinary arts!

When I think of the New Year ahead, I think of things that I wish to learn and places to see. It is that sense of adventure that sparks the desire to see the sunrise. Our kitchen tables can also serve as a place of adventure, by exploring new dishes. Be adventuresome and try a recipe that creates je ne sais quoi. Try Paskha – the colorful confetti dish is also a sweet treat! Kelly McBride Loft

Paskha
Mix in a mixer:
1 ½ cup ricotta cheese
½ cup unsalted butter
1 – 3 oz. cream cheese
½ cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Fold in:
½ cup chopped almonds
½ cup candied mixed fruit

Mold into individual custard cups, ramekins or other mold shapes. Serve chilled.

It is a tradition to wish one another good luck for the New Year. Black-eyed peas represent good luck. Black-eyed peas can be cooked on the stove top or in a crock pot. I recommend putting a large slice of Spanish Serrano ham into the mixture. This is a salty dried ham that will add flavor. There is no need to add salt to the black-eyed peas since the ham contains salt. Flavor the peas with a touch of sugar.

For fun offer your friends and family a time capsule to record their wishes for the New Year. Open up the time capsules next year. A festive favorite to sweeten the New Year is Poires au Vin or Pears in Red Wine. Enjoy the celebration with this wonderful dessert – as pears represent longevity. Kelly McBride Loft

Pears in Red Wine
A ripe pear, per person
1 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon (red wine)
1 cup of sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
1 lemon rind (preferably in one piece)
2 teaspoons of arrowroot
Toasted almond slivers

In a 6 qt. Dutch oven, on the stove, stir and dissolve the sugar into the red wine. Add the cinnamon sticks and the whole lemon rind. Peel the ripe pears, leaving the stem. Place the pears into the heated wine. Simmer and turn the pears for at least 1 to 2 hours. Roll the pears with wooden spoons to prevent dents. Completely soak and cook the pears until the color of the wine has permeated the pears. Remove the tender pears by the stems and place onto the dessert plates. Thicken the wine sauce with arrowroot (mixed first with a little water). Pour the thicken sauce onto each pear and top with toasted almonds. For a larger guest count and for more time to prepare other dishes, place the wine mixture into a crock pot and cover the pears completely with the red wine mixture. This method is less maintenance but requires more wine. Also, the cooking time is longer. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Christmas brings us together and a beautiful dessert will create lasting memories. Here is a Christmas poem that I wrote when remembering wonderful past Christmas moments:

A whirl of fallen leaves stirs a distant Christmas memory
As autumn wishes to be evergreen – paint brushing winter’s dreary chill

Children laugh heartedly filling all with December’s goodwill
Each holds a special present – a gift of serendipitous glee
Kelly McBride Loft

Enjoy the sweet moments of the holiday season! Merry Christmas!

Bananas Foster
In a skillet, melt 1/4 stick of butter and 2 heaping tablespoons of brown sugar. Add a touch of heavy cream and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir in 1/4 cup of flamed Brandy into mixture. Add a touch of banana liqueur. Sauté linear sliced bananas until tender. Serve over vanilla ice cream.

Christmas Trifle
Angel Food Cake
Vanilla pudding – cooked on the stove, not instant
1 can of cherry pie filling
2 pints whipping cream
2 whole oranges, washed well
4 sugar cubes
Strawberries
Rub the sugar cubes against the outside of the oranges until the cubes absorb the orange zest. Place the cubes into a cup and squeeze a bit of orange juice onto the cubes to dissolve. Mash the cubes smooth. Whip the cream. Add the orange zest infused sugar cubes to sweeten the cream. To taste – only add more regular sugar as needed.
Slice the same oranges and line the edge of the trifle bowl. Cook the vanilla pudding. Break the Angel Food Cake into small pieces. Create layers while marbleizing by adding the vanilla pudding, the cherry pie filling and the orange flavored whipped cream. Same some whipped cream in reserve to smooth the top of the trifle. Add decorated strawberries to the top!

Thoughtfully prepared and elaborately styled holiday hors d’oeuvres can be the signature to your holiday entertaining. Here are four recipes that are easy but impressive.

Goat Cheese on Picks
With gloves on, roll goat cheese into consistent size small balls. Dip the balls into chopped herbs. Refrigerate. Just before serving, place long picks in the top of each for a lollipop look.

Smoked Salmon Rosettes
Cut smoked salmon into triangle shapes. Coat one side of each triangle with a thin layer of cream cheese. Roll up each triangle from the smallest end to the biggest to form a rose shape. Place basil or mint leaves under each “rose” for a complete design.

Eggplant & Squash Bites
Trim the ends off an eggplant. Boil the eggplant in salted water for at least 1 hour. Dice the cooked eggplant. Sauté the eggplant in olive oil with diced tomatoes and minced onion. Add 4 tablespoons of sugar, 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Drain and reserve in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve, slice yellow squash into medallions. Top each with the cooked eggplant mixture. Dust with Parmesan cheese.

Seared Scallops Served In Spoons
Sear the scallops on both sides in olive oil. Remove to a buttered baking dish.
To the sauce pan add a half stick of butter and heat until hot but not brown. Add 1 clove of crushed garlic. Pour on a quarter cup of Sherry and stir to make a sauce.
Heat the seared scallops in the oven, until just cooked through. Place the scallops into soup spoons or Chinese soup spoons Ladle on the sauce and sprinkle with chopped herbs. Serve hot. Kelly McBride Loft

Train sets are a delight for all ages. Decorate the dessert buffet table with a train design. Fill the cars with sweet treats. The train can pass through a gingerbread village. Rum Truffles will easily fit into a toy train car and add to the festivities. Kelly McBride Loft

Rum Truffles
* To decorate the Truffles, in a colander, air-dry white chocolate chips for about a week. This naturally removes the moisture in the chocolate. Put the air-dried white chocolate into a blender and the chips turn into tiny “pearls.”
Bake a spice cake mix. (This can be made in advance and frozen. Just thaw the cake before making the Truffles.) Crumble 2 cups the baked spice cake into a large bowl and add:
6 tablespoons of Rum (or to taste)
1 cup of coarsely chopped almonds
1/2 cup of sugar
Mix well. Add: 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted in the microwave) to the mixture. Mix well.
Shape into small truffle size balls and roll in the white chocolate “pearls.” Refrigerate and serve.

It is so much fun to decorate the Christmas tree. Vintage style trees can be decorated with strings of popcorn and cranberries. To carry the tree theme to the table, make plated asparagus trees. Cut cooked asparagus in graduating & paired lengths. Put the 2 longest lengths on the bottom of each plate and progress up to the shortest 2 lengths. Sprinkle the asparagus trees with boiled crab meat for a culinary delight.

Entertaining with asparagus fits the season. Steamed asparagus can be dipped into fondue, bundled or passed as an hors d’oeuvre. Asparagus can be wrapped with prosciutto.

Another idea is to wrap 2 to 3 spears in deli-style smoked turkey. Then top each roll with aioli sauce. Sprinkle with paprika for color.

Bring some green to your Christmas parties with Pistachio Tartlets too. Kelly McBride Loft

Pistachio Tartlets
Preheat oven to 425º
Bowl # 1
1 stick melted butter
1 cup finely chopped pecans (food processor)
1 cup flour
Blend in a rectangle baking dish & shape mixture into a pie crust. Bake for 10 MINUTES only at 425º. Let it cool completely
Bowl # 2
10 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powder sugar
1 cup prepared whipped cream
Blend until smooth. Cover the pie crust with this layer when the crust is cool.
Bowl # 3
3 small pistachio instant puddings
3 and 1/2 cups of whole milk (Don’t use the measurements on the pudding box.)
Beat with a mixer until thick.
Spoon the pudding on top of the cream cheese layer.
Top with prepared whipped cream & refrigerate. Cut into tartlet squares & serve chilled.