If you are like me, you just like having people over to enjoy Friday dinner together, you know that the key to each and every party is nice food and a pleasant conversation. And, if food is not particularly delicious, the conversation that should follow is already spoiled with a bad taste. So, what is it – my top set of recipes from a starter to deserts.
Starters: Roasted Tomato Crostini
Ingredients:
2 pints cherry tomatoes
7 whole garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
pepper to taste
¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 medium baguette, sliced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, salt, red pepper flakes, pepper and olive oil.
Pour on a sheet tray and roast tomatoes for 20 minutes, or until soft.
While tomatoes roast, combine remaining olive oil and fresh thyme in a medium bowl.
Once tomatoes are finished, toss with the olive oil thyme dressing. Spoon tomatoes over baguette slices; serve immediately.
Main Course: Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo
Ingredients:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes6 tablespoons butter,
divided4 cloves garlic, minced
divided1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1-pound fettuccini pasta
1 onion
diced1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper3 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese8 ounces shredded cheese
3 roma (plum) tomatoes,
diced1/2 cup sour cream
Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat combine chicken, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Saute onion, 2 cloves garlic, and mushrooms until onions are transparent. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and half-and-half, stirring until smooth and creamy. Stir in Parmesan and Colby-Monterey Jack cheeses; stir until cheese is melted. Stir in chicken mixture, tomatoes and sour cream. Serve over cooked fettuccini.
Dessert: Mini Death By Chocolate Cheesecakes
Ingredients
FOR THE CHEESECAKES
12 Oreos
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 1/2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE
1/4 c. chocolate chips
3 tbsp. heavy cream
FOR THE CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM
3/4 c. heavy cream
3 tbsp. chocolate syrup
1 (1.55-oz) Hershey's bar, broken into small pieces, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
Make crust: In a large resealable plastic bag or a food processor fitted with a metal blade, crush or blend Oreos until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a bowl and pour in melted butter. Stir until crumbs are completely coated and moistened. Press about 1 tablespoon of crumb mixture into the bottom of each liner.
Make cheesecake: In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment), beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat until well combined. Fold in melted chocolate.
Pour cheesecake filling over crust in prepared liners. Bake cheesecakes until only slightly jiggly in the center, 12 to 14 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
Make chocolate sauce: Once cheesecakes are cold, add chocolate chips and heavy cream to a microwave-safe dish. Microwave in 10-second intervals until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth and creamy. Spread about 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce on top of each cheesecake. Return to refrigerator to let chocolate sauce set, about 10 more minutes.
Make chocolate whipped cream: In a large bowl, beat heavy cream with chocolate syrup just until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Top each cheesecake with chocolate whipped cream and garnish with a piece of chocolate.
Sources:
https://essentials.bertolli.com/easy-healthy-recipes-olive-oil/
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/25303/chicken-fettuccini-alfredo/?internalSource=hub%20recipe&referringId=1974&referringContentType=Recipe%20Hub
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a27230777/mini-death-by-chocolate-cheesecakes-recipe/
