Weekend Special – A Cozy Eat Well – Do Good Dinner

I’m looking forward to another Eat Well – Do Good dinner on Sunday. If you are not sure what to cook this weekend, cook along with me. Here’s what’s on my menu:

To nibble? Dinner is served around 7:00 but my guests are welcome to arrive anytime after 6:30. (Any earlier and they might catch me in the shower!) I always like to have a few Roasted Almonds or Sugar & Spice Pecans and Spicy Olives on hand to nibble.

Next, à table (that’s French for at the table) … we’ll enjoy a salad of Mixed Greens, maybe with Roasted Mushrooms. Then again, I might go with Roasted Squash. Both salads are delicious and I haven’t been to the market yet.

For the main event I’ll fill the house with the warm and wonderful perfume of braised beef. This time it’s Carbonnade á la Flamande. It’s a yummy Belgian specialty. Beef is slowly braised with lots of onions and beer. I’ll serve the beef with Smashed Potatoes. They are homey and cozy and a family favorite.

And to top it all off? It’s been awhile since I made Chocolate Mousse and it’s a great crowd pleaser. Who doesn’t love chocolate? I’ll add a few strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream for a rich and cozy end to the evening.

Have a great weekend and bon appétit!

What will you be cooking up this weekend I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

Want more? Click Here! for more seasonal menus or Here! for a complete list of and links to all the recipes on this blog!

I invite you to take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2012

Eat Well – Do Good … this Sunday, November 6th

Dear Reader,

Many thanks for visiting Susan Nye – Around the Table! I’d like to steal a moment of your time to let you know that the next Eat Well-Do Good dinner is this coming Sunday. I started the project over a year ago to raise awareness and money for the Alzheimer’s Association. So far this year Team Libby has raised more than $3,500 for the Alzheimer’s Association. Team Libby is named for my mom who suffers from Alzheimer’s. My awesome dad has been … well awesome. Not only is he my mother’s chief caregiver, he raised almost $2,000 for Team Libby.

The next Eat Well-Do Good dinner is this coming Sunday, November 6^th.    I’m going to mix it up with a little French bistro and a little contemporary New England cooking. As soon as the weather turns cool, I love filling the house with the warm and cozy aromas of roasting chicken, vegetables and fruit.

We’ll start with a beautiful salad with Mixed Greens and Roasted Grapes, move on to a gorgeous Roast Chicken (or two) and a surprise side dish or two. We’ll top it all off with my favorite Rustic Apple Tart.

To reserve a spot for Sunday’s dinner please email me asap. To confirm your reservation you need to make a $25 per person donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. You can do this by check and send it to me – I will forward it to the Alzheimer’s Association. Alternatively, you can donate on-line on my Team Libby page.  Please feel free to donate generously – $25 is the minimum for dinner. More is heartily appreciated.

On Sunday, dinner will be served at around 7:00 and you are welcome to arrive at my house any time after 6:30. Please bring a bottle of wine per person to the dinner. (If it’s white, please make sure it is chilled.) To learn more visit the Eat Well-Do Good page.

Even if you cannot attend the dinner please feel free to join the battle against Alzheimer’s and make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. Just send me a check or donate on-line on my Team Libby page.

Many thanks and,

Bon appétit!

Susan

NOT ANOTHER Rainy Weekend Special

Get out your cranky pants – another rainy weekend is on the way. At least in New England the rain has already started to come down in buckets. I’ll be plenty busy with lots of writing to do as well as an Eat Well – Do Good dinner on Sunday. What about you?

In case you’re wondering – here’s what’ll be cooking at my house on Sunday:

To start: I’ll go with a salad … and dress it up with Roasted Grapes or maybe Mushrooms or butternut squash (roasted of course). Roasting concentrates the flavors and is my favorite way to cook vegetables once the cool weather arrives.

For the Main Event: I’ve decided one thing for sure. I’m going to Roast a Chicken (probably two) as well as some veggies. I’ll add everyone’s favorite smashed potatoes. At least they are a favorite at my house.

For a Sweet Finish: I’m perfecting a recipe for Apple Crumb Cake. You can find it here next week. In the mean time, you might want to bake a Rustic Apple Tart or some spicy Gingerbread or Pumpkin cupcakes.

Smashed Potatoes
Serves 12 or more

5 pounds red skinned or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1/2 – 1 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Put the potatoes and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan. Add enough salted water to cover. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook partially covered until just tender, about 10 minutes. Do not overcook.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander and return them to the pot. Add the sour cream and butter and stir/smash the ingredients with a large spoon or potato masher. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Stay dry and Bon Appétit!

What’s cooking in your kitchen this dreary weekend? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below.

Want more? Click here for more seasonal menus! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. © Susan W. Nye, 2011

In the Kitchen … Eat Well-Do Good & Fresh Summery Salads

The table is set and I’m holding another Eat Well-Do Good dinner this Sunday, June 12th to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association.

What is Eat Well-Do Good? Every month I welcome old friends, new friends and soon-to-be friends around my table for a special dinner. But it’s more than a party. By combining grassroots philanthropy with a fun and festive evening, these dinners raise money to fight Alzheimer’s disease. More than 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s. More than individual patients, Alzheimer’s affects entire families. Spouses and adult children become stressed and strained caregivers. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren miss the simple joys and fun adventures every child should enjoy with with Nana or Grandpop.

I’m still working on the menu for Sunday’s dinner but I’ll definitely start things offwith a summery salad. Looking for a few new salads to add to your repertoire? Give one of my favorite salads a try. The nice people at Olivia’s Organics sponsor my Eat Well-Do Good dinners and would like to offer Around the Table readers a coupon good for $1.00 off their next purchase of their favorite Olivia’s product

You can learn more about my Eat Well-Do Good project or contact me if you would like to join the party this coming Sunday! And if you cannot attend the dinner? Please feel free to make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association through Team Libby. Team Libby is named for my mom, she is one of the more than 5 million Americans who suffers from Alzheimer’s. All donations are tax deductable and go directly to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Bon appétit!

More Tips, Tricks & Tools

What’s your favorite ice cream? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2011

The Next Eat Well – Do Good Dinner Is October 17th

Dear Reader,

Many thanks for visiting Susan Nye – Around the Table! I’d like to steal a moment of your time to update you on my Eat Well-Do Good project. For the past six months I have been writing, walking and cooking to raise awareness and money for the Alzheimer’s Association. So far I have raised more than  $2,200 and am very grateful for the generosity of friends (both old and new) and family.

The next Eat Well-Do Good dinner is this coming Sunday, October 17th.

I’m going to mix it up with a little French bistro and a little contemporary New England cooking. As soon as the weather turns cool, I love filling the house with the warm and cozy aromas of roasting chicken, vegetables and fruit.

When I lived in Geneva, I enjoyed many dinners in cozy little bistros right over the border in France. My all time favorite bistro dinner is roast chicken so a beautiful roast bird (or three) will be the star of Sunday’s dinner.  We’ll start with a beautiful salad with roasted mushrooms, gorgonzola and toasted walnuts and then top off the meal with warm and wonderful roasted apples and cranberries.

To reserve a spot for Sunday’s dinner please email me asap. To confirm your reservation you need to make a $25 per person donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. You can do this by check and sent it to me – I will forward it to the Alzheimer’s Association. Alternatively, you can donate on-line at Team Libby HQ.  Team Libby honors my mom who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Please feel free to donate generously – $25 is the minimum for dinner. More is heartily appreciated.

On Sunday, dinner will be served at around 7:00 and you are welcome to arrive at my house any time after 6:30. Please bring a bottle of wine per person to the dinner. To learn more visit the Eat Well-Do Good.

Even if you cannot attend the dinner please feel free to join the battle against Alzheimer’s and make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. Just send me a check or donate on-line at Team Libby HQ.

Many thanks and,

Bon appétit!

Susan