Belle and I hold an open house dinner on the second Saturday of every month. It’s open to all our friends and all their friends, too – a great way for us to share interesting recipes and meet new people every month!
Last month was our first open house dinner, and we did an Asian theme. [...]

Risotto with Bolognese Sauce
6 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, peeled and chopped finely
3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
2 cups risotto rice (Arborio)
1 cup dry white wine
1-2 cups Bolognese sauce

Heat stock in a medium sauce pot and bring to a simmer.
Heat oil and butter in a large sauce pan over medium-low [...]

I had tried quite a few pepper mills (and broke most of them) and was getting frustrated. I liked grinding my own in the mortar and pestle (does anyone know which is the mortar and which is the pestle?) but that was time consuming, especially with the amount of fresh black pepper I like.
I did [...]

Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Pearl Onions and Spaghetti Squash and Blackcurrant-Beet Butter Sauce
Adapted from Cooking with Canada’s Best
Potato Gnocchi
2 large russet potatoes, quartered
1-2 cups all-purpose flour
Small handful of fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large free range eggs, beaten
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Roasted Pearl Onions
12 pearl onions, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea [...]

Churrascaria Marinated steaks with Chile-Lime Sauce
Adapted from Best Barbecue on Earth by Rick Browne
4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 yellow onions, chopped, divided
14 cloves garlic chopped, divided
2 strip-loin steaks
1/2 cup organic lime juice
1/3 cup dry red wine
2 tsp dried oregano
2 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Italian parsley, [...]

Spinach Tofu Salad with Spicy Miso Dressing
Adapted from Entertaining at Home With America’s Top Chefs
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp organic soy sauce
2 tbsp organic white miso
1 tbsp sambal oelek
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp pickled ginger, chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup canola oil
24.6 oz (698g) extra firm silken tofu (2 boxes), cut into 1″ cubes
1 bag [...]

Grilled Eggplant with Miso Barbeque Sauce
Adapted from The Barbeque Bible! by Steven Raichlen
4-6 Asian eggplants (the long thin ones)
1/3 cup organic white miso
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp mayonnaise
2-3 tbsp dark sesame oil for brushing

Pre-heat your BBQ for direct grilling’; clean and oil the grates.
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Make criss-cross cuts [...]

Banana Bread
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book (makes one 8″ loaf)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1-1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (approx 3)
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large free range eggs
1/4 cup whole yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F with rack [...]

Bolognese Sauce
Adapted from The New Steak by Cree LeFavour

4 tbsp olive oil
2 lb top blade roast, cut into 1/4″ – 1/2″ pieces, most of the big fat removed
1/4 lb lean ground pork
1/4 lb pancetta(hot), diced
1 yellow onion, diced
5 ribs celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
8 [...]

Spicy Spiral Bread (from Amber’s Delectable Delights)
Dough:
2-1/2 tsp dry active yeast
1/4 cup hot water
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup corn meal
1-1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp chipotle chili pepper powder
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup water
Filling:
14 oz (398 ml) organic refried beans
10.5 oz (300 gm) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1-1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 cup diced [...]