P-Review for Valentine's Day: Angel Delivery

Stuck for something romantic to do on Valentine's Day and a personal chef out of the budget? What about a delivered gourmet dinner at home?

Restaurants will be stacked up with reservations so unless you've ordered early, it will be tough to get last minute deliveries...in comes AngelDelivery.com.  This cool new company (based out of New Zealand, they just opened shop in Brooklyn yesterday!) features occasion specific gourmet menus with delivery.  The meals even come with oven-proof, microwave-safe dishes and plating instructions so you look like the boss!

For Valentine's they've launched a special $199 package featuring two four-course fixed menus that look fantastic:

Option A

Roasted pear and ricotta on crostini with arugula and honey drizzle

Spanish style chicken roulade with tomato saffron sauce

(served with scalloped potatoes, and green beans with toasted hazelnuts and shallots)

Option B

Fig and blue cheese tarts with a balsamic reduction drizzle

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Lasagna

(served with a fresh seasonal salad with a new Fall dressing and warm walnut and olive bread with olive oil and balsamic drizzle)

Both Options

Sticky toffee cake with creamy caramel sauce, and creme fraiche

French Vanilla Macaroons, with sugared heart cookies

And after dinner...well, keep up the creative imagination...I'm sure you'll think of something.

Angel Delivery

(888) 542-6435

Sssshhhh - pass on the secret ... GiltCity has an incredible offer - just $79 for the Valentine Package! That's 60% off! If that's not a deal, I don't know what is!

Images from Angel Delivery and Gilt City

Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving for three reasons. First, it's one day that a good chunk of the USA acknowledges and prays to God (aside from Easter and Christmas). Second, it's the one time that family and friends really try to put away junk and be together. And third, of course, there's the food.

Last Thanksgiving we were blessed to share our weekend with Jen's sister and her friend. Jen decided to express her creativity in gold. So out came the tablecloth, which got painted with gold spots, then the gold stemware, the candles.  I may cook well but I don't do tables. Thankfully, the table came out nicely.

For my end, the menu. OK, maybe this was a bit much for four but hey, it's Thanksgiving.

A little extra not on the menu ... asparagus.

Potato mash with sundried tomatos and fried leeks.

Cornish game hens with rosemary-raisin bread stuffing (will post recipe soon).

Flourless chocolate cakettes with berries.

Images from MadeByGirl

Home-Spiced Chicken

This is a very easy chicken dish to make and doesn't require you watching the stove constantly.  Use dark meat, preferably on the bone because it stays juicier longer.

Ingredients:
4-6 pieces of chicken, dark meat (skin optional)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder or granules
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp dry marjoram or thyme
3/4 C chicken broth or stock (low sodium)

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat. If cooking skinless, add 1/2 tsp oil after the pan gets hot. Place chicken into skillet gently (if with skin, put skin side down) and sprinkle with the dry seasoning (mix them in a small ramekin first) and cover it.  Cook for 3 minutes (careful when opening, there will be spattering), then turn pieces over and cook another 3 minutes.  Turn them so the skin side would be up and lower to low heat.  Don't drain all of the oil (if you do at all). Add chicken broth.

Keep the cup of water next to the stove and check it every 3 or 4 minutes.  If the stock is drying out, add 2-3 Tb of water to keep it moist and steaming.  Cook for at least 20 minutes, preferably 30.

In the meantime, prepare the sides.  It pairs well with rice (white or brown) and a simple salad, or go big and serve it with egg noodles and green beans.  Cooked to the right point, the pan should have a nice layer of seasoned stock. For a nice variation, add olives or capers to the pan before the chicken finishes. The stock should provide sufficient salt, but you can add some sea salt after cooking if it isn't enough.

For this salad, I used arugula, cucumber and marinated beets.  Some of the beet juice got mixed with balsamic and olive oil to dress it.

Images by MadeForJen