This month I hosted our monthly supper club gathering. It was held last Saturday, on an unseasonably chilly summer night. After debating whether to seat everyone outdoors, I finally settled on using the dining room so that no one would have to bring jackets or sweaters!
Members were welcomed with Pineapple Margaritas. A fun way to kick off a summertime inspired menu, and my attempt to honor Jimmy Buffett, whose concert I had just attended. They were my first try at making margaritas at home; I liked them. I did notice that though each batch was supposed to make two servings, it was really more like 3.
Meridee brought the Black Bean Salsa (the one listed on the website as being from the June 2002 issue, though Meridee said she couldn't find it in her hard-copy issue). A big hit...it smelled wonderful and tasted perfect.
We sat down to dinner and started with Chunky Tomato Fruit Gazpacho from the June 2006 issue. Wonderfully light, fresh, and fruity, it compared well with the gazpacho served at last month's gathering (is it possible to have too much gazpacho? Probably...). Patty made it in her food processor to speed preparation. She told us the only difficulty with the recipe was that the amounts called for in the recipe didn't necessarily yield the volume called for (that is, 3/4 lb. of tomatoes DIDN'T come out to be 2 cups). Either way, we all agreed that it was fabulous.
Jonie provided the Field Salad with Citrus Vinagrette & Sugared Pecans. Also an excellent recipe. I loved the freshness of the dressing, and everyone loved the little kick the pecans had.
Jenni made the Herb Marinated Fresh Mozzarella Wraps ahead and brought them wrapped in plastic wrap. She made half with the ham called for in the recipe and half with turkey ham. They came out just right...and I'm betting that they tasted even better after having been made ahead, giving the flavors a chance to meld. Perfect for a picnic!
Vicci brought the ingredients for the Spicy Ranch Chicken Wraps and we made them here. Very easy; we helped Vicci with the wrapping portion since she's recoving from a shoulder injury. Loved the buttermilk-based sauce...perfect with the fresh tomato.
The Classic Potato Salad arrived with Alison in a fabulous Crate & Barrel bowl (a recent wedding gift) that looked to come straight from Grandma's kitchen. The potato salad tasted like Grandma's, too...the quintessential addition to any summertime menu.
The one recipe that got everyone excited was Kathy's Spring Strawberry Pie. As the fresh strawberries burst with flavor onto our palates (cheesy, huh? but it's late/early and I'm tired), everyone knew that we'd had another great menu.
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Originally Posted by veschke
