Synopses & Reviews
Excerpted from chapter 14 "Book Club Dinner"
Shakespeare's Frost
Get Started
1. Apply stencils letter by letter to each bottle until the name of choice is spelled on the bottles.
2. Apply etching cream as directed.
3. Peel stencils.
4. Fill each bottle 3/4 way up with water.
5. Place a single flower in each bottle.
6. Line bottles up in the center of the table.
You Need
"Supplies"
Adhesive stencils in Olde English font
Collection of vintage glass bottles
Etching cream
Long-stem fresh flowers (e.g., spider mums)
"Tools"
Rubber gloves
Shepherd's Pie
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups small pearl onions, peeled and halved
3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
3/4 cupcelery chopped (approximately 2 stalks)
2 cups mushrooms cleaned and sliced
3 tablespoons flour
2 pounds ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup beef stock
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup (plus a bit for garnish), roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
garlic mashed potatoes (recipe follows)
1/4 cup, grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup, grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
3. Add pearl onions, toss, cover, and steam until they begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and celery and stir.
5. Add mushrooms and cook until they give off liquid and start to brown, approximately 5 minutes.
6. Add 1 tablespoon of flour, stir, and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add meat, break it up, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned.
7. Add stock,tomato paste, thyme, and pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until gravy thickens and is absorbed by meat.
8. Stir in 1/2 cup parsley and remaining flour.
9. Pour filling in a deep pie dish and let cool.
10. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the meat.
11. Sprinkle potatoes with Parmesan and Cheddar cheeses.
12. Bake pie for about 15 to 20 minutes.
13. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Hints and Clues
- Allow all the liquid to be absorbed by the meat and vegetables so it doesn't spill out later.
- If you cannot find pearl onions, just chop and add the onions you have at hand.
- You can use leftover cooked hamburger meat rather than raw, or make the meat a day ahead and reheat it before cooking.
- Top the pie with the Parmesan and Cheddar cheeses to help with the browning process. As the cheese bakes, it makes a nice crust on top of the potatoes.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
4 medium to large Russet potatoes peeled and sliced
5 whole cloves garlic peeled and smashed
1 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Place potatoes and garlic in a large pot and cover with cold water.
2. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Check the potatoes by piercing one
through the center with a knife or skewer to see if it is tender.
3. Drain.
4. While the potatoes are cooking, place the milk and butter in saucepan over low heat until butter melts.
5. Mash the potatoes and garlic in a Kitchen Aid mixer with the whip attachment.
6. Add the milk and butter and continue mashing.
7.Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. The potatoes will be used to cover the Shepherd's Pie (or they can be used alone).
Hints and Clues
- Be careful not to overwhip because the potatoes will become sticky and gluey.
Synopsis
16 Menus 16 Occasions 16 Tables
Katie Brown's knack for mixing homey appeal with a hip sense of style makes her both an irreverent and engaging personality. In Katie Brown Entertains, she illustrates how to decorate tabletops and put together menus to create 16 different occasions and parties. With simple, step-by-step instructions and more than 250 sumptuous, full-color photos throughout, this fabulous book celebrates everything from a Texan Fourth of July to a homespun family Christmas, from a romantic breakfast for two to a book club dinner with the girls.
Katie covers every element of a party, including more than 125 projects that contribute a special touch to invitations, table and chair arrangements, centerpieces, place cards, and favors. Plus, she adds her own personal flavor by describing her favorite dishes and sharing personal stories and anecdotes. More than 125 delicious recipes feature such enticing entrees as Oven-Fried Chicken with a Garlic and Parmesan Crust, BBQ Pork Marinated in Tequila and Coriander, Snapper en Papillote, and Scallops with Ginger-Scallion Sauce. Herb and Onion Focaccia and Buttermilk Biscuits with Cheddar Cheese are just two of the tempting breads. Almond Apricot Tart and Gingersnap Ice Cream Sandwiches are among a delightful array of desserts.
Chockful of delicious recipes, innovative tips, and affordable how-tos, Katie Brown Entertains takes the stress out of party planning and makes the formal art of celebration a relaxing and fun occasion.
Synopsis
16 Menus 16 Occasions 16 Tables
Katie Brown's knack for mixing homey appeal with a hip sense of style makes her both an irreverent and engaging personality. In "Katie Brown Entertains, " she illustrates how to decorate tabletops and put together menus to create 16 different occasions and parties. With simple, step-by-step instructions and more than 250 sumptuous, full-color photos throughout, this fabulous book celebrates everything from a Texan Fourth of July to a homespun family Christmas, from a romantic breakfast for two to a book club dinner with the girls.
Katie covers every element of a party, including more than 125 projects that contribute a special touch to invitations, table and chair arrangements, centerpieces, place cards, and favors. Plus, she adds her own personal flavor by describing her favorite dishes and sharing personal stories and anecdotes. More than 125 delicious recipes feature such enticing entrees as Oven-Fried Chicken with a Garlic and Parmesan Crust, BBQ Pork Marinated in Tequila and Coriander, Snapper en Papillote, and Scallops with Ginger-Scallion Sauce. Herb and Onion Focaccia and Buttermilk Biscuits with Cheddar Cheese are just two of the tempting breads. Almond Apricot Tart and Gingersnap Ice Cream Sandwiches are among a delightful array of desserts.
Chockful of delicious recipes, innovative tips, and affordable how-tos, "Katie Brown Entertains" takes the stress out of party planning and makes the formal art of celebration a relaxing and fun occasion.
About the Author
Katie Brown is a Cornell-educated art historian who has raced on the U.S. Ski Team, acted in TV commercials (for Kodak, AT&T, Saturn) and run a catering business out of her house in Los Angeles. Born in Petoskey, Michigan in 1963, she has three brothers and sisters and grew up surrounded by thirty-two cousins and fourteen aunts and uncles.
Her enthusiasm for entertaining, gardening and cooking inspired her to open her own store called Goat. Located in Los Angeles and Mackinac Island, Michigan, Goat quickly became a popular antique store and cafe. Katie has been serving up dime-store domesticity on Lifetime's Next Door with Katie Brown since October 1997. Brown has opened Katie Brown Workshops in Los Angeles, New York, and Bridgehampton.