The braised greens seem awfully heavy in conjunction with the rest of the main meal.

Could you maybe do the pork with mushrooms and onions and just have the apples in the salad? I don't think of braised greens as being heavy unless they are cooked with lots of fat or bacon - I usually just saute in oil with some garlic.

Oly, she included the recipe in the link. Calls for lots of bacon, onion, beer, etc.

Thanks Rhizo, I missed that! I agree, too much with pork.

Bbstx I don't know where you are and realize sometimes regional tastes come into play, but this would be a really heavy, rich meal for around here...cheese in the appetizer, in the salad, and in the grits, pork main, more pork in the greens. They all sound good but it's a lot together.

I would try to lighten and find some dishes that seem less sodden with fat/dairy/starch.

I'll hold off on making suggestions until I hear if you agree.

bbstx, rather than butternut squash, have you tried Hubbard squash? It is my all time favorite winter squash and makes a crazy delicious bisque.

The addition of squash somehow is autumnish and also would add some orange to a beige and green meal. Perhaps something carroty if you don't want to do squash.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Will asparagus be in season?

I think your salad sounds delicious and would start from there.

I agree to lighten it up. The braised greens don't seem elegant at all to me. And asparagus is probably not in season so I'd do something different.

Prosciutto wrapped melon with honey or baked stuffed mushrooms https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a20089643/easy-stuffed-mushroom-recipe/

Carrot & Ginger soup sounds perfect.

Don't repeat the apples in the salad and the entree. I'd do mixed greens with dried cranberries, walnuts and blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

Green beans with bacon and onion or onion, garlic and thyme

How about a nice bread for the table...corn bread, italian bread, or biscuits or rolls

The reason I would do an apple in the salad is because apples are in season in the fall - maybe a nice honey crisp apple rather than a green apple though. And as mentioned do the pork with a mushroom sauce. Again mushrooms where we are anyway, are in season for foraging. Not that that's what you want to do.

Specific questions:

1. Are asparagus roll-ups elegant enough? Maybe not

2. need suggestions for soup. Butternut Squash comes to mind immediately, but it seems so cliched. Maybe something broth based so it is lighter?

3. Would apples in the salad be too many pome dishes or could we turn it into a pome-themed dinner since apples and pears are in season then. I would not repeat them

In general, what are your thoughts on the menu?

I have a lot of ideas, but before I go off on a tangent I have many questions:

- do you know of any dietary restrictions?

- is it possible/advisable, to send them a few choices of menus in advance

- don't y'all have faves from your cooking club meetings?

- I like pork, but it seems like an unusual choice. Not everyone can eat it, not everyone likes it, and it does not seem particularly gourmet ,or healthy or trendy. Unless this was a Future Porkfarmers of America benefit 🤣 I am bit surprised at the choice; is it a given for some reason?

- what is your role in forming the menu?

- are there any absolute givens at this point? any theme?

- is this 4 couples?

- do you have a budget?

General thoughts:

How wonderful! Love the idea.

I would want to vary colors, flavors and textures.

Just having that many courses makes it a heavy meal, so lighten up where you can

There are other things that bring to mind fall --- all root veggies incl parsnip, all squash incl pumpkin, but also mushroom, maple, quince, pomagranate, cranberry

I like the idea of using apples in more than one dish; having no common thread across the courses makes it seem like a committee sat down and tried to pick things that were completely different and unrelated 😎

Apples and onions and pork is a beloved southern dish and a great main. Just because butternut squash is an obvious choice doesn’t make it a bad one. You could swirl it with creme fraiche and garnish with a sprinkle of pistachios and a sage leaf for a fresh presentation. Or a cream of carrot soup made creamy by pureeing the carrots with strong chicken broth — no cream needed, with a bit of ginger and a dash of nutmeg, or (my favorite) cream of onion and mushroom soup made lighter with half and half, with 3 chunkly homemade garlicky croutond on each bowl.

Agree that if you serve braised greens I would lighten the calories and ingredients by braising them in vegetable stock and mixing them with some wild rice for a nutty addition (wild rice only, not the boxed combo of long grain and wild).

A waldorf salad would be a good fall dish. The salad suggested in your post has too many ingredients IMO, and I personally dislike blue cheese and would not eat anything that contained it.

I’d be interested in the pear cake recipe as it’s hard for me to imagine one that wasn’t too sweet. i love poached pears in a combination of wine and lemon and they might be delicious with a small scoop of cinnamon ice cream and candied or spiced pecans.

Appetizers.. the asparagus roll ups are a crowd pleaser but they can be messy and I don’t think they pair well with a pear martini. Could someone make gougeres? I’ll look over my appetizer ideas.

I love your cooking club’s generous gift of your collective time and talent.

No suggestions.

I’m just surprised people signed up not knowing what the menu would be ahead if time in this world of dietary restrictions, etc.

Here's a great root veggie recipe if you decide to go that route.

Honey-Glazed Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

2 pounds carrots (1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter), peeled, halved lengthwise
2 pounds parsnips (1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter), peeled, halved lengthwise
6 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil. Divide carrots and parsnips between prepared sheets. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, then drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over vegetables on each sheet; toss to coat.

Roast vegetables 10 minutes; stir. Roast vegetables 10 minutes longer, stir, and reverse sheets. Continue roasting until vegetables are tender and slightly charred, about 15 minutes longer. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Tent with foil and let stand at room temperature. Rewarm uncovered in 350°F oven 10 minutes.)

Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in honey and vinegar. Drizzle honey glaze over vegetables and serve.

Epicurious: Bon Appétit December 2005

In my circles, the men would probably prefer a more traditional cocktail option. Some might consider the pear martini a bit feminine or too sweet. I’ve been to a few of these types of events (as the recipient) and was usually emailed a ’save the date’ and a brief questionairre about dietary preferences and cocktail preferences. It’s always good to follow up then with the menu and dress code once the details are set.

In building the menu you might consider your regional or State’s fall bounty. In MI, for example, craft beer, dried cherries, local wines, apples and corn abound. in KY, it would be all about the Bourbon. The charity for whom the fundraiser was held may also be able to be knit into the theme.

I have a hard time with planning by committee, but I’m trying to be a team player.

I would have each person pick a part of the menu, and ask them to have 2-3 suggestions for their item. Then reconvene and vote to assemble a varied meal.

2. There is no budget. There ought to be a budget. There probably isn’t going to be a budget.

I thought the lack of any seafood in a special menu was unusual, so wondered if that were budgetary

3. In our initial discussion yesterday, beef was rejected as too pricey and too predictable; chicken wasn’t even considered, nor was lamb or veal. Fish is too easy to over-cook and probably has more detractors than pork. Pork is often seen on menus in our area. I just did a quick search of some of the more upscale restaurants in a ~150 mile radius. More than half had a pork dish on the menu. The Livestrong website compares lean pork favorably to lean chicken.

Interesting, maybe this is regional, I would have done lamb or veal

4. Greens. Fall greens (collard greens, mustard greens, and sometimes kale) are rarely served sauteed in my neck of the woods. They are generally cooked low and slow and seasoned with pork fat of some sort. Emeril’s recipe has been my go to for some years. I’ve never thought of it as greasy or heavy.

I think a salad and then greens is kind of repetitive.

Mtn, I think lamb would be a much harder sell than pork in our area.

Maybe, since there is so much BBQ and that often involves pork, it is more common where you are. BTW I am getting so hungry. And I have never had a pear martini but now I want one!

Sorry for the tangent but I was curious. I look and see , aha, CT --- low pork consumption. But then I look at TX...

Any suggestions for an intermezzo? Several times in Italy we were served champagne sorbet. A menu I looked at from The Commander’s Palace included ”le coup de milieu.” That would be different!

@mtnrdredux_gw, here you go. Better invite friends over, it serves 12!

Pear Martini

PEAR MARTINI

WITH LEMON AND ROSEMARY

ROSEMARY SYRUP

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

4 4-inch rosemary sprigs

MARTINI

3 cups vodka

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons clear pear brandy

12 ice cubes

12 small rosemary sprigs

12 thin slices of pear

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rosemary sprigs. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Cool mixture completely and discard rosemary.

Mix rosemary syrup, vodka, lemon juice and brandy in a large pitcher. Cover pitcher with plastic wrap and place in freezer until mixture is cold, about 3 hours. Remove pitcher from freezer and add ice cubes. Stir briskly to melt the ice partially. Strain mixture into chilled martini glasses. Garnish each glass with a rosemary sprig and pear slice.

12 servings

I would love that. I don't know if anyone else would.

A story about auction dinners.

We have good friends whose auction prize donation always made big money for our Jesuit High School. The prize was an at home meal for maybe 8. She and her husband cooked and served.

What made their prize so popular was that the food was delivered (probably by their son) and they soon showed up to serve. The first year he wore a tux, she a French Maid type outfit. In other years I think they were priest & nun, law enforcement and then clowns. By they time our kids had graduated their dinners were in demand and legendary, while making nice money for the school.

Fun times.

Maddielee, I am ROFL thinking of the cookbook ”girls” in French Maid outfits. I’ll definitely suggest that to them and then duck!

I am making pear martinis 2moro, but the rosemary simple syrup will be for mine, everyone else will just be simple syrup.

Was looking at BBQ chicken videos, went down a Kenji rabbit hole, and I think you should do these as apps! with mini croissants tho...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byv5aGd62RQ

Very interesting video. Aside from taking a buttery croissant and frying it? toasting it? in (more) butter and honey— seeing the cluttered chaos of Kenji’s own kitchen is disturbing. I’ve only seen videos of him cooking in the NYT kirchen which is clean and organized. I could never eat anything he made at home because it cannot possibly be cleaned properly amidst all that junk. I’ve seen a few other home kitchens of NYT chefs on video tours during the pandemic. Some were very small but all had decent and clean looking work surfaces.

It would be hard to cut that sandwich into pieces snall enough to serve as an appetizer. I should think the croissant base would shatter if one tried to cut it with a knife.

https://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pies/apple-pear-praline-pie/

This became a staple at our Thanksgivings a few years ago. It's a show stopper.

That pie sounds good, Arcy, but 3/4 cup of sugar is about 2/3 more than I use in a fruit pie. Have you ever tried cutting down the amount of sugar? Or adding in lemon juice and zest?

The hickory nut crust sounds delicious! We are very lucky that the local supermarket carries a line of premade nut pie crusts that are very good . I keep the pecan and walnut ones in my pantry and they are great foils for fruit fillings.

Yes Kswl most often I use about half the sugar called for. It's really about knowing the tartness of the fruit you are using. I always let that lead me. When sharing recopies I always post the original and assume people will alter at their will not mine.

I just made apple pie last night, for the 4th. I rarely make fruit pies with crust because I detest soggy crust. In the recipe I used, you bake the crust blind. In addition, you let the apples sweat in the lemon and sugar for 30 minutes, and drain off the juices. You then reduce the juices by half, add it back to the apples, fill the pie and cook. We all cheated and had a taste last night. I thought it was the best apple pie I'd ever had. Def not too sweet.

I used a new product (new to me at least) for the crust, and we all thought it was very good.

https://jusrol.com/product/pie-crust/

Eh, KSWL, I think you are being too harsh. I kind of like the realistic feel of his kitchen, which he has redone BTW. IME he is constantly washing his hands and wiping down surfaces so IDK. I'd def eat what he is cooking!.

For apps, Id either cut the croissant in half before rolling and cooking it, and/or use mini croissants. And yes, it is decadent. But people put mayo and the like on croissants all the time, this is really no different and a quick way to get a laminated sort of roti. I think i'd skip the meat and do caprese on it.

I would contact the winner of the dinner for 8 and have them find out if any of the people they are bringing have any dislikes or "do not eats", since it is a dinner for them.

My parents had a friend who would call 2 or 3 couples and ask "what are you in the mood for?" and "what will you not eat?", tabulate the results and have the 2 or 3 couples over for dinner based upon the answers.

I am not picky, but I don't think I would want pears in multiple courses, for example.

I have also been at chef's tasting/prix fixe sorts of events where someone in the group would eat hardly anything, because they were picky. It didn't matter how good or interesting the menu actually was, one ingredient per dish was enough to reject it altogether.

Since this is for a specific group, I think their input would be important.

The caramel on the bottom and the cast iron skillet keep the crust from being soggy in this pie.

Interesting side note, I have this recipe stored in my recipe app along with the link to the original which came from Southern Living. Instead of posting the recipe, I was going to just post the link. When I checked it to make sure the link wasn’t broken, I discovered they have totally changed the online recipe. Here is the link, if you want to look at it. I think the extra layer of crust is ridiculous! https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/213569/grandmas-iron-skillet-apple-pie/ The recipe below is T&T.

Easy Skillet Apple Pie

YIELD Makes 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds Granny Smith apples

2 pounds Braeburn apples

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts

1 egg white

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Butter-pecan ice cream

(depending on juiciness of apples, may need to add 1 Tablespoon water to apples)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Peel apples, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add brown sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and place 1 piecrust in skillet over brown sugar mixture. Spoon apple mixture over piecrust, and top with remaining piecrust. Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of piecrust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly, shielding with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving. Serve with butter-pecan ice cream.

I know I should know how to use a cast iron pan, but they just give me the willies. Mine sits unwanted.

But now I *need* butter pecan ice cream.

Mtn, the key to using a cast iron pan is to use it as often as possible. ….and if possible, inherit one that is already seasoned. As a young associate in a general practice firm, I was assigned to work on a nasty divorce. Everything was settled except who was getting the cast iron skillets. I kid you not!

What turns me off is the heaviness, how easy it is to burn yourself on the handle, a concern about damaging my sink with them, and the feeling that seasoned = dirty.

I know as a hobbyist chef I should embrace cast iron.

Seasoned should not equal dirty. Seasoned means that the oils have polymerized creating a somewhat not-stick surface. I wash mine thoroughly with soap and water after each use. If something is stuck, I use a scrubby pad. I’m totally grossed out by people who only wipe theirs out.

Yes, they are heavy. That is part of their appeal. Yes, they get hot. I don’t think it is any easier to burn yourself on the handle of a cast iron skillet than a stainless steel skillet with a solid handle. Unless you are flinging the skillet at the sink from across the room, I don’t think you will damage your sink. If you are really concerned about scratching your sink, put a small towel or dishcloth in the bottom of the sink to set the cooled skillet on. (have you seen Cooking With Shereen on IG. She is forever tossing food over her shoulder into her sink!) Once you start using your cast iron skillet, you love it!

I do know those things, and I have tried, but it is really all about the "feeling." It's like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Once you start using your cast iron skillet, you love it! Oh believe me I have tried!

Is menu planning today?

There are going to be a number of us together this evening. I’m sure menu planning will be discussed. Our next scheduled luncheon is September. We are testing recipes then. I’m trying to decide if I should make a batch of gougeres to take tonight in a subtle effort to move folks away from the asparagus roll ups.

Maybe you can convince them asparagus will be so out of season that it wont be great? Any other ideas for an app that isn’t adding more cheese to an already cheese heavy meal? And if you’re also adding biscuits, that is a lot of starch courses.