[Travel] [Restaurant Review] [San Francisco, CA] Milkbomb Ice Cream

Sometimes I'm skeptical of trendy food.  Yes, as much as I'm susceptible to it, #DidItForTheGram #AmIRight

It just seems like everyone is doing "hybrid" or "mash-up" food these days.  Or rainbow, glittery, or rose gold food.  Because #DidItForTheGram

But some hybrids and mash-ups are worth writing about.

A post shared by Marshmallow The Dog (@dog_marshmallow) on Apr 10, 2018 at 8:56am PDT

Milkbomb Ice Cream
1717 17th Street
San Francisco, CA 94107

Milkbomb is a small family-run and -operated ice cream store tucked behind a Philz Coffee in the San Francisco neighborhood of Potrero Hill.  It's relatively new, having opened in 2017.

Its most popular menu item is The Milkbomb Sandwich, which is a glazed donut bun filled with ice cream, toppings, and sauce, placed on a heat press and sealed.  Their Yelp page describes it perfectly: The MilkBomb Sandwich is "hot on the outside, cold on the inside, and delicious all over."

Each one of those steps is customizable: they've got different types of donuts, at least a dozen changing ice cream flavors (though there also seem to be some constant favorites, like taro, ube and creamy horchata), tons of toppings and sauces going far beyond tried-and-true sprinkles and hot fudge (think crushed cereals and sauces like ube and condensed milk).

We opted for The Milkbomb Sandwich with a glazed donut outside, a scoop of horchata ice cream and one of ube, topped with condensed milk and cinna-pebbles.  Didn't want to go too over-the-top with either ube or cinnamon, but they do have ube and cinnamon donuts, too.  Plus ube sauce.

A post shared by Tammy | Life ❤️ Style Blogger (@the_tammiest) on Apr 16, 2018 at 9:06am PDT

If The Milkbomb Sandwich is a bit much for you (I do recommend sharing it with a friend, family, or date), they also serve ice cream in cups or hand-rolled cones with flavors like matcha, birthday cake, red velvet, black sesame, etc.

The shop is tiny, so there isn't really any indoor seating, but there are several cute little cafe tables just outside Milkbomb, so you can still sit and enjoy (with the company of your dog, see Exhibit A).  There's also a public park a block away, or you can take the ice cream a few blocks away to Anchor Public Taps for a different kind of afternoon delight.

Rating:  8/10, would recommend for an afternoon snack.  But not a morning snack—they're not open until 2:00 PM and they close 7:00 or 8:00 PM (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays).

[Recipe] "Rise Up" Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls

There's nothing quite like a fresh pastry for breakfast—but, I confess—it can be daunting to wake up that early just to indulge in the luxury.  Enter, bakeries.  But on those days you're craving homemade, I have just the recipe for you, requiring a bit of prep work the night before (to cut down on your wait time in the morning).

"Rise Up" Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls
A recipe inspired by Deliciously Sprinkled and Sally's Baking Addiction

I'm bad at Snapchat (my handle is, predictably, tammiest).  Or, rather, perhaps I'm not bad at it, but I don't have someone following me around or living with me who can take my Snapchat videos for me (life is hard).  This I found out the hard way as I attempted to Snapchat this recipe, complete with an all-too-appropriate soundtrack (read: complete with lots of puns) blaring in the background.  But you've only got one shot, or rather, one chance to make a shot—for example, once you've poured that icing sugar on top of the just-baked cinnamon rolls, you can't unpour it—and we all know it has to be poured to the iconic line, "Pour some sugar on me."

I amuse myself.

Soundtrack, Track #1 - My Shot
I am not throwing away my shot!
Rise up!
When you're living on your knees, you rise up
Tell your brother that he's gotta rise up
Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up

Soundtrack, Track #2 - Pour Some Sugar On Me
Pour some sugar on me
Ooh, in the name of love
Pour some sugar on me
Ooh, in the name of love

Ingredients
Dough:
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 envelopes of Fleischmann's® RapidRise™ Yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup butter
2 large eggs

Raspberry Cinnamon Filling:
1 (24 oz.) bag frozen raspberries, not thawed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk)
Splash of vanilla

Directions
1.  Combine 1-1/2 cups of flour, granulated sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2.  Microwave milk, water, and 1/3 cup butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 2 minutes or until warm; butter does not need to melt.
3.  Add butter mixture to flour mixture.  Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
4.  Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour.  Beat for 2 minutes on high speed.
5.  Stir in remaining 2-1/2 cups flour until batter forms.  Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

6.  Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.
7.  Remove dough from refrigerator and let it warm up for about 15 minutes.  Punch down dough.  Place dough onto a lightly greased surface; divide in half.  Roll dough into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle.

8.  Sprinkle evenly with ground cinnamon, then top with frozen raspberries.

9.  Roll dough up tightly.  Using a sharp knife, cut roll into 13 equal pieces.  Place cinnamon rolls into prepared pan.  Cover and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place until cinnamon rolls double in size.
Pro Tip:  Both Deliciously Sprinkled and Sally's Baking Addiction suggest preheating your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, then turning the oven off before placing the covered cinnamon rolls into the oven for 30 minutes to rise and double in size.
10.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake the cinnamon rolls for 22 minutes, covering them with foil to prevent the tops of the rolls from getting too brown.
11.  While your rolls are cooling, make the glaze.  In a small bowl, whisk the confectioner's sugar and heavy cream until smooth.  Add more sugar or cream, depending how thick you want the glaze.  Pour glaze over the rolls and serve warm.  Cover the rolls and store at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.  Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months and warmed up to enjoy at a later date.  Glaze them right before serving.

[Recipe] "Shape of My Heart" Valentine's Day Black and Pink (White) Cookies

My holiday calendar is essentially one of food.  The Christmas season is full of roasts (vegetables, beef, and whole chickens, oh my!), Chinese New Year is for dumplings (more on my upcoming Chinese New Year dinner party in a future post), and Valentine's Day is for baking (and maybe heart-shaped pizzas, the most romantic couple food ever).

This Valentine's Day, I thought it would be cute to make that classic New York dessert, black and white cookies, from scratch-- but with red and pink food coloring and, obviously, with cookies shaped like hearts.

Soundtrack - Backstreet Boys - Shape of My Heart
I'm here with my confession
Got nothing to hide no more
I don't know where to start
But to show you the shape of my heart

I'm lookin' back on the things I've done
I never wanna play the same old part
Or keep you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart

"Shape of My Heart" Valentine's Day Black and Pink (White) Cookies
a recipe inspired by Smitten Kitchen
Makes 24 very large cookies or 4-5 dozen smaller ones

Cookie Base - Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
2-1/2 cups cake flour
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing - Ingredients
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
3 ounces very bitter or unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Instructions
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper.
2.  In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter.  Mix by machine or hand until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, then milk and vanilla and lemon extracts, and mix until smooth.  Scrape down bowl.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.  Stir until mixed.  Add dry mixture to the wet mixture in batches, stirring well after each addition.

4.  Using a soup spoon, place heaping spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.  Bake until edges begin to brown, 18 to 20 minutes.  Cool completely.
5.  Boil a cup or so of water in a small pot.  Place confectioners' sugar in large, heat-safe mixing bowl.  Gradually stir in enough boiling water to the sugar to make a thick, spreadable mixture.  Err on the side of caution because a too-thin frosting is hard to undo.  Leave remaining boiling water on the stove.

6.  Split the frosting into two bowls, approximately 1/3 to 2/3.  In the bowl with more frosting, add red or pink food coloring and mix to your desired shade.  Spread frosting on half of the flat side of each cookie.

7.  Once all cookie halves have been frosted, place the bowl of the remaining frosting (remember, you set some aside earlier) over the hot water and bring it back to a simmer (creating a double boiler).  Stir in the bitter of unsweetened chocolate until melted, as well as the light corn syrup.  At this point, depending on the chocolate you used and your preferences, you might find the chocolate color to be a little lighter than the "black" of a black-and-white cookie.  If so, mix in a tablespoon or more of cocoa.

8.  Ice the remaining half of the cookies with the chocolate frosting.  If the frosting dries out, feel free to whisk in a small splash of water from time to time to smooth it back into a shiny frosting.

9.  Let the frosting set.  Store in an airtight container.  These cookies keep for a few days, although, because the bases are cakelike, they can get stale quickly.  Pro Tip:  You can also store your cookies with a slice of bread (white is preferable-- no other flavors transferred to the cookies) to keep them moist.

[Recipe] "Summer Lovin'" Strawberry Tiramisu

It's easy to fall in love when you're on vacation.  You're far from home and all the stress and chaos or, alternatively, the humdrum, of normal, everyday life.  It's beautiful and sunny and fresh and new.  And then you meet someone, and you don't overthink anything-- you can't.  This handsome stranger lives hundred, thousands of miles from you, and this wine from a different state, a new country-- it's local here.

Thus starts 50% of all chick flicks.  And then, in those romantic movies, the object of your (brief) affections somehow winds up not being so brief but instead, coincidentally, the older brother/cousin/best friend of someone you've known forever, or they have always been meaning to move to the U.S. and away from Italy or Chicago.  Or wherever.

In real life, though, you leave your summer romance, your Roman Holiday, exactly where you found it.  And you know you'll always have Paris, but it's just not where you belong.

Soundtrack: Summer Nights (Grease)

Summer lovin', had me a blast, oh yeah
Summer lovin' happened so fast
I met a girl crazy for me
Met a boy cute as can be

Summer days drifting away
To, uh oh, those summer night

"Summer Lovin'" Strawberry Tiramisu
A recipe by Giada De Laurentiis 

Regular readers of my blog/followers of my Facebook or Instagram feed have likely figured out my not-so-secret secret: I'm very much into strawberries.  They are such a lovely summer fruit and yet easy to work with in baking (as opposed to, for example, watermelon, another summer love of mine that is somewhat more difficult to incorporate into delicious goodies-- although perhaps that should be my next challenge... ).   This strawberry tiramisu was a very popular, refreshing ending to the Sunday Supper summer run.

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups strawberry preserves
1/3 cup, plus 4 tablespoons of Grand Marnier or Cointreau (or another orange liqueur)
1/3 cup orange juice
1 pound mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1-1/3 cups chilled whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
52 (approximately) crisp ladyfingers (Boudoirs or Savoiardi)
1-1/2 pounds strawberries, divided

Directions
1.  Whisk preserves, 1/3 cup Grand Marnier, and orange juice in a 2-cup measuring cup.

2.  Place the mascarpone cheese and 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier in a large bowl; fold just to blend.
3.  Using an electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier in another large bowl to soft peaks.

4.  Stir 1/4 of whipped cream mixture into mascarpone mixture to lighten.  Fold in remaining whipped cream.
5.  Hull and slice half of the strawberries.  Spread 1/2 cup of the preserve mixture over the bottom of a 3-quart oblong serving dish or a 13x9 glass baking dish or baking pan.  Arrange enough ladyfingers over the strawberry mixture to cover the bottom of the dish.  Spoon 3/4 cup of the preserve mixture over the ladyfingers, then spread 2-1/2 cups of the mascarpone mixture over it.  Arrange 2 cups of the sliced strawberries over the mascarpone mixture.

 

6.  Repeat layering with remaining ladyfingers, preserve mixture, and mascarpone mixture.  Cover with plastic and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.

7.  Slice remaining strawberries.  Arrange over tiramisu and serve.

[Recipe] "November Firelight" Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Cookies

A few weekends ago, a friend and I went up to The Storm King Art Center, which is an outdoor modern sculpture museum spanning over 500 acres in upstate New York.  On your average day, it's beautiful and peaceful and interesting.  In the fall, though, it's a veritable wonderland of warmth and color:

Of course, I couldn't leave without getting the iconic shot from Storm King with Alyson Shotz's mirror fence, which is beautiful in its simplicity and produces the ultimate mirror selfie shot (note the super fall outfit).

After hours of trekking through the beautiful crunchy leaves, though, you inevitably feel the chill in your bones, which inevitably ought to lead to these cookies, which are so autumn they hurt:
"November Firelight" Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Cookies
A recipe by Bakeaholic Mama (reviewed by The Recipe Critic)

Cookie Base - Ingredients
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground ground nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling - Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ tsp. freshly-ground ground nutmeg

Cinnamon Sugar Coating - Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash of allspice

Directions
1.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.  Set aside.
2.  In a Kitchen-Aid mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

3.  Blend in pumpkin puree, beat in egg, and then add vanilla.  Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed just until combined.  Cover and chill dough for an hour.
4.  To make the cream cheese filling, blend cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together.  Chill for an hour.
5.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a small bowl, combine the sugar and spices for the coating and set aside.
6.  To make the cookies, take a tablespoon of the cookie batter.  Flatten it like a pancake and place a teaspoon of the cream cheese in the center.  Form another tablespoon of the cookie batter into a flat pancake shape and place on top of the cream cheese.  Pinch the edges together, sealing in the cream cheese, and roll into a ball.  Roll in the cinnamon sugar coating and place on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.

7.  Repeat until the dough is gone and flatten the cookie dough balls with a heavy bottomed glass or measuring cup.
8.  Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes or until the tops start to crack.  Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

[Recipe] "Hollaback" Banana (Nut) Crumb Muffins

I love bananas.  And all desserts that taste of or like bananas: Chunky Monkey ice cream (or other banana-based ice creams), banana splits, banana cream pie, banana fudge cookies, etc.  I'd say, really, that they're my one true weakness in life.

Our torrid love affair began in the first grade.  I was invited to a family friend's birthday party, and they served a Big Bird birthday cake (extra points for the Sesame Street theme)-- a big, yellow, creamy, and banana-heavenly cake that I've never forgotten.  It was love at first bite (in a totally non-creepy, non-vampire way).

"Hollaback" Banana (Nut) Crumb Muffins

an original recipe by tammiest (the Passionfruit Fashionista)

Makes 12 muffins

This is, in my humble opinion, far and away my best and most favorite recipe.  The muffin is incredibly moist, and the banana and cinnamon are melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Muffin Base - Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 over-ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Crumble - Ingredients
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Lightly grease the muffin tin or line with muffin cups.

2.  In a large bowl, mix together 1-1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, beat together the mashed bananas, brown sugar, egg, and melted butter.  Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just moistened.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

3.  In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and cinnamon.  Cut in 1 tablespoon of butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Sprinkle over the muffin batter.

4.  Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes. 

[Recipe] "Kid At Heart" Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

I was recently asked to make cupcakes for a child's birthday.  The problem?  I haven't made anything for children in forever, and let's just say that their preferences are a little different from ours.  (For example, I'm not convinced all children love apple pie cupcakes or Aztec Mexican ones, and so of course these recipes must be reserved for another day and entry.)  Sure enough, the little boy's mother had just one piece of advice for me: "He loves frosting!"

This piece of information, however, didn't really narrow things down for me, either-- I don't think children like the same kind(s) of frosting adults do.  For example, they don't necessarily love cream cheese-based frostings.  (His mother actually ruled out red velvet immediately after suggesting it as a possibility.)  And they don't love fruit in their dessert the way I do.  (Goodbye, berry- or lemon-based whipped and buttercream frostings.)  And, worse, perhaps through a deficiency of my own, I *small voice* actually don't love frosting all that much, anyway... in fact, I've always been willing to scrape off a little bit of the [excess!] frosting from a cake or cupcake in the name of friendship.  (You're welcome.)

So I did what I always do in times of recipe crisis: I turned to the Internet.  I Googled, perhaps rather n00bishly, "Cupcakes for Children" and found the following:

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

YES.  #Winning.  And not just in a Charlie Sheen way, though I would be surprised if he disapproved of this very fun dessert.  (That means what you think it means.)

It's simple, really.  Simple in its genius.  Essentially, ice cream cones take on the role of edible cupcake wrappers.  You can use any cupcake base you want (well, at least any without fancy fillings like cheesecake or cookie dough) and any frosting as well.  I went with a lovely classic homemade yellow cake base (recipe here, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen) and a chocolate buttercream frosting, but the idea really works for any combination of cake and frosting your little heart (or little one) desires.

The amount of cake batter that fits into each individual ice cream cone is roughly equal to 2/3 of a normal cupcake wrapper or tin, so adjust baking times ever-so-slightly to account for this (if necessary-- some cupcakes rise a lot, anyway).  Also, posts online suggested that the bottoms of the ice cream cones became slightly soggy and leaky from the batter, so I lined mine with a few chocolate chips and marshmallows.  They doubled, I think, as a nice surprise for the birthday boy, kind of like a Drumstick.

And, of course, I piled the icing high to resemble ice cream (it might not look like much, but the cakes didn't rise a ton) and decorated with a generous splattering of fun sprinkles. The sky's really the limit at this stage, though-- basically whatever you'd find on an actual ice cream cone or sundae-- is fair game.  Have fun and run with it.  Be a kid again.  After all,

"Love is an ice cream sundae, with all the marvelous coverings."
Jimmy Dean

[Recipe] "Good Morning, Sunshine" Lemon Vanilla Cupcakes

This post will begin with a cliche: "If life gives you lemons... "

... you obviously make lemon vanilla cupcakes for your co-workers to brighten up their Monday morning.

"Good Morning, Sunshine" Lemon Vanilla Cupcakes
a recipe inspired by Sally's Baking Addiction
Makes 12 cupcakes

I have resting happy face.  I promise, this is a thing.  It means that people perpetually stop me on the street to ask me for directions (honestly, this is a terrible mistake; I have zero sense of direction).  It means that my boss has stopped me in the hallway before and asked me what had happened today to make me so happy (in truth, nothing had happened and I wasn't particularly happy).  One of my co-workers has actually accidentally dialed the wrong number, thinking it was me, then paused a few minutes in to the conversation to ask the other girl, "You seem rather down today."

Yes, I am that cheerful.

And sometimes I share that cheer with my co-workers in the form of baked goods.

After all, if life gives you lemons, . . . etc.

Lemon Cupcake Base - Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
zest and fresh juice of two medium lemons
* 1 medium-sized lemon = approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon zest = 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice

Lemon Cupcake Base - Directions
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line 12-count muffin pan with paper liners.  Set aside.

2.  Using a handheld or stand mix fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until creamed, about 2-3 minutes.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  Add the eggs and vanilla and lemon extracts.  Beat on medium-high speed until everything is combined, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.  Set aside.

3.  In a medium bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions, beating on low speed after each addition.  Batter will be thick.  Beat in the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice on low speed until just combined.  Do not overmix this batter at any point.

4.  Spoon batter evenly into 12 cupcake liners.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean when done.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Lemon-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting - Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3-4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
additional lemon zest or crushed lemon hard candies or sprinkles, for decoration

Lemon-Vanilla Buttercream Frosting - Directions
1.  Beat softened butter on medium speed with an electric or stand mixture.  Beat for about 3-4 minutes until smooth and creamy.
2.  Add confectioners' sugar, cream, vanilla and lemon extracts, and salt, with the mixer running.  Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.  Add more confectioners' sugar if frosting is too thin or more cream if mixture is too thick.  Add more salt if frosting is too sweet.
3.  Frost cooled cupcakes.  If topping with lemon zest, do so right before serving.

[Sunday Supper Menu] "Simple Elegance" Menu - Coq Au Vin

New York City is a city of lights, glamour, and so much color and noise.  Everything is bright and shiny and fast and crowded.  All the things you love about it can also become the things you hate.  It's important to step away from the glitz and the commotion, to have an oasis, to not be jostled and to have to shout at your friends to be heard in a crowded bar.

When I moved into my current apartment, one of the things I loved the most about it was the size of the dining room (that, and the newly renovated kitchen).  I envisioned myself hosting fabulous dinner parties in my new space.  After months of searching, I eventually found my dream extendable dining table and Sunday Suppers-- quiet, relaxed, and in the comfort of my own home-- finally became reality.

Sunday suppers are my new thing, and they can be yours, too.  Check in periodically for menu posts such as these, which compile full menus and recipes (sometimes with separate write-ups that, I promise, promise, promise are truly forthcoming).  These menus are all designed to not only "go" together but to be executable by just one person in one full day (or two half-days, which is usually how I prepare).

This particular menu was for my second Sunday supper rather than my first (I know, I'm woefully behind on my blogging) and was meant to showcase one particular dish: coq au vin.

I'd never made coq au vin before, but I love it.  It is rich and elegant and hearty and warm, the perfect main course served over hot buttered noodles.  And to showcase it, I decided on a large variety of simple, but flavorful, vegetable sides.

"Pick of the Harvest" Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Salad - Recipe in This Post

An oldie but a goodie-- one of my few repeat recipes.  I could eat this salad for days-- which is saying a lot, mainly because Sunday Suppers typically result in leftovers and also because I don't tend to like salads.

"Simple Sophisticate" Veggie Pot Pie Muffins - Recipe in This Post

"High Society" Haricot Verts with Shallots (AKA French Green Beans with Shallots)

a recipe by Once Upon a Chef

This recipe consists of mainly three ingredients: haricot verts, shallots, and extra virgin olive oil.  You don't get much simpler than that, though the dish is elegant in its simplicity, relying largely on the sweet and savory flavor of the shallots to carry the dish.

Ingredients (4 servings)

3/4 pound (12 ounces) haricot verts (French green beans-- these are longer, thinner, sweeter and more tender than American green beans), trimmed

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

about 1 cup of water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1.  Thinly slice the shallots into rings.  Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and mellow, about 8 minutes.

2.  Add the haricot verts, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes.

3.  Add 1/2 cup of the water and cook, stirring frequently, until the water evaporates, 4-5 minutes.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking until the beans are tender and the pan is completely dry, 5-6 minutes.  Test the beans for doneness.  If they need more cooking time, add a bit more water and cook until done; just be sure to cook off any remaining liquid in the pan before serving; otherwise, the flavor will be diluted.  Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

"Color Me Pretty" Smashed Potatoes

a recipe by The Pioneer Woman

I love potatoes to an almost embarrassing degree.  I love them mashed, creamy, baked, fried, and every which way.  In fact, my love for potatoes is so embarrassing that I don't keep potato chips in my house as a general rule-- I'd eat them all way too quickly.  And I could never live carb-free, not because I love bread but because I love potatoes.  Potatoes are just unassuming and tasty but incredibly easy to make.

My dinner guests should learn to (and probably have) expect some form of potato when they come.  I try to change it up every now and then with a different recipe or, in this case, with different colors.

Ingredients

new potatoes (or other small, round potatoes-- I used a variety of colorful fingerlings)

olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

rosemary (or thyme or chives or a blend of all three, which is what I used), finely chopped

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Bring a salted pot of water to boil.  Once boiling, add as many potatoes as you like, and cook them until they're fork-tender.

3.  Generously drizzle a baking sheet or baking pan with olive oil.  Note that the olive oil will keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan, so truly be generous!
4.  When the potatoes are fork-tender, place them on the prepared baking sheet or baking pan, with enough room between them to spread out.  Using a potato masher (or a large spoon or fork), gently press down on a potato until it is slightly mashed, twisting the masher 90 degrees to continue flattening the potato.  Be careful not to completely mash the potato.  Repeat until all potatoes are flattened.
5.  Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the smashed potatoes generously with olive oil.
6.  Sprinkle the potatoes generously with the kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and herb blend.
7.  Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy and sizzling.

"Wine Country" Coq Au Vin - Recipe in This Post

My boss heard that I was hosting a dinner party and offered up a bottle of port (Three Monkeys Shizaru Napa Valley 2006, to be precise).  It had a super-cute label, so of course we used it.  It was the perfect accompaniment/after-dinner drink and had a delightfully sweet finish.

"Melt in Heaven" Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries and Homemade Whipped Cream - Recipe in This Post (To Come)

Chocolate mousse with homemade whipped cream was definitely the perfect ending note for this particular dinner party-- like the rest of the menu, its simplicity belies its elegance.  Even my dessert-hating friend had a few bites and begrudgingly admitted it was delicious.