On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…Did you know that the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” actually refers to the twelve days AFTER Christmas? We are switching things up at Seacoast Bites. For the next twelve days leading TO a-holiday-some-celebrate Seacoast Bites will be posting Original Recipes, Reviews, Tips, and Mini-MegaBites! You will find bites for entertaining, dining out ideas, and things we are excited about. Stay Tuned!
Day Twelve: Recipe: Stuffed Poblano Peppers. Recipe Here!
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Day Eleven: Great Bites; Lamb Loin
Hannaford has a great product available in their butchery called Catelli Marinated Butterflied Lamb. This is a boneless butterflied (de-boned) leg of lamb that has been marinated in oregano, basil, parsley and other aromatic spices. Try grilling this and slicing it thin and making gyros at home. The portion comes in 2 lb. packages, perfect for dinner and then leftovers the next day!
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Day Ten: MegaBites: Favorite Trader Joes’ Finds
Blue Cheese Pecan Dip: Creamy, tangy with chunks of Blue Cheese and crunchy pecans. A great addition to any holiday Hors D’Oeuvres.
Mushroom Turnovers; available in the frozen section… buy a couple boxes because you’ll want to eat them all!
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese sticks; mozzarella on the go.
Sea Salt and Caramel Dark Chocolate; light flakes of sea salt and just the right caramel to chocolate ratio.
Vihno Verde $5.49 for a bottle of lightly bubbly fruit-forward refreshing wine. I buy at least three bottles every visit.
Citterio Genoa Salami and Provolone Snack Pack, about seven pieces of salami and seven pieces of cheese in a perfect package that never makes it home in one piece!
Mini Rice Crackers,it amazes me that something so simple is SO good with cheeses. Salty, crispy, and a nice toasted rice flavor.
Partially Popped Popcorn Butter Flavor; hello snack heaven.
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Photo Courtesy of Yelp.com
Day Nine: Best Bite at… Quick to Go
I could go on and on about Quick To Go. This converted gas station is run by a family from Lebanon. Everything sauce, falafel, rice dish, and spiced kebabs are made in-house. Quick To Go even has a selection of Middle Eastern canned goods hard to find elsewhere. My favorite bite; Beef Kafta Kebab sandwich, flavorful spiced ground beef with their garlic sauce, tahini, pickles, banana peppers “spicy style,” insider tip: ask if they have the Cheese Rolls, if she says yes order at least four, these are flaky philo-dough stuffed with Lebanese cheeses. Salty, herbaceous and addicting!
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Day Eight: Recipe! Pesto Bread with Baked Brie
There is nothing wrong with Baked Brie with bread to dip. This is the perfect holiday crowd-pleasing bite.
Recipe Here!
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Day Seven: Best Bite At… PATTY B’S RESTAURANT
Controversy Alert! For ages my favorite restaurant in Dover was Patty B’s at both their original location in the Cocheco Apartment building to their new location on Dover Point Road. We enjoyed their pasta dishes, adored their appetizers, and always found great wine by the glass and by the bottle. Then one day we visited and had a disappointing meal that devastated us and we did not dine again there until a recent family party took us back to Patty. Thank goodness it did. We gorged on their Cavatappi Alfredo, Baked Rigatoni Bolognese, and their Linguine alla Vongole. For appetizers their calamari is light, airy and citrus-y. Their simple bruschetta and makes you wonder how they make something so simple, so delicious. Their antipasto has olives, a mini caprese salad, and Italian meats that are all fresh and perfectly portioned. And their desserts! Hello 4-tiered Carrot Cake, Sickly Sweet Lemon Cake, and rich comforting Tiramisu. Oh, and their hand made cannolis’ are filled to order and dipped in milk chocolate chips. Patty, great to see you again can’t wait to dine with you soon!
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Day Six: MegaBites: Best Holiday Cheeses
Bring on the cheese plate aka the essential party gift. I once remember a friend telling me that she hosted a dinner party and someone insisted on bringing the cheese plate. This is always nerve-wracking for the host, what if they pick weird cheeses? Or heaven forbid they pick American Cheese!? Never again! Here are my tips for the best cheese bite:
Cheese plates are about balance. Create a cheese plate in one of these three scenarios:
Cows Milk Cheese (Cheddar, Brie, Camembert, Gouda), Goats Milk Cheese (Chevre, Humbolt Fogg), and a Sheep Milk Cheese (Pecorino, Manchego)
Blue Cheese (Great Hill Blue, Brookford Shades Of Blue), Washed Rind (Jasper Hill Oma, Taleggio), and Bloomy Rind Cheese (Camembert, Délice de Bourgogne, Jasper Hill Winnimere)
Soft Cheese (Brookford Farm Camembert, D’Affinois, Fresh Cheese (Chevre, Boursin,) and Aged Cheese (Parmesan, Cheddar, Garrotxa).
Tips:
Crackers are a vessel, but also try apple slices, and endive.
Provide a separate knife for each cheese on the board.
Nuts, dried fruit, fig cake, or olives make a great salty contrast to break up the rich flavors of the cheese.
Champagne is the queen for double and triple creme cheeses
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Day Five: Dinner Tip! Christmas Feasting Early
Confession: We enjoyed prime rib last night, on a Tuesday, before Christmas. No, it was not planned, the truth is we went grocery shopping and found an amazing single-bone prime rib roast ON SALE! Here is my advice for cooking one-big-piece of meat. Make sure your pan is oven safe and SMOKING hot before placing the steak on the stove top. Sear the steak on ALL sides, not just the largest sides, but each edge too! When the steak looks like it is caramel brown take the entire skillet, place it in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 F. NO LONGER. Then… LET IT REST. But not for too long! Just enough to firm up. Another favorite cuts of meat we love is a Spoon Roast. Sear on all edges and when it is hot, rub with Gravy Master, then bake in the same method. Unbelievable and affordable. Finally, the best thing in the world to go with this steak is one of the compound butters, (Click here for ideas) and Shaved Brussels Sprouts cooked in the steak juices. After removing the steak from the pan, let it rest and quickly cook Brussels sprouts in the pan. HEAVEN!
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Day Four: Rachel Forests Dining Guide!
Today in her “Dining Out,” section of Seacoast Online (and Fosters and Portsmouth Herald), Rachel Forest has compiled all the special restaurant events taking place on the Seacoast for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. Check out the link below for the guide on where to take your friends and family if you don’t feel like cooking! Also, lets please remember those who work in the restaurant industry this holiday -so many are giving up valuable family-time to serve bites and drinks to those in our community! Tip them well! They deserve it.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20161222/dining-out-celebrate-local-at-many-seacoast-restaurants
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