Michael Chiarello shares great tips for a simple cheese plate and great wines to make you the most sophisticated, relaxed host around. Throw open the doors and let them come!
Gameplan
Day Before Party:
Mix beginnings of focaccia together, let stand for 15 minutes to rise
Make white bean puree for bruschetta, refrigerate
Add rest of flour to risen focaccia dough, mix fruit topping
Mix half of fruit topping into dough, knead with hands into ball, refrigerate overnight.
2 Hours Before Party:
Take focaccia bread dough, mold into baking pan, cover and set aside to rise again.
Slice bruschetta for white bean dip, bake in oven
Assemble, puree and refrigerate Melon soup.
Finish bruschetta by coating with garlic and extra virgin olive oi
Bake focaccia in oven till light brown
1 Hour Before Party:
Top focaccia with fruit mixture, bake for 7 or 8 more minutes
Set up cheese course on tray with fruits, breads, garnishes and crackers. Leave it out to get it to room temperature.
Roast and bake almonds
Set out wines
Wine Recommendation
Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand or California Central Coast); Syrah (Napa, Rhone, or Australian)
Everyone's favorite appetizer becomes a party in itself as we set out a make your own bruschetta bar with plenty of toasty, garlicky bread and lots of delicious toppings. A fun and easy cocktail party everyone will love.
Gameplan Day Before Party:
Shave corn off cobs, simmer with cream for Creamed Corn Bruschetta. Cover and refrigerate.
Blanch broccoli for Rosemary Skewers.
Remove some leaves from rosemary stems to make "skewers".
Whisk together marinade for Rosemary Skewers.
Roast garlic in olive oil for Rosemary Skewers.
Remove stems from shitake mushrooms for Rosemary Skewers.
Assemble vegetables on Rosemary Skewers. Cover and refrigerate.
1 1/2 Hour Before Party:
Sear steak to rare for Bistecca Bruschetta. Set aside on a rack.
Slice and roast onions for Bistecca Bruschetta.
Slice and bake bread to make Crostini.
Slice bread for bruschetta.
Finish roasted onions with vinegar, garlic and herbs.
Finish steaks in oven for Bistecca Bruschetta. Remove and let rest.
1/2 Hour Before Party:
Re-heat and plate creamed corn and proscuitto slices for Creamed Corn Bruschetta.
Set up ingredients for Smeared Tomato Bruschetta with extra virgin olive oil, torn basil, and salt on a tray for guests to assemble.
Carve steaks and arrange on platter with onions for Bistecca Bruschetta.
At the party:
Grill Bruschetta bread slices.
Grill Rosemary Skewers, serve with Carambazola cheese.
Eat and Enjoy!
It's a quiet dinner at home, filled with some of your all-time favorite comfort foods and served TV dinner style! With Michael's recipes for Cup of Quick Minestrone , Turkey Polpettone Sandwich in Marinara, Parmesan Fries oven baked, Warm Bananas w/Brown Sugar & Bay leaf over Chocolate Cake
Gameplan Day Before Party:
Assemble and sauté soup (without pasta) for Super Quick Minestrone.
Mix and simmer sauce (without sliced bananas) for Warm Bananas with Brown Sugar Sauce to top Chocolate Cake.
Skim the simmering Minestrone and refrigerate it overnight.
Remove Warm Bananas with Brown Sugar Sauce from the heat and refrigerate overnight.
Prep, par-boil, drain, coat and refrigerate the potatoes for Parmesan Fries.
Mix raw turkey with other ingredients and for Turkey Polpettone, refrigerate overnight.
One Hour Before Party:
Boil Pasta for Super Quick Minestrone, remove from pot and cover with olive oil to keep moist until ready to add to soup.
Put Super Quick Minestrone on the stove to get back up to a boil.
Take Par boiled potato sticks and bake them in the oven to bake.
Begin to sauté the turkey patties for the Polpettone, and place the marinara on the stove to heat to combine with sandwich.
Grate parmesan and top baking fries in the oven for Parmesan fries, place them back in the oven to melt cheese.
Flip the turkey patties to brown on the other side, then lift and put them in the heated marinara sauce. Top with extra mozzarella.
Slice crostini bread and place sauteed patties from the sauce in the sandwich bread for serving.
Pull fries form oven to cool.
As Guests Arrive:
Add pasta to Super Quick Minestrone.
Reheat and add bananas to Warm Bananas with Brown Sugar Sauce.
Eat and enjoy, serving in TV Dinner trays if possible.
Eat and Enjoy!
Wine Recommendation 2001 Trefethen Merlot
Food Network searched for the Ultimate Comfort Food recipe. After a nationwide recipe contest, nine finalists competed in three rounds: Chili, Mac and Cheese and Sandwiches. A panel of food experts determined whose comfort food dish was the best. See who walks away the winner of $25,000!
COMPETITORS: Chili
Peg SchaeferRecipe: Mexitana Ancho-Lamb Chili Hometown: Bozeman, Mo.
Ray Isacsson -- Winner!Recipe: Spanish Influenced Chili with Collard Wrapped Pork, Chorizo and Sweet and Smoky Paprikas Hometown: Danbury, Conn.
Anne TegtmeierRecipe: Ultimate Veggie Chili
Mac and Cheese
Autumn ClementsRecipe: Black and Tan Irish Mac and Cheddar Hometown: Amelia Island, Fla.
Brett Greenberg -- WinnerRecipe: French Onion "Soup" Mac and Cheese
Jenny FlakeRecipe: Pepita Crusted Cheddar Jack Southwest Chicken Mac Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz.
SandwichIvan Aviles -- COMFORT FOODS GRAND PRIZE WINNER!Recipe: Boricua Plantain Sandwich Hometown: Holtsville, N.Y.
Anna Georgantonis-KeahRecipe: Squash Sandwiches Hometown: Austin, Texas
Michael GilettoRecipe: Germany's Version of the "South Philly Cheese Steak with a Twist" Hometown: Mickleton, N.J.