Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello

Halloween Party

It's a Halloween tradition in Michael's neighborhood - every home serves a special treat so the parents can socialize while the kids tank up on sugar. Michael's got peanut butter cups, s' mores, vampire blood punch with eyeballs, and Garlic Soup to Go.

Gameplan
2 Days Before Party:

• Coat muffin cups with chocolate for Peanut Butter cups and refrigerate.


• Boil vegetables in salted water for Poached Garlic Soup until soft


• Puree for smoothness, cover and refrigerate


• Freeze hand and face ice cubes for Vampire Punch

1 Day Before Party:

• Prepare peanut butter mixture for hardened cups


• Add banana chip on each cup, refrigerate for hardening


• Cut graham crackers into Halloween shapes for S’mores

Morning of Party:

• Blend sweets for the Slimedoo Fondue until melted


• Mix in green food coloring, place in fondue pot for serving


• Re-heat soup, mix in cream, and serve in warm bowls

15 minutes Before Party:

• Mix juices for Vampire Blood Punch, put in body ice cubes and serve

Turkey Goodbye Party

It's Thanksgiving weekend and you've still got a house full of people and a refrigerator full of turkey, dressing, potatoes, cranberries, etc. Michael shows you how to keep the good times and good food rolling with these clever leftover recipes.

Wine Recommendation
Stonefly Vineyards Cabernet Franc

Christmas Tree Cutting Party

Even cutting the tree is a party when friends gather at a Christmas tree farm for a warm and cozy meal by the fire of cioppino, roasted garlic bread, hot peppermint chocolate and Christmas cookies. Turn a Christmas chore into a unique celebration!

GamePlan
Day Before Party:

• Cook sugar, blend with whipped egg whites, and assemble dough for Torrone, allow to mix in mixer for 15 minutes.


• Place prepped and tin foil wrapped garlic in the oven to roast for Roasted Garlic Bread.


• Finish dough for Torrone, pan it and refrigerate overnight.


• Remove garlic from the oven, mash into paste and mix into a butter. Refrigerate.

2 Hour Before Party:

• Begin broth and sear fish and scallops for Cioppino, allow to broth to simmer without fish for 30 minutes.

1/2 Hour Before Party:

• Add fresh herbs to Cioppino, sear and remove clams, crabs and shrimp.


• Mix and heat up mulled wine, pour into a pre-heated thermos.


• Mix hot chocolate, pour into pre-heated thermos.


• Place Schnapps, two thermos’, bread, garlic butter, Torrone, Cioppino broth, and seared fish into a preheated cooler to transport.

At Party:

• Serve hot cocktails.


• Grill garlic for Roasted Garlic Bread.


• Reheat Cioppino broth.


• Take out softened jalapeno chilies from broth and mash into a garnish.


• Spread Grilled bread with garlic butter, allow it to melt and serve.


• Add fish and shellfish back into Cioppino, simmer for one minute and serve.


• Slice up Torrone, eat and enjoy.

Wine Recommendation
Gargiulo Vineyards Merlot

TV Dinner Redux

Gather around the tube and prepare for our remakes of classic TV dinner food - Salisbury steak, apple pie, mashed potatoes and peas, and grilled cheese sandwiches with a tomato soup dipping sauce - served in separated plates just like the original.

Wine Recommendation
Gargiulo Vineyards Merlot and Aprile

Chili Challenge Cook-Off

Chef Jan Birnbaum and Michael go head to head to create their versions of this spicy classic; then the neighbors get to judge who does it best. It's a hot pot party complete with the fixins!

Gameplan
Morning of Chili Challenge Cook off:

• Chop, season and brown meat and vegetables for Chiarello Chicken And White Bean Chili With Veggies.


• Add vegetables, thin out with wine, broth and paste, simmer for one hour.


• Pit, peel, and grill avocadoes on open flame for Green Goddess Dressing.


• Mix, puree and refrigerate Green Goddess Dressing.


• Mix, puree and refrigerate Bloody Bull mix.


• Add final red peppers, white beans and other vegetables to Chiarello Chicken And White Bean Chili with Veggies, simmer for another few minutes and refrigerate until serving.

2 Hours before Chili Challenge Cook off:

• Brown meats, sauté with vegetables, chilies, spices and flour, thin out with broth, beer, and ground tortilla mixture and allow to simmer for one hour for Green Duck Chili.


• Assemble and serve Bloody Bull cocktails.


• Cut iceberg wedges, top with Green Goddess Dressing, and serve.


• Garnish and serve chilies side by side, or separately.

Beverages: Bloody Bull Cocktails, Beer

Potluck Challenge

Michael gathers his best chef friends and gives them a mission - remake pot luck classics with no more than 5 ingredients, no more than 10 steps, it must be finished and ready to eat, and no exotic ingredients. Church suppers will never be the same!

Gameplan
Day of Potluck Challenge:

• Peel, and cut celery for Rockin’ Celery Boats


• Mix, coat, and put pecan nuts in to bake for Celery Boat filling


• Prepare Celery Boats for soaking, soak for crunch


• Puree nuts with cream cheese, stuff into Celery Boats and top with jalapenos.


• Chop, juice and dress the Ambrosia Salad


• Blanche and cool green beans for Green Bean Casserole with Fried Onions


• Mix, heat and reduce mushroom brandy sauce for Green Bean Casserole, mix in green beans, set aside.


• Boil pasta shells, mix cheese sauce for Macaroni and Cheese My Way.


• Add spinach, shrimp and bake in the oven.


• Fry up onion rings to top Green Bean Casserole with Fried Onions

Wine Recommendation
Chiarello Cabernet Sauvignon, Gargiulo Vineyards Pinot Grigio

How I Catered my Own Wedding

Michael celebrates his one year anniversary with a re-creation of his full moon wedding feast. Close family and friends gather to look at wedding pictures, laugh about the good times they had and salute the years ahead.

A Little Night Music

It’s a picnic under the stars followed by a rocking concert as Michael puts together a pre-concert spread at the local outdoor bandstand. Nothing goes together like music and food, especially . . .

Pick your own Dinner

Nothing says fall like apples. Michael is preparing for a great fall meal that celebrates the harvest. We've got it all from a crispy fall salad to pork and apple dressing, and a flaky apple dessert. It's enough to bring out the farmer in anyone!

Let the Sunshine In

When the days are long and the winter won't end, a sure cure for cabin fever is a summery party in the dead of winter. Bring on the sun with a citrusy, tropical menu with all the sunny flavors of summer. It's a trip to the sunbelt without a plane ticket.

Soup's On!

The perfect meal when unpredictable and guests stagger in a different times. A choice of friendly soups bubbling on the stove, including Michael's mother's menisha, a Butternut squash and apple soup, and finish with a hot roasted pear soup.

Party on a Budget

Can you have a party for ten for under $100? Michael can and he'll show you tricks for keeping the money down with the fun up with a simple to make meal that's so elegant, you'd think it came from the Ritz.