Last weekend, some friends of mine were in town from NL. I’d told them about our Yuppie Supper Club, and wanted to organize one so that they could participate. Since it was a gorgeous sunny day, I figured that a BBQ was in order. I told everyone to bring their booze and goodies for the grill, and I’d provide the sides…or as my friend referred to them, the “accessories”.
One of the things that I love about supper club is that we always have some sort of snack to munch on while the gals prepare dinner. I was flying solo this time, however, as my pal Mel had to work- although that didn’t stop her from sending over a homemade apple pie!
Here is my “menu”, which came together in no time flat…
Tzatziki: Grate a large cucumber onto a tea towel. Wring out all the moisture- the drier you can get the cucumber, the better. Toss in a cup of good quality, thick Greek yogurt, a clove of minced garlic, and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Season to taste with S&P. For dipping, I cut whole wheat pita into triangles, left half soft, and toasted the other half at 350 for 15 minutes, turning halfway. Spicy Shrimp: This is the simplest side ever! You can turn a regular BBQ into Surf ‘n’ Turf in no time with these babies. Simply defrost a shrimp ring, or bulk shrimp, and toss in a hot pan with olive oil, garlic, fresh ginger and hot chili flakes.
Yellow Wax Beans w/ Basil: Trim beans and steam. Toss with a good tbsp. of butter, S&P, and serve sprinkled with fresh basil. The aroma here is intense as the hot beans bring out the lovely scent of the basil.
Spicy Roasted Potatoes: Clean and prick baking potatoes and microwave on high heat for 12 minutes, turning at the halfway mark. Chop the potatoes into small chunks and toss with a mix of olive oil, S&P, smoked paprika and Cayenne pepper. Roast at 450 for about 15-20 minutes, or until crispy.
For dessert, I wanted to serve something easy and fun. Since my recent encounter with The Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop’s s’more, I had them on the brain! To create this simple treat without the camping trip aesthetic, we removed the grill from my BBQ and toasted the marshmallows over the flame! 70% dark chocolate made these puppies a far cry from the campfire variety!
As mentioned, Mel’s BF, and one of the founding members of YSC brought over the homemade apple pie that she had made the previous day. This girl is seriously adventurous in the kitchen, and created the pie from scratch with a whole wheat and almond flour crust, raisins and tons of spices.
So there it is- the next time you decide to host an impromptu dinner party, these are a couple quick and simple recipes that won’t break the bank, but will leave your guests feeling full and satisfied!
