Short Rib Sliders with Mango Coleslaw

I had a dinner party on Friday and before the party, was seriously lacking some inspiration as to what to make. My invite said to make something sinful; a guilty pleasure you don't get to eat all the time. My go to item is usually my Macaroni and Cheese. Everyone loves it, everyone asks for it, but I have done it... a lot! So I began to think about what else I could make. Baked Brie? Fig Bread Pudding? Vanilla Rum Cake? Butter Cake?

And then it hit me... almost literally hit me.... Driving home around my neighbor hood the other day, the Kogi BBQ food truck almost rear ended me. And then I thought about it... sliders. Small, easy, DELICIOUS. Kogi has some of the best Asian inspired sliders in Los Angeles. Mine, however, were going to be a little bit different.

The reason this post is labeled easy entertaining is because it is semi homemade. Meat takes time to marinate and when you are having a party after work, you may be strapped for time. Like I was. But to make things that are semi homemade taste delicious, and not like they came from a store after sitting for hours, is to make it only part prepackaged and part you and your creative efforts. This is why everything else but the meat was homemade, giving the slider its freshness.

Playing with Cheese: Killer Baked Brie

Its a love affair that I am not ashamed to admit. Cheese is so good. You can eat it plain. You can melt it. You can shred it on top of things. You can broil it. you can fry it... It's just so versatile.... and delicious!

In July, I posted about how to make a simple Cheese Platter for easy entertaining. But cheese can also be doctored in other ways to make it even more exciting, and keep every dinner party fresh and new. Seeing as I have a dinner party coming up this weekend, I thought I would treat myself to a Valentine's Cheese filled dinner, and maybe give a few of my friends some inspiration.

Sidenote, I start Graduate School today! Super excited... and if you are reading this, wish me luck :)

1 wheel brie cheese (8 inch diameter)

1/4 cup fig jam or fig butter
1/4 cup crushed nuts (pecans and walnuts work best)
1 pie crust or puff pastry sheet
1 egg, beaten, with a little water added
crackers or bread to serve it with

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, cut the wheel of brie in half horizontally and separate the top half of the wheel from the bottom half. 

Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey's Whipped Cream

Kerry, my neighbor from downstairs I have mentioned before, is having a birthday this week. You must know what that means... time for a Birthday Cake! She loves chocolate, but she also loves a good beer. I remember eating a Guinness chocolate cake a year or so ago and fell in love with it. Today, I am recreating Nigella Lawsons recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cake. I opted to make a Bailey's whipped cream instead of the cream cheese frosting from Ms.Laweson's site. I thought a fluffy light cream would be better, plus its spiked with Bailey's. I think she is going to love it.

Cake
1 cup Guinness stout (NOT including foam. Make sure the beer liquid goes up to a cup)
10 tbs (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
3/8 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsps baking soda

Frosting
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1/3 cup Bailey's Irish Creme

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a cake pan or bundt pan. I like the look of tbe bundt pan so that is what I am using. You can also use a spring-form pan. In a large saucepan, melt the butter, but do not turn it on too high (you do not want the butter to brown). Once mostly melted, combine the Guinness by slowly pouring it into the saucepan. Once all the butter melts, remove the saucepan from heat.

Man's Perfect Dinner #1: The Perfect Steak

S T E A K

Five simple letters that when put together, get the attention of any man. I am not the biggest meat eater, but I have friends that could eat hunk of beef every day. My mother makes the best steak, and I wanted to share her recipe with you. I will post photos up hopefully this weekend, I just need a few volunteers for steak eating.

Pair this hunk of meat with potatoes and killer chocolate desert, and ladies, we have a winner. I hear a Valentine's Day dinner in your near future.... :)

The Meat
1 steak, thick cut
1 1/2 tbs butter
1 tbs rosemary
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper

You want to make sure you get a nice cut of beef. AND never get a lean cut... steak needs to be fatty so it stays juicy. This recipe is meant for a thick piece of meat. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter and olive oil in pan on highest heat. Add the rosemary and garlic. Let the herbs and garlic infuse the butter. If you have a cast iron skillet, this would be good to use.