Night Out at Home

    I call this a night out since it's like having gourmet food with drinks in a restaurant enjoying the night with the ambiance of being out but cheaper. Last Monday, my coworker-friends came by for dinner in celebration of our friendship. Never mind where the idea came from in the first place, we just focus on how it was. Everyone pitch in for the food and drinks to be served that night. While I was cooking, my friends help as my mom served some hors d' oeuvres she made so my friends can have something to munch on while waiting for the main course.

    It was unexpectedly enjoyable and fun. Don't get me wrong, but they arrive an hour early than I expected so I was still in my apron, going back and forth in the kitchen and trying to keep my son at bay. When my first batch of friends arrived, my son acted like his usual cautious and observant self towards visitors. He was hiding and peeking behind me while checking out my friends. It took a moment, but after a while, he got one of them playing with him and watching him while he played outside. All along I was in the kitchen  being helped by Jessie with the shrimp (Ha! a helper and a sitter - thanks guys!).

    While waiting for the food to get cooked, Donna and I started taking pictures, I do it for the blog and she does it as a souvenir to admire. It was like that all through out till our other friend arrive. Her arrival didn't stop the photo ops though, it just completed the picture. It was a three-course dinner with wines and champagnes all together that made a night for all of us to remember.

    The Menu:

    Appetizer (courtesy of my mom): Toasted French bread, Tossed Parsley, Tomato and Onion in a salad vinaigrette, and Roasted Bone Marrow.
 

 

  

 Main Course: Grilled Cajun-Lime Shrimp, Grilled Chicken Teriyaki and plain steamed rice (I was asking my friend Jessie to cook some Yellow Spanish Rice to no avail).

       I  marinated the chicken and shrimp the night before to have the flavors infuse and seep into the meats. The chicken marinade was a combination of sake, mirin, brown sugar, soy sauce, grated garlic and ginger. While the shrimp marinade consisted of grated lime zest, lime juice, chopped parsley, chopped garlic, cajun seasoning and olive oil.

       Grilling, grilling, grilling...

  

The grilled shrimp

and chicken...

The dessert: Chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting and yellow cupcakes with cream cheese frosting accompanied by a rose champagne with strawberries.

did I forget to mention fresh strawberries?

get bubbly!

Thanks guys!