The Dads’ EPIC Party!

Hey guys! Melissa here, again!

So, The Dads finally threw their epic outdoor BBQ party! Sure it was thrown on Memorial Day weekend, but really their party was also a launch of their extensive home additions!

Needless to say, it was amazing! Their phones and emails were flooded the following days with praise of how great of a job they did and how much fun everyone had!

The Dads BBQ Party

First of all they added a new outdoor kitchen… Look at the Weber Summit grill with a Viking cooktop!

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They added lots of new outdoor furniture… I love the green!

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They added columns, fans and a new railing to the back porch…

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And a new outdoor bar… Look at that stock!

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(The tags on the chairs were cut of course, post photo.)

They had a special cocktail menu… My favorite was the Coconut Tree Martini! The Dads toasted the shredded coconut right before the party began, and it made it impossible to not want more! It was actually a cocktail designed by my step-sister, Casey (from my mother’s side). She made it for my 21st birthday and The Dads thought it would be a nice personal touch. They also hired their favorite bartender, Megan from City Cafe in Baltimore and her fiancé Tommy, who were super sweet!

Cocktail Menu The Dads

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The Dads Cocktail Bar

They hired their contractor’s brother for the catering called N&M in Pennsylvania. The Dads hired the caters to cook for 70% of the party and The Dads took care of the remainder 30%. They had expected up to 80 guests, so this was not an easy feat!

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The Dads' Grill

The food needless to say was divinity. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the passed ahi tuna from the caters, but the highlight for me was their crab fondue! I’m making you salivate, right?

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Their friend George was kind enough to bring in a huge amount of seasoned shrimp! I couldn’t stop eating them with my cousin, Stephanie!

George, Melissa & Jerry

The indoor table landscape was designed by their dear friend Leslie…

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Of course, Dave’s sister Carol was a huge help!

Did I mention they had 300 pounds of ice?!!!

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Well there’s a taste of what a party at The Dads is like!

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Want tips on how to throw your next upcoming shindig? Leave your questions in our comments! Or email harrisanddave@gmail.com!

Tuesday Two Minute Tutorial: How to french a Rack of Lamb

This Tuesday’s Two Minute Tutorial is all about how to french a rack of lamb. And we’re not talking about kissing a cut of meat!

Frenching is removing the membrane between the rib bones of the lamb. The result are those fancy, restaurant-style, lollypop lambchops. And it is so much easier than you might think! This is one of those tricks that can turn a simple meal into a meal fit for a queen!

We shared the video on how to cook a rack of lamb yesterday, but this tip is a go-to when you need to cook to impress!

Great Party Dish: Pork Tenderloin!

This past Friday we were invited to a dear friend’s 60th birthday celebration. We wanted to bring an hors d’oeuvre that would be fun and satisfying for the crowd. They were expecting over 40 guests at the party so we wanted to make a few things that would be great with drinks and be substantial at the same time!

So, we made this wonderful Pork Tenderloin! We marinated them the night prior and then roasted a couple of hours before the party. This gave them a chance to rest and cool before slicing, since we wanted to serve this hors d’oeuvre at room temperature.

We placed the thinly sliced pork tenderloin around the platter and in the middle placed the dipping sauce. Next to the platter we put a cachepot filled with fancy toothpicks. If you don’t happen to have a cachepot, you can substitute with your favorite shot glass!

Here is a picture of how our’s came out:

The Dads' Pork Tenderloin

Of course our second appetizer was our ever famous fresh pizza! They saw it on our blog and insisted we make that as well!

Check out our Pork Tenderloin recipe below! Let us know in our comment section if you choose to make it or if you have any additional tips! Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin

Marinade Ingredients:
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon diced garlic

Coating on pork for roasting:
• ½ cup uncooked sesame seeds

Directions:
Combine the above ingredients, mixing well. Trim two pork tenderloins (12 oz each) and place in zip lock bag. Pour into bag the marinade and allow meat to marinate for 2 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. We find it is best if you have time to allow the meat to marinade overnight.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

On a piece of wax paper spread uncooked sesame seeds and roll pork tenderloins in the seeds to coat the exterior. Please pork on greased baking sheet and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Insert instant thermometer into the center of the meat to ensure it is between 150 to 155 degrees.

Let meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

The above dish is great for a dinner or served cold for a party. If you use it for a party the below dipping sauce works perfect. We recommend slicing very thin if being used for a party and serving with tooth picks.

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• Juice of ½ a lime
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ tablespoons Mirin (Rice Cooking Wine)
• 2 green onions – just the green part, sliced very thin
• 1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients and place into a dish for dipping!

Friday Grilling: Dave’s BBQ Sauce!

It’s Friday and we’re so excited for this weekend! We are busy working on our deck and can’t wait to start some outdoor cooking.

So in the spirit of our excitement, we’re making barbecue! Try Dave’s special sauce! In Leah’s opinion, it is smack-your-mama good!

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Ingredients

· 2 Tablespoons Butter
· ½ cup chopped Sweet Onion
· 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
· 1 cup ketchup
· ½ cup apple cider vinegar
· 1/3 cup of chili sauce
· ¾ cup brown sugar
· ½ cup honey
· 1/3 cup Worcestershire
· ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
· ½ tablespoon cayenne pepper
· 2 tablespoon chili powder

Directions

Sauté the chopped onion in the butter. Once translucent, add the tomato paste.

Once the onions are browned, add the ketchup.

Brown the onions and ketchup.

Then, add the remaining ingredients. Cook until the sugar is dissolved.

Once cooked through, process in a blender. You can skip this step if you don’t mind chunky BBQ sauce.