Irish Cream Crème Brûlée:  Ann & Jason

After letting our stomachs rest from the amazing amount of food provided by Katie & Denis, we started on dessert.  Because they had to redeem themselves in the fire arena, Ann & Jason chose a dessert requiring completion with a burning torch.  The fancy Fresh masterpiece of Crème Brûlée!

Redemption has occurred!  Each serving was masterfully caramelized by Jason's touch and served with strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and mint garnish.

Served alongside Jason's Pliny the Elder home-brew - who knew Crème Brûlée was meant to be paired with a hoppy IPA?!? - this was a fanciful finish to a fantastic evening!

 
1st Place Winner:  Culinary Couples Year Two - Best Dessert!


Recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/irish-cream-creme-brulee/

I remember growing up one of my favorite memories was having waffles in the evening.  I mean, really, what more can you ask for (other than ice cream for breakfast maybe!!?!)  

So, here we go, let's get those creative juices flowing and have some breakfast for dinner at the home of Ann & Jason!

Bloody Marys, et al:  Katie, Denis, Heather & Eric

What better way to start your day than with a healthy, vegetable filled salad!  Even though we were having breakfast for dinner, we still wanted to make sure we got our share of nutrition!  Katie & Denis brought an amazing home-made Bloody Mary mix complete with celery stir sticks!

This round of Culinary Couples, we had a joint effort on drinks and appetizers, which resulted in the most delicious and satisfying drinketizer you can imagine!  To garnish the Bloody Marys, Heather & Eric brought an array of appetizing treats... from bacon & meatball sliders on jalapeno focaccia, to your choice of three different stuffed olives (garlic, blue cheese, jalapeno), to pickle spears, celery, artichoke hearts, and fresh cilantro, the choices were unlimited!

After we filled up on our drinketizers, we had an array of Breakfast Beers to choose from including Fresh Squeezed IPA and Coffee Stouts!

Recipes:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/emerils-bloody-mary-mix-recipe2.html

Frittata, "Hashblacks", Zucchini Bread & Fruit Salad:  Ann & Jason

After a bit of chaos, involving impromptu beer making by the co-host, we finally had our Breakfast ready for Dinner!

Breakfast included an egg-white Frittata with kale, chicken sausage, cherry tomatoes, mushroom, onion, and feta cheese, "hashblacks" which are another less desirable form of hashbrowns, zucchini bread and fruit salad.  I have to say, the best part of this meal was the fruit salad made by our lovely Culinary Couples guest Molly Erwin! 

Recipes:

Frittata
Egg whites
Chopped kale
Sliced mushrooms
Chopped onion
Halved cherry tomatoes
Sliced chicken sausage
Feta

Preheat oven to 325.  Heat skillet over medium heat.  Sautee onion and sausage.  Pour in eggs.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook until edges are set then transfer to oven and cook 10-15 minutes. 

Hashblacks:
Lots of potatoes, shredded (don't peel for true black color)

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Lay in shredded potatoes.  Make sure they soak up lots of oil and cook them till black.  Turn them over and repeat.  Soak excess oil on paper towels before serving :)

Zucchini Bread:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Moms-Zucchini-Bread/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=zucchini%20bread&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe%20Hub&soid=sr_results_p1i11

Fruit Salad:
Mix chopped fresh fruit in large bowl.  We used apples, strawberries, watermelon, banana, grapes, raspberries, blueberries.

Cinnamon Rolls:  Ryan & MJ

What do you eat when you're done eating breakfast?  Dessert cinnamon rolls of course!  Ryan & MJ made amazing cinnamon rolls from scratch, topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting.

And if we didn't already have you convinced that Breakfast for Dinner is the best thing ever.... since you ate in your PJs you are already cozy and ready for bed! 

Recipe:
http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/11/cinnamon-rolls/