Marc’s Birthday Dinner:
Surf & Turf is on the menu along side with petite twice baked potatoes and roasted broccoli
The desert was first on the list. I had to form the ice cream into a ball shape, and then freeze it. Then I take that beautiful brownie from La Farine bakery, and put it in a plastic bag and smash it up into crumbs. I am careful to not make it too fine. I then plate it and give it a dusting of cocoa powder so it looks like real dirt. I hide it from Marc until it’s ready to plate. When the ice cream got hard enough; with the raspberry Smuckers Plate Scrappers, I made little lines along the sides in the pattern of baseball stitches. Then I took a toothpick threw the lines in an attempt to make the stitching more realistic. Marc doesn’t just love baseball; it’s practically a religion to him. The only thing he loves more than baseball is the Chicago White Sox. 
For the petite baked potatoes: Before boiling, I cut off a little sliver on each end so they a flat surface and would be able to stand on their own. Then I boiled them for about 15 minutes. Start with cold water that way the inside and outside of the potato is cooked at the same rate. As they were boiling I got my ingredients for the filling.
When the potatoes were done boiling, I cut them in half and hallowed them with a melon baller. I put the insides of the potatoes in a bowl and mixed it with the milk, minced green onion, butter, shredded cheddar, minced green onion, salt and pepper. After mixing the stuffing I placed it back into the hallowed out potatoes, and topped it with more shredded cheddar. I baked it for about 20min in a 400O In the last 7 min. I added some broccoli along side of it. I put a little extra virgin olive oil, and seasoned it with salt and pepper. I do this a lot with broccoli; it’s my favorite way to cook it without losing the crunch.
When the potatoes were done boiling, I cut them in half and hollowed them with a melon baller. I put the insides of the potatoes in a bowl and mixed it with the milk, minced green onion, butter, shredded cheddar, salt, and pepper. After mixing the stuffing I placed it back into the hollowed out potatoes, and topped it with more shredded cheddar. I baked it for about 20min in a 400O In the last 7 min. I added some broccoli along side of it. Before putting the broccoli in the oven I tossedthe it with a little extra virgin olive oil, and seasoned it with salt and pepper. I do this a lot with broccoli; it’s my favorite way to cook it without losing the crunch.
The stars of the show were the steak and shrimp they were really easy to make. I took out the steak about a ½ hour ahead of time so it would be a good consistent temperature internally. Salt and pepper on both sides, a couple of min on each side then five minutes in the oven, which was at 400O After it did it’s time in the oven, I tented a piece of foil on it and let it rest for 10min, so the juices could redistribute.
For the shrimp I m
ade a compound butter of lemon peel, thyme, and garlic. I was in a hurry to take the picture before the sun went down so I forgot the garlic in the photo. I cooked the shrimps while the steak rested, since shrimps cook so fast.
I’m glad he enjoyed his birthday dinner; I hope your wish comes true…oh wait he already has a girl that loves to cook!
