A Harry Potter Inspired Dinner

The Sorting Hat
Baked Brie With Apple Glaze
Serves 4

In honor of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II, which Kyle and I will be seeing in exactly one hour in 3-D in VIP reserved seating, I concocted a meal for two inspired by the Hogwarts House Elves, Mrs. Weasely, Hagrid, and the rest of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Basing dinner off of such a whimsical idea took my routine cooking to a whole new level of originality and deliciousness. These items would impress any time of the year and on any occasion really, even just a casual dinner at home. As always, feel free to use your imagination to create variations of these recipes that would best suit your tastes or based on what's available to you in your local market. Hope you try out any one of these delectable delights, or better yet, as a whole meal - the apples do tie the dinner together quite well.  Bon Appetit, Beteavon, and Guten Appetit to Harry's international friends!

Baked Brie with Apple Glaze
Ingredients
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, 1/2 tube
Brie, 3/4 pound
Apple Jam, 2 tbsp
Honey, 1 tbsp
Fuji Apple, 1/8, diced
Caramelized Pecans, 6, diced
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Butter, 1 tbsp

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Roll out connected crescent rolls onto a pie pan. It should form a large square.
3. In the middle of the square, place the brie, cut and shaped into a large cube.  Leave rind on for flavor.
4. Now, for the toppings. Top the brie with apple jam, honey, diced apples, carmelized pecans, and sea salt.  Drizzle with olive oil.
5. Wrap up brie with crescent roll flaps. Spread butter on top for a golden crust.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Hoggy Rib Chop with Grilled Apples and Spinach

Pork Rib Chop with Grilled Apples and Spinach

Ingredients

Bacon, 2 slices

Pork Rib Chops, 2, Bone-In

Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper

Butter,1 1/2 tbsp

Brown Sugar, 2 tbsp

Fuji Apple, 1 cup cut into 1/2 inch slices

Apple Juice, 1/2 cup

Apple Cider, 2 tbsp

Baby Spinach, 1 bag

1. Preheat a grill pan (a frying pan will suffice), to low-medium heat. Grill bacon, turning constantly so as not to burn bacon. About half-way through, turn up to medium to speed up cooking. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp. We are only going to use the rendered fat, but you can eat the bacon for fun or crumble into spinach later.

2. While bacon is crisping, season pork rib chops with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Using the same pan as the bacon, grill both sides of the pork rib chops on medium heat in the center of the pan about six minutes per side until browned (cooking thermometer should read 160 F inserted horizontally into the side).  Place pork rib chops on a foil-lined plate and tent with foil to keep them warm while we cook the sauce.

3. Pour remaining drippings from grill pan into a saute pan. Warm saute pan to low-medium heat on another burner.

4. In the meanwhile, lower grill pan to low-medium heat. Add sliced apples to whatever is left of the drippings plus one tablespoon of the butter and all the brown sugar. Keep turning apple slices over for ten minutes.  About halfway through, turn up the grill pan to medium heat. Once apple slices are caramelized, place them evenly on top of the chops. Keep the chops and apple slices warm beneath foil tent until final plating.

5. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter into grill pan along with the apple juice and cider. Simmer for two minutes.

6. Empty the entire bag of baby spinach into the other saute pan. Toss with drippings until sauteed down and dark green (should take about 8 minutes). Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

7. Final Plating: Form a small nest of sauteed spinach in center of plate. Carefully place the chops and grilled apples on top of the spinach. Drizzle sauce over top. Serve immediately.

Spiked Butterbeer Float

Spiked Butterbeer Float
Ingredients
Butterscotch Schnapps, 2 ounces
Cream Soda, 1/2 bottle
Haagan Daz Caramel Apple Pie ice cream, 1 small scoop

1. Pour chilled butterscotch Schnapps into a glass.
2. Pour 1/2 bottle of chilled cream soda into the glass.
3. Top with ice cream.
4. Enjoy! Use the other 1/2 the bottle of cream soda for a loved one or have seconds!