September 14, 2009

Monday evening we enjoyed a great combination of Latin American flavors. When I (Amanda) chef, I love to bring a little International flair to Family Night. I will fully admit that after my Spanish tapas menu (which included recipe items brought back from my trip to Spain) I felt like perhaps I had raised expectations a little too high. I was very pleased, however, with the outcome of our efforts. And even with a smaller crew (George and Rick were sailing, Natalie's back at school, and Becky was spending time with her nephew), we had a lovely night dining outside enjoying the fruits of our labor.

So, the menu:

Grilled Pork Chops with Anise-Seed Rub and Mango Mojo- Sherry and John grilled these to perfection with amazing flavors from the rub and the mojo

Haitian Coleslaw- Sarah won the battle with the Cuisinart to make a HUGE amount of great-tasting coleslaw...even John ate some

Mango Pomegranate Guacamole- Guy worked some avocado magic on this side item, served as a side with tortilla chips

Aaron Sanchez's Mexican Brownies- I was amazed at how easy these brownies were to make, served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and Mayan chocolate shavings on top. You feel the spice of the cayenne, and we all think these would be perfect on a cold Minnesota winter night to warm you up inside.