10 year wedding anniversary dinner

 I figure a good way to start this blog off is to share with my viewers a very special occasion in my life.  March 8, 2013, my lovely wife and I celebrated our 10 years of marriage.  My wife and I met back in college in the Philippines and we started pretty much as friends.  As time passed our friendship developed to love. 

10 years ago, I moved to Norway to follow my wife.  I gave up my career in marketing in Alaska to be with my then fiance in Norway.  Being young and naive, I thought it would only take me tops 3 months to find work.  Being that I was an Fil-Am starting a new life in Norway, it was quite difficult to find work in marketing. So those three months became 3 years!

Our first year anniversary was spent at the hospital when she was confined due to a complication in the pregnancy with our daughter.  To try to salvage our anniversary, I made a very simple pasta dish with pesto (from the bottle) with some shrimps I found in my in-law's fridge.  When I arrived at the hospital with our dinner, I remember the joy it brought to my wife that despite our circumstances, we still manage to make our anniversary a memorable one.

A lot has happen since then. Our marriage spawn two wonderful children (a 9 year old girl and a 3 year old boy). I now have a successful career in payroll.  And most of all the love my wife and I have continued to grow through the years.

Being our 10 year anniversary, it had to be special and memorable.  Since January, I carefully planned out our menu, the arrangements, and most especially the babysitter !  A restaurant was out of the question as most restaurants we frequent during our anniversaries have always been a let down.

Dinner had to be easy to prepare, yet have a sense of class for the occasion.  Our menu for this night was Shrimp cocktail, braised beef rib in red wine and cider sauce, mash potatoe and chives, a side of asparagus, and tiramisu.

The dinner was a success and our 10 year anniversary celebration was a night to remember with good food, perfect ambiance, and the company of the woman I love the most.  At the end of the dinner, I had a surprise for my wife.  I presented her a new wedding band upgraded with diamonds, and afterwards I knelt down to renew my vows to her. 

Below are the recipes for our Anniversary dinner.  Please bare with my lack of details in regards to the cooking instruction (I never use measurements and go strictly with taste and technique). Enjoy!

Shrimp Cocktail:
The shrimps were peeled with the tail on and boiled til they became pink. 

Cocktail sauce:
1/2 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
several drops of tobasco
juice of 1 lemon
2T of worcestershire sauce
2 inch knob of horseradish grounded


Simply combine the ingrediants together and serve cold.






Braised beef ribs in red wine and cider sauce

1kg of beef rib

 Red wine for cooking
Apple cider
6 Garlic cloves
Fresh Rosemary
Beef stock

Mash potatoe
potatoes boiled
chives
sour cream
butter¨
milk
salt

Asparagus lightly cooked in butter




Place oven tray on the stove top and brown ribs on all sides. Add red wine and cider to loosen the brown bits from the tray.  The combination of cider and red wine should be enough to cover half of the ribs.  Add 1 cup beef stock,1 cup of tomato paste,several sprigs og rosemary and chopped garlic.  Set oven at 150C and place tray in the oven for 4-6 hours.  Take the tray out of the oven and place on heated stove top.  Reduce sauce till it thicken and salt and pepper to taste.

The mash was basically boiled potatoes mashed til desired texture.  Add 1 cup of sour cream, melted butter ( I didn't measure and went with my taste), chopped chives, 1 cup of milk, salt and pepper to taste.

And for dessert was a homemade tiramisu:

Lady fingers
3 cups of coffee
2 shots of rum (optional)
sugar to taste

5 egg whites
2 packages (ca 250g) of Mascarpone Cheese
2cups of sugar
Cocoa powder¨shaved dark chocolate







Seperate egg whites and add 2 cup of sugar.  Whisk egg and sugar till the eggs thickens with peaks. Add mascarpone cheese and fold in the egg whites. 

Combine 3 cups of coffee with sugar and rum (optional).  Add sugar to your taste.  Dip lady fingers in coffee mixture and set 1 layer in tray.  Add egg white mascarpone mixture on top.  Continue the process to however high you would like the tiramisu to be.  The final layer of egg and mascarpone, sprinkle cocoa powder on top.  Finish off with shaved dark chocolate.