October · The First Year Date Passport
Gomez and Morticia are still the gold standard for a couple who adores each other out loud. Tonight is dark, dramatic, and delicious. Candelabra encouraged.
Tonight's Menu
Meal: Red wine braised short ribs over mashed potatoes
Snack: Black sesame popcorn
Drink: Blackberry bourbon smash, or blackberry lemonade
Dessert: Devil's food cake
Your Game Plan
That morning: Bake the cake and let it cool before frosting.
4 hours before: Brown the short ribs and get them braising. The oven does the rest.
30 minutes before: Make mashed potatoes, popcorn, and drinks.
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Serves 2 with leftovers · 30 minutes prep, 3 hours in the oven
3 lb bone-in beef short ribs
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, 2 carrots, and 2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
4 sprigs thyme and 2 bay leaves
Mashed potatoes, for serving
Heat the oven to 325°F. Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper.
Brown the ribs in oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high, a few at a time. Set aside.
Cook the onion, carrots, and celery 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
Pour in the wine and simmer 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
Add the broth, thyme, bay leaves, and ribs. Cover and braise 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat falls off the bone.
Skim the fat, then spoon the sauce over the ribs and potatoes.
Black Sesame Popcorn
Toss 8 cups popcorn with 3 tbsp melted butter, 1 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt.
Blackberry Bourbon Smash
Makes 1, so double it
Muddle 6 blackberries with 1/2 oz simple syrup and 1/2 oz lemon juice. Add 2 oz bourbon and ice, shake, and pour everything into a glass over crushed ice. Garnish with mint.
Mocktail: Muddle the blackberries with a squeeze of lemon, then top with lemonade and a splash of club soda.
Devil's Food Cake
Serves 12 · 20 minutes prep, 35 minutes bake
1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup hot coffee
Frosting: 1/2 cup soft butter, 2/3 cup cocoa, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla
Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 pan.
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Beat in the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir in the hot coffee. The batter will be thin.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
Beat the frosting ingredients until fluffy and spread over the cake.
Part of The First Year Date Passport from Flower City Ceremonies.
