Hear Ye! Hear Ye! A Medieval Dinner Mystery is in your future! Who doesn’t enjoy the combination of food and entertainment? What could be better than getting the whole family involved in a Mystery Dinner? Last year our family had the honor of hosting a birthday party for our dear friend, David.

Guests received an invitation from the king requesting their presence at the celebration of Prince David’s 16th Birthday. Guests learned of the role they would be playing during the Dinner Mystery. Each guest was asked to dress in costume. My son Alex and I worked on a short play for the party. Someone wanted the king dead! The stage was set.

As the guests approached the front door of “the castle,” a medieval soldier made out of heavy cardboard welcomed the guests. A large wooden sign announcing the birthday of Prince David hung on one of the castle walls.

As guests entered the castle they were greeted by the sound of a medieval harp and two royal purple banners which hung in the hallway and in the “banquet hall.” Written in calligraphy were the words “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” and “Eat, Drink and Be Merry”. The dining room was filled with medieval items like armor, a sword and a shield. On the wall hung paper sconces made of black paper and flames of red, orange and yellow. Inexpensive fresh greenery, taken from our yard, was draped around the chandelier adding a noble touch to the room. The windows, covered in colored plastic wrap, added a striking stained glass affect. The light from the setting sun generously provided a lovely red, blue, green and gold hue to the room

Name tags and a description of each character’s possible motive for wanting the king dead were given to each guest. The Town Crier announced everyone’s presence in the banquet hall. The feast was about to begin! The table was draped in a gold table cloth and an Irish throw. Black birds, made out construction paper attached to toothpicks, stuck out of the Meat Pies. The poem “Sing a song of Sixpence” was framed and set next to the pies. A large stone baking dish filled with Mustard and Herb Roasted Drumsticks sat next to a large pot of Potato Soup and basket of bread and cheese fondue added an element of enjoyment.

My son Alex, playing the role of the Town Crier, ran into the room as the guests were finishing their meal. The play began…in the end the king was saved and the mystery was solved. An enjoyable evening for the whole family, I would highly encourage you to invite guests to your own Medieval Mystery Dinner. The whole family can participate. Each family member has their own gifts and talents. Involve the entire family in the preparation of the party from the planning, making the decorations, writing the play and  preparing the food. A more enjoyable experience will be difficult to come by! Get those invitations out and prepare for a glorious time with family and friends!

Here are the recipes:

Meat Pie

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 cup mashed potatoes
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pastry for double-crust pie (See recipe below)
1 egg, beaten, optional

In a skillet, heat oil over medium. Sauté onion until tender. Remove and set aside. Brown beef and pork together. Drain. Combine onion, melt, potatoes and seasonings. To achieve the filling’s smooth consistency, I run the cooked meat through my food processor before adding the mashed potatoes. This is a very important part of the recipe.

Line pie plate with pastry. Fill with meat and potato mixture. Top with crust. Seal and flute edges. Make slits in top crust. Brush with egg if desired. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe for Double Pie Crust

2.5 c. all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
½ c. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
½ c. shortening
1 tbsp. sour cream
4 to 5 tbsp. ice water

Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to combine. Add the butter to the flour mixture and give the food processor 5 more pulses. Add the shortening and give it another 5 short pulses. Add the sour cream and give 5 final short pulses. Turn the mixture into a large bowl.

Sprinkle 3 tbsp. of ice water over the mixture. Using a rubber spatula, press down on the dough until it sticks together. Add ore ice water if needed, one tablespoon at a time. Divide the dough in half, shape each piece into a ball with your hands and flatten into a disk. Dust each half lightly with four, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

To roll out the dough, lightly dust the rolling pin and countertop with a little flour. Using one disk (half the recipe) roll the dough into a circle that measures 20inches larger than the pie pan you are using. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Fold the dough in half, then in half again. Place the folded dough in the prepared pan and unfold. Trim the excess dough to half an inch and fold under around the edges. After shaping, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before filling or baking.

Ultimate Potato Soup

Ultimate Potato Soup

1 lb. bacon, chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 c. low-sodium chicken stock
3 tbsp. butter
¼ c. all-purpose flour
1 c. heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. Add chopped celery and onion, until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add potatoes and sauté for about 4 minutes. Add chicken stock to cover potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are tender.

In a separate pan, melt butter and add flour, whisking to make a roux. Add cream and bring to a boil. Continue cooking, stirring until thickened. Stir cream mixture into potato mixture. Puree half of the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top each bowl of soup with shredded cheddar cheese, minced green onions or chives and bacon pieces.
Culinary generously gave me a Smart Stick Hand Blender. I love it because I can blend all of the ingredients in the pan. I don’t have to transfer the hot potato mixture and liquid in batches in my blender. This hand blender also comes with a chopper, whisk and a measuring beaker. I just keep it charged and ready to go when I need it! It’s just wonderful!

Variation: For a delicious Roasted Potato Soup, simply peel and cut your potatoes, toss with a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast in a single layer in the oven under tender and golden brown.

Once the potatoes are completely cooked, puree with chicken stock in a blender or pan. Add a little cream or half and half. Do not bring to a boil. Delicious! Roasted garlic adds a wonderful touch to this soup. Roasted Garlic Soup is one of my favorites served with Herbed Biscuits!

Herbed Biscuits

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
2.5 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1/3 c. cold butter
2/3 c. cold milk or buttermilk

Use the dough blade of your food processor to incorporate the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter. Add buttermilk and mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Roll out dough about 1/2-inch thick, and using a biscuit cutter, cut into 3-inch circles. Brush biscuits with Italian dressing. Make dry mixture with basil, thyme, oregano or just Italian seasonings, and grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle dry mixture on top of biscuits. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes.