Family Dinner

Without thinking about a reason or motivation I've removed myself from the blogosphere for a while now. Work and family life have separated me from my passion/addiction of food and bloggging. Just this week I've started taking a peak at the food news and felt that urge to jump back into the pool. I stumbled across several mentions of Thomas Keller's new restaurant Ad Hoc in Napa. The writers described family style service of luscious home style dishes at $45 dollars a person before beverage, wine, tax and tip. I thought about my shoestring budget, did the math and determined that if I took my family of six to this restaurant I would set myself back close to 500 large. Could I come close to feeding my gang a menu like that at Ad Hoc and not break the bank? I could and here's the result.

The Menu
Smoasted Trip Tip (smoked/roasted) with Chimichurri Sauce
Roasted fingerling potatoes and asparagus
Sautéed crimmini mushrooms with sherry and butter glaze
Mesclum salad with Meyer lemon dressing
Giant Cream Puffs from Costco
Two Buck Chuck Merlot

Food Cost
$55

Logistics
The Trip was brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cooked on a Weber Kettle with charcoal and mesquite wood.

Mushrooms were sautéed in olive oil and chopped garlic. Sherry added and reduced. Butter melted in after cooking.

Fingerling potatoes and asparagus roasted in 350 degree oven with a little olive oil

Come on over I’ll only charge you $25 a person including wine!