Hi friend(s)! I’m Marina from marinamakesblog.com, and I’m so happy you’ll be enjoying a night at home. I’m here to further elevate your experience with some seasonal eats and sips.
When life gets busy, it’s extremely hard to find time to savor being in the moment. Work, activities, meetings and classes keep us all rushing from place to place, and as a result of our busyness, we eat quickly and scarf down our food as quickly as possible.
While I am a very fast eater, every now and then I like to slow down because food is best consumed when using all of my senses. I know it sounds bizarre, but when’s the last time you really listened to the crunch of a food or felt its texture before eating it? Very rarely do we take time to fully experience the food we’re eating.
This menu was created for you to do just that, and it’s my hope that you’ll consume food in a totally new way! To continue with the theme of this month’s box, I highly recommend drinking the wine (or drink of your choice) and eating the cheese/meat platter blindfolded to enhance your experience. Cheers!
Please note, the dessert in the month’s box will need to chill for about 4-6 hours, so I’d recommend preparing it a few hours before you plan on walking through the box.
We would LOVE for you to share pictures enjoying your dinner!
Tag #datenightinbox & #marinamakeseats
We understand that your TIME is valuable! If you choose to make any of the recipes below you can print out a complete
shopping list! Enjoy!
Beverages
Wine/Beer Tasting
INGREDIENTS
- 2 bottles of wine or beer of your choice (Suggestions: Red - Chianti and White - Pino Grigio Beer - Blonde Ale or and Amber Ale)
DIRECTIONS
If you’re enjoying this month’s box with your significant other, I’d encourage you to blindfold him/her and pour each wine/beer in its own glass. The two of you can take turns guessing what you’re drinking.
Juice Tasting (non-alcoholic)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 bottles of juice of your choice (Suggestions: Flavored Italian sodas or Sparkling Grape Juice)
DIRECTIONS
If you’re enjoying this month’s box with your significant other, I’d encourage you to blindfold him/her and pour each juice in its own glass. The two of you can take turns guessing what you’re drinking.
Appetizer
Cheese and Meat Platter
INGREDIENTS
- 2-3 cheeses of your choosing (I recommend buying cheeses with different textures and flavors. My favorites are fontina, parmigiano reggiano and a goat cheese.)
- 2-3 meats of your choosing (I recommend soppressata and prosciutto.)
- Assortment of olives or nuts
- Jam of your choice (This is nice to pair with the goat cheese.)
- Crackers of your choice
- Fresh or dried fruit (I recommend grapes, apple slices or dried apricots)
If you have a food allergy, feel free to include dairy-free cheeses like vegan ricotta or tofu-based cheeses. If you’re vegetarian, feel free to replace meats with fruit or nuts.
DIRECTIONS
Place all of the items on a board or platter and enjoy!
If you’re enjoying this month’s box with your significant other, I’d encourage you to take turns being blindfolded and try guessing what you’re eating.
- Main Course
Sausage and Mushroom White Truffle Pizza
INGREDIENTS/SUPPLIES
- 1 head of garlic (see directions on how to roast below)
- 1/2 cup of truffle oil, plus one tablespoon (divided)
- Salt
- Tinfoil
- 2 mild Italian sausages (feel free to exclude if you’re a vegetarian)
- Store-bought pizza dough (GF option: store-bought GF pizza crust or pizza crust mix)
- 1 1/2 cups of sliced cremini mushrooms
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 1/2 cups of shredded Gruyere cheese (vegan option: 1 1/2 cups of vegan mozzarella)
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano, chopped (more for topping)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Using your fingers, remove most of the skin from around the cloves, but keep the head intact. Cut the top of the garlic off with a knife (about 1/4 of an inch). Drizzle with one tablespoon of truffle oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap the garlic in tinfoil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the sausages to the same baking sheet and let both cook for 35-40 minutes until the garlic is completely softened and the sausage is cooked through.
When the sausage is done cooking, cut it into thin slices and set aside. Add 1/2 cup of truffle oil and the roasted garlic (squeeze the garlic out of the cloves) to a small bowl and set aside.
If you’re using dough, roll it out to your desired size and shape.
Lightly brush the truffle oil and roasted garlic on the pizza dough and sprinkle with a couple of pinches of salt. If you’re using dough, place it in the oven for 3-5 minutes to allow the crust cook before adding the toppings (if you bought crust, skip this step).
If the crust seems a bit dry, add more oil and sprinkle with oregano. Top the dough with cheese and sausage and mushrooms. Cook the pizza for 7-10 minutes, or until the crust is slightly golden and cooked through. Top with additional fresh oregano and enjoy!
- Dessert
Panna Cotta
Please note, this dessert will need to chill for about 4-6 hours, so I’d recommend preparing it a few hours before you plan on walking through the box.
INGREDIENTS/SUPPLIES
- 1/2 cup of whole milk (vegan option: almond or coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin powder
- 1 cup of heavy cream (vegan option: coconut cream)
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Ramekins or heat-proof glasses
- 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries
DIRECTIONS
Add the whole milk and 1/2 tablespoon of gelatin to a saucepan and let it stand for 2-3 minutes to allow the gelatin to soften. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook until the gelatin dissolves (about 3-5 minutes) and add the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Increase the heat to medium and continue cooking until the sugar dissolves (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into two ramekins. Place in the refrigerator to let the panna cotta set for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Top with fresh blueberries and enjoy.
