United Nations Day NY Style

Today is United Nations Day. This day had a very special meaning in my home. My father, an Okie from Oklahoma, while serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, met my mother, a Filipino beauty from a politically influential family. They were married on October 24, United Nations Day.

Before there was a United Nations, there was The League of Nations, founded on January 10, 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference, ending the First World War. The League of Nations was the first worldwide organization with one principal mission – to maintain world peace. After some successes and early failures in the 1920s, the League ultimately proved incapable of preventing the aggression by the Axis of Powers during the 1930s. America never joined the League. Russia was late in coming, and it wasn’t long before Germany withdrew from the League, as did Japan, Italy and Spain. At the onset of what would be the Second World War, it was obvious that the League had failed its primary purpose. The League became inactive in 1939, and remained so until it was abolished.

On April 25, 1945 the Conference on International Organizations began in San Francisco. The heads of four sponsoring countries invited other nations to take part in drafting a charter to what would eventually become the United Nations. The charter was enacted on October 24, 1945, with fifty original members. Poland was not present at the conference, but did sign later, becoming the 51st member of the UN. Once again, the primary goal was to keep world wide peace. While there have been countless wars since the formation of the Untied Nations, there have been no world wars. One cannot help but wonder if that is because the United Nations is effective on the global stage or if the threat of the next world war ending in nuclear destruction with no winners that has stopped all out world wars today. Yet we have all held our breath wondering if the invasion by Russia in Ukraine is the writing on the wall we cannot ignore.

Wither you believe in the UN as a peace keeping force or a black hole of world-wide funding, that’s entire up to you. All I know is that I will continue to pray for peace and to celebrate United Nations Day in memory of my mother. Happy UN Day!

United Nations Day NY Style Menu
Marinated Grilled New York Strips
Crisp Oven-Fried French Fries
Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte

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Marinated Grilled New York Strips
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Garlic Cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoons Basil, dried
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
4 (8 oz) New York Strip Steaks

In a 4-cup glass measuring cup, whisk olive oil, Worcestershire Sauce and red wine vinegar. Peel and press garlic into the mixture. Season with basil and Italian Seasoning. Whisk vigorously until well combined.

Pierce steaks on all sides with a fork, lay out flat in a glass dish. Pour half of the marinade over the steaks. Turn steaks over, pour the remaining marinade into the dish.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for greatest depth of flavor.

Heat grill to high. Grill steaks to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from grill, tent and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Crisp Oven Fried French Fries
1 bag Crinkle Cut French Fries
3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
Salt to taste

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray and set aside.

Place frozen fries in a large resealable bag. Drizzle with oil. Close bag, shake to coat the fries in oil. Add more oil if necessary.

Spread fries out on the rack in a single layer. Season with salt.

Place in the heated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside.

Triple Chocolate Mousse Torte
1/3 cup Butter, melted
18 Oreo Cookies
5 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
5 oz Milk Chocolate
5 oz White Baking Chocolate
6 teaspoons unflavored Gelatin, divided
3 tablespoons Cold Water, divided
4-1/2 cups Heavy Cream, divided
2 teaspoons Vanilla

Heat water in a small pan for a double-boiler set up. Keep simmering as needed.

Melt butter, set aside. Pulse cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter; pulse until combined. Press onto bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate bottom layer while preparing filling.

Chop bittersweet chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, sprinkle 2 teaspoons gelatin over 1 tablespoon cold water; let stand 1 minute. Heat and stir over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved; remove from heat.

Place bittersweet chocolate and 1/2 cup cream in a metal bowl over the small saucepan of simmering water. Increase heat to medium-low; and stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in gelatin mixture. Transfer to a medium bowl; cool completely.

Clean the small metal bowl for the chocolate and sauce pan for the gelatin. Set metal bowl aside.

Sprinkle another 2 teaspoons gelatin over 1 tablespoon cold water and let stand 1 minute. Place saucepan over low heat, simmer until gelatin is completely dissolved, remove from heat.

Place milk chocolate and 1/2 cup cream in a metal bowl over the small saucepan of simmering water. Increase heat to medium-low; and stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in gelatin mixture. Transfer to a medium bowl; cool completely.

Clean the small metal bowl and sauce pan for a final usage. Set metal bowl aside.

Sprinkle remaining 2 teaspoons gelatin over final tablespoon of cold water, let stand for 1 minute. Place pan over low heat, simmer until the last of the gelatin has dissolved completely, remove from heat.

Finally, place the white chocolate and with a 1/2 cup cream in a clean metal bowl over the small saucepan of simmering water. Increase heat to medium-low; and stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in gelatin mixture. Transfer to a medium bowl; cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat vanilla and remaining 3 cups cream until stiff peaks form. Fold 2 cups whipped cream (a third of the total whipped cream) into cooled bittersweet chocolate; spread over crust. Refrigerate until set, 25-30 minutes.

Refrigerate whipped cream until ready to make next chocolate layer, once bittersweet chocolate is set.

Fold 2 cups whipped cream into milk chocolate. Spread milk chocolate over bittersweet chocolate. Return to the refrigerator for 25 minutes to set.

Return whipped cream to the refrigerator until ready to make final chocolate layer.

Fold final 2 cups whipped cream into the white chocolate. Spread white chocolate over the milk chocolate layer.

Refrigerate torte, covered, until fully set, about 4 hours. When ready, crumble a few more cookies for a garnish.

Remove torte from the refrigerator, loosen sides from pan with a knife. Carefully remove rim from pan.

Sprinkle crushed cookies as desired. Slice and enjoy.