JeannieB's Festive, Affordable Home Entertaining

Beer and Pizza

2012-02-18T08:57:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, a very talented friend of mine shared with my husband and I some of her products- these products are items that she has designed either logo or labels for. And the most recent itmes are: a beer made and bottled in Rhode Island.

I consider my husband a beer 'foodies' be cause he is really particular with his beer. He's not a big fan of the newer wheat beers or some of the lighter beers that are being sold. But this one he really enjoyed. It is not distributed much farther than Rhode Island but if you come across it, tell them Jessica's friend Jeannie told you to try it!

In addition to the beer, Jessica also made some new labeling items for Pastorelli Pizza sauce. AND< for pizza crust as well. An important part of Pastorellis logo is the shepherd- can you see it at the center top of the label?

And here is what the packaging looks like for the pizza crust, which comes in 3 different kinds~

Along with a recipe on the back of the package. Another great thing about these packaged items- LONG SHELF LIFE!

ENJOY!!!!!!

Restaurant Dinner Menu

2012-02-18T08:45:00.000-08:00

This is a fun idea to try every now and then~Two weeks ago I had to do a dinner for 12 at one of the Churches where I cook. I decided to do recipes from various restaurants. I had a difficult time trying to find a dessert other than cheesecake-which seems to be the most popularly restaurant recipe to post.

Here is my first picture, I know it's unattractive, but I have a little sign next to each dish. Perhaps a restaurant logo on the paper would have been best. Another time I'll try that.

My menu was: Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits-

Hooters Pasta Salad -

Chili's Chicken and Mushroom Soup -

La Madeleine's Strawberries Romanoff and Famos Amos Cookies

Friday's Foto

2012-02-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

This time last week, I was in Winter Park, Fla visiting my sister. While there we and her two friends had dinners in two WONDERFUL restaurants. The first one was White Truffle and these pictures are from White Truffle. The one looks like a pot pie. It is! And the second was sesame coated fresh tuna and it was basically on a salad bed that was reminiscent of the 'Asian Slaw' recipe. I , we both, just loved our dinners!

The second restaurant was Antonios in Maitland, Fla. I had a creamy, succulent pasta dish but I do not have the picture. My sister had the Veal Marsala with polenta. Oh! We had to get dessert- coconut cake and a really creamy creme brulee-SO DELICIOUS!
Try these place when you are in Winter Park. But all places in Winter park are UNBELIEVABLE!

Restaurant Week in Chicago

2012-02-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

What to do in Chicago, Chicago hotel rooms and sites - Choose Chicago

Thursdays Thought

2012-01-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

"A person with increasing knowledge and sensory education may derive infinite enjoyment from wine," Ernest Hemingway.

Carl Weathers Got Stew Going

2012-01-23T07:50:00.000-08:00

Culinary terms

2012-01-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

agnolotti
[ah-nyoh-LAH-tee]
Italian for "priests' caps," describing small, crescent-shaped stuffed PASTA.
MUST BE A PAPAL THING

In fact, F&W posted top favorite dishes for 2011.

And here is an Agnolotti dish with the restaurant listed.

Artichoke Agnolotti: Mica, Philadelphia

croquant

[kroh-KAWN ]
French for "crispy" or "crunchy."

fideos
[fih-DAY-ohs]
Very thin, VERMICELLI-type noodles. In Spain, they're often tossed with vegetables; in Mexico, they're used to make one version of SOPA SECA (dry soup).

MAKES ME THINK OF FIDDLEHEADS. NOT EVEN CLOSE!Happy New Year! It is the time for food trends and I came across several words I have recently heard and I see I have gathered quite a few. I know some of you might know some of these terms but it's always fun to read/see what's going on.

chilaquiles
[chee-lah-KEE-lehs]
Because it was invented to use leftovers, this Mexican entree is sometimes called "poor man's dish." It consists of corn TORTILLA strips sautéed with other foods such as mild green CHILES, cheese, CHORIZO and shredded chicken or beef. The dish may also be layered like LASAGNA and baked.

dariole
[DEHR-ee-ohl, dah-ree-OHL]
A French term referring to a small, cylindrical mold, as well as to the dessert baked in it. Classically, the dessert is made by lining the mold with puff pastry, filling it with an almond cream and baking until golden brown. Today there are also savory darioles, usually made with vegetable custardsSOUNDS TOO COMPLICATED FOR ME.

Branzuno - a fish

And a glass called Delmonico-

our friends the Hursters suggested it might be a glass that originated in NYC along with the creation of a Delmonico steak!

Thursday's Thought

2012-01-05T21:16:00.001-08:00

People are like tea bags. They don't know their strength until they are in hot water.

Monday's Mention

2012-01-03T13:21:00.000-08:00

My Favorite comfort food!

Stuffed Potatoes

Friday's Foto

2011-12-30T09:03:00.000-08:00

A simple cup of chicken tortilla soup made to look delicious!

Monday's Mention

2011-12-26T15:57:00.000-08:00

Ah, the day after Christmas! Favorite pix from the last few days....

Lunching at Wave, Chicago

Stuffing

2011-11-25T07:43:00.001-08:00

About 3 hours before Thanksgiving guests arrived one of my sons was disappointed to learn we were not going to have stuffing with our Turkey. And there were a couple of reasons for this decision: 1) my husband and I are not fond of stuffing; 2) we were having turkey breast to avoid all the greasy mess of a whole turkey, especially since we are living in this new, tiny little house. So, I quickly found something on the Internet and it had to be quick....
I adapted a recipe I found on Epicurious:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3 cups)
6 stalks celery with leaves, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 leftover, frozen Kaiser rolls found in freezer, torn into small pieces
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon celery salt
a pinch of sage
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups hot Homemade Turkey Stock or canned chicken broth

2 bratwursts, skin removed

In 12-inch, heavy skillet over moderate heat, heat butter until hot but not smoking. Stir in onion and celery, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, then add bratwurst and break up into tiny pieces so the meat blends in with the vegetables and cook until soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to large bowl and add bread cubes, parsley, celery salt, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir in 1 1/4 cups hot stock or broth. Turn mixture into an oven safe bowl. Bake in oven for 30 minutes.

Perfect Gravy

2011-11-18T14:10:00.001-08:00

I remember, not long ago, having Thanksgiving dinner at a relative's house. And I was trying to get noticed at the family party....does that make sense? It does if you've been in the same boat ( not gravy boat). And the hostess asked if anyone knew how to make gravy. This was my opportunity to be noticed! I stepped up and said I could do it! This is not a bad story as my gravy turned out to be the BEST I had ever made. But, I had never made it before! And I didn't know much about what I was doing. I was just trying to recreate what I had watched my Mom do. Without any measuring, this is what I did:
Gravy drippings had cooled down on their own. I added as much ice to the top of the gravy to make the fat stick to the ice so it could be removed. Once I had the pure drippings without fat, I mixed 1 T water into 1 T of cornstarch. I heated up with natural drippings and slowly added the water/cornstarch mixture, slowly stirring all the time. I added a little salt, actually more than a little. I didn't add any Kitchen Bouquet ( coloring) and I had made the most delicious, silky gravy, ever!

Halloween sights!

2011-10-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

This one above, looks REALLY creepy at night!

And in the City, some people do things in a very BIG way!

Friday's Foto-Autumn Ales and Appetizers

2011-10-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

Last night I took part in a 'Tasting' that was part of a Fund Raiser for a local organization. The theme was Part with Taste. Being October, I wanted to do an Oktoberfest sort of thing. A half hour before I was out the door, I reread my instruction sheet and found that thee was a color theme: black, white and apple green. Oops.
I found my black table cloths which I switched out with the harvest colored cloth. It would work for me. But the rest of the table and theme....I wasn't going to change.

I presented Autumn Ales and Appetizers. I had 3 different beer cocktails. One was made with a Lager, one with an Ale and one with Guinness.

The Lager ( named On Wisconsin) was a Sam Adams and lime, worcestershire and Maggi served with Scrambled Bratwurst and Saur Kraut with apples and sweet onion.

The Ale ( DAS BOOT) was the favorite. The favorite Beer cocktail and favorite Appetizer- Das Boot was made with Blue Moon, and an orange and cognac based Courvoisie. The paired appetizer was beer marinated chicken with spices.

One of my sons helped out that night. He was had extensive kitchen training- to my surprise and his favorite was the Guinness cocktail.

This cocktail was made with Guinness, Sweet Vermouth and Bitters. It was paired with chocolate and caramel covered pretzel rods.

It was difficult pulling this off as I didn't know I'd be participating in this event when we moved two months ago. It was very difficult finding the correct serving pieces I needed. I didn't like my room temp appies ( need to buy a heat lamp) as the warming tray and crock are not adequate. And the beer- needed to stay chilled. When a beer bottle was opened, the first glasses were chilled. But I shouldn't have let the extras sit out. It t was probably too costly an idea to do this. Or I should have made some sort of ice mold for the shot glasses to nest into.

We had many people around our table. That was a good sign. And while I

wasn't happy with my display, it was better than several others.

I already have an idea for next year. It is a theme I have done 3 times before. And I have time to find my equipment. I hope I'm invited!

It's my Birthday and I'll post what I want!

2011-10-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

And I LOVE beets! I found this interesting, delicious combination on Food Buzz today. It comes from Chef Dennis--

Apple Beet Compote with Candied Walnuts

Recipe Type: Side dish

Author: Chef Dennis

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

3 red beets
3 golden beets
1 Fennel bulb
2 large apples
1/4 cup walnuts
sea salt
pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

preheat oven to 375 degrees
clean and peel beets, then cut into small chunks
mix each color separately with olive oil, sea salt and pepper and place into roasting pan.
cut fennel bulb into the same size pieces and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper, then place in roasting pan with beets.
Place the roasting pan into the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until beets are soft*
While beets are roasting, peel and cut the apples into bite size pieces and place them in a saute pan with 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Saute apples for 5 minutes just to soften them up some, set aside.
In another saute pan add one tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of brown sugar and mix well.
Add the walnuts and over a medium heat coat the walnuts with the brown sugar mixture* tossing to get them completely coated.
remove the walnuts form the pan and place on parchment or a plate to allow the sugar to set.
When the beets are done, gently mix your compote together and serve warm.

Notes

*sometimes the beets may still feel hard but when you bite one it will be done. so taste test a piece before over cooking!
* cover beets with foil if they roast more than 30 minutes to prevent them from getting too dark.
*if you like a little heat, try adding a pinch of cayenne to the walnuts for a spicy sweet taste.

6 dishes you should know how to make

2011-10-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

1) chicken noodle soup
2) chili
3)meat lasagne
4)stew
5)roast chicken
6) chocolate cake
I think a boxed cake should count- don't tell Maggie!

weekly menu

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

RoastPork and Potatoes

KaleSlaw

ScallopedApples

POT ROAST

NOODLES FLORENCE

SQUASH TOMATO BAKE

TOSSED SALAD

RANCH STYLE PORK CHOPS

POTATO DUMPLINGS

BAKED APPLESE

TOSSED SALAD

LOBSTER CAKES

CILANTRO, MONTEREY STUFFED TOMATO

APPLESAUCE LOAF BREAD

TOSSED SALAD

BAKED SPAGHETTI

PAN FRIED TILAPIA

GERMAN SLAW

Thursdays Thought

2011-09-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

If you are suppose to be on a liquid diet the day before for one of those 'necessary medical tests', why can't it be flavored with gatorade or vodka? Maybe it can and they just don't want to tell you!

Surf and Turf

2011-09-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

I recently catered a birthday party for 40. Ok, photography is not my best hobby but at least it's in focus! It was a birthday celebration and I realized I catered another birthday milestone for this client, 10 years ago! THAT party was really awesome. I'll never forget my husband lugging100 pounds of ice if not more, in the trunk of his car for the 'raw bar' we created with a plastic swimming pool. Those were the days when I was so nervous about having everything ready and photography was the very last thing on my mind. If it was even in my mind!

MENU:

TUNA TARTARE ONCRISPY HOMEMADE CHIP

SHRIMP SPRING ROLLWITH DIPPING SAUCE

MEXICAN RUMAKI

SWEET POTATOSQUARE

TEX-MEX CAESARSALAD

BREAD (clientprovides bread, caterer provides 3 baskets)

ORZO WITH CORN,TOMATOES, BASIL

SURF AND TURF

DESSERTS:

Cheesecake Bar

Lemon Bar

Tiramisu Bar

Friday's Foto Wilde and Greene

2011-09-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

Old Orchard ( as it's affectionately known to us locals) has a new restaurant that boasts 18 food stations and locally grown food. Note the second to the last picture- 'Product of USA'- so, they can say it's locally grown. Old Orchard is a shopping mall in Skokie on Skokie Blvd. Here are a few pics I snapped with my new smart phone ( I've never had one) and it took me all afternoon to figure out how to do this!

These HUGE muffins- were really just baked in a regular looking muffin tin...

Thursday's Thought

2011-09-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

You can get most husbands to do anything if you suggest that perhaps they are too old to do it.

Corn Soups around Chicago

2011-09-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Now, these corn soups are truly upscale! I think I'd rather have these chefs make any one of these than try them myself. I guess it's my mood today--cloudy, chilly, blah.

Corn is piled high on market tables, sweeter than its early summer counterparts. And across the city, chefs are turning to the stockpot to highlight the season's abundance of ears.

At The Drawing Room, Nick Lacasse's corn soup ($11) holds a triple corn threat. Lacasse roasts the cobs with fennel, onion and marjoram as a base for stock, which is puréed with raw kernels. The soup is poured tableside over fried kale, tomatoes and bacon-fat-fried potatoes, and topped with corn-spiked mascarpone.

James Toland of The Black Sheep infuses his organic white corn soup ($8) with the scent of the grill, burning and grinding husks and sprinkling them like pepper. Blueberries and peppercress color the bowl; their accompaniments, pearls of bourbon and pickled kernels, create sharp, lively bites.

Naha's Carrie Nahabedian cooks her sweet yellow corn slowly, until the kernels release their milk. Her corn soup ($13) is studded with Sungold tomatoes and basil and punctuated by an island of corn flan, with a dip-worthy oxtail-and-bandaged-cheddar sandwich on the side.

For the simplest iteration ($9), visit Ceres' Table, where Guiseppe Scurato cooks stock with corncobs and thyme, thickening it with corn kernels, cream and onions. In it bob agnolotti for all seasons, rich with ricotta and truffles.

Garden Surprise

2011-09-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

So, we have been on our new abode for two weeks. And it has taken so long to post much. With some big events, in addition to the move, behind us, I wanted to post some pictures of the lovely things we found growing in our back yard.

These peppers were too hot for the hot tongues in this family. Darn.

I don't know much about gardening and vegetables. My friend Charlotte told me the cucumbers were curling because they haven't had enough water. Oh. I thought I had been checking on them...we did get 3 cucs from the garden- such a delicious texture! We're hoping we can still get some more.

And, tomatoes- they are so good and there are at least two different kinds. They needed my help in staking and I made some makeshift stakes. We'll see if it works.

Monday's Mention

2011-09-12T11:36:00.000-07:00

A restaurant in our hood called, The Noodle, has the best cream of Tomato and Basil soup. I have attached a picture of it with their garlic toast. BUT, ALAS! We found another place that serves up an equally delicious Tomato Basil Soup: Baker's Square! Clientele is different but when you crave the soup so much, get a carry out!

Monday's Mention

2011-09-12T11:13:00.001-07:00

Monday's Mentiontakes us to a pig roast! Our church is having all sorts of events to mark our 75th anniversary and two weeks ago, it was a block party with Mr. Pig!

Forno Restaurant

2011-08-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

I am posting this a few days early because I wrote something on FB about this restaurant. My husband and i drove to the City last night to take some books to a resale shop. We were starving and took a walk on Milwaukee Avenue, in search of a restaurant. The first one we came to was a tapas place. One look at the menu and we both realized the menu was too light for my husband. The hostess kindly directed us to a place a block away on Milwaukee Avenue.
It was a treat! I didn't realize how much I liked where we sat-right next to the open air kitchen. Chef Larry stopped by our table and chatted with us. Before we left, my husband and I were treated to a limoncello cocktail! And I didn't get a picture:(
But here is what I did get:

I had the chicken with arugula -so yum! Couldn't eat it all!
And here is a picture of one of their potato garnishes!

Parker's Breakfast

2011-08-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

Parker sent me this picture of a breakfast he made for himself and his new wife, Katie. It's on a tortilla. It looks very good. Can you imagine what a goose egg would look like? And maybe some bacon crumbles??? Nice picture Park!

Thursday's Thought

2011-08-04T07:03:00.001-07:00

Color is my daylong obsession, joy and torment.
Claude Monet

Thursday's Thought

2011-07-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

When you are trying to break into traffic, whether you are turning right or left- suppose you threw a kiss to the person who let you in.,,,

Thursday's Thought

2011-07-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

Some beach. Somewhere.

Friday's Foto

2011-07-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

Thursday's Thought

2011-07-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Golf is a series of tragedies obscured by an occasional miracle.

Pesto

2011-07-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

While Basil pesto is the commonly known pesto, there are others to try. Anything green:
Spinach pesto, Mint,Cilantro pesto- my favorite! I use it in stuffed tomatoes.

And, it can be frozen!

Here is a recipe for Mint Pesto- great with lamb kebobs!

PESTO
1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 medium garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
Blend all ingredients together.

Monday's Mention

2011-07-11T21:30:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh- lotsa fun pics to be posted later- storms held up any computering here for hours. I really need a smart phone. But do smart phones allow you to upload pics? hmm....

Friday's FOTO

2011-07-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

From: That Jew Can Cook

Thursday's Thought

2011-07-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

Having younger looking skin really changes, many things.

Monday's Mention

2011-07-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my family and I were invited to my niece's apt. in the City for a BBQ- her BF did the Q-ing! Pretty good looking kebobs!

Friday's Foto

2011-07-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Mini Bismark?

Thursday's Thought

2011-06-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

The best way to get most husbands to do something is to suggest that perhaps they're too old to do it.
Anne Bancroft

Chains that might go under

2011-06-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

TheStreet.com recently analyzed the Z-score (a formula that measures a company's financial health through factors such as working capital, total assets, total liabilities, market capitalization, sales, retained earnings and earnings before interest and taxes) of several chain restaurants to forecast the chances of the companies going bankrupt in the next two years.

The article points out that although stocks from companies like McDonald's, Chipotle and Starbucks are generally growing, restaurants like Sbarro's and Marie Callender's filed for bankruptcy this year.

Below is a list of which other chains (market capitalization of at least $100 million) might follow suit, from least risky to most risky:

14. Red Robin
13. Sonic
12. Ruby Tuesday
11. Carrols Restaurant Group (Pollo Tropical, Taco Cabana)
10. Einstein Noah Restaurant Group
9. O'Charley's (its namesake as well as Ninety Nine Restaurant and Stoney River Legendary Steaks)
8. Ruth's Hospitality Group (Ruth's Chris Steak House, Mitchell's Fish Market)
7. McCormick & Schmick's
6. Bravo Brio Restaurant Group (BRAVO! Cucina Italiana and BRIO Tuscan Grille)
5. Domino's Pizza
4. DineEquity (IHOP, Applebee's)
3. Morton's Restaurant Group
2. Wendy's/Arby's
1. Denny

Out in the atmosphere

2011-06-27T21:24:00.000-07:00

Fricking computer- ethernet port decided to DIE last week and trying to get internet connection, without buying a new computer ( to me, that's the Kardashian way), has taken 3 frickin days! I'm so behind but here is my Monday Mention:

chill

Wedding Breakfast Menu

2011-06-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

After the wedding, and we went to bed in the wee small hours of the morning, I was awakened with a phone call from one of our sons.....it was ok- nothing was wrong, he and one of his brothers had no place to sleep! It was a timely call as I had to get up and head back to the burbs to get the breakfast ready.
Fortunately I had 3 friends helping. One was a sil who offered her help at the wedding the night before. Thanks heavens she was there! We all began getting the house ready/cooking about 9:30 am- just in time for the yellow school bus to pull up with our guests!

On my menu was:
Bacon/Spinach Quiche ( freshly baked from the Grand- local, awesome, grocery store)
Hash browns with cheese
Kielbasa
Coffee cakes (also bought from grocery store
Fresh pineapple and blackberries with minted sugar
Smoked salmon with bagels, capers, red onion, cream cheese and chopped hard boiled egg
Green salad with strawberries and Poppy Seed Dressing
Bloodys, lemonade, iced tea and coffee.
I think I left something out.

What's for dinner?

2011-06-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

Too much to do and not enough time to make anything fresh.
BUT! Someone else can! Don't these look good enough to cook up?

Monday's Mention

2011-05-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

Praising what is lost makes the remembrance dear.
Shakespeare

Thursday's Thought - You want to lose weight

2011-05-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

So, This guy who is starting the new Weight Loss Extreme Makeover Show, next Monday, said the 3 things you have to stay away from are: flour, sugar and fried foods.
Yeah, but.....
Then I saw these delicious looking donuts at cherryteacakes. com
Lime in the Coconut Donuts

Monday's Mention

2011-05-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

I'm Spring Happy!

Our Language is funny~
Fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing.

Friday's Foto

2011-05-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

Upside Down Pineapple Muffins

Thursday's Thought

2011-05-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

IT'S ALL ABOUT PRESENTATION

Music Institute of Chicago hosted a dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago.
Menu:
Baby Lettuces with chilled Spring Asparagus Yellow and Red Petit Tomatoes Salad
Shaved Parmesan-Regiano Cheese
Truffle Vinaigrette

Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Morel Mushroom and Cabernet Reduction. Wild Rice partnered with Crunchy Pine Nuts and Golden Apricots
Medley of Spring Vegetables

Trio of Desserts~
Banana and Caramel Crisp
Milk Chocolate Mousse and Dark Chocolate Ganache
Fresh Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Cream
and of course, Coffee and Tea.

Wines:
2008 Vin de Pays Des Cotes de Gascogne
Blanc harmonie Domaine de Pellehaut
Rouge Harmonie Domaine de Pellehaut

Salad

Trio of Desserts

The tables were adorned with very tall glass vases, all were cylinder in shape. Inside each of them were 2-3 gardenias that were attached to a slender leaf and they were held in place with a floral staright pin. Also on the tables were single flowers, maybe 3 total, spread around the table.

What's with all these storms!?!

2011-04-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

I know people continually talk about the end of the world "as we know it"...
The first time I heard about it was back in the 70's, from a co-worker. I didn't feel like there was any danger then- compared to now.
Our waters are contaminated; our fields and groves are destroyed. Villages and towns that supply either manpower or fuel or industry-are ruined. And it doesn't ebb, it continues.

A few years ago one of my nieces was in school at Ol Miss. She took this picture on her cell phone. Scary but nothing like the tornadoes caught today.

Thursday's Thought

2011-04-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

Great art picks up where nature left off.
Mac Chagall

Monday's Mention

2011-04-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

As I write this I'm into the next day. I don't know how time flies but it is flying by me at a faster rate, more than ever!
I wanted to show you the centerpiece I did for our Easter Table dinner. I got the idea from the Mixing Bowl and it was easy, and fast! Yay!

Friday's Foto

2011-04-21T08:33:00.001-07:00

Fish. for Good Friday.

Thursday's Thought

2011-04-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.
William Shakespeare

Monday's Mention

2011-04-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

Went to brunch, last Sunday and had a yen for corned beef hash and poached eggs. So yum! But my stomach didn't like them!

On Monday, I made another crock pot lamb dish- this was a lamb tagine with prunes. So good!

Dessert in 5 minutes or less!

2011-04-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Another favorite from a Rachael show- I am tired of trying to find quick desserts. Again, while watching one of her shows, I noticed how quickly Rachael was able to pull this off!
Three simple ingredients:
Store bought dessert cake shell
vanilla or lemon instant pudding
Fresh strawberries
You can see just from the pictures how easy it is to assemble this~
Make the instant pudding according to the directions n the box. Place dessert cake shell in serving dish and spoon some of the pudding inside. Top with sliced strawberries and top with more pudding. You can add a garnish of a mint leaf or whipped cream. Voila!

30 Minute Meals

2011-04-17T07:49:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I happen to be watching one of Rachael Ray's 30 minute meal programs. I really liked four of her dishes and they were all from two shows. One recipe was called Mixed Grill with Kale. I like this dish because one of my clients- well they all don't like pork or lamb and using beef all the time get s $$$. This dish, you can use any combination of the meats. Kale is so healthy so if you have some really 'healthy eating' fans, they will like this.
This recipe is from the episode:http://www.foodnetwork.com/30-minute-meals/chop-on/index.html
Rachel uses only lamb chops but said you could use any combo.
The other dish I really liked was her crispy Pasta. Now, I have to say, I couldn't make these in 30 minutes. I just couldn't. Maybe with practice, yes but Rachael also talks while she cooks!
That's why she has a show, and I don't!
Here is a picture of each dish. I liked putting the kale on the bottom as opposed to the top like Rachael did.

Friday's Foto

2011-04-15T15:26:00.003-07:00

Thursday's thought

2011-04-15T15:26:00.001-07:00

In the May issue of Travel+ Leisure, Chicago neighborhood restaurants are featured!

The article spotlights restaurants in areas all over the city (well, at least the North Side), showing that contributing editor Francine Maroukian did her research and hit more neighborhoods than just River North where so many national publications seem to land.
Bristol, Southern, Big Jones, more >>>
At The Bristol, she raves about Chris Pandel's Scotch olives and said if you see the crispy pig ear in a meaty pho-style broth with Vietnamese noodles to "grab it [as] Pandel may never show it to you again."
Up on the Far North Side, Maroukian visited Big Jones and Vincent, two places that haven't slowed since opening. She called Big Jones chef/owner Paul Fehribach "an ever-curious food historian, [who] explores coastal cooking—Low Country, Floribbean, Cajun and Creole cuisines." Vincent, the newest spot in the article, gets props for the moules frites served in five different styles as well as the array of traditional Dutch dishes representing chef/owner Joncarl Lachman's heritage.
Down in Ukrainian Village, she noted that Jam causes a jam when people line up for brunch to get chef Jeff Mauro's custard-soaked brioche French toast. She comments that Mauro rarely looks up from what he's doing in the open kitchen and that "once your food arrives, neither will you." Chef Cary Taylor makes "good on his promise of 'the dirtiest fried chicken north of the Mason-Dixon'" at The Southern. She praises Taylor for straddling "Southern and Midwestern cooking with hybrids such as his Cajun send-up of Canada's beloved poutine, which is topped with Wisconsin cheese curds "solid enough to soften up but still hold their shape."
Big Star, not surprisingly, gets the final hit, saying "no matter how busy the kitchen may get, "Big Star's tortillas always exhibit the hallmark of freshness : supple enough to roll without cracking yet durable enough to withstand [chef Justin] Large's take on authentic tacos." She advises to "bring a big appetite." We think that goes for all the places mentioned.

Monday's Mention

2011-04-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Chupa Cabra by Brett Hetrik was on theDaily Specials Menu under Championship Game section.
The burger is a turkey-chorizo beef patty with fresh serranos, oaxacan cheese, bacon and cumin chipotle sauce.
It was spicy good!

Friday's Foto

2011-04-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Thericetable.com - Chicago

Friday's Food

2011-03-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

Couscous Salad
with red onion, red pepper, cucumber, feta

Thursday's Thought

2011-03-31T08:54:00.001-07:00

If I keep a green bough in my heart....the singing bird will come. Chinese Proverb.
And so will Spring.

Thursdays Thought

2011-03-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

You can't win all the time. There are guys out there who are better than you are. Yogi Berra

Thursday's Thought

2011-03-31T08:47:00.000-07:00

Spring is made of solid, fourteen-karat gratitude, the reward for the long wait. Barbara Kingsolver

Today I found a large bag of chicken bones in the freezer. Time to Stock up!

Yesterday my PT was telling me the awful chicken soup one of her relatives makes. I guessed the problem right away. For one, she doesn't use salt! And secondly, she doesn't know how to make it clear. Chicken bones or any kind of bones used for making stock, need to go into a pot of cold water. I usually start heating up the pot at this point. Then you add the mire poix- a combo of onions, celery and leaves, and a carrot or two, sliced. You also add a garni bag ( I just add it to the the pot and skip the cheese cloth) or a few peppercorns, a bay leaf, and a few sprigs of thyme. I also float a few stems ( no leaves) of parsley.
Then you let it simmer away for about 4 hours. Cool it in a cold water bath and strain it. then you can heat it up again, and float some more parsley stems on top to help clarify the broth.

My Monday Mention

2011-03-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

Dinner in the Glen, Glenview, Illinois-
Dinner at Zingerellas. If you picked one of the three entrees that were written in red you received a complimentary dessert. Check out this huge Carrot Cake!

The dinner was quite good. We ate late ( I worked till 7:30 that night) so you wonder how fresh everything is- well, my stomach was just fine!

This week's Menu

2011-03-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Everyone is so antsy to start eating fresh green and red vegetables- time to break out of Winter. But the blue skies and warm sun can't get the temperature past 40!
My Menus this week are still wintry. That's ok. It's still comfort time!
Beef Stroganoff
Romaine Salad
Crescent Rounds
Applesauce

Meatloaf
Mashed Potatoes
Parmesan Cauliflower
Tossed Salad

Mixed Grill with Kale
Walnut, rosemary Pesto over pasta
Tossed Salad

Crockpot Coq au vin
Pillsbury's Sweet Onion Crescent Rounds
Beet Salad
Tomato Pudding
Shrimp Scampi/Filet Mignon
Green Beans
Au Gratin Potatoes

My Monday Mention

2011-03-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Sun - Wah Restaurant in Vietnamese Village, Chicago. Peking ( Beijing) Duck is a must for first time visitor. Also pictured is their Squid. First time I think I have EVER enjoyed squid!

Greek Lamb....yum!

2011-03-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

Another widely devoured crockpot recipe- try it! The flavor of the broth is so delicious and if you are not around during the day, this is a perfect dish to make while you are gone and when you return to your pot, and you have a half hour, at least, when you can add the last ingredients. Not to mention a side. Enjoy!

greek lamb with spinach and artichokes

Makes: 6 servings

ingredients
2 to 2-1/2 lb. boneless lamb shoulder roast
1 19-oz. can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
1 14 .5-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. minced garlic (6 cloves)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
3 cups fresh baby spinach
3 cups hot cooked orzo (6 oz. uncooked)
Crumbled feta cheese (optional)
directions
1. Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker stir together meat, beans, undrained tomatoes, garlic, salt, and oregano.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Stir in drained artichoke hearts and spinach.
3. To serve, spoon lamb mixture over hot cooked orzo. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Ahhh! The aroma of ale baked Beef / pork ribs!

2011-03-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

Ale Sauced Ribs and vegetables

Such a simple dish to make and it's part of my week's menu. And, it is a crockpot dish! I was looking for one pot meals. I don't know why I thought I'd find something different than crockpot recipes. They're not.
The fragrance coming from the crockpot is too good to not share with someone!
3# beef ribs
1 bottle of dark ale or stout.
Two minced garlic cloves.
1 T shredded lemon peel
1 T dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. small red potatoes, unpeeled
1 1/2 c peeled carrots
1/4 c cold water
2 T cornstarch
fresh rosemary
Put beef in a large self sealing plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Add ale, garlic, lemon peel, rosemary, s&p. Seal bag. Turn to coat. Refridgerate 4 hours or overnight.
Place potatoes and carrots on bottom of crockpot. Add beef ribs. Pour ale mixture over all. Cover and cook on low hear setting 8-9 hours or on high 4 - 4 1/2 hours.
Remove beef and vegetables from crock. Cover;keep warm. Pour cooking juices through a fine mesh sieve set over a heat proof bowl to strain. Measure 2 cups of cooking juices, adding water to make 2 cups. Stir together 1/4 water and 2 T cornstarch in a saucepan. Add 2 cups strained juices. Cook and stir until thickned and bubbly. Serve with meat, vegetables. Garnish with fresh rosemary.
Salad recipes come later! ;)
The photo I took of the ribs could be better, I know. I'm working on it!

This week's menus, were pretty good! Flavorful, hearty and warming. This week I served:
Hungarian Goulash
Home made Spaetzel
Malibu Salad
Corn
biscuits
ice cream

Turkey Cutlets with Pasta
Tossed Salad
Chocolate Pudding

Ale Sauced Pork Ribs and Vegetables
Tossed Salad
Biscuits

Greek Lamb with Spinach
A side of orzo

Mango slices and blueberries
Ale- Sauce Pork Ribs and Vegetables
Malibu Salad
Waldorf Salad
Herbed Italian Bread

Hungarian Goulash
Tossed Salad
Sauteed Mushrooms
Shrimp

Corned beef

2011-03-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

Last week I made corned beef three times. I think I'm beginning to like it. Or maybe, I just like the satisfied people who have been served my corned beef. I have several recipes. And I tend to mix them up and combine them. Eek!

Japan

2011-03-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

One of our sons was interviewed for a job in Japan. If he hadn't been turned down, I wonder where he'd be.

Fish, for Lent

2011-03-09T13:32:00.000-08:00

I find it very interesting that among my 8 clients who are all very, VERY Catholic, only three, like fish.

A Night Downtown

2011-03-03T07:44:00.000-08:00

We finally made good on a Christmas gift the boys gave us. It was a night at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. We got together with some friends for drinks at the Cape Cod Room. Initially were were going to meet in the Palm Room.

It was crowded so we opted to go downstairs to the Cape Cod Room. We haven't been there in years and it still looked the same. It's on the lower level of the Drake but has an entrance also off of Oak Street. The same maitre d is still there. He knew our friends by name and he was happy to see them as they hadn't been there in a long time. Both of the men ordered The Executive- that's one I never heard of before!It was a cocktail with a small carafe with more liquor served on the side. We had a dinner reservation at a restaurant on Rush called Carmines. The place was packed and we were told we were going to have to wait another 1/2 hour! THEN, a bar table opened up and we made a bee line for that. We were all quite hungry. Two of our sons were having dinner at another restaurant a block away so they came over when they had finished dinner. The 10 of us stayed at Carmines till nearly closing time. We had a brisk walk back to the Drake as it was very windy and cold! But that brisk walk back made sleeping all the more wonderful. Our room was very pretty and it overlooked the Drive. And what a wonderful sleep we had. I had an epidural the day before and was traumatized by the whole thing. So a good night's sleep was just the thing! Great pillows, great mattress, perfect room temp...we slept late. To wake up and not have to rush to go anywhere or do anything except chill ~ aahh! The Hotel serves brunch/breakfast and the brunch was part of our gift. Boy, did we eat!
If you are downtown, I'd really recommend having dinner in the Cape Cod Room. It has a new chef and the oysters, not to mention the rest of the menu, are outstanding.

Insult

2011-03-02T13:34:00.000-08:00

I found this to be a very interesting situation. It says something about people from other cultures. It's something I've heard about and yesterday and today, I was able to experience it first hand.
My husband and I are getting ready to put our house on the market. We had some painters come in to repaint a few areas. That of course meant patching and sanding.
Just an aside, one of my clients has me prepare meals in my own kitchen and then I deliver.
Earlier in the day I had taken some food out to thaw and some to get to room temperature. As I leaned over one of my counters, I was noticing the thin plastic 'wall's' that had been taped into various walkways to keep out dust. And then, I noticed how white my black shirt was. My counters were full of sanding dust. I had to throw everything out. I became angrier and angrier and had to talk to these guys. Because I can get really upset, I waited till my husband was around to help buffer. With his sweet, soft voice he explained that I am a chef and I use my kitchen to prepare meals for others. Of course I had to butt in~ I had to let him know I can't keep cleaning my counters every 30 minutes when I'm cooking. And I had to tell him that the dust was on the second floor as well. "Your plastic sheets are no good. You have holes in them!" Long after they had sanded, they patched up a hole. Thanks. I told him there had to be another way. I suggested they do all the house cleaning. No comment from him. Natch. I said they just had to find another way. This discussion went back and forth...
And today is another day. This morning, he said well, I have to do my job. Excuse me? I too have a job and I have to do it without dust in the food. I take great care to keep my kitchen sanitized. These guys just don't get it. And he said, we will vacuum everything. To which I said, like you did last night? Then I showed him the cloth that was full of dust the next day after everything had been washed down the night before. I said, look-turn around and look a the table in the other room. You could see the dust that had accumulated around objects that had been on the table and were removed. That dust is also on the second floor pal. Guess what he said next? When we are finished you can get your cleaning ladies to clean everything. Excuse me? cleaning ladies? I had to let him down and tell him we don't have cleaning ladies. I HATE THESE PEOPLE. I hate their thinking, their attitude. I think I'm overwhelmed.

Korean Tacos etc.

2011-02-16T10:13:00.000-08:00

Terry Boyd, a Chicago food blogger writes:
'Street food is enjoying a moment. Whether it’s food taking to the streets in gourmet food trucks or street fare from the world’s street corners and marketplaces moving indoors, the street is increasingly becoming the source of some of the most exciting food these days.

One direction street food has taken is fusion mash-ups. I recently wrote about Korean tacos, for instance. They first showed up in LA on the Kogi Korean BBQ Truck. Now they’ve gone bricks and mortar at Chicago’s Del Seoul. Celebrity chef and Mexican food authority Rick Bayless’s cuisine is the exact opposite of fusion.

His restaurants are all about providing genuine regional cuisine that challenges our stereotypes about Mexican food. His newest restaurant, XOCO, is a tiny 40-seat spot that focuses on Mexico’s beloved street food and snacks. From huevos rancheros, chilaquiles and frothy hot chocolates in the morning to meaty tortas (Mexican submarines), meal-in-a-bowl caldos or soups and cold beers later in the day, it’s all authentic and delicious.'
Terry also writes about Korean Tacos- they are a feature on the menu at Del Seul, Chicago's newest street food restaurant. Street food is enjoying a moment. Whether it’s food taking to the streets in gourmet food trucks or street fare from the world’s street corners and marketplaces moving indoors, the street is increasingly becoming the source of some of the most exciting food these days.

Root Beer Braised Short Ribs

2011-02-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

The days are getting crazy again and I love this recipe because it's hearty and really seasons the meat quite well- I'm known for under seasoning which isn't a bad thing, actually.

This recipe is from one of those sites I belong to. It's called Mixing Bowl....

by TheChefNextDoor | See TheChefNextDoor's recipes | Report Abuse
Source: Yours truly

You can't understand how delicious these are until you try them.

Servings: 4-5
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: Several hours
Total time: Several hours

Ingredients:
2-3 Beef Short Ribs per person
Flour (for dredging)
Salt and Pepper
Drizzle of Olive Oil

half a stick of butter
1 White Onion, diced
2 Carrots, diced (or a generous handful of baby carrots)
3 ribs of Celery, diced

2 Bay Leaves
5 sprigs of Thyme
Several cloves of Garlic, chopped or pressed
1 can of diced tomatoes (NOT drained!)
1 packet of Mushroom Gravy mix
1 carton of Beef Broth
1 bottle of Root Beer (2 liter)

3 Tablespoons of Cornstarch

Directions:
1. Set a large braising pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Season the short ribs liberally with Salt and Pepper, then coat each short rib generously in flour. Drizzle the Olive Oil in the hot pan and sear the short ribs on all sides until they are deeply browned. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

2. In the hot pan, add half a stick of butter to melt. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery and let the vegetables begin to sweat and pick up some of the browned meat bits left behind.

3. Add the bay leaves, fresh thyme, garlic, can of tomatoes, and mushroom gravy mix to the pot and stir everything to combine.

4. Nestle the short ribs in the vegetable mixture, then cover them halfway up with beef broth. Use the root beer to completely cover the short ribs, and bring the whole pot to a gentle boil.

5. Once the pot is gently boiling, cover it, and transfer it to the oven to braise until the short ribs are incredibly tender and almost fall apart when touched. Recommend: 300 degrees for 6 hours, or 325 degrees for 4 hours.

**You may use a pressure cooker in the exact same way, cook the Short Ribs for 45 minutes in the cooker, and let it naturally release the pressure.**

To Serve: Transfer the cooked short ribs and vegetables to a serving dish, then strain the cooking liquid into a gravy separator to discard any fat and grease. Put the degreased liquid in a saucepot, and bring it to a gentle boil. Combine about a cup of the liquid with 3 Tablespoons of Cornstarch, then add the cornstarch mixture back into the bubbling liquid. Cook until it becomes a thickened gravy, then spoon the gravy over the Short Ribs and vegetables.

*Serve with Mashed Potatoes, Risotto, Polenta, or Cheesy Grits!*

Dinner Party

2011-02-07T12:11:00.001-08:00

...........from hell is the appropriate name.
A client called me 8 days in advance. We talked the menu out and she was fine, fine, fine.....and didn't care for an estimate. Just show up, serve- as if that wasn't a bit strange in itself. As the week wore on, I was beginning to feel like one of those chefs from the FoodNetwork show: Private Chefs in Beverly Hills- those chefs seem to show up with little knowledge about what they will be serving and you never see them shopping. Three of the client's four children were there and they are all boys in their 20's. And, they are foodies! They loved my menu and loved my food. They stayed in the kitchen with me for most of the evening. The client insisted that I stop doing the dishes ( ?) take off my apron, get a drink and mingle (?). I should write this instead: (?????)
An hour later, I gave her my bill and that's when things changed. I didn't know what, but something was different. Fortunately I had my car loaded up so I made a quick exit. I felt the need! On the way home, I remembered some cherry tomatoes were still in the oven and because this happened once before, I thought it best to call her and let her know so it wouldn't be a surprise a few days later.
And that's when she let me 'have it'. Before I get into what she told me, here is my menu:
Tenderloin Steaks with a Manhattan Sauce
Sauteed Artichokes
Potato Dauphinoise
Basil laced sauteed Cherry Tomatoes
Tossed Salad with avocados, toasted pecans, cranberries, red onion, feta
Ice Cream Sundae Pie from Bon Appetit

Here is a picture of the Potato Dauphinoise before it was baked~

An entire 13 x 9 pan gets baked the day before. The day that they are to be served, they are cut out with a cookie cutter, and baked in the oven till hot and bubbly.

When she and I were planning the meal, I was stumbling over a dessert. I had my dessert file opened and told her so. I said, I could make an ice cream sundae pie I have a picture of one from BA ....and she jumped on that idea. Here is the picture from August,1981~

This was the fourth time I had made this dinner since the holidays. I have received many kudos for it. I can't tell you how delicious this was/is. So for the client to first of all tell me my prices were outrageous ( she didn't even realize I substituted artichokes for the scallops as I thought the price for this dinner for 18 people wass rediculous, she then proceeded to tell me the quality of my food was poor. POOR? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I WOULDN'T BE IN BUSINESS FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE IF I USED POOR QUALITY INGREDIENTS! Then, she said, "you have your check. Cash it." And she hung up.
I was in shock. I wish that had happened to me before so I could have been prepared and I could said something just as nasty back to her or said something, I don't know what. Just something.
Now, I Know I shall be running into her someplace. I'm to cater another dinner party this week and for some strange reason, I have a feeling she might be there. The common bond with all the guests is they all have children that attend the same university.
I was telling one of my friends about this and i said, I'm trying to figure out what I learned from this. My friend's response: 'I'm trying to do the same thing about something that happened to me 10 years ago. There's nothing to be learned'. Other than insisting I give them an estimate.

Weekly menus, thank you Mother Nature!

2011-02-07T11:38:00.000-08:00

With the Super Snow storm we had last week, I get to repeat two of my dinner menus- one client was nice enough to call and tell me not to bother coming in. However, the other one wasn't so generous. The day after the storm and since I'm a gimp ( I still have the pain in the back), it took my husband literally hours to get the path made as you see in the picture below. That path- that is in our driveway- never got the other path made. Instead, we kinda flagged down a truck that had a plow in the front. That truck- that's another story! It took the truck 3 hours to plow our small driveway....

This is what the weather looked like as the storm began. This is the weather I drove in to get to one client. Not bad, right? But the winds were up to 70mph and it came in all different directions.

This is the wide path down our driveway- not wide enough for a car....
Getting back to today's post, it's a good day to make up menus- I should get a head start on next week!
This week's menus are as follows: I don't usually note a dessert because I'm always looking for something quick in the event I don't have enough time on that particular day. Today, I'm going to make fresh fruit over vanilla yogurt and Apple Pudding Cake with Cinnamon-Butter Sauce. i don't know where I got the recipe- it looks like it came from one of those small books you'd see while standing in the check out aisle. As I read through the ingredients, I see it calls for Gold Medal Flour- so I think this is from a Gold medal Flour magazine/cookbook.
Lasagne
Garlic Bread
Corn

Stuffed Shells with marinara
Spinach Salad with Chicken
Jello
Snicker Brownies

Mostaccioli
Tossed Salad
Herb Bread

Chicken Alfredo
Broccoli salad
Rolls/biscuits

Korean Beef , grilled
Grilled scallions
Rice
Cooked corn
Orange Jello

Veal Stew
???

Ah, the question marks! That means I'm not sure what I'll make . I have to say one of my favorite sites for finding something quick is called The Mixing Bowl. You join, add recipes, share recipes; there are groups within Mixing Bowl that you can join, i.e. College Cooking or Apples, Cooking with Passion or Girls Get Together, Dishes, ( people post pics of some of their favorite dishes)My 'Go-To' Recipes or The Spice Rack. In fact, I was just going to post a cookbook that I have had for years. i don't even know if The Spice islands Cookbook is made anymore. Computers are the best thing if you never have to worry about Internet service. But someone posted this site for more information on what spices to use for what foods:lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciqspice.htm
I'm thankful i have time today to sit and blog as it has been quite awhile. The weather is lending itself to doing something indoors today- kinda grey and as I write this, big fluffy snowflakes are falling!
Here is a link to The Mixing Bowl- check it out. I think it's fun! www. Mixingbowl.com

Weekly Menu, with a sore back

2011-01-31T11:21:00.000-08:00

A sore back does not lend itself to cooking, easily. Lots of pain. It's difficult to adapt or to find another way of moving. Can't lift, can't pick up, can't even carry a box.
So, how to cook for my clients....I decided to go the 'ready made route this week. Here are my menus:
BBQ Chicken
Twice Baked Potatoes
Roasted Peppers

Beef Lasagne
Garlic Bread
Tossed Salad

And for Saturday, a reception, I'm hopeful that I'll be somewhat recovered to provide the following menu with possibly carried out sweets.
Saturday reception:
Small sandwiches
Shrimp Spring Rolls
Tortilla Roll ups
Fruit Platter
Sweets Platter

And for the other client ~

ROASTED PEPPERS
ORANGE CHICKEN/ TILAPIA
MIXED FRUIT
ARUGULA SALAD

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS
CHICKEN ALFREDO
SAUTEED APPLES

CHEESE / POTATO PIEROGIEs
BEEF TIPS
SALAD WITH CROUTONS
CRESCENT ROUNDS

Everything has already been made by the store it came from. Should be easy, right?!?

Sore!

2011-01-31T10:45:00.000-08:00

OH MY ACHING BACK! Literally! I think it all started a week ago when I had the client from Hell. She was so nice and buttered me up and offered me a cocktail and to mingle with the guests...then she turned off the faucet, told me to take off the apron and come mingle. So I did. After I left, and returned home, I realized I had left something in the oven so I promptly called her. I didn't want anyone to find it the next day. And then, that's when she let me have it. My husband and I tried to analyze why she was so brutally uncomplimentary and there were several things going on. But now, I have a very sore back. Nothing has taken the pain away so I'm going to have an MRI tomorrow to see what 's going on.
Last week when I was teaching, I noticed how easily stress made the pain worse! Last night my husband and I had a few of the leftovers from the party- you know, when someone really makes you ill, you want nothing to do with anything related to the situation- it took me a week to put away my cooking /catering items; and a full 8 days to have some of the leftovers- which really weren't leftovers. They were remnants. It was such a delicious dinner. In fact, it was the third time I had served this menu.

Potato Potato Dauphinoise
Tossed Salad with avocados, red onions, hearts of palm, hard boiled eggs, mushrooms, toasted pecans and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Beef Tenderloin Steaks
Poached Salmon
Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes

Ice Cream Sundae Pie

When planning the menu with the client, 7 days earlier, she did not care to have an estimate nor a tasting. And it was agreed that I'd get paid that night.
Here is a picture of the Potato Dauphinoise. The nice part about this dish is that it has to be made the day before. They are baked in the oven in a pyrex 9 x 13 dish. Then cooled and chilled in the fridge.

When you're ready to serve them, you place them on parchment paper and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

They are made with thinly sliced russets and a sweet potato.
And these were the leftovers that I trimmed that my husband and I recently had with our dinner:

I wish I had a picture of the tenderloin steaks- the flavor was so delicious- several guests came in to ask how I made it. The key ingredient was Sweet Vermouth! I wish I had more pictures from the dinner- it was so pretty.....
I kept thinking, ok, what did I learn from this....and when I shared this thought with a friend, who is very complimentary to my catering style, her response was " Jeannie, I've been trying to think about the same thing about something that happened to me, 10 years ago"!
I felt better.

Mystery Dinner Destination

2011-01-09T15:36:00.000-08:00

I usually try and do some sort of dinner party in either November or January. January is usually my 'Blues' theme. But I have done several in November over the years and I started thinking about doing one this past November- I actually started thinking about it last July when I was on the golf course with friends who were going to be invited and I casually started asking them when they would be out of town for 'parents' weekend as I didn't want a conflict and really wanted them to come.
The idea.....

I set up another gmail account and sent emails out to nearly everyone. I signed the email, 'Mystery'. I told them they were invited to a mystery destination in their zipcode. Many people ignored the email. Or, maybe it went to their spam folder? So I sent a snail mail to those who never responded. In the end, there were several that never responded. We wanted to make it feel safe for everyone so we continually added clues that would help/encourage them to respond and become enthusiastic about the evening.

You have been invited to a Mystery Destination Dinner, November 5.
We hope you are free. Please respond to ........

Mad Men theme~
For those who did respond, I had to send them an email often so they wouldn't forget. I decided to base this 'dinner party' on Mad Men. So my first email was: I'm not a blonde but it's a 'Betty Draper' kind of dinner party.

I also asked the guests to submit a clue about themselves. These are a few:

She swears like a truck driver and beats most men at golf.
Her husband thinks she’s coachable
original COKE models
placed second in her first sprint triathlon
Miss Bock Beer
She fiddles, he strums... a new vintage happily paired.

And for the attire:
“What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons.”
”You’re the most hireable man on Madison Avenue”

I told them a little bit about the service for dinner ~

'You’ve been axed' ( knife)
'When God closes a door, he opens a dress' ( spoon)
'If you had your way, I’d be stranded in some paperweight with my legs stuck up in the air' ( fork)
'She wanted me to be beautiful so I could find a man. There’s noting wrong with that. But then what? Just sit and smoke and let it go till you’re in a box? '( napkin)

Some of the guests worked very, very hard to find out who was hosting. Some thought it was a spoof. The tricky part was to get them to our house. I told them all that the last email, with directions would be coming the night before the party. They were told to drive down a certain street and look for the 'Welcome' sign. I think the directions were the most difficult part of this event.
The Menu was printed on both sides- one side used Episode titles and the reverse side of the card had the real menu

MENU- Mad Men terms~

Appies-Mad Men titles excluded
Potato Balls fried in Duck Fat
Onion Dip in a Savory Shell

First Course:
The Good News

.Second Course ~
My Old Kentucky Home

Entree~
The Public Relations
Wee Small Hours

Salad ~
Love Among the Ruins
A Small Raise

Dessert ~
The Suitcase

MENU -real terms

Potato Balls Fried in Duck Fat
Onion Dip- in a mini cup

First Course – amuse Bouche~
Fig in Pear Broth with Gorgonzola; Fois Gras

Second Course
Root Soup with Cilantro Oil

Third Course
Caesar Salad

Fourth Course
Beef Tenderloin with Bordelaise Sauce
Asparagus

Fifth Course
Pumpkin Cookies with Rum Raisin Ice Cream and salted Caramel Sauce

The menu had names for various Mad Men episodes. Name tags were given and the name tag, instead of a name, had a quote from an episode. Not everyone knew everyone else. I thought it was a good conversation starter. It was an interesting mix but I have to say they were all truly the fun, and adventurous friends I like to have surround me/us.
Entertainment
What to do if it was not going to be a fun evening? I passed out Mad Men questionnaires. There was one for women and one for men. There wasn't enough time to read the results so I told the guests there might be a sequel next year.

Ladies/chicks party

2011-01-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

My friend Mary, hosted her third January chicks' party this past Jaqnuary and she asked me to put together a menu. This is what I came up with:
I call the salad the STAFF SALAD because it gets used by so many people at various 'staff luncheons' and it has just about everything/anything in it that you want. In Mary's salad I had greens with chopped carrots, celery, red onion, cranberries, eggs, avocado, toasted pecans, hearts of palm, feta and a Balsamic Vinaigrette.
We also had Marinated Tomatoes with fresh basil and mint; Buffalo Chicken Puffs, Honey Goat Cheese Dates, Korean beef salad in lettuce cups and Mini Caramel tarts and Mini Citrus tarts.

Honey Goat Cheese Dates

Buffalo Chicken Puffs

Two puffs that didn't make the cut because they split

Korean Salad- I was going to make Korean Tacos but gals always like 'light food' so I did the lettuce cups instead

Mini Citrus tarts and Mini Caramel Tarts

I just got an email from Mary and this is what she wrote:

Jeannie,

Just to let you know, the food got rave reviews. People were still talking about it today. The chicken balls and wraps were wonderful. The salads gobbled up. The desserts all eaten this time. I think they were great choices and a good combo.

Weekly Menu

2011-01-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

Chicken Breasts with Roasted Red pepper Cream Sauce
Iceburg wedge with bacon and choice of dressing
Green Beans Almondine
MOD Special Sweet

Pork Chop and Scalloped {Potatoes
Glazed Carrots
Applesauce
Green Pepper Saute

lasagne Rolls
Root Beer Braised Short Ribs
Lettuce Cup with chopped vegetables

Slow Cooker Savory Beef Brisket
Zucchini with herbs
Hearts of palm salad with pomegranate seeds

Sloppy Joes on Texas Toast
Cauliflower with Toasted panko topping
Jello

2010 holiday pics

2011-01-03T19:57:00.001-08:00

Not too much going on this year but here are a few from this past holiday season that made it a memorable holiday!
Greek Lamb dinner, Chocolate Stout Cupcakes, Grilled Mahi, 'all smiles' family and friends, French onion Soup, Pumpkin Whoppie Pies, night bowling

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New Year's Day

2011-01-02T12:40:00.001-08:00

We spent most of the morning washing glassware and putting things away till next year. I took a break from the computer and enjoyed sitting with my husband, in our jammies ( !) and watching football games. I almost went on FB to talk about the games we were watching, but naw... My sister called us and we set up a time to visit her family later in the afternoon. When we got to their house, the NYD party was in full swing...but the girls were still in their jammies! But they looked so cute and they were very comfortable. Good for them!

And then there were some guys who just couldn't get up until....

well, cocktail time and more football!

My sister made so much food but it was such fun food to eat! She made a delicious chili ( you know there had to be some liquor in it! ) and she had all kinds of cheese dips, baked chutney rounds, a yummy ham and a chili con queso. WHERE ARE THE PICTURES? I was too busy eating!

The Bump

New Year's Eve

2011-01-02T11:26:00.000-08:00

It was just great waking up NYD without a hangover. Does this mean I'm growing up? It made it much easier to enjoy all the delicious foods I cooked up and devoured from family and friends.
This year I even got my husband to watch the Rose Bowl parade. For years, I'd be up getting more food ready for those sleepy head sons and I always encouraged them to 'come watch the parade' just s my sister and I did when we were young. But, they never were interested. My husband who watched it with me actually said how much he enjoyed watching and hearing the commentaries. It's pretty great how that all comes together. I think my favorite one was with the dogs. They were having a heyday!
While we watched the Parade, we noshed on nothing, really.
But, the night before, my sister linda and her husband, my friend Cheryl and her husband joined us for a delicious 'simple' NYE dinner with things we had in our fridges with just a few purchases.
We started our dinner with my sister's French Onion sup- it's always betta with liqua! She adds brandy and who knows what other liquor to it- but it was so delicious.

We started dinner about 8 pm and we actually timed it pretty well....we had some shrimp spring rolls and a delicious blue cheese and walnut dip which was served with apple and cucumber slices before we had the soup.
My friend supplied us with the entree: Beef kebobs and avocado filled with lobster louie- we made that up.

Next....dessert.
I made a Gran Marnier souffle. And, after the timer beeped, and I turned off the timer, I also forgot to take the souffle out of the oven! The resulting texture was similar to an angel food cake. Fortunately I had some peppermint ice cream in the freezer and covered my mistake. We all ate the flopped souffle and gobbled up the ice cream. We thought we'd try playing a gme or two but the time got away from us. We got busy posing for pictures!

And then, there was the next day......

2011 Food Trends

2010-12-29T13:30:00.000-08:00

CHICAGO — The Food Channel® (foodchannel.com) has released its Top Ten Food Trends for 2011.
For 23 years, The Food Channel has uncovered food trends ahead of the curve. “The insights are fun for consumers, and give those who make their living from food a competitive edge when it comes to what drives their consumers’ choices,” said Kay Logsdon, editor of The Food Channel.

1. The Canning Comeback – “Putting Up” is gaining popularity for both economy and health.
2. Men in Aprons – Layoffs have led to more men cooking.
3. Local Somewhere – We care about hand-tended no matter where it’s grown.
4. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – We’re tired of being told what we can eat.
5. Appetite for Food Apps – Social media is our guide and our coupon source.
6. Small is the New Big Business – Corporations are thinking like small businesses.
7. Fresh Every Day – Rooftop gardens are just part of this trend.
8. Chefs in Schools – Better flavor is possible in an institutional setting.
9. Discomfort Foods – Change makes us comfortable with more change.
10. Eating for Sex and Other Things – We are working longer, and want all the gusto.

Read the complete Top 10 Food Trends for 2011 at www.foodchannel.com.

Also look for the Top Ten Foods to Watch in 2011. They include sausage, moonshine, grits, fin fish and the latest in antioxidant-heavy fruit.
What do you think?
And from other foodies, chefs and cities~

• Pies finally usurping cupcakes.

• Small, niche restaurants specializing in one main dish or ingredient, such as the Detroit-based Sweet Lorraine's Mac N' Cheez!

• Vegetables as fried chips, such as Brussels sprouts chips and turnip chips.

• Goat belly and lamb belly, following the popularity of pork belly.

Round 2
Technomic, a food-industry consulting and research firm in Chicago, has its eye on:

• Korean tacos, stuffing Korean flavors into the ever-more-popular taco shell.

• "Frugality fatigue" leading to more indulgent menus.

• Wine lists on iPads, tableside payment systems.

On the other hand ...
Eater website, which covers the New York dining scene, says:

• The pie trend has already come and gone, and cupcakes remain "everyone's favorite cutesy treat."

• The iPad wine list trend is tapped out. Look for iPad menus to last about as long.

Round 3
The Epicurious website boldly makes these predictions:

• Look for food halls -- great markets of food commerce that are sort of like cavernous farmers markets, but with restaurants. And a good PR firm.

• Korean cuisine with a twist; think kimchi quesadillas.

• Macarons, the pastel confections of ground almonds, sugar and egg whites, will persist.

• Meatless Mondays and Tofu Thursdays -- just what they sound like.

• Tiki bar cocktails -- we're so already there, thank you, Psycho Suzi's!

• Pop-up cafes that turn up in art galleries, parks or even chefs' homes.

• Sweet potatoes in everything from French toast to stuffed pasta.

• Pimenton de La Vera, or smoked Spanish paprika, to lend a sweet heat to foods.

What Rachael says
Or actually, Liz Vaccariello, editor-in-chief of Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine, says about what's Out and In:

• Out: vacations. In: foodcations, or cooking classes in exotic locations.

• Out: junk airport food. In: gourmet airport food. Being there, doing that at MSP.

• Out: pizza only as an entree. In: pizza for breakfast, topped with eggs.

• Out: cupcakes. In: pies. Clearly, views differ. Stay tuned -- and hungry.

• Out: coconut water. In: tart cherry juice, touted for sore muscles, sleepless nights and wrinkles.

• Out: artisanal pizza. In: artisanal hot dogs.

• Out: tricked-out popcorn. In: tricked-out pretzels.

• Out: clipping coupons. In: using smart phone apps for supermarket discounts.

Local Opinion Zone
NEWS & VIEWS FROM LOCAL BLOGGERS
The Five Hottest Food Trends for 2011
TAGS: 2011 artisan dc dining ethnic five hottest food trends food jana erwin local minimal sustainable trend trends
COMMENTS (0) SHARE PRINT
By: Jana Erwin 12/21/10 7:06 PM
Food trend spotters around the nation have been trying to peg the 2011 food fashions. Every article differs on specific dishes, but it all boils down to five buzz words you need to know: ethnic, local, artisan, minimal and sustainable.

Ethnic
As Tyler Cowne says, “all food is ethnic food.” But in 2011, expect to see a wide array of foods with names you can’t pronounce and flavors that might be new to you. New York and LA have been on the bandwagon for some time, but DC is just starting to discover flavors beyond Continental, Tex-Mex, and Pan-Asian. The biggest push is going to be for tacos that are anything but Latin and also expect to see a lot of flavors from SouthEast Asia (beyond Thai!), and other Asian cuisine such as Korean BBQ and fried chicken.

IN: black rice, quinoa, red rice, sandwiches, street food carts, breakfasts (traditional with ethnic spin, and traditionally ethnic), exotic fruits such as durian, passion fruit, dragon fruit, paw paw, guava, cheeses, Iced Tea (Thai style), and lots of Korean and Vietnamese flavors.

OUT: buckwheat, panini, Mexican inspired salads, alligator, parfait, French toast/stuffed French toast, quiche, daikon, soybeans, kale, Belgian, stir fry, grappa

Local
I’m hesitant to call local a trend. It’s swiftly becoming a lifestyle and in 2011 it will pick up even more steam. We’re going to be seeing a return to “old world” shopping: visiting the butcher, the baker, the fromagerie, and all the mom-and-pop shops in between. Farmers are slated to become more popular than celebrity chefs, and you can bet that local butchers and cheese shops won’t be far behind. Expect to see more local canning wares at the farmers markets, with locally made pickles, jams, jellies, syrups, and preserves growing in popularity.
IN: locally raised meats, seafood, produce, mom and pops, neighborhood butchers, bakeries, cheese shops, locally made wine and beer, hot dogs, sausages, farmers as celebrities, locally made canned goods, farm shares and CSA (communally supported agriculture).

OUT: chain grocers, celebrity chefs, mass produced ingredients

Artisan
So what is artisan food? To be truly artisan, food must be perfected and taken to the next level, by skilled and highly focused chefs. Artisan foods tend to come in small batches, and from sources that specialize in making one form of food, but with inventive twists you won’t have seen before.

IN: unusual ice cream flavors, popsicles, specialty bacon, “sandwiches” by any other name such as banh mi, specialty small batch cheeses, sous-vide, micro-distilled liquor, cocktails made with savory, fresh ingredients, gourmet junk foods such as chips, pretzels and popcorn, pie shops (both salty and sweet), and single ingredient-focused restaurants

OUT: boar, tongue, rabbit, sweetbreads, tripe, offal, lavender, foam/froth/air, wine on tap, absinthe, wine spritzers, cupcakes, and whoopie pies

Minimal
2011 is taking portion control to a new level. The fad days of tappas and mezze may be over but we’re still into small plates, just so long as it doesn’t have a slider on it. Restaurants will be simplifying everything from their decors to the wording on the menu, and cutting out the advertising middle man as up to seventy percent of chefs and restaurants will be using social media to reach their customers. Don’t think this is about the recession: restaurants may limit their ingredients but we’re over the nostalgic cupcakes, whoopie pies and comfort food.

IN: bite size appetizers, bite sized desserts, food trucks, and pop-up restaurants with limited menus, social media for advertising, smaller portions for smaller prices

OUT: sliders, cupcakes, whoopie pies, traditional tappas and mezze

Sustainable

Years ago it was widely believed that over-fishing was impossible. But now, as more research has become available, a slow-growing movement for sustainable seafood has gained momentum. To see the latest information on which fish and seafood are farmed or caught in the most ecologically-sensitive ways, and aren’t part of endangered populations, try the Seafood Watch Program from Monterey Bay complete with iPhone app.

You will probably also see more restaurants and consumers growing their own produce and herbs, both to reduce pesticides and shipping deterioration, and to emphasize heirloom varieties that don’t grow well in bulk.

IN: focus on sustainable fish and seafood, restaurants with gardens (rooftop, backyard, community), growing your own produce and herbs for home cooking and canning, Meatless Mondays, replacing meat and seafood with vegetables

OUT: blue fin tuna, swordfish, red snapper, and Atlantic cod

Nutty Cocoa

2010-12-19T13:06:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share two fun recipes with you~ They are posted on Nesting Newbies blog~

Nutty Cocoa
Serves One

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Combine milk, cocoa powder, sugar, and peanut butter in a small saucepan; while continuously whisking bring to a simmer. Serve hot.

Honey Goat Cheese-Stuffed Medjool Dates
Yields: Approximately 10 pieces

Ingredients:
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
1 tablespoon honey
10 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced halfway through lengthwise
¼ cups walnuts, finely chopped

(1) Make a lengthwise cut in each date, remove pit, and gently pinch open to form a pocket.

(2) In a medium-size bowl, blend together goat cheese and honey. Using approximately a teaspoon of honey goat cheese at a time, shape into 10 balls.

(3) Fill each date with a honey goat cheese ball and with index finger, lightly press the ball into each date and smooth the top.

(4) Press the cheese side of each stuffed date into the chopped walnuts. Lightly tap to remove excess nuts, arrange on a platter and serve. Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.

Note: Experiment with other soft cheeses and toppings. Chef Lea often makes stuffed Medjool dates with Brie cheese and freshly chopped chives.

Mystery Dinner Destination

2010-12-18T23:13:00.001-08:00

Ny husband and I hosted a Mystery Dinner Destination. It started with a created email account. The designated guests were asked if they were free and if they were interested in participating on a given night. If they were free, weekly, sometimes bi weekly emails were sent to them. We didn't want them to forget about this event. They did not know who was hosting the party.
After they accepted, the first clue that was sent to them was: 'This is a Betty Draper style Dinner Party, and I'm not a blonde'.
Several had to google Betty Draper which was ok because that gave them a sense for the kind of party to expect. As the weeks wore on, famous lines or quotes from mad Men were sent. The quotes had to do with the dress, and eventually the menu- it was hysterical. We greatly admired our friends gutsy enthusiasm. They did not get final directions for where they were going until the night before the party. If they tried to figure out the location prior to the party, they would not know where they were going because at the last minute, just before 7 pm, we turned on an outside , illuminated 'Welcome' sign that they had to look for.

The menu:
Potato Balls fried in Duck Fat
Onion Dip in a mini cup
Prosciutto Wrapped pickles

Amuse Bouche
Fig in pear Broth with Gorgonzola, Fois Gras

Second Course
Root Soup with Cilantro Oil

Third Course
Caesar Salad

Fourth Course
Beef Tenderloin with Bordelaise Sauce
Asparagus

Fifth Course
Pumpkin Whoppie Pies with Rum Raisin ice Cream and Salted Caramel Sauce

Each place setting had a menu but this is what they lasw listed when they sat down with the real menu on the reverse side:

The Gypsy and the Hobo
Little Specks of brown
The Good News
My Old Kentucky Home
The Public Relations
Wee Small Hours
Love Among the Ruins
A Small Raise
The Suitcase

If you live in the burbs, and you want to do something more than just have friends over for dinner~
try doing a Mystery Dinner destination but you have to have some time on your hands! IT'S DOABLE!!!!
Ok, you can't do it. So, call me and I shall cater it for you!

Christmas Canon Rock

2010-12-18T21:36:00.000-08:00

I am listening to the song Christmas Canon Rock and I used it in one of my sons' videos. For this post, it's the son in the middle of the first picture. You might think, what does this have to do with food? PLENTY! He's our biggest eater. He called this morning to say hi and told us how he recently went someplace in Seoul and ate things that were moving....
Ever since I used the Christmas Canon Rock song in a video I made for him, I get very emotional each time I hear it. I remember exactly where it was used. It was a sad scene- a losing season, the captains coming together to muster enthusiasm for the next game.
I would like to dedicate this post to him.
So, I shall put into this email quotes, well, I don't have much to quote, just pics! And my best memories of him. #8

First week in December Menus

2010-12-03T21:19:00.000-08:00

Life, after Thanksgiving is calming down even though my hair is falling out in large amounts :)

A check up with my doc shows I'm doing great but I should be exercising more-something I really miss doing.

It occurred to me, why I don't have pictures of any of my weekly menus. I don't know why I don't, other than, too much all at once, and then where's my purse? I know I put the camera in there!

So, here are my 2 menus from this past week along with a picture of one of the salads I made the week before.

the top dish is a blue cheese potato tart. I used a white cheddar and a yellow cheddar ( because I was running short on cheese all of one color!
Menu #1~MENU FOR DECEMBER 7,8,9

TUESDAY
Thyme chicken and Mushrooms -
CHOPPED SALAD
Jello

WEDNESDAY
BEEF TIPS, – Melt in your Mouth Short Ribs
BLACK BEAN, RICE, CILANTRO SALAD –
Corn muffins

THURSDAY
WEST AFRICAN VEGETABLE STEW - chicken tagine
Warm fruit compote

Menu #2~

MENU FOR FHC DECEMBER 6- DECEMBER 10
MONDAY
WILD RICE STUFFED SQUASH –
BBQ BEEF RIBS
SAUTEED APPLES

TUESDAY
THYME CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS WITH LINGUINE
SCALLOPED PINEAPPLE
ROLLS
SALAD
CHOCOLATE PUDDING

SATURDAY
FIESTA LIME CHICKEN
RICE
JELLO
MARINATED TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS
I'm really trying to play catchup!

This weeks menu

2010-11-21T09:58:00.000-08:00

Coriander Crusted Steak

Grams Spaghetti

Triple Mushroom Tart

Green Apples, Celery, Walnut Salad with lemon Vinaigrette

-------

Chicken Pot Pie

Cranberry Pear Tossed Salad

Corn/sweet potato muffins
------
Turkey Tetrazzini

Waldorf Salad

------

Chicken Marsala Crock Pot

Brown Rice

Hot Buttered Corn

Cranberry Pear Tossed Salad

-----

Potato Topped Vegetable Bowl

Seared Asian Steak

Dilled Cucumbers

Healthy food

2010-11-21T09:54:00.000-08:00

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... All before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners...

God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!

God's Pharmacy! Amazing!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods. Modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them.

Figs are full ofseedsandhang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Black Friday

2010-11-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

I was reading an article on how to prepare for Black Friday. I thought that was hysterical! Probably because in recent years, I've stayed away. I just don't know what I want to shop for. But back to the article. It talked about making your list and setting you alarm clock and one of the last paragraphs was about FOOD! Substenance! And the crowds and the shoving and the energy you spend on staying focused!

Here is a quote from the article:

Black Friday Countdown: How to Prepare for the Big Day

Julie Tilsner

Pack snacks. You're going to get hungry at some point (Eating a good breakfast will help, but not indefinitely.), and you're not going to want to stop for lunch. High-protein snacks that don't need refrigeration and can fit in your purse or pocket are your best bet for Black Friday. Trail mix is a good choice, as is fruit and energy bars. Black Friday is one day you want to eat on the go.

If you're a coffee achiever, you know what to do. But remember what goes in must also come out. Do you want to interrupt the Black Friday shopping frenzy for a bathroom break?

Deep Fried Turkey

2010-11-13T08:45:00.001-08:00

While Deep Fried Turkey is one of Illinois' worst disasters when it comes to Thanksgiving fires, it continues to gain in popularity.

The reason why Illinois has one of the highest incidents is because people don't take the right steps to prevent explosions and other related disasters. They Loooove that deep fried thing but just don't do it right.

Read through these steps and heed the advice! There are several ways to prevent a Thanksgiving, deep fried turkey accident!

Get a real turkey fryer.

Don't try and use a stock pot. Don't use something that the turkey barely fits in. Don't use a hot plate. Don't put your pot on a grill. Three gallons of hot oil is nothing to fool around with, so start with the right equipment. The Bayou Classic is easy to set up, inexpensive, and sturdy.

Safety first. Make sure that your frying area is not near any structure or trees. Cook over stone, dirt, sand, or some other non-flammable surface. Keep children and pets away at all times. I use a large dog fence to cordon off the frying area. Have grease fire extinguishers handy, and above all, be careful!

Use a small bird. Using a large bird will only exacerbate the uneven cooking problem. Additionally, you run the risk of burning the skin before the center cooks through. A 10 to 12 pound bird is ideal, and should fee 8 to 10 people.

Use peanut oil. Peanut oil is one of the most highly saturated vegetable-derived oils and as such, produces crisper results. It also has a very high smoke point, which means that it's got a longer life, allowing you to reuse it multiple times before you've got to discard it.

Defrost the bird! Frozen turkey + hot oil = disaster.DISASTER!

Brine, inject, or season as desired. A brine or injections is not necessary for a juicy bird (I prefer mine without), but it's good extra insurance from overcooking can add flavor to your bird if you're into that. Either way, pat your turkey dry before frying it.

Measure your oil before you heat it. Nothing it worse than lowering a turkey into the fryer only to realize that you haven't added enough oil and the top of its sticking out. Ok, perhaps lowering it and having the oil overflow is worse. To avoid either of these problems, place your turkey into the cold fryer and add oil until the turkey is just covered. Remove your turkey, and heat the oil up to 350°F. You are now ready to cook, and have the exact right amount of oil.

Turn off the flame. If there's one safety tape to take home, let it be this one. By shutting off the flame under your pot before lowering your turkey, you can absolutely prevent your pot of oil from catching on fire—an all-too-common mishap. Shut it off, then relight it using a long match or long-tipped lighter after the turkey is safely in the pot.

Lower the bird slowly. It should take at least a minute to get your turkey into its hot oil bath (Thank the maker, this oil bath is going to feel so good!) Any faster, and you seriously risk boil overs.

Use a thermometer, not a timer. A timer is good for general guidelines, but a thermometer is the only way to guarantee that your bird is cooked to the right degree. Start checking the bird about 25 minutes into cooking. You want the coolest part of the breast to register 145°F before extracting it. Your oil temperature should be maintained at between 325 and 350°F while frying.

Let it rest.

This is absolutely essential. Cut it open immediately, and your exterior will be dry and your center undercooked. Allowing it to rest allows the temperature to equilibrate and for the juices to redistribute to make sure that every bite is relatively even in terms of moisture.

Menu for the week

2010-11-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

I really hope I don't mess things up~ I'm fortunate to have another 'private' catering gig where I provide meals for 4 nights. I was asked to do 5 but said, let's wait and see how this is going to work.

So, here are my 2 menus for the coming week:

Crockpot Fried Rice with Chicken

Warm Curried Fruit

Tossed Salad

Beef and Sweet Potato Turnovers

Lime Jello with Pineapple

tossed Salad

Pork Roast and Dumplings

Tossed Salad

Kung Pao Chicken

Asian Slaw

Tossed Salad

Soup for the week: Apple, Squash, Cheddar

( very little breads and no desserts! Should make this job easier!

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Chicken Almondine with Rice

Warm Fruit Compote

Tossed Salad

Molasses Raisin Bars

Balsamic Pork and Dumplings

Waldorf Salad

Tossed Salad

Chicken Kiev

Hot Buttered Corn

Dilled Rice

Menu for the week

2010-11-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

Baked Ziti
Sauteed Apples
Raisin Pecan Bread
Tossed Salad
Peach Strudel

Chicken Pistachio
Baked Potato
Tossed Salad
Roasted Carrots
Carrot Cake

Roast Beef
Oven Roasted Potatoes
Tossed Salad

The first menu was a hit thanks to my friend Carrie. We compared our recipes one day and she said her kids loved the ziti when it was made with pork. She's right! And I also added sausage to my ziti.

The new Schaefers

2010-10-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

To my surprise the new spirits store has a new owner and has expanded. What a treat! The deli counter has been moved. There is a private room for parties; it's called the Boundary Room.
There is a wine tasting room which isn't really different than the bigger room. You can get wine flights and dinner- dinner consists of either a cheese platter artisan platter; or create one from their pates, dips, soups and more.

In their large back room ( looks like a warehouse) you can find deeply discounted wines. If you want to try a wine, they will gladly open it for you to sample!
Every Saturday, 11 to 5 they offer free tastings in their store. You can sample wines, beers, and other potables and and tempting spreads.

I love 153's sushi!

2010-10-21T19:57:00.001-07:00

If you are near Wilmette, Illinois, please stop in for lunch or dinner to 153 Akira. I have had a birthday dinner and birthday lunch there in the last 10 days and I never tire of their menu or their presentations.
My frend Cheryl decide to base the birthday celebration on a theme: Eat, Pray, Love. The plan was to eat at 153. Then head over to the monument we always drive by: Bahai Temple. And for the loving part- back to her house to eat cake, drink wine and watch Eat, Pray Love. But, no place could the movie be found for renting nor was it On Demand. So, we watched the next best movie which I'm embarrassed to say I had NEVER seen. Julie and Julia! Both those women had great husbands in the movie. Not unlike my wonderful husband.

My friend Cheryl always manages to pull together something unique and fun with old friends and my sister!