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Fall Is Right Around The Corner…
What happened to the summer? Is that not the most common question we hear on Labor Day? Well, despite the clammy temperatures, it is coming up on the holiday season. The holidays start in September and go through to New Years. Holidays inevitably mean house guests and party planning, big and small events, October weddings (apparently, October is the new June…,) and the like. With the economy continuing to move along at a slugs pace, lots of folks are having do-it-yourself gatherings. Far be it from me, a small catering company, to say that this is a bad idea. I do all of my own entertaining, and love it (I do have some business experience, and it helps!) However, there are a few caveats that must be mentioned. You need to calculate the amount of food you’ll need. You will want to consider the time of day of the event, the dress code, the seating or lack thereof, age of participants (yes, that is not ageism, just reality,) and kind of event. Do you have the ability to provide hot food, or is room temp and cold the order of the day? Is there easy access to refrigeration? You may think, “I have a refrigerator,” however, with lots more food, space can dwindle far too quickly. Is there help with serving or is this all self-serve? If it is a more upscale event, you will need to create an environment that speaks to that. Telling guests to come dressed up, and then handing them a pig-in-a-blanket and a beer is not going to cut it! There are lots of websites where one can get great entertaining tips. Never poo-poo Martha Stewart. She may not be the best person to go to for stock advice, but that woman is spot on when it comes to etiquette and gracious entertaining! She is often my go-to expert for the right thing to do and when. I am always happy to help, so drop me a note! It’s ask Marylyn from now on!
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TAKE A DIP…
It’s a fact of life. When you are invited to a summer event (or any season for that matter,) you usually bring something to contribute to the meal. Fact is, it’s the hors d’oeuvres that challenge folks the most. For the host, making appetizers can take up a great deal of time and the “what do I make” issue affects many a host. So, why not be the one who takes a dip. The old tried and true veggie dip is still popular, but 1975 called and they want their dips back! Don’t be that person. In the words of Emeril, “bamm it up” a few knotches. Here is a few suggestion that will get you noticed and please the host to no end!
White Bean and Artichoke Dip w/Toasted Lavash
- 1 clove garlic, peeled roughly chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 cans (15.5 oz each) white beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts (packed in water, drained very well and roughly chopped)
Preparation
Place garlic and rosemary in a food processor and finely chop. Add lemon juice and blend. Add beans and artichoke hearts and puree until smooth, stopping the machine a few times to scrape down the sides. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with toasted Lavash or pita bread (not potato chips!). Dip will keep refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.When you toast pita or Lavash, first brush them with olive oil and sprinkly kosher salt and for a kick a tiny bit of smoked paprika. Place on a cookie sheet and bake till lightly browned on one side. Turn over and repeat. Keep a close eye as they tend to burn easily. Enjoy!
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Healthier Drinks With or Without…
Happy 4th of July all you cooks! While lots of folks are just hanging out enjoying their backyards this weekend(staycations,) there are many celebratory parties afoot. Like so many of us, not gaining 5 lbs enjoying ourselves these few days is high on the radar. Aside from my love of cooking, I am also a Weight Watcher leader! Yes, I know, hard to put them into the same sentence! But I am proof that one can feast and maintain. The killer thing for many is the holiday drinking. Knocking down “a few ” can really add up in calories. Like one of those mixed frosty drinks? Well, beware those mixes. They are deadly full of sugar and calories! So, what can we serve that is delicious, lighter and healthier? Here is my go-to party fave:
Freeze cleaned strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, mangoes and bananas. Use a powerful blender capable of turning ice into slush or even better a powerful handheld immersion blender. Place about two cups of the frozen fruit (mix them up or choose one or two at a time) in the blender, add ice, 100% fruit juice (no sugar added,) triple sec, freshly squeezed lime juice and tequila. Blend into a slushy, yummy consistency. Note: I have not added portions for the juice or alcohol. This is strictly up to your tastes. By using only real fruit and a minimum of fruit juice, you cut back on the calories significantly. These fruities are good without the booze, so the non-drinkers are going to have a treat and no one knows one way or the other. These are amazingly refreshing, easy to make and when served in a large margarita glass, are delightful to cool a hot afternoon. As a matter of fact, I talked myself into one. Let’s start that 4th celebration right now!!!
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Last Minute Guests, YIKES!
I remember when my husband and I had a pool, we discovered that the most important part of owning a pool was the cost of food for last-minute guests. I learned then how important it was to keep foods on hand that I could whip up in minutes for great snacks. Here are some of my favorites:
1. Toasted Lavash with toppings: Purchase multi-grain Lavash bread. Lay the flat breads on large baking sheets and brush each side with EVOO and lightly sprinkle with Kosher salt. Bake at 375 degrees till edges are lightly browned and beginning to curl. Let cool completely. Break the sheets into cracker-sized pieces.
2. Toppings: jared salsa (I love the Newman’s Lime Salsa), cheddar cheese (or other cheese on hand) with apples, grapes and/or various nuts, guacomole freezes well as a staple and defrosts easily in the microwave, packaged ranch dressing mixed with some plain yogurt and mayo makes a great quick dip. Add some frozen spinach (defrosted and squeezed of course) if it is on hand.
3. Canned crab meat is a staple and makes great salads, dips, and omlets. Also works well with phyllo and puff pastry…
4. Phyllo dough is another must-have staple. Fear not the phyllo! It really is simple to work with if you follow the package directions carefully. You can make the most wonderful things using phyllo and it will look like you worked for hours. Google simple phyllo hors d’oeuvres for countless ideas.
5. Add puff pastry to the list of staples, and do the same Google search for simple, fast and fabulous ides for delicious quickie ideas!
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Invites….
If you have not tried e-mail invites yet, do so. There are so many sites that offer creative and varied ways to invite friends for any kind of event one can imagine. While weddings would not make my list of acceptable ways to use e-vites, anything else seems fine. I like using AmericanGreetings.com. Their annual fee is quite reasonable and selection excellent. The wonderful thing about e-vites is that your guests can respond in kind. One less thing to worry about as a busy hostess and easy for the guest to remember.
Posted in Hostess With The Mostest
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Summer Is Here…
While the calendar may not support summer, the temperature does. Hot, muggy weather calls for cool, refreshing treats. If you are having a party or just want to sit outside sipping a refreshing concoction, try fresh fruit margaritas with or without the alcohol. I clean, chunk and freeze fruits such as: strawberries, mango, bananas, peaches, pineapple, blueberries, etc. Using an immersion blender (regular blender is fine, but make sure it is powerful enough to really reduce ice to slush) and any kind of real fruit juices you enjoy (I love pomegranate,) add the frozen fruit, in interesting combinations, and ice. Blend till thick enough to eat with a spoon (or as you prefer it.) If using tequila and Triple-Sec, reduce the amount of juice to accommodate the added liquid. Fill your margarita glasses with the slushy wonder and enjoy! This is an especially good choice as the drink remains cold for a long time.
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Hi Foodies:
It’s another day in paradise… to a cook that means time to be able to experiment with new cooking techniques, products and items. I just created a slow-roasted pork with a spicy dry rub, balsamic glaze, whole tomatoes and veggies. The house smells great. Good thing for me that I have a husband who loves to eat anything I prepare. To say that he is not fussy would be an understatement. While spring is around the corner, there are still many nights that a slow-cooked dinner will be met with oohs and aahs. Nothing could be easier. Either use a slow-cooker (very inexpensive to purchase) recipe or use a large cast iron oven-proof pot. It all goes in at once and comes out the same way. Inexpensive cuts of meat are perfect for braising as they need to cook slow and low to break down all that connective tissue. With everyone watching their pennies (that’s usually what I am watching,) taking advantage of those cheaper cuts and slow cooking makes great sense!
Tip: Always brown your protein choice before you place it in the cooker or pot. Browned meats/fowl taste much better and hold their juices.
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Soups, soups, soups… healthy, cheap and delicious. If you’re not making soups as comfort food this time of year, you are missing out on a fabulous chance to kick back and enjoy! Why not whip up (and I do mean whip up) a big, bold pot of chicken soup… Guaranteed to cure whatever ails you. And, judging from all of the sneezing and coughing going on, a lot is ailing folks. Here is the easiest and most basic chicken soup recipe I know of… Grandma would be proud:
Buy a big, fat whole chicken. Clean it well and cut it up. You don’t have to be a butcher to do so. Just get the basic parts separated. Place it in a pot with a whole onion halved (leave the skin on the onion as it add lots of flavor,) a couple of bay leaves, freshly ground pepper, a generous helping of kosher salt, a few stalks of celery roughly cut, a few carrots the same way and a 1/2 can of tomato paste. Cover the chicken with just enough water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook on medium until the chicken is just falling off the bone. Be sure to skin the soup frequently to remove the top layer of scum.
Remove the bird and let cool, strain the soup through some cheesecloth or a kitchen towel so that what you have is an amazing broth. Clean the meat off of the chicken bones and be sure to remove all skin. Chop the meat into some nice size chunks. Return stock to pot and place lots of cut up celery (with the greens at the ends for extra flavor,) carrots and rings of onion into the stock and cook till nearly tender. Then, add in two cut up zucchini and the chicken and season to taste. When all veggies are cooked, enjoy with shavings of some great Parmesan. If you like, you can add in some cooked small pasta. All you’ll to add then is a cozy chair and if available, a blazing fire!
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If you’re like most of us, you’re very happy that it’s all over… the holidays that is and all the overeating that goes with them! If you happen to be one of the millions who made a resolution to trim up, you are also aware of the few who actually are able to keep that resolution for more than a few weeks. Take it from a Weight Watcher leader (yes, I cater and am a WW leader) losing weight is about eating right. Dieting has nothing to do with it. Remember, the first three letters of the word are DIE! That’s no accident! Focus on what we call power foods; those are the foods that keep you satisfied and are in their most natural state…fruits, veggies and lean protein. Duh! Cook your food, don’t get it out of a can or a frozen package. The more the food is in the state that would be recognized by your great-grandmother, the better it is for you and will more effectively support your journey to a healthier life! How about having an after-holiday party, just because, with nothing but fabulous, healthy and easy to prepare hors d’oeuvres?
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