Busy with a Capital "B"!

Just realized it's been over two weeks since my last blog posting.  Pitiful!  I guess I have a good enough excuse, though.....I have been super insanely BUSY!  Hmm, let's see.  Going back to the last blog posting would be the Easy Fall Entertaining Cooking Class at The Wine Cellar on Monday, October 18th. We completely sold out, with a crowd of 20 people.  There was some great food, great wine, lots of laughs, and an overall REALLY good time.  Once the Holidays settle down, we aim to be doing a Cooking Class once a week.  Stay tuned! 

My view of them...

 Their view of me...

A couple of the ladies wanted a photo with the Chef!

Next came the Cindy Hand/David Moon Wedding Reception on Saturday, October 23rd.  Yes, this was my FIRST Wedding Reception on my own!  I was blessed with a fantastic catering kitchen to work out of and everything was super organized and made my job even easier.  They had a fun, afternoon reception for about 150 people.  We served Assorted Pinwheels and Finger Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit Kabobs, a Cheese and Gourmet Cracker Display, Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard- Sweet n Sour- and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, a bountiful Vegetable Display with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, and the Groom's favorite Cheddar Sausage Balls!  They had a gorgeous 4-tiered Cake and served some yummy Lime Slushy Punch.  It was beautiful and a very sweet reception.  I couldn't have hand-picked a better reception to get my feet wet with!

The lighting in the fellowship hall was very low, so all of my photos look terrible with the flash.  

Hopefully the photographer will send me some of her professional shots!  Here are a few cruddy pictures of the food tables.

Moving on....I was honored to be the featured caterer for Jacobs Technology, Inc. 's week-long Leadership Development Conference at their Conference Center here in Huntsville.  On Tuesday, the 26th, I served 45 Gourmet Executive Boxed Lunches complete with Grilled Chicken, Bacon, and Ranch Wraps with Provolone- Lettuce- and Tomato, Roasted Vegetable Wraps with Goat Cheese- Pesto- and Balsamic, Sunchips, Granola Bars, fresh Fruit cups, condiments, Bottled Waters and Tea. 

After that, we came back a few hours later to set up for the Cocktail Social for 70 attendees.  We served Tuscan Pinwheels (Rotisserie Chicken, Italian Herbs, Sun dried Tomatoes, Parmesan Cheese, and a Pesto Cream Cheese rolled in a Tomato Basil Wrap and sliced into bite-size pinwheels), Asiago-stuffed Twice-Baked New Potatoes (stuffed with Sour Cream, Chives, and Asiago Cheese), Pork Tenderloin Sliders served with a Rosemary-Maple-Dijon Mustard Sauce, Caprese Salad Skewers (fresh Mozzarella balls, Cherry Tomatoes, slivered Basil, and Balsamic Reduction), a fresh Vegetable Tray with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, Fresh Fruit Kabobs, and Strawberry Brownie Bites with Chantilly Cream.  The employees were thrilled to have some goodies and cold beverages after a hellish day being shoved in and out of the basement due to the several tornado warnings.  It was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed the food!

We were back the next morning, Wednesday October 27th, to serve a Taco Salad Bar for 50 of the participants.  Phew, lots of cooking!  I had my sweet Mommy come up and stay with us to help with all the grocery shopping, prep work, cooking, cleaning, and setting up the different functions.  She is a Catering Assistant EXTRAORDINAIRE!  We made Authentic Taco Meat with homemade Sofrito, Adobo, and Sazon Seasoning served with Tortilla Chips, Flour Tortillas, Black Beans, Olives, Jalapenos, Salsa, diced Tomatoes, shredded Lettuce, Sour Cream, and Mexican Cheese. 

Bringing up the rear, we served the final lunch for 50 people on Thursday, October 28th.  I served a new creation- Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad with Mozzarella Pearls, halved Cherry Tomatoes, chopped Basil, and sprinkled with Balsamic Vinegar.  Yum!  I also served Grilled Pesto Chicken Breasts with a Sweet Tomato Relish, my SUPERSTAR Lemony Shrimp Scampi with Butter- Garlic- White Wine- Lemon Juice- and fresh Parsley and Cilantro, and of course, the delicious Garlic Butter Toast Points.  By the end of the lunch, people were hovered around the Garlic Bread dunking it in the leftover Scampi Butter.  It was hilarious and really makes a caterer's heart sing!  :)  I loved my time at Jacobs this week and hope to do many more functions for them in the future.

And I almost forgot, last night, Friday the 29th, I did an "Express" Catering Drop-Off for Shotsie Platt's Cocktail Party for 20 people.  She ordered my *award winning* Southwestern Pinwheels with Rotisserie Chicken- Mexican Cheese- Spices- Cilantro- and Salsa Cream Cheese,  the Asiago-stuffed Twice-Baked New Potatoes, Warm Bacon Swiss Dip in Phyllo Cups, Caprese Salad Skewers, and Strawberry Brownie Bites.  She is an absolute DELIGHT and I am looking forward to the dinner party I'll be doing for her some time in November!    All in all, I think we all earned our keep at The Chef Next Door this week, and I am sitting back enjoying this gorgeous Halloween weekend around the house.  You all need to keep me in check next time I try to take a 2+ week break from blogging!!   Until next time......

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Cheers,

The Chef Next Door