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

NEW! Cooking Classes at The Wine Cellar

For those sporadic callers who inquire about my cooking classes, only to be disappointed when I say that they take place IN YOUR HOME, I am now doing weekly cooking classes at local venue, The Wine Cellar on Whitesburg Drive!  I have enough people who call me saying they just want something fun to do to get out of the house or get away from the kids that I figured I need to find a way to host some cooking classes somewhere around town.  Well lucky me, Will and Rhonda of The Wine Cellar actually asked ME if I would be interested in hosting cooking classes at their shop.  ARE YOU KIDDING???  I don't think I've ever said a more enthusiastic, "Yes!"  So, after a few weeks of planning and discussing, the first official The Chef Next Door- The Wine Cellar Cooking Class is this coming Monday night, October 18th, from 7:00-8:00pm.

Here is the informational flyer for the first class:

(click to enlarge for the fine print)

I hope some of you can come out and enjoy the fun!!  Seats are very limited- we are only allowing 15 people- so we can maintain a very intimate and comfortable atmosphere.  Look for more classes to come from The Chef Next Door!

Cheers,

The Chef Next Door

"No Pain, No Gain"

became the motto of last night's "Knife Skills" Cooking Class with Trent Clinton.  Not 5 minutes had gone by into fabricating the carrots before we were rushing for the BandAids, quickly wrapping his thumb, and shoving his left hand into a latex glove. Like a true champion, Trent went right back to the chopping while Chef Margaret had to step away and take a few deep breaths to keep the unconsciousness from taking over.  You see, although I have chosen a profession where 3rd-degree burns, raised scars, and a plethora of BandAids on arms and hands are the norm, I get absolutely squeamish at the mere sight of blood.  Ok, "squeamish" was a stretch........try this.........if I cut myself to the point where the blood doesn't stop with a dab from a paper towel.....I will most likely *FAINT* to the floor.  It's been done more than a few times, and at the very least, my ears will start to ring- my eyes will get blurry-  and I will need to sit down with my head between my knees and have a swig of cold water.  I know, I know....it's like a pilot being afraid of heights or a cowboy being afraid of horses.   It just doesn't make sense.  But it is what it is- and it forces me to be extra, super-duper careful when I'm doing some intense knife-work.  I'm lucky that I no longer have to work in a fast-paced restaurant kitchen where quick chopping is a necessity- because I tend to stick to the "slow and steady wins the race" slogan nowadays.  I blame my bum wrist or claim that precision is more important than speed........but the truth is, I'm just scared to death to cut myself.

Once we mopped up the puddle of blood and re-attached the tip of Trent's thumb (exaggerating, of course), we managed to have a very fun and successful evening.  It is amazing to watch somebody improve right before your eyes.  We started at 6:00pm and by 8:00pm, Trent was Fine Brunoise-ing like it was a walk in the park.  We went through all the basic cuts (Large Dice, Medium Dice, Small Dice, Brunoise, Fine Brunoise, Paysanne, Battonet, Julienne, and Fine Julienne) and even had time leftover to make a delicious Mango Salsa (featured in previous posting titled: Copycat!) and a Sweet Tomato Bruschetta topping for Crostini, Fish, or Chicken.  Trent raised his eyebrow over the addition of Splenda to the Tomato Bruschetta, but was quickly made a believer by the utter simplicity and deliciousness.    All in all, it was a great class and Trent seemed to get a lot out of it- which is the most important part, naturally!  I only wish he didn't have to lose any blood in the process, but as he said, "No Pain, No Gain!" right?

Here are some photos from our class:

Working on the *hardest cut (the Fine Brunoise) 

on the *hardest vegetable (the carrot)

The perfect Fine Brunoise.  

(Yellow is the model, Orange is the carrot)

The perfect Brunoise.

The perfect Small Dice.

All the completed cuts.  Nice job, Trent!!

Near-perfect Knife Cuts.

Doing a quick review with a much easier veggie- the Zucchini!

Chef Margaret's demo cuts.

The uber-delicious Sweet Tomato Bruschetta.

Be on the look out for upcoming The Chef Next Door Cooking Classes at The Wine Cellar on Whitesburg!!  Rolling out the first class on Monday, October 18th @ 7:00pm.  More on that later.  TFIG!

Cheers,

The Chef Next door

Sorry to depress everybody...

....but it really is getting to be about the time to start thinking about CHRISTMAS!!  Where did this year go?!?

For my viewers in and around Huntsville: Have you thought about what you might want to get your neice who is getting married next year? Your son who foams at the mouth while watching Top Chef? Your mother who has loved to cook and entertain her entire life? Your husband who tends to overcook his steaks? Your wife whose recipe repertoire consists of nothing but casseroles?  Your best friend who loves to bake?  Your daughter who you can't tear away from her Playschool Kitchen? Your friend and coworker who lives off Lean Cuisine? Your dedicated employees who walk around like zombies with their brown-bag lunches? Your sister who always spear-heads the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners?

Here's an idea, in case you are clueless as to what to give those special individuals in your life:

The Chef Next Door 

Gift Certificates!!!

 You can purchase a gift certificate for just about anything you want:  Cooking Classes, Kid's Cooking Classes, Boxed Lunches, Pre-Made Meals, a 50-person Cocktail Party, you name it- we can do it.  And the best part is?  You can pick a price, send away the gift certificate, and let the recipient pick out what they want!  You could purchase a 6-week Series of Cooking Classes for your wife and let her custom-design her classes one-on-one with me.  You could purchase 10 Pre-Made Meals as a gift for your super-busy Sister-in-Law, and let her design the meals specifically for her family.  You can purchase a gift certificate for a Bridal Shower that your neighbor is hosting in the Spring, and let her pick the menu.  Seriously, the sky is the limit, and you won't find this kind of flexibility ANYWHERE else. 

Check out my website at here  (NOT www.thechefnextdoor.com- somebody beat me to it. )  to view the various services that I offer and see if any of them strike your fancy! If there's something that you're interested in and you don't see it listed- just ask me about it. :)   If it's food-related, I'll probably be able to do it!   Have a great week, everybody.  Hope I didn't get you down too badly with the newsflash that Christmas is right around the corner.  

Cheers,

The Chef Next Door

Where's the Beef?

In The Chef Next Door's refrigerator, that's where!  If you could have seen the bottom rack of the fridge yesterday, you might have thought I have been on a "no beef" diet for the past 24 years of my life and yesterday was my first day OFF that diet.  Here's what all I was hoarding in there:

• 4 pounds of 90/10 Ground Sirloin
• 1 pound of Tri-Tip Beef Tips
• 2 pounds of Chuck Beef Cubes
• 2 Top Sirloin Fillets

Might not seem like THAT much, but to go from hardly any beef at all ever to all of that...it was quite a sight.

We had a really great week over here at TCND, and had the chance to make some deeelish pre-made dinners for my clients- most of which included Beef, hence the over abundance of Bovine in the refrigerator.  Taylor giggled like a school girl when I announced it was officially fall, and had the first order of "Hearty Tri-Tip Chili" come in.  He spent the autumn months last year honing and perfecting his recipe, and man oh man, he's got it down! I served his beautiful Chili with Sour Cream, Corn Chips, and Cilantro on the side (the daughter is not partial to cheese- lucky girl!!) and sent it on its merry way with a pan of Mexican Cornbread.

Here is a bit of commentary from the recipient and her 12-year-old daughter:

"BTW, Anna and I LOVED the Chili and Cornbread! Anna has never eaten two bowls of chili at one time in her life, but before I could finish, she was asking if we had more! We'll definitely be ordering that again!"
                  - Dawn Mercer

Way to go, T. :)

Another client ordered Authentic Ground Beef Tacos (I can call it "Authentic" because I was taught by a real live Latina and use real live Mexican ingredients- NOT taco seasoning packets- tee hee) as well as...........*sighs happily*..........Beef Bourguignon. Don't you hate it when there's just enough left-over to serve two hungry people?? Taylor and I were eating good last night.

 And last but not least, I performed a Healthy Cooking Demonstration for WestWind Technologies this morning, and had the participants assemble their own mini-Sirloin Kabobs with an assortment of vegetables.  Thanks to my lovely Sanyo Smoke-Free Indoor Grill, we grilled them up right there in the conference room....directly underneath the smoke detector.  The grill does what it says it will- or I guess I should say, it DOESN'T do what it says it WON'T do- smoke!  Most other Healthy Cooking Demos involve the participants sitting in their chairs, anxiously awaiting me to serve them their samples while dishing out some cooking tips.  But today, I gave out some food-safe Latex gloves,  put them to work, let them skewer their own Kabobs however they liked, then grilled them up and gave them back out.

Here's the "Mini-Kabob Assembly Line" complete with marinated Top-Sirloin cubes,  Vidalia Onions, 

Bell Peppers, Zucchini, Mushrooms, Squash, and Cherry Tomatoes.

It was a boat load of fun, and the employees really enjoyed themselves- they even stayed 30 minutes late to have round 2 of Kabobs. 

Now that the week is coming to a close and the refrigerator is back to Beef-less....I guess we're having chicken for dinner.  Until next time!

Cheers,

The Chef Next Door

Healthy Cooking Demonstration at GE's Annual Health Fair

Today, I have the pleasure of participating in General Electric's Annual Health Fair by setting up a Healthy Cooking Demonstration booth for some of their 1,200 employees.  Here are the recipes for the dishes I will be preparing at the 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 demos.  Enjoy!

(Click to enlarge and print the recipe!)

(Click to enlarge and print the recipe!)

(Click to enlarge and print the recipe!)

 

These are three of my healthiest, most popular, and most delicious recipes that I share as often as I can with anybody who will listen.  I hope some of you will give these a try and share these recipes with your friends and family!

Cheers,

The Chef Next Door

Itza Pizza Party

Sorry to all my previous adult cooking class students...but cooking with kids is SO MUCH MORE FUN!  Ha ha, totally kidding.  It's like trying to compare Coke and Sprite- two totally different things.  But in all seriousness, last Monday, I did a "Kid's Cooking Class" with Foster and Kaitlyn Clark, and had some of the most fun I've ever had in a Chef jacket!  Kaitlyn is 6 and Foster is 11 and they are both too cute for their own good.  :)  I taught their mommy, Traci, a "Southern Cookin'" class the week before (we made classic Chicken Pot Pie, Cheesy Corn Bread, and Mixed Berry Angel Food Trifle) and she decided she really wanted to let her kids in on the action. 

Together, the 3 of us made Stromboli Pinwheels as appetizers, two big "Family Pizzas", and of course, a Sugar Cookie Dessert Pizza with Chocolate Ganache "pizza sauce", White Chocolate "shredded cheese", and Strawberries as "pepperoni".  They were such great little chefs and such a joy to play with in the kitchen.  Kaitlyn even got to christen my new pink apron that my sweet cousin, Alee, gave to me as a gift. 

Here are some photos from our "Pizza Party" class!

Thanks for the pictures, Traci!  If there are some special little ones in your life who might enjoy cooking dinner for the family, give me a call and we'll get cooking!

Cheers,

The Chef Next Door

Keeping up with the OTHER latest trend: SOCIAL NETWORKING!

Ok, so it only took me 6 months to get on board.....but The Chef Next Door is officially on Facebook and Twitter.  Click the links on the sidebar to become a Fan on Facebook or Follow me on Twitter!  (Is that what you're supposed to say????)   Hope to see you there soon!

Cheers,

The Chef Next Door

Keeping up with the latest trend: HEALTHY EATING!

Ok, let's be honest here....is there really anybody out there who is NOT currently either A) Trying to lose weight, B) Trying to get back in shape, C) Trying to maintain a healthy weight, or D) All of the above?  I promise you, out of every cooking class I've taught or every pre-made meal I've prepared, about 85% of them have been geared towards "Healthy Eating."  I teach Healthy Cooking Demonstrations at WestWind Technologies every other Thursday.  I am doing a 5-hour Healthy Cooking Demo for General Electrics in Decatur this week.  Most of my pre-made meal clients demand healthy, low-cal meals.  People nowadays are really opening their eyes to eating better in general, and as a food-service provider, I have to keep up. 

Here are a few painless ways to EAT BETTER:

1- Switch up your "fats".

Ditch the butter and reach for the Olive Oil.  In lots of cases, melted butter is just a means to cook a dish and prevent it from sticking to the pan and drying out.  An easy fix is to substitute some form of Olive Oil in its place and save yourself a boat load of calories, while gaining tons of Vitamins and micronutrients.  If you really want the flavor of butter in your dish, use only 1 Tablespoon and supplement the rest with Olive Oil.  Here is a great article about all the many benefits of using Olive Oil.

2- Befriend your spice cabinet.

You heard me.  Spices are an IDIOT-PROOF way to add exponential amounts of flavor without adding fat or calories.  Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning, Cajun Seasoning, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Salt, Onion Powder, Curry Powder, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cayenne Pepper, Seasoned Pepper, Lemon Pepper, OH MY GOODNESS there are so many delicious ways to flavor a dish without using sour cream or cheese.  Sure, sodium is something to be conscious of that is often hitching a ride along in the spice jars, so try to pick spice mixes which do not have Salt listed in the first 5 ingredients. 

3- Use Acid.

No pun intended. :)  Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, and Orange Juice add tons of flavor to chicken, seafood, lamb, salads, salsas, and so forth without adding a lot of fat or calories.  Marinate your next chicken breast in Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning, fresh Garlic, chopped Rosemary, and the juice of a Lemon (for no longer than 30 minutes) then throw it on the grill.  Your taste buds will jump for joy, and so will your waistline.  Squeeze a lime over a piece of grilled or baked fish, or marinate a steak in Orange Juice and Steak Seasoning for a bright new flavor.  Eating healthy doesn't mean eating BLAND!

4- Keep the Vampires Away.

USE FRESH GARLIC.  I've said it before, and I'm saying it again.  Stop using the jarred stuff from the grocery store and grab a fresh bulb.  10 seconds more of work to peel the skin and mince or press the garlic is well worth the incredible aromatic flavor that fresh garlic infuses into any dish.  Saute diced onion and garlic in Olive Oil, toss in a handful of fresh Spinach, season with Salt, Pepper, and a pinch of crushed Red Pepper flakes, and Voila!  Yummy, super healthy side dish.

5- Buy or grow your own Herbs.

There is absolutely nothing in the world like fresh Herbs.  I'm talking about Cilantro, Parsley, Basil, Rosemary, Dill, Tarragon, Mint, Chives, Thyme, Sage, etc.  They are dirt cheap at the grocery store and add oh-so-much freshness and flavor to just about anything.  Saute one Shallot and 4 cloves of fresh garlic in Olive Oil until it begins to smell very aromatic.  Toss in 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp.  Once the shrimp begin to turn pink, add in the juice of a lemon and about 1/4 cup of White Wine.  Saute until the shrimp are completely pink, then sprinkle in a handful of chopped Parsley and chopped Cilantro.  Toss with cooked Whole Wheat Pasta and serve.  Life-changing.

6- Use your grill once in a while. 

I know "grilled chicken" is the cliche for cardboard, tasteless, diet-food...but have you really tried it?  Marinate any piece of chicken, fish, steak, or pork and throw it on a screaming hot grill.  Once it is cooked through, remove it to a plate and cover tightly with aluminum foil and let it REST to retain its juices.  Once you and your grill get to know each other better, your "diet-food" will start to taste like Heaven.  Whether it's a charcoal grill, propane grill, infrared grill, or just a plug-in countertop grill....the black char that you get from throwing your food on a red-hot grill adds tons of flavor and produces foods with an incredible juicy texture.  Instead of boiling your asparagus to death, marinate it in Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper and grill it until tender.  The same works for Zucchini, Squash, Peppers, Tomatoes, Eggplant, and on and on and on. 

7- Go Whole Wheat!

It's kind of like Diet Soda...once you get used to it, you'll never go back.  Switch to Whole Wheat or Whole Grain whenever possible......sandwich bread, pasta, rice, crackers, bagels, etc.   Not only are Whole Grains a healthier alternative to White Grains, they are even known to prevent certain kinds of cancers.  Here is a great article about all the amazing health benefits of Whole Grains.

8- Slow it down a bit.

Want to know why people overseas are so much thinner than us?  Because they eat SLOWLY.   What am I talking about?   What does eating slow have to do with anything?  It takes roughly 20 minutes for our stomach to signal our brain that it is full.  This is why often times you end up feeling so incredibly full that you could burst after a meal, and you aren't even really sure how it got to that point.  Try this:  After every bite of food, put your fork/knife/spoon down.  Take a long, slow swig of water/wine/tea/whatever you are drinking with your meal.  Start a conversation with whomever you are dining with (or just talk to yourself or your pet if you are dining alone) and then resume eating.  If you take this brief pause between every bite you put in your mouth, it is a proven fact that you will eat less, because eating slower gives your stomach time to get the "I'M FULL!" message to your brain. 

9- Discover other ways to eat your fruit.

It's a sad fact that most of us don't get anywhere near the daily recommended serving of fruit that we should.  I'm guilty as charged, because quite frankly, I think fruit is kind of boring.  But there are other ways to eat fruit besides just in a lonely little bowl.  Cut up fresh Watermelon, toss it together with Spring Mix, Red Onions, and a sprinkle of crumbled Goat Cheese.  Drizzle with Balsamic Reduction or your favorite fruity Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Yum!  Or mix a Tablespoon of Caesar Dressing with 1/4 cup of Orange Juice, drizzle over a salad of chopped Romaine lettuce, mandarin orange wedges, cherry tomatoes, and shredded Parmesan cheese.  Dice 2 ripe mangos and mix with chopped Cilantro, a sprinkle of Cumin, diced Red Onion and Red Bell Pepper, and the juice of a Lime- serve over any grilled protein. Do I really need to get into all the health benefits of eating fresh fruit?

10- Have some soup.

No matter what kind it is, soup is very filling.  You can make a delicious soup with just about any vegetable, a bit of olive oil, chicken or vegetable broth, and a little bit of seasoning.  Tomato Basil, roasted Butternut Squash, Wild Mushroom, Asparagus, Spinach, roasted Leeks, etc.  If you see some vegetables at the store that are just crying out to you, go home and "google" __fill-in-the-blank__ Soup and I'm positive there is a delicious recipe out there that is easy and healthy.  Or....just ask The Chef Next Door!

Give any or all of these tips a try, and hopefully you will notice a significant change in the way you look and feel!  Happy cooking/eating.

Cheers,

The Chef Next Door