New Year’s Resolution Solved

Ah, the Holiday Season is here and the parties and food fest begins. As is part of New Year’s every year is the things we want or need to change. No surprise the number two resolution for New Year’s is getting fit or losing weight. With so many diets to choose from and even drugs or surgery it can be overwhelming to decide what is right for you. One thing most people forget is impulse buying is one major contributor to weight gain and over spending, and now research and implementation at the local grocery store has increased your chances that you will buy more than you intended at each visit.

Introducing our new concept to save time, money, and help with whatever diet plan you choose while adding variety to your meals. Meal Planning: After a client consultation we send you a weekly or monthly meal plan that includes a variety of meals including international cuisine, recipes to complete each meal, and a detailed shopping list. If you don’t have time to shop we can even do the grocery shopping for you. If you however work all the time, have not time to shop or prepare the meals we will come to you cook everything onsite and vacuum seal them and all you have to do is reheat and eat healthy fresh meals every night of the week. Therefore, your New Year’s Resolution to get fit now has been solved by shopping from a detailed list and eating healthier meals with variety so you will never be bored with the diet you have chosen.

So now that it is only a few weeks to the Big Event and the dropping of the famous ball in Time Square isn’t it time to enjoy the Holiday Season with no regrets for the coming year and then begin 2011 with the promise to take a healthier and more costly approach to eating at home.

Happy Healthy Gourmet 2011

Easy Thanksgiving Cleaning

Oh, the massive Thanksgiving feast: Many dishes and numerous people; the turkey dirtying gigantic platters; pastry and basting brushes; glasses for water and for wines; an array of utensils,. As if planning and preparing the feast weren't enough, now begins the clean-up. No wonder we do this so seldom. It helps to plan the clean up process in advance too.

Prepare Your Kitchen
Have all your left-over/storage containers ready and on hand. Try food sealer bags too as they can store flat saving valuable refrigerator space. Having a variety of containers/bags at the ready, waiting to be filled, will speed cleanup. Make sure you have some that will fit the largest sized leftovers, some for liquids and so on. Think about what dishes will end up filling leftover containers so you buy the sizes you'll need.

Make room in your refrigerator and freezer. You don't want to have to keep stopping and rearranging the items.

Cook in Advance
Anything that you can cook in advance for later reheating is the best way to save time. That way, everything you used to prepare the food will have been cleaned and put away days before the actual event. Store prepared food in containers that can also be used for reheating and, if possible, serving. Examples of food that take to advance cooking are mashed potatoes and relishes. Relishes are actually better prepared in advance, as their flavors need time to develop.

Dishes like casseroles can be prepared in advance, as well. Stop just short of popping them in the oven. Line all casserole dishes with foil before you add food to them. That way, the foil takes the brunt of the mess.

Use Shortcuts
Shortcuts might cost more, but the expense could be worth it, depending on the complexity of your feast. Bread doughs that only need be placed into the oven, turkeys that go straight from freezer to oven, high-quality prepared appetizers--using these shortcuts cuts out several cooking steps along with the dishes they would have generated.

Use Disposable Containers
Consider using disposable plates, bowls and utensils. With the many colorful seasonal plates in stock you can find the perfect ones for your feast.

Don't overlook disposable pans, especially for the turkey. Cook extra stuffing in foil, rather than in a pan you'd have to clean. Put an oven liner in the bottom of your oven, and burner liners in your stove-top burner bowls to catch splashes.

Clean as You Go
You must clean as you go. Not only will you be cleaning when you are the least tired, but your kitchen will not become increasingly difficult to work in as dishes pile up.

Let your dishwasher do most of the work, if you have one, using it for the small, numerous dishes, leaving the few big ones for hand-washing. Run the dishwasher and empty it before dinner so the dinner dishes can go straight in.

Don't forget to keep the counters clean as you go as well. With counters clean and the dishwasher open, you can work quickly and have more time to spend enjoying the rest of the family and friends.

With these easy steps you too can enjoy the holiday and be thankful that the time spent in preparation ahead of time affords you the rest and leisure you will surely deserve at the end of the day.

Holiday Event Planning 101

For many people, one of the toughest challenges when planning a party is trying to decide how much food they will need to serve. Unfortunately there is no fool-proof formula to solve this dilemma but, in the end, the answer to this question involves more art than science.
Many factors come into play when you make your plans including the length of your party, the type of food you'll be serving, the composition of men, women and children in your group, and what time of day your event is to be held.
Anticipate which food selections will be most popular and serve more of them than the general portion guidelines suggest and the more choices you offer, the smaller your calculation of individual portion size should be. Another great idea is to add "bulk" items to your menu. For a sit-down dinner have plenty of bread to fill in any hungry spots. When hosting a cocktail party, nuts, olives, pretzels, etc. provide a little extra security that you'll have enough for all but requires no extra work.
Below are basic guidelines for individual serving sizes of various foods. Multiply these estimates by your number of guests and always round up your estimates.

Portion Size Per Person

Hors D'oeuvres
· 6 bites when preceeding a meal.
· 4 - 6 bites per hour when hors d'oeuvres are the meal.
· The longer your party and the larger your guest list, the greater the number of selections you should offer.

The Main Meal
· Poultry, meat or fish - 6 ounces when you have one main dish, 8 ounces when you offer two or more main courses.
· Rice, grains - 1.5 ounces as a side dish, 2 ounces in a main dish such as risotto.
· Potatoes - 5 ounces
· Vegetables - 4 ounces
· Beans - 2 ounces as a side dish
· Pasta - 2 ounces for a side dish, 3 ounces for a first course, 4 ounces for a main dish
· Green Salad - 1 ounce undressed weight

Desserts
· 1 slice cake, tart or pastry
· 4 ounces creamy dessert such as pudding or mousse
· 5 ounces ice cream
· When serving two of the above, reduce each by a little less than half.

A Few Other Menu Planning Tips
· Don't repeat a main ingredient. For example, don't serve a shrimp appetizer and shrimp main dish.
· Consider the colors of the food that will be served together and make sure there is variety.
· Offer both hot and cold foods on a buffet.
· Mix textures such as a crisp potato’s served with a soft vegetable as side dishes.

So you want to be a chef?

Do your friends and family compliment you on all of your creative dishes? Do people around you tell you that you should become a chef? Do you spend a lot of time in front of the TV watching the Food Network? When your co-workers ask you to make your famous meatballs for the holiday party, do you jump at the chance? So you want to be a chef? If you answered “yes” to that last question, read on. You need to understand what a career in the hot kitchen is really like.

Becoming a chef is not always fun and games. Thanks to the Food Network’s popularity we have so many inquiries on what it takes to be a chef. Well, it’s not as easy, financially rewarding, and as glamorous as TV makes it out to be. Before you invest in an expensive education ($50,000+) at a top culinary arts school, you should learn more about the requirements and process involved to become a chef.

You are In the Spotlight

A career as a chef should be one of passion. You should get a sense of joy when people smile as they take that first bite of your food. You should relish the moment when a waiter or waitress tells you how much a customer enjoyed their meal. You should feel a sense of pride when you flip through your local food magazine and see a restaurant review that features one of your creative dishes

But if you are in it for the money, guess again. You will be spending between 60 and 80 hours a week and almost every holiday in the kitchen, and making on average less than $75,000 a year. And forget about those weekend’s off. Many new chefs abandon their careers because they cannot cope with these demands and spending so much time away from family and friends..

A Career of Passion and Sacrifice

What is better in life than being able to work at a career that you truly love? If you want to be a chef, you have to love what you do. You have to truly enjoy cooking, if not, those long hours in the restaurant kitchens are going to seem like days.

Being a chef is a difficult job. You are standing on your feet for hours every day. There is no time to sit and rest, it’s too busy for that. You will develop all sorts of new aches and pains. And forget about those sick days. Unless you have something that can be spread through food, or are in the hospital, expect to work. Parts of being a chef are the burns and cuts you will get in the kitchen. Consider these your badges of honor. Lastly, be prepared to sweat. You will constantly be working over an open flame and reaching into hot ovens.

You have to Love It

While you more than likely won’t become the next Emeril, the food industry is a busy world and is always in need of good chefs that love what they do and are willing to go the extra mile to prove it. Make that your number one goal above all things. So after all of the Pros and Cons, if you still want to pursue a culinary career then take the next steps and go take some culinary classes, volunteer to work for free at a local food service company, shadow a chef you know, and after you have gotten your taste of the kitchen environment then find a culinary school within your budget and learn everything you can. And remember, culinary school is only the start. Don’t expect to get a job as a top chef at some prestigious restaurant the moment you graduate. You will still have to work your way up like everyone else.

Where is my money going?

Have you wondered where your money is going for meals? Well recently we took a survey and noted that more people due to the economy have been eating out more than grocery shopping and cooking at home. The time consumption and the thought of what’s for dinner are too taxing for many. It is so much easier to stop through a drive thru window, place an order, and take it home. Now the real question is what are you spending? Take a real hard look at your receipts or bank statement and figure out what you are spending. Also if you do drop off quickly to the local market what are you spending on impulse buying items because it is on sale, at the checkout, or you are hungry when you shop? Okay, here is the part that will shock you and save you; go through your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer and take a real hard look at items that are there that you have forgotten, out of date, pushed to the back and covered by something else, and you can find a gold mine of items that can make several meals you don’t have to buy and get rid of items that can make your family ill.
Our survey showed that on average families of 2-3 were spending $15-$20 per meal at fast food locations and yes many have said they are eating the low fat items which cost more. With the unfortunate closing of many restaurants there is a plethora of chefs that are unemployed and skilled in helping you save time, money, prepare fresh meals, and even teach you secrets of meal planning. Imagine the quality, the taste, and the freshness that your favorite restaurants were famous for now in your kitchen!
Our company has embarked on helping busy families by providing meals prepared in your home by our chef from weekly to monthly with part being fresh and frozen and costing as little as $24 per serving which based on the above survey is only $4 more or four extra dollars for saving you hours of preparation. If on the other hand you have time to cook, then our new Meal Planning with an International Flair is a great culinary class to teach you how to plan your meals everyday so you again save time and money on those grocery trips with the extra of including International meals to your weekly menus.
Finally, the question what’s for dinner has been solved under budget, less time consumption, and fresh with many options. So where is your money going?

Making a Difference

Several months ago I watched Jamie Oliver’s Food Nation and was shocked to see what our children were being served at school. Since then I have been trying to find away to help fight childhood obesity. Our company has always offered culinary classes for children and recently upon completing a class with 7 years old did we notice that children had very little knowledge of various vegetables, food labels, and stated their favorite food was chicken nuggets and pizza. As work hours have increased, demand on both parents to have to work, nutrition needs taken a back seat to home cooked meals it is inevitable that this habit will be picked up by our children and thus continue the wave of childhood obesity not only today but also in future generations.
Now is the time to stop this chain of events before it is too late! Check with your local school and see what your kids are eating and drinking, make homemade healthy meals and freeze for easy reheating, get the kids off the couch or chair and away from the computer and get them outside in the fresh air, schedule weekends of fun outdoor activities from walking, swimming, playing athletic games, or even just walking around the neighborhood.
Part of our responsibility as a company is to do our part so we have joined with the 100 Mile Club (http://www.100mileclub.com) a great organization that is a physical fitness and life skills project for all individuals based on the goal of running (or walking) 100 miles at school or work during a single school year. Obesity starts at a young age but also afflicts older persons too. We also are helping by sponsoring the 25 mile station for the first ever 100 mile Ultra marathon that will start in Corona, CA and end 30 hours later in Santa Monica, CA. All funds raised will be donated to the 100 Mile Club if you would like to donate to stop childhood obesity click here (http://www.active.com/donate/plumstation25).
If we all do just one thing to curb this epidemic we can ensure a healthy future generation.

Local Charities and Business

Today more than ever local charities are hurting for donations, sponsorships, and money. So as a business owner which charities, if any do I want to put my hard earned dollars toward. This question approaches every year and the answer can be a difficult task, especially in a down turned economy. Here then is my new economical solution. First, if you have placed in your yearly budget a donation amount then use those funds to help local charities that benefit your immediate community they need the funds the most. Second, if you have the time volunteer to help local charities for giving of oneself is the most selfless act a person can give. Third, connect with other businesses and create a pool of giving either monetary, product or services. Lastly, if you offer a service that can be donated and someone can utilize at a later date via gift certificate or gift card then hook up with a local charity fundraising event and offer a door prize or auction item. This later giving offers your business two opportunities, one you are helping your community need and two you are expanding the awareness of your business to your community so it is a win-win relationship. Now here is the most important part of a business giving; only give what you can and understand it is okay to say no this time around when finances get better you can expand your giving, but now is the time to stay in business so you can provide the local charities more in the future.
We all inherently want to give it is our human nature to help others in need. So the next time a charity contacts you ask yourself does this help my local community, does it satisfy the need that I am passionate about to help fight, and do I have the time and resources to help without jeopardizing my business, and finally as a business does it highlight my company to my local community as a partner and contributor.

"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." -- Winston Churchill

Catering and the New Economy

As the new economy impacts all industries it, opens opportunities for new ways of doing business. We recently began restructuring of our company to accommodate this new environment. As usually, in our industry, these changes seem to start on the east coast of the United States and moves to the west coast.
When you catered an event in the old economy, you used a local caterer to plan and create the menu, prepare the food and provide the equipment rentals, servers and bartenders. Then, on the day of the event, the caterer arrived and set up and facilitated the entire event.
With the new economy, budgets have tightened, elaborate affairs have dwindled, and self service catering has expanded. Now begins the new era of Personal Chef Service Catering (based on Technomic, Inc. a food research company) where the client hires a quality chef to come to either the home or a commercial kitchen, prepare the entire meal, place it in the client supplied chafing dishes or platters, clean the kitchen and leave. The value of this service is lower cost to the client, less over head to the catering service, and a more personal touch to each event. If, however, the client doesn’t have the necessary equipment or contacts, the Personal Chef Service can provide referrals to business partners to complete the event.
Things to consider for this service are the size of the kitchen facility including cold storage and prep area, the number of attendee’s at the event, and the needed time to prepare entire meal which can affect the cost of renting a location.
So if you are looking for a more economical personal approach to catering then this service is perfect for you. As the new economy takes hold in our country, there will be more economical choices for consumers and unique opportunities for businesses.

Ingredients In Your Grocery Store

Turbinado Sugar: Use this coarse sugar on pastries and baked goods to make them sparkle.
Sriracha Hot Sauce: Tangy red chili sauce adds spice to stir fries, brothy soups, and mayonnaise.
Pomegranate Juice: Spike a cocktail with it, or reduce the juice with some sugar for a sweet tart glaze for chicken or pork.
Capers: Salty savory flavor you can add to chicken sautés, pastas, or tuna salads.
Anise Seeds: Sweet licorice flavor you can add to pork and chicken or baked with shortbreads, biscotti, and fruitcakes.
Quinoa: Simmer in water and this super-grain cooks up fluffy with slightly nutty flavor. Quinoa is a great source of vegetarian protein. Try it in place of rice or couscous.
Broccolini: A hybrid of broccoli. The stalk does not require cutting or peeling and the entire stem is edible.
Flavored Water: Spike with sliced lemons, ginger, and cucumbers. Try it with seltzer and pure fruit juice for a naturally sweet soda.

Next time you’re in your local food store take the time to look at all the new items arriving to help create gourmet options to today’s menus.

Bon appe’tit

Read Your Label and Add Twenty

So 2010 has officially arrived and your New Year’s resolutions have begun, and just when you thought everything was going to be perfect; Wham! Shock! and Surprise! There are hidden secrets that are hindering your progress. What am I talking about? Dieting the biggest resolution everyone decides on every year has a few bumps and tricks to be careful of to succeed.
The other night I was watching late night national news and they were covering a story on the nutritional label we all see on every product at the store. I know that the serving size is of such a small print and no one really reads it which is bad especially if you are dieting, but to find out that the labels on each product are a sampling was a huge shock!
Here is the truth based on the news cast. Each product nutritional label is only a sample of all the products the manufacturer makes. Example: Lean Cuisine makes a lot of low fat frozen food items you simply heat and eat; well the company is only required to do a test on only five of their products each year to get the nutritional label numbers. So what does this mean? The product you pick up may not be the product they tested for that label which if you are dieting or watching your fat consumption or calories then this label you trust to help you achieve your goals may be false. What a shock to hear this as we have all learned to read the labels for these items and trust them.
So my New Year’s resolution is to read the labels and add 20% so I can be closer to the truth and double read the serving size and stick with that number.
Being an informed consumer will help you get closer to your long term goals. Best wishes on your New Year’s resolutions and may you always succeed.