Here’s another of the recipes I made for the 90th birthday party I catered last month.
Saag is a South Asian dish of braised greens, usually served with bread or rice. This was requested by my client to be served as a side dish with vegetable curry. Saag can also be served as an appetizer, as shown above with fresh bread from Macrina bakery, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and the Lemon Tahini recipe I posted early this week. Continue reading
Posted in Appetizers, Recipes, Vegetables
Last month, I had the pleasure of catering a 90th birthday party. This was a celebration of the mother of a client I have worked with for many years, so it was wonderful to have the chance to see many members of a family I have gotten to know over the past almost-20 years.
We served vegetable curry along with numerous accoutrements. Two of those items are recipes that I would like to share with you. The first is the lemon tahini, which I served as a dip for vegetables and bread. Continue reading
Posted in Appetizers, Condiments, Recipes, Salads
Sometimes it is the simple preparations that make the biggest impression on clients and guests, especially when you highlight fresh ingredients.
Last summer, I was catering an event for a French-American school family, and my clients requested this appetizer. Ever since then, I have tried to work it into menus for other clients. Continue reading
Whether I am going out to eat, thumbing through cookbooks, or flipping through magazines, my mind is constantly on the lookout for new ideas and inspiration. In addition, many of my clients share recipes they would like me to try, and so does my mother—as I have mentioned numerous times. Continue reading
Last month we hosted our almost-annual cider-pressing party. When contemplating the menu, I considered grabbing a container of mixed nuts to serve with the assortment of olives, cheese and crackers, turkey chili, and cornbread that we had planned. Then I thought, “I can do better than that.”
I knew Martha Stewart had a variety of seasoned nut recipes in her Hors d’Oeuvres Handbook. Continue reading
Posted in Appetizers, Gluten-free, Recipes, Snack, Vegan
A few months ago, I catered an engagement party. As we were trying to come up with different menu ideas, the host asked if I had a good recipe for biscuits. Well, I do, and I’m sharing it with you here. This is from the Baking Illustrated cookbook.
I recall making these years ago to accompany a charcuterie platter with assorted mustards. For the engagement party, however, we decided to turn the biscuits into mini ham sandwiches. (See the photo near the end of this post.) Continue reading
This is a recipe my mom first tried in late March 2013. It is from the December issue of Traditional Home magazine. My mother is good at saving recipes she wants to try and—better yet—she actually tries them. Sort of. Continue reading
Posted in Appetizers, Condiments, Paleo, Recipes, Sauces & Condiments
Here is another appetizer that I came up with this past holiday season, which looks very festive on a serving platter, but is simple to make. It is also both savory and sweet.
I know I have mentioned before that I like to make my appetizers easy to eat in one or two bites. This allows guests to eat discretely while carrying on conversations. This appetizer has the added advantage of letting guests eat cheese without digging into the cheese board.
My mom is an excellent cook and is always on the lookout for new recipes and ideas. When she saw this recipe in the Kitsap Sun in January of 2011, she immediately thought of me. Knowing I like healthy food, as do most of my clients, she thought I could put this idea to good use. It took me a few months before I actually tried it, but when I did, I knew it was a keeper.
This is a versatile recipe that can be made using various vegetables and proteins. The recipe listed below is only slightly adapted from the original, but sometime soon I plan to try it with butternut squash in place of the sweet potatoes and possibly with chopped pork. Continue reading
Posted in Appetizers, Poultry, Recipes
If you’re planning a New Year’s party and want to serve some finger food for your guests to offset the champagne, here’s a deceptively easy recipe that combines creamy polenta with flavorful roasted mushrooms. Continue reading
Thyme with Sage 