The Resolution List

Did you know that 97% of New Year’s Resolutions are never fulfilled? Make this your year to achieve those changes and let Dinner On The Go help you succeed!

Listed below are some of the most common resolutions and ideas about how we can help you to succeed…

1.     Learn something new

Learn how to cook!  Whether you need to know some basics for weeknight dinners or you want to fancy it up a bit with some party food, cooking classes are available for individuals and small groups.

2.     Lose weight/get fit

Ahhh…we’ve all said this one before!  What will make this year different?  Let us help you plan healthy menus, eat more fruit & veggies, and watch portion control.  Additionally, you will have more time for exercise because you will spend less time planning menus, grocery shopping, and cooking.

3.     Spend more time with family & friends

Reduce the stress of entertaining at home and spend more time with your guests!  Simply hire us for your next party or family gathering. If you want to provide a unique experience for your guests, ask about our demonstration dinner party or tapas style party. 

Keep the kids at home: host an elegant pre-prom dinner at your home, invite the little ones to a cookie-decorating birthday party, or invite us to help throw a slumber party.

4.     Manage stress

Work, family, friends, time, finances, school, planning, exercise, errands…there are plenty of sources of stress all around us.  We can help to relieve your stress and add time your schedule by taking care of your grocery shopping, menu planning and cooking.

5.     Make good money decisions

Do you have browning vegetables or graying meat in your refrigerator because you didn’t have time to cook it?  Stop throwing away money on wasted food and set a monthly food budget that includes our homemade meals.

An average family of four spends approximately $1,000 each month to eat at home (Source: USDA).  Get control of your budget with our family-style meal package!

6.     Go green

Americans waste more than 40% of the food we produce for consumption. (Source: www.wastedfood.com)  Skip the drive-thru food wrappers, the convenience-food packaging, and the wasted ingredients.

Warm Up with White Chicken Chili

My friend Sarah shared a version of this recipe with me several years ago.  Since then, it's been my go-to White Chicken Chili recipe for home and for my clients.  I like to serve it with some warm corn muffins that have jalapenos, cheddar, or corn kernels baked in them. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it warms you up on these cold winter days!

White Chicken Chili

2 lbs chicken breasts
salt & pepper, to taste
1 stick butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c flour
2 c chicken broth
3 cups milk
2 t Tabasco
2 4oz cans mild green chiles, drained & chopped
4 t chili powder
2 t ground cumin
1/2 c sour cream
1 cup monterey jack cheese

Season chicken with salt and pepper; bake in oven until cooked through.  Cut into bite-size pieces and set aside.

In a soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook until soft.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.  Reduce heat to medium and add flour.  Stir to combine and cook for another 2 minutes.  Gradually add broth and milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Stir in all seasonings, chicken, beans, and chiles.  Continue to simmer for 20 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.  Stir in cheese and sour cream prior to serving.

Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

The snow is starting to fall again and the temperatures are quite cold, so I am cooking up some warm comfort food this week.  I've been wanting to make some cabbage rolls for a few years, but never really got around to it because I'm certain they won't taste as good as Nana's. 

Tonight I am trying a slow cooker version today.  And while this isn't a "dump it in and turn it on" kind of recipe, I love that I don't have to rush around at the dinner hour. In fact, I am going to squeeze in some Christmas shopping before dinner tonight, then come home to a warm, home cooked meal with my family. 

Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls
6 large cabbage leaves
1 cup rice
1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 t black pepper
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
28 oz can crushed tomatoes

The night before:
Fill a pot 1/2 full of water, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil.  Once the water boils, turn off the heat, drop the cabbage leaves in the pot, and cover with a lid.  Allow the cabbage to steam and soften for about 5-7 minutes.  Remove leaves from the water, place them in a container to cool, and store in the refrigerator overnight.

Meanwhile, cook 1 cup brown rice in 2 cups water, following package directions.

Mix together the rice and seasonings in a bowl, cool, and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning:
Mix together the rice and beef and divide evenly among the cabbage leaves.  Roll each leaf around the mixture like a burrito, taking care not to tear the leaves.

Spray the slow cooker with a non-stick cooking spray.  Add 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup water in the bottom; stir. 

Place the cabbage rolls in slow cooker, stacking if necessary. 

Pour the remainder of the tomatoes on top of the cabbage rolls.

Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Tina's Tuna Surprise

Today I am remembering my friend Kristina and everything that she brought to my life during the short time she was in it.  Since this is generally a food blog, I want to share a distinct (and unforgettable!) culinary memory that I have of Kristina.

We were in our senior year of college and studying for finals.  It was one of those times that the four of us roommates actually got down to the business of school adn focused on our upcoming exams.  Kristina was...maybe, less focused on exams.  That was just her way.  However, she was a fiercely loyal friend and supported us by making a tuna casserole so we would have plenty of food to eat with minimal effort. 

One roommate claimed that she couldn't/wouldn't eat seafood, so she was spared.  Another roommate hid in the library for a week, so she was mostly spared as well.  I tried to be appreciative and supportive of that tuna casserole.  Oh boy.

Sitting here nearly 11 years later, I can't remember all of the ingredients, but I am sure it included canned tuna, green beans, and Kraft American cheese slices.  Draw your own conclusions.

I loved her dearly and miss her daily.  The thought of this tuna cassserole and its litany of mismatched ingredients makes me smile quite often. 

Where oh where has my little blog gone?

I'm excited to have a blog and to be writing about the things I love....but why have I been avoiding it for months?  Plain and simple, there are a lot of things vying for my attention and something had to give.

So, what has been gathered in MY kitchen recently?
- In October, there were dinosaurs in my kitchen.  Lots and lots of dinosaurs.  My little guy turned 3 and I promised him a spectacular dinosaur birthday party.  In his eyes, I delivered on that promise.  Actually, he is still talking about the party and even asked if he could have a dinosaur Christmas party.  I love that kid!
- In November, it was all about catering parties, reconnecting with some great customers, and preparing for Thanksgiving.
- Now it is nearly Christmas.  Gathered in my kitchen tonight is gift wrap, a gingerbread house kit, and little snowman ornaments.  And pink bunnies.  The pink bunnies are for January when my baby girl will celebrate her first birthday.  We have many good days ahead of us.

So please forgive me for not posting regularly and know that this blog is definitely on my resolution list for 2011!

Roasted Butternut Squash

I had the good fortune to spend my morning with some local elementary students as part of the Chefs Move to Schools program.  The kids asked great questions and were very interested in learning about butternut squash.  What a great group!

Here is the recipe we made together:

Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe

Ingredients

·         1 large butternut squash

·         3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil

·         1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (sub: ¼ teaspoon table salt)

·         2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

·         1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions

·         Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

·         Rinse the butternut squash to remove any dirt; dry it

·         Lay the squash on a cutting board

·         Using a sharp knife, cut off the ends of the squash, then cut it in half lengthwise

·         Use a vegetable peeler or knife to remove the tough outer skin from the squash

·         Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and membranes; reserve the seeds in a small bowl

o   They can be dried and roasted for a snack or planted in your garden

·         Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes and put them into a large bowl

·         Add the oil and mix well

·         Add the salt, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice; mix well and be sure the squash is coated evenly

·         Pour the squash onto a cookie sheet or into a baking dish; move the pieces around so they are in a single layer, if possible

·         Put the pan into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges of the squash start to turn brown.  To test for tenderness, poke a squash cube with a fork.

Make your own pumpkin pie spice:

In a small bowl, mix together:

·         1 teaspoon cinnamon

·         ½ teaspoon ground ginger

·         ¼ teaspoon allspice

·         ¼  teaspoon ground nutmeg

Stir to blend. 

Yield: 2 teaspoons

Don't Make Me Bake:How to Make Baked Alaska in 4 Short Days

As I mentioned before, Mike is currently redeeming his "Dessert of the Month" gift from Christmas 2009.  He has a sweet tooth that I can't help but admire and his Holy Grail of desserts is Baked Alaska.

Mike had Baked Alaska (fire and all!) on our honeymoon.  Several times.   We kept returning to the same restaurant so he could have this one dessert.  Whenever he gets the chance now, he orders it.  (I don't share his sentiment on this one, but that's ok...we complement one another!)

I promised him that I would make it for his birthday; it was one month late, but I delivered!

Luckily for me, Food Network Magazine featured an easy Baked Alaska recipe on their cover last year.  You can find the recipe here...and it really was so simple that even I could do it successfully!

I won't pretend that I can improve upon this recipe, because I can't.  It is simple and delicious.  I won't even tell you how much of it Mike ate all by himself...but let's just say, it was a lot!


Here are my tips for a successful Baked Alaska:

1. Start with quality ingredients.  There really isn't any baking or making involved here; just assembly.  If you assemble ingredients that are of a good quality, then your Baked Alaska will also be good quality. 

2.  Read the entire recipe from start to finish - there are several steps that require you to freeeze, re-freeze, etc.  When I tried to fit this process into my regular schedule, it took me four days.  It will not take you this long, I promise. 

3.  Taste as you go.  Andrew helped me in the beginning by rinsing the ice cream scoops between flavors.  He was in charge of quality control, so I let him taste the ice cream and Oreos.  It was 9:30am when we made that layer but we both thought the chocolate was a lot of fun!

4.   Invert the dessert onto a baking sheet.  I put it on a pretty glass serving plate.  Sounds nice, right?  Unfortunately, the plate wasn't sturdy enough to go from the freezer to the 500 degree oven (which I realized before putting it in the oven, thank God!).  As a result, we didn't get the pretty singed peaks on the meringue.  Maybe next time. 

5. Feel fancy.  People will think you are a big deal if you make this and share it.  You and I know the secret to its simplicity, but it is certainly a dessert that dresses to impress!

(Tilt your head...I can't figure out why it isn't horizontal. Sorry!)

Stay tuned for the rest of our dessert adventures this year...Mike's dessert for September is Blondies.