Celebrate the day with a Matcha Green Tea Latte

Matcha is the powdered leaves of green tea. It will give you a kick of energy—minus the overload on caffeine. With more antioxidants than regular green tea, this latte helps improve immunity function and reduce inflammation. Servings: 1.

1 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
½ tsp matcha powder
2. PLACE matcha powder in a mug; pour about ¼ cup almond milk into the mug.
3. WHISK vigorously until frothy; add in remainder of almond milk.
10 Green Detox Drinks You Have To Try

1. HEAT almond milk in a sauce pan to 165° (just under boiling).
NUTRITION (per serving): 45 cal, 1 g pro, 3 g carb, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugars, 3 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 180 mg sodium

Four Rules of Cast Iron Cooking

The more you cook, the more you realize that the best kitchen tools are often the simplest. One sharp chef’s knife is far more valuable than a 62-piece knife set. One big stainless-steel bowl will do more for you than the latest plastic contraption. And one heavy-duty cast-iron skillet will guide you to more delicious meals than any “revolutionary” cooking device sold via infomercial.
To that last point, allow David Guas to elaborate. See, Guas is a New Orleans guy who opened Bayou Bakery Coffee, Bar & Eatery in Arlington, VA. When he made the move up the East Coast, he brought little with him beyond his stock of recipes and his cast-iron skillet. “Beyond a chef’s knife, there’s no other tool in the kitchen that I can depend on to create incredible meal after incredible meal,” Guas says. He turns to cast-iron in his kitchen to sear fish to crispy perfection. He’ll use it to cook you the most delicious chicken you’ve ever tasted. He even uses his skillet to bake a mean pie.

But what the skillet gives you, you need to give back to the skillet. “With the right care, your cast-iron skillet should last you a lifetime—or a few,” Guas says, mentioning his Aunt Boo, who has been cooking with her skillets for 30-plus years and would frequently spot-check Guas’ upon visits to his home. Sure enough, Guas still uses the same skillet he brought with him to Arlington. Here’s how to give your skillet some love.
Unlike most pots and pans, skillets can’t handle the astringent properties of dishwasher soap or, worse yet, the abrasive texture of steel wool. That’s because cast-iron skillets are naturally “seasoned” with a light coating of oil that you apply after each use, says Guas. “The fat settles into the tiny holes of the cast-iron, creating a natural seal,” he says. Scrub away the seal and your food won’t sear as well. And your skillet will be more likely to rust.

Rule #1: Don’t wash it!

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Rule #2: Do deep clean.
So what happens when caked-on crud accumulates on your skillet? First, pour a cup of water into the skillet over high heat. Boiling the gunk will help release it from the surface of the pan. Still stuck? Pour some Kosher salt in the skillet and use a few paper towels to rub the salt around, breaking up the build-up. Just remember to re-seal the skillet with a light coating of oil before storing, says Guas.
 
Rule #3: Store smart.
Small chips or dings in the surface of your skillet can affect how well your food sears, Guas says. So avoid storing your skillet upright in your usual pots-and-pans cabinet, where it’s more likely to pick up imperfections from its storage mates. You can nest the skillet inside other pans, but just make sure to put a layer of paper towels over the surface of the skillet for protection, Guas says. Or, just place your skillet on the stove top. It looks bad ass, so why not show it off?
 
Rule #4: Go easy on the metal.
Whether you're sautéing hash browns or flipping bacon, be careful with any metal utensil coming into contact with your skillet lest you risk damage. Better yet: Use a wooden spoon to do your stirring. Wood is always best!

Happy Easter and Fun with Spring Cleaning

Clean Sweep

• Throw open your cabinets and pull everything out—all the spice jars, all the half-empty sacks of flour, all the old cans of beans: everything. Small packages and little bottles of spices always end up getting pushed to the back of the cabinet or tucked behind a box of crackers. You won’t be able to see what you’re working with until it is all out in front of you; you might even find a few forgotten gems. When everything is pulled out, take a second to wipe down the shelves and replace any torn or stained shelf liners.

Purge

• Purging your cabinets of unused or unnecessary foods can be a tough activity for some people. Steel your nerves and remind yourself you deserve new, fresh kitchen staples.
• Start by tossing all the accumulated half-empty boxes of sugar and bags of flour. Declutter! Declutter!
• Toss or combine any duplicate spices. One home does not need four 2/3rds-full jars of celery salt.
• If you know you’re not going to use it and it’s unopened and unspoiled, consider donating it to a local food pantry or non-profit. If it’s opened, toss it.
• If you’re feeling like you’re in need of a fresh start, toss the high sugar cereal, sodas and snack cookies too!

Package

• Standard flour bags and sugar boxes are just terrible. They let in moisture, tear easily and they keep you from seeing how much product is left inside. Invest in a set of resealable, airtight jars to store your pasta, flour, sugar and salt and other dry goods.
• Switching from the manufacture’s packaging to resealable jars may also encourage you to shop in bulk, saving you money and trips to the grocery store.

Restock

• Now that your pantry has been stripped to its bare essentials, it is time to restock the essentials and fill in the holes with a healthy and indispensable products.
• A well-rounded pantry provides the structure for a range of meals. Make a list of your 10 favorite weeknight dinners. Strip those recipes down to their non-perishable ingredients and—if space allows—make sure your pantry has everything it needs to handle cooking each recipe once.

Organize

• As you put everything back in your fridge take some time to consider when and how you’ll be using everything. Seasonal products (like holiday cookie cutters or pumpkin pie spices) don’t need to be stored in the prime real estate.
• Reserve the front and center shelves for healthy snacks and ingredients. You’re more likely to eat it if you see it!

Once everything is put back in its proper spot, pour yourself a glass of wine. You deserve it!
For more tips on keeping a clean and healthy pantry check out Kelsey Nixon’s Kitchen Confidence and the upcoming Perfect Pantry from Geoffrey Zakarian.

On Sale

Fancy up you Holiday Dinners with fresh Asparagus and support your local economy.  It is on sale at the farmers market.

Last Minute Party Planning

The holiday season is here and you've made your lists, you've shopped for every person on the planet, you've cleaned and decorated your home, so what have you forgotten? Oh, that's right, the party you planned to cater for about a million of your closest friends and family. If you did not call us, don't panic. Catering a Holiday party is not as difficult as you may think if you follow a few simple guidelines.

Set a budget and stick to it. This time of year typically places added strain on the wallet, and knowing your limitations will help you decide what type and size of a  party you can handle. Resist the urge to go overboard, remembering that the party is about spending time with your guests and not about the bottom line.

Compile your guest list. Your budget will in large part determine how many people can attend. Perfect attendance is not likely, especially at this time of year, so having a few more on the list than you originally planned to cater for is all right.

Settle on a date.. The Holiday season is filled with obligations and tasks to complete, usually leaving most people feeling frazzled and stretched too thin. When choosing a date for your party, remember that your guests will likely have other parties and family visits the closer the holiday gets. Having your party on the weekend before Christmas usually ensures better attendance and gives your guests a welcome respite from holiday stress.

Plan your menu. A buffet is an excellent alternative to the more formal sit-down dinner, allowing your guests to meet and mingle on the buffet line and providing more flexibility in seating arrangements. Catering a party buffet style also gives you the opportunity to prepare many of the dishes ahead of time, reheating them immediately before serving.

Devise your supply list ahead of time. Now you need to write down what you need to get for your party, including food ingredients, extra tables and seating, cutlery, dishes, decorations and drinks.

Decide on your music before the night of your party. Music is an essential addition to any successful Christmas party, so you may want to create your own CDs that mix popular music with holiday music. Having wonderful seasonal music playing in the background sets ambiance and puts your guests in a celebratory mood.

Clean your house the week before your party. You will likely be focusing on preparing your foods in the days immediately before, so plan on doing a thorough cleaning well in advance. This way, you won't be too tired the day of your party and you can devote your attention to more enjoyable tasks like setting up and decorating.

Next Holiday Season, call us.

      Adopted from: eHow Contributing Writer

Make your Thanksgiving dinner go smoothly with a little pre-planning and creativity

If you’re hosting a houseful of family and friends this Thanksgiving, give careful thought to your setup.  A well planned arrangement of food and drink can make the day go smoothly.

Eduardo Xol, author of Extreme Entertaining Made Simple (Celebra, $27.95) and a designer on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, shares these tips for creating an efficient dining area:

-Set up a bar for drinks.  Stock it with cups, ice buckets, two types of soft drinks, water pitchers assorted alcoholic beverages and mixers, cocktail napkins and stir sticks.

-When serving space is tight, resist the urge to over crowd it with every morsel of food.  You can always replenish a platter or bowl or guests return for seconds.

-Plan your serving strategy.  Set plates only for the number of people who can sit down comfortably for dinner; for holiday crowds, buffets are more practical.  Arrange a buffet in this order: plates, salad, main dishes, sides, sauces and condiments, bread and butter, utensils and napkins.

-Make your setup a stylish one.  Serve food in baskets and wooden vessels.  Decorate the table with seasonal flowers and platters with fruits and vegetables of autumn.

-Kitchens are often impromptu gathering spots when you’re entertaining, but too many people can impede work flow. To prevent a traffic jam, serve food and drinks as far from the kitchen as possible.

-Anticipate your guests’ needs. Designate a place to store coats and purses so they aren’t piled in the primary entertaining areas.

This article was adopted from Mary Vuong-Houston Chronicle.

Happy Thanksgiving Holidays from your friends at Bailey Connor Catering

How to talk with your potential Caterer

Catering demystified:
selecting a caterer should be fun, not stressful. The more you know about how a caterer works, the easier it will be to interview caterers. With that in mind, we're providing this questionnaire for your reference.

What you need to know first:
First of all, you need to see the kitchen and their operation; this includes insurance, licenses, etc. A caterer must be invested in the community. If they do not show you their kitchen, this should be a red flag item for you. So many times we hear from a client the horror story of a caterer using their own kitchen in their home. They claim this is why they can give you a good deal. They collect the deposit and sometimes full payment for event, and suddenly they do not return phone calls and cannot be found. It is also against the law for anyone to cater out of their own home.

From a caterer's perspective every event is different based on the type of event, venue, the guest count, the service style, and the client's special requests. Therefore, there are certain questions that any good caterer is going to ask you - and if you've already had a chance to think about these issues, it will save both of you time and produce a better event. Share your budget with your caterer.

What type of event are you envisioning? What is your goal? A formal seated dinner, family-style, or buffet? For a reception - do you want a combination of passed hors d'oeuvres and stations? Do you want live action stations where a chef prepares guests' selections to order? How many guests do you expect? What time of the day, date. If children are in attendance, do you want a separate menu for them? Will they be seated intermingled with the adults or in their own section? Do you need rentals of china, linen, etc? What kind of bar do you want - wine & beer, a full open bar, what kind of liquor for the full bar? Champagne, specialty drink? Do you need to rent glass ware?

Do you have a specific theme that you want to incorporate into your event?

What you should ask your Caterer:
* How many years have you been in the catering business?
* Do you have sample menus with pricing that I can see?
* Will you customize a menu for my needs and budget?
* Will the catering salesperson be at the event?
* What's included in the catering price, and what do you price separately? (Food, beverages, service,      centerpieces, linens, china, and chair cover, other rentals, etc.)
* How do you charge for liquor; per person, per hour?
* What is the ratio of staff to guests?
* How do you price your staffing and gratuities?
* Can we make an appointment for a food tasting? Is there a charge for this?
* Will you provide us with a contract including your payment/cancellation policy? 
* When do you require the final head-count?
* Do you have liability insurance?
* May we contact past clients for a reference?

The Budget

The Wedding Budget, by Veronika Levine, adopted from the Knot Magazine

We have many brides who have a difficult time to establish a budget for their wedding.  I recently read this article in the “The Knot Magazine” and perhaps this will help our brides. The article recommends the following for our brides and grooms:

Who’s Paying?

Talk to your families about who will pay for what: Some brides’ families still pick up the entire tab, but more and more groom’s families are participating too.  How do you bring up the conversation?  For many couples, talking to each family separately is the best way to have truly open discussions.   When you do talk, here are strategies for determining your initial budget.

Ask both of your folks to commit to a specific dollar amount, and then add up all the contributions to create your budget. Alternatively, it may be easier to ask each set of parents to finance a particular aspect of the wedding (such as the ceremony, honeymoon, or catering) instead of just committing to a dollar amount. Decide how much you two can contribute between now and the wedding (37% of the couples we polled say they’re planning to contribute financially to their wedding.)

How Much Do You Actually Need?

Just like buying shoes, an apartment, or a pair of jeans, when it comes to financing a wedding, you should figure out how much you need to spend to get what you want.  Set expectations accordingly.  Knot note: The average cost for a 150-person wedding is about $25,000 (higher in urban areas).

Here is a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay:

Reception: 48%-50%

Ceremony: 2%-3%

Attire: 8%-10%

Flowers: 8%-10%

Entertainment/Music: 8%-10%

Photography/Videography: 10%-12%

Stationary: 2%-3%

Wedding Rings: 2%-3%

Parking/Transportation: 2%-3%

Gifts: 2%-3%

Miscellaneous: 8%

To avoid stress, allot about 5% of your budget for a “just in case” fund.

If you’re paying for your honeymoon yourselves, remember to budget for that as well.

I hope that this  information will be helpful to many of my clients. Thank you Knot Magazine.

Food News

1) Gluten-free,  probiotics,  minimal ingredients and local cuisine.

2) Grandmas’ recipes will be back in full force. With our stressed economy people will reach out for comfort foods.

3) What comfort foods of Yesteryear would you like to see comeback with a modern twist?

Explore Food Options For Weddings

I read this article in the Houston Sunday paper and added my few senses:
The culmination of most weddings is the reception. At this party, guests typically dance, mingle, and eat. Depending upon the scale of the wedding reception, the food service can be a spectacle in itself- beginning with an elaborate cocktail hour and ending with a decadent display of desserts.

When planning your wedding, your preferences and budget will dictate the type of food service and beverages you offer. However, part of deciding on what to select involves understanding the types of courses and foods involved. To make things easier, here is a brief rundown of food service typical for wedding receptions so you can make an informed decision.

Common services:
Open bar service – Many couples choose to have an open bar at their wedding reception. This typically runs the duration of the reception or terminates an hour prior to the end of the evening. A premium bar service will include top-shelf liquors, frozen drinks, and cream-based drinks, in addition to nonalcoholic soft drinks. You can also choose to scale down bar service to only include beer and soda,
Or wine, beer and a specialty drink named after the bride and groom

Cocktail hour – During the cocktail hour, guests are treated to a display that appeals to all of the senses. This is where the reception hall really gets to shine in its food presentation. The cocktail hour may have a variety of food service options. They are typically offered buffet-style, or guests can come visit stations to self-serve or be served by staff. Elaborate Fruit Antipasto station, breads, butler-passed hors d’ oeuvres – appetizers carried on trays by staff members – as well as hot chafing dishes filled with pastas or other delights may also be available.

The cocktail hour may take place in a room separate from the main reception area or in the room itself. It will usually last an hour.
The bride and groom, as well as the wedding party, may be absent from the cocktail hour – enjoying their own snacks in a private bridal room, or they maybe taking pictures. This helps create an aura of mystery and will allow them to make a grand entrance at the end of the cocktail hour.

Main dinner service – With buffet-style, chafing dishes will be presented where guests choose from among menu items offered. A sit-down dinner service will allow guests to pick among two or three main courses offered – typically a fish, poultry, or beef dish. Salad, soup, or some small appetizer, like sliced fruit, may also be served. A palate refresher – a lemon sorbet, or something similar – might also be served. This is used to break up the courses and cleanse the tongue of rich flavors so that the next food item will be presented in full flavor.

Small Bites
A trendy option is a selection of mini meals, petit entrée Hors d’oeuvres. Your guests will enjoy a variety of familiar foods as mini portions on 6” plates, without breaking your budget.

Another option is to provide Action Stations and heavy hors d’oeuvres as your main course.

Cake service – After the cake cutting tradition (if the couple opts to do so), a slice of wedding cake will be served to each of the guests. At this time, tea or coffee can also be served.

It really all depends on your budget.

HINTS AND TIPS

I found this in my favorite Magazine. According to F&W make sure to wear protective gloves when working with hot chiles. The same oils that provide the chiles fortifying heat can easily irritate your skin and eyes

A PLATE FULL WITH HINTS AND TIPS

For those of you who like to bake, this may be of interest to you. According to the Food&Wine Magazine, Egg whites whipped to soft peaks give cakes lightness and lift. Always begin beating egg whites slowly to break them up before turning the beaters on full throttle. Now you know!

A PLATE FULL OF HINTS AND TIPS

Did you know:
Herb-encrusted simple syrups are are an uncomplicated way to add fragrant notes to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Lightly crush the herbs before seeping, discard the herbs and cool the syrup to release their flavor. After steeping, discard the herbs and cool the syrup completely. I read this in the Food and Wine Magazine, my favorite.