Holiday Weekends

What do typical people do on holiday weekends? This past memorial weekend was my first one ever in my 13 year food career to have off. I am used to catering to the public every tastes, watching them have a great time slipping beers while indulging themselves in my ever so delectable meals.

This Holiday, didn't know what to do. I tried to relax like people do, but that was boring. I took my two furry kids on a walk everyday but it only lasted an hour or two and then what else was I suppose to do. So I decided to work anyway, researching new recipes and mixing different flavors together in a meal. Then, I decided to make 2- 5lb Beer Can Chickens on the Grill with my new BBQ Spice Rub that I just created. 2.5 hours later, it was tasting time to see if my new BBQ spice rub tasted as good as it smelled. Let me tell you, it was delicious. I served it with Chef's Baked Beans, a recipe that I created this weekend. I sure hope the next holiday is better than this one. I guess I will have to plan better.

Whats for Dinner?

Today I cooked for a family of six. While cooking for this client at the last service, their six year old son told me what he would like to see on the menu for the next service. He said, " Mexican, Chinese, Steaks and Apple Pie oh and can't forget Pizza. Well I did what he wanted. This was their menu:



Taco Pizza

Philly Cheese steak Mac-n-Cheese

Chinese Chicken and Vegetables served with an Asian Noodle Salad

BBQ Glazed Meat Loaf Served with Twice Bake Potato

Island Pork Tenderloin with Coconut Rice

Vegetable Lasagna served with Quinoa, Broccoli and Pine Nut Pilaf

Apple Pie


What's for dinner at your house tonight?

What is your specialty is one of the questions I get asked very frequently. I respond by saying:

I specialize in Cooking Lessons, Personal Cooking for busy individuals and familes and Catered Events such as:

Graduations
Holidays
Small Weddings
Rehearsal Dinners
Baby or Bridal Showers
Corporate Dinners
Back yard BBQ's
Just because you want to Party;Party

Not realizing the person asking the question wanted to know what I like to cook up best never entered my mind. To me, I can cook almost anything asked for. Just yesterday I was cooking for one of my personal chef clients and on their menu was American, Mexican, Irish and Italian. I fascinate myself when I prepare menus for clients because I am not trying to put four different kind of cuisines on the menu, it just happens. Just think if you were one of my clients and you opened your refrigerator or freezer and said to yourself, "Do I want Vegetable Lasagna, Guinness Irish Stew or Mexican Rubbed Rib eye Steaks with Lime Butter served with Spanish Rice?" I know I would feel like everything all in one sitting.

The only thing I am not educated on is kosher cooking, I get too confused trying. I don't want to go to H E double hockey sticks because I accidentally mixed meat with dairy, or prepared meat in a dairy kitchen. i am getting confused writing about it. Vegetarian cooking is also something I seldom do. Growing up in the land of meat and potatoes (Minnesota), dinner was meat, mashed potatoes with sweet kernel corn on top with butter. You can't forget the Heinz 57 Sauce or ketchup, both Minnesota Staples. I now know the next time someone askes me what my specialty is, I will have to ask them what are they hungry for?

"Not just for the Rich and Famous"

Who uses a personal chef? What exactly do they do?

The answer is people who hate or love to cook and have no time. You know who you are, the people who have kids in karate, sports, dance and clubs, ect. You are the ones that are going here, then there, then here. Making dinner is the last thing on your mind. The "oh, crap I forgot to take something out for dinner" is in your daily vocabulary. Trust me you're not alone, I hear this all the time. I am here to plan the menu, excerise myself while buying the groceries and releave not only your stress but mine too. Cooking is my stress releaver. Food is one thing that doesn't yell at you, only when I accidentially burn it then it gets mad and makes the dish taste and look awful. Eventhough I'm a chef, I make mistakes in the kitchen too.

I never leave my clients guessing how to prepare the meals. I always have labels on every container that tell you how to preheat the oven, set the timer and then eat it.