2013: Food Chronicles

I've been cooking up a storm this past year: in my kitchen, your kitchen, any available
kitchen. Whether I was whipping up recipes from my cookbook, "Shop, Cook, Eat: Outside of the Box" or catering your event -- it's my great pleasure sharing my passion for food with you. Thanks to everyone who invited me into their homes, classrooms, offices, etc., I appreciate you.


Here's a look-see at some of my culinary creations.

 

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Catering by Chrisetta: The Dawson-Dallas Wedding

A couple of months ago a friend of a friend asked me to cater her wedding. I was honored, but also a little apprehensive. I’ve done a few small catering events for about 30 guests, but this would be for 60 guests and –- a wedding!

I tell you – I NEVER worked this hard in my life. 

- Planning the menu

- Several meetings with the bride’s support team

- Placing orders for meat and seafood

- Grocery shopping at six stores (even a trip to a friend’s garden for fresh rosemary)

- Prepping and preparing the food (16 hours + with the help of two assistants)

- and finally presenting the food

  

This was by far the most challenging yet rewarding catering event to date.  I learned a lot about myself, the process, and things I can do differently in the future.Working with awesome people, receiving positive feedback and love from the bride and groom, their families, and guests made it all worth it. 

 

An overwhelming number of the guests came to me and raved over the food. One couple stopped and talked to me at length “We could taste the love in the food.” Bingo! That’s why I make all my sauces, dips, and spreads from scratch, hand chop my fruits and vegetables, and use fresh herbs -- I want you to taste the love.

I never want to lose my joie de vivre for preparing and cooking food. That’s why I’ve been apprehensive about catering on a large scale. I want to keep the events intimate, that way I'll always be able to hand chop the vegetables and make most things from scratch. I want to connect with the people I'm feeding. I want them to ask questions about the food, talk to me about the food, and it's origin. It's that whole Outside of the Box thing.  

 
Thank you Sue-Mar and Mel for inviting me to be the caterer on your special day. Here’s to a lifetime of love, happiness, and good food!

I was extremely busy on wedding day so I wasn’t able to get many of the finished photos, so I'm giving you what I got!

Poppy Seed Dressing

The  most talked about side dish was the Potato Gratin in a Parmesan cheese sauce. This classic, comfort dish was elevated to another level with the addition of fresh rosemary and shallots. When I write my next cookbook the recipe has earned a spot.

Marinated Vegetables (grill ready): Eggplant, squash, zucchini, and sweet yellow onions with fresh basil, Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Fruit Tray (with hand-cut melon)

Grown-Up Mac & Cheese

Grilled Shrimp Scampi Kebabs

 

Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken

The wedding scene

The bride, the bride's proud parents, and the groom

The Dawson-Dallas customized menu:

Hors d’oeurve

Assorted Fruit Platter

Crudités Platter with Hummus and Poppy Seed Dressing

Cheese Platter with Fancy Crackers

Hot Spinach artichoke Dip with Blue tortilla Chips

Olive tray

Assorted Nut Bowls

Sides & Vegetables

Wild Rice Sauté

Potato Gratin

Grown-up Macaroni & Cheese

Marinated and Grilled Vegetables

Salads

Arugula Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing (warm)

Greek Orzo Salad

Grilled Carrot Salad with Ginger Sesame Vinaigrette

Meat

Grilled Lemon rosemary Chicken

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple

Grilled Beef Kebabs

Seafood

Grilled Shrimp Scampi Kebabs

Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill

Catering by Chrisetta: Poker Tournament

Greek Salad

I was all jazzed up about this Greek themed catering event. Greek food happens to be my favorite, simple ingredients with delightful flavors.  On the menu:
 
- Fig & Apricot Quinoa Salad
- Greek Salad
- Green Salad (Arugula, Endive, and Romaine)
- Grilled Chicken Kebabs marinated in Greek Yogurt infused with Greek spices
- Grilled Chicken Kebabs rubbed in a unique blend of cinnamon, cumin, and I can't tell you the rest
- Tzatziki sauce with Naan
- Crudités platter and Pita chips with Hummus
- Bowls of Nuts & Olives
- Fig Newtons
- Shortbread cookies served with Apricot Spread

Thanks to my mentor and friend, Veronica, and Edith for having me serve their friends. It was a delicious time!

 

From garden to table: Gathering fresh goods from Edith's garden

 

Edith filling the water pitcher with oranges, limes, lemons, and mint

Greens: Endive, Arugula, Romaine tossed with Lemon Vinaigrette

Fig & Apricot Quinoa Salad

 

Chicken Kebabs served with made from scratch Tzatziki sauce

As always, I hand chopped the vegetables for the Crudités platter. Fennel bulb, carrots, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, red and orange bell peppers served with Hummus

Greek Goodness! Naan, Feta cheese, Kalamata olives, Hummus, and mint leaves

Veronica lovingly displaying the freshly baked shortbread cookies served with Apricot Preserves

 

Dining and enjoying each others company - my job's done!

Mingling

Sweet Endings

Shortbread cookies with Apricot preserves

Fig Newtons

Veronica: "Fig Newton anyone?"

The lovely co-hosts of the party Edith & Veronica

Oh yeah, the poker