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4 Simple Food Ideas For Kids Birthday Parties

March 1, 2023 By Ina

Throwing a kids birthday party is something that is part of the job description of being a parent. It is expected of them to make a birthday party that will make their children feel special on their big day.

Sometimes there is so much to think about between all of the presents, activities, and providing entertainment that the last thing that you want to deal with is planning a meal for a bunch of kids with various food aversions. Some are so addicted to having things their way when it comes mealtime that they are unwilling to bend when it comes to trying new things. Therefore, choosing some quick and easy which everyone will like is the best way to make sure that you have the least amount of stress possible. Here are some of the best choices which everyone is sure to enjoy. [Read more…]

Originally posted on October 20, 2020 @ 9:16 pm

Filed Under: Entertaining, Ideas Tagged With: kiddie birthday party ideas, kids birthday party, nuggets and fries, pizza, sandwiches

Tailgating Ideas: Touchdown With These Tips

March 1, 2023 By Ina

tailgating

Crisp leaves and cool Autumn nights are markers letting us know that football season is finally here. Many football fans and tailgaters have been counting down the days until the first kickoff. However, it is important to prepare for tailgating season. So before you fire up the grills, purchase the charcoal, and put the drinks on ice- prevent unnecessary food penalties or turnovers during the tailgate party by organizing your tailgating ideas well before the cleats hit the turf.

Over the years, tailgating has evolved into a tradition that many people enjoy. Even if football isn’t your cup of tea, tailgating allows even the most reluctant fan to enjoy sitting through endless first downs and conversions. Borrow tailgating ideas from chefs and other fans to create the best combination of jerseys and food.

tailgating party

If you find yourself spending a Friday or Saturday afternoon focused on the grill, rather than the pigskin, try these tailgating ideas to score with the crowd:

Keep it simple. Prepare as much of the food as you can before the game, so you can enjoy tailgating. Slice tomatoes, thread kabobs, or whip together a simple salad the night before. Avoid complicated dishes or desserts, look for appetizing summer dishes.

Keep things the right temperature. Pack plenty of ice and make sure refrigerated items are stored properly. You don’t want a game’s victory to be overturned with a bout of food poisoning.

Bring enough drinks and include nonalcoholic drinks. Game days can be brutally cold or stifling hot. Either way, you will need to stay hydrated to prevent sitting out on the sidelines.

Let your grill do the work. Choose meals and sides that can be left on the grill while you cheer on the team. Grill potatoes, corn, mushrooms, peppers, pizzas, and more. The possibilities are endless!

Incorporate the team’s colors. This is a simple tailgating idea, but buy colored plates and cups that support the team. Try colored foods, like colored popcorn to add a little pizzazz to your curbside party. Get creative and have fun!

lamb kebabs


Do you have any great recipes or ideas to win at tailgating?

Originally posted on September 24, 2014 @ 2:06 am

Filed Under: Entertaining, General, Ideas, Tips Tagged With: tailgating ideas

Recipes for Summer Entertainment

March 1, 2023 By Ina

When entertaining friends in the summer, think easy and breezy. Easy to make dishes that won’t leave you sweltering in a hot kitchen all day long and breezy, casual finger foods that match the lightness of summer living. Try these family-friendly dishes when entertaining a crowd on a summer afternoon or eve. Outdoor dining adds a nice touch to summer meals.

Appetizer: Homemade Hot Pretzels and Cheese

You can create pretzels from any basic yeast dough, so turn to your favorite pizza recipe and get started. After the dough has risen for one hour, roll it into a long tube. Now cut small 2-inch bits off to make pretzel bite, cut and brain longer 6-inch pieces for pretzel twists or shape into traditional pretzels. This dish is family-friendly and fun, and you can always take a shortcut by using purchased plain or whole wheat pizza dough. For the cheese sauce, serve a cheddar cheese dip or a nacho dip.

Main Meal: Cheese Stuffed Grilled Peppers with Grilled Kebabs and Corn Salad

To make the peppers, mix equal parts ricotta and cream cheese and add 1/2-part parmesan cheese. Remove the pepper stem and scrape the inside to remove the seeds. Fill the pepper with cheese mixture using a knife. Run with olive oil and grill for 7-8 minutes or until charred. Experiment with different types of peppers, such as Italian, bell or poblano.

When summer tomatoes and corn are at their best, make a simple salad. If the corn is quite fresh, use it raw; otherwise shuck the ears and blanch for 4 minutes. Remove the corn kernels from their cob. Slice cherry tomatoes in half, dice one-half a red onion and add fresh basil on top.

For kebabs, use your preferred meat and marinade for several hours or overnight in a simple lemon and oil dressing or another simple marinade. Slide the meat onto wooden or metal skewers and grill until cooked through. Try shrimp with lemon and oil, Asian-style beef or garlic-rosemary chicken.

Dessert: Watermelon Popsicles

This no-fuss dessert simply spells summer. De-seed and cut 2-1/2 cups of watermelon. Puree in a blender. If you wish, add tequila for a watermelon margarita popsicle or add lime or mint for a child-friendly twist on the watermelon pop. Pour the pureed watermelon into popsicle molds and freeze. If you don’t have a popsicle mold, use paper juice cups to hold the popsicle base and insert popsicle sticks when the liquid is partially frozen. To serve, run the popsicle mold under warm water and gentle slide out the pop.

For beverages, iced tea and lemonade both quench the thirst and are simple to make at home. If you prefer something sugar-free, add some fresh herbs or veggies to water to create a lightly flavored water. Try mint and cucumber or lemon balm and fresh lemon, for example. If you’re serving adults only, upgrade to a crisp white wine or rose, or try light summer ale or a shandy (half beer-half lemonade). With no-fuss, crowd-pleasing dishes like these; you just may become the preferred hostess.

All of these dishes are easy to scale up when you’re throwing large parties and are adaptable to allergens and personal preference. What are your go-to summer dishes for entertaining?

Originally posted on June 18, 2013 @ 1:23 am

Filed Under: Entertaining Tagged With: entertaining dishes, recipes for summer, summer recipes

Train to Become a Celebrity Chef

March 1, 2023 By Ina

Celebrity chefs of today have inspired many young people to consider a career in culinary arts.  Even the not-so-young working professionals have been observed to be showing incredible interest in the field.  This may be due to many reasons but it is quite clear that immense financial possibilities and popularity form the core of this renewed interest in cooking careers.

Steps in Training to Become a Celebrity Chef

1. Get the Required Education

Enrolling in a Culinary Arts Program provides advantages in terms of the basic and “academic” learning that may be needed by chefs.  Available programs range from certificate courses to master’s degrees.  The appropriate program would depend on the skills and education already acquired prior to the program.

2.  Get the Experience

Graduates of cooking schools do not automatically become good cooks or chefs.  Experience is probably the single most important factor in determining whether a chef is destined for greatness or not.  There are actually several famous chefs who have gone on to stardom on the strength of their extensive experience rather than by virtue of academic honors.

3.  Identify the Career Path Desired

Celebrity chefs have different fortes in which they excel in.  It is best for an aspiring celebrity chef to identify which path he desires and work on that choice vigorously.  This may involve internships and apprenticeships under a preferred celebrity chef, and further formal and specialized training.

4.  Create an Identity

No chef can ever be a celebrity if he is not able to set himself apart from the rest.  This may be done by operating a restaurant of his own while seeking to develop a unique brand that will identify him.  Nowadays, joining competitions on TV appear to be the most commonly practiced route to stardom.  Even non-winners eventually find themselves recipients of offers if they managed to get the attention of producers.

5. Never Stop Learning

One of the secrets of celebrity chefs is that they never stop at their laurels.  They continue to learn and evolve so that they remain current with the times while maintaining their established image.  Celebrity status comes with work and responsibility.

An aspiring celebrity chef can either put his career on the hands of fate or he can do what most celebrity chefs have done which is to train hard and work hard.

About the Guest Blogger:

Gina is a recruitment officer who regularly handles applications on jobs for chefs.

Originally posted on October 4, 2012 @ 9:32 am

Filed Under: Chef, Entertaining, Television Tagged With: celebrity chef, celebrity chef training, chef training

Anthony Bourdain and the Casa Nostra Chef

March 1, 2023 By Ina

Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain, the infamous traveling chef now on almost every lifestyle channel in existence- had quite a story to tell in one of his first bestselling books: “Kitchen Confidential“. Finally, after many trial and tribulations, he had found his sous-chef extraordinaire, Steven Tempel, for the Supper Club in New York, where Bourdain had just been made head chef. To say that Steven was eccentric was, according to Bourdain, putting it mildly…

Nevertheless, Bourdain reveals in the very frank and no nonsense book (as in how it really goes down in the restaurant business), Steven was somewhat of a genius. It turns out that Bourdain had recruited Steven from Casa Nostra Restaurant, in Northern California, where he had been working in the kitchen with “idiot savant” and “baking genius” Adam Real-Last-Name-Unknown!!

Kitchen Confidential is an excellent read and here at Celebrity Chefs we highly recommend it. As it turns out, the owner of Casa Nostra Restaurant (which was known for serving the best italian cuisine in town)- Joey Velardi, has recently opened up a branch in Manila, Philippines- where it is receiving rave reviews from the locals and in fact Bourdain recently visited for his show “No Reservations“.

Let’s hope Bourdain doesn’t steal the chef again 😉

Originally posted on November 4, 2011 @ 3:50 pm

Filed Under: Chef, Entertaining, Gossip, Kitchens, News Tagged With: Anthony Bourdain, best italalian cusine, Casa Nostra Restaurant, Joey Velardi, Kitchen Confidential, No Reservations, Steven Tempel

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