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Tag: chef

  • Sweet ’16

    Sweet ’16

    Okay it is almost the end of the first month in the New Year. I haven’t even taken the timeout to wish everyone a happy new year. Well, Happy New Year Everyone! I hope your start was better than you could ever anticipated it being. Great. I am glad that I have gotten that out-of-the-way. I didn’t want you guys to think I am rude. Now to let you in on what’s been going on with The Chef In Pearls. On January 9, 2016 (I like how the new year looks) Anyway on the second Saturday of the new year I threw a Ladies Brunch. Yep that’s right I cooked, they ate and it was grand. Actually there was a little bit more to it than that.  Well let me show you some of what went on. I mean a picture is worth a thousand words.  So here you go…

    There was something for everyone. Motivational speaking by Kym Edwards helped the ladies through the new rules for 2016 and how to enjoy them. I taught the ladies how to make a mushroom tart (which happened to be on the menu for the day and a few other things). We even celebrated the birthday of one of the attendees, Miss Katrina Parker. How could I not take this chance to give her hearts desire, strawberry cake…from scratch I must add. It was a wonderful day had by all…especially me.  I created so many memories that I cannot wait until the next one.

    I want you to now go forward and make your own memories. Call up a few of your girlfriends and plan a brunch. I want you guys to sit down and connect on levels you may not have had a chance to do before. And by all means write down your goals and aspirations for the year. Nothing makes it more real than seeing it on paper. And to help you on your way I am going to include the new rules for 2016 so you can share with your girlfriends at your brunch.

    Rules for enjoying your Sweet ‘16

    1. DO choose happiness.
    2. DO NOT argue with fools.
    3. DO NOT undervalue yourself.
    4. DO NOT be afraid to be amazing.
    5. DO choose your circle wisely.
    6. DO NOT compete. You are the competition.
    7. DO love yourself first.
    8. DO NOT hold on when you realize it’s time to let go.
    9. DO Heal.
    10. DO write your own story.

           by Tony Gaskin

    Now go forward and make some new memories of your own….Welcome to your Sweet ’16!

    P.S. If you are in the Atlanta area and would like to attend the second meal of the year with The Chef In Pearls you can purchase tickets here.

  • A Quickie…Fried Mac N Cheese

    A Quickie…Fried Mac N Cheese

    I had left over macaroni and cheese. Can you believe that? Actually my son left for school before I could finish making it. It was made with the intentions of him taking some back to school with him. So what do you do when you have leftover mac and cheese. You make fried mac and cheese..duh.

    I saw it on a couple of menus in town. So I figured I could track it down on Pinterest to be able to re-create. Then BAM! a slew of links to just how it was done. They were all pretty much the same with a few differences between the recipes. All the recipes required you to scoop and shape into balls that you would then freeze (preferably overnight). The differences were in their breading methods used to get the crispy outside that would protect the yummy cheesy insides. Most said you should use an egg wash and then roll the balls in breads crumbs which you would then place in the fridge to set before frying. I think I had only come across one that had what I was trained to be the standard in breading. Flour, followed by an egg wash then bread crumbs. No need to put in the fridge this way. The crumbs will adhere and not fall off before frying.

    As with anything I cook I have to find a way to make it my own. First I thought it was easier for me to cut them into squares as opposed to shaping the mac and cheese into balls. I also decided to put a small cube of cheese in the middle of my mac square. Finally I did the traditional breading I learned in school. I originally used Italian breadcrumbs but I think the next time I do this I will use Panko breadcrumbs. I also realize after making them that the temperature of the oil cannot be too hot otherwise the mac and cheese never re-heats from having been frozen. This prevented the cube of cheese I placed in the middle from melting. Trial and error that’s what it’s all about. Well here’s some pics to move along on your fried mac n cheese. Would you try this? If so would you change anythingt?

  • Cookie Swap….YAY!

    Cookie Swap….YAY!

    The Chef In Pearls will be apart of this year’s Cookie Swap …yup me and the mini me will be baking cookies in the name of raising funds and awareness for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. We want you to keep up with us and the blog as we prepare for the great swap. We’ll be making cookies to share with other bloggers as well as receiving cookies. We’ll share our cookie recipe and those of the ones we receive . We are so excited to become apart of this community and even more excited to be helping with a good cause. So don’t forget to like and share our cookie swap posts. We plan to make wonderful new memories with this new endeavor.

  • #ExclusivePartyOfOne

    #ExclusivePartyOfOne

     

     

     

    15-EPO-Logo-01For as long as I can remember I have been cooking for a large amount of people. My immediate family consisted of 5 people. Add in the family and friends my mother often took in to help them out in their times of need. I can still recall the first time I ever cooked anything on my own. We had family visiting from England. My Dad had decided to make pancakes for breakfast (Aunt Jemima, just add water mix) and he completely destroyed them, even though I kept telling him he was doing it wrong. Thinking he was being funny he told me, then 5, that if I thought I could do better I should. I still remember that kitchen table and how I had to pull a chair up in order to be able to mix the batter. Once the batter was done I moved my chair to the stove and proceeded to make pancakes that everyone happily ate. Everyone except my Dad who, out of pride, ate the ones he made which were burnt on the outside and doughy in the middle.

    Fast forward 38 years later, I have learned how to feed larger masses. I went from cooking for hundreds to a family of three that expanded to a family of five so my cooking was always evolving. Now I am in a new place in my life. My oldest is married and moved away from home. The middle child is away at college enjoying his freshman year. The baby girl lives at home on the weekends as she uses Grandma’s as a home base for school. And I am in the middle of ending a 20 year marriage. I am appreciating how to cook for one. It is not an easy task even just trying to figure out proportions but also accepting it on an emotional level. I am not the first woman to go through this nor will I be the last.

    None of these things happening around me and to my life will define me in a negative light. As with most things in my life, I am choosing to learn from it. I am using these experiences to make me a better person. I can still eat well, live life to the fullest, and enjoy this time in my life being single. It’s not a bad thing but a chance for me to re-connect with myself on so many levels. My cooking is improving and I am becoming more creative because of these changes. Cooking is actually easier for me because I don’t have to take into consideration who doesn’t like what. I just cook how and what I feel, when I feel. I get to be selfish in the kitchen and I am enjoying it.

    There are so many others that are finding themselves cooking for one. It may be a recent divorcee or an empty nester, a widow or someone who chooses this life style. I want to be able to make that transition a little easier for them. The Chef In Pearls will be doing a special series just for them or rather for us. ExclusivePartyofOne, a celebration of cooking for one with me, The Chef In Pearls. I’ll showcase recipes, classes and so much more on all my social media including Periscope. So make sure to follow me on all platforms as @TheChefInPearls. Please keep an eye out for the hashtag #ExclusivePartyOfOne.  You will be able to follow all of the goings by search for that hashtag. I am excited about all the things I want to share. So shake off all the negative vibes out there about cooking for yourself and where you may be in life because you’re not alone. We can and will make it through this stage of our lives better than ever.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Grilled Chimichurri Salmon and Shrimp Flat bread Pizza

    Grilled Chimichurri Salmon and Shrimp Flat bread Pizza

    My kids are like most kids they love pizza. What makes them slightly different from most people’s children is that, although they love a good pepperoni pizza they much rather have something a little more upscale. I decided I wanted to make pizza out of freshly made flat bread. The above picture was the ending result. Grilled Chimichurri Salmon and Shrimp Flatbread pizza.

    I am going to include the links to the recipes I used to get this wonderful meal made. The first thing I did was to prepare the seafood which meant I needed to make my Chimichurri sauce. Chimichurri is an Argentine sauce used mainly with grilled meats. I used it on seafood and had pretty tasty results. I chose this particular Chimichurri Sauce because it did not use cilantro ( I am not a fan of cilantro. It’s one of those things you either love or hate . I hate it). I reserve at least a 1/2 cup of the sauce to be used later. I then seasoned the shrimp and salmon steaks with Old Bay seasoning in separate containers. I then  covered them the seafood in the Chimichurri sauce and refrigerated them.

    We are fans of onions so I set out to caramelize onions for an additional topping on out pizza. Making caramelized onions is pretty easy but if you need a recipe to follow here’s an easy one, The onions take on average from 30-45 minutes to cook so plan accordingly. In keeping with the time issue I proceeded to make the dough for the flat bread, it needs an hour to rise. I found this recipe on the New York Times website. I only made 2 changes:

    1. I used 1/2 the amount of salt called for in the recipe.

    2. I used a grill pan instead of firing up the outdoor grill.

    Instead of using a tomato base for the pizzas I decided to do a ricotta cheese base. I used 1 cup of ricotta cheese and stirred in a Tablespoon of McCormick’s Montreal seasoning, 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning and  3 cloves of chopped garlic (you can use more or less garlic depending on your preference). Once my flat breads were made and cooled I spread them with the ricotta cheese mixture to start my pizzas off. I took the seafood out of the fridge and grilled them in my grill pan making sure not to over cook. When the salmon was cool I used my hands to break up the fish into nice flakes, I didn’t want hunks of fish but rather sexier pieces of fish. I placed the ricotta covered flat bread on a baking sheet(I was able to do 2 at a time) and continued laying the yummy goodness on top. I added shredded cheese next ( Monterey Jack and Mozzarella), then the caramelized onions followed by the seafood. I placed it in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese melted. Once It came out I drizzled some of the reserved Chimchurri Sauce on top. Viola Pizza is done.

    Let me know if you make this dish. I would even like to see pictures. Email me at info@TheChefInPearls.com. Now go forward and make memories.

  • Summer Edition….Ladies Lunch

    Summer Edition….Ladies Lunch

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    So its that time of year again. Mark your calendars. The Chef In Pearls will be hosting her Summer Edition of the Ladies Lunch. Sunday June 7, 2015 from 3-6 pm.  We will be taking a trip to the Greek Isles for this luncheon. You don’t need a passport just a fork. Visit www.TheChefInPearls.eventbrite.com to purchase your tickets.  In addition to a wonderful lunch you’ll also receive a gift bag. As an extra bonus Atlanta Touch Therapy will be in attendance offering a special rate for 1/2 hour massage for attendees. So come along for an afternoon of good eats, good company and a good time. Let’s make new memories together.

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    Lunch Menu
  • A Quickie….elmyriachi

    A Quickie….elmyriachi

    With family in town for my parent’s vow renewal I was put on tour guide duty. Today was actually a lovely day to take in the King Center. Well after a walking tour of the center it was time to eat. We ended up lunching in the Kirkwood neighborhood at a Mexican restaurant, elmyriachi. We were excited to try a new place but lets just say the excitement didn’t last long. The customer service was undesirable. Our waiter was far off his game. My street corn was cold,the chips and salsa was pretty basic in taste & appearance, the chimichanga was pretty average( I must say I make a better one even if I’m not Mexican) and I have yet been offered an opportunity to try a drink from their menu. So all in all I would not recommend this placc to anyone I know as restaurant to try. The pricing was too high, the food just okay and the service brings tears to my eyes

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  • Meatless Monday

    Meatless Monday

     

    I originally wrote this post as a guest on another blog. It was Taco Tuesday. I never shared it with my readers so today you guys get it as Meatless Monday because well it’s Monday. Why not have a meat free day? We all want to be a little more conscience when making food choices so here’s one to add to your repertoire. Actually you can still have Fish Tacos just by making just a few changes in how you prepare it all. It’s a matter of taking each ingredient and figuring out healthier alternatives to them. I’ll even share options for flour tortillas. Let’s start. I’m sharing my take on oven fried fish instead doing deep-fried fish, less oil is always better for you. Little changes can go a long way.

    Panko Crusted Tilapia

     

    2 Tilapia fillets

    ¾ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

    1 Tablespoon Olive Oil or melted butter

    1 cup Panko bread crumbs

     

    Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and lightly spray baking sheet. Prep fish by cutting them into similar sizes for even cooking. Do this by first cutting fillet in 2 down the middle, with knife vertical. You will have one side thicker than the other. Take the thicker side and slice with knife horizontal to the fillet to create 2 pieces. Each whole fillet will make 3 pieces. Place fish in a dish and sprinkle with old bay seasoning. Then cover fish with olive oil make sure both sides of fillet are covered in oil. Por bread crumbs into a place. Take fillet pieces and cover with breadcrumbs, making sure to press crumbs into fillet. Place on a baking sheet. When all pieces have been covered with breadcrumbs and are on baking sheet.  Top fillets with remaining crumbs then drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

    Now to assemble our fish tacos. Oh wait I told you I would have some alternatives for that flour tortilla.  Well guess what? I do.  In it’s place you can use a whole wheat tortilla. Yup you read correctly, whole wheat.  They even make spinach and tomato. Just be sure to check the ingredients and make sure it’s made with a vegetable puree and not just food coloring.  The other alternative would be to use a leaf of Romaine lettuce or even Butter lettuce as your shell. Basically you are looking for a vessel to hold all the healthy goodness you are about to create.

    So you have your protein and your taco shell. Now it’s time to build your taco. Keep your toppings simply you don’t want to start healthy and then lose it by adding unnecessary condiments with hidden calories. Here are some topping suggestions:

     

    Diced tomatoes

    Diced red onions

    Shredded lettuce

    Corn or black bean salsa

    Cabbage or Jicama slaw (non-mayo based)

    Cheese (quantity is key…a little goes a long way)

    Jalapeno pepper slices

    Diced Avocado

     

    You don’t have to use all of the above mentioned. Just a few will do. There you have it, a healthier take on Fish Taco. Hey consider grilling or baking your fish the next time you try fish tacos. Now go forward and make memories. Leave me a comment if you decide to try this recipe or have a new spin on it.

     

  • December Food in Review

    December Food in Review

    I’ve come to realize that most of my food posts have been to my social media sites. Which if you aren’t following you should. I’m on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as you guessed it TheChefInPearls.( go follow me now if you aren’t already) . I seem to always have something food related on those sites.  So this month I’m going to do a review of some of the things I have created or eaten that were posted and not blogged about. Keep reading it should be fun.

    First I’d like to share with you an amazing time I had at a food tasting with Chef Ed Harris. He was a Food Network “Chopped “winner. I got a chance to see why first hand. He created a night of Dim Sum. Anyone that knows me well will tell you Asian cuisine always wins in my book and Chef Harris did a great job of presenting on this night.

     

     

    Another event I attended in December was Bella N Black. I had the opportunity to vend as Gems and Baubles while taking in the networking, music and food. The event took place at the Glenn Hotel. They did their take on a passed hors d’oeuvre of Chicken & Waffle. It came off a bit large for a passed hors d’ oeuvre and a little messy since it had been drizzled with syrup and served on a napkin. Other than that it was quite tasty.

    In honor of winter, the holidays and childhood memories I spent some time creating hot chocolate which I did blog about. If you missed it you can always check it out here. Had to include it because it happened in December.

    Hot Chocolate with fresh whipped cream with grated chocolate on top
    Hot Chocolate with fresh whipped cream with grated chocolate on top

    Whenever I get a chance to visit the DeKalb Farmers Market it always brings me joy ( I smiled just writing that sentence). The fresh ingredients always inspire me. The fresh broccolini inspired an Asian dish along with fresh ginger and Shiitake mushrooms. Those ingredients became Gingered Beef with Broccolini & Shiitake Mushrooms served over steamed rice.

    I always try to get some clams when I visit the farmers market because well, I like them and also they make an easy lunch. I start off by dicing onions, celery and sweet bell peppers and sauteing them in olive oil with chopped garlic and a few red pepper flakes . I add the cleaned clams and then approximately 1/2 cup of either wine or chicken broth to steam them open. Once open I removed them from the pan turn the heat up to reduce to a sauce adding butter and fresh chopped parsley to finish it off. I top the clams with sauce and then serve with french bread slices.

    Steamed Clams for lunch
    Steamed Clams for lunch

     

    For the Christmas Holiday I was able to travel to North Carolina where my Dad and his wife relocated to from New Jersey. I love a good road trip and this turned out to be pretty good. We got to stop at one of my favorite spots off I-85 for lunch, JPeter’s Grill & Bar. They make a juicy burger and their steaks are like buttah. Check them out the next time you are in South Carolina. They keep expanding so I’m sure you’ll be able to find one close to where you may be visiting.

    We made it just in time for Christmas Eve dinner with my Dad and older brother’s family.  Since both men are married to Filipino women we were lucky to have some Asian cuisine on the dinner table. I always enjoy good Asian food and this was no exception. Christmas morning we were blessed to have a traditional Jamaican breakfast of cabbage & saltfish, fried dumplings, plantains and bammy courtesy of the Dred aka my husband. I think it’s great to have such an international flair within my family.

    I hope you enjoyed my December food recap. I look forward to bringing you more interesting things in the coming new year. Now go forward and make memories.

    Ooh yeah I forgot I made this wonderful frittata with broccoli, sweet potatoes, cheese and topped with a black bean corn salsa…hey I made it in December so it should be included. Now go get fab for NYE!

    Frittata
    Frittata

     

  • Thanksgiving OOTD

     

    Thanksgiving OOTD Shirt dress Lane Bryant Sweater Ashley Stewart Knee socks Target Shoes Lane Bryant
    Thanksgiving OOTD
    Shirt dress Lane Bryant
    Sweater Ashley Stewart
    Knee socks Target
    Shoes Lane Bryant

    If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram you know that the above pic was a #FashionObsession of mine from the Nordstrom’s Fall catalogue . I wanted so badly to have this look. My goal with this was to re-create it without having to spend any large funds. I think I nailed it.  I only spent $4 for the knee socks everything else was hanging in my closet.  What do you think?