Colorado Mountain Wedding

It was an exciting wedding weekend!  We had the opportunity to cater at a venue new to us.  Nestled in the foothills of Colorado, Meadow Creek Bed and Breakfast is a historic stone lodge completed in 1920's by an Italian prince for his Denver bride.  This mountain oasis provided the perfect backdrop for Katie + Brady’s casually elegant wedding. 

Rain showers held out for the outdoor ceremony.  Chatter and congratulations filled the air throughout cocktail hour where we passed around some of our delicious hors d’oeuvres. The trays were filled with Braised Short Rib and Chimichurri on Crostini, Tuna Tartare on a Crisp Wonton topped with Wasabi Microgreens and Fingerlimes, and Sweet Corn Soup Shooters with Lime Crema.

 

After everyone had time to mingle, they all found their seats and got ready for more toasts and the main course to be served.  The venue was perfect to serve the family style dinner the bride and groom requested. Dinner started with a Spinach and Arugula Salad with Candied Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Feta Cheese and a Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette.  We then served up family style portions of Grilled Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Bordelaise Sauce and Horseradish Cream, Achiote Seared Salmon Filet, Mushroom, Sweet Corn and Parmesan Cheese Risotto Cakes, Seasonal Vegetables and Assorted Dinner Rolls with Butter. 

 

The happy newlyweds took time saying hello to all of their loved ones and then it was time for the brides special request – a gourmet s’mores bar! With a variety of gourmet s’mores options ranging from The Nutty Buddy to The Salted Caramel to The Samoa, there was a flavor to fit everyone’s taste buds.

Congratulations to the newlyweds, Katie + Brady, on your happy marriage and beautiful wedding!

Meadow Creek Bed and Breakfast - www.meadowcreekbb.com


Spring Time Grilling

Summer is just around the corner. Many of us are already cleaning off the grill, filling up the tanks or purchasing the charcoal and wood chips in anticipation of grilling season. So what will you do this summer that is different? How about an American favorite with a twist? Grilled pizzas have become a weekly favorite in our house. The simplicity of the dough makes this a wonderful yet quick meal. Make dinner a fun family affair by having the kids build their own pizza, rolling out the dough, then topping it off with their favorite sauce and ingredients. Spice up your dinner party with pizzas topped with unique ingredients and wine on the patio. The options are endless.

Grilled Pizza Dough

Makes 6 Ten Inch Thin Crust Pizzas

1 Package Quick Yeast

1 Cup Warm Water (warm, not hot tap water)

1 Teaspoon Sugar

2 Cups Flour + Small Amount for Dusting of Cutting Board (we use Organic, but All Purpose works well too)

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Basil (Dried or Fresh)

Pinch of Salt

Black Pepper to Taste

8 oz Shredded Mozzarella/Cheese of Your Choice 

2 Cups Tomato Sauce/Pesto/Sauce of Your Choice

Additional Optional Toppings (Fresh Basil, Heirloom Tomatoes, Nicoise Olives, Prosciutto, Grilled Chicken, Etc)

For the Dough: 

Place the yeast, warm water and sugar in a mixing bowl. Let sit for 5-7 minutes (should slightly foam at the top). Add in the flour, olive oil, salt, pepper and basil. Knead until combined. For best results, I mix all ingredients in an electric mixer with a dough hook until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add additional flour if needed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm area for 15-20 minutes. Dough should double in size. 

Lightly dust, with flour, a large surface to roll out dough. Divide the dough into 6 portions.  Roll each ball of dough to approximately 1/4 inch thick.  Brush both sides with olive oil, or spray with cooking spray. 

Preheat grill and set on medium to high heat. Place rolled out dough directly onto grill. Lightly grill 1-2 minutes per side. Remove cooked pizza dough from grill and cool. Turn grill to low, and top each grilled pizza dough with sauce, cheese and additional desired toppings. Place pizzas back onto the grill, and close the lid. This will replicate an oven, as the heat will be dispersed throughout the grill to melt and caramelize the cheese. Let pizzas rest for 3-5 minutes, slice and serve!

Bon Apetit! 

 

The Benefits of Eating Seasonally

 

Juicy sweet strawberries in the summer, hearty squash in the fall, earthy beets in the winter… One of my beliefs as a chef is to use seasonal ingredients for optimal flavor, health and wellness.  In today’s society, grocery stores and restaurants provide the convenience of having the exact same foods available year-round, whether an item is in season or out of season.  While it can be difficult to use seasonal ingredients all the time, they definitely should be incorporated into your diet.  So why are seasonal ingredients important?

 

1.     Health / Nutrition - Seasonal foods are picked at the peak of freshness and offer higher nutritional value than out of season unripe fruits and vegetables. Out of season produce may be shipped from thousands of miles away, spending many days, or even weeks in transit and losing some key nutrients.  When you eat with the seasons, you can enjoy a rainbow of colorful and diverse foods in your diet as well as providing your body with a wide variety of important vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that you need to maintain your health.  Eating seasonally also means you are trying something new, and choosing fruits and vegetables that contain different nutrients.

 

2.     Taste – Think of a tomato you eat in August versus February.  Fresh fruits and vegetables picked in season are going to please our palates the most.  These foods have had the chance to fully, naturally ripen before they’ve been picked and taste delicious.  Out of season fruits and vegetables transported across the miles are picked under ripe and spend days in transit before finally arriving on a supermarket shelf.

 

3.     Sustainability / Environmental Benefits - Eating with the seasons and purchasing local foods help to protect our planet.  It reduces the number of miles your food has to travel before it reaches your plate, reducing pollution and the carbon footprint.  Buying organic, seasonal, locally grown foods also protects our environment.  Both organic and conventional farmers rotate crops to increase soil fertility, use integrated pest management to control pests, and sustainable composting methods for disposing of organic waste.  By not using toxic chemicals, poisonous pesticides, herbicides, and genetically modified seeds, these farmers provide us with healthier foods along with protecting both our planet and the farm workers health. These sustainable methods of raising foods yields a superior product that offers better taste, quality and nutrition over conventionally raised foods.

 

4.     Cost Effective / Less Expensive - Eating seasonally means food can be grown in its natural environment, with less energy, less transit time and less expensive costs to you.  Additionally, when you buy seasonal foods you help provide financial support to the farmers in your area and help to grow your local economy. 

Spring is officially here on March 20th, and is an exciting time for those who love to cook. Fresh English Peas, Fava Beans, Ramps, Fiddlehead Ferns, Morels and more. Some of these items have a very short season, so take advantage of their intense flavors and beautiful colors while they are around.  

 Bon Apetit!

Chris

Chicken Lo Mein - Restaurant Style

Chicken Lo Mein - Restaurant Style

In our house, eating out is a rare event.  Although our friends may say we are lucky to eat fun and upscale meals at home, my kids will tell you otherwise. When it's finally time to reward the little ones, there is no question where we will be going. That said, I have attempted many times to emulate the Chicken Lo Mein found at most Chinese Restaurants , with no success. Recently I found a recipe online that with a few changes, has now won the hearts, or should I say taste buds of my children. 

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